Shinzon

"You are me! The same noble Picard blood runs through our veins! Had you lived my life, you'd be doing exactly as I am. So look in the mirror. See yourself. Consider that, Captain... I can think of no greater torment for you."

- Shinzon, to Captain Jean-Luc Picard

Shinzon is the chief antagonist of Star Trek: Nemesis, the final film of the original Star Trek film series.

He is a clone of Captain Jean-Luc Picard, created by the Romulans for the initial purpose of replacing Picard with a Romulan operative. He later became the leader of the Remans, staging a successful coup against the Romulan Senate and plotting the annihilation of Earth in the name of Reman freedom.

He was portrayed by Tom Hardy, who also portrayed Bane in The Dark Knight Rises.

History
Engineered sometime during the 2360s by the Romulans, Shinzon was a clone intended to conduct covert espionage within the United Federation of Planets. Created from DNA, likely a hair or tissue sample, he was meant to replace Picard. As part of this plot, his design incorporated temporal RNA sequencing, which vastly accelerated his maturation rate. Like his progenitor, Shinzon, as a child, was diagnosed with Shalaft's Syndrome, which made him hypersensitive to any kind of sound. He suffered until a Romulan physician could be found who was capable of treating rare human illnesses.

Not long after Shinzon was created, a new government came to power within the Romulan Star Empire and the Romulan Senate abandoned its plan, believing it to be too provocative an act if discovered. With no use for such a clone, the Empire exiled Shinzon from Romulus, sending him to work as a slave in the dilithium mines on Remus. Reviled by the Romulans working there, Shinzon became the target of abuse. In his time in the mines, he was severely beaten, having his nose and jaw broken by brutal Romulan guards. One Reman, however, took pity on Shinzon, teaching him strength and compassion; this man would become Shinzon's Viceroy in the conflict to follow.

In 2374, the Romulans declared war on the Dominion, joining the Federation and the Klingons in the Dominion War that lasted until 2375. Enlisting the aid of the slaves on Remus, the Romulan military drafted Shinzon, who quickly distinguished himself in battle and ascended the ranks. Like his Starfleet counterpart, Shinzon became regarded as a great tactician, leading twelve successful engagements against the Jem'Hadar.

Following the end of the Dominion War, Shinzon had both military experience and a capable army at his disposal. Forming an alliance with several Romulan officials, including Senator Tal'aura and Commanders Suran and Donatra, Shinzon vowed to free his Reman "brothers." Setting into motion a plan to overthrow the Romulan government, he and his cohorts constructed a massive warbird, the Scimitar. Operating out of a secret base, Shinzon and his people also developed a weapon that utilized deadly thalaron radiation. Deploying a small thalaron projector in the Romulan Senate, Shinzon was able to kill all the Senate members.

Shinzon's days, however, were numbered. Abandoned by his Romulan creators, Shinzon's temporal RNA aging program was never activated, and it began slowly breaking down his cellular structure. The only way for him to avoid death was to make a complete blood transfusion from the only genetically-compatible donor: Picard. Towards this end, Shinzon concocted an elaborate plot to lure the USS Enterprise-E (and, by extension, Picard) to Romulus. He planted the pieces of a Soong-type android, B-4, on Kolarus III, where he knew that the Enterprise-E would find it. As a result, the Enterprise-E was the closest starship available when Shinzon offered to open peace negotiations between the Federation and the Romulans, and Picard sailed directly into the trap.

Upon meeting Picard, Shinzon delayed his plans, having acquired an intense interest in his originator's history as well as the history of the Picard family. He also became smitten with Counselor Deanna Troi, who was the first human woman (albeit, only half-human) he had ever seen. During his first meeting with Picard and his crew, Shinzon remained hidden in the shadows (he and his Reman "brothers" were not comfortable in the light) and informed Picard of his intentions to negotiate peace with the Federation. After correctly guessing what Picard thought of such a negotiation, Shinzon revealed himself, shocking Picard who now realized he was facing a younger version of himself. Shinzon then cut his own hand with his knife and gave the knife to Lieutenant Commander Data to have Dr. Beverly Crusher examine his blood. Afterward, he invited Picard to dinner in the Romulan Senate, insisting that they had "much to discuss."

During dinner, Shinzon explained to Picard how and why he was created and his upbringing in the mines of Remus. He then asked with great curiosity about the history of the Picard family. Despite their obvious similarities, however, Picard was reluctant to forge a friendship with Shinzon and an alliance with his Romulan government until the Praetor had earned his trust. When Picard left, Shinzon was informed by his Viceroy that they were wasting time and reminded the young clone of their mission.

Afterward, Shinzon and the Viceroy returned to the Scimitar. Instead of proceeding with their mission, however, Shinzon had the Viceroy form a telepathic link between Shinzon's mind and that of Counselor Troi's so that he could make love with her; this telepathic form of rape was a violation and traumatic experience for Troi, but would ultimately assist in Shinzon's downfall.

When further delay was unacceptable because of the accelerating deterioration of his condition, Shinzon ordered B-4 to be beamed aboard the Scimitar to download the data that the android had acquired from the Enterprise-E's computer. Afterward, Shinzon kidnapped Picard by transporting him from the Enterprise-E's sickbay to the Scimitar's brig. As soon as Shinzon left the brig, Picard managed to escape from the Scimitar with the help of Data, who had taken B-4's place, and left the Romulan system aboard the Enterprise-E at maximum warp. During the subsequent trip, Data assured Picard that Shinzon would not have been him even if the two had lived the same lives, because Picard had always aspired to better himself and his understanding of the universe around him, while Shinzon sought nothing but death and destruction for those who had "oppressed" him.

Desperate, Shinzon ordered the Scimitar to pursue the Enterprise-E, and launched an attack in the Bassen Rift, a region where subspace communications were unavailable. In the battle that ensued, Picard continued to elude capture with the assistance of Romulan reinforcements led by Donatra, who had betrayed Shinzon after realizing that Shinzon was planning mass genocide. She subsequently aided Picard in the Battle of the Bassen Rift until her ship, the IRW Valdore, was heavily damaged by a disruptor blast from the Scimitar.

For some time, the battle was in Shinzon's favor, due mostly to his ship's ability to fire while cloaked. Things changed, however, when Troi re-opened the telepathic link that was made between herself and the Viceroy, allowing the Enterprise-E to pinpoint the Scimitar's exact location. With its cloak disabled, the Scimitar began taking damage, but Shinzon was not through yet. After the Enterprise-E's shields took extensive damage, Shinzon ordered the Viceroy to lead a boarding party aboard the Enterprise-E to retrieve Picard; unfortunately, the boarding party was pinned down and the Viceroy himself was killed by Commander William Riker in a maintenance shaft.

In whole, however, the battle was not going well for the Enterprise-E. Shinzon had nearly crippled the Federation starship and had even destroyed a section of its bridge, sending at least one Starfleet officer hurtling to his death. Overconfident, Shinzon had the Scimitar turn to face the battle-damaged Enterprise-E, but Picard turned the tables by ramming the Enterprise-E into the Scimitar. With both ships heavily damaged, Shinzon ordered his Reman officer to activate the thalaron weapon and to fire at the Enterprise-E. He then ordered the officer to take the Scimitar into Federation space and complete their mission once every living thing aboard the Enterprise-E was dead.

To stop the thalaron weapon from firing, Picard beamed himself over to the Scimitar. On the Scimitar's bridge, Picard managed to kill all Reman crewmembers with his phaser rifle. As Shinzon's condition worsened, he engaged Picard in a ferocious hand-to-hand battle which moved from the bridge itself to the thalaron radiation generator room. In the end, Shinzon was killed when Picard used a piece of wreckage to impale Shinzon as the clone lunged in for the kill. With his plans collapsing around him, the dying Shinzon used the last of his strength to pull himself down the makeshift spear and grab the captain by the throat so he could utter his last words: "Our destiny is complete."

As Picard stood in shock, realizing that he, his ship, and the Federation were doomed by the weapon, Data arrived and transported the captain back to the Enterprise-E. Data then fired his phaser at the thalaron generator, destroying himself and the Scimitar, and effectively concluding Shinzon's plan for galactic conquest.

Quotes
"I hope you'll forgive the darkness. We're not comfortable in the light."

- Shinzon's first lines

"Captain Picard. Jean Luc Picard. I'd always imagined you taller. Isn't that odd?"

- Shinzon, to Picard

"I have never met a human woman. [...] Deanna Troi...of Betazed. Empathic, telepathic abilities, ship's counselor. All this I knew. But I didn't know you were so...beautiful."

- Shinzon, to Troi

"May I touch your hair?"

- Shinzon, to Troi

"Unity, Captain! Tearing down the walls between us to recognize that we are one. I'm talking of the thing that makes us the same: peace. We want peace. Right now, you’re thinking this all sounds too good to be true? But you're also thinking that the chance of peace is too promising to ignore. Am I right?"

- Shinzon, to Picard

"When I was very young, I was stricken with an odd disease. I developed a hypersensitivity to sound. Even the slightest whisper caused me agony. No one could do anything about it. Finally, I was taken to a doctor who had some experience of Terran illnesses and he diagnosed me with Shalaft's syndrome. Do you know it, Captain? [...] Then you know it's a very rare syndrome. Genetic. Apparently all the male members of a family have it. Eventually, I was treated and now I can hear as well as you can, Captain. I can see as well as you can. I can feel everything you feel. In fact, I feel exactly...what you feel. Don't I, Jean Luc? Come to dinner tomorrow on Romulus! Just the two of us...or, should I say, just the one of us."

- Shinzon, to Picard

"Silence, Romulan! You really must learn patience, Commander. Spend eighteen hours every day under the lash of a Romulan guard and you'll soon understand patience."

- Shinzon, to Suran

"Commander Donatra, please remain. There's a word I want you to consider: allegiance. It's something I demand from those who serve me."

- Shinzon, to Donatra

"You are not a woman. You are a Romulan! Serve me faithfully and you will be rewarded."

- Shinzon, to Donatra, after she attempts to seduce him

"Now go. And Commander! If you ever touch me again...I'll kill you."

- Shinzon, to Donatra

"The Romulans had somehow gained possession of your DNA and I had been created, and when I was ready, they were going to replace you with me. Put a Romulan agent at the heart of Starfleet. It was a bold plan. [...] As happens frequently here on Romulus, a new government came to power. They decided to abandon the plan. They were afraid that I might be discovered and that it would lead to war."

- Shinzon, explaining his origins to Picard

"Not quite the face you remember. [...] A lifetime of violence will do that. They broke my nose, my jaw. But so much is the same. The eyes, surely you recognize the eyes. [...] Our eyes reflect our lives, don't they? And yours, so confident!"

- Shinzon, to Picard

"I had always hoped I would be two meters."

- Shinzon, to Picard

"They sent me there to die. How could a mere human survive...the dilithium mines? Not that it mattered, as I was no longer part of their plans against the Federation. In those terrible depths lived only the damned. Together with the Reman slaves, I was condemned to an existence of unceasing labor and starvation under the brutal heel of the Romulan guards. Only the very strongest had any hope of survival. I was only a child when they took me. Then I didn't see the sun or stars again for nearly ten years. The only thing the Romulan guards hated more than the Remans...was me. But one man took pity on me, the man that became my Viceroy. He protected me from the cruelty of the guards. He taught me how to survive. And in that dark place where there was nothing of myself, I found my Reman brothers. They showed me the only true kindness I had ever known."

- Shinzon, explaining his past to Picard

"You have every reason. If you had lived my life and experienced the suffering of my people, you’d be standing where I am."

- Shinzon, to Picard

"All I have are my personal feelings!"

- Shinzon, to Picard after the latter says he can't make decisions based on feelings

"I want to know what it means to be human. The Remans have given me a future; you can tell me about my past."

- Shinzon, to Picard

"Were we Picards always warriors?"

- Shinzon, to Picard

"My...time, and I shall spend it how I choose."

- Shinzon, to Viceroy

"Imzadi. He can never know you as I can. He can never touch you as I can. [...] Feel my lips."

- Shinzon to Troi, violating her mind

"I was lonely."

- Shinzon to Picard, after Picard is abducted

"What is it your Borg friends say? Resistance is futile."

- Shinzon, to Picard

"And I'm not quite human. So what am I? My life is meaningless as long as you're still alive. What am I while you exist? A shadow? An echo?"

- Shinzon, to Picard

"We will no longer bow before anyone as slaves. Not the Romulans and not your mighty Federation. We...are a race bred for war. And conquest."

- Shinzon, to Picard

"It amazes me how little you know yourself."

- Shinzon, to Picard

"I'm afraid you won't survive to witness the victory of the echo over the voice."

- Shinzon, to Picard

"I thought we'd discussed patience, Commander."

- Shinzon, to Suran

"The Enterprise is immaterial! They won't even make it out of the Neutral Zone, and in two days, the Federation will be crippled beyond repair. Does that satisfy you?"

- Shinzon, to Suran

"Can you learn to see in the dark, Captain?"

- Shinzon, to Picard, during the Battle of the Bassen Rift

"You're too slow, old man."

- Shinzon, to Picard

"You can't trace my holographic emitters, Captain, so don't bother. And you can't contact Starfleet. It's just the two of us now, Jean-Luc, as it should be."

- Shinzon, to Picard

"I have little interest in your quaint vessel, Captain."

- Shinzon, to Picard

"Childish dreams, Captain, lost in the dilithium mines of Remus. I am what you see now."

- Shinzon, to Picard

"He's what his life has made him!"

- Shinzon, to Picard

"I can't...fight what I am!"

- Shinzon, to Picard

"I'll show you my true nature. Our nature. And as Earth dies, remember that I will always, forever, be Shinzon of Remus! And my voice shall echo through time long after yours has faded to the dim memory."

- Shinzon, to Picard, rejecting his chance at redemption

"I hope you're still alive, Jean-Luc. [...] Don't you think it's time to surrender? Why should the rest of your crew have to die?"

- Shinzon, to Picard

"Hard to port!"

- Shinzon, after Picard orders the Enterprise-E to ram the Scimitar

"Some ideals are worth dying for, aren't they, Jean-Luc?"

- Shinzon

"I'm glad we're together now. Our destiny is complete."

- Shinzon's last words