: A pivotal 10-minute conversation occurs between Joe and his father, Ben Cartwright (Lorne Greene) . Ben argues that life is sacred and humans do not have the right to end it, even to ease suffering, famously asking Joe, "Don't you know?" .
: The title is drawn from William Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice , specifically Portia's speech: "The quality of mercy is not strain'd; it droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven..." . "Bonanza" The Quality of Mercy(1963)
: Sworn to secrecy, Joe suffers a deep crisis of conscience as he struggles to decide if the act was morally justifiable . : A pivotal 10-minute conversation occurs between Joe