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Season 6 Episode 6 True Q

Amanda Rogers joins the crew of the Enterprise as an intern from Starfleet. She expresses her multifaceted interests, not quite sure how she wants to advance her career. Talking with Beverly she determines it is okay for her to take her time and learn in various fields to come to that determination. While she is on the ship she experiences several startling phenomena such as creating several puppies and using her powers to save Riker’s life. After preventing an explosion in the core, Q finally shows up, clarifying that she is a Q herself. Her parents took human form when they had her and that it is imperative that he begin to teach her about her powers.

Q approaches Amanda initially wanting to take her with him to the continuum but after her initial refusal to go with him he concedes, deciding instead to reach her. Meanwhile Picard begins research into her biological parents wishing to find out more about them. Amanda finds herself confused and out of place with her powers not knowing whether the right decision is to use them or retain her humanity. Q trains her, allowing her to see her birth parents and teleporting her all around the ship to acknowledge her status as a Q. This runs in conflict with her humanity after Beverly grows frustrated after Q encourages Amanda to speed up an experiment. Amanda even learns the selfish aspects of being Q using her powers to have a liaison with Riker, even manipulating him to be in love with her but quickly realizes it is wrong and only exists via her manipulation.

Finding more information on looking into Amanda’s parents’ death, Picard confronts Q claiming the tornado that struck them did not line up with weather patterns at the time, accusing the Q continuum of killing Amanda’s parents. Q comes clean telling Amanda all of this and that he was sent to determine if she was full Q or a human Q hybrid that he would have to kill. He determines she is Q and gives her the same choice her parents were given, to decide whether or not suppress her powers and live as human or accept her status as Q. Amanda chooses her humanity but is quickly confronted when a planet nearby reports its anti pollution systems are failing and the sun is almost blocked out. Q taunts her claiming she won't be able to do anything to help if she claims with her humanity. Faced with the loss of life on a large scale Amanda uses her powers sealing her fate to be taken to the Q continuum. She does insist on being given time to say goodbye to the crew members as well as her adoptive parents before she leaves for good.

Amanda’s character in this episode further explores the idea of why Q operates the way he does. Yet unlike Q, her cornerstone of humanity keeps her powers in check. She egregiously uses her powers in order to place her and Riker in a scene together, even shifting his mind to be in love with her, yet ultimately comes to the realization that this is not real. The episode is her being at odds with her humanity and nature as Q. If she can have anything she wants then what happens to her future desires. Beverly is consistent throughout the episode guiding her humanity whereas Q seeks to tempt her and get her to embrace her difference from the rest of the humans. It is ultimately her humanity that gets her sent to the Q continuum as she cannot stand to see suffering and not intervene. True Q marks the difference between Q and humans, it is a question of how long Amanda spends with the Q before she becomes similar to them.

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Season 6 Episode 5 Fractures

Trying to stay awake through a poetry reading, Riker finds himself growing increasingly irritable as he feels he has gotten a lack of sleep. Talking with Troi she reports several other members on the Enterprise who have been reporting similar circumstances. One such being La Forge who detects a time his visor was not online. Forming a group of individuals who have felt similar things, Troi tries to encourage them to recall what it is that they've seen. Their efforts take them to the holodeck where they are able to successfully recall being placed on a metallic table with a scalpel, also recollecting a clicking sound.

While this is happening Data and La Forge discover a subspace rift in a cargo bay performing a probe to discover more about it. In order to close the rift they need to trace it to its source. Connecting one thread to another, from close medical inspection Beverly comes to the conclusion that Riker and several other crew members have been abducted while sleeping before being returned. A scan revealing that a couple crew members are missing from the ship. Devising a plan to find out more about the rift, Riker volunteers to have himself tracked and given a stimulant to counteract the sedatives the mysterious abductors are distributing.

Pretending to be asleep, Riker waits for the perfect moment to act while the aliens go about their business. Hooded and mysterious they ambulate around with a mysterious purpose. Data and La Forge use the tracking to begin to close the rift. Using the opportunity of the aliens being distracted by the portal being affected, Riker takes action grabbing the missing crewmate and heading through the portal. The aliens send a mysterious pulse through the rift which the Enterprise is unable to identify the purpose of.

This episode explores aspects of horror with the mysterious aliens functioning as the role of aliens in a public conception of them. Mysterious creatures abducting humans for an unknown purpose. It has an aspect of horror, coming from the fact that the creature's intent and purposes are never fully realized. It also explores the world of the unconscious with the bizarre scene in which Troi recreates the table with the help of the victims. It is an exercise in exploring the details of the mind under a layer of fog. Trying to recall details and building off of it from details the others were giving was a surreal experience. Sometimes Star Trek deals in literal fights and wars, but what can be scarier is the threats one cannot fully recall or understand.

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Season 6 Episode 4 Relics 

Discovering a Dyson sphere, a large superstructure that encompasses a sun to absorb its energy and distribute it, the Enterprise also encounters a distress signal from the USS Jenolan, a ship that had been missing for 75 years. Warping aboard the ship La Forge discovers that the transporter has been jury rigged to maintain two signals indefinitely. Reversing the process, La Forge is able to bring back Montgomery Scott but is unable to reconstitute the other signal. Returning to the Enterprise, Scotty marvels at the new technology and after getting cleared by Beverly makes his way to engineering. He quickly discovers however that some of his knowledge is obsolete such as when he grows concerned about some crystals in their casing. An annoyed La Forge asks him to leave engineering and a dejected Scotty complies.

Making his way to ten forward and the bar, he orders a scotch before realizing that all the alcohol has been replaced by synthehol, Days offers him some actual liquor from Guinan’s supply and he makes his way to the holodeck where he recreates the bridge of the original Enterprise. He wallows in self pity before Picard finds him and the two begin to exchange stories of their history with StarFleet. Picard identifies the alcohol he has obtained as Aldebrean whiskey until Scotty decides he's had enough pouting and ends the simulation. Picard asks La Forge to travel with Scotty to the Jenolan in order to recover survey data.

The two slowly repair their relationship aboard the old ship as Scotty is able to show off his expertise and know-how while using the older systems. He corrects La Forge in a couple of areas, including a part where he wrote the book for the engine La Forge is working on, explaining its real capacity he committed for safety reasons. While this occurs the Enterprise approaches a hatch on the Dyson sphere. Thinking it is some sort of communication huh they send out a signal, yet that ends up triggering the hatch to open and the gravitational pull of the ship inside. Coming within range of the star inside they find it is emitting deadly amounts of radiation and that the shields can only hold out for so long. 

Back on the Jenolan Scotty and La Forge work out how to get the ship flight worthy after finding the signal of the Enterprise has disappeared they take the ship to the hatch where Scotty is able to deduce they were dragged in. Coming up with a risky plans Scotty has the hatch open and uses the Jenolan to jam the hatch from closing, giving the Enterprise the opportunity to slip through, beaming the two engineers aboard before blowing up the Jenolan to clear the way. Back aboard and post disaster, Scotty talks with the La Forge telling him to appreciate his time as chief engineer since he can only feel that sort of feeling once before he is led to shuttle bay. The senior staff of the Enterprise see Scotty off, awarding him with a shuttle craft to go where he wants.

This episode is heavily nostalgic with the return of Scotty. Despite the aspects of fan service, the episode managed to hit on aspects of living your best life and addressing older people who feel like they have hit their peak a long time ago. Scotty spends a lot of his time recalling his glory days and when he was at his peak as chief engineer. In telling La Forge to treasure his time aboard the Enterprise it is a message to appreciate ones youth and when you're operating at your prime. He waxes poetics about women and ships that one can only experience their first time once, such as Picard recalling his first time captaining aboard a rickety ship. By the end of the episode Scotty has come to have a vigor as he rediscovers his ability to contribute and be useful while working on the Jenolan. It is communication between the Original Series and the Next Generation. Things have changed but the advances of the Next Generation would not have been possible without the original.

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Season 6 Episode 3 Man of the People

  

Encountering the transport ship the Dorian the Enterprise comes to its aid as it is under attack by hostile ships. Beaming aboard, the passenger introduces himself as Ramid Vas Alkar a Lumerian ambassador currently on his way to negotiate peace talks between the two planets Rekag and Seroni. Sev Maylor, an elderly woman and Alkar’s mother, glares at Troi telling her to stay away from Alkar. She grows increasingly hostile whenever encountering Troi until she meets her end from mysterious causes. Troi approaches Alkar giving condolences for his loss and asking if there's anything she can do. Alkar asks to perform a Lumerian funeral right with her, where he has her repeat several phrases and touches two rocks that the two hold together, causing a faint blue glow.

From there Troi begins to show strange signs, coming off coldly to fellow crew members as well as putting sexual advances onto Alkar. When he refuses she comes onto several crew members, including Riker, growing more and more irritated as she is rebuffed. Her hair also begins to gray and she shows signs of getting older in a more rapid fashion. When Alkar stops spending time with her and instead spends time with a woman named Liva who is part of his people who have arrived on the planet, Troi grows increasingly needy and paranoid, insisting she travel with him to the planet side while Alkar insists that she stay in her quarters. Things escalate to the point that when Alkar and Liva are sent to go aboard the planet to negotiate peace talks, Troi attacks the duo with a knife, lightly wounding Picard who is in the room at the time.

Finding higher neurotransmitter residue on Troi which was also found on Maylor, Beverly requests Picard to overturn Alkar’s previous request to not perform an autopsy on Maylor’s body. With Troi in peril, Picard gives Beverly permission with startling results. Maylor was not Alkar's mother and was only 30 years old. Picard warps onto the planet confronting Alkar who calmly explains that he performs a ritual where he selects another person and gives them his negative emotions, funneling it into them as a “receptacle”. He explains further, that due to Troi’s empathic abilities she was apparently more susceptible to the negative symptoms of being such a receptacle. Picard is outraged and demands Alkar to releases her, to which Alkar cites the greater importance of negotiating peace with a clear head, refusing Picard’s request.

Quickly coming up with a plan, Beverly suggests they put Troi in a death like state in order to throw off Alkar. Alkar returns to the ship after being told Troi is dead and quickly seeks out Liva as a new receptacle. Before the ritual can be completed, Troi is revived after the neurotransmitter residue are purged from her system and the resulting emotions and particles are sent back to Alkar. As Liva is beamed out of the room Alkar receives all the negative emotions he has pushed onto Troi quickly aging and dying while she recovers.

From the initial name of the ship to the ending, the show has a strong affiliation to The Picture of Dorian Gray. It is the story of a bright man who becomes seduced by the pleasures of life, with a painting that absorbs the negative emotions and aging that he might sustain. It is with outright calmness that Alkar refuses Picard’s request, simply believing that his existence is worth the continued advances of Troi. While Dorian in the books has somewhat homosexual undertones with the man who painted him as well as Dorian’s mentor, Alkar has a contempt for the affection of the women who he uses as receptacles. It is almost as if in addition to his positive emotions his compassion for the women he uses is lost as well. 

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Season 6 Episode 2 Realm of Fear

Assisting the USS Yosemite after a transporter accident caused the disappearance of several crew members, those aboard the Enterprise discover that they are unable to transport to the Yosemite due to interference. Barclay suggests linking the two transporter systems which results in a longer dematerialization process. When called by La Forge to assist in the away team Barclay flees the scene. Talking with Troi and O’Brien it is revealed that Barclay has a mortal terror of the transporter system. He feels incredibly anxious till Troi shows him a Betaziod meditation technique involving stimulating a part of the brain via small taps. Employing this technique Barclay successfully transports to the Yosemite. On the way back however he sees a creature in the stream which subsequently bites his arm.

Going from there Barclay begins a slow descent into madness stemming from the creature he saw in the stream. He talks with La Forge and Troi where he becomes increasingly paranoid that he has contracted transporter psychosis. Troi ultimately relieves him of duty due to his irritability and he attempts to get some rest until he sees his arm glowing again. He approaches O’Brien who reports an anomaly from when he was transported aboard the Yosemite. O’Brien recreates the conditions and he sees the creature in the stream once again. Convinced he is onto something he calls the senior staff for a meeting. Picard orders a higher alert status and asks for the transporters to be shut off. While working in Engineering Barclay is found collapsed on the ground, his whole body glowing.

A deeper scan of his arm reveals that there are microbes in his arm that got caught in the stream when he was transporting. They can get the microbes out but only by putting him in the transporter to allow the bio filter to remove the microbes. Reluctantly agreeing, Barclay is put into the transport and while in it finds more of the worm creatures coming at him. Gathering his courage, he reaches out to grab one in his arms pulling it back with him. As he is reconstituted it is revealed that the creatures are actually crewmates from the Yosemite preserved in the stream. Taking note from Barclay the security team swiftly retrieves the rest of the crewmates. Afterwards Barclay converses with O’Brien about confronting fear with O’Brien leaving him with his pet tarantula.

This episode delves deeper into the transporter system, something briefly touched upon by Dr. Pulaski from season two of the series. Fear is the main focus of the episode with O’Brien and Troi representing two separate solutions. Troi offers meditation as a style of dealing with fear offering the technique where Barclay taps his neck to stimulate the cerebral cortex. Meanwhile O’Brien is much more direct with his style of confrontation recommending a head on approach to Barclay. What always is so notable about his episodes is how open and honest Barclay remains in each of his episodes. He is part of the cast but not one of the illustrious senior members who dive into each mission and problem with gusto. It is why it is more rewarding when he confronts his fears despite his weakness.

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Season 5 Episodes 26/ Season 6 Episode 1 Time’s Arrow

Reporting back to Earth, investigating evidence of alien activity from 500 years ago, Picard questions why they were called specifically when they find Data’s disembodied head in the cavern. They find evidence of alien fossils originating in Devidia II. La Forge and several of the members aboard the Enterprise express concern for Data and his implied death, to which Data responds neutrally. Landing in the cavern they soon discover that the aliens present are out of phase with time. Data assures a worried Picard that the phase distorter in his head is the best way to reach them. As he phases he sees aliens absorbing strands of light from a glowing entrance and as two aliens use it he is brought inside.

Finding himself in San Francisco, Data approaches a hotel, making a ton of money using his android abilities in a game of poker. He befriends the bellhop who fetches him components of the device he needs. He is working on a device to detect the aliens but as he peruses the newspaper he finds an article about Guinan. He approaches her later at a party where she is engaged with philosophical talk with Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain). When Data approaches her talking of star ships she takes him aside and he quickly puts together that she is not the Guinan from the 24th century but is instead incredibly long lived. While explaining what is going on Clemens listens in with great suspicion.

Back in the present time the crew has built a phase discriminator which allows them to finally see the aliens. They are horrified to learn that the strands of light are humans who are about to die, funneling through the portal. Picard, La Forge, Riker, Troi and Beverly all enter the portal in search of Data and to stop the aliens. Adapting to life in 1893 the crew finds themselves living as an acting group, they discover the cholera cases are likely a front for the aliens to steal more life. Beverly encounters the two aliens and has an altercation with them and the police. Heading out of the hospital, the group reunite with Data and beat a hasty retreat back to where they are staying.

With Data’s intel the group find the location of the cave and are able to follow the alien time travelers back to the mine with Guinan among them and Clemens tailing the group. Finding the aliens, Data has an altercations where he wrests the cane away from them which subsequently causes his head to be removed and a new portal to be opened. Everyone but Picard, Guinan, one of the aliens, and Data’s discarded head go through the open portal back to the 24th century. Picard left behind in the 19th century talks with one of the aliens, discovering that if the portal is destroyed in the future that the past earth will be in jeopardy due to the effects of time-shifts.

Using the head they discovered in the present, Geordi reattaches Data’s head, discovering iron filings in Data’s head that warn about the risk to the Earth. Stopping Riker and Worf from launching the torpedoes they come up with a plan to launch them at the phase of the aliens, so as to not risk the Earth. Concerned about Picard, the group find themself at a stalemate as the cane can only take one person back and allow one person forward. Clemens steps up, agreeing to travel back and get Picard back to the 24th century. Picard encourages Clemens as an author and ensures that Guinan will be taken care of. Clemens assures Picard that he will take care of everything in the past and Picard travels back through the portal one time, getting phased back to the ship right before the torpedoes hit.

This two parter explores two interesting elements with the death of Data being forewarned as well as the character or Samuel Clemens. La Forge and several others aboard the Enterprise become alarmed at the prospect of Data dying, whereas he looks forward to the fact that he can feel more human knowing there will be an eventual termination to his life like any other lifeform. This ends up being a non-issue as his head ends up reattached but it is worth noting the way Data accepts his death as a sign of his wanted humanity.

Clemens is a constant figure in this episode, initially starting out as more of a snoop trying to obstruct Data, his discovery of the future seems to change his attitude and role in the episode. He changes his tune after a discussion with Troi where he learns that the future has changed for the better as far as Troi attempts to convince him of how humanity has improved. A self made man, an icon of American literature, Star Trek writers make sure that Clemens occupies the role they think he deserves, ultimately stepping up to save Picard.

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Season 5 Episode 25 The Inner Light

The Enterprise encounters a probe that is made of unknown technology, it approaches quickly and shoots out an energy beam connecting with Picard. Picard finds himself in a small home with a woman named Eline who claims to be his wife. She refers to him as Kamin and wonders if his memories are from the intense fever he woke up from. Talking with Batai as well, Picard discovers Kamin was an iron weaver and enjoyed playing the flute. Initially Picard is averse to this idea, embracing the role of Kamin to which he has woken up to, yet soon years pass. In this time he embraces his identity as Kamin, learning to play the flute and even having children with Eline.

Aboard the Enterprise they attempt to block the feed of the probe to Picard but quickly find that causes his vitals to drop forcing them to quickly try and reestablish the connection. They are able to identify the probe as coming from a system whose sun went nova, making life uninhabitable. Kamin, (as Picard has begun to accept himself as) comes to this conclusion from testing the soil and checking his Dobsonian Telescope. He talks with his daughter, Meribor who confirms his suspicions that the worsening conditions spell out worse than a drought. His second child seeks out a career in music having been captured by the artistry of it, a stubborn Kamin relents, seeing the passion it inspired in his son.

Yet further time passes with his close friend Batai dying. He finally gets into contact with a government official who admits to Kamin that he is correct but that the government does not want to cause mass panic. As he learns this, his wife Eline is on her deathbed meeting her end after one final conversation with Kamin. More time elapses finding Kamin playing with his grandson, morose over the fact that his grandchild will not have a future to inhabit. Meribor insists that he comes and watch the rocket with them, Kamin doesn't see the point but reluctantly agrees to spend the time with his family. As he arrives outside questioning what manner of rocket is to be launched, Batai shows up looking like his former self, explaining to Kamin that he has seen the rocket before. Eline shows up next along with the rest of his family, informing Kamin that what is being launched is a probe containing information about their species.

Kamin has a moment of dissonance remembering his confusion when he first arrived in Ressik. Realizing that he is who the probe came into contact with, he finally comes back as Picard aboard the Enterprise. Bewildered, he asks Riker how much time has passed, to which he is told, only about 25 minutes. The probe, having finished its transmission, shuts off yet exploration inside reveals a small wooden box. Riker gives this box to Picard who opens it revealing the flute he played as Kamin. Kamin, or Picard, hauntingly plays a melody he learned while living in Ressik as the episode ends.

What Picard experiences in this episode is a complete ideatic death of himself as he once was. It is over the course of several years that Picard learns to accept his role as Kamin. Not only that, he comes to care about the people of his village, with their ultimate fate only revealed to him after he has lived a lifetime on the planet. It makes me recall “The Paradise Syndrome” where Kirk loses his memories and lives among a people, based upon Native Americans. Unlike Kirk, Picard retains his memories of being a starship Captain but learns to put his history behind to accept his role as Kamin. He commits himself to learning the flute, a role Kamin occupied as well as agreeing to have children with Eline. Picard becomes Kamin in mind, carrying that piece of him as he plays the flute in his chambers.

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Season 5 Episode 24 The Next Phase

The Enterprise encounters a Romulan ship in distress after a device blows up on the vessel. La Forge and Ro beam back to the Enterprise to fetch supplies but seemingly don't reappear from their end. The two awaken aboard the Enterprise, yet can go through walls and objects with others aboard the ship ignoring them entirely. After Beverly pronounces the two dead, Ro jumps to the conclusion that they are dead and need to come to peace with it, whereas La Forge determinedly seeks out a solution. Following Data back to the Romulan vessel, La Forge discovers the phase inverter, coming to the conclusion that they have been subject to experimental technology that both phased and cloaked them, leaving them in an in-between state. They also overhear a plot from the Romulans to cause the destruction of the Enterprise, and as the two seek their way back to find a way to warn them, they are followed by a Romulan in a similar state.

While they move about the ship, Data has been detecting chronoton emissions with his scanner, which Geordi quickly deduces is caused by the movements of him and Ro. He also realizes after Data performs another sweep with anyon particles, that they cause him to partially dephase. He theorizes that with a strong enough sweep of anyone particles the two could become visible to the Enterprise. Ro is captured by the Romulan who intends to end the two's attempts at warning, yet a scuffle between her and the Romulan is ended after La Forge pushes him through a wall out into space.

The Enterprise is delayed in its departure as long as the chronoton particles are in effect, so using the Romulan disruptor La Forge decides to go to their own funeral where Data has orchestrated a jazz party where people reminisce and enjoy the music. Using fire from the disruptor does not cause a powerful enough dispersal of anyan particles so Ro suggests an overloading of the device. Data orders for a sweep of the room, powerful enough that he and Picard are able to briefly see the two. This provides enough pieces of the puzzle for Data to also deduce what has happened to the two of them. A sweep of anyan particles at the highest level finally allows La Forge and Ro to decloak and dephase and impart their warning.

While it is all revealed to be because of a phase inverter, the episode has strong ties to themes of death and moving on. Multiple characters reveal their feelings, such as Worf who is happy instead of upset that La Forge is dead because he is now in a better place, having died while doing his duty. Ro talks with La Forge about her own people and culture, having thought she was dead and thinking about the ghosts according to her culture. Even if it was disproved by La Forge she was getting ready to accept her own death and believed a cultural phenomenon she had forgotten about was real. Data also synthesizes what he hears from Worf compared with other traditions to host a jazz party as the funeral for the event. La Forge himself appreciates the event as it gives people something to talk about and is uplifting instead of a much more somber event.

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Season 5 Episode 23 I, Borg

The Enterprise discovers a wrecked Borg ship where they find a young Borg among the wreckage who still lives. Picard requests that both Beverly and La Forge assist in helping the Borg recover. La Forge and Data come up with a plan to implant the young Borg with a virus then sending him back to the Borg to infect the network. Picard plays this plan to the horror of Beverly who compares his actions to genocide of a species. Picard is stalwart about the fact that the Borg are not a species and only seek to destroy.

While working with the drone who is initially called “Three of Five” La Forge starts talking with the Borg and in an effort to humanize him, gives him the name Hugh. Hugh slowly understands that La Forge does not wish to be assimilated. La Forge approaches Gainan who has a troubled history with the Borg, alarmed when sparring with Picard and realizing he is keeping a Borg aboard. La Forge convinces Gainan to at least meet Hugh, to which she reluctantly agrees. She finds his sense of individuality holds up, even teaching him that resistance is not futile. A shaken Guinan convinces Picard to at least meet with Hugh before sending him to his death.

Picard poses as Locutus attempting to rattle the young Borg and inspire compliance but Hugh stands strong, even referring to himself as I when pushed to attack La Forge. This convinces Picard and he offers refuge to Hugh. Hugh recognizes that while he remains on the ship the Borg will hunt him down, so he ultimately agrees to be transported back to the crash site. The Borg arrive and terminate the other Borg before taking Hugh with them, who gives one last look over at La Forge. Picard only hopes that Hugh’s individuality and respect for life might be transmitted to the rest of the Borg.

This episode focuses on individuality, specifically through the lens of High. While initially portrayed as one of the Borg and evil, it is revealed he is used to being one of many and the statements he tells other's such as “Resistance is futile'' is learned dialogue. He is just as able to learn other concepts, such as resistance is not futile after interacting with Geordi. It is a question of if Hugh is a changed person or simply receptive to his outside or if all Borg are capable of change. The episode is also about overcoming trauma in the form of Guinan and Picard, both of whom have a history with the Borg. Guinan wishes to get rid of Hugh initially while Picard is on the path to war and destruction of the Borg. Hugh’s growing sense of self forces both of them to run in contrast with the trauma and vendetta they may have with the Borg, realizing they would potentially be snuffing out millions of lives in the counterattack. 

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Season 5 Episode 23 I, Borg

The Enterprise discovers a wrecked Borg ship where they find a young Borg among the wreckage who still lives. Picard requests that both Beverly and La Forge assist in helping the Borg recover. La Forge and Data come up with a plan to implant the young Borg with a virus then sending him back to the Borg to infect the network. Picard plays this plan to the horror of Beverly who compares his actions to genocide of a species. Picard is stalwart about the fact that the Borg are not a species and only seek to destroy.

While working with the drone who is initially called “Three of Five” La Forge starts talking with the Borg and in an effort to humanize him, gives him the name Hugh. Hugh slowly understands that La Forge does not wish to be assimilated. La Forge approaches Gainan who has a troubled history with the Borg, alarmed when sparring with Picard and realizing he is keeping a Borg aboard. La Forge convinces Gainan to at least meet Hugh, to which she reluctantly agrees. She finds his sense of individuality holds up, even teaching him that resistance is not futile. A shaken Guinan convinces Picard to at least meet with Hugh before sending him to his death.

Picard poses as Locutus attempting to rattle the young Borg and inspire compliance but Hugh stands strong, even referring to himself as I when pushed to attack La Forge. This convinces Picard and he offers refuge to Hugh. Hugh recognizes that while he remains on the ship the Borg will hunt him down, so he ultimately agrees to be transported back to the crash site. The Borg arrive and terminate the other Borg before taking Hugh with them, who gives one last look over at La Forge. Picard only hopes that Hugh’s individuality and respect for life might be transmitted to the rest of the Borg.

This episode focuses on individuality, specifically through the lens of High. While initially portrayed as one of the Borg and evil, it is revealed he is used to being one of many and the statements he tells other's such as “Resistance is futile'' is learned dialogue. He is just as able to learn other concepts, such as resistance is not futile after interacting with Geordi. It is a question of if Hugh is a changed person or simply receptive to his outside or if all Borg are capable of change. The episode is also about overcoming trauma in the form of Guinan and Picard, both of whom have a history with the Borg. Guinan wishes to get rid of Hugh initially while Picard is on the path to war and destruction of the Borg. Hugh’s growing sense of self forces both of them to run in contrast with the trauma and vendetta they may have with the Borg, realizing they would potentially be snuffing out millions of lives in the counterattack. 

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Season 5 Episode 22 Imaginary Friend

Deanna Troi is having a counseling session with Clara, a young girl aboard the Enterprise who struggles to make friends, placing instead an imaginary individual called Isabella to interact and play with. While traveling in a neutron based nebula called FGC-47 an energy-based entity enters the ship finding Clara and taking the form of Isabella. She turns invisible when adults are around, encouraging Clara to go to engineering and do other things that get her in trouble. Troi begins to grow worried about Clara attempting to encourage her to get out of her shell. This seeming abandoning of Isabella enrages her, causing her to cause minor setbacks to the Enterprise.

One such effect is the ship losing its velocity while traveling through space. When they encounter the problem again Data turns on shields revealing a gas that interacts with the shield forming strands of energy that restrain the ship. Isabella is causing minor inconveniences, spilling Troi’s hot chocolate and messing up Alexander’s pottery. A distressed Clara runs to the arboretum growing distraught with Isabella. Isabella is insulted by Clara’s frustration and claims that she does not care about her anymore and she can die with the others. A terrified Clara attempts to warn the others but only is taken seriously when Isabella attacks Troi.

The strands strangle the ship and Picard travels with Clara to the arboretum where they first met. Isabella reveals herself as an energy based life form who was scouting the ship for her species. As she talks more of her people drain the shields. She expresses disappointment in how the adults have treated Clara, disbelieving and punishing her. Picard makes an impassioned speech informing Isabella that the treatment was not to punish but to protect, and that the adults aboard the ship seek the best for Clara. After Clara herself asks Isabella to stop she is convinced, leaving the ship and taking the energy based life forms with her. Clara and Isabella have one last interaction where Clara agrees to come find Isabella again when she is older.

The episode attempts to address the way adults treat children with overactive imaginations, with Troi initially being very receptive to it, yet she grows hesitant as it starts to see Clara getting in trouble due to Isabella’s actions. We get to see Guinan again who speaks of her own imaginary friend, a Tarcassian razor beast. It carries some thematics to the episode “Hero Worship” where Timothy copes with the loss of his family and the painful feelings by pretending he is an android. Isabella represents a manifestation of childishness, punishing adults who often do not take the time to appreciate the imaginary. It comments on the fact that seemingly children aren't taken seriously, as Isabella is the central problem aboard the Enterprise, but by not believing and paying closer attention to Clara initially the problem cannot be identified till much later. It is worth accepting and giving the proper space to childish things and issues children may be dealing with, because without proper communication a very real and serious problem for a child can be swept under the rug.

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Season 5 Episode 21 The Perfect Mate

The Enterprise is acting as the middle ground between Krios and Valt Minor, a warring people who have agreed to come to peace talks. The ambassador Briam asks Picard to secure the cargo bay which carries a gift for the people of Valt Minor but Picard assures him of its safety. The Enterprise comes across a Ferengi vessel warping the two stationed there onto the ship before the vessel explodes. This turns out to be a planned maneuver by the Ferengi. One of whom harasses the ambassadors with a proposal the other sneaks into the cargo bay, tampering with the cargo brought on by the Kriosians. She is a young Kriosian named Kamala, a metamorph who releases pheromones and has been trained to empathically detect the desires of men and adjust herself accordingly.

Initially Briam has her kept within her quarters as her charms prove dangerous with her quickly seducing Riker. Picard has a talk with Beverly where she informs him of her entrapment and Picard seeks to allow her free reign of the ship, despite Briam’s misgivings. Data escorts Kamala where she draws the attention of some miners, flirting with both them and Worf before Data escorts her out. The Ferengi attempt to purchase Kamala from Briam who refuses their offers but as they struggle to keep him around they shove him down causing him to hit his head and be temporarily out of commission. The Ferengi are made to stand trial but Enterprise is left in a difficult position as Briam was meant to help Kamala perform the ceremony.

Picard steps up with Kamala training him to fill in Briam's role. In this time Picard resists and fails to avoid falling for her, who fascinates him with her knowledge of history, claiming to like the person she becomes around him. At one point she asks to hear him talk simply wanting to hear the sound of his voice. They are able to complete the ceremony and Chancellor Alrik arrives, seemingly uninterested in Kamala, much more concerned with the upcoming trade agreements resulting from the treaty. Kamala in a moment of solitude with Picard informs him she has bonded with him but having learned his sense of duty she is determined to see through her marriage to Alrik to see peace between her people. A somber Picard gives Kamala away to Alrik and the two are wed. Picard converses with Briam afterwards who asks how he managed to resist Kamala’s charms, to which Picard somberly does not answer.

Kamala’s agency is a big question of this episode, with Beverly frankly commenting that she is being sold to prostitution. Picard brings out a version of her that claims to love the version of who she is when she is with him, but a question remains of who she is in general. She was essentially trained by Kriosians to perform the role of ideal female to any male that passed by. She is presented as a blank doll who adapts herself to the standards of the men she is in the room with. Is it perhaps the premise of the character or concept that is to blame, her status as a metamorph and empath meaning she would adapt to the next man who approached her. Yet what she says to Picard are her own words, she claims to dream of a person like him who elevates her as she seems to be his ideal woman. It is still in the service of pleasing a man, but she claims to be happy bonding to him. Yet even that happiness cannot stand as not Kamala and Picard choose duty over their feelings. Picard has the prime directive and Kamala has learned this sense of duty and devotion to her people which is why she consigns herself to a loveless marriage to see peace blossom for her people.

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Season 5 Episode 20 Cost of Living

The Enterprise starts off by destroying an asteroid in aiding a planet while accidentally allowing an invisible parasite onto the ship. Worf argues with his son Alexander while in a group counseling session with Deanna Troi. The two are struggling to get along with Worf growing frustrated with his son's inability to complete chores while Alexander grows frustrated with Worf's discipline and yelling. Troi suggests a contract between the two in an attempt to mediate a middle ground between the two. This plan proceeds accordingly when everything is interrupted Lwaxana Troi arrives, announcing she is to be married.

Deanna questions her, especially when it is revealed that she has met her groom to be Campio through exchanged profiles. Deanna states her misgivings over Lwaxana not even knowing this stranger aside from the profile and critiques Lwaxana strongly after she learns she will not be attending the wedding naked, a proud Betazoir custom. Lwaxana poshes all of this, learning of Alexander's contract and criticizing that too. Claiming that Alexander and Worf are father and son and a contract should be unnecessary, and even if there was one that it favors Worf. She takes Alexander and treats him to the Parallax Colony, one famous for its philosophical and bodily delights, teaching Alexander to talk and think more freely. Worf and Deanna grow frustrated with Lwaxana claiming she is teaching Alexander the opposite lesson they are attempting to enforce.

While this occurs Campio and his protocol master Erko arrive, quickly policing Lwaxana’s time, making demands of how she should address Campio demanding she give him her time. Alexander interrupts his dinner time with Worf, raising his ire as he goes to spend time with Lwaxana keeping his promise to her. Lwaxana is bombarded by all sides by her husband-to-be, Worf and Deanna. She escapes with Alexander to the Parallax fair once more where the two converse. Alexander notices Lwaxana’s  distress, giving her the advice of one of the philosophers of the colony, and to let her animals out that exist inside to defend her. Lwaxana thanks Alexander for his advice commenting on how it was her helping him just the other day.

The parasites from earlier in the episode by this point are causing chaos on the ship as they eat through the ship’s nitra. Causing replicators to screw up orders and eventually leading to life support issues. Data is instructed to fire a Nitrous heavy beam at the Pelloris colony they were at to draw the parasites back to their natural territory. As everyone loses consciousness from the lack of the oxygen, Data is able to perform the maneuver averting the crisis. While the crisis is resolved for the Enterprise the day of the wedding occurs. Lwaxana is late to the wedding before respecting her own customs and showing up naked, honoring herself. An aghast Erko covers Campio’s eyes and walls him out of the room. Later Worf, Alexander, Lwaxana and Deanna recline in a mud bath in the holodeck enjoying the leisure of relaxation.

This episode pairs the unlikely duo of Alexander and Lwaxana setting them up as a pair to learn from each other. What Lwaxana attempts to instill in Alexander with her introduction of the Parallax Colony is a sense of whimsy and freedom in comparison to the strict tightness of Worf’s parenting. Yet Lwaxana is living contrary to this ideal of freedom in picking Campio and adhering to her own internal sense of freedom. It is why when she is interrogated by Alexander she realizes she has become desperate to find a partnership sacrificing her inner voice in order to be wed. It is charming to see her live up to her ideals and the final scene where she shows up to the wedding naked, baring herself and her traditions is her following her own advice and listening to Alexander.

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Season 5 Episode 19 The First Duty

Picard is on his way to give the commencement address at Starfleet Academy’s graduation ceremony when it comes to his attention that Wesley Crusher was injured while attempting to perform a “Yeager Loop” in orbit, with another student, Joshua Albert, colliding with another ship leading to his death. What follows is an inquiry into the event, where fellow member of the Nova Squadron, Nick Locarno remakes that Joshua was nervous about flying and that it was his nerves that caused the accident. He blames himself for not making the call and allowing Joshua to fly despite his hesitance around flying the ship. The board reviewing the case accepts this fact yet also notes that the ships were not in their designated places while performing the said loop, leading to further investigation.

Picard performs a further investigation coming to the conclusion that Wesley and the rest of the squadron were attempting to perform the “Kolvoord Starburst” , a much more dangerous technique that had been banned due to the death of several officers who performed it. He brings his evidence to Westley who prefers not to answer the accusations. Picard informs him that an officer’s first duty is to the truth suggesting Westley come clean at the hearing or that he will be forced to do so himself. Westley is bombarded soon after by Nick who calls Westley selfish for not thinking of the whole squadron, encouraging him to cover up the story and look out for him and the others.

Cooking under the pressure Westley provides his recordings, feigning ignorance and incompetence. Faced with no further evidence beyond the smaller failures of the Nova Squadron members the admiral is prepared to drop the case when Westley speaks out. Unable to take the guilt, Westley cracks under the pressure and admits to having attempted the Kolvoord Starburst. Nick takes the blame insisting it was his pressuring that encouraged the members of the squadron to perform the loop. Nick is subsequently expelled while the rest of the members lose flight privileges and a year's worth of credits. Picard informs Westley that his future will be difficult as he pays for concealing the truth but commends him for coming out with it when he did.

This episode actually presents a moral dilemma many people face, though Nick Locarno does employ some heinous tactics in his manipulation of Westley. It is about following rules as written versus supporting people in your age group. People who ride and die with you and Nick who has gathered everyone together and sought to protect the squadron from dishonor. Knowing the writing and morals of the show and Starfleet it is obvious that Westley came out with the information, especially with Picard coming out with evidence against him but it has the very real counterargument of snitches get stitches. It can be difficult siding against your peers in favor of the rules yet Westley is a good member of Starfleet and reveals the truth in the end.

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Season 5 Episode 18 Cause and Effect

The episode starts with the Enterprise in an emergency situation as they investigate a spatial anomaly. As they do so Riker suggests a decompressing of the shuttle bay while Data recommends using the tractor beam to guide the Enterprise away from the other Federation ship. The tactic is only partially effective causing damage to the Enterprise which leads to a critical failure and the ship's destruction. This action however leads to the restarting of a time loop taking the crew back in time at the start of a poker game. Beverly Crusher swears by a sensation of deja vu and calls Riker's bluff in the poker game. What follows are a series of events including La Forge reporting an earache, Crusher tending to her plants and hearing a noise, and a meeting the next day. What follows is a repeat of the start of the episode where they encounter a copy of the ship and are subsequently destroyed.

What follows is Beverly slowly catching on in the next time loop, able to accurately call Data’s hand and predicting La Forge’s arrival in med bay. This time when she hears voices while tending to her plants she is able to record it and have it processed, determining it is a recording of voices from the previous loop. Data makes plans to send a recording of their discoveries ahead to the Data of the next loop. Things play out similarly resulting in a looping of events once more after the destruction of the Enterprise. In this loop however Data deals out 3s in the poker game with a recurring theme. They are able to once again identify it is a time loop but have no means to recall how to avoid looping. When all hope seems lost and the collision is about to occur Data sees Riker and the three marks on his shirt and suggests Riker’s plan of decompressing the shuttle bay. This plan works getting them successfully out of the time loop where they are able to inform the USS Bozeman that they have been trapped in a loop for 90 years.

It is a hellish trap the Enterprise gets stuck into, having to loop through moments over and over again with only a vague sense that something has happened. It is emphasized even more with the Bozeman who have been trapped in an even longer period of time. One terrifying aspect of it is aside from the sense of deja vu Picard and Beverly talk about, one would not realize that they were trapped in the loop living out the same moment over and over. 

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Season 5 Episode 17 The Outcast

The Enterprise is assisting the J’naii, an androgynous group of aliens, in finding a shuttle that has ended up in null space. Riker ends up chatting with Soren, a member of the J’naii where they explain that their species lacks a gender as they saw it as archaic, using a pronoun specific to their language. Soren has conversations with Riker interrogating gender politics of humans and how their binary system works. The two end up piloting a shuttle into null space in an attempt to rescue those who have been lost. While on the shuttle the null space causes Soren to be injured with a light concussion. They interrogate Crusher as to what it means to be a woman asking probing questions about roles and the status of women.

Eventually Soren comes to Riker admitting they have feelings for him but a place as a female. She explains how the J’naii have evolved, giving one haunting case of a kid in her school who identified as male and was relentlessly teased until he was later exposed to psycotectic therapy and proudly presented without gender once more. She expresses that she has an attraction to Riker and the two begin a liaison that goes on for a time until her people catch on. Riker attempts to interfere admitting his feelings to be one sided but Soren refuses to keep her truth hidden any longer, passionately rallying against the oppression of J'naii who identify as male or female. The judge at the hearing coldly thanks Soren for making things easier scheduling her to have the therapy.

An outraged Riker plans to help her escape, seeking Picard to see if there is a way to allow her escape. He informs Riker that this would be a violation of the prime directive and that he cannot assist him in the matter. While risking his career and position aboard the Enterprise Riker attempts a daring rescue of Soren but it is revealed that she has already had the surgery performed, informing Riker that she was sick but is better now. A discouraged Riker returns to the Enterprise as Soren returns to her place among her people.

It is working with the fascinating lens of Star Trek that such fascinating points of view can be explored with a lens of science fiction. In the case of this episode there are lots of ways in which the J'naii make fascinating points about gender. The fact that they have only one pronoun is impressive, though looking back on things now they could have easily used they/them as a pronoun. Framing acts of transphobia and conversion therapy through the lens of a gender neutral society that oppresses individuals who stray into the binary is perhaps a little on the nose but still a clever way of tackling the issue. It fails to address certain elements when Riker and Soren have talked about interaction between the sexes and the act of reproduction, framing such interactions as archaic and ignores the fact that homosexuality exists.

While initially off put by the ending, wishing Soren hadn't simply been subject to the conversion therapy, it does function as a condemnation of the act. The audience is left with a lurching discomfort as Soren proclaims herself cured of her sickness. The episode also addresses elements of transphobia and deviates from the norm in her recounting of the school mate who identified as a man. That he was bullied so ruthlessly and all he was met with the institution was a cure was deeply disturbing. One interesting comment from the actor who played Riker was that he thought it would have been interesting if Soren had been played by a man and depicted in a more masculine manner. I think in the ways Shakespeare played with gender knowing that the actors were men playing women at times it would have been an interesting choice that emphasized the gender neutrality of the species.

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Season 5 Episode 16 Ethics

Worf is in the storage bay when a barrel falls directly on his spine disabling him from the waist down. Seeing his life as a warrior over Worf is severely off put by this deciding to consult Riker in performing the Hegh’bat a ritualistic suicide meant for Klingon warriors who are no longer able to fight. Riker is outraged at this heading to Picard who informs him that it is not something Worf asks for lightly. Meanwhile Dr. Crusher calls the neurological specialist Toby Russell aboard the Enterprise to assist her with Worf. Dr. Russell presents Crusher with an experimental technology, the genatronic replicator, suggesting they make a copy of his spine. Noting that the experimental technology has not yet been used on a humanoid Crusher vetoes the idea, also telling Russell not to lead Worf on with false hopes.

Crusher gives Worf the option of a surgery that would give him 60% of his movement back by estimation, yet Worf refuses this not wanting to stumble around like a mockery of his old self. Riker, still unable to accept Worf wanting to kill himself, studies Klingon law informing Worf that by the ruling Alexander (his son) should be the one to assist Worf in this ritual. Worf shuts down the possibility and Riker acts as if things are out of his hands. While this occurs Russell and Crusher continue to butt heads over Russell's experimental technology. She tests out an experimental medicine on a miner who died and a frustrated Crusher expresses that Russell has to try traditional methods first. Left without the option to die, Worf decides to go for Russell’s potential cure. 

The surgery goes well but as the life support is turned off Worf’s condition worsens with his vitals flat lining as he goes into cardiac arrest. They attempt to send electric signals to restart his brain functions but nothing works and he is pronounced dead. Crusher begins to comfort a distraught Troi and Alexander, the latter of whom resolutely asks to see the body. Yet as Alexander grieves Worf shows signs of life stirring as he is resuscitated. This miracle is due to Brak’lul a redundancy in the Klingons where all organs possess a secondary copy which Russell previously is derisive for earlier in the episode. This redundancy allows Worf’s brain to restart function of the body, saving his life. A gloating Russell is reprimanded by Crusher for endangering patient lives to pursue her theoretical projects and ideas. Worf goes through physical therapy adapting to his new spine and the procedure he went through allowing Alexander to assist him in the process.

This episode addresses two concepts societally, cleverly linking them under the title of ethics. The first involves Riker and Word with Worf’s desire to commit the Hegh'bat. I expressed my own annoyance at his desire to end his life but Picard’s conversation with Riker is very insightful. Worf is coming from standards of both human and Klingon, seeing the death of himself as a warrior as a death of who he is. He does not ask Riker to finish the job lightly, doing so because he sees him as a trusted one. Often assisted or ritual suicide is treated by many with indignation and outright refusal when it can be important to consider the opinion of the individual involved. Worf carries additional complexities with his warrior culture.

The second dilemma is in the vein of stem cell research in the form of the work and experimental medical science that Russell performs. She is presented negatively and like a villain when compared to Crusher. The only reason Worf is able to survive is due to a redundancy in his body that she dismisses. Yet her research carries the potentiality to save more lives than it might damage. While Crusher is correct that she should perform other known forms of research before her own experimental forms of medicine it is ultimately her genetic replicator that allows Worf to walk again. Sometimes only by taking risks and presenting unforeseen outcomes can advances in medicine occur.