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The Next Generation (TNG) Season 3

Season 1 - Season 2 - Season 3 - Season 4 - Season 5 - Season 6 - Season 7

Full reviews to be added soon.

Evolution Stardate 43125.8: Wesley's experiment to improve the performance of nanites gets out of control when they develop a consciousness and the ability to reproduce themselves. They occupy the ship's computer and cause multiple malfunctions. The scientist Dr. Paul Stubbs who is observing a stellar phenomenon feels that his research is endangered, and he begins to destroy the nanites, whereupon the nanites sabotage life support on the ship. When Stubbs apologizes, the nanites help to repair the computer and are transferred to a planet in the Kavis Alpha system.    

The Ensigns of Command Stardate 43133.3: The insectoid Sheliak demand that the human colony on the planet Tau Cygna V which is in their territory, according to the Treaty of Armens of 2255, has to be evacuated within three days; otherwise they would kill the colonists. Because the radiation on the planet is harmful, Data is on his own to convince the colonists to leave, and he eventually sees no other way but to destroy their water supply. Picard studies the old treaty and finds a paragraph that gives the Federation several weeks for the evacuation.  

It is remarkable how few good Data episodes were in the first two seasons. The creative staff were apparently careful about centering a story around him, for they feared it could get rather silly than really interesting to write about someone who doesn't have and usually doesn't understand emotions. Although Data was finally given a chance to develop in "The Ensigns of Command", even including some rudimentary romantic relationship, I didn't like it too much. Maybe it was because the whole plot reminded me too much of TOS: "This Side of the Paradise", where there were forgotten settlers likewise, they became immune to fatal radiation likewise, it was a hard task to convince them to leave likewise, it required a bit of violence in the end likewise, and Spock fell victim to unexpected emotions a bit like Data did here. The roles among the settlers were quite familiar too. Gosheven is the backward, egocentric and pathetic leader who would rather sacrifice the whole colony than abandon his leadership - and his authority of always knowing what is right or wrong. He won't stay the last of his kind the Enterprise encounters. Ard'rian is in complete contrast to Gosheven, when she quickly adapts to the new situation as she is interested in everything new anyway, most of all Data's fascinating technology. This was just too stereotypical to me, although I liked Ard'rian quite a bit because in spite of all her knowledge she preserved a refreshing naivety that allowed her to see more in Data than the ever friendly android. 
The equally important sub-plot of Picard negotiating with the Sheliak was more interesting because he managed to beat the Sheliak with diplomacy, turning their own treaty against them. He seemed to have quite a bit of fun when the Sheliak finally had to come round. 
Nitpicking: I wonder why it should take a full four weeks to evacuate 15,000 people with shuttles. The Enterprise surely has 30 shuttles of various sizes at the very least, each of which we can estimate could carry an average of 10 persons. With each shuttle making one flight per hour, this would take only a little more than two days. There is one big error when the Enterprise is already at warp, heading for the Sheliak ship, but Geordi continues with his attempts to beam through the radiation. Isn't the radiation restricted to the planet or at most to the star system? I usually don't mention it, but the German translation of this episode is simply awful. Just for the English-speaking readers to see what they are missing: "Hyperonic radiation" became "elementary radiation", what a nonsense. "Tau Cygna" (which should have been "Tau Cygni" anyway, already in the English version) was first called "Tau Ceta" and later "Tau Sigma".
Remarkable dialogue: "Not that any computer we have is half as sophisticated as you." (Ard'rian) - "No, I would say not." (Data, maybe with a slight touch of arrogance, looking at a tin can of an android)
Remarkable scene: Picard, with incredible calmness, walks around the bridge, polishes the dedication plaque, while the crew are tensely waiting for his response to the Sheliak.
Remarkable fact: In the beginning we see a string quartet with a Vulcan and Data (violin), another woman (viola), and O'Brien (cello), playing Mozart's "Eine kleine Nachtmusik". Data thinks his playing is just an imitation of two great violinists, but Picard later comes to the conclusion that combining their ways of playing is innovative.
Remarkable fun fact: Picard names the Grisellas to arbitrate in the conflict, knowing that they are in their hibernation cycle.
Remarkable ship: The Sheliak colony ship is just a re-use of the Merchantman from "Star Trek III", with a few odd extensions. Unfortunately there is a rather close view of it in the episode.
Rating: 4

The Survivors Stardate 43152.4: The entire colony on Delta Rana IV has been destroyed by an unknown enemy - except for the house of Kevin and Rishon Uxbridge. After a visit to the survivors, Deanna's telepathic abilities are blocked by a penetrative melody in her mind. An alien ship attacks the Enterprise in orbit, the Enterprise has to retreat. The alien ship returns and destroys the Uxbridge house - but after some time the house reappears. Actually, Kevin Uxbridge is not human, but an immortal Douwd who refused to fight against the attacking Husnocks, even as they killed all the 10,000 colonists, including his human wife Rishon. Furious about his loss, Kevin then wiped out the whole Husnock civilization, numbering 50 billion. Ashamed of what he had done, his only intention was to veil his crime and stay alone.

The Enterprise encounters someone or something that is not what he or it seems to be, an alien vessel frequently attacks, and Troi suffers once again. There was nothing really interesting about this episode until the resolution that was a surprise to everyone but Picard who somehow played a real-life Dixon Hill. It may have been the intention to keep the thrill up to a culmination point at the very end, but it just didn't work out because the thrill was gone much sooner. At some point Kevin's and Rishon's shuffling and their senile stubbornness got boring, even frustrating. Picard seemed to be all too concerned with solving his puzzle instead of just taking the two old people aboard with force, if necessary. Exactly this he did anyway in the end, when he just ordered them to be beamed up. Was there any alternative to evacuating them, considering that the whole planet had been devastated? Kevin Uxbridge would have been forced to reveal his true nature much earlier, and Picard would have saved a lot of trouble for himself, his shipmates and the ship itself. And most importantly for Deanna. Well, an episode like this would have been much too short, so the meager plot was stretched to 45 minutes.
There is one really good scene in the episode, when Picard turns to Worf after the Husnock ship has been detected for the first time, and only with a glance reminds him of his promise that there should be no other ship in the system, which leaves the Klingon baffled and embarrassed. It is strange that there was obviously enough time to call a meeting of all colonists before the Husnock began their attack, which is when Kevin decided not to fight. I also can't imagine that the colonists really saw a chance against the Husnock, no matter how the enemy announced his arrival. Maybe they just waited for Husnock ground troops to take as many as possible with them until the inevitable end, and they didn't anticipate that the starship could erase the colony at the push of a button. But in this case it is even more mysterious how they could have been warned. Maybe it was Kevin?
Remarkable facts: It took the Enterprise three days to Rana IV. It is always good to see that starships don't arrive "at once" wherever they are needed. Picard mentions renegade Andorians who hid their ships in the Triangulum system once, but no time is given. 
Remarkable ship: I really liked the Husnock ship, and I wonder why it never reappeared. Considering that the Husnock are now extinct, this may be good, but I don't think this is the actual reason that the ship miniature vanished too. An interesting feature about the Husnock ship is something that looks a lot like Borg shields.
Rating: 2

Who Watches the Watchers? Stardate 43173.5: The failure of the "duck blind" on Mintaka III, used to observe the indigenous proto-Vulcan population, initiates a chain of events in which the Mintakans discover the "miracles" of Federation technology and believe that "The Picard" must be a god. Picard knows that he has to correct this impression in the spirit of the Prime Directive and beams to the planet, explaining that he is not a god. The Mintakans finally believe him when they hurt Picard and see him bleeding.

This may be the episode with the best dramaturgy in TNG so far. It clearly shows that, after two seasons, the writers and production staff have finally learned to link scenes with each other and to let dialogues come to a point. It is entertaining and at the same time insightful, with a pleasant absence of technobabble. There is good continuity when Picard mentions the method to remove a person's short-term memory devised by Dr. Pulaski in "Pen Pals".
It's a very good, but not a perfect episode, and of all characters it is Jean-Luc Picard who leaves a bad impression here. When the Mintakan patient Liko is treated by Beverly, Picard doesn't care about him or ask how he is doing at all. The only thing he has in mind is quoting the Prime Directive, and he doesn't even accept the valid argument that this man was hurt in the first place on behalf of (or by the fault of) the Prime Directive. I wouldn't have expected him to be such a cold-hearted bureaucrat. The second thing I am annoyed about is that Picard rejects any kind of religion and even compares it to superstition, as if both were the same. This is not only a misconception because faith arises from a deep desire to understand the meaning of life, death and afterlife, whereas superstition is a more or less conscious self-delusion without any further significance. Picard obviously doesn't want to *allow* the people to believe in something supernatural, not only because he is the subject of their religion and he knows that he is not supernatural, but because it is against his preconception that any form of religion must be backward. I was upset about this opinion which, in my view, violates the Prime Directive at least as much as causing the whole trouble on Mintaka in the first place. Picard's attitude is consistent with "Justice" though, where he tried to secularize the Edo culture likewise.
I liked the Mintakans very much. They are more enlightened than our human ancestors must have been in the "Dark Ages" - although I still don't think this has anything to do with having a religion or not. Anyway, the Mintakans can do without until "The Picard" appears. I'm not sure if the way the Mintakans react on "The Picard" is that plausible though. They seem to be quite convinced of and quite content with their secular world but suddenly behave like religious fanatics. On the other hand, maybe "The Picard" marks the beginning of a "New Age" movement, something that especially enlightened civilizations seem to be susceptible to. I'm thinking of developments in the real world that are reflected in episodes like "Devil's Due", "Rightful Heir" and, last but not least, DS9: "In the Hands of the Prophets".
Although it is controversial (or just because of that), this is one of the key episodes to the Prime Directive. The influence on the Mintakan culture is not (yet) destructive, but they are not ready to encounter aliens and their technical possibilities either. Final remark: Although the episode title might suggest something like that, the question if it is appropriate to spy on civilizations like watching rats in a cage is not an issue here. This will be the case as late as in "Star Trek: Insurrection" where we will see the "duck blind" again, and Anij expresses her displeasure about the Federation and Son'a peeping on the Ba'ku.
Remarkable scene: When Nuria is beamed aboard the ship, Picard introduces himself with the words: "My name is Jean-Luc... Picard", knowing that Nuria would be frightened by "The Picard". She falls on her knees, and this is both funny and disturbing.
Remarkable quote: "Your own reports describe how rational these people are. Millennia ago, they abandoned all belief in the supernatural. And now you're asking me to sabotage that achievement... send them back into the Dark Ages of fear and superstition." (Picard, to Barron)
Remarkable dialogue: "A very sensible people. For example, Mintakan women precede their mates. It's a signal to other women." - "'This man is taken, get your own?'" - "Not precisely. More like, 'If you want his services, I'm the one you have to negotiate with.'" - "What kind of services?" - "All kinds." - "They are a sensible race." (Troi and Riker)
Remarkable facts: The Mintakans are called "proto-Vulcan", but it is not mentioned if and how they could be related to Vulcans. Picard will decorate his ready room on the Enterprise-D and -E with the Mintakan tapestry he receives as a gift. The power source of the duck blind has 4.2 gigawatts, according to Riker this would be enough to power a phaser array or a subspace transmitter.
Remarkable fun fact: Nuria is probably the first person to admire Picard's old Constellation-class model (the yellow one).
Rating: 7

The Bonding Stardate 43198.7: While studying the remains of the extinct Koinonians, Marla Aster is killed by a still active bomb. She leaves behind her son Jeremy. Briefly after, however, she seems to be alive again and creates a perfect life for Jeremy. Actually, it is an energy entity that felt sorry about the loss and tried to compensate for it. Picard explains that the boy needs to stay in the real world, and the entity retreats. Jeremy and Worf, who is sorry that Marla Aster was killed in his away team, perform the R'uustai, a Klingon brotherhood ritual.

Booby Trap Stardate 43205.6: After investigating an intact 10,000 year old Promellian battlecruiser the Enterprise is stuck in a field of energy absorbers. Every attempt to activate the propulsion systems results in more energy being drained. On the holodeck Geordi creates the construction site of the Enterprise engines, and together with a holographic representation of the engineer Leah Brahms - to whom he is drawn quite a bit - he finds a method to escape by giving the computer complete control of the ship. Picard, however, decides to steer the ship manually after overcoming inertia with minimum thrust.

The Enemy Stardate 43349.2: An away team discovers a Romulan shuttle crashed on the inhospitable planet Galorndon Core and rescues one survivor, Pahtak. The away team has to leave without Geordi who is held hostage by a second survivor, Bochra. Worf is the only one to help Pahtak with a blood transfusion, but he as well as the Pahtak refuse; the Romulan dies. The situation gets critical as a Warbird commanded by Commander Tomalak approaches and demands that Pahtak be returned. In the meantime Geordi and Bochra have overcome their mutual mistrust and succeed in sending a distress call. Bochra returns to the Romulans.

The Price Stardate 43385.6: The Barzanians arrange a conference with the Federation, the Ferengi and third-party delegates on the Enterprise to sell the control over an allegedly stable wormhole. Deanna Troi falls for one of the delegates, the partially Betazoid Devinoni Ral, but he is found to use his telepathic sense in an illegal way. All efforts, however, turn out useless anyway when Data and Geordi discover that the other exit of the wormhole in the Delta Quadrant is unstable. A Ferengi shuttle also investigating the wormhole missed the moving exit and is missing since.

"The Price" is an intelligently written episode that skillfully develops a diplomatic affair from a genuine science fiction scenario. Even the love affair of Deanna and Devinoni Ral is embedded into the story without appearing contrived. The episode has two surprising turning points. The first is when it is found that Devinoni and the Ferengi are working together to trick the Barzanians into making a deal with Devinoni. I am glad that Deanna is more than just the stereotypical lovesick female crew member who falls for a gigolo, as it is her who uncovers the ploy. The second turning point follows almost immediately when Geordi and Data return from the wormhole and reveal that the phenomenon is actually unstable and therefore worthless for Devinoni who has just purchased the transit rights. The futility of this situation works out well, especially when Riker ironically congratulates Devinoni.
On the downside, Ral is just another unsympathetic guest character with a secret (the #1 TNG cliché) and the Ferengi are stupid as always. We have to wonder how they could ever become a major galactic power, considering how easily they abandon common sense whenever there might be a business opportunity. 
Remarkable facts: This episode introduces the division of the galaxy into four quadrants, and it also mentions realistic travel times based on the warp scale. The two lost Ferengi will reappear in VOY: "False Profits".
Rating: 7

The Vengeance Factor Stardate 43421.9: The leader of the Acamarians, Marouk, and her young maid Yuta come aboard the ship on a mission to make peace with the last renegade Acamarian clans who all fought each other in a permanent civil war until a hundred years ago. Riker falls in love with the young woman. When mysterious deaths among members of the Lornack clan in a period of 50 years until very recently are investigated, it turns out that Yuta is the assassin. She is the last survivor of the Tralesta clan, and she has been genetically altered to stay young and take revenge. Riker has to shoot her when she attempts to kill Chorgan, the leader of the Lornack.

The Defector Stardate 43462.5: The Enterprise discovers a small Romulan scout ship with the low-ranking defector Setal, who reveals a Romulan plan to retake the Neutral Zone from a secret base on Nelvana III. It turns out that the defector is actually Admiral Jarok on a mission of peace, concerned about his family's future in the case of a new war. Picard orders a course to Nelvana III, where no signs of an invasion are found but two Warbirds decloak. The Romulans have deceived both Jarok and the Federation. The odds seem bad, but on Worf's sign three Klingon ships appear, and the Romulans retreat. Jarok, however, knowing that he will never return to Romulus, commits suicide. 

The Hunted Stardate 43489.2: During a visit to Angosia III, a planet which has just applied for Federation membership, the alleged criminal Roga Danar escapes from his prison and is taken to the Enterprise. Picard delays the extradition when he learns that Danar is actually a genetically altered former soldier who has been imprisoned only because he was found to be dangerous in peace time. Danar manages to escape from the Enterprise too, frees his fellow veterans and takes the Angosian government hostages. Picard leaves them with the hint that this is an internal affair, and if the government should survive, they might be accepted by the Federation at a later time.

The High Ground Stardate 43510.7: During a humanitarian mission on the nonaligned world Rutia IV, Beverly is taken hostage by the terrorist Kyril Finn who is fighting for the independence of his people, the Ansata. They are using an untraceable dimension-shift transporter, whose secondary effect is that it gradually breaks down body chemistry the more often it is used. Finn wants to involve the Federation into the conflict at any cost, and he plants a bomb on the Enterprise which is deactivated by Geordi in time. The terrorists manage to leave with Picard as a second hostage. Data and Wes locate the Ansata underground base, and the hostages are freed. Rutian security chief Alexana Devos kills Finn just as he's about to shoot the captain - and she is not a bit sorry about it for he's better dead than in prison.

Dejà Q Stardate 43539.1: While the crew is trying to keep Bre'el IV's moon from crashing into the planet, Q shows up, apparently stripped of all his power by the Q continuum. He is now chased by the Calamarain, a gaseous lifeform that wants to take revenge on him. In an unusually unselfish act Q leaves in a shuttle so as to prevent the ship from being harmed and allow them to save the planet. Another Q appears and restores Q's power - on a provisional basis. Overjoyed, Q celebrates a fiesta on the bridge and, by the way, moves the moon back into its orbit. 

A Matter of Perspective Stardate 43610.4: Just as Riker returns from a routine visit to the scientist Dr. Nel Apgar who is working on generating Krieger waves, the space station with the laboratory explodes, killing Apgar. Because Apgar's wife, Manua, claims that Will tried to seduce her and apparently a phaser beam was fired at the reactor core from Will's position during his beam-out, he is now accused of having murdered Apgar. While the testimonies are reconstructed on the holodeck, including the whole science lab, unknown periodic energy bursts hit the ship. Eventually this is the proof that Riker is not guilty and that Apgar actually fired himself. In fact, the energy bursts are Krieger waves, generated by the holographic reconstruction of Apgar's reactor. The first burst showed a short delay, exactly the time Apgar's phaser beam needed to reach Riker's ACB, from where it was deflected to the reactor core - boom!

Yesterday's Enterprise Stardate 43625.2: The Enterprise-C was lost with all hands 22 years ago when the ship defended the Klingon outpost at Narendra III against the Romulans. Now the ship appears from a temporal rift, and reality on the Enterprise-D changes. Worf is gone, but Tasha Yar is alive. The Federation is now at war with the Klingons, obviously because the Enterprise-C is missing in the past and does not support the Klingons. Guinan is the only one to notice the change, and eventually she can convince Picard to send the Enterprise-C back to correct history. When she learns that she should be dead, Tasha decides to stay on the Enterprise-C although the ship is facing a hopeless battle. Just when the Enterprise-D is about to be destroyed by Klingon ships, the Enterprise-C enters the rift, and the "real" history is restored.

The Offspring Stardate 43657.0: Data builds an android, his "child" whom he names Lal - Hindi for "beloved". Out of multiple possibilities, Lal chooses a female human form. Admiral Haftel of Starfleet Research comes aboard and insists that Lal should grow up in a lab rather than aboard a ship. Lal, however, has already developed too quickly. She experiences an emotion she cannot handle - fear. Data and Haftel try to repair the damage to her system, but it is too late to save her. 

Sins of the Father Stardate 43685.2: The new Klingon exchange officer turns out Worf's younger brother, Kurn. He tells Worf that their family is about to be dishonored because their father, Mogh, is believed to be the traitor who enabled the Romulan attack on Khitomer. After Kurn has been attacked with a knife, Worf asks Picard to act as his advocate before the Klingon High Council. Their research reveals the true traitor, the father of Duras, Worf's accuser. Klingon leader K'mpec, however, is not willing to reveal the truth since it could trigger a Klingon civil war. Worf, who is facing death penalty, hopes that one day the truth will prevail. He drops the challenge and accepts that he is dishonored instead - although this is worse than death to a Klingon. 

Allegiance Stardate 43714.1: Picard is abducted by unknown aliens and finds himself in what seems to be a cage of lab rats - together with three other persons from different planets. After some unsuccessful attempts to escape he finds out that the Bolian woman Mitena Haro, one of his fellow prisoners, is not what she appears to be. In the meantime a false Picard is commanding the Enterprise, but his silly behavior helps to unmask him. When Picard is eventually rescued, he gives the three aliens who are responsible for the kidnapping a taste of being imprisoned by confining them in a forcefield.

Captain's Holiday Stardate 43745.2: Picard was going to relax on Risa, but he finds himself in the middle of the chase for a powerful device from the future, the Tox Uthat. Two Vorgons from the 27th century want to take it back to their time and they know that it would be Picard who gives it to them. A Ferengi called Sovak is eager to buy the Uthat - or take it by force. Vash, an attractive woman, is apparently searching for it too, but Picard discovers that she has found it already weeks ago. The two Vorgons appear again, but instead of giving them the Tox Uthat, Picard has the returning Enterprise destroy the device. The Vorgons leave with the remark that this was exactly what was supposed to happen. 

Tin Man Stardate 43779.3: The Betazoid Tam Elbrun establishes relations with a space-dwelling creature called Gomtun that lives in the Beta Stromgren system whose star is about to explode. The Romulans are interested in the creature too. They send two Warbirds of which one is destroyed by Gomtun, under the influence of Elbrun's telepathic abilities. When the second Warbird arrives, Gomtun hurls the Enterprise and the Romulan ship through space, far away from the pending supernova. Gomtun was once a starship with a crew and has decided to commit suicide in the star explosion. Elbrun, who was always plagued by the many voices in his head in the presence of other humanoids, decides to stay with Gomtun. 

Hollow Pursuits Stardate 43807.4: Lt. Reginald Barclay is shy, nervous and unsteady. He spends his spare time on the holodeck where he is a hero who dominates the holographic versions of his superiors. Unfortunately, Riker, Deanna, and Geordi find out about this little secret. When the warp drive shows severe malfunctions, it is Barclay who finds out that the cause is a substance leaking from a cargo container which is spread throughout the ship by the crew members who have touched the container. Barclay, Geordi and Wesley manage to eliminate the contamination just in time. Barclay, with his newly developed self-confidence, deletes all his holoprograms - except for one.  

The Most Toys Stardate 43872.2: Data is presumed dead after his shuttlepod has exploded while returning from dealer Kivas Fajo's ship. Actually, Fajo has kidnapped Data to add him to his collection of unique creatures and artifacts. Data refuses any collaboration, and Fajo doesn't have the desired "fun" with him. Fajo even kills his assistant Varria with a disruptor to break Data's resistance. Data gets control of the weapon and points it at Fajo, but Fajo knows the android wouldn't be able to kill him. Meanwhile, the truth about Data's disappearance has been found out on the Enterprise. Data is beamed out from Fajo's ship - and the disruptor is detected to be activated.

Sarek Stardate 43917.4: 202-year-old Sarek of Vulcan has prepared the conference between the Federation and the Legarans for 93 years. It turns out that he suffers from the Bendii syndrome, a disease which can disable an aged Vulcan's emotional control - and that of other people who get under his telepathic influence. Picard agrees to a mind-meld with the Vulcan, so a part of Picard would give Sarek the strength for the negotiations, and a part of Sarek could live his emotions in Picard's body. 

Ménage à Troi Stardate 43930.7: The Ferengi Tog kidnaps Lwaxana, Deanna and Will during a vacation on Betazed. Aboard Tog's ship Lwaxana does her best to please her lovestruck kidnapper, while Deanna and Will manage to send a secret distress call by modulating the Marauder's warp field. Wesley, although he is supposed to leave for Starfleet Academy, picks up and decodes the signal. Lwaxana can persuade Tog to return Deanna and Will to the Enterprise, but warns him of Picard's jealousy. Picard scares Tog with his great performance as Lwaxana's lover who kills his rivals, and Lwaxana is finally released too.

Transfigurations Stardate 43957.2: A severely injured humanoid is found in the wreckage of an escape pod, but he recovers in only 36 hours. The man who suffers from amnesia is called "John Doe" by Dr. Crusher. He seems to have an amazingly salubrious influence on the crew: Geordi, for one, has the luck with woman he was missing so far. When Worf breaks his neck, John heals him in an instant. A Zalkonian ship appears whose commander demands John's extradition. John's memory returns and he explains that he is not a criminal, but one of the first of his people to take the next step in evolution towards a being of pure energy, chased by a government that fears the unknown.

The Best of Both Worlds Stardate 43989.1/44001.4: Lt. Cmdr. Shelby joins the crew to examine the disappearance of the Federation colony New Providence, apparently caused by the Borg. A Borg cube appears and they demand that Picard personally surrender to them. Thanks to Shelby's quick-witted strategy, the Enterprise breaks away and hides in a nebula where Geordi modifies the deflector to serve as a weapon. When the Borg attack again, they abduct and assimilate Picard who now acts as their speaker, Locutus. Riker assumes command, while a team led by Shelby beams aboard the Borg ship. They can do some damage, but don't manage to retrieve Picard. Back on the Enterprise, Riker orders Geordi's weapon to be fired - without any noticeable effect. Thanks to Locutus the Borg have all of Picard's knowledge about Federation technology and strategy. The Enterprise is not able to follow the Borg cube which has resumed a course straight to Earth. A fleet of 40 Federation ships is going to engage them at Wolf 359. When the Enterprise arrives at the battle site, the whole fleet is lost. The Enterprise catches up with the cube again, and thanks to Riker's unusual and unexpected maneuvers Picard can be freed, while the cube approaches Earth. Data is trying to get in contact with the Borg through Picard's implants. He finally gets a hint by Picard himself who says "sleep", just when Riker is about to give the command to ram the Borg ship. With a "sleep" command, Data disables the cube which destroys itself by a power feedback.

Proceed to TNG Season 4

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