Betazoid

From Memory Alpha, the free Star Trek reference

The Betazoids are a telepathic humanoid civilization originating from the planet Betazed, and are members of the United Federation of Planets.

Contents 1 History and politics 2 Physiology 2.1 Telepathic abilities 2.2 Diseases 3 Culture and tradition 4 People 5 Appearances

[edit] History and politics

Betazed has enjoyed a relatively untroubled history for the last few centuries. This peaceful existence came to a halt in 2374, when the Dominion invaded and occupied the planet. It is probable that the Dominion occupation ceased after the end of the Dominion War. (DS9: "In the Pale Moonlight")

[edit] Physiology

Externally, Betazoids are physically indistinguishable from Humans in every aspect but one: the irises of their eyes are completely black. They can even cross-breed with Humans, along with other humanoid races like Klingons and Tavnians. Betazoids have a gestation period of ten months. (VOY: "Meld"; TNG: "The Child")

Betazoids reach rapid eye movement (REM) sleep at a different frequency from other humanoids. (TNG: "Night Terrors")

In mid-life, Betazoid females undergo a physiological change known as "The Phase" during which their sex drive increases by a factor of four or more. (TNG: "Manhunt")

Mature Betazoids can also suffer from Zanthi fever, that causes them to lose control over the projective aspect of their empathy. That can result in people around them acting as if they had experienced the same general emotional state as the affected Betazoid, though they are directed by their own subconscious desires, fears, and other emotions. (DS9: "Fascination")

[edit] Telepathic abilities

Betazoids are natural telepaths, an ability centered in their paracortex, with psilosynine being a main neurotransmitter. (TNG: "Dark Page") Most develop their telepathic skill in adolescence, but a few are born with their telepathic abilities already active, such as Tam Elbrun. (TNG: "Tin Man") These individuals are almost always extremely talented and powerful in telepathic terms, but also unable to screen out the noise of other people's minds, so they generally suffer mental problems of varying severity depending mostly on when the problem was diagnosed. On the other end of the scale are a few individuals who develop psionic abilities which are far below average for this species (for example, Lon Suder). Those Betazoids are barely able to sense even strong emotions of other people, not to speak of thoughts.

The common psionic abilities of Betazoids extends from sensing thoughts and/or emotions, over projecting thoughts and/or emotions, to manipulating the minds of others. (TNG: "The Price"; DS9: "Fascination") How capable they are in performing any of those feats depends somewhat on their genetically defined psionic strength, their psionic training, (TNG: "Haven") their familiarity with the scanned being, their general mental and physical condition and the species of the subject race. Betazoids have been able to read the emotions/thoughts of non-corporeal beings such as Nagilum, the energy vortex, or gauge the mental prowess of beings such as Q. Other times they have been totally unable to read corporeal creature's minds, such as Ferengi and Changelings. Data theorizes that the reason they may not be able to read Ferengi is the structure of their brains. And he himself was able to be read by Deanna Troi when his brother Lore used the emotion chip to transfer powerful emotions to him. At one point, when Deanna Troi lost her empathy temporarily she commented that Will Riker was like a holodeck character to her, completely devoid of emotion, as if she had never experienced a lack of empathy from any sentient before. The traveler was also not able to be read by Deanna Troi as well.

Inter-species reproduction involving Betazoids often affects the psionic abilities of the offspring – most commonly the children of such a union develop empathic abilities as their primary psionic talent, while their telepathic abilities, though existing, are rather below average for Betazoids. Usually the telepathy of these half-breeds, without extensive training, is limited to communication with other empaths or telepaths and full telepathic contact with emotionally very close persons (for example, an imzadi). All full Betazoids are unable to read the thoughts of Ferengi, Breen, Ullians, or Dopterians, but some half-Betazoids have been occasionally successful in sensing the emotions of some of these species. Additionally, even full Betazoids seem to be able to psionically influence some of these species. (TNG: "The Price", "Ménage à Troi"; DS9: "The Forsaken", "Fascination")

[edit] Diseases

Betazoids suffer from several diseases which include:

• Zanthi fever

[edit] Culture and tradition

Due to their telepathy, Betazoid culture embraces honesty almost to a point considered rude by other cultures. Lwaxana Troi, on numerous occasions, commented on her befuddlement at the Human practice of fibbing to spare others' feelings or for politeness' sake. (TNG: "Haven", "Dark Page")

Betazed has a complex hereditary nobility; prominent Betazoid diplomat Lwaxana Troi, for example, was "Daughter of the Fifth House, Holder of the Sacred Chalice of Rixx, and Heir to the Holy Rings of Betazed." Betazoid tradition has children genetically bonded to a future spouse. (TNG: "Haven")

In the Betazoid wedding ceremony, all participants are traditionally nude, not only the bride and groom, but the guests as well. (TNG: "Haven", "Cost of Living"; Star Trek Nemesis)

At one time, it was fashionable for Betazoid women to wear elaborate wigs that caged small animals. The practice, which was cruel to the animals, was stopped when one (unknown) woman stood up against it. (TNG: "Half a Life")

It has been speculated that Betazoid society in the past was matriarchal, (TNG: "Angel One") as well as matrilineal. (Star Trek Nemesis)

Their religious belief system may involve polytheism because in one instance, Lwaxana Troi used the exclamation, "Thank the Four Deities". (TNG: "Manhunt")

[edit] People

• List of Betazoids
• Unnamed Betazoids

[edit] Appearances