Masks (episode)
From Memory Alpha, the free Star Trek reference.
| This article is written from the Real World point of view |
 |
| This article is written from the Real World point of view |
|
| This article is written from the Real World point of view |
|
| "Masks" | ||
|---|---|---|
| TNG, Episode 7x17 Production number: 40277-269 First aired: 19 February 1994 | ||
| ← | 168th of 176 produced in TNG | → |
| ← | 168th of 176 released in TNG | → |
| ← | 310th of 726 released in all | → |
 | ||
| Written By Joe Menosky Directed By Robert Wiemer | ||
| 47615.2 (2370) | ||
- You may also be looking for the Pocket TNG novel Masks.
While investigating a rogue comet, the cultural archive concealed inside begins taking over the Enterprise.
Contents |
[edit] Summary
The Enterprise is traveling through sector 1156 when they encounter a rogue comet.
Counselor Deanna Troi is attending Ms. Naisen's class and helping the students convey their feelings in their sculptures. Data, who is also attending this class, has finished his sculpture of a PADD. According to Data the dimensions are accurate to a tolerance of 1.3%. Deanna tells him that he obviously has no problem with realism but he needs to work on his imagination and asks him to sculpt something abstract like music. Data is wondering how he can reproduce a sound in clay so Deanna asks him to think what effect sounds have on people, what images the music bring to their minds and then make a sculpture of that thought. Within fifteen seconds Data creates a treble clef sculpture which prompts Deanna to say "it's a start", then First Officer Will Riker contacts him and tells him to report to the bridge.
The Enterprise has encountered a rogue comet which is not on any of the Federation starcharts. It appears to have originated from the D'Arsay system, over two sectors away, and it seems to have been traveling for more than 87 million years. Picard tells Data to begin a full sensor analysis and to send his findings to the Federation Astrophysical survey. While scanning the comet the bridge is illuminated with a strange, bright, ambient light which gradually fades away. This seems to be a sensor echo caused by a distortion in the comet's inner core. After configuring the sensors for a low intensity sweep the scan resumes. Initial scans reveal that the comet consists of an icy mantle surrounded by gaseous hydrogen and helium. The comet's core seems to be made out of heavier elements.
In Troi's quarters, Beverly Crusher sees a strange object. When she asks what it is, Troi tells her that she has no idea, she's never seen this object before. Crusher thinks Riker put it there, but Troi tells her that the object is not Riker's style. When Crusher and Troi leave the room, a strange symbol appears on the object.
When Data attends the next sculpture class, Troi notices that he made a mask and asks how he made it. Data tells her he used his imagination and for some reason the image of the mask appeared in his mind. Troi then asks if he was in her room because the symbol on his mask resembles the image on the object that appeared in her room. Their conversation is interrupted by Eric, who asks them if they can do something about his terminal because it is not working properly, strange symbols are moving around on the screen.
In engineering, Data, Commander Riker and Geordi La Forge begin to investigate the strange symbols which are not listed in the Federation linguistics database. La Forge has found that the strange symbols were downloaded into the Enterprise computer core and are reconfiguring their systems. Further investigation reveals that the sensor array and replicator systems were used to download the symbols. Riker asks if the sensors have something to do with it since they have been scanning the comet for the last eighteen hours. La Forge tells him that they still don't know what caused the sensor echo, so Riker asks him if they can use the phasers to melt the comet's outer layers. When La Forge asks Data about their idea, he's standing bemused before the screen, and tells them that he recognizes the symbols. He reads a few of them off as they float around the screen; boundary, border, road, companion, message, messenger, death.
Using a widespread phaser beam, Lieutenant Worf evaporates the comet's outer layers. Picard asks Data what they are looking at when a scan reveals that the object is over 87 million years old. The object appears to be nearly solid and composed of fortanium and several unknown materials. La Forge tells them that the object is definitely responsible for the strange symbols, it used their sensor beam as a carrier wave to transmit information into the Enterprise's replicators and computer systems. When Picard asks why it is doing this, Data responds that he thinks it is an informational archive. La Forge tells him that the object has a repetitive node configuration, so it could be a database of some kind. Data thinks he might be in contact with the object. To determine if this is the case, he recommends a level 1 diagnostic of his positronic net.
In his ready room, Picard is investigating several artifacts when Riker tells him that they have confined the system corruption but the alien symbols are still in their computer systems. Riker believes that the artifacts are primitive and serve no purpose. Picard thinks that they are for ceremonial purposes and are deceptively primitive because only an advanced technological society could have build the object they've encountered. Riker asks if Data's theory that the object is some sort of library could be correct. Picard states this might be possible but it seems to do more than simply store information. Riker notices that he has seen the compass like symbol on the artifact Picard is holding more than once. Picard tells him that he seen another small, U-shaped symbol all over the ship. It seems to always be in the background, but he has no idea what it represents.
With La Forge's help, Data is performing a level 1 diagnostic of his positronic net when he experiences a curious sensation – some kind of impulse. He asks La Forge how it feels like when a person is losing their mind. When Data cannot explain what is going on but only says "I am different," La Forge decides to disconnect him from the main computer. Checking Data's positronic net, he discovers strange connections. When Data turns his head to La Forge, he has acquired a strange symbol on his forehead. In a light, mocking voice, he says "Masaka is waking!"
When Picard enters engineering, Data tells him that he has been waiting for him. "You should feel honored – I don't usually wait for anyone!" Picard asks what he wants and Data answers in the same teasing voice, "Masaka is awakening." Picard then asks if he is Masaka and Data tells him that he is Ihat and that Commander Data is gone. Picard calls for Counselor Troi and asks Ihat where he came from. Ihat tells him that he comes from Masaka City and that there are no others like him. Sashaying around the room, he displays somewhat effeminate mannerisms (or Ihat is a woman). Picard asks Ihat if he can get to know Masaka and speak with her. Ihat tells him to leave this place before Mesaka finds them. When Troi enters engineering, Ihat thinks that she is Masaka. Kneeling, and with a totally different voice, he tells her "I am yours." Picard decides to confine Data to his quarters.
During a briefing, La Forge tells of behavior nodes that he found in Data's positronic net and that he believes the archive is using Data to create different people and the transformation is still ongoing. Troi tells him that Data's "real personality" is completely buried and that he has "the android equivalent of multiple personality disorder". La Forge adds that because the transformation is still in process there is no way of telling how many people will emerge. Picard asks La Forge to find a way to access the archive, while he tries to learn more from the people inside Data.
Picard visits Data in his quarters; the devotee who loves Masaka is still present. Picard asks if he can speak to Ihat. Ihat comes forward and explains that Masaka is a queen who spends most of her time sleeping and it is better not to wake her. Picard suggests keeping her asleep, but Ihat tells him that only Korgano can do that. When Picard asks where he can find Korgano, Ihat steps back and another person comes forward; a terrified child who pleads for help.
The archive activates a tractor beam and is sends an energy pulse overriding the Enterprise control systems. At the same time, Ten Forward reports an emergency which Worf investigates. In Data's quarters Ihat comes back, and tells Picard that Masaka is awake.
When Worf and his security team arrives in Ten Forward they discover multiple artifacts. La Forge, Troi and Picard are investigating these artifacts when Troi finds a sun symbol. Picard tells her that it represents Masaka when he sees the small U-shaped symbol on the back of the artifact. La Forge has finished his scan and tells Picard that the artifacts were not beamed to the Enterprise, the matter in Ten Forward was transformed to form the artifacts and bit by bit, the Enterprise is also being transformed. Worf informs them that part of deck 12 is now an aqueduct.
Picard believes there is no alternative other then to destroy the archive, but the weapons control system is not functioning. Worf tells him they can re-configure a photon torpedo for a manual launch. La Forge and Worf are busy reconfiguring the torpedo when the power system stops working. When La Forge opens the torpedo he sees snakes. At the same time, part of main engineering is transformed and they are forced to leave.
During a briefing on the bridge, La Forge establishes that the archive has transformed 20% of the ship. Doctor Beverly Crusher tells them that the archive can reorder and transform molecular structures into anything it wants – that's how the alien plant life and artifacts are made in that way. Picard does not want that the entire Enterprise transformed into an alien city. La Forge tells him that he has managed to access the archive via the same energy beam. All he needs to do now is locate and access the transformation program. Picard thinks that the answer to doing that lies with Masaka.
Picard visits Data again; now an elderly man is at front, saying that Masaka is his daughter. Picard inquires about Masaka, asking how he can speak with her. The old man tells Picard that only Korgano can talk to Masaka. Ihat returns, and tells Picard that he must build Masaka's temple to talk to her, and to do that he must use a specific sign. He says that Masaka will be able to track him down if he discloses the sign, and asks that Picard take his place when Masaka seeks to destroy him. Ihat begins to show the sign for Korgano, but says "She has found me!" Picard says he will go in Ihat's place, but Ihat is pulled away and replaced by the elderly man. Picard convinces the old man to tell him the sign; "A line as the unending horizon, a curve as the rolling hillside, a point as a distant bird, a ray as the rising sun." The child then reappears and says that he is alone, that Masaka sent the others away; "it will take them days to die."
Back on the bridge, La Forge locates the transformation program, but is concerned that the Enterprise will turn into "a big chunk of rock" when they use the symbol. La Forge, Troi and Worf are together with Picard when he asks Riker to enter the symbol into the transformation program. Once entered, the entire deck transforms into Masaka's temple, where Troi finds the sun and U-shaped symbols together, unlike the other artifacts where those symbols are separated from each other. Picard speculates that those symbols are counterparts and asks Troi and Worf to look for more U-shaped symbols.
Meanwhile, Data is seen sitting against a wall in his quarters with his eyes closed. When the temple appears, his eyes open, and he slowly gets up and walks over to a shelf. He takes the mask that he made earlier off of the shelf and puts it on. After this, he exits his quarters and, after effortlessly incapacitating the two guards outside his door, continues down the hall.
In the temple, Troi has found the most prominent U-shaped symbol; here, it is bigger than the sun symbol. Picard thinks that their relationship is like the sun and the moon, Masaka and Korgano switching positions being similar to the sun setting and the moon rising. Because Ihat and the others seemed not to be frightened by Korgano, Picard wants to find Korgano and see if he can force Masaka to leave. Suddenly the temple shakes and when they look up, they see Data, embodying Masaka and wearing the sun-mask. When Picard introduces himself, Masaka tells him to go away.
La Forge has found Korgano's moon symbol in the archive and Picard tells him to enter the symbol into the transformation program; it causes a mask to appear. Picard thinks that the archive's culture is based on symbolism so he wants to wear the mask and pose as Korgano. Deanna has some reservations about his plan, but they only have two hours left before the ship is totally transformed.
When Picard enters the temple wearing the mask, Masaka recognizes him as Korgano. Masaka thought she was alone and did not have to share the sky with anyone. Picard, posing as Korgano, tells her that without him she is not complete, that she lives for the chase like himself and that she is beginning to get tired because it is difficult to brighten the sky forever. Masaka says that she is getting sleepy and tells Korgano to begin the hunt again. At that moment Masaka falls asleep and the entire ship is transformed back to its original state.
When Picard asks Data if he is all right, Data answers that he is not entirely certain what happened and wonders if he has been dreaming again. La Forge is able to disable the transformation program and Starfleet is dispatching an archaeological team to study the archive further. Troi later finds Data painting the mask of Masaka. He says that he was actually hosting thousands of people and that without them, he feels empty, but relieved.
[edit] Background Information
- At a Creation Entertainment convention in South Bend, Indiana around 1997, Michael Dorn cited this as his least favorite episode of TNG.
- Director Robert Wiemer is also not fond of the episode. In The Next Generation Companion he said "I always look and find a meaningful subtext of some kind in all of the shows I've done; more often than not they're little morality plays, and I was unable to find that in "Masks"... it ended up kind of an exotic adventure story, but it didn't have any heart."
- The temple set was built on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine's Stage 18. The set was later put to good use as the Albino's fortress in DS9: "Blood Oath". TNG's own Stage 16 was not free, as the village from "Thine Own Self" was built on it. (Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion)
- The rogue comet effect was made by Santa Barbara Studios, who had previous experience rendering comets as they had rendered the comet for DS9's opening sequence. The shot was later reused in VOY: "Death Wish". (Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion)
[edit] Video and DVD releases
- UK VHS release (two-episode tapes, CIC Video): Volume 85, 8 August 1994.
- As part of the TNG Season 7 DVD collection.
[edit] Links and References
[edit] Guest Star
[edit] Uncredited Co-Stars
[edit] References
D'Arsay; D'Arsay archive; fortanium; God; Ihat; Korgano; linguistics bank; Masaka; Sector 1156
| Previous episode: "Thine Own Self" | Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 7 | Next episode: "Eye of the Beholder" |
