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Genesis (TNG episode)
Encyclopedia
"Genesis" is the 171st episode
of the science fiction
television series Star Trek: The Next Generation
.
and Data
return to the USS Enterprise to discover the rest of the crew de-evolved into more primitive forms of life, including spider
s, amphibian
s and cave men.
is 47653.2, the year 2370. Worf
fires a torpedo that veers off course during weapons exercises, and Picard and Data leave in a shuttlecraft
in order to retrieve it from space. Data leaves his pregnant cat, Spot, with Barclay
. Barclay, a hypochondriac, visits Crusher, who gives him a synthetic T-cell to activate one of his dormant genes. However it has the undesired side-effect of activating all his dormant introns. The crew begin to experience strange symptoms. Worf becomes aggressive and feels hot, while Deanna Troi
feels cold. Crusher examines a silent Worf in sick bay and notices a venom sac on his neck, whereupon Worf sprays venom (it is not clear if this is inadvertently or deliberately) at Crusher, injuring her severely. As a result of her injuries, Crusher is placed into stasis.
Several days later, when they have retrieved the torpedo from space, Picard and Data return to find the ship adrift, with the main power off-line. One of the bridge officers is dead, torn open in his seat, and most of the crew are de-evolving. Worf has reverted into an aggressive predator attempting to mate with Troi; Riker a caveman; Troi an amphibian; and Barclay a spider
. Picard is overcome by irrational emotions of fear and anxiety, indicating that he has been infected, and Data suggests he might soon de-evolve into a primate similar to a lemur
or marmoset
. Picard and Data return to Data's quarters and find Spot and her kittens. Spot herself has changed into an iguana
, however the kittens are normal. Data recommends that they locate Nurse Alyssa Ogawa who is recently pregnant. While in sickbay, Worf attempts to break through the doors searching for Troi. Data concocts a pheromone spray from one of Troi's sebaceous glands, and Picard uses it to distract Worf and lead him off through the ship, so Data can work on the cure. Worf eventually catches Picard in a narrow crawlspace and the Captain uses a power cable to incapacitate him. Meanwhile, Data finishes the construction of the modified retro-virus and releases it into the air which returns everyone to their original state. At the conclusion, Crusher names the condition 'Barclay's Protomorphosis Syndrome', after its first sufferer.
Episode
An episode is a part of a dramatic work such as a serial television or radio program. An episode is a part of a sequence of a body of work, akin to a chapter of a book. The term sometimes applies to works based on other forms of mass media as well, as in Star Wars...
of the science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
television series Star Trek: The Next Generation
Star Trek: The Next Generation
Star Trek: The Next Generation is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry as part of the Star Trek franchise. Roddenberry, Rick Berman, and Michael Piller served as executive producers at different times throughout the production...
.
Overview
Captain Jean-Luc PicardJean-Luc Picard
Captain Jean-Luc Picard is a Star Trek character portrayed by Patrick Stewart. He appears in the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation and the feature films Star Trek Generations, Star Trek: First Contact, Star Trek: Insurrection, and Star Trek Nemesis...
and Data
Data
The term data refers to qualitative or quantitative attributes of a variable or set of variables. Data are typically the results of measurements and can be the basis of graphs, images, or observations of a set of variables. Data are often viewed as the lowest level of abstraction from which...
return to the USS Enterprise to discover the rest of the crew de-evolved into more primitive forms of life, including spider
Spider
Spiders are air-breathing arthropods that have eight legs, and chelicerae with fangs that inject venom. They are the largest order of arachnids and rank seventh in total species diversity among all other groups of organisms...
s, amphibian
Amphibian
Amphibians , are a class of vertebrate animals including animals such as toads, frogs, caecilians, and salamanders. They are characterized as non-amniote ectothermic tetrapods...
s and cave men.
Plot
The given stardateStardate
A stardate is a date in the fictional system of time measurement developed for Star Trek, commonly heard at the beginning of a voiceover log entry such as "Captain's log, stardate 41153.7...
is 47653.2, the year 2370. Worf
Worf
Worf, played by Michael Dorn, is a main character in Star Trek: The Next Generation and in seasons four to seven of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. He also appears in the films based on The Next Generation. Worf is the first Klingon main character to appear in Star Trek, and has appeared in more Star...
fires a torpedo that veers off course during weapons exercises, and Picard and Data leave in a shuttlecraft
Shuttlecraft (Star Trek)
In the Star Trek fictional universe, a shuttlecraft is a small auxiliary spaceship carried by the larger craft such as the Enterprise. Shuttlecraft were documented in the writer's guide for the series in 1966 and first appeared in the episode The Galileo Seven. Galileo was the name of the...
in order to retrieve it from space. Data leaves his pregnant cat, Spot, with Barclay
Reginald Barclay
Lieutenant Reginald Endicott "Broccoli" Barclay III, played by Dwight Schultz, is a recurring character in the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation...
. Barclay, a hypochondriac, visits Crusher, who gives him a synthetic T-cell to activate one of his dormant genes. However it has the undesired side-effect of activating all his dormant introns. The crew begin to experience strange symptoms. Worf becomes aggressive and feels hot, while Deanna Troi
Deanna Troi
Commander Deanna Troi is a main character in the science-fiction television series Star Trek: The Next Generation and related TV series and films, portrayed by actress Marina Sirtis. Troi is half-human, half-Betazoid and has the psionic ability to sense emotions. She serves as the ship's counselor...
feels cold. Crusher examines a silent Worf in sick bay and notices a venom sac on his neck, whereupon Worf sprays venom (it is not clear if this is inadvertently or deliberately) at Crusher, injuring her severely. As a result of her injuries, Crusher is placed into stasis.
Several days later, when they have retrieved the torpedo from space, Picard and Data return to find the ship adrift, with the main power off-line. One of the bridge officers is dead, torn open in his seat, and most of the crew are de-evolving. Worf has reverted into an aggressive predator attempting to mate with Troi; Riker a caveman; Troi an amphibian; and Barclay a spider
Spider
Spiders are air-breathing arthropods that have eight legs, and chelicerae with fangs that inject venom. They are the largest order of arachnids and rank seventh in total species diversity among all other groups of organisms...
. Picard is overcome by irrational emotions of fear and anxiety, indicating that he has been infected, and Data suggests he might soon de-evolve into a primate similar to a lemur
Lemur
Lemurs are a clade of strepsirrhine primates endemic to the island of Madagascar. They are named after the lemures of Roman mythology due to the ghostly vocalizations, reflective eyes, and the nocturnal habits of some species...
or marmoset
Marmoset
Marmosets are the 22 New World monkey species of the genera Callithrix, Cebuella, Callibella, and Mico. All four genera are part of the biological family Callitrichidae. The term marmoset is also used in reference to the Goeldi's Monkey, Callimico goeldii, which is closely related.Most marmosets...
. Picard and Data return to Data's quarters and find Spot and her kittens. Spot herself has changed into an iguana
Iguana
Iguana is a herbivorous genus of lizard native to tropical areas of Central America and the Caribbean. The genus was first described in 1768 by Austrian naturalist Josephus Nicolaus Laurenti in his book Specimen Medicum, Exhibens Synopsin Reptilium Emendatam cum Experimentis circa Venena...
, however the kittens are normal. Data recommends that they locate Nurse Alyssa Ogawa who is recently pregnant. While in sickbay, Worf attempts to break through the doors searching for Troi. Data concocts a pheromone spray from one of Troi's sebaceous glands, and Picard uses it to distract Worf and lead him off through the ship, so Data can work on the cure. Worf eventually catches Picard in a narrow crawlspace and the Captain uses a power cable to incapacitate him. Meanwhile, Data finishes the construction of the modified retro-virus and releases it into the air which returns everyone to their original state. At the conclusion, Crusher names the condition 'Barclay's Protomorphosis Syndrome', after its first sufferer.