Imaginary Friend (TNG episode)
Encyclopedia
"Imaginary Friend" is a fifth-season episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation
. The episode has an average rating of 2.1/5 on the official Star Trek
website (as of November 8, 2007).
.
named Isabella to keep her company. One day, to her surprise, her imaginary friend appears, and seems real.
Clara and Isabella spend all their time together. Increasingly, Isabella gets Clara into trouble by leading her into off-limits places. (Isabella always makes herself invisible before adults see her.) Eventually Isabella gets Clara into enough trouble that Clara leaves her friend alone to go play with others. When she returns, Isabella is angry and says, "When the others get here, you can die like everyone else."
Clara works up the courage to talk to her father, who then talks to Captain Picard
. The crew learns that Isabella is actually an energy-based life form whose home is the nebula outside the ship. (The ship has been exploring a rare nebula that formed around a neutron star.)
Picard finds Isabella in the arboretum and talks to her about human parenting. Isabella argues that the adults were cruel to Clara, and Picard explains that rules are for her protection. Isabella is convinced, and allows the ship to pass safely through the nebula.
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...
. The episode has an average rating of 2.1/5 on the official Star Trek
Star Trek
Star Trek is an American science fiction entertainment franchise created by Gene Roddenberry. The core of Star Trek is its six television series: The Original Series, The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise...
website (as of November 8, 2007).
Overview
In this episode, a child's imaginary playmate threatens the well-being of the EnterpriseUSS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D)
The USS Enterprise is a 24th century starship in the Star Trek fictional universe and the principal setting of the Star Trek: The Next Generation television series...
.
Plot
This episode centers around a girl named Clara, who just moved to the Enterprise with her father. She is lonely, and creates an imaginary friendImaginary friend
Imaginary friends and imaginary companions are a psychological and social phenomenon where a friendship or other interpersonal relationship takes place in the imagination rather than external physical reality. Imaginary friends are fictional characters created for improvisational role-playing. They...
named Isabella to keep her company. One day, to her surprise, her imaginary friend appears, and seems real.
Clara and Isabella spend all their time together. Increasingly, Isabella gets Clara into trouble by leading her into off-limits places. (Isabella always makes herself invisible before adults see her.) Eventually Isabella gets Clara into enough trouble that Clara leaves her friend alone to go play with others. When she returns, Isabella is angry and says, "When the others get here, you can die like everyone else."
Clara works up the courage to talk to her father, who then talks to Captain Picard
Jean-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...
. The crew learns that Isabella is actually an energy-based life form whose home is the nebula outside the ship. (The ship has been exploring a rare nebula that formed around a neutron star.)
Picard finds Isabella in the arboretum and talks to her about human parenting. Isabella argues that the adults were cruel to Clara, and Picard explains that rules are for her protection. Isabella is convinced, and allows the ship to pass safely through the nebula.