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The Bonding (TNG episode)
Encyclopedia
"The Bonding" is the 53rd episode of the science fiction
television series Star Trek: The Next Generation
.
Starfleet
starship
USS Enterprise
is killed in a tragic accident, leaving behind a young son who must deal with her death.
delivers the news. Wesley Crusher
reminds Commander
William Riker
that Picard also once had to give Wesley similar news.
Worf
wishes to make R'uustai with Jeremy, a Klingon
bonding ritual - seeing as how they are both orphans.
Riker calls Picard to inform him that an energy field has been detected on the planet. Data
informs him that a beam of highly charged particles is emanating from the field. Troi suddenly senses a presence on the planet, and Geordi La Forge
is getting an unusual reading on the anti-matter containment pods.
Doctor Beverly Crusher
asks Wesley if he would talk to Jeremy.
In the Aster quarters, Jeremy is watching some old visual records
of his mother. Suddenly, Marla Aster reappears and says that they are going to live on the planet now. They head for the Transporter
room.
Troi takes Jeremy back to the Aster quarters, but the room has taken the appearance of the Asters' home on Earth. La Forge tunes the ship's shields
, which ends the simulation.
A filament comes up from the planet, striking the ship. The Aster quarters revert to the simulation of the Aster household. Picard orders containment force fields raised and goes to confront Aster. Marla tells him that at one time two races existed on the planet below, one of physical beings, and one of energy. After watching as the physical beings destroyed themselves with wars, the energy beings wished to prevent any more suffering due to that dishonorable past, so they decided to aid Jeremy with the tragedy of his mother's death. Picard and Troi point out that these aliens cannot realize the enormity of the undertaking which they are proposing. Picard adds that dealing with death and suffering are a part of the human condition. Wesley describes his experiences when he lost his father, admitting that he was angry at Picard since Picard had led the mission where his father was lost, but he now understands and is no longer angry (see also Coming of Age). Jeremy admits he is angry at Worf. Troi points out to Jeremy that Worf lost his parents too. Worf adds that humans helped him when he was alone. He tells the boy that the real Marla Aster now only lives in their hearts and asks Jeremy to join his family for all time through the R'uustai.
The manifestation of Marla Aster disappears, along with the rest of the reality it created.
Later, Worf and Jeremy perform the R'uustai ceremony. Worf says “SoS jlT batlh SoH”. Jeremy asks what he said, and he replies that he was honoring the memory of their mothers, indicating that the two of them have now bonded.
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
In this episode, a crewmember of the FederationUnited Federation of Planets
The United Federation of Planets, also known as "The Federation" is a fictional interplanetary federal republic depicted in the Star Trek television series and motion pictures...
Starfleet
Starfleet
In the fictional universe of Star Trek, Starfleet or the Federation Starfleet is the deep-space exploratory, peacekeeping and military service maintained by the United Federation of Planets . It is the principal means by which the Federation conducts its exploration, defense, diplomacy and research...
starship
Starship
A starship or interstellar spacecraft is a theoretical spacecraft designed for traveling between the stars, as opposed to a vehicle designed for orbital spaceflight or interplanetary travel....
USS Enterprise
USS 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...
is killed in a tragic accident, leaving behind a young son who must deal with her death.
Plot
An away team performing a scientific investigation of a planet once inhabited by a race called the Koinonians accidentally triggers an ancient mine, and ship's archaeologist Lieutenant Marla Aster is killed. Aster had a son, Jeremy Aster. Jeremy's father is also deceased. 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...
delivers the news. Wesley Crusher
Wesley Crusher
Wesley Crusher is a character in the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation. He is Beverly Crusher's son and is portrayed by actor Wil Wheaton, the character was a regular for the first four seasons. Afterwards, the character appeared sporadically. The character also appeared briefly in...
reminds Commander
Commander
Commander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval...
William Riker
William Riker
William Thomas Riker, played by Jonathan Frakes, is a fictional character in the Star Trek universe primarily appearing as a main character in Star Trek: The Next Generation...
that Picard also once had to give Wesley similar news.
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...
wishes to make R'uustai with Jeremy, a Klingon
Klingon
Klingons are a fictional warrior race in the Star Trek universe.Klingons are recurring villains in the 1960s television show Star Trek: The Original Series, and have appeared in all five spin-off series and eight feature films...
bonding ritual - seeing as how they are both orphans.
Riker calls Picard to inform him that an energy field has been detected on the planet. Data
Data (Star Trek)
Lieutenant Commander Data is a character in the fictional Star Trek universe portrayed by actor Brent Spiner. 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...
informs him that a beam of highly charged particles is emanating from the field. Troi suddenly senses a presence on the planet, and Geordi La Forge
Geordi La Forge
Lieutenant Commander Geordi La Forge is a regular character in the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation and its feature films, played by LeVar Burton...
is getting an unusual reading on the anti-matter containment pods.
Doctor Beverly Crusher
Beverly Crusher
Commander Beverly Crusher, M.D. , played by actress Gates McFadden, is a fictional character on the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation and its subsequent spinoff films...
asks Wesley if he would talk to Jeremy.
In the Aster quarters, Jeremy is watching some old visual records
Video
Video is the technology of electronically capturing, recording, processing, storing, transmitting, and reconstructing a sequence of still images representing scenes in motion.- History :...
of his mother. Suddenly, Marla Aster reappears and says that they are going to live on the planet now. They head for the Transporter
Transporter (Star Trek)
A transporter is a fictional teleportation machine used in the Star Trek universe. Transporters convert a person or object into an energy pattern , then "beam" it to a target, where it is reconverted into matter...
room.
Troi takes Jeremy back to the Aster quarters, but the room has taken the appearance of the Asters' home on Earth. La Forge tunes the ship's shields
Shields (Star Trek)
In the Star Trek fictional universe, shields refer to a 23rd and 24th century technology that protects starships, space stations, and planets from damage by natural hazard or enemy attack...
, which ends the simulation.
A filament comes up from the planet, striking the ship. The Aster quarters revert to the simulation of the Aster household. Picard orders containment force fields raised and goes to confront Aster. Marla tells him that at one time two races existed on the planet below, one of physical beings, and one of energy. After watching as the physical beings destroyed themselves with wars, the energy beings wished to prevent any more suffering due to that dishonorable past, so they decided to aid Jeremy with the tragedy of his mother's death. Picard and Troi point out that these aliens cannot realize the enormity of the undertaking which they are proposing. Picard adds that dealing with death and suffering are a part of the human condition. Wesley describes his experiences when he lost his father, admitting that he was angry at Picard since Picard had led the mission where his father was lost, but he now understands and is no longer angry (see also Coming of Age). Jeremy admits he is angry at Worf. Troi points out to Jeremy that Worf lost his parents too. Worf adds that humans helped him when he was alone. He tells the boy that the real Marla Aster now only lives in their hearts and asks Jeremy to join his family for all time through the R'uustai.
The manifestation of Marla Aster disappears, along with the rest of the reality it created.
Later, Worf and Jeremy perform the R'uustai ceremony. Worf says “SoS jlT batlh SoH”. Jeremy asks what he said, and he replies that he was honoring the memory of their mothers, indicating that the two of them have now bonded.