Identity Crisis (TNG episode)
Encyclopedia
"Identity Crisis" is the 92nd episode of the science fiction
television series Star Trek: The Next Generation
.
’s friend and former crewmate, Lieutenant Commander Susanna Leijten, has come aboard the Enterprise
-D; she is concerned that she and La Forge are the only two members of a previous 5-man away mission from the USS Victory to a seemingly abandoned colony on the planet Tarchannen III that are still accounted for; the other three, independently, have stolen a shuttlecraft from their current post and returned to the planet. Picard orders the ship to Tarchannen III; there, they find one of the stolen craft, manned by Lt. Hickman, attempting to land on the planet. The Enterprise is unable to communicate to Hickman, and the craft is incinerated during re-entry.
On the surface, Leijten and La Forge discover another shuttlecraft, empty; strange footprints are seen near it. Leijten starts feeling ill, and they return to the Enterprise. Leijten improves immediately, but Dr. Crusher finds evidence of alien skin in Leijten's blood, not indigenous to the planet. While reviewing the data on the original Victory away team, Leijten becomes jittery and insists they return to the planet, and then starts exhibiting bright blue veins across her body. In Sick Bay, Dr. Crusher restrains Leijten and determines she is transforming into another species, and worried that this fate will befall La Forge. La Forge continues to study the data and discovers an anomaly in the original mission data. Starting to feel the same effects as Leijten, La Forge uses the data in the holodeck to discover that their team was in the presence of an invisible alien humanioid creature that resembles what Leijten was transforming into. He suddenly goes into convulsions himself and soon transforms into the alien creature, easily escaping the Enterprise due to his invisibility and beaming down to the surface.
Dr. Crusher discovers that Leijten's transformation was triggered by an alien parasite that was capable of overwriting its host's DNA; removing the parasite quickly returns Leijten to normal. Leijten joins the away team on the surface searching for La Forge. Using ultra-violet light, they discover a number of the creatures, all transformed members of the colony and the former Victory crewmembers. Leijten recognizes one as La Forge, and is able to coax him away and take him back to the ship where he is similarly cured. However, the other crewmen have been transformed far too long to be saved, and they are left behind on the planet; Picard orders warning beacons placed around the planet to protect both the creatures and the Federation.
, the hosts of the then-current TV show The Adventures of Mark & Brian. An episode of their show chronicled the making of "Identity Crisis," focusing on Mark & Brian's experiences playing alien extras.
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...
.
Plot
Geordi La ForgeGeordi 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...
’s friend and former crewmate, Lieutenant Commander Susanna Leijten, has come aboard the 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...
-D; she is concerned that she and La Forge are the only two members of a previous 5-man away mission from the USS Victory to a seemingly abandoned colony on the planet Tarchannen III that are still accounted for; the other three, independently, have stolen a shuttlecraft from their current post and returned to the planet. Picard orders the ship to Tarchannen III; there, they find one of the stolen craft, manned by Lt. Hickman, attempting to land on the planet. The Enterprise is unable to communicate to Hickman, and the craft is incinerated during re-entry.
On the surface, Leijten and La Forge discover another shuttlecraft, empty; strange footprints are seen near it. Leijten starts feeling ill, and they return to the Enterprise. Leijten improves immediately, but Dr. Crusher finds evidence of alien skin in Leijten's blood, not indigenous to the planet. While reviewing the data on the original Victory away team, Leijten becomes jittery and insists they return to the planet, and then starts exhibiting bright blue veins across her body. In Sick Bay, Dr. Crusher restrains Leijten and determines she is transforming into another species, and worried that this fate will befall La Forge. La Forge continues to study the data and discovers an anomaly in the original mission data. Starting to feel the same effects as Leijten, La Forge uses the data in the holodeck to discover that their team was in the presence of an invisible alien humanioid creature that resembles what Leijten was transforming into. He suddenly goes into convulsions himself and soon transforms into the alien creature, easily escaping the Enterprise due to his invisibility and beaming down to the surface.
Dr. Crusher discovers that Leijten's transformation was triggered by an alien parasite that was capable of overwriting its host's DNA; removing the parasite quickly returns Leijten to normal. Leijten joins the away team on the surface searching for La Forge. Using ultra-violet light, they discover a number of the creatures, all transformed members of the colony and the former Victory crewmembers. Leijten recognizes one as La Forge, and is able to coax him away and take him back to the ship where he is similarly cured. However, the other crewmen have been transformed far too long to be saved, and they are left behind on the planet; Picard orders warning beacons placed around the planet to protect both the creatures and the Federation.
Crossover
Two of the aliens (who don't have any lines) are played by Mark Thompson and Brian PhelpsBrian Phelps
Brian Wayne Phelps is an American radio personality and occasional actor, best known for the nationally-syndicated Mark & Brian morning show....
, the hosts of the then-current TV show The Adventures of Mark & Brian. An episode of their show chronicled the making of "Identity Crisis," focusing on Mark & Brian's experiences playing alien extras.