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Masks (TNG episode)
Encyclopedia
"Masks" is the 169th episode
of the science fiction
television series Star Trek: The Next Generation
.
that appears to be over eighty-seven million years old, and initiate a deep sensor scan of it. The crew soon finds that an immense structure is inside the comet, and has been using the Enterprise scans as a carrier wave to send information back to the ship; this has caused the appearances of strange symbols to appear on the ship's computer and the creation of artifacts throughout the ship by the replicator systems. The effects begin to become more pronounced, and have a significant effect on Data
, who starts to exhibit multiple personalities. Though initially they continue to scan the structure hoping to determine how to reverse or stop the changes, they find their attempts to destroy the object are impeded by the changes. Captain Picard
determines that they need to understand the meanings of the artifacts, and talks to the various personalities that Data exhibits to learn more.
Through Data, Picard learns that a being called Masaka is waking, and that the only one that can control her is one called Korgano. One of Data's personalities states that Masaka will only appear once her temple has been built, and provides Picard with a pictogram that can create that temple. Inside the temple, they find the symbols that refer to Masaka and Korgano. Data shortly arrives later, wearing a mask he had created earlier with Masaka's symbol on it, and refers to himself as Masaka. Picard has the crew search the database from the structure to recreate a mask representing Korgano, and Picard wears it to confront Data. Picard convinces the Masaka personality to sleep so that she and Korgano can continue their "hunt" another day. With the Masaka asleep, all the changes aboard the Enterprise are reverted, and Data finds himself back to normal. Picard comments that Data, briefly, contained the consciousnesses of an entire civilization, something that "transcends the human condition."
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
An alien archive, initially appearing as a rogue comet because of accumulated matter, transforms the Enterprise as well as adapts Commander Data for a reenactment of its culture's mythology.Plot
The Enterprise-D discovers a rogue cometComet
A comet is an icy small Solar System body that, when close enough to the Sun, displays a visible coma and sometimes also a tail. These phenomena are both due to the effects of solar radiation and the solar wind upon the nucleus of the comet...
that appears to be over eighty-seven million years old, and initiate a deep sensor scan of it. The crew soon finds that an immense structure is inside the comet, and has been using the Enterprise scans as a carrier wave to send information back to the ship; this has caused the appearances of strange symbols to appear on the ship's computer and the creation of artifacts throughout the ship by the replicator systems. The effects begin to become more pronounced, and have a significant effect on 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...
, who starts to exhibit multiple personalities. Though initially they continue to scan the structure hoping to determine how to reverse or stop the changes, they find their attempts to destroy the object are impeded by the changes. 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...
determines that they need to understand the meanings of the artifacts, and talks to the various personalities that Data exhibits to learn more.
Through Data, Picard learns that a being called Masaka is waking, and that the only one that can control her is one called Korgano. One of Data's personalities states that Masaka will only appear once her temple has been built, and provides Picard with a pictogram that can create that temple. Inside the temple, they find the symbols that refer to Masaka and Korgano. Data shortly arrives later, wearing a mask he had created earlier with Masaka's symbol on it, and refers to himself as Masaka. Picard has the crew search the database from the structure to recreate a mask representing Korgano, and Picard wears it to confront Data. Picard convinces the Masaka personality to sleep so that she and Korgano can continue their "hunt" another day. With the Masaka asleep, all the changes aboard the Enterprise are reverted, and Data finds himself back to normal. Picard comments that Data, briefly, contained the consciousnesses of an entire civilization, something that "transcends the human condition."