The Bonding
| "The Bonding" |
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"The Bonding" is the 53rd episode of the science fiction television series Star Trek: The Next Generation and the fifth episode of the show's third season. It was first broadcast on October 23, 1989. The episode was the first to be written by popular Star Trek: The Next Generation series writer Ronald D. Moore, who wrote it as a spec script.
In this episode, a crewmember of the Federation Starfleet starship USS Enterprise 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 Picard 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.
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.
References
- Star Trek The Next Generation DVD set, volume 3, disk 2
External links
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