6.4 — “Relics”
Plot: A wrecked ship leads the Enterprise to a enormous Dyson Sphere–a structure built which fully encloses a star, to take full advantage of its radiant energy. The away team finds a pattern still trapped inside the Jenolan’s transporter beam, and out steps Captain Montgomery Scott, fresh as a daisy 75 years after entering a jury-rigged stasis. At first Scott has difficulty adjusting to the new century, despite a heart-to-heart with Picard on the Holodeck. But when the Enterprise gets in trouble, Scotty has a chance to save the ship with the help of Geordi La Forge.
Thoughts: The weak opening installments of Season Six had me looking forward to this episode. It doesn’t disappoint. It has what “Unification II” (the Spock episode) doesn’t: an understanding and love for the original series character, and liberal tributes and callbacks to TOS.
Less in evidence is a surprising, original story. BUT! Back when we covered TOS we were more prone to talk about the concepts explored in the episode instead of critiquing the dramatic presentation of the characters. In that spirit there are some interesting ideas here. At least more interesting that Sela the Romulan’s harebrained plots of vengeance.
Dyson Sphere–um, the hugeness boggles. I love the models they built, although I doubt you would be able to see any curvature. The episode audio commentary by Ronald D. Moore, Mike Okuda, and Denise Okuda reveals some regret about burning this concept on a one-off episode which leaves no time to explore the mystery of the sphere and its makers. A return to the sphere was discussed for TNG and DS9, but never came to fruition (perhaps for the new series in 2017?). The notion of the sphere is based on a concept by physicist Freeman Dyson, but the writers were thinking of Larry Niven’s Ringworld (1970). They chose a sphere so as not to be too closely associated with the novel. Although they totally could have gone there! Remember “The Slaver Weapon?”
About the transporter trick. I have one question. What is Scotty made of when he rematerializes? Certainly not the molecules of his original body. We can agree that was destroyed, certainly? But, then… how does the spooky transporter work, anyway?
Doesn’t this always happen? It kills you and makes a copy out of… something. Why not several copies? Why are there distance limitations? Could I just carry Spock to Saturn on a jump drive in my briefcase? The transporter is terrifying.
I caught references to “Elaan of Troyius” and “Wolf in the Fold,” but some allusions were too subtle for me. I learned from the Internet that Data’s great line about the drink being green refers to a line of Scotty’s dialogue in “By Any Other Name” (TOS 2.22). Now part of me wants to go back and sample random TOS episodes.
Nostalgia well managed. 4 out of 5 tractor beams.
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