5.22 Imaginary Friend

Rating: 2.5

While investigating a nebula formed around a neutron star, the Enterprise is visited by an alien life-form that reads the thoughts of a young girl, and takes on the flesh and blood form of the girl’s imaginary companion.

Comments

Classic Trek themes are used effectively in an episode geared partially toward what must have been a large youth demographic.

Nits

After Isabella gets Clara in trouble for going to forbidden areas of the ship, Troi suggests that Clara go to a pottery class. While in the class, Clara initially works with Worf’s son, Alexander, and has fun. But then a jealous and invisible Isabella destroys a cup Alexander had been working on for days, and then hits Alexander in the head with clay. Alexander angrily confronts Clara, and Clara runs off crying. Later, Troi inaccurately reports to Guinan that Clara "…made some new friends and had a good time."

Isabella the alien says they are going to kill everyone on Enterprise – including all the children – because of the way the humans treat their children! There’s some flawed logic for you!

Memorable Moments

•    Picard’s short but effective speech to the alien Isabella to save the ship

Quotable Quotes

Geordi: So what are we going to call this nebula? FGC-47 just doesn’t have the proper ring to it.
Sutter: Why don’t we call it…’Sutter’s Cloud’?
Geordi: How about ‘The LaForge Nebula’. Has a kind of majestic ring to it. What do you think, Data?
Data: Given the choices, I prefer FGC-47.

"I was going to protect you, Clara. I liked you. But now I don’t care. Now when the others come, you can die like everyone else."
- Isabella