If a whale decimates an entire population of krill, do the krill have the right to rise up and kill the Whale that ate them? Should they not try to reason with the whale or can it even be reasoned with? When the Crystalline Entity returns in the episode that originally aired on October 14,1991, this and more is explored. This is Silicon Avatar.
The Episode:
Stardate 45122.3 Silicon Avatar
The Crystalline Entity returns and, after destroying another colony, the Enterprise pursues it with a Xenologist onboard who has plans of her own when they catch up to the the creature.
The Breakdown:
Riker and his away team are assisting in the construction of a new colony on Melona IV when the Crystalline Entity attacks. Data finds a series of caves that helps protect them from the destructive nature of this being although the loss has already been great. Trapped in a cave with depleting resources, Riker, Data, Crusher and the surviving colonists wait out the attack until they are rescued by their returning comrades from the Enterprise, who have been away on a seperate mission. Worf and Geordi arrive with help and rescue Riker and the survivors. The planet, once lush and green is now a desolate wasteland.
Picard and his crew decided to pursue the Crystalline Entity and take with them Doctor Kila Marr, a Xenologist who has dedicated her life to studying this being. She immediately begins interviewing the crew and it is soon apparent that she has an issue with Data due to his brother Lore’s involvement with the Crystalline Entity in the past. She is convinced that the creature may have spared the away team and the colonists due to Data being present. He is of course innocent of any collaboration but Kila Marr is sure he is not to be trusted. We learn that her son, Remmy, was killed by the entity while on Omicron Theta. She wants vengeance for her son’s death and is determined to find a way to destroy it.
The Entity strikes again and they begin to determine a way to both communicate and kill the creature. Although both Riker and Dr. Marr disagree with him, Picard wants one last attempt to try to reason with this being in hopes that he can spare this fascinating beings life.
They soon encounter the entity and Data begins to attempt to communicate with the being. As Data begins to transmit, the Entity responds and Data begins to detect a pattern. Just as communication becomes likely, Kila Marr sends a signal that kills the Crystalline Entity by shattering it. She tells Data that the creature’s death is for ‘him, for Remmy.’ After being confined to her quarters for murdering the Crystalline Entity, Data informs her that her son, Remmy, would have been disappointed in her actions as she, in destroying the Entity, has destroyed her career.
Is this a ‘Good’ Episode:
Yet another Data episode and, like most of them, it is a solid one. This time we get somewhat of a sequel to Datalore with the second and final appearance of the Crystalline Entity.
Much like Ahab in Moby Dick, the Crystalline Entity is Dr. Marr’s white whale and she is not about to let it go. In a way, the fact that Data contains the remaining memories of her son, allows her to make the ultimate plunge and kill the beast that annihilated the colony on Omicron Theta.
Somewhat out of character, but interesting nonetheless, for a moment we get to see a little bit of a vengeful side of Riker in this story. Having lost (yet another) of his romantic pursuits, he is determined to kill the Entity himself. He even suggests to Picard that the only reasonable thing to do is to kill the planet killing creature. Picard accuses him of letting his emotions get the better of him and it certainly causes a strained moment between the Captain and his First Officer.
Gleanings and Cool Bits:
We learn that Data has the memories of all of the colonists from where he was found. He has memories of feelings and experiences of many of the people there so it goes without saying that he could use these to further his search to be human.
This is the first time we see Data playing guitar, it seems that there is no end to Data’s talents.
We never see nor hear from Doctor Marr again but it is pretty certain that her career has ended by the end of this episode.
We never learn the origin of the Crystalline Entity, not even if it were indeed the last of it’s kind or not.
Thanks for reading the Retro TV Review, I look forward to discussing the rest of the series with you, one episode at a time every Monday, Wednesday and Friday! Next Review: Disaster
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Late To The Game 8/27/18
Special Thanks to Memory Alpha as they are one of the best sources for details on Star Trek information available. Although I have a pretty deep knowledge on the subject, they have proven invaluable as a regular resource.
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