Star Trek The Next Generation: The Next Phase, Explained

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Key Takeaways

  • Transporter accidents are a common theme in Star Trek , with new malfunctions appearing regularly.
  • “The Next Phase” displays a unique plot where Geordi and Ro are out of phase rather than dead, which Lower Decks referenced in the latest episode.
  • A clever solution involving anyon fields and chroniton emissions saves Geordi and Ro.

As a die-hard Star Trek fan who has spent countless hours immersed in the galaxy far, far away, I must say that the latest episode of Lower Decks was a delightful treat for me. The Easter egg reference to TNG’s “Out of Phase” was a masterstroke by the writers, and it brought back fond memories of my own “out of phase” moments in life.

In the vast world of Star Trek, malfunctions in the transporter system are so routine that they’ve become a recurring theme. Every series within the franchise features at least one or more episodes exploring the chaos that ensues when the transporters don’t work properly as expected. Remarkably, the creators of Star Trek consistently devise fresh and intriguing scenarios where this indispensable technology could potentially falter.

Among the standout instances of transporter malfunctions in the “Star Trek: The Next Generation” series, the episode titled “The Next Phase” stands out. In this episode, Ensign Ro Laren and Lieutenant Commander Geordi LaForge mysteriously vanish during transport. With no trace of them found, the crew of the Enterprise-D initially assumes they have perished. However, the truth is far more intricate than that, as it often is when the transporters malfunction in unexpected and inventive ways.

A Deadly Transporter Malfunction…Or Is It?

The upcoming stage initiates as Starship Enterprise-D addresses an emergency call from a Romulan vessel – a clear indication of potential turmoil. Upon reaching the specified location, the Romulan ship lies motionless in space, prompting their plea for aid with repairs. Commander William Riker, Ro, Geordi, and Worf are beamed over to the stranded Romulan ship to lend a hand.

Geordi concludes that the Romulan spacecraft requires a new graviton generator and suggests transporting it to the Enterprise for repairs. He contacts the Enterprise, asking the transporter team to beam him, Ro, and the faulty components back to their ship. However, during the transport process, something goes wrong. The transporter operator loses track of both Geordi and Ro, causing them to vanish without reappearing on either the Romulan ship or the Enterprise. This is what the crew believes has happened, but it may not be the full story.

While the team probes into what might have transpired with Ro and Geordi, it is found that Ro has regained consciousness on the Enterprise. However, she finds that her communicator fails to connect with the bridge crew. As she searches for her fellow colleagues, she notices that they appear unable to see or hear her. Eventually, Ro uncovers a peculiarity: she passes through people effortlessly, and solid objects seem to offer no resistance to her movement.

After ensuring there was no alternative location or entrapment within the transport system, Captain Jean-Luc Picard instructs Dr. Beverly Crusher to prepare death documents for Geordi and Ro. As she works, Ro lingers nearby, glancing at her own document, and starts to confront the possibility that she could indeed be deceased.

Shortly afterward, she encounters Geordi, who is similarly struggling to reach the crew. Ro attempts to persuade him that they’ve both perished, but he stubbornly rejects this idea. He insists that there has to be a scientific reason behind these strange occurrences. When they both listen in as Data suggests that chroniton emissions are appearing erratically throughout the ship, Geordi deduces that this could be connected to whatever transpired.

Those Sneaky Romulans

Whilst exploring chroniton emissions, Data boards a shuttlecraft en route to the Romulan vessel accompanied by Ro and Geordi. Upon reaching the bridge of the Romulan ship, it’s Geordi who uncovers an intriguing finding: despite certain problems on board being attributed to their cloaking device malfunction, there seems to be another sophisticated technology in operation within the Romulan spacecraft.

This technology has the ability to alter matter at a molecular scale, similar to a transporter. However, its function is to make matter pass through solid objects, rather than teleporting living beings or objects from one location to another. Known as a molecular phase shifter, this concept is still theoretical within the Federation, but it appears that the Romulans have developed it. Geordi hypothesizes that the phase shifter disrupted the transport system, implying that he and Ro are merely out of sync with our familiar reality; they’re not dead, just misaligned with the world we recognize.

Onboard a Romulan vessel, undetected by the Romulans, Ro and Geordi eavesdrop on senior Romulan officers discussing their strategy to keep the Starship Enterprise crew from discovering their phase inverter. True to form, they decide the most effective solution is to eliminate everyone aboard the Enterprise. The Romulans devise a plan to detonate the Enterprise’s warp core. Concerned for Captain Picard and the safety of the Enterprise, Geordi and Ro understand that they must find a method to reemerge from their invisible state in order to warn them.

The Clever Solution

Onboard the Enterprise, Geordi realizes that he and Ro are causing chroniton discharges whenever they pass through objects. In an effort to make Data aware of his presence, Geordi starts passing through various items near Data. As Data pursues the seemingly random chroniton emissions, Geordi implores him to figure out what’s going on. However, Data only uses anyons to clean up the chronitons instead.

When the anyon field strikes Geordi’s hand, he notices that passing through objects becomes more difficult for him. He conjectures that if they can create a robust enough anyon field, it could return both him and Ro back to their original phase. To achieve this, they resolve to produce an abundance of chronitons, hoping that Data and his team will utilize a stronger anyon field to eliminate these chronitons.

By employing an acquired disruptor from a time-displaced Romulan, they instigated a powerful chroniton burst, causing Data to boost the intensity of anyon field. Upon this enhancement, Data and Captain Picard momentarily glimpsed a hazy vision of Geordi and Ro. In that instant, it became clear for Data. He commanded his team to maximize the anyon field in Ten Forward, where the crew was gathering for Geordi and Ro’s memorial service. When they amplified the field, Geordi and Ro materialized once more, interrupting their own funeral ceremony.

The Lower Decks Easter Egg

In the most recent installment of Star Trek: Lower Decks, the creators subtly paid homage to an iconic Star Trek: The Next Generation episode. Captain Carol Freeman is seen watching numerous shows put on by the team, which serves as a nod to a classic TNG Easter egg. During a solo presentation by a junior crew member, he portrays a character who apparently reached their lowest point and was rejected by their peers. He expresses his sorrow saying: “My character (or possibly myself) sank to the very depths and was ostracized by my companions.

I felt stuck out of phase, like Geordi and Ro, wandering alone.

Much like the numerous hidden tributes to Star Trek found within Lower Decks, these subtle moments can be easily overlooked but are sure to resonate with dedicated fans. As we approach the end of this series with only two episodes left in its final season, it’s essential for enthusiasts to savor and admire these clever allusions before they vanish forever. The concluding episodes of Star Trek: Lower Decks will be available on Paramount+ on December 12th and December 9th respectively.

Sources: Star Trek: The Next Generation, “Out of Phase” and Star Trek: Lower Decks, “Upper Decks”

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2024-12-08 19:37