Synopsis: After her grandmother dies, Dr. Crusher is seduced by an entity that has been having relationships with her ancestors for centuries.
This episode illustrates the concept of how the projection of an individual’s inner ideal mate upon another is how we fall in love. When one’s ideal other is a female, the projection received is that of the anima; when one’s ideal other is a male, the projection is an animus.
In “Sub Rosa” at the funeral of her grandmother, Felisa Howard, Dr. Beverly Crusher notices an attractive younger man drop a camelia on her grandmother’s grave and then stare into her eyes provocatively. Crusher is immediately curious, and when she goes to her grandmother’s home to tend to it, she feels a presence. This same presence comes to her in the night. The next morning Crusher tells Counselor Deanna Troi about the nighttime visitation, telling her how this presence, Ronin, came to her and knew exactly how she likes to be touched. Ronin continues to seduce Crusher until she decides to leave Starfleet and stay with him.
While this might seem to suggest that Ronin is a fantasy of Crusher’s, in actuality I would argue that she is the one that is receiving Ronin’s anima projection upon her. At first Crusher resists when Ronin tells her: “We’re becoming one, Beverly, we’re going to be together.” Crusher responds: “I don’t understand. Stop it.” But then Ronin continues to project upon her and make his highly charged presence felt by her, until she complies. This time when Ronin says: “We’re together, we’re going to be one. I’m going to become part of you, Beverly, would you like that?” Crusher responds: “Oh yes, more than anything” (Braga & Frakes, 1994).
However, when Captain Jean-Luc Picard challenges Ronin, Ronin attacks him, and shortly thereafter he also assaults Lt. Commander Data and Lt. Commander Geordi La Forge. At that point Crusher knows that she needs to keep Ronin away from her, and when he won’t keep his distance she is forced to destroy him.
This is analogous to how individuals first accept the projection of another’s ideal mate upon themselves, but then at some point can no longer maintain the illusion and the relationship between the projector and the projectee will either become more whole and real, or their bond will not survive. In “Sub Rosa” holding the projection, although appealing, was unhealthy for Crusher to maintain, and once it was gone, so was Ronin. But dropping the projections is also necessary for individuals to truly fall in love with who their partners actually are.
Reference:
Braga, B. (Writer), & Frakes, J. (Director). (1994, January 29). Sub rosa (Season 7, Episode 14) [TV series episode]. In M. Piller, R. Berman, & J. Taylor (Executive Producers), Star trek: The next generation. Paramount Television.
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