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Synopsis: The Enterprise becomes a surrogate mother for a previously unknown life form after Captain Picard ordered the destruction of its parent to save the lives of his crew. This episode is an illustration of various archetypal energies that are universal. That of the senex, the wise old man or father figure; the puer, the… Continue reading Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 4, Episode 16: “Galaxy’s Child”

Synopsis: Commander Riker is injured while undercover on a first contact mission and Captain Picard is forced to take extraordinary measures to ensure his safe recovery and the peace on the planet. This episode is a lesson of what happens when the best laid plans go awry. And it is also a lesson in the… Continue reading Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 4, Episode 15: “First Contact”

Synopsis: Lt. Commander Data is ordered to deceive the crew of the Enterprise in order to save them. In “Clues” the crew becomes increasingly distrustful of the one individual on board that they feel they can count on, the android second officer, Lt. Commander Data. They trust him because they know that he has been… Continue reading Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 4, Episode 14: “Clues”

Synopsis: The crew of the Enterprise encounter a female alien who claims to be the devil. In this episode the irrational unconscious archetypal figure of the anima, here in her most negative form, is seen in confrontation with the rational conscious ego. The anima in the form of the character Ardra, the rational ego embodied… Continue reading Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 4, Episode 13: “Devil’s Due”

Synopsis: The Enterprise is sent to stop another Federation vessel from breaking the peace with the Cardassians. It is so interesting that this episode is titled “The Wounded,” because that in and of itself sets it up for a depth psychological analysis, as Carl (C. G.) Jung taught that it is from our psychic wounds… Continue reading Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 4, Episode 12: “The Wounded”

Synopsis: A day in the life of Lt. Commander Data is recorded in a correspondence to Commander Maddox. In “Data’s Day” viewers observe human interaction through the perspective of the android second officer of the USS Enterprise, Lt. Commander Data. And what is amazing is how much emotional material he comes in contact with on… Continue reading Season 4, Episode 11: “Data’s Day”

Synopsis: While the Enterprise is being pulled through space by organisms it cannot comprehend, Counselor Troi loses her empathic abilities. In this episode Counselor Deanna Troi, the half-human half-Betazoid Ship’s Counselor temporarily loses her empathic abilities. The one thing that she believed made her effective at her job. She feels lost and alone, and as… Continue reading Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 4, Episode 10: “The Loss”

Synopsis: Before Ensign Crusher leaves for Starfleet Academy, Captain Picard has him accompany him on a mission to mediate a dispute on a mining colony. “Final Mission” can be interpreted from a depth psychological perspective as an illustration of the ongoing changing relationship between the Senex and the Puer archetypes. Archetypal Psychologist James Hillman theorized… Continue reading Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 4, Episode 9: “Final Mission”

Synopsis: An alien captures Commander Riker and creates an imaginary future based on his own memories. In this episode, Commander William Riker’s own memories are used by an alien in order to create an imaginary future. The alien first appears to Riker as his son, and then later as a young boy in distress, and… Continue reading Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 4, Episode 8: “Future Imperfect”

Synopsis: Lt. Worf is confronted not only by the enemy who accused him of dishonor, but the mother of a son he did not know he had. In “Reunion” Lt. Worf confronts some major archetypal psychic figures, the anima, the shadow, and the child. These are all archetypes as defined by depth psychologist, Carl (C.… Continue reading Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 4, Episode 7: “Reunion”