History Recap / StarTrekTheNextGenerationS7E14LowerDecks

* YouHaveGotToBeKiddingMe: La Forge is incredulous when Riker makes his flush during the Poker game.

* InnocouslyImportantEpisode: The episode stands by itself fairly well and was acclaimed for how it breaks the standard formula. But the premise would go on to inspire ''WesternAnimation/StarTrekLowerDecks'', where the fourth season reveals a connection specifically to Sito and the events of this episode (plus "The First Duty").

* InnocuouslyImportantEpisode: In isolation, while emotionally impactful the episode does not have much broader importance. But come ''WesternAnimation/StarTrekLowerDecks'', it turns out [[spoiler:Sito's death was a key factor in shaping Mariner into being the self-destructive rebel she is]].

Riker and Troi are in Ten Forward griping about having to fill out crew evaluations and hand out promotions. Little do they realize that the very people whose fates hang in the balance are staring at them from across the room. It's this [[LowerDeckEpisode group of junior officers we'll be focusing on]] this episode, all ensigns. They are human nurse Alyssa Ogawa, a human helmsman named Sam Lavelle, a Vulcan engineer named Taurik, and a Bajoran security officer named Sito Jaxa (whom we've actually seen before in "The First Duty"). Their friend Ben, a human bartender, spies for them and reveals that Lavelle and Sito are candidates for the same position at ops.

Riker and Troi are in Ten Forward griping about having to fill out crew evaluations and hand out promotions. Little do they realize that the very people whose fates hang in the balance are staring at them from across the room. It's this [[LowerDeckEpisode group of junior officers we'll be focusing on]] this episode, all ensigns. They are Nurse Ogawa, a human helmsman named Sam Lavelle, a Vulcan engineer named Taurik, and a Bajoran security officer named Sito Jaxa (whom we've actually seen before in "The First Duty"). Their friend Ben, a bartender, spies for them and reveals that Lavelle and Sito are candidates for the same position at ops.

* InnocuouslyImportantEpisode: In isolation, while emotionally impactful the episode does not have much broader importance beyond. But come ''WesternAnimation/StarTrekLowerDecks'', it turns out [[spoiler:Sito's death was a key factor in shaping Mariner into being the self-destructive rebel she is]].

* ReformedButRejected: Sito to Picard. [[SubvertedTrope Subverted]] when it turns out that Picard's rejection of Sito is actually a SecretTestOfCharacter.

* AndNowForSomethingCompletelyDifferent: Instead of the main cast, we see things from the viewpoint of several junior officers.

* SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute: Ben for Guinan. He's a black bartender who is free to fraternize with both junior and senior officers.

* RememberTheNewGuy: We haven't seen Ben, Lavelle, or Taurik before, nor have we seen Sito on the ''Enterprise''. Sito has specifically been around for seven months following her (delayed) graduation from Starfleet Academy.

* PyrrhicVictory: Lavelle gets promoted to Lieutenant, but he feels Sito would've been a shoo-in if she's survived her mission. Ogawa and Taurik encourage him to do his best in her memory.

* RememberTheNewGuy: We haven't seen Ben, Lavelle, or Taurik before, nor have we seen Sito on the ''Enterprise''. Sito has specifically been around for seven months.

** Picard is once again revealed to be one. After an unprompted and self-righteous dressing down of Sito, he reveals that it was just a test, and he was actually the one who gave her an opportunity to redeem herself.

Riker and Troi are in Ten Forward griping about having to fill out crew evaluations and hand out promotions. Little do they realize that the very people whose fates hang in the balance are staring at them from across the room. It's this [[LowerDeckEpisode group of junior officers we'll be focusing on]] this episode. They are Nurse Ogawa, a human helmsman named Sam Lavelle, a Vulcan engineer named Taurik, and a Bajoran security officer named Sito Jaxa (whom we've actually seen before in "The First Duty"). Their friend Ben, a bartender, spies for them and reveals that Lavelle and Sito are candidates for the same position at ops.

* NotSoDifferent: Riker and Lavelle. Well, the former is better at poker, anyway.

That night, both the senior and junior officers engage in their own poker nights. The ensigns (and Ben) talk about their superiors what they is going on – Nurse Ogawa saying nothing, true to her word, while the higher-ups gossip about the junior officers and discuss who to promote to ops. Worf sticks up for Sito, while Troi reminds Riker that he and Lavelle aren’t all that different. Another issue discussed at the junior officers’ table is Taurik’s concern that he’s put himself on bad terms with Commander La Forge, but that fear is put to rest when La Forge personally asks for Taurik to help him run some tests that Taurik had suggested.

The next day, Worf takes Sito aside at the end of his martial arts class and tells her she can move up to his advanced class if she can pass a surprise test. The test requires her to defend herself against him while she wears a blindfold and he does not. After he easily defeats her three times, she refuses to continue, saying that the test is unfair. Worf admits that it is, and that recommends that she shouldn’t be afraid to speak up when she's being judging unfairly. She gets his meaning and speaks with Captain Picard a second time. She tells him that all she can do is be the best officer she can be going forward, so if he's not going to give her a fair chance to do that, he should transfer her somewhere else. Impressed, Picard reveals that he was really just testing her to see if she had the guts to stand up to him because he wants her to participate in a secret operation. He also admits he specifically brought her to the ''Enterprise'' so she could have a chance to redeem herself.

The whole secret is finally revealed to Sito. The person in the escape pod was a spy, bringing Cardassian secrets to the Federation. To get back across the Cardassian border, he’ll need to play the part of a bounty hunter who had crossed the border to capture a Bajoran terrorist played by Sito. If all goes well, she’ll be sent back in an escape pod similarly to how they picked up the spy in the first place. Picard stresses that he’s not ordering Sito to go through with this, but Sito willingly volunteers. She and the spy set out in the phaser-burned shuttlecraft to make it look as if he is flying a stolen craft. The ''Enterprise'' waits for Sito’s escape pod, but after more than thirty hours it still hasn’t appeared. In breach of treaty, Picard orders a probe to be launched into Cardassian space. The probe reveals the debris of a destroyed escape pod. Picard makes a somber announcement to the crew.

Riker and Troi in Ten Forward griping about having to fill out crew evaluations and hand out promotions. Little do they realize that the very people whose fates hang in the balance are staring at them across the room. It's this [[LowerDeckEpisode group of junior officers we'll be focusing on]] this episode. They are Nurse Ogawa, a human helmsman named Sam Lavelle, a Vulcan engineer named Taurik, and a Bajoran security officer named Sito Jaxa (whom we've actually seen before in "The First Duty"). Their friend Ben, a bartender, spies for them and reveals that Lavelle and Sito are candidates for the same position at ops.

Riker and Troi are relaxing in Ten Forward griping about having to fill out crew evaluations and hand out promotions. Little do they realize that across the room, a table of junior officers are staring at them as they decide their fate. It's this [[LowerDeckEpisode group of junior officers we'll be focusing on]] this episode. They are Nurse Ogawa, a human helmsman named Sam Lavelle, a Vulcan engineer named Taurik, and a Bajoran security officer named Sito Jaxa (whom we've actually seen before in "The First Duty"). Their friend Ben, a bartender, spies for them and reveals that Lavelle and Sito are candidates for the same position at ops.

* BenevolentBoss: Crusher and Worf come across the best of all the commanding officers, being unequivocal in their support for Ogawa and Sito, respectively. La Forge and Riker flirt with coming across like a BadBoss, but both redeem themselves more or less.