History Recap / StarTrekTheNextGenerationS7E14LowerDecks

* ContinuityNod: To the Season 5 episode "The First Duty" where then Cadet Sito, along with Wesley and the rest of their team got in trouble for engaging in a cover up to hide the fact that a risky and illegal flight maneuver is what killed their fellow teammate.

* HoldYourHippogriffs: Sito says she wishes she was a "[[labelnote:Spider under the table]]Fly on the wall.[[/labelnote]]" as Riker and Worf discuss crew evaluations.
* IAmYourWorstNightmare: Lampshaded word-for-word when Riker reveals his flush to a frustrated La Forge.

* NotSoStoic: Worf is visibly saddened by Sito's death, but feels inappropriate mourning with her friends, as he was her Commanding Officer. Ben points out that Sito considered him a friend, which encouraged him to join them.

* RememberTheNewGuy: Ben smacks of this. [[SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute Which makes sense considering he was pretty much created to fill in for an unavailable]] Creator/WhoopiGoldberg.

* SimilarSquad: The ensigns share a similar composition with the MainCharacters they work with, as seen in the poker game. Sito works in Security under Worf, Taurik works in Engineering under La Forge, Ogawa works in Medical under Crusher, Lavelle works in Command under Riker, and Ben is a bartender under (in the civilian sense) Guinan. The ratio of two women and three men is also maintained. Ben plays the informal counselor and Troi observes, much to Riker's discomfort, that he and Lavelle are NotSoDifferent.
* SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute: Ben for Guinan.

[[AndNowForSomethingCompletelyDifferent We’re trying something a little different this time around.]] This particular episode, the TropeNamer for the LowerDeckEpisode, is focused less on the main crew and more on some of the overlooked junior officers of the 'Enterprise'' - specifically, recurring character 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"). Don’t worry, the main crew is still there, doing what they always do, just on the other side of a minor PerspectiveFlip. The main driving force of the episode comes from those four lowly ensigns. At the moment, their biggest concern is the looming crew evaluations, which may or may not lead to promotions for them. Things get interesting when their friend Ben, a bartender at Ten Forward, overhears Riker and Troi discussing both Lavelle and Sito as candidates for the same position at ops.

As the crew goes through some battle simulations, Picard suddenly enters from his ready room and orders a change in course, then calls a conference with his senior staff. When they’re gone, Sito notices that the change in course will lead them near the Cardassian border. Later in Ten Forward, Ben tells Lavelle not to be so intimidated by Commander Riker, and recommends getting to know him a little better when they’re not on duty. The plan goes a little awry, though, because Ben mistakenly informs him that Riker is Canadian, and that’s the topic he chooses to start the conversation with. When Riker explains that he’s actually from Alaska, Lavelle notes, "[[CaptainObvious Well, they both get a lot of snow]]," and awkwardly shuffles away.

Worf picks up an object on the ship’s sensors, which he identifies as an escape pod floating in Cardassian space. Picard orders that the occupant be beamed directly to Sickbay, and Doctor Crusher orders Nurse Ogawa to leave. Ogawa finds Sito standing guard to keep anyone but the senior staff out of Sickbay (so anyone else who gets sick will just have to walk it off, apparently) but neither one of them knows what’s going on. Picard comes by and orders Sito to follow him back to his ready room, where he suddenly starts to chew her out for the incident she was involved in at Starfleet Academy. He tells her she should have been expelled for it and says that he has no idea how she ended up on the ''Enterprise''.

The junior officers are left in the dark as to what’s happening. La Forge has Taurik fire a phaser at one of the Enterprise’s shuttlecrafts, telling him that they’re performing a test of its hull resiliency. Taurik doesn’t object, but does point out that it’s obvious that what they’re really doing is making it look like the shuttlecraft has been attacked. Doctor Crusher, meanwhile, swears Nurse Ogawa to secrecy and brings her in to Sickbay, where she sees that the person they beamed aboard from Cardassian space is ([[SarcasmMode gasp!]]) a Cardassian.

The next scene, in the grand tradition of the series, takes place around a poker table. In fact, both the group of ensigns (along with Ben) and the usual poker crew are playing at the same time, and the scene cuts between them. The ensigns discuss who they think was in the escape pod – Nurse Ogawa saying nothing, true to her word – and the higher-ups discuss who to promote to ops. Riker doesn’t like either candidate, but Worf sticks up for Sito and 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 replies that, yeah, it really is, and she shouldn’t be afraid to say so. She gets his meaning, and speaks with Captain Picard a second time to tell him that it’s unfair of him to judge her entirely on one incident from her Academy days. The logic here is arguable, since the incident they’re talking about involved impeding an investigation into a fatal accident, but the point is moot since 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 tells her that the reason she’s on the Enterprise is because he asked for her, so that 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 the Federation the military secrets of the Cardassians. 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, who will be 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.

Lavelle is promoted to ops, but feels guilty about how he got the promotion. Taurik tells him that the best way to honor Sito’s memory is to excel at his new position. Ben then sees Worf sitting alone, and suggests he join Lavelle and the others. Worf protests that he was only Sito’s commanding officer, but Ben tells him that Sito considered him her friend. The episode closes as Worf joins their table.

* HoldYourHippogriffs: Sito says she wishes she was a "[[labelnote:Spider under the table]]Fly on the wall.[[/labelnote]]" as Riker and Word discuss crew evaluations.

->[-Not to be confused with ''WesternAnimation/StarTrekLowerDecks''.-]

[[AndNowForSomethingCompletelyDifferent We’re trying something a little different this time around.]] This particular episode, the TropeNamer for the LowerDeckEpisode, is focused less on the main crew and more on some of the overlooked junior officers of the 'Enterprise'' - specifically, 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"). Don’t worry, the main crew is still there, doing what they always do, just on the other side of a minor PerspectiveFlip. The main driving force of the episode comes from those four lowly ensigns. At the moment, their biggest concern is the looming crew evaluations, which may or may not lead to promotions for them. Things get interesting when their friend Ben, a bartender at Ten Forward, overhears Riker and Troi discussing both Lavelle and Sito as candidates for the same position at ops.

* IKnewIt: Ben, when calling Lavelle's bluff and wins.

We’re trying something a little different this time around. This particular episode, the TropeNamer for the LowerDeckEpisode, is focused less on the main crew and more on some of the overlooked junior officers of the 'Enterprise'' - specifically, 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"). Don’t worry, the main crew is still there, doing what they always do, just on the other side of a minor PerspectiveFlip. The main driving force of the episode comes from those four lowly ensigns. At the moment, their biggest concern is the looming crew evaluations, which may or may not lead to promotions for them. Things get interesting when their friend Ben, a bartender at Ten Forward, overhears Riker and Troi discussing both Lavelle and Sito as candidates for the same position at ops.

* IAmYourWorstNightmare: Lampshaded word-for-word when Riker reveals his flush to a frustrated LaForge.

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

* TrojanPrisoner: Sito was to pretend to be the prisoner of the Cardassian spy in order to allow him to cross the border in a Starfleet Shuttlecraft. Everything goes well until her escape pod is destroyed.

* RememberTheNewGuy: Ben smacks of this. [[SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute Which makes sense considering he was pretty much Created to fill in for an unavailable]] Creator/WhoopiGoldberg.

* SimilarSquad: The ensigns share a similar composition with the MainCharacters they work with, as seen in the poker game. Sito works in Security under Worf, Taurik works in Engineering under La Forge, Ogawa works in Medical under Crusher, Lavelle works in Command under Riker, and Ben is a bartender under (in the civilian sense) Guinan. The ratio of two women and three men is also maintained. Ben plays the informal councellor and Troi observes, much to Riker's discomfort, that he and Lavelle are NotSoDifferent.

* TrojanPrisoner: Sito was to pretend to be the prisoner of the Cardassian spy in order to allow him to cross the border in a Starfleet Shuttlecraft. Everthing goes well until her escape pod is destroyed.

* SimilarSquad: The ensigns share a similar composition with the MainCharacters they work with, as seen in the poker game. Sito works in Ops under Worf, Taurik works in Engineering under La Forge, Ogawa works in Medical under Crusher, Lavelle works in Command under Riker, and Ben is a bartender under (in the civilian sense) Guinan. The ratio of two women and three men is also maintained. Ben plays the informal councellor and Troi observes, much to Riker's discomfort, that he and Lavelle are NotSoDifferent.

-->'''Picard''': To all Starfleet personnel, this is the captain. It is my sad duty to inform you that a member of the crew, Ensign Sito Jaxa, has been lost in the line of duty. She was the finest example of a Starfleet officer, and a young woman of remarkable courage and strength of character. Her loss will be deeply felt by all who knew her. Picard out.

The next scene, in the grand tradition of the series, takes place around a poker table. In fact, both the group of ensigns (along with Ben) and the usual poker crew are playing at the same time, and the scene cuts between them. The ensigns discuss who they think was in the escape pod – Nurse Ogawa saying nothing, true to her word – and the higher-ups discuss who to promote to ops. Riker doesn’t like either candidate, but Worf sticks up for Sito and Troi reminds Riker that he and Lavelle aren’t all that different. Another issue discussed at the junior officers’ table is Taurik’s fear 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.

* NotSoAboveItAll: The Vulcan Taurik reacts with dull surprise to everything throughout the episode (it comes with the territory). However, in his brief final scene, he is visibly shook at Picard's announcement of Sito's death.

* NotSoAboveItAll: The Vulcan Taurik reacts with dull surprise to everything throughout the episode (it comes with the territory). However, in his brief final scene, he is visible shook at Picard's announcement of Sito's death.

* RememberTheNewGuy: Ben smacks of this. [[SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute Which makes sense considering he was pretty much Created to fil in for an unavailable]] Creator/WhoopiGoldberg.

* NotSoAboveItAll: The Vulcan Taurik reacts with dull surprise to everything throughout the episode (it comes with the territory). However, in his brief final scene, he is visible shook at Picard's announcement of [[spoiler: Sito's death.]]

* RedemptionEqualsDeath: [[spoiler: Sito does everything in her power to [[TheAtoner atone for her actions at the Academy]] three years earlier. After much hassle, she emerges successful in proving her worth to her commanding officers, and it begins to look like she will have a long, promising career ahead for her in Starfleet. Sadly, this all becomes moot when she is killed by Cardassians during a top-secret mission.]]

* RememberTheNewGuy: Ben smacks of this.

* NeverFoundTheBody: Sito is presumed dead after the wreckage of her escape pod is found. The writers considered bringing her back for [=DS9=] as a rescued prisoner, but decided that doing so would rob this episode of its poignancy.

* {{Expy}}: The show makes it clear that the Lower Deck members are substitutes for the main cast members. In particular, Lavelle->Riker, Jaxa->Worf, Nurse Ogawa->Dr. Crusher, Taurik->Geordi, and Ben->Guinan/Troi.

* SimilarSquad: The ensigns are virtually identical to the standard bridge crew, as seen in the poker game. One at Ops, one at Engineering, one at Medical, one going for Command, and one...extra. The ratio of two women and three men is also maintained. Lavelle even plays poker like Riker, while Ben plays counsellor to the ensigns.

* SimilarSquad: The ensigns are virtually identical to the standard bridge crew, as seen in the poker game. One at Ops, one at Engineering, one at Medical, one going for Command, and one...extra. The ratio of two women and three men is also maintained. Lavelle even plays poker like Riker, while Ben plays councilor to the ensigns.

* BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor: [[spoiler: Lavelle resorts to chanting a mantra of "Promote me!" to will his promotion. He gets it, but definitely not in a manner he would have wanted.]]

* ContinuityNod:
** To the Season 5 episode "The First Duty" where then Cadet Sito, along with Wesley and the rest of their team got in trouble for engaging in a cover up to hide the fact that a risky and illegal flight maneuver is what killed their fellow teammate.

* ReformedButRejected: Sito to Picard. [[SubvertedTrope Subverted]] when it turns out that Picard's rejection of Sito is actually a...
** SecretTestOfCharacter: Worf gives Sito one by blindfolding her and ordering her to block his attacks. She eventually protests that the test isn't fair, which turns out to be the entire point of the lesson, to speak up when being judged unfairly. This motivates her to do the same to Picard for his earlier TheReasonYouSuckSpeech, which it turns out was the same sort of test.

* ContinuityNod: to the Season 5 episode "The First Duty" where then Cadet Sito, along with Wesley and the rest of their team got in trouble for engaging in a cover up to hide the fact that a risky and illegal flight maneuver is what killed their fellow teammate.