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Troi and Worf investigate the mysterious suicide of an engineer.

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The ''Enterprise'' is having problems with a warp nacelle, and La Forge announces that someone has locked out the controls. Riker and Worf arrive to find that Lieutenant Kwan is standing in front of the plasma stream and about to jump. Riker tries to talk him down, but Kwan mutters, "They laughed at me," and announces, "I know what I have to do," before flinging himself into the plasma stream and disintegrating.

Picard wants to find out why a member of his crew would commit suicide, so Worf and Troi are on the case. They note that Kwan was a model officer who did not act as if he would soon commit suicide. They also discover that he was half Napean, which means he was likely empathic, and that he helped build the ship on Utopia Planitia before getting stationed on it. After going through his personal logs, they discover that Kwan was in a relationship with Ensign Maddy Calloway. She describes him as a happy person with no reason to kill himself. Meanwhile, Data asks La Forge about the concept of suicide and admits that he considered rebooting himself shortly after being turned on for the first time, when the stress of learning how to function in the world seemed too much.

Troi questions Kwan's superior officer Lieutenant Nara at Kwan's station, but she can offer no additional information. Troi goes to stand in the spot where Kwan was standing when he committed suicide and suddenly feels a rush of negative emotions. After a visit to sick bay, Troi returns to her quarters with Worf, who is clearly considering his romantic options with her after the events of "Parallels." He finds Riker in Ten Forward and tries to circumspectly ask his permission to date Troi, but Riker doesn't get the hint, causing Worf to get flustered and give up.

Troi wants to look into the plasma stream where Kwan killed himself. Worf goes with her with her and opens the nacelle doors. Troi gets another empathic overload, having visions of a woman fleeing from her perspective and then seeing the face of a man glaring at her. Afterwards she seemingly finds herself transported back in time to when the ship was still under construction on Utopia Planitia. She explores the area and finds the woman from her earlier vision making out with another man. They realize they've been caught at start laughing at her. As she turns away, she bumps into Worf finds herself back in the real world.

Troi wonders whether Kwan, as a fellow empath, also got the same vision she did, which is somehow why he killed himself. Picard has her look through the ship's personnel files to identify the people in the vision. She soon identifies the glowering man as Lieutenant Pierce, who is stationed on the ship.
Troi and Worf investigate question him, but he offers little help. Troi notes that she cannot read him, meaning he has telepathic or empathic abilities of his own. Both she and Worf suspect that he's holding something back. Worf escorts Troi back to her quarters. After a long, sexually charged moment, Worf finally makes a move, and they both embrace.

The next morning, Troi and Worf both head to sick bay (arriving separately), so that Troi can get a telepathic inhibitor to allow her to more safely analyze future visions, while Worf is overseeing some medical supply transportation that has been going on in
the mysterious suicide background. Troi jealously notes how familiar Worf behaves around Ensign Calloway. Returning to the control room, Troi notices a bulkhead where Kwan was working at the day before he died. La Forge discovers human DNA in it. It matches to a Marla Finn, whose picture Troi recognizes as the woman in her visions. She also realizes that Kwan was not on the Utopia Planitia before Finn disappeared, so her vision was not from his perspective. Catching sight of an engineer.
her own reflection, she realizes that her vision of Pierce was a reflection. It was his perspective!

On the way to interrogate Pierce, Troi feels guilty about her earlier jealousy and apologizes for not being herself. Worf suggests that he question Pierce alone, and Troi returns to her quarters. But Pierce suddenly arrives in Troi's quarters, claiming that Worf sent him there. Troi calls security and has Pierce escorted away, then locates Worf and confronts him. She finds him making out with Ensign Calloway. Caught, they both start laughing at her just like in her vision. Enraged, Troi kills Worf with a phaser and flees. She passes by Pierce, who tells her, "You know what you have to do." Troi rushes to the warp nacelle control room and is about to jump when Worf suddenly grabs her shoulder.

Overjoyed to see that she's alive, she realizes that everything that has happened since she went to look at the warp plasma stream has been one long vision that took place in only a second. Back with the senior staff, everyone sums up what happened: Pierce, Finn and a third crewman William Hodges were all stationed on Utopia Planitia eight years ago. Pierce, who was one-quarter Betazoid, caught his girlfriend cheating on him with Hodges and killed them, then committed suicide. His disintegration created a "psychic photograph" that triggered hallucinations in both Kwan and Troi of events similar to those that caused it.

With everything wrapped up, Work asks why Troi was so happy to see him alive, ignorant to the fact that he and Troi started banging in her vision. Troi abashedly admits that he was killed in her vision. When he asks who killed him, she teasingly says, "Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned," before walking away. After a moment, Worf seems to grasp the implications.
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'''Original air date:''' February 28, 1994
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No spoilers on recap pages.


* ConstructiveBodyDisposal - [[PlayingWithATrope played with here]], Troi has visions of a murder/suicide and at one point has Geordi scan a bulkhead. His scans show a skeleton embedded in the bulkhead. [[spoiler:It was AllJustADream based on the psychic residue from a Daniel Kwan because he was TheEmpath but there were "traces of cellular residue with a psionic signature" on the bulkhead]].

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* ConstructiveBodyDisposal - [[PlayingWithATrope played with here]], Troi has visions of a murder/suicide and at one point has Geordi scan a bulkhead. His scans show a skeleton embedded in the bulkhead. [[spoiler:It It was AllJustADream based on the psychic residue from a Daniel Kwan because he was TheEmpath but there were "traces of cellular residue with a psionic signature" on the bulkhead]].bulkhead.
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I removed the “Does This Remind You of Anthing” example. This dealt with the fact that the neurotransmitter involved in empathy sounded similar to an active ingredient in magic mushrooms (psyilosynine sounding somewhat similar to psilocybin). The trope definition refers to a case of a case where a “situation is made, sometimes for comic effect, sometimes for dramatic effect, to look like another situation”. The example does not explain how Troi having a neurotransmitter which SOUNDED similar to an ingredient in magic mushrooms, made her situation in anyway similar to the situation of being on magic mushrooms. So I’ve removed it.


* DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything: Psyilosynine, the neurotransmitter that is involved in Troi's empathic abilities, sounds eerily similar to psilocybin, the active ingredient in magic mushrooms, possibly implying that Betazoids are on [[FantasticDrug Space Shrooms]] all the time?
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* ConstructiveBodyDisposal - [[PlayingWithATrope played with here], Troi has visions of a murder/suicide and at one point has Geordi scan a bulkhead. His scans show a skeleton embedded in the bulkhead. [[spoiler:It was AllJustADream based on the psychic residue from a Daniel Kwan because he was TheEmpath but there were "traces of cellular residue with a psionic signature" on the bulkhead]].

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* ConstructiveBodyDisposal - [[PlayingWithATrope played with here], here]], Troi has visions of a murder/suicide and at one point has Geordi scan a bulkhead. His scans show a skeleton embedded in the bulkhead. [[spoiler:It was AllJustADream based on the psychic residue from a Daniel Kwan because he was TheEmpath but there were "traces of cellular residue with a psionic signature" on the bulkhead]].
bulkhead]].
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* ConstructiveBodyDisposal - [[PlayingWithATrope played with here], Troi has visions of a murder/suicide and at one point has Geordi scan a bulkhead. His scans show a skeleton embedded in the bulkhead. [[spoiler:It was AllJustADream based on the psychic residue from a Daniel Kwan because he was TheEmpath but there were "traces of cellular residue with a psionic signature" on the bulkhead]].
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Your Cheating Heart is an index, not a trope.


* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: Troi's reaction to killing Worf in her vision after she catches him with [[YourCheatingHeart another woman]]. All but stated to have been the case with Pierce and Kwan as well.

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* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: Troi's reaction to killing Worf in her vision after she catches him with [[YourCheatingHeart another woman]].woman. All but stated to have been the case with Pierce and Kwan as well.
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* DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything: Psyilosynine, the neurotransmitter that is involved in Troi's empathic abilities, sounds eerily similar to psilocybine, the active ingredient in magic mushrooms.

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* DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything: Psyilosynine, the neurotransmitter that is involved in Troi's empathic abilities, sounds eerily similar to psilocybine, psilocybin, the active ingredient in magic mushrooms. mushrooms, possibly implying that Betazoids are on [[FantasticDrug Space Shrooms]] all the time?
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* DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything: Psyilosynine, the neurotransmitter that is involved in Troi's empathic abilities, sounds eerily similar to psilocybine, the active ingredient in magic mushrooms.
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[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/tng_eyeofthebeholder026.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''[[Music/ThirdEyeBlind "I wish you would step back from that ledge, my friend..."]]'']]
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* DeathNotification: Picard mentions having done this before, but never involving suicide.

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* AllJustADream: Everything from when Troi and Worf go to the nacelle control room onward is a vision Troi was experiencing. Interestingly, everything she sees and learns proves to be true later...because it was an "empathic echo" of previous events that had actually happened.



* AllJustADream: Everything from when Troi and Worf go to the nacelle control room onward is a vision Troi was experiencing. Interestingly, everything she sees and learns proves to be true later...because it was an "empathic echo" of previous events that had actually happened.

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* PsychicAssistedSuicide: Anyone with empathic abilities will receive flashbacks of Pierce's last moments will be filled with guilt and despair and want to jump into the plasma stream.

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* PsychicAssistedSuicide: Anyone with empathic abilities will receive flashbacks of Pierce's last moments moments, then will be filled with guilt and despair and want to jump into the plasma stream.



* WomanScorned: Troi to seeing Worf with another woman. It's confirmed that Pierce and Kwan had similar reactions to their girlfriends with other men.
* TheWorfEffect: Even in a telepathic fantasy, Worf gets his ass kicked--by [[TheChick Troi]], of all people.

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* WomanScorned: Troi to seeing Worf with another woman. woman, in her vision anyway. It's confirmed that Pierce and Kwan had similar reactions to their girlfriends with other men.
* TheWorfEffect: Even in a telepathic fantasy, Worf gets his ass kicked--by [[TheChick Troi]], of all people.
men.
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!!Tropes featured:
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* TheWorfEffect: Even in a telepathic fantasy, Worf gets his ass kicked--by [[TheChick Troi]], of all people.
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* TalkingDownTheSuicidal: Riker tries to get through to Kwan. He fails.
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* WomanScorned: Troi to seeing Worf with another woman. It's confirmed that Pierce and Kwan had similar reactions to their girlfriends with other men.

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* WomanScorned: Troi to seeing Worf with another woman. It's confirmed that Pierce and Kwan had similar reactions to their girlfriends with other men.men.
* YouDidEverythingYouCould: Worf says this to Riker after his failure to save Kwan.

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* StartsWithASuicide: Of Lt. Daniel Kwan.

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* PsychicAssistedSuicide: Anyone with empathic abilities will receive flashbacks of Pierce's last moments will be filled with guilt and despair and want to jump into the plasma stream.
* StartsWithASuicide: Of Lt. Daniel Kwan.Kwan.
* WomanScorned: Troi to seeing Worf with another woman. It's confirmed that Pierce and Kwan had similar reactions to their girlfriends with other men.

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* BigNo: Marla Finn, as seen in Troi's vision.



* MySisterIsOffLimits: Riker mentions this trope during Worf's clumsy attempt to find out if he still harbors feelings for Troi.

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* MySisterIsOffLimits: Riker mentions this trope during Worf's clumsy attempt to find out if he still harbors feelings for Troi. Not that he's at all serious about it.

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** Once again, the ''Enterprise'' is given permission to exceed the warp speed limit set in "Force of Nature."

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** Once again, the ''Enterprise'' is given permission to exceed the warp speed limit set in [[Recap/StarTrekTheNextGenerationS7E8ForceOfNature "Force of Nature.""]]
** Worf mentions having [[Recap/StarTrekTheNextGenerationS6E21RightfulHeir "sought visions in fire."]]
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unfortunate implications need citations


* CluelessAesop: The episode is a bizarre and curiously awkward attempt at an anti-suicide PSA, but they botch it by trying to have it both ways. The first act treats the suicide of a RedShirt completely seriously, exploring it from all angles, explaining how those that kill themselves often show no obvious signs of distress. It's fairly effective, sort of a forerunner of the subject's similar treatment on an episode of ''Series/HouseMD''. And then they completely botch it by HandWaving the uncharacteristic suicide as being the result of PsychicPowers gone awry, using it as another pitstop in the Worf/Troi ShipTease. One wonders if the writers held the opinion that no one would seriously want to kill themselves in the MarySueTopia that is the 24th Century (given Gene Roddenberry's idealization of it, he at least likely ''did'' think that). This carries some potential UnfortunateImplications when you think about the prevalence of suicide in the present day...

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* CluelessAesop: The episode is a bizarre and curiously awkward attempt at an anti-suicide PSA, but they botch it by trying to have it both ways. The first act treats the suicide of a RedShirt completely seriously, exploring it from all angles, explaining how those that kill themselves often show no obvious signs of distress. It's fairly effective, sort of a forerunner of the subject's similar treatment on an episode of ''Series/HouseMD''. And then they completely botch it by HandWaving the uncharacteristic suicide as being the result of PsychicPowers gone awry, using it as another pitstop in the Worf/Troi ShipTease. One wonders if the writers held the opinion that no one would seriously want to kill themselves in the MarySueTopia that is the 24th Century (given Gene Roddenberry's idealization of it, he at least likely ''did'' think that). This carries some potential UnfortunateImplications when you think about the prevalence of suicide in the present day...
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That\'s not an external link.


** Data recounts his early experiences of how his positronic brain grew more complex to Geordi, explaining how each new pathway increased the likelihood of a cascade failure. In the season three episode [[http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Recap/StarTrekTheNextGenerationS3E16TheOffspring "The Offspring"]], [[TearJerker this was the cause of death of Data's daughter]].

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** Data recounts his early experiences of how his positronic brain grew more complex to Geordi, explaining how each new pathway increased the likelihood of a cascade failure. In the season three episode [[http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Recap/StarTrekTheNextGenerationS3E16TheOffspring [[Recap/StarTrekTheNextGenerationS3E16TheOffspring "The Offspring"]], [[TearJerker this was the cause of death of Data's daughter]].
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* IDontWantToRuinOurFriendship: Said by Troi to Worf during her dream.
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* CluelessAesop: The episode is a bizarre and curiously awkward attempt at an anti-suicide PSA, but they botch it by trying to have it both ways. The first act treats the suicide of a RedShirt completely seriously, exploring it from all angles, explaining how those that kill themselves often show no obvious signs of distress. It's fairly effective, sort of a forerunner of the subject's similar treatment on an episode of ''Series/HouseMD''. And then they completely botch it by HandWaving the uncharacteristic suicide as being the result of PsychicPowers gone awry, using it as another pitstop in the Worf/Troi ShipTease. One wonders if the writers held the opinion that no one would seriously want to kill themselves in the MarySueTopia that is the 24th Century (given Gene Roddenberry's idealization of it, he at least likely ''did'' think that). This carries some potential UnfortunateImplications when you think about the prevalence of suicide in the present day...
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None


* AllJustADream: Everything from when Troi and Worf go to the nacelle control room onward is a vision Troi was experiencing. Interestingly, everything she sees and learns proves to be true later.

to:

* AllJustADream: Everything from when Troi and Worf go to the nacelle control room onward is a vision Troi was experiencing. Interestingly, everything she sees and learns proves to be true later.later...because it was an "empathic echo" of previous events that had actually happened.



* DrivenToSuicide: Both Kwan and Troi. Only Worf's presence prevented Troi from jumping into the plasma stream.
* HalfHumanHybrid: Daniel Kwan is half-Human, half-Napean, making him TheEmpath.

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* DrivenToSuicide: Both Kwan and Troi. Only Worf's presence prevented Troi from jumping into the plasma stream.
stream. Later it's revealed that the memories that Kwan and Troi experienced were of a man who died under the same circumstances they had experienced.
* HalfHumanHybrid: In addition to Troi, Daniel Kwan is half-Human, half-Napean, making him TheEmpath.



* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: Troi's reaction to killing Worf in her vision after she catches him with [[YourCheatingHeart another woman]].

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* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: Troi's reaction to killing Worf in her vision after she catches him with [[YourCheatingHeart another woman]]. All but stated to have been the case with Pierce and Kwan as well.
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* MySisterIsOffLimits: Riker mentions this trope during Worf's clumsy attempt to find out if he still harbors feelings for Troi.
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* ArcWords: "I know what I have to do."


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* TheChainsOfCommanding: Riker smacks the bulkhead out of frustration after Kwan kills himself, mainly because Riker feels he could have done more to stop Kwan.
* DrivenToSuicide: Both Kwan and Troi. Only Worf's presence prevented Troi from jumping into the plasma stream.


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** Similarly, Walter Pierce was one-quarter Betazoid. When he committed suicide, his empathic abilities left an "echo" in the nacelle bulkhead that affected Kwan and Troi.
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** Data recounts his early experiences of how his positronic brain grew more complex to Geordi, explaining how each new pathway increased the likelihood of a cascade failure. In the season three episode [[http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Recap/StarTrekTheNextGenerationS3E16TheOffspring "The Offspring"]], [[TearJerker this was the cause of death of Data's daughter]].

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** Data recounts his early experiences of how his positronic brain grew more complex to Geordi, explaining how each new pathway increased the likelihood of a cascade failure. In the season three episode [[http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Recap/StarTrekTheNextGenerationS3E16TheOffspring "The Offspring"]], [[TearJerker this was the cause of death of Data's daughter]].daughter]].
* HalfHumanHybrid: Daniel Kwan is half-Human, half-Napean, making him TheEmpath.
* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: Troi's reaction to killing Worf in her vision after she catches him with [[YourCheatingHeart another woman]].
* StartsWithASuicide: Of Lt. Daniel Kwan.

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* CallBack: Once again, the ''Enterprise'' is given permission to exceed the warp speed limit set in "Force of Nature."

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* CallBack: CallBack:
**
Once again, the ''Enterprise'' is given permission to exceed the warp speed limit set in "Force of Nature.""
** Data recounts his early experiences of how his positronic brain grew more complex to Geordi, explaining how each new pathway increased the likelihood of a cascade failure. In the season three episode [[http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Recap/StarTrekTheNextGenerationS3E16TheOffspring "The Offspring"]], [[TearJerker this was the cause of death of Data's daughter]].
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Troi and Worf investigate the mysterious suicide of an engineer.

* AllJustADream: Everything from when Troi and Worf go to the nacelle control room onward is a vision Troi was experiencing. Interestingly, everything she sees and learns proves to be true later.
* CallBack: Once again, the ''Enterprise'' is given permission to exceed the warp speed limit set in "Force of Nature."

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