Original air date: May 6, 1991
The Federation is offering assistance to Kaelon II, an alien world whose sun is slowly going out. One of the inhabitants, Dr. Timicin (David Ogden Stiers), believes he has developed a method to "stoke" the sun, and the Enterprise is to assist in testing the procedure. Captain Picard carefully skulks through the ship's halls on the way to the transporter room to receive Timicin but utterly fails to hide from Lwaxana Troi. The incorrigible Betazoid eagerly inserts herself into the diplomatic meeting. But Picard's mood changes when Dr. Timicin beams up, and Lwaxana finds fresh meat to sink her hooks into.
Timicin's experiment for rekindling his sun involves launching modified torpedoes into the star. They're going to do a trial run on a star that happens to be in the same state of decay as their own. On the way to that system, Lwaxana continues to get in everyone's business, including Timicin. The gloomy doctor politely turns down her flagrant advances but obviously has a thing for her. He keeps his mind firmly on the test, and it initially seems to be working, until the sun heats up too much and goes supernova.
The experiment, Timicin's life's work, is a failure. Lwaxana goes to him to try to offer consolation, and he finally yields to her advances. In the morning, Lwaxana tries to cheer him up by assuring him that he still has plenty of time in life, both for his experiments and for their still-blossoming relationship. Timicin, however, reveals that he actually does not have that time: "You see, I'm going home... to die."
It turns out Timicin's society practices ritual euthanasia, dubbed "Resolution", upon reaching the age of 60 (which Timicin is rapidly approaching). Lwaxana is appalled by this practice even as Timicin defends its merits by explaining that it prevents the old from becoming a burden to the young or losing their dignity due to old-age ailments. She is further infuriated when Picard cites the Prime Directive and refuses to intervene.
Meanwhile, Timicin has been re-examining his experiment notes and begins to see how he could address the problems therein, but because of his impending euthanasia, he doesn't have the time to do so. If only he could put off his Resolution for a while... Timicin goes to Picard and officially requests asylum, believing he can work out his experiment's flaws and then go home to die in peace. While this action pleases Lwaxana, Timicin's government is scandalized and dispatches warships to retrieve the "rogue" scientist. Making matters worse for Timicin is that, as long as he stays in his self-imposed exile, his government treats him as an Un-person, refusing to listen to his scientific discoveries even at the expense of the planet's future.
But the final straw comes when Timicin's own daughter beams up and tearfully explains that his rejection of everything his society stands for will break his family's heart. Lwaxana is uncharacteristically speechless. Timicin's resolve caves, and he returns home to attend to his funeral. Lwaxana, though still unhappy by the whole thing, ultimately relents and leaves with him arm-in-arm to attend his Resolution ceremony as a loved one.
This episode features examples of the following tropes:
- Actor Allusion: A display screen features the number "4077", the number of the medical unit in M*A*S*H. David Ogden Stiers played a lead role in that show for 6 years and 131 episodes.
- A Day in the Limelight: For Lwaxana. It's the first episode to give the character some real depth and personality beyond "throwing herself at every man she meets".
- Alien Non-Interference Clause: Discussed. It seems that Kaelon II has enough contact with the wider galaxy for the Federation to offer help with their solar problem, but not enough to be a member planet that the Federation can impose its will and norms upon. Lwaxana tries to exploit Loophole Abuse and beam down herself to read the Kaelons the riot act (after all, while she sometimes speaks for the Federation, she is only a private citizen on this voyage), but Picard orders O'Brien not to allow her to leave.Lwaxana: Well, it's your Prime Directive. NOT MINE!
- Apocalypse How: Kaelon II is facing a Class 6 in the next thirty to forty years as its sun ages into a red giant. Timicin has a Solar CPR device that could fix the star, but it instead inflicts a Class X-2 on the uninhabited system the Enterprise tests it on.
- Attending Your Own Funeral: The "Resolution" is a ceremony which celebrates the person's life, just before they are euthanized.
- Bittersweet Ending: Despite now wanting to live and doubting the tradition of the Resolution, Timicin feels morally obligated to commit suicide. While Lwaxana is saddened, she agrees to see him through the ritual as his loved one. In addition, Timicin seems to have made promising progress on saving his planet.
- Blue-and-Orange Morality: The people of Kaelon II view it as immoral for the elderly to expect their children to take care of them when they're feeble. So immoral, in fact, that they'd rather risk extinction than allow a single exception.
- Both Sides Have a Point: Lwaxana and Timicin debate the merits of mid-life euthanasia as compared to growing old and dying naturally; although Timicin does go through with it in the end, the episode paints neither him nor Lwaxana as explicitly right or wrong.
- Break the Haughty: Seems to be this episode's raison d'etre. At one point Lwaxana bursts into tears (something she apparently hasn't done since her husband Ian died). At the end, when she elects to observe Timicin's Resolution, she exhibits uncharacteristic humility, contritely asking Picard for permission to go and promising not to cause trouble.
- Cerebus Rollercoaster: This episode marks the first time Lwaxana is shown in a truly dramatic tone, departing from her usual role as Plucky Comic Relief. Her next appearance, in "Cost of Living", will see her return to her familiar comic hijinx (albeit including some semi-serious Character Development), and then escalating the drama with her final TNG episode "Dark Page".
- Deadly Euphemism: "Resolution." Downplayed in that the term is more about the celebration held in the person's honor than about the actual euthanasia that immediately follows.
- Deconstruction: The angry speech Timicin's daughter gives Lwaxana ("How dare you question my beliefs?") could be seen as a knockback against all the times Kirk and Company visited some backwater world, told the inhabitants in a nutshell that their belief system sucked, then destroyed the lynchpin of their society and flew off into the sunset after telling them how much better off they were for it. Not forgetting, of course, that Kirk usually did this because his ship and/or crew were in peril; but the attitude was always there.
- Defector from Decadence: Timicin seeks asylum on the Enterprise when he realizes he could find a way to correct his experiments if only he had a few more years. The asylum, and his resolve, prove fleeting.
- Foreshadowing: During his first briefing, Timicin states that he hopes to be able to fix his planet's star before he dies and then gets a far-off look, knowing how close that day is.
- Gone Horribly Right: Timicin's Solar CPR device actually works. The problem is, it doesn't know when to stop.
- Halfway Plot Switch: From a standard TNG science project to a debate over enforced euthanasia.
- Hint Dropping: At one point Lwaxana, in her own words, "fishes for a compliment" from Timicin. Played with in that he probably knows what she was doing, but he's in a funk and not in much mood to talk.
- Hollywood Old:
- Stiers was only 48, playing a character just shy of 60. His bald and bearded look helps him look older than he is (though perhaps not quite as old as the character he's playing). Given we don't see any other Kaelons his age, nor know the age of any other Kaelons who do appear, it's theoretically possible Kaelons actually age slower than humans, though there's no indication given of this in the episode.
- It's also mentioned in dialog that Timicin is especially virile for his age, so he might naturally come off as younger than he really is. This works out really well narratively, as it contrasts with Timicin's descriptions of the elderly all being invalids and makes it seem all the more absurd that he's expected to commit ritual suicide.
- Honor Before Reason: During Timicin's short-lived asylum, he starts documenting ways he could correct his failed experiments; however, his government declares him an outlaw and will not allow him to share his new findings even though it could (and is intended to) save their doomed planet. Lampshaded by a furious Timicin: "Even if I find a solution, YOU WILL NOT ACCEPT IT!"
- Hope Spot: Played for laughs in the opening scene. When Picard goes to meet Timicin at the Transporter Room, he first timidly pokes his head out of the turbolift to see if the coast is clear. It is and he exits his cover...only for Lwaxana to sneak up behind him moments later.
- Jerkass Has a Point: Lwaxana is trampling all over the culture of Kaelon II and their beliefs, but as she points out several times, none of that is going to matter if their sun dies.
- Mandatory Line: Doctor Crusher's brief appearance in this episode has her mysteriously on the bridge when the crew detect the Kaelon warships, with her only line being to tell Timicin that they should leave.
- Mercy Kill: "Resolution," upon reaching age 60. According to Timicin, the practice is to prevent people from becoming old, feeble, helpless, and a burden to others, allowing them to die with a measure of dignity and with their faculties intact. Of course that last point (intact faculties) is exactly why Lwaxana objects to the whole thing.
- Nobody Ever Complained Before: The Kaelons ritualistically kill themselves on their 60th birthdays, and they seem shocked and baffled when one of their own refuses to do so. Apparently none of their 60-year-olds had ever had any qualms about dying before. When Timicin first announces his intention, the Kaelon representative immediately asks if Timicin is being held against his will.
- O.O.C. Is Serious Business: Lwaxana is not a fan of travelling on transporters, as established in "Manhunt". The fact that she is not only willing to take one down to Kaelon II, but straight-up demanding O'Brien let her beam down, speaks volumes to how much she cares for Timicin, as does her willingness to beam down with Timicin at the end of the episode to attend his Resolution.
- Opposites Attract: Extroverted, vivacious Lwaxana, and mild-mannered, sullen Timicin are immediately attracted to each other.
- Screw the Rules, I'm Doing What's Right!: Lwaxana has this attitude, but O'Brien won't beam her down to the Kaelons' planet.Lwaxana:...You just energize this damned thing and get me down there!Troi: He can't, Mother. He has his orders.Lwaxana: His orders don't apply to me!Troi: No, they apply to him.
- The Silent Bob: Lampshaded by La Forge:Lwaxana: That's my valet, Mr. Homn. He doesn't say much.
La Forge: How could he? - Solar CPR: Kaelon II's sun is slowly dying out; it's got about 30–40 years left. Dr. Timicin's life's work is to find a way to revitalize it. His test involves using modified photon torpedoes to seed a similar star with hydrogen that it can begin fusing, attempting to use a precise amount and sequence so that it stabilizes at the optimum temperature. This fails, and the test star continues heating until it goes supernova, with the Enterprise barely warping out in time.
- Stating the Simple Solution: Lwaxana asks Timicin why his people don't evacuate their planet if they know that their sun will die in a few decades. Timicin tells her that it's simply not an option, as his people are too connected to their world.
- This Is Gonna Suck: The episode begins, "Counselor Deanna Troi, personal log: Stardate 44805.3... My mother is on board."
- Ugly Guy, Hot Wife: Lwaxana is notably more glamorous than the rotund and awkward Timicin.
- Visible Boom Mic: A boom mic pole appears in the reflection the first time Lwaxana passes by the mirror in Troi's quarters.
- We Will Have Euthanasia in the Future: Zig-zagged; The Federation does not practice it (although they don't specifically outlaw it, as seen in Star Trek V: The Final Frontier), whereas Timicin's people celebrate it.
- What Does This Button Do?: "Madam, please! That is a photon torpedo launch initiator!"
