History Recap / StarTrekTheNextGenerationS5E4SiliconAvatar

* ClearMyName: Dr. Marr briefly suspects that the colonists who escaped to the caves were spared due to Data's presence, believing that he--like Lore before him--was colluding with it. He, on the other hand, surmises that it was due to the combination of a certain two minerals in the caves. Technically, he doesn't exactly prove his theory, but Marr realizes she was wrong about him on her own.

* FleeingForTheFalloutShelter: Typically the Crystaline Entity destroys all life on the planets it attacks; in this episode, however, Riker succeeds in evacuating all but two of the planet's population into a cave, saving them.

* ItCanThink: The big question at the center of the episode is about whether the Crystalline Entity can think and whether it is aware that it is devouring sentient species. This should have been a bit more clear due to the fact that Lore already figured out a way to communicate with it and broker an alliance with it to eat the Omicron Theta colonists.

Riker, Data, and Dr. Crusher are on Melona IV, where a new Federation colony is being built. Riker is enjoying some mutual flirtation with colony engineer Carmen Davila when they are interrupted by the sudden arrival of the Crystalline Entity, a unique spacefaring creature know for its ability to utterly scour all life from a planet.

Recognizing the danger, Riker orders everyone into some nearby caverns in the hope that they will protect them, though Carmen perishes trying to rescue an old man. The officers and the colonists wait out the Entity's attack, not knowing whether they are about to be atomized as well. Eventually, the ''Enterprise'' arrives, and the survivors are rescued by an away team. As Riker emerges from the cave, he sees that the lush, Earth-like planet of Melona IV has been turned into a barren wasteland.

The Federation's best expert on the Entity, Dr. Kila Marr, beams aboard eager for the chance to investigate an attack so soon after its occurrence. Her first question is how the survivors on Melona IV survived, when all previous encounters with the Entity resulted in total loss of life. Data chimes in with his theories, but Marr pointedly ignores everything Data has to contribute. She specifically requests that he not participate on the grounds that he is related to Lore, who brought the Entity to the Omicron Theta colony, where the entire population, including her son Renny, was killed. However, Picard insists that Data be a part of the investigation.

As the ''Enterprise'' begins its search, recommends a way to destroy the Entity once they catch up to it. To her horror, Picard insists on attempting to establish peaceful communications first. The captain's peaceful intentios are put to the test when the ship receives a cry for help from a transport ship just before it too is consumed by the Entity. Even Riker candidly admits to Picard that he sides with those who favor destroying the Entity before it can kill any more people. Picard overrules them, staunchly believing the Entity should be afforded the chance to negotiate a peaceful coexistence with other sentient life.

At his orders, Marr starts working with Data on a way of communicating via graviton pulses. As Marr starts warming up to Data, she learns that his positronic brain has been modeled after the brains the Omicron Theta colonists, Marr's son Renny included. He even has some of their memories. Marr starts peppering Data with questions Data about Renny's life, since she was absent for so much of it. Data tells her that he was very proud to have such a brilliant scientist for a mother and recite one of Renny's journal writings with his VoiceChangeling abilities. Marr is overjoyed and starts treating Data like a living embodiment of her late son.

When the ''Enterprise'' finally catches up with the Crystalline Entity, Marr is surprised by the beauty of the creature she'd spent her life hunting. They begin sending it a series of graviton pulses designed to catch its attention. The Entity responds with a signal of its own, creating a pattern that implies intelligence. Then, without warning, Marr starts sending a much more powerful signal, destroying the Entity before anyone can stop her.

* BrutalHonesty: Data refusing his ReplacementGoldfish status by the end.

** Though, both Data and Dr. Marr should have considered that the Crystalline Entity spared them due to Data’s presence because it might have thought he was Lore.

* FreudianExcuse: Marr has quite a large one with the death of her adolescent son at the hands--er, ''pointy extensions'', of the Crystalline Entity.

* HopeSpot: It looks as though the ''Enterprise'' is succeeding in communicating with the Entity… just before Marr destroys it.
* ItCanThink: The episode builds on the idea that Lore was able to talk to the Entity by showing the crew trying to do the same.

* SmartBall: Picard scoops it up at the start when Marr displays overpowering hostility to Data within minutes of arriving. He insists she work with him, because he wants to find out if her feelings impair her judgment or make her ineffective sooner rather than later. Unfortunately, the captain drops the ball after she warms to Data, and doesn't bother considering if her feelings ''toward the Entity'' might also be suspect.
* [[HeDidntMakeIt She Didn't Make It]]: Riker regarding Carmen.

* WideEyedIdealist: Picard sincerely believes it's possible to reach an understanding with the Entity. The HopeSpot suggests he may've been right.