History Recap / StarTrekTheNextGenerationS5E9AMatterOfTime

** Rasmussen spends the first half of the episode making vague comments about coming to the ''Enterprise'' on the right day and looking forward to a specific upcoming time, and later makes comments that imply he specifically knows what's going to happen with Penthara Four and that it's going to be a momentus event. Being that he's from the 22nd century and is making it all up, his comments only serve to make the crew suspicious of him and prompt Picard to probe him for information -- if he had been more discrete and given a HandWave that the date he chose for his arrival was completely arbitrary to him, he probably could have maintained his cover better.

On Penthara IV, an asteroid has struck an unpopulated continent, a catastrophe which has thrown a heavy mass of dust into the atmosphere, threatening to create an impact winter. La Forge and Data are hard at work in Engineering coming up with a plan to save the inhabitants, but on the bridge, Worf notices a temporal distortion, and traces it to a small, curiously-designed ship, approximately five meters in length. They receive a message that only says, "Move over." Captain Picard proclaims that the ''Enterprise'' isn't going anywhere, but their visitor meant Picard himself--as soon as Picard steps aside, a [[Creator/MattFrewer lanky gentleman]] beams onto the bridge right where Picard was standing and introduces himself as Professor Berlinghoff Rasmussen, a historian from 26th-century Earth.

On Penthara IV, an asteroid has struck an unpopulated continent, a catastrophe which has thrown a heavy mass of dust into the atmosphere, threatening to create an impact winter. La Forge and Data are hard at work in Engineering coming up with a plan to save the inhabitants, but on the bridge, Worf notices a temporal distortion, and traces it to a small, curiously-designed ship, approximately five meters in length. They receive a message that only says, "Move over." Captain Picard proclaims that the ''Enterprise'' isn't going anywhere, but their visitor meant Picard himself--as soon as Picard steps aside, a lanky gentleman beams onto the bridge right where Picard was standing (Matt Frewer, everybody!) and introduces himself as Professor Berlinghoff Rasmussen, a historian from 26th-century Earth.

** Rasmussen spends the first half of the episode making vague comments about coming to the ''Enterprise'' on the right day and looking forward to a specific upcoming time. Being that he's from the 22nd century, he has no idea what's about to happen, so his comments just serve to make the crew suspicious and wary of him.
** Picard points out that if Rasmussen had stolen only a few items, it's unlikely they would've been suspicious. One also has to wonder why he couldn't just ask for them, saying he wants to put them in a museum, as indeed he does in the case of the neural stimulator.

* HellIsThatNoise: When Rasmussen goes to Data's quarters, he's immediately hit with an onslaught of four songs loudly playing at the same time. He eventually settles on one, for Rasmussen's sake.

* {{Foreshadowing}}:

* VillainBall: Picard points out that if Rasmussen had stolen only a few items, it's unlikely they would've been suspicious. One also has to wonder why he couldn't just ask for them, saying he wants to put them in a museum, as indeed he does in the case of the neural stimulator.

On Penthara IV, an asteroid has struck an unpopulated continent, a catastrophe which threatens to create a nuclear winter. La Forge and Data are hard at work in Engineering coming up with a plan to save the inhabitants, but on the bridge, Worf notices a temporal distortion, and traces it to a small, curiously-designed ship, approximately five meters in length. They receive a message that only says "move over." Captain Picard proclaims that the ''Enterprise'' isn't going anywhere, but their visitor meant Picard himself -- as soon as Picard steps aside, a lanky gentleman beams onto the bridge right where Picard was standing (Matt Frewer, everybody!) and introduces himself as Professor Berlinghoff Rasmussen, a historian from 26th century Earth.

The crew are hard at work using phasers to drill into Penthara IV to release carbon dioxide, increasing the greenhouse effect to warm the planet. So far, so good, though there's still the issue of their guest lumbering around with that big smirk at everything they do. Troi, having [[ProperlyParanoid sensed]] all episode that their guest is trying to confuse them, makes no secret of her disdain and tells him she doesn't trust him. No sweat off his back, as he then proceeds to hit on Dr. Crusher outside of Sick Bay (and none too subtly at that). Beverly doesn't mess around with pick-up artists, so she puts him in his place:

While Riker and Picard are on the bridge discussing what in the blue hell the professor's questions are about, earthquakes and volcanic eruptions devastate Penthara IV. [[NiceJobBreakingItHero Seems their phaser idea didn't work like they'd hoped,]] and instead they dramatically increased seismic activity. La Forge and Data figure they can ionize the upper atmosphere with their deflector beam and a modified phaser blast, but, as Data relays to Picard, they have to do this maneuver precisely or risk burning off the entire atmosphere from the planet.

Picard, with little alternative, decides to consult a source he's never really had before -- one Berlinghoff Rasmussen. He explains the plan, and points out that Rasmussen knows the outcome of this plan. Picard points out that asking for a time-traveller's perspective -- namely, whether this plan succeeds or not -- is not something he would normally do, since Picard is pretty by-the-book. However, he now has "twenty million reasons to do so." This turns into a heated debate, in which Rasmussen hesitates to offer any information and even tries to invoke HitlersTimeTravelExemptionAct. Picard finds himself flummoxed that Rasmussen, faced with the chance to do the right thing and possibly save ''twenty million people,'' callously refuses to budge on his beliefs, simply because the entire sector, Rasmussen's past, could completely change.

Back to square one, Picard goes out to the bridge and decides to go for it, and Dr. Moseley on the surface agrees to make the attempt, though as La Forge points out, they only have one shot at this. The ''Enterprise'' fires their deflector dish, and after a few tense moments, the ''Enterprise'' successfully returns Penthara IV to its original climate. Rasmussen seems satisfied having seen this unfold, and then announces he's off to pack and leave the ship, though not before a few more smug comments. By this point, the crew have heard ''more'' than enough from this guy.

Rasmussen is tickled to see the crew lining his timeship to see him off, until Picard reveals that they're really there to ''inspect'' the timeship. Before he can invoke the Temporal Prime Directive again, Picard points out that valuable tools are missing from various corners of the ship. Rasmussen responds by asking Data to make the inspection, since an android can absolutely be trusted to not reveal any details of the future they'd glimpse while inside. Data agrees, and with an identifying handprint, Data steps inside with Rasmussen, only to find that the missing items are indeed laid out all over his dashboard. Data turns around to find he's being held at phaser-point, and then we get TheReveal -- Rasmussen isn't a historian, and that's not even his ship. A real 26th century historian had the misfortune of traveling back to the 22nd century and being mugged by Rasmussen, a struggling inventor, who plans to "invent" one piece of the stolen equipment a year. And to his delight, he now gets to make off with Data as well. With the ship's auto-timer set to transport them back to 22nd century New Jersey in two minutes, he prepares to stun Data, only to find his phaser has been deactivated. [[OhCrap Uh oh.]]

!!Tropes featured:
* AbhorrentAdmirer: Rasmussen creeps Beverly outside of Sick Bay. Beverly ain't got time for creeps.

* ConMan: Rasmussen isn't actually a 26th century historian, he's a 22nd century inventor with a stolen 26th century timeship.

** The first time we see Rasmussen's facade crack is at the end of the big PatrickStewartSpeech where he meekly says "please don't ask me to help you, Captain. I can't help you." No, Picard, ''he literally can't.''

* FutureImperfect: Rasmussen's story was that he was a 26th century historian who time traveled to the 24th century to fill in gaps in the historical record, thus trying to avert this in his time. When it turns out he's a conman from the 22nd century, Picard thinks 24th century historians would love to talk to him for this very reason.
* HeKnowsTooMuch: Probably why the ''Enterprise'' crew look totally unapologetic about Rasmussen's horrible fate -- with all the information he got from them while he was on the ship, he's become a serious liability to the timeline.

* HitlersTimeTravelExemptionAct: Discussed and defied. Rasmussen attempts to invoke this as an excuse not to help the Enterprise, but Picard is unimpressed.
-->'''Picard:''' Yes, Professor, I know. What if one of those lives I save down there is a child who grows up to be [[FamousFamousFictional the next Adolf Hitler or Khan Singh?]] Every first year philosophy student has been asked that question ever since the earliest wormholes were discovered, [[ThisIsReality but this is not a class in temporal logic. It's not theoretical, it's not hypothetical, it's real!]] Surely you see that?
* HoistByHisOwnPetard: When the crew begin to suspect Rasmussen of thievery, he consents to allowing Data to inspect his timepod, thinking that he can take Data back with him to the 22nd century. And in doing so, ends up getting caught defenseless by the one crewmember (with the likely exception of Worf) who he'd never have a prayer of taking on in hand-to-hand combat.

** Rasmussen spends much of the episode stubbornly insisting that the crew having knowledge of the future could have serious repercussions on the timeline. This from the same guy who's stealing Enterprise tools and planning to be the one to "invent" them. (Besides that, who knows what knowledge he would have gotten from those "questionnaires" he made the crew take?)
** Picard tears apart Rasmussen's arguments (as quoted under HitlersTimeTravelExemptionAct) as relating to interfering in the past, but had used those exact arguments to justify allowing entire planets that he could easily save to die ''himself'' in earlier (and later) episodes. In fact it's the show's main justification for the darker elements of the Prime Directive.
* IfYouWontIWill: In the final scene, when Rasmussen hesitates to open the timeship, Worf threatens to do it for him -- with explosives.

* {{Joisey}}: Rasmussen's 22nd century home is in New Jersey.

* LargeHam: Rasmussen is just a ball of energy in this episode. (Of course, this is Matt Frewer of ''Series/MaxHeadroom'' fame playing him, so 80s pop culture aficionados will know what they're in for.)
* NotWithTheSafetyOnYouWont: Rasmussen tries to shoot Data with a stolen phaser, but it doesn't work. Data calmly explains because the ''Enterprise'' computer realized it'd been stolen, it got deactivated.
* OhCrap: When the phaser aimed at Data doesn't go off, Rasmussen is stunned. When the time-locked ship disappears, stranding him in the 24th century forever? Then he's ''really'' this trope.
* PreAssKickingOneLiner: From Data of all people, when Rasmussen, whose handprint is required to unlock the pod door, has him locked in the time pod with a non-functioning phaser. Fortunately for Rasmussen, he backed down from Data, and the ass-kicking never took place.
-->'''Data:''' I assume your handprint will open this door [[BorrowedBiometricBypass whether you are conscious or not.]]

* RewatchBonus: Looking back on the episode, Rasmussen really did a bang-up job on the whole con, deftly changing subjects and misdirecting the main cast at every turn. He only really stumbled, of course, by getting too cocky.

* VillainBall: Picard points out that if Rasmussen had stolen only a few items, it's unlikely they would've been suspicious. One also has to wonder why he couldn't just ask for them, saying he wants to put them in a museum.
* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: The time machine that vanishes at the end, stranding Rasmussen in the 24th century. Now granted, it may be virtually useless without Rasmussen's input, but still, there's now a 26th century time machine just sitting somewhere in 22nd century New Jersey?

* VillainBall: Picard points out if Rasmussen stole only few items, it's unlikely they would take suspicion. One also has to wonder why he couldn't just ask for them, saying he wants to put them in a museum.

'''Rasmussen:''' [[[ScrewThisImOuttaHere walks off]]]''

Data takes Rasmussen back outside, and reveals the whole plot. Picard immediately points out the hypocrisy of all his secrecy, and reveals that with the door to the ship open, they were able to scan inside and remotely deactivate all the weaponry. Rasmussen tries desperately to get back inside his ship, even pleading to Crusher, who is decidedly unmoved by his plight. It's too late for Rasmussen, whose ship disappears, stranding him in the future forever. Picard points out to Rasmussen that some ''real'' historians at Starfleet might have a lot of question for a human from the 22nd century, and he is rather forward to turning him over to them. The episode ends with Worf hauling away a horrified Rasmussen, as Picard welcomes him to the 24th century.

* HeKnowsTooMuch: Probably why the ''Enterprise'' crew look totally unapologetic about Rasmussen's horrible fate - with all the information he got from them while he was on the ship, he's become a serious liability to the timeline.

-->'''Rasmussen:''' HOW THE- ''[catches himself]'' How the hell can you listen to four pieces of music at the same time?
-->'''Data:''' Actually, I'm capable of distinguishing over 150 simultaneous compositions. But in order to analyze the aesthetics, I tend to keep it to ten or less.

* IfYouWontIWill: In the final scene, when Rasmussen hesitates to open the timeship, Worf threatens to do it for him - with explosives.

On Penthara IV, an asteroid has struck an unpopulated continent, a catastrophe which threatens to create a nuclear winter. La Forge and Data are hard at work in Engineering coming up with a plan to save the inhabitants, but on the bridge, Worf notices a temporal distortion, and traces it to a small, curiously-designed ship, approximately five meters in length. They receive a message that only says "move over." Captain Picard proclaims that the ''Enterprise'' isn't going anywhere, but their visitor meant Picard himself - as soon as Picard steps aside, a lanky gentleman beams onto the bridge right where Picard was standing (Matt Frewer, everybody!) and introduces himself as Professor Berlinghoff Rasmussen, a historian from 26th century Earth.

Picard, with little alternative, decides to consult a source he's never really had before - one Berlinghoff Rasmussen. He explains the plan, and points out that Rasmussen knows the outcome of this plan. Picard points out that asking for a time-traveller's perspective - namely, whether this plan succeeds or not - is not something he would normally do, since Picard is pretty by-the-book. However, he now has "twenty million reasons to do so." This turns into a heated debate, in which Rasmussen hesitates to offer any information and even tries to invoke HitlersTimeTravelExemptionAct. Picard finds himself flummoxed that Rasmussen, faced with the chance to do the right thing and possibly save ''twenty million people,'' callously refuses to budge on his beliefs, simply because the entire sector, Rasmussen's past, could completely change.

Data takes Rasmussen back outside, and reveals the whole plot. Picard immediately points out the hypocrisy of all his secrecy, and reveals that with the door to the ship open, they were able to scan inside and remotely deactivate all the weaponry. Rasmussen tries desperately to get back inside his ship, even pleading to Crusher, who is decidedly unmoved by his plight. It's too late for Rasmussen, whose ship disappears, stranding him in the future forever. Picard points out to Rasmussen that some ''real'' historians at Starfleet might have a lot of question of a human from the 22nd century, and he is rather forward to turning him over to them. The episode ends with Worf hauling away a horrified Rasmussen, as Picard welcomes him to the 24th century.

->'''Crusher:''' I could be your great, great, great, great grandmother.
->'''Rasmussen:''' ''[{{Beat}}] [[[ScrewThisImOuttaHere walks off]]]''

->'''Rasmussen:''' However you come to terms with your beliefs, Captain, I must tell you, I'm quite comfortable with mine.
->'''Picard:''' How can you be? How can you be comfortable watching people die?

Rasmussen is tickled to see the crew lining his timeship to see him off, until Picard reveals that they're really there to ''inspect'' the timeship. Before he can invoke the Temporal Prime Directive again, Picard points out that valuable tools are missing from various corners of the ship. Rasmussen responds by asking Data to make the inspection, since an android can absolutely be trusted to not reveal any details of the future they'd glimpse while inside. Data agrees, and with an identifying handprint, Data steps inside with Rasmussen, only to find that the missing items are indeed laid out all over his dashboard. Data turns around to find he's being held at phaser-point, and then we get TheReveal - Rasmussen isn't a historian, and that's not even his ship. A real 26th century historian had the misfortune of traveling back to the 22nd century and being mugged by Rasmussen, a struggling inventor, who plans to "invent" one piece of the stolen equipment a year. And to his delight, he now gets to make off with Data as well. With the ship's auto-timer set to transport them back to 22nd century New Jersey in two minutes, he prepares to stun Data, only to find his phaser has been deactivated. [[OhCrap Uh oh.]]

Data takes Rasmussen back outside, and reveals the whole plot. Picard immediately points out the hypocrisy of all his secrecy, and reveals that with the door to the ship open, they were able to scan inside and remotely deactivate all the weaponry. Rasmussen tries desperately to get back inside his ship, even pleading to Crusher, who is decidedly unmoved by his plight. It's too late for Rasmussen, whose ship disappears, stranding him in the future forever. Picard decides it might be fun to turn him over to some ''real'' historians at Starfleet, and the episode ends with Worf hauling away a horrified Rasmussen, as Picard welcomes him to the 24th century.

* {{JerkAss}}: Rasmussen fits this to a tee, the way he constantly hovers over everyone callously and talks down to people. By the end of this episode, you'll wonder why Worf hasn't taken a bat'leth to this guy.

* HeKnowsTooMuch: Probably why the ''Enterprise'' crew look totally unapologetic about Rasmussen's horrible fate - with all the information he got from them while he was on the ship, he's become a serious liability to the timelime.

-->'''Picard:''' Yes, Professor, I know. What if one of those lives I save down there is a child who grows up to be [[FamousFamousFictional the next Adolf Hitler or Khan Singh?]] Every first year philosophy student has been asked that question ever since the earliest wormholes were discovered, [[ThisIsReality but this is not a class in temporal logic. It's not theoretical, it's not hypothetical, it's real.]] Surely you see that?
* HoistByHisOwnPetard: When the crew begin to suspect Rasmussen of thievery, he consents to allowing Data to inspect his timepod, thinking that he can take Data back with him to the 22nd century. And in doing so, ends up getting caught defenceless by the one crewmember (with the likely exception of Worf) who he'd never have a prayer of taking on in hand-to-hand combat.

* LargeHam: Rasmussen is just a ball of energy in this episode. Of course, this is Matt Frewer of ''Series/MaxHeadroom'' fame playing him, so 80s pop culture aficionados will know what they're in for.

** [[FridgeBrilliance Although that would explain the presence of phasers in Enterprise]]
** Eh, [[Series/StarTrekVoyager Braxton]] probably got sent in to pick it up.

Rasmussen immediately begins treating the ship like a museum, leering at everything with comments about how certain aspects of the ship look in "history books." The crew, of course, are in disbelief as to why this guy chose now, of all times, to show up on the ''Enterprise'', but Rasmussen invokes the [[PrimeDirective Temporal Prime Directive]] every time they inquire about the future (this happens multiple times), but does imply that he's here to witness an interesting piece of history. A scan of the timeship's hull reveals "some kind of plasticized tritanium mesh," a material not on record and impossible to scan through, which is evidently enough to convince Picard of his credentials. Rasmussen asks the crew to complete some questionnaires he's prepared for them, and Data then shows him to his quarters, where Rasmussen treats him like an indentured servant. (Geez, at least Dr. Pulaski actually had a proper dialogue with him!)

->'''Rasmussen:''' ''[{{Beat}}] [walks off]''

-->''Yes, Professor, I know. What if one of those lives I save down there is a child who grows up to be [[FamousFamousFictional the next Adolf Hitler or Khan Singh?]] Every first year philosophy student has been asked that question ever since the earliest wormholes were discovered, [[ThisIsReality but this is not a class in temporal logic. It's not theoretical, it's not hypothetical, it's real.]] Surely you see that?