NEWS              GENERAL    TOS    TAS    TNG    DS9    VOY    ENT    DSC    PIC    LOW    PRO    SNW    ACADEMY    MOVIES    GAMING    
Mar 30, 2025 - [HOME] Nacelle Reveals Wave 2 STAR TREK Action Figure Lineup
Mar 30, 2025 - [PRO] PRODIGY Season 2 Screencaps: "Touch of Grey"
Mar 30, 2025 - [PRO] PRODIGY Season 2 Screencaps: "Brink"
Mar 29, 2025 - [HOME] Master Replicas, Hiya Toys Launch New STAR TREK Preorders
Mar 29, 2025 - [LOW] LOWER DECKS Season 5 on Blu-ray: Review & Giveaway
Mar 28, 2025 - [TOS] Wand Company Tricorder Replica Pricing, Fulfillment Plan Revealed
Mar 27, 2025 - [DSC] DISCOVERY Season 5 Screencaps: "Life, Itself"
Mar 24, 2025 - [TOS] TOS Season 2 Screencaps: Remastered Visual Effects
Mar 23, 2025 - [HOME] IDW Unveils Three STAR TREK Comic Miniseries for 2025
Mar 23, 2025 - [TOS] Master Replicas Offers Full-Sized Original Enterprise Plaque
Mar 21, 2025 - [PRO] PRODIGY 214 Blu-ray Screencaps: "Ascension, Part I"
Mar 21, 2025 - [PRO] PRODIGY 215 Blu-ray Screencaps: "Ascension, Part II"
Mar 19, 2025 - [DS9] Video Update: "DS9" Interviews & Behind-the-Scenes
Mar 18, 2025 - [LOW] LOWER DECKS S4 Screencaps: "The Inner Fight"
Mar 17, 2025 - [DSC] DISCOVERY Season 5 Screencaps: "Lagrange Point"
Mar 16, 2025 - [HOME] WeeklyTrek: STRANGE NEW WORLDS Starts Season 4 Filming
Mar 15, 2025 - [TOS] TOS Season 1 Screencaps: Remastered Visual Effects
Mar 14, 2025 - [TOS] Master Replicas Recreates Original STAR TREK Coffee Cup
Mar 14, 2025 - [HOME] Fundraiser Success - Thanks to You!
Mar 14, 2025 - [DS9] "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" Episode Trailers — Season 7
Mar 13, 2025 - [PRO] PRODIGY 213 Blu-ray Screencaps: "Cracked Mirror"
Mar 13, 2025 - [PRO] PRODIGY 212 Blu-ray Screencaps: "A Tribble Called Quest"
Mar 11, 2025 - [DS9] CherryTree Debuts DS9-Inspired Raktajino Mug Replica
Mar 09, 2025 - [HOME] REVIEW: Fanhome's Stargazer and Farragut Models, Plus: Subscriptions Reopen March 10!
Mar 08, 2025 - [LOW] LOWER DECKS S4 Screencaps: "Caves"
Mar 08, 2025 - [DSC] DISCOVERY Season 5 Screencaps: "Labryinths"
Mar 07, 2025 - [DS9] "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" Episode Trailers — 'Final Chapter'
Mar 06, 2025 - [SNW] STRANGE NEW WORLDS Season 3 Character Portraits Arrive!
Mar 05, 2025 - [HOME] INTERVIEW: Brian Volk-Weiss on Nacelle's New TREK Action Figures
Mar 04, 2025 - [HOME] Nacelle Launches Preorders for New STAR TREK Action Figures
Episode Synopsis

  TNG NEWS
  TNG EPISODE GUIDE



  BLU-RAY
  S1 SCREENCAPS
  S2 SCREENCAPS
  S3 SCREENCAPS
  S4 SCREENCAPS
  S5 SCREENCAPS
  S6 SCREENCAPS
  S7 SCREENCAPS
  BONUS FEATURES
  OPENING CREDITS

  OTHER CONTENT
  BEHIND THE SCENES
  PRESS KITS
  PUBLICITY PHOTOS
  MAGAZINES
  VHS COVER ARCHIVE

TREKCORE > TNG > EPISODES > THE LOSS > Synopsis

OFFICIAL SYNOPSIS from StarTrek.com

When starship sensors detect a strange pattern of images in the U.S.S. Enterprise's path, the crew stops to investigate. Unable to pinpoint the source, they attempt to resume their course, to the shocking realization that they are being pulled by an unknown force - a force they are unable to break away from. Worried, Picard calls an emergency staff meeting and asks Troi if she senses a life form. The counselor suddenly realizes that she is unable to sense anything from the force or from anyone else in the room. Her empathetic powers have failed.

After examining Troi, Dr. Crusher tries to prepare her for the fact that her powers may be lost for good. Troi grows impatient, telling her she only wants to get back to work. Later, Deanna begins to panic when she attempts to counsel a patient without her empathetic abilities. When Beverly is unable to offer any immediate hope, Troi lashes out at her. Meanwhile, Data and Geordi discover that the force that is pulling the U.S.S. Enterprise is a cluster of two-dimensional lifeforms.

Unconfident in her ability to perform her job without her powers, Troi resigns, much to Riker and Picard's dismay. Later, Guinan spots her in Ten Forward, and tells Troi how her experiences as a bartender make her the ideal candidate to take over the counselor's job. Deanna immediately sees that Guinan is joking, and suddenly realizes that while she may be without her Betazoid powers, her human instincts are still intact. Back on the Bridge, Data and Riker discover that the creatures are heading toward a cosmic string - a force similar to a black hole - and the ship, caught in their gravitational wake, is headed for certain disaster.

A desperate Picard asks Troi to use her human abilities to psychoanalyze the creatures. As she struggles to make do with her instincts, she realizes that since most life forms have an instinctive will to survive, making the creatures aware of the danger might make them change their course. Data constructs a replica of the string directly in front of the creatures as a sort of warning device, but instead of turning back, they increase their speed toward it. At that moment, Troi realizes the creatures must want to head for the string.

Data reconstructs the replica behind the creatures, and, confused, they stop momentarily, allowing the U.S.S. Enterprise to escape. They quickly resume their course and disappear inside the string. Troi's powers come rushing back to her, and she is overcome with the creatures' happiness and the realization that the string is their home. She concludes that the strength of their longing temporarily short-circuited her powers, and with renewed confidence in her human abilities, Troi happily resumes her post as ship's counselor.


BACK TO EPISODES HOME, BACK TO THE LOSS INDEX, Quick Section Links: Behind the Scenes, Credits, Guest Characters, Quotes, Screencaps, Script, Synopsis, Trivia

 
TrekCore.com is not endorsed, sponsored or affiliated with Paramount, CBS Studios, Paramount Pictures, or the Star Trek franchise.
All STAR TREK images, trademarks and logos are owned by CBS Studios Inc. and/or Paramount Pictures.
All original TrekCore.com content (c) 2025 Trapezoid Media, LLC. - Terms & Conditions