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 > MASKS > Synopsis

OFFICIAL SYNOPSIS from StarTrek.com

Soon after a sensor scan of an 87 million-year-old comet commences, alien artifacts begin appearing around the Enterprise, as well as a mysterious compass-design symbol, and sets of alien-looking icons that are grouped together in the same compass formation. The crew investigates, but the ship's computer is unable to identify the icons. Riker and Geordi realize that some kind of alien information has been downloaded into the ship's main computers from within the comet during the sensor scan. They decide to melt the outer shell of the comet to find out what its core contains. Before they do, however, Data realizes that he somehow has the ability to interpret the unusual symbols.

Phasers blast at the comet's outer shell until its contents are revealed - a huge, nearly solid, metallic object covered with the strange icons. Data somehow believes intuitively that the object is an information archives Geordi runs a diagnostic on Data in hopes of finding an explanation for his connection to the archives He is shocked when a web of alien circuitry forms in Data's head, and a compass design appears on his face. Suddenly possessed with a personality entirely unlike himself, Data smiles at Geordi and says "Masaka is waking."

Meeting with Picard, Data identifies himself as "Ihat" and says that Masaka will bring pain and death to the ship, and they must leave before she finds them. Then Troi enters, and Data cowers in fear, thinking Troi is Masaka. He first assumes the personality of a victim willing to be sacrificed to Masaka, and soon afterward, the persona of a frightened boy. Geordi deduces that the archive is using Data to recreate people from its culture. Then, the ship trembles as the archive sends an energy pulse through a tractor beam. Data, as Ihat, says that Masaka has arrived, and Ten-Forward is transformed into a tropical jungle. A sun icon is prominently displayed, and Picard realizes this must be Masaka's symbol.

Geordi reports that the trees and foliage in Ten-Forward weren't beamed over - the ship is actually being transformed by the archives Picard reluctantly orders the archive destroyed, but Engineering undergoes a transformation before they can act. Apparently, the archive is using the ship to recreate its own culture, so Geordi looks for the archive's transformation program, while Picard speaks with Data's "Ihat" personality, who reveals that Masaka can be summoned by building her temple, but fearfully declares that Masaka has found him and disappears before showing Picard the necessary sign. Ihat is replaced by another personality, Masaka's elderly father, who gives Picard the sign before he, too, vanishes.

Geordi locates the transformation program and inputs the symbol for Masaka, and a temple appears, complete with a throne. Picard and Troi notice a stone column featuring Masaka's sun symbol, along with a horn symbol in the background. Seeing this pairing elsewhere in the temple, Picard deduces that the horn must be Korgano's symbol, and eventually realizes that the relationship between Masaka and Korgano is like that of the sun and the moon, with one always chasing the other. Data then arrives wearing the mask of Masaka, and refuses to listen to Picard. Using the transformation program to replicate Korgano's mask, Picard confronts Data/Masaka and convinces her to give up the chase for the night and to resume it in the morning, just as she has always done. Masaka goes to sleep, the ship returns to normal, and Data returns, now devoid of the entire civilization of personalities that were within him.


BACK TO EPISODES HOME, BACK TO THE MASKS 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