Unlike TOS which would have been happy to leave the crystalline entity to wander the universe forever TNG is the kind of show that wraps up its loose ends (at least this time). It is also pretty nice to see the writers get how annoying it is to have character hate Data for no reason for an entire episode. Having that character identify with him as her son is a bit over the top, but better than have her snipe at him the entire time. Also, can you really blame scientist lady for wanting to destroy the entity? I know Picard gave that nice speech about it having as much right to live as we do, but does the same hold true for the Borg? They just want to do Borg stuff and make the entire universe part of their cool club.
The episode opens with Riker, Data and Crusher working with some colonists to plan a new Federation outpost. Riker is ready to have dinner, and dessert, with one of the colonists when they hear a loud noise coming from the sky. It is the crystalline entity and it starts doing its thing devouring every living thing from the surface of the planet. Data leads them into some caves but the colonist Riker was just flirting with is killed trying to help an old man. They seal the entrance to the cave and manage to survive the assault. The Enterprise returns in time to rescue them from the cave and also bring along Dr, Marr, a relative of one of the colonists from Data's homeworld and expert on the crystalline entity.
Her distaste for Data is immediately apparently but of course Picard ignore is and assigns Data to work with her. After refusing to listen to anything he has to say she is eventually impressed by him finding a trace of the entity she was unable to. She also learns he has the memories of the colony he is from in his memory including those of her son. She pulls a 180 and starts asking Data all sorts of questions about her son and even gets him to read one of his letters in her sons voice.
Data eventually finds a way to possibly communicate with the entity after they trace it and Picard likes the idea. Dr. Marr is horrified they aren't planning to kill it and even after listening to a ship be destroyed by the entity Picard still wants to talk. They eventually catch up to the entity and try to communicate, but Marr sets the signal up to resonate with the entity and locks the computer so they can't turn it off. The entity is destroyed as is Dr. Marr's career apparently, but I still think it was the right call the kill the damn thing.
Review: An interesting scifi story with a personal twist, this episode is above average but is dragged down a bit by Picard's total refusal to even consider killing this monster that has taken countless lives and seems determined to keep on killing.
7 out of 10
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