When this episode started with Kim disappearing into the holodeck I was worried this was going to be just another TNG style "Oh noes, the holodecks is broken" episode, but luckily the addition of the doctor made it much more interesting. Also this is a clever way to resolve the kinda silly idea that the doctor desperately needed a name. I suspect when they created the series they brainstormed to come up with a name for him but couldn't find one they liked so they punted and decided to work it out later down the line. I am actually glad they didn't just pick some silly name or have the idea that he needed a name drag on season after season. Also this was a clever way to get the doctor on an away mission without the remote holotransmitter thing they came up with a few seasons down the line. Finally it is kinda terrifying to think the holodeck could just malfunction at any time and turn you into energy like it does with its own phantasms.
We open with Janeway and Torres working to beam a sample of photonic (kinda obnoxious since this clearly just means light energy, but whatever) energy from a protostar into a lab to be used to try and make the ship more efficient or something. At first it seems to not work but they try again and it seems to be fine. However when they try to call Kim for help they discover he is no longer on the ship. It seems his last known location was the holodeck where he went after his shift. A scan of the holodeck reveals that he doesn't seem to be inside, but there is some kind of massive interference going on so they can't be sure. Tuvok and Chakotay go in after him and find he was running a Beowolf novel. They are confronted by Freya and are taken to Hrothgar's hall where they present themselves as kin to Beowolf and convince the king there are there to get revenge upon Grendel for Beowolf's death. However when they encounter Grendel they are turned into energy and disappear from the holodeck.
Since the holodeck is now dangerous to lifeforms the next option is to send the doctor in to investigate. He is a little taken aback but also realizes this is a golden opportunity to try his hand at an away mission. He studies up on Beowolf and Kes convinces him now is the time to take a name. Paris transfers him into the holodeck where he meets Freya and introduces himself as Schweitzer. He isn't exactly welcomed in Hrothgar's hall and has to face Unferth to gain some respect. At first he uses a sword but then realizes he can just make himself non-cohesive and let the weapon pass through him harmlessly. That night Freya gives him a kiss before he faces Grendel. He finds Grendel to be some sort of tentacly energy being that can apparently harm him as he returns to sickbay sans an arm.
Luckily the arm is easily repaired and scans show that the thing he touched was actually some sort of lifeform. They also realize the stuff they are holding in the containment cells is alive too when one of them escapes through the ship and joins some sort of photonic energy matrix thing around the protostar. They also detect three foreign biological energy forms in the matrix and correctly guess they are the missing crew. The doctor offers to return to the holodeck and release the final lifeform to Grendel as a good faith offer. He is confronted by Unferth as soon as he arrives but Freya comes to his aid. She is killed by Unferth though and dies in his arms. He returns to the hall and convinces Hrothgar to give him the containment vessel before summoning Grendel. He releases its kinsman and it disappears and Kim, Tuvok and Chakotay all rematerialize. Afterwards the doctor is too traumatized by Freya's death to keep the name Schweitzer.
Review: This is by far the best episode of this show so far and it makes me glad they decided to make the doctor into ever more of a main character on the show.
7 out of 10
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