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Observations in TNG: "Contagion"

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• Episode aired Mar 18, 1989

Encountering the superior technology of a very ancient race creates system malfunctions for a doomed Federation starship, for the Enterprise, and for an eavesdropping Romulan warbird. Encountering the superior technology of a very ancient race creates system malfunctions for a doomed Federation starship, for the Enterprise, and for an eavesdropping Romulan warbird. Encountering the superior technology of a very ancient race creates system malfunctions for a doomed Federation starship, for the Enterprise, and for an eavesdropping Romulan warbird.

• Joseph L. Scanlan
• Gene Roddenberry
• Steve Gerber
• Patrick Stewart
• Jonathan Frakes
• LeVar Burton
• 18 User reviews
• 9 Critic reviews

• Captain Jean-Luc Picard

• Commander William Thomas 'Will' Riker

• Lieutenant Geordi La Forge

• Lieutenant Worf

• Counselor Deanna Troi

• Lieutenant Commander Data

• Wesley Crusher

• Doctor Katherine Pulaski

• Capt. Donald Varley

• Sub-Cmdr. Taris

• Ensign Williams

• Chief Miles O'Brien

• Enterprise Computer
• (uncredited)

• Operations Division Officer
• Ensign Bennett
• All cast & crew
• Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

Did you know

• Trivia The first time that Picard orders "Tea. Earl Grey. Hot." from the replicator. Due to ship-wide malfunctions, that order is unsuccessful.
• Goofs Doctor Pulaski has to explain the concept of a splint to a fellow doctor when the Enterprise's computers start malfunctioning. Given that Starfleet Academy requires its cadets to learn how to survive in a wilderness with minimal technology, it seems odd that Starfleet Medical wouldn't require its medical students to learn low-technology medical techniques.

[the Enterprise goes through a series of system failures while facing a Romulan battle cruiser]

Wesley Crusher : Sir, the shields are back up.

Commander William T. Riker : Impeccable timing!

Wesley Crusher : Sir, the shields are back down.

Ensign Williams : Phaser banks are down.

Wesley Crusher : Shields are back up.

Counselor Deanna Troi : In another time and place, this could be funny.

Commander William T. Riker : Status of torpedo banks?

Ensign Williams : They're down too.

Commander William T. Riker : [frustrated] If it should become necessary to fight, could you arrange to find me some rocks to throw at them?

• Connections Featured in Star Trek: The Next Generation: The Enemy (1989)
• Soundtracks Star Trek: The Next Generation Main Title Composed by Jerry Goldsmith and Alexander Courage

User reviews 18

• Mar 20, 2019
• March 18, 1989 (United States)
• United States
• Official site
• Paramount Studios - 5555 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA (Studio)
• Paramount Television
• See more company credits at IMDbPro

Technical specs

• Runtime 46 minutes
• Dolby Digital

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Iconian gateway

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An active Gateway on Iconia.

Iconian gateways are transdimensional transporters that were used by the Iconian civilization to maintain their vast interstellar empire during its height 200,000 years ago. Though the Iconians' empire apparently collapsed long ago, several working gateways have been found in recent decades.

Iconian gateways can target multiple locations for travel, and a trip through a gateway is typically one-way; the presence of a second gate at the destination is not required. However, a number of Iconian gateways, most notably the space gateways located within the Iconians' Dyson Spheres, are permanently locked to a single gateway on the other side, allowing for two-way transportation at the expense of the ability to change destinations.

• 1 Known gateways
• 2 Background
• 3 Missions involved
• 5 External links

Known gateways [ | ]

Numerous Iconian gateways remain in existence and the Iconian Gateway network was activated by the player in “A Step Between Stars” . Since then, many gateways were destroyed but several remain in operation, including several which are available for the player to use in travelling across the Galaxy (said network is highlighted in green below).

Background [ | ]

• In 2365 , the planet Iconia was discovered in the Romulan Neutral Zone by the U.S.S. Yamato . A gateway was found in the ruins, which was then destroyed by Captain Jean-Luc Picard of the U.S.S. Enterprise -D .
• Seven years later , another gateway was discovered by the Dominion on Vandros IV . Several rogue Jem'Hadar attempted to rebel against the Founders using the Gateway, but they were defeated and the Gateway destroyed by a joint Starfleet /Dominion strike force.

Missions involved [ | ]

A map of all (re-)activated Iconian gateways in the Milky Way .

• “Revelation” : Undercover within the Tal Shiar , Romulan Republic players discover Taris in the Hobus System but she manages to escape through an Iconian gateway.
• “Taris” : Another working gateway is discovered by Starfleet on Iconia, where it is being used by Taris in an attempt to contact the Iconians and convince them to undo the effects of the Hobus supernova .
• “Coliseum” : Hakeev has established a gateway in his facility on Nopada Prime . He uses it to help the Iconians fulfill their plans.
• “Cutting the Cord” : Two gateways are found on Brea III , and a third built into an asteroid in orbit.
• “Fluid Dynamics” : It is discovered that the Iconians have used gateways to send fake Alpha and Beta Quadrant ships into Fluidic Space to provoke the Undine .
• “Secrets of the Ancients” : The player discovers a gateway in a lava tube on New Romulus , which was responsible for a catastrophic seismic event 150,000 years ago.
• “Sphere of Influence” : The Romulan Republic invites delegations of the Federation and the Klingon Empire to New Romulus to witness the activation of the newly-restored Iconian gateway beneath the surface. This event leads to the entire gateway network being reset. The player learns that there are 7,255 gateways in total, and that some are located in the Andromeda Galaxy . A massive gateway is revealed in the Jouret System .
• “Elachi Alert” : Federation, Klingon, and Romulan ships have to be defended against Elachi entering the Alpha Quadrant from previously undiscovered Iconian space gates.
• “Circles within Circles” : The player uses the Iconian Gateway in the Jouret System to travel to the Solanae Dyson Sphere , located in the Delta Quadrant .
• “A Step Between Stars” : Players are forced to activate an Iconian gateway near the star at the center of the Solanae Dyson Sphere in order to disable the sphere's jump capabilities. This gateway leads to the Jenolan Dyson Sphere , located deep within the Delta Quadrant.
• “Surface Tension” : An Undine invasion fleet uses the gateway in the Jenolan Dyson Sphere to launch an attack on the homeworlds of the Federation and Klingon Empire . After the battle, an Iconian appears in the Great Hall on Qo'noS via a gateway to threaten the players' factions.
• “Escalation” : The player uses the gateway in the Jouret System to travel to the Jenolan Dyson Sphere in order to report to their factions' Delta Alliance liaison.
• “Uneasy Allies” : The player accompanies Sela on a mission to discover the Iconians' plans, traveling through the gateway on Nopada Prime to the Andromeda Dyson Sphere in the Andromeda Galaxy where they discover the Iconians preparing to invade the Alpha and Beta Quadrants . The player then escapes back through a gateway to Nopada Prime in order to warn the Milky Way of the coming danger.
• “Blood of Ancients” : Herald forces attack the gateway on New Romulus, using it to locate the Preserver archive on Lae'nas III . the player then uses the gateway to travel there before the Heralds destroy it.
• “Midnight” : The time-travelling player, along with Sela and Kagran , assist the evacuation of ancient Iconia via a gateway.

Gallery [ | ]

The gateway at the Hobus base.

The gateway on Iconia.

The gateway on Nopada Prime.

The small gateway on Brea III.

The larger gateway on Brea III.

The gateway orbiting Brea III.

The gateway on New Romulus.

Holographic representation of Dewans and an Iconian at the New Romulus gateway.

A gateway at the Solanae outpost in subspace.

The gateway in the Jouret system.

The gateway in the Solanae Dyson Sphere.

The gateway near the star at the center of the Solanae Dyson Sphere.

The gateway in the Jenolan Dyson Sphere.

The gateway in the Dyson Sphere from the Andromeda Galaxy.

One of twelve gateways within the Herald Sphere.

The gateway on ancient Iconia.

External links [ | ]

• Iconian gateway at Memory Alpha , the Star Trek Wiki.
• 2 Playable starship
• 3 Delta Recruitment

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http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Recap/StarTrekTheNextGenerationS2E11Contagion

Recap / Star Trek: The Next Generation S2E11 "Contagion"

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Original air date: March 20, 1989

The Enterprise is called into the Neutral Zone to help a fellow Galaxy -class ship, the USS Yamato , which is in the grip of a series of system malfunctions. They arrive too late to help , and Yamato quickly explodes from an antimatter breach . A Romulan warbird decloaks moments later, denying that they had anything to do with the Yamato 's explosion but threatening that the Enterprise will go the same way if she doesn't leave the Neutral Zone.

Geordi confirms that the Romulans weren't responsible for the Yamato 's destruction, but Picard isn't convinced. After a thorough study of the ship's logs, Picard determines its previous mission: its captain believed he had found Iconia, a mythological planet of "Demons of Air and Darkness," on the Romulan side of the Neutral Zone. They met... something... that seems to have caused their system failures. Since Iconia is said to have insanely powerful technology that the Romulans could use to crush the Federation, Picard sets course to the planet the other ship's captain believed was the fabled planet.

Unfortunately, the Enterprise starts coming down with its own set of systems failures, which Data and Geordi fail to solve or determine the cause of. Once they get to what is believed to be Iconia, a probe is launched from the planet's surface, which Geordi—finally realizing what's going on by that time—convinces Picard to destroy before it has a chance to do anything. By his calculations , the probe contained an Iconian computer program that transferred itself into the Yamato's systems when it visited the planet, then into the Enterprise with the ship's logs, and which is attempting to rewrite all of the Enterprise's software in its own image. If they can't get rid of the contagion, the ship will likely explode just like Yamato .

Running out of options, Picard takes Data and Worf down to the surface, into an underground installation discovered by the ship's sensors and proceeds to scout around, looking for anything they can use to determine the origin of or a means to destroy the program. What they discover is something more complex and sinister: an ancient transport union ripping open holes in the space-time continuum to travel through, thus earning the Iconians' nickname of "Demons of Air and Darkness" by their enemies. Picard can see how this technology could be used as a weapon by the Romulans, who promptly show up again to lay claim on the planet. Fortunately, the Romulan ship has come down with their own case of the Iconian computer flu, preventing them from acting on their threats.

This episode contains the following tropes:

• Actually Pretty Funny : Deanna quips that were it not for the life-threatening danger from the Enterprise 's malfunctions and the Romulans, various systems going on- and off-line for no reason could be funny.
• Ambiguously Evil : The Iconians had a mythical reputation as conquerors, and the probe launched from their homeworld causes the destruction of the Yamato by forcibly reprogramming it's computer with Iconian code. However, as the Iconians themselves are long since extinct, Data's analysis suggests the portal room wasn't for military purposes, and it's acknowledged that the probe's effects may be completely accidental, it's never confirmed whether or not the Iconians were a hostile species.
• Apocalyptic Log : Picard specifically searches Varley's log entries for those including the terms "Romulan" and/or "Iconian", unaware that the log entries including the Iconican program that led to its demise.
• Automatic Door Malfunction : The Enterprise crew witnesses its sister ship, the Yamato , explode with all hands lost due to a failure of its antimatter fuel containment. note  Antimatter + Matter + No way to keep them from interacting = boom. The clue leading them to the cause is within the Yamato Captain's personal log; a long-abandoned planet known as Iconia, and an alien scanning probe that the ship encountered while in orbit. As the Enterprise travels towards Iconia, they begin having systems problems, including the invoked trope of the automatic doors failing at random times. When they arrive, the Enterprise encounters an identical probe launched from the surface, and Captain Picard plans to tractor it into the ship to study it. Geordi, suddenly discovering the cause of the malfunctions, desperately tries to hail the bridge, but the communication systems go down at that very moment. The trope is then invoked for drama, as he also tries to use a turbolift in Main Engineering to quickly get to the bridge, but the doors fail to open there as well. Geordi is just barely able to get to the bridge in time, after being thrown about in the malfunctioning turbolift on his way, to warn Picard and the bridge crew of the danger that the probe poses.
• Blind Jump : Played with. Picard triggers the sequence that will destroy the Iconian facility, planning to use the gateway to escape. Even if he can't get to Enterprise , which the gateway will cycle to eventually, wherever he ends up will be better than being blown up. Fortunately, the gateway cycles to the nearby Romulan ship, which Picard figures is better than nothing. By this point, the Romulans have computer failure so bad that their ship is going to blow itself up, and the commander doesn't feel shooting Picard is even worth the effort. He's beamed off when Enterprise detects his signal.
• Captain Obvious : After the Yamato explodes, Data reports that he can detect no life signs on the ship currently disintegrating before the bridge crew's very eyes.
• Characterization Click Moment : In amongst the main plot and some world-building, another important moment in this episode is the establishment of Picard's fondness for tea, earl grey (hot), as well as his recurring archeological interest.
• Chekhov's Gun : In his Captain's Log , Varley mentions being scanned by an Iconian probe. This turns out to be the cause of his ship's malfunctions, as well as those on the Enterprise thanks to uploading some of the data through the comm system.
• Wesley references this trope during his conversation with Picard when he says the ancient Iconian technology sounds more like magic.
• Captain Varley of the Yamato compares encountering the Iconian technology to a caveman confronted by a tricorder.
• Contagious A.I. : The Iconian probes scan ships and try to reprogram them with Iconian software, possibly by complete accident. Unfortunately, said ships tend to get very explodey when the alien software overwrites the programs that keep things like the antimatter fuel safely contained in magnetic fields...
• Continuity Nod : Geordi references Bruce Maddox from " The Measure of a Man " after futilely attempting to repair Data, saying someone with his level of expertise on androids might have had a better chance at figuring out how to set up a proper repair.
• Curiosity Killed the Cast : Captain Varley's curiosity about the Iconians (and a more pragmatic desire to keep their technology out of Romulan hands) leads to the destruction of the Yamato and the deaths of of the 1,000 people aboard, as well as nearly causing the deaths of everyone aboard the Enterprise and the Romulan warbird.
• Disney Death : Data appears to die as a result of the Iconian programming, but after a quick cut to Picard on Iconia, Data wakes up, his own self-repair systems having saved him by wiping his affected memory.
• Does Not Know His Own Strength : When Geordi is unexpectedly shocked by a computer panel, Data pulls him away, but accidentally uses too much force and winds up tossing his friend to the floor.
• Due to the Dead : When Data appears to have succumbed to the Iconian programming, Geordi takes a moment to close his eyes respectfully.
• The Dreaded : Legends of the Iconians describe them as dangerous conquerors and "demons of air and darkness", though Picard notes that such accounts were written by the Iconians' enemies after the Iconians were gone .
• Elevator Failure : When the comm system fails before Geordi tells Picard to destroy the probe, he hurriedly tries to take the turbolift to get to the bridge in time. However, the turbolifts are also messed up, so he's thrown around upwards, downwards, and sideways before being flung out once it miraculously reaches the bridge.
• Failsafe Failure : The Yamato 's warp core breached because the computer dropped the antimatter containment field prior to all the antimatter being ejected.
• Flawed Prototype : Picard asks if the recurring malfunctions that destroyed the Yamato are an inherent issue with the newly-designed Galaxy -class starships. Geordi isn't able to rule the possibility out until they actually start experiencing the malfunctions for themselves.
• Freeze-Frame Bonus : Most of the Captain's Log entries from the Yamato are by Captain Varley, but the screen in Picard's ready room also lists entries by Commander Steven Gerber and Lt. Commander Beth Woods (presumably the Yamato 's first and second officers, respectively).
• Gallows Humor : When Picard leaves to lead the away team to Iconia, he informs Riker that "the Enterprise is yours". As soon as Picard is out of earshot, Riker mutters "for as long as she lasts".
• Good Old Ways : When one of the nurses in sickbay complains they can't use the bone-knitter to heal a fracture, Pulaski tells them to use a splint instead.
• Great Offscreen War : The war that destroyed Iconia. The only known facts is that it happened 200,000 years ago and that Iconia was devastated by Orbital Bombardment , wiping out all life on the planet.
• Have You Tried Rebooting? : After Data's "self-correcting program" resets him, Geordi reasons they can do the same thing with the Enterprise computers to wipe out the Iconian programming.
• Hero of Another Story : Captain Varley and the Yamato .
• Hope Spot : When the Yamato loses antimatter containment, the ship's primary hull is briefly thrown clear of the explosion intact, suggesting that people may still be alive on board (and prompting Data to run a scan), but within seconds, the entire saucer section's hull burns off, probably from sheer heat or radiation , meaning everyone on board is very dead.
• Idiot Ball : The problems on the Yamato begin almost immediately after they are "scanned" by the Iconian probe, and those of the Enterprise after downloading the logs of the Yamato , yet neither crew make any connection between the malfunctions and the probe, and Geordi only realises what is going on just seconds before the Enterpise is scanned herself, after twelve hours of research.
• It Never Gets Any Easier : When Wesley has trouble accepting the deaths of everyone on the Yamato , Picard tells him that it's no less painful for senior officers, nor should it be. Picard: If ever the time comes when the death of a single individual fails to move us ...
• Laser-Guided Amnesia : Data's positronic brain purges the Iconian programming from his system by shutting him down and deleting the affected memory files, leaving Data with a small gap in his memory from when he was on Iconia to when he awoke aboard the Enterprise . Justified due to Data's artificial nature and the fact that very specific memories were deleted.
• Lost Language : Iconian is a lost language, the Iconians having been wiped out roughly 200,000 years ago. The language is not known by any living being, though Data is able to approximate a rough translation by comparing Iconian glyphs to three other ancient languages (Dewan, Dinasian and Iccobar) believed to be derivatives of it. Very rough. Data: This would appear to be manual override. [presses a control and an Iconian gateway opens] Data: That was not manual override.
• Mood Whiplash : Picard's insightful speech on how dealing with death never becomes easy, even for experienced officers is interrupted by his ordered tea appearing in the replicator as a small potted plant.
• Morton's Fork : Riker isn't keen on Geordi's reboot plan, since it involves turning everything off including the deflector shields while they're "nose-to-nose with a Romulan Warbird." Geordi points out whether it's Romulan disruptors or their own malfunctioning warp engines, they're just as dead if they don't do this.
• Names to Run Away from Really Fast : The Iconians' nickname of "Demons of Air and Darkness." Though Picard does put forth the theory that they were only called that because their technology appeared to be magic to those they interacted with, and those species were frightened enough to attempt to destroy the Iconians.
• Narrow Annihilation Escape : Picard, Worf, and Data beam down to the complex the probe was launched from on Iconia and find a control room for the probes, as well as a gateway that can transport individuals to distant planets and places. To keep the technology there from falling into Romulan hands, and prevent the probes from ensnaring anyone else, Picard jams the system by launching a probe, but keeping the bay doors shut. He is only just able to use the doorway to transport to the Romulan Warbird as the complex self-destructs. (Thankfully, the Enterprise crew have figured out the problem and are able to beam Picard away safely.)
• Not Worth Killing : When Picard suddenly teleports onto the Romulan bridge, security surrounds him before the commander calls them off, as the ship is about to self-destruct anyway. Picard is then beamed away by the Enterprise .
• No, You : Picard and Romulan Commander Taris go back and forth like this in their first conversation. Picard: Explain your illegal presence in the Neutral Zone. Taris: Explain yours.
• Oh, Crap! : When Geordi realizes that Picard was about to take the Iconian probe in tow.
• Portal Door : The Iconian gateway connects distant locations by ripping holes in space. It's technology beyond what the Federation can do.
• Rousseau Was Right : When an Iconian probe heads for the Romulan ship, the Enterprise has lost its weapons and can't destroy it, so the fate of the Romulans rests on whether they trust Riker when he says that they need to destroy the probe themselves. Though very suspicious, they decide to trust him and destroy the probe, saving themselves.
• He also previously insisted that Taris destroy the Iconian probe being sent to investigate them, since the direct scan by the probe would only accelerate the virus's progression. With the Enterprise's own weapons systems going up and down, he couldn't do it himself, but he makes sure that the Romulans are able to do it and prevent their own destruction.
• Screw the Rules, I'm Doing What's Right! : Varley entered the Neutral Zone in violation of treaty because he discovered the location of Iconia and knew the Romulans could not be allowed to have any technology left there. Picard takes up the mission himself when he reviews Varley's logs and learns of the probe that scanned his vessel.
• Picard finagles one to destroy the gateway by launching all of the probes and forcing the launch bay doors to channel the rocket exhaust into the gate room.
• The Romulans have to deal with theirs being triggered (and then locked) by the Iconian virus.
• Skewed Priorities : Several Romulan officers take the time to surround Picard when he appears on their ship... which is about to explode. Their commander, at least, recognizes the futility of the act and calls them off.
• Smug Snake : Subcommander Taris tries to claim Iconia for the Romulan Empire and threatens to destroy both the Enterprise and the away team, but, given how obvious it is that her ship is suffering from the same problems plaguing the Enterprise , her threats have little weight. Troi suggests that Taris is just trying to project confidence out of pure frustration with her situation.
• Tempting Fate : When Picard asks if Captain Varley would like all the Yamato 's non-essential personnel to be beamed around the Enterprise as a safety measure, Varley declines, saying it would be too "presumptive". It's only a short minute later that the entire ship explodes.
• Thrown Out the Airlock : Varley mentions that he lost an entire maintenance team when the force field in the open shuttle bay they were working in shut off.
• Unusual User Interface : The Iconian console, which processes commands based on tapping different coloured portions of a logo.
• What's an X Like You Doing in a Y Like This? : When the Enterprise makes contact with the Yamato . Picard: Donald, what's a nice Starfleet Captain like you doing in a place like this? Varley: It's good to see you again, Jean-Luc, despite your antique humor .
• Written by the Winners : Picard mentions this when he figures that the warlike depiction of the Iconians may have been wrong, passed down by those who feared and eventually defeated them.
• The Worf Effect : The USS Yamato , a starship of identical build and design to the Enterprise , being destroyed (complete with the saucer separating and then its hull burning off in front of the main characters!), is meant to show us and the crew that the Iconian computer virus is serious business.
• Star Trek: The Next Generation S2 E10 “The Dauphin”
• Recap/Star Trek: The Next Generation
• Star Trek: The Next Generation S2E12 "The Royale"

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Published Jan 4, 2019

Alien Races without Faces

StarTrek.com

The Star Trek universe proves rich with a tapestry of alien species, cultures, planets, delicacies and more that find themselves mentioned in dialogue without being seen on screen. References to some of these races tend to stand out, either due to entire episodes being dedicated to them or the implication that they might be politically significant. An examination of the details surrounding some of these species establishes an opportunity to learn more about these mysterious societies.

The Iconians rank as the most-prominent example of such species, as two entire storylines focused on their culture and superior technology. The Star Trek: The Next Generation episode " Contagion " dealt with the discovery of Iconia and the puzzle of the Iconians' fate, while Star Trek: Deep Space Nine 's " To The Death " followed a joint Federation-Dominion mission to prevent rogue Jem'Hadar from harnessing an Iconian gateway. The episodes established two major facts about the race -- the Iconians possessed the ability to travel between planets through advanced gateways and became extinct due to an assault on their homeworld. Those that eradicated the Iconians referred to them as conquerors and 'Demons of Air and Darkness' who enslaved entire worlds with their gateways. However, Captain Picard noted the possibility that misunderstandings and paranoia caused the enemies of the Iconians to destroy them.

So, who was correct? Iconian probes did cause the destruction of the U.S.S. Yamato and endangered the Enterprise-D and a Romulan warbird commanded by Taris. Yet the series of events could easily be seen as a misunderstanding, a simple incompatibility between computer systems. The probes did not carry sophisticated defense systems necessary for a weapon of war to protect itself. The gateway's operational center resembled a transporter room, and the small nature of the gate hardly allowed for a large, surprise invasion. Even if a potential attack involved a network of gateways, logic dictates each gate needed to be sufficient to allow a sizeable strike force through. In addition, a race of conquerors requires occupying forces for newly acquired territories, but the evidence of a focused orbital bombardment suggests the Iconians mostly stayed close to home on Iconia. Nothing about the Enterprise-D's visit to the planet indicated an intentional assault on the crew, so it seems as if Picard's rationale for a misconceived species carries the most intellectual weight.

Following a distress call from Delta Rana IV, the Enterprise-D arrived to find the colony wiped out in TNG episode " The Survivors ." Kevin Uxbridge, a powerful member of the Douwd race posing as a human, eventually explained that a warship belonging to the Husnock species murdered the innocent inhabitants. In a fit of rage, Uxbridge killed every Husnock in existence with a single thought. Kevin described the Husnock as "a species of hideous intelligence who knew only aggression and destruction." It is possible that his emotional state over his wife's death influenced the statement, but Uxbridge seemed to be of sound mind during his confession. Prior to their extinction, the Husnock population numbered over fifty billion individuals, so a belligerent species of that magnitude represented a significant threat in the region. While genocide, even of a fictitious alien race, can never be justified, Uxbridge most likely saved the Federation and other governments from future conflicts with the Husnock.

In the classic DS9 episode " The Way of the Warrior ," Worf considered leaving Starfleet and suggested he may find employment with the Nyberrite Alliance. Miles O'Brien noted the distant location of the Alliance, and Worf mentioned the organization maintained a fleet of cruisers. Since Worf, a Klingon serving in Starfleet, believed the Nyberrites would welcome him, the Alliance clearly had no qualms with either the Federation or members of the Klingon race. Were the Nyberrites a species, or a group of diverse worlds similar to the Federation? The manner in which Worf described the Nyberrite recruiting process seemed reminiscent of the French Foreign Legion, a force made of volunteers from different nationalities. Worf's sense of honor and duty also provides a positive impression of the Alliance, as affiliating himself with a disreputable entity does not fit with Worf's character.

The Tzenkethi species fought at least one conflict with the Federation, and a Changeling infiltrator attempted to incite a new Federation-Tzenkethi war in the DS9 episode " The Adversary ." Given the U.S.S. Defiant's proximity to Tzenkethi space, the region must be located near Deep Space 9. The Tzenkethi's ability to hold their own in previous battles against the Federation and the Dominion's belief that a new flare-up with the species would occupy Starfleet indicate that the Tzenkethi have a sizable military, similar to the Cardassian Union of the early 2360s. Captain Sisko did not seem fond of the Tzenkethi autarch, suggesting the possibility that hostility toward the Federation remained confined to the Tzenkethi leadership rather than average citizens.

After rendezvousing with the U.S.S. Equinox in the Star Trek: Voyager episode " Equinox ," Captain Janeway learned that Captain Ransom's crew encountered the Krowtonan Guard soon after being brought to the Delta Quadrant by the Caretaker. Ransom stated the Guard claimed the Equinox violated Krowtonan space and attacked the Federation vessel when it refused to turn back. Ransom's tendency to play loose with the facts calls his account into question, and his open admission that he purposely violated the Guard's territory indicates the Krowtonans may not have been as hostile as he claimed. The only certainties known about the Krowtonan Guard include their relatively close proximity to the Kazon and their technological ability to effectively engage a Federation Nova-class starship. The notion that the Kazon never mentioned the Guard as a threat in the region lends credence to the idea that the Krowtonan Guard may not have been the hostile, expansionist power described by Captain Ransom.

In the Voyager episode " Endgame ," Captain Janeway learned of the existence of the Fen Domar from the future version of herself. In an alternate timeline, the Fen Domar inflicted serious damage to U.S.S. Voyager. From this limited information, it can be determined that the Fen Domar operated tactically proficient starships and did not take kindly to Janeway's diplomatic overtures. Since the alternate Voyager encountered the Fen Domar several years after the Hirogen and Borg it faced in the series' seventh season, but prior to arriving near Romulan space in the Beta Quadrant, the Fen Domar's territory must be located somewhere between the regions controlled by those species. Depending on their proximity to the Borg, Hirogen, Romulans, and any other potentially malicious powers, the Fen Domar's possession of advanced starships to protect their borders seems logical.

These prominent examples represent only a handful of the many species mentioned throughout Star Trek whose faces are never seen. The extensive information about the Iconians makes it easier to hypothesize about that race, but the potential exists to extrapolate cultural details about each of the aforementioned societies. With the upcoming debut of Star Trek: Discovery promising to introduce aliens old and new, maybe we will learn more about these species and, quite possibly, have a glimpse at their elusive faces. Jay Stobie is a science fiction writer who admits he has a perfectly normal obsession with Star Trek. He can be found on Twitter at @CaptStobie.

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• Races and cultures
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• 1.1 Physiology
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• 2 Known individuals
• 3.1 Connections
• 3.2 References
• 3.3 External link

History and specifics [ ]

Physiology [ ].

By the 25th century , and probably millennia before that, the Iconians had evolved/altered themselves in such a way that they were partially energy beings, capable of using their own "essence" to power up different types of equipment, such as their Gateway technology . Despite this incredible capability, using their own energy for such purposes could be dangerous and even deadly. They were apparently immortal beings, not being affected by aging. However, time itself had a very unusual effect on their minds, as they were chroniton-based. This meant the Iconians themselves could not travel through time. If an Iconian traveled to the past, their mind would "reshape" to that time period, meaning that all the memories this individual had gained after their arrival would be lost. ( STO mission : " The Iconian War ")

Before the fall of their empire 200,000 years ago , the Iconians — not just as a species , but the very same individuals — appeared fully organic. Instead of being able to generate energy blasts, they used weapons similar to the kinds they would later use to arm their Heralds . It was theorized that they altered themselves to become living weapons after their civilization fell.

Throughout their history, the Iconians were a small population (apparently only female, with parthenogenic children born rarely) and with lifespans that lasted millennia. At least three and probably all of the twelve survivors of the fall of their empire lived into the 25th century. Whether this was entirely due to natural lifespan or augmented by their medical technology is unclear.

The Iconians has a religious belief of some kind. ( DS9 - The Secret of the Lost Orb comic : " The Search ")

History [ ]

The Iconians were the first species on worlds seeded by the Preservers to arise to sentience, and at some point came to know their creators. ( STO mission : " The Iconian War ")

The ascendancy of the Iconian race began thousands of years ago, when their race made use of the Dream Gem to develop their Gateway technology. ( TNG novel : The Devil's Heart )

What was unknown to many was that the Q Continuum had a certain fondness for the race and provided them the means to create gateways with the most casual piece of their technology in order for them to reach other worlds in the Milky Way galaxy . ( VOY - Gateways short story : " In the Queue ")

Using this technology, they formed the Iconian Empire which spread across space. During the deployment of the network, they discovered the existence of a race of beings that dwelt within the Bajoran wormhole . Out of respect for these entities, the Iconians did not deploy any gateways within ten light-years of the wormhole or those worlds that the entities watched over. ( DS9 - Gateways short story : " Horn and Ivory ")

Always few in number, the Iconians uplifted a semi-sentient species from their planet and called them "the Heralds ", using them as servants and trusted companions. The Heralds showed gratitude to the Iconians they served. Iconian civilization was believed to have reached its zenith around 200,000 years ago or more, when they had developed the technology to easily spread across the Milky Way. ( Decipher RPG module : Worlds )

The Iconians developed a philosophy resembling the Federation 's Prime Directive , believing it dangerous to give certain technology to less developed species and also believing that each sentient species had its own destiny. Excessive interference in other species would mean denying them that destiny. Unlike with the Prime Directive, warp travel was not considered a sufficient cultural threshold to receive all advanced knowledge. This led to resentment from some of the less developed species they contacted. ( STO - The Iconian War mission : " Midnight ")

The Iconian philosopher Senega warned her people that the disparity of technology between their race and others would become a source of conflict. Her words were proven true when suspicion and fear motivated other species to unite against the Iconian Empire, to whom they gave the nickname "Demons of Air and Darkness" , due to their gateways. ( TNG novel : The Devil's Heart )

Despite using their technology for benevolent purposes, the other races' fear motivated them to attack the Iconians, which meant that the gateways were the source of the downfall of their civilization. According to ancient stories, various worlds of the galaxy banded together in order to destroy the threat posed by the Iconians. These races journeyed to the homeworld of Iconia where they bombarded its surface, and it was believed that the "Demons of Air and Darkness" were finally destroyed. ( Decipher RPG module : Worlds )

During the last days of the Iconian Empire, a group used the Gem to activate the gateway network and take the remnants of their race to other worlds in order to survive. Thus, Iconian settlements were formed on the planets of DiWahn , Ikkabar and Dinasia . One of the last of the survivors was Kanda Jiak , who sought to take the Gem to safety, but after entering the gateway, she was instead transported to Vulcan , where she died and the stone passed to the Vulcan race. Around 200,000 years ago, the Iconians were supposedly wiped out following an orbital bombardment of Iconia. ( TNG novel : The Devil's Heart )

At the same time, another Iconian, L'Miren , recovered the database of all Iconian knowledge, called the World Heart , with the aid of a 25th century time traveler from the Delta Alliance , who the Iconians would later call " the Other ." However, just before L'Miren passed through a gateway to Dewa III , the time traveling former Romulan Empress Sela , seeking revenge for the Iconians' future destruction of Romulus , shot one of the Iconian survivors and took the World Heart. This led another Iconian, T'Ket , to swear vengeance against the Romulan people, leading to the Iconians eventually causing the Hobus supernova . After the surviving Iconians passed through the gateway, the Other took the World Heart from a distraught Sela and bore it through a time portal into the 25th century. ( STO - The Iconian War mission : " Midnight ")

While their homeworld was destroyed, the species survived and secretly lived in remote corners of the galaxy. ( VOY short story : " In the Queue ")

History later recorded that the Iconians were a race of brutal conquerors. Among the Iconians, it was believed that one of the things that doomed their civilization was that their gateway technology meant they could no longer actually travel and thus they had lost sight of the journey in their desire to reach their destination. ( DS9 - Gateways short story : " Horn and Ivory ")

It was known that no other race had achieved the same level of greatness as the Iconian Empire. In fact, in over two hundred thousand years, no other civilization had come close to recreating the transportation system of the Iconians. ( VOY - Gateways short story : " In the Queue ")

Though the Iconians were believed to have been extinct, the survivors who moved to various remote colonies had in fact survived and continued to live for thousands of years. A number of Iconians were able to escape to outposts on Ikkabar, DiWahn (also Dewa III ), and Dinasia. The climate on Ikkabar proved too unstable to sustain a population, and all but one of the Iconians on Ikkabar died out. The DiWahn and Dinasian climates were more suited for settlement, and the claimed descendants of the Iconians survived on both worlds. ( TNG novel : The Devil's Heart )

One of the last strongholds of the Iconians remained in the Alpha Quadrant , but had been reduced to a primitive state, and it was at this location where the Master Resonator keys were left behind. A faction of the race retained the use of their technology and had left known space in order to be on their own in order to pursue new interests and not to be bothered by other species. They, however, formed a group called the Sentries that were charged with watching over the gateway network. While they retained the use of the technology, these descendants of the Iconians were largely ignorant of their heritage or the workings of their equipment. ( TNG - Gateways novel : Doors Into Chaos , DS9 - Gateways novel : Demons of Air and Darkness , TNG short story : " The Other Side ")

The twelve Iconians who passed through a gateway to Dewa III adapted both themselves and their Heralds into beings specialized in war in order to defend themselves. They also acquired servitor races including the Solanae , the Elachi , and eventually the Vaadwaur . They created the Bluegill parasites as a means of controlling some of their servants, though they did not require all of their servitors to be possessed.

Some speculation was held on whether the Guardian of Forever was a product of Iconian technology. Hundreds of worlds hold traces of Iconian influence, or visits, with legends showing their kind as being a conqueror, as well as warmongering, people. However, very little was actually known of the species as their actual history was almost inseparable from folklore. Hundreds of planets held legends of their almost magical technology, and stories painted them as being a warlike species. Some theories, however, held that the Iconians may have been a peaceful race, but were in fact victims who were attacked by those that feared their advanced technology to the point that these other races destroyed what they could not understand. Some even speculated that the descendants of the Iconian race still wandered the galaxy though the identity of them was unknown. By the 24th century , the United Federation of Planets had discovered only a few remains of the Iconian race, though their empire remained an enigma. ( Decipher RPG module : Worlds )

In the year 2365 , the planet Iconia was discovered by the crew of the USS Enterprise -D who destroyed the gateway on the world as well as disputed the characterization of the species as being Demons of Air and Darkness. ( TNG episode : " Contagion ")

The Iconians also possessed territory in the Gamma Quadrant , such as Vandros IV and its surrounding territory. ( DS9 episode : " To the Death ")

During the Gateways Crisis of 2376 , the Petraw species masqueraded as the Iconians and activated the gateway network as part of a demonstration in order to sell the technology to the highest bidder. This led to a number of disasters such as the dumping of Theta radiation by a Malon freighter which threatened the Europa Nova colony that was accomplished through a gateway linking the world to the Delta Quadrant . It was only through the effort of Captain Jean-Luc Picard of the USS Enterprise -E , who met with the Sentries, did he find a means of shutting down the system by locating the thirteen resonator keys and deactivating the network. ( TNG - Gateways short story : " The Other Side ")

Both variants of Smyt were Iconian. ( NF - Gateways novel : Cold Wars )

By the early 25th century, the Iconians were responsible for crossing into Fluidic Space where they attacked the native Undine race. This chain of events saw the Undine being provoked into believing that they had faced hostility from the other universe. As such, the tripedal aliens began a campaign of infiltration and destabilization of the Milky Way Galaxy. Unknown to anyone, this all went in line with the Iconians' plans to set the various races against one another in order to keep them all divided. ( STO - Undine Advance mission : " A Light in the Dark ")

In 2409 , an investigation was conducted into the Hobus supernova, which led to a trail to Iconia itself. A Romulan Republic captain, following clues from classified Tal Shiar files, discovered a base in the remains of the Hobus system, where Taris was discovered. ( STO mission : " Revelation ")

Although she escaped from Hobus through an Iconian gateway, a Starfleet vessel working with a Republic agent tracked a Reman commander in Taris's employ from Hobus to a facility on Iconia, where the Starfleet captain captured Taris, and discovered evidence linking her to the Hobus supernova. ( STO - Romulan Mystery mission : " Taris ")

Obisek , who headed the Reman Resistance , also learnt that the Tal Shiar had allied themselves with the "Demons of Air and Darkness" . He believed that this threat remained in the shadows and intended to get revenge on those that had driven them from their homeworld. ( STO - Romulan Mystery mission : " Frozen ")

Colonel Hakeev revealed the ties the Tal Shiar had with the Iconians on Nopada Prime along with his goal in finding ways of provoking conflict amongst various races. ( STO - Romulan Mystery mission : " Coliseum ")

After Hakeev's death, a battle erupted at Brea III where Empress Sela's flagship, the IRW Leahval , was seemingly captured by an Iconian ship that had emerged from a gateway. ( STO - Romulan Mystery mission : " Cutting the Cord ")

Following these events, Obisek wondered about the threat the Iconians posed to the galaxy. ( STO - Romulan Mystery mission : " Darkness Before the Dawn ")

This worry was also voiced by Captain Va'Kel Shon during the Borg conference at Deep Space 9 . ( STO - Cardassian Struggle mission : " Second Wave ")

According to Commander Mesi Achebe , Taris seemingly managed to escape during the riot at Facility 4028 with the apparent aid of the Iconians. ( STO - Cardassian Struggle mission : " Facility 4028 ")

Investigators on New Romulus revealed the ties the planet had with the ancient Iconians. ( STO mission : " Secrets of the Ancients ")

In 2410 , when the Federation and Klingon Empire agreed to cease war after the Undine attacks on Earth and Qo'noS , a female Iconian came through a gateway to give a cryptic warning to the Federation, Klingon Empire and Romulan Republic about things that would happen if they drew the Iconians' attention again. ( STO - Solanae Dyson Sphere mission : " Surface Tension ")

While following a lead by Sela, who had escaped capture, members of the Alpha Quadrant Alliance entered a Dyson sphere hidden in the Andromeda Galaxy , where they discovered a massive Iconian invasion force inside. The members escaped, though not before the Sphere jumped to a location near the Iconia system . During this mission, Sela revealed that the Iconians themselves cannot travel through time. The arrival of the Alliance and Sela, however, was the last straw, an Iconian warning them that their galaxy was now forfeit. These events would lead to what became known as the Iconian War . ( STO mission : " Uneasy Allies ")

Although many of Heralds died in the war, only one Iconian, M'Tara was killed, and another, T'Ket, lost her arm in combat with Emperor Kahless . ( STO - The Iconian War mission : " House Pegh ")

At the war's end, the Other, newly returned through time from the day Iconia fell, offered the World Heart to the Iconians in return for peace. All the Iconians, save for T'Ket, agreed, taking their Heralds and weapons to Iconia. They demanded to be left alone for at least a millennium before being contacted again, and that it be recognized that they would neither help nor hinder continued hostilities on T'Ket's part. ( STO mission : " Midnight ")

T'Ket's fleet, however, fell into the backdrop as more pressing threats such as the Hur'q came to the forefront. However, her forces movements were tracked by Starfleet Intelligence . Months after the events of the Battle at Midnight, Quark , Rom , Nog , Brunt , and Leck made plans to steal back the Sword of Kahless from T'Ket's personal vault on her flagship. The group was successful, despite the treachery of Brunt, who tried to steal the sword from under them. During the mission, Quark and Nog encountered T'Ket herself who was prepared to kill the duo for robbing her. Fortunately, Quark had placed a Hurq lure on her ship. Noting that even Iconian forces would be overwhelmed by the Hurq's numbers, T'Ket was forced to let them go on the condition they disabled the lure. Unfortunately, the control device for the lure was destroyed by the Hurq while Quark and Nog were trying to escape. What became of T'ket and her fleet are unknown. ( STO - The Iconian War mission : " Quark's Lucky Seven ")

By the 28th century , the Iconians had mostly disappeared from history. This information was provided to the Suliban during the Temporal Cold War , and accessed by Subcommander Kail of Romulan Temporal Defense during a Romulan Republic mission to the Suliban helix in 2409 . Kail wondered where the Iconians went. ( STO - From the Ashes mission : " The Helix ")

In 3190 the Federation considered the descendants of the Iconians as possible creators of the dark matter anomaly along with the Q , Metrons and Nacene . ( DSC episode : " The Examples ")

Known individuals [ ]

Appendices [ ], connections [ ], references [ ].

• DS9 - The Secret of the Lost Orb comic : " The Search "
• ↑ STO mission : " Sleepers ".

External link [ ]

• Iconian article at Memory Alpha , the wiki for canon Star Trek .
• Iconian article at The Star Trek Online Wiki .
• 1 The Chase
• 2 Preserver (race)
• 3 J.P. Hanson

Screen Rant

I forgot 2 famous picard traits debuted in this star trek: tng episode.

Two of the things that Captain Jean-Luc Picard became best known for are introduced in the same episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation.

• Picard's love for Earl Grey tea started in TNG's "Contagion" episode, becoming his go-to order.
• "Contagion" also established Picard's interest in archeology, a hobby he carried throughout TNG.
• Both tea and archeology were iconic elements of Picard, introduced in the same episode of TNG.

Two things best associated with Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) debuted in the same episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation . For seven seasons of TNG , Captain Picard led the USS Enterprise-D in its quest to explore the galaxy, and Jean-Luc became one of Star Trek's most beloved captains. Picard kept his crew members at a distance, rarely allowing anyone to get too close. With his rhetorical skills, Picard preferred a more diplomatic approach to conflicts, rather than the more brash tactics of Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner).

Throughout Star Trek: The Next Generation , more information was filled in about Jean-Luc Picard's background and interests. Picard's love of Shakespeare was established early in TNG season 1, as was his complicated history with Dr. Beverly Crusher (Gates McFadden) and her family. TNG season 2, episode 11, "Contagion" introduced two more elements that became important additions to Picard's character. In "Contagion," the Enterprise answers a distress call from its sister ship, the USS Yamato, only to witness the destruction of the Yamato minutes later. Prior to its destruction, the Yamato had reported numerous ship malfunctions, and the Enterprise soon begins experiencing similar issues.

Best Star Trek: TNG Episode From Each Of The Show’s 7 Seasons

Picard orders "tea, earl grey, hot" for the first time in star trek: tng's "contagion", by the time of star trek: picard season 1, jean-luc has switched to "tea, earl grey, decaf.".

Throughout Star Trek: The Next Generation' s "Contagion," everyone on the USS Enterprise-D is on high alert not only because of the malfunctions across the ship, but also because the Yamato and the Enterprise both breached the Federation/Romulan Neutral Zone. As the Sub-commander of a nearby Romulan ship grows increasingly suspicious, Picard and his crew work to uncover the cause of the malfunctions. After witnessing the destruction of the Yamato, Ensign Wesley Crusher (Wil Wheaton) struggles to confront the death of that many people and he opens up to Picard. As Picard offers Wes advice, he orders "Tea, Earl Grey, Hot" from the replicator.

Chief Engineer Geordi La Forge (LeVar Burton) eventually finds a solution to the ship's malfunctions. Effectively, he turns the entire ship off and back on again.

Due to the continuing glitches across the ship, the replicator provides Captain Picard with a potted plant rather than the tea he requested. Although the replicator did not provide PIcard's drink of choice this time, "Tea, Earl Grey, Hot" would become the captain's most common order. Over the course of TNG , Picard requested the drink dozens of times, always ordering it in the same way. "Tea, Earl Grey, Hot" soon became one of the catchphrases associated with Picard, and has spawned many pieces of tie-in merchandise such as t-shirts and mugs.

Star Trek: TNG's "Contagion" Establishes Picard's Interest In Archeology

In star trek: lower decks, picard funds the archeological adventures of petra aberdeen (georgia king)..

As the USS Enterprise-D investigates the destruction of the Yamato, they visit the planet Iconia, the former home of a highly advanced civilization. The Iconians were once believed to be a myth, but Picard had studied their culture when he was attending Starfleet Academy. In his conversation with the captain, Wesley Crusher asks Picard about the Iconians, and Picard reveals that archeology has been a hobby of his "since my Academy days." Later, Picard chooses to lead the away team to Iconia himself, likely in part, because he wants to see the remnants of the Iconian civilization firsthand.

On Iconia, Picard and his crew discovered an advanced transportation technology known as an Iconian gateway. Only two gateways were known to exist, the one in TNG's "Contagion" and one found by the Jem'Hadar in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine season 4, episode 23, "To the Death."

Jean-Luc's interest in archeology would become another recurring element throughout TNG , and it helped the captain on numerous occasions. Picard's love of archeology also led Jean-Luc to get caught up in several adventures outside of his usual Starfleet missions. For example, in TNG season 3, episode 19, "Captain's Holiday," Picard meets an archeologist (and profiteer) named Vash (Jennifer Hetrick) . Despite her questionable ethics, Picard finds himself intrigued by Vash and her archeological adventures, and the two share a brief romance. Jean-Luc Picard's love of archeology and Earl Grey tea have become iconic elements of the character, and they were both introduced in the same episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation .

Star Trek: The Next Generation is available to stream on Paramount+.

• View history

In the distant past , this was the homeworld of the Iconian species and the capital planet of their empire . It was located in what was, in the 24th century , the Romulan Neutral Zone . The planet was devastated by a massive orbital bombardment approximately 200,000 years ago . The Iconians were believed to have been annihilated, although a part of the population may have escaped through their gateways . By the 24th century, the planet had one working automated structure which launched probes at orbiting ships .

In 2257 , during the first Federation-Klingon War , Iconia's system was occupied by the Klingons . ( DIS : " The War Without, The War Within ")

In 2259 , the location of this planet was labeled on a stellar cartography chart that was seen on the USS Enterprise 's ready room viewscreen . This system's symbol had a green color , indicating that it was affiliated with the Romulan Star Empire . ( SNW : " Strange New Worlds ", " Spock Amok ")

The precise location of Iconia was lost to history until 2365 , when an artifact bearing an ancient starmap was discovered in an archaeological dig on Denius III . From there, Captain Donald Varley of the Federation starship USS Yamato was able to locate Iconia, and chose to violate the Neutral Zone to reach the planet in order to prevent Iconian technology from falling into Romulan hands. After the Yamato was destroyed by an Iconian software transmission , the USS Enterprise -D and the Romulan warbird Haakona both traveled to Iconia, where Captain Jean-Luc Picard had the last operational structure on the surface destroyed. ( TNG : " Contagion ")

In 2372 , Worf told the crew of the USS Defiant of the events that had taken place on Iconia when they were on a mission to destroy an Iconian gateway on Vandros IV in the Gamma Quadrant . ( DS9 : " To the Death ")

Appendices [ ]

Background information [ ].

According to the Star Trek Encyclopedia  (4th ed., vol. 1, p. 356), the surface of Iconia was a matte painting designed by visual effects supervisor Dan Curry . The Iconian control building, a model used as part of the painting, was designed by Mike Okuda , based on two swimming pool filter covers and part of the Star Trek: The Motion Picture drydock model.

The planet model first used here for Iconia would later be used for Cor Caroli V (" Allegiance ").

Michael Chabon , the former showrunner for Star Trek: Picard , named a Beta Quadrant sector after this planet in the blog article "Some Notes on Freecloud". Along with the Alpha Doradus system , which contained the inhabited planet Freecloud , this sector included the negotiated terminus of the Romulan Neutral Zone. [1]

External links [ ]

• Iconia at Memory Beta , the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
• Re-Used Planets in TNG  at Ex Astris Scientia
• 3 Ancient humanoid