Template:Realworld When Commander Riker is offered command of the starship Aries, his estranged father, Kyle Riker, is sent by Starfleet to brief him on the mission. Meanwhile, Data, La Forge, Dr. Pulaski, Wesley, and O'Brien help Worf celebrate the anniversary of his Rite of Ascension.
Summary
Commander Riker is offered a promotion to captain of the USS Aries, whose present captain is retiring. Upon arriving at Starbase Montgomery, a civilian attaché comes aboard the USS Enterprise-D to brief Riker about the Aries and its current mission. Unknown to Commander Riker, the attaché is his father, Kyle Riker, whom he has not seen in 15 years. Before Riker and his father meet, Kyle meets up with an old flame, Dr. Pulaski.
Meanwhile, Worf is feeling lonely and socially alienated on the tenth anniversary of his Age of Ascension ceremony. On this day, Klingons are supposed to reenact the ceremony in the presence of friends and family. However, as he is stationed on the Enterprise, Worf cannot celebrate these traditions. Wesley Crusher notices Worf's odd mood and does some research before he drafts Worf's other friends to organize a holodeck re-creation of the event which fulfills Worf's traditional obligations, and Worf is grateful for the opportunity.
Commander Riker and his father do not have a good relationship and argue the entire time he is on board. Finally, the two challenge each other to an Anbo-jyutsu match, a traditional Japanese martial art form of combat. At the end of the match, Riker's father "cheats" using an "illegal" move. Kyle then explained that he had to do something to keep his son interested in the sport. The two finally make-up with each other.
Riker decides to turn down taking command of the "Aries"
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Memorable quotes
"You know, Wesley should really be doing this on his own."
"But he needs his study time."
"Huh, I can't believe you fell for that."
- - La Forge and Data
"With... all due respect – begone! ... Sir."
- - Worf, to Data
Log Entries
Background information
Story
- The teleplay credits Burton Armus as co-writer, but his name did not appear on the finished episode.
- The painstik ritual was heavily edited for the episode's first screening in the United Kingdom due to the series' 'family viewing' time slot of 6pm. The scene was restored for subsequent screenings.
Sets and props
- The Klingons in the holodeck ritual had to wear old gorilla boots from Planet of the Apes since all other Klingon costumes were being used in the shooting of Star Trek V: The Final Frontier. (Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion)
- At the end of the episode after deciding to stay on board Enterprise, Riker can be seen tugging down his tunic just like Picard before sitting down in his command chair.
Performers and characters
- John Tesh, co-host of Entertainment Tonight from 1986 to 1996 and a devoted Star Trek fan, appears in a cameo role as a Klingon during Worf's painstik ritual. As an homage to him, the Star Trek Customizable Card Game identifies his character as K'Tesh.
Video and DVD releases
- Original UK VHS release (two-episode tapes, CIC Video): Volume 20, catalogue number VHR 2503, 2 September 1991.
- UK re-release (three-episode tapes, Paramount Home Entertainment): Volume 2.5, catalogue number VHR 4741, 7 June 1999.
- As part of the TNG Season 2 DVD collection.
- The summary for this episode on US VHS releases in the 1990s listed the USS Dreadnought instead of the USS Aries.
Links and references
Special Appearance By
- Diana Muldaur as Doctor Pulaski
Guest Stars
Co-Star
- Lance Spellerberg as Ensign Herbert
Uncredited Co-Stars
- Majel Barrett as the computer voice
- Josef Cannon as a holographic Klingon
- John Tesh as a holographic Klingon
- Guy Vardaman as Darien Wallace
- Unknown actors as:
- Boliska
- Graham
- young William Riker (photo)
- Five unnamed Klingon holograms
References
2335; 2337; 2343; 2344; 2347; 2350; 2353; advisor; Age of Ascension; Alaska; Anbo-jyutsu; Aries, USS; Beta Kupsic; bile; cake; Crusher, Jack; diaper; dilithium; empirical study; Farpoint Mission; Flaherty; flu; Fuurinkazan battle strategies; Giamon; gymnasium; Hachidan kiritsu; Holodeck 4; Japanese language; Klingon Cultural Database; Klingon Rite of Ascension Chamber; Klingonese; manual docking; martial arts; mayor; Mogh; Nasreldine; painstik; personnel transfer directive; Pulaski's chicken soup (chicken soup); Rectyne monopod; retirement; Rite of Ascension; River of Blood; Romulan; Starbase Montgomery; strategic attache; Stroyerian; synchronous orbit; tactical advisor; technical manual; Tholian; Tokyo Base; ton; transporter room 3; tryptophan-lysine distillate; Vega-Omicron sector
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