| Series: | TNG |
| Season: | 2 |
| Original Airdate: | 1989-04-24 |
| Production Number: | 140 |
| Year: | 2365 |
| Stardate: | 42686.4 |
| Story by: | David Assael |
| Teleplay by: | David Assael and Robert McCullough |
| Directed by: | Robert Iscove |
Riker's estranged father visits the Enterprise.
Summary
The Icarus Factor actually consists of two separate stories: Starfleet's offer of promotion to Riker, and Worf's tenth anniversary of the Age of Ascension.
Commander Riker is offered a promotion to captain of the USS Aries NCC-45167, whose present captain is retiring. Upon arriving at Starbase Montgomery, a civilian attachee comes aboard the Enterprise to brief Riker about the Aries and its current mission. Unbeknownst to Commander Riker, the attachee is his father, Kyle Riker, whom he has not seen in 15 years.
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. However, his friends (intially Wesley Crusher) notice Worf's odd mood and organise 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 his father is on board the Enterprise. Finally, the two challenge each other to a Anbo-jytsu match, a traditional Japanese martial art form of combat.
Background information
- John Tesh, famed television sports reporter and devoted Trekkie appears in a cameo role as one of the Klingon ceremonials during Worf's pain-stick ritual. As a homage to him, the Star Trek Card Game identifies his character as K'Tesh.
- The Klingons in the holodeck ritual are wearing old "Planet of the Apes" gorilla boots.
- In the United Kingdom the pain-stick ritual was heavily censored.
Links and references
Guest stars
- Diana Muldaur as Katherine Pulaski
- Colm Meaney as Miles O'Brien
- Mitchell Ryan as Kyle Riker
- Lance Spellerberg as Herbert
- John Tesh as Klingon
References
Alaska; Tholian; SEMICOLON-SEPARATED LIST OF ITEMS REFERENCED IN EPISODE (BUT NOT YET MENTIONED IN SUMMARY OR CHARACTERS)
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