User Reviews

I enjoyed the process of watching the Romulan and Geordi work together juxtaposed with Worf's dilemma of donating his blood to save a Romulan's life.

I'm giving Worf a pass on this one. If the Romulan's killed my parents I would not donate to save a jerk of a Romulan's life either, I may consider it if he wasn't such a jerk ---- Maybe that would heightened this episode? If the Romulan was a loveable teddy bear? Anyhow, I feel you Worf, I reach.

I enjoyed the scene between Worf and Captain Picard ---- Picard's duty is to do everything he can to save the Romulan's life to avoid a potential conflict and he 'beg's' Worf on a personal level to do help the Romulan knowing that Worf would save this Romulan if ordered. When Worf refuses the request Picard dismisses him ---- He understands Worf's decision and doesn't use his authority to make Worf go against his conscious.

This set up seems to be designed to be TNG Cuban missile crisis. I found it interesting that Picard did not investigating the destruction of the ship/reason for violating federation space? I suppose it's Picard looking at the 'big picture' versus this Romulan special operations mission.

Good tension, good performances, nice message about possibilities for Romulan/Starfleet future.

In "The Enemy" Geordi finds himself stranded on a dangerous planet's surface with a Romulan who is there on an unknown mission. The Romulan ship had crash-landed on the surface. The Enterprise is unable to locate them and beam them up. Meanwhile another Romulan sits in Sick Bay needing a transplant and the only possible donor is a reluctant Worf. Picard communicates with a Romulan captain who is bringing his ship across the Neutral Zone in order to retrieve Romulan survivors, much to Picard's chagrin.

I'm a big fan of this episode. I love Geordi's interaction with his enemy-turned-ally in that Romulan. Worf's decision not to be a donor for the Romulan was actually a twist I didn't see coming. I assumed either Picard or Riker would be able to convince him otherwise but he stood his ground in his racist beliefs. While not out of character of Worf, it still took me by surprise. Picard's rivalry with the other captain is pretty solid too.

This is an all-around good episode. I wouldn't put it on the "absolute classic" level but this one's definitely rewatchable.

Star Trek The Next Generation would follow up on their "The Neutral Zone", from the first season, with "The Enemy", to further illustrate the fragile "peace" between The Federation and The Romulans. An unidentified craft located on a Federation planet, Galorndon Core, under heavy electrical storms that run havoc to the nervous system of humanoid beings, as well as, disrupting the ability to communicate, use tricorders for readings beyond five meters, and creating "ghosts" that leave Chief O'Brien in a difficult position to transport away team members on the planet when "windows" (moments when the storm doesn't interfere, allowing clear readings to pick up people on the planet) don't exist.

The wreckage on the planet is of a Romulan vessel which had been purposely exploded, but why it is on a Federation planet to begin with raises obvious suspicions (…considering the fact that, according to the treaty, if a Romulan ship crosses a neutral zone, a total violation—separating Federation space from Romulan space—it would be declared an act of war) to Picard. When a dying Romulan officer is found in bad condition on the planet (he tries to strangle Word immediately), he is incapacitated by Worf, brought aboard the Enterprise. Geordi, however, walks into a hole, with Riker and Worf unable to find him. Having to transport due to the window's closing, Riker must leave Geordi behind temporarily.

Making matters worse, a Romulan warbird is at the Neutral Zone border, wanting to cross over to retrieve his officer, but Picard insists he doesn't break the treaty due to the violation it represents. Trying to locate Geordi when the window isn't available will cause problems in itself, but Wesley Crusher comes up with the idea of a probe emitting neutrinos that might be noticeable to LaForge's visor which could pick them up. But Geordi has a development he couldn't have prepared for—a second Romulan. Centurion Bochra (John Snyder) smacks Geordi in the back of the head; holding his phaser on Geordi, Bochra is the victim of falling rocks from a high mountain that topple on him. Even as Geordi helps him, Bochra still holds his phaser on him. The two will have to work together as the electric atmosphere is starting to cause physical harm to Geordi and Bochra (Bochra is starting to get body tremors and suffering mental deterioration and Geordi's vision is deterred because the electrical interference from his visor).

Meanwhile the Romulan on board the Enterprise is about to die unless someone donates blood needed to restore him to health. The only one compatible—in a twist of irony only Trek could give us—Worf is the only one with the properties in his blood that can be used. Will Worf be able to put aside his hatred for Romulans or will he let the dying officer perish? That moral dilemma is commonplace in Trek. The planet is quite a nightmare, basically uninhabitable if you wish to use technology; dark, full of electrical charged atmosphere, and heavy winds, one can barely walk much less live on such a waste of planet in space. Seeing Picard trying to avert a war with the Romulan empire, having to risk being destroyed at the end when it will take lowering his shields in order to transport Geordi and Bochra to the Enterprise, and trying to convince Worf to agree to the transfusion (of course as his physician, Dr. Crusher expects him to just agree); all in a day's work when you are the captain on board the Enterprise.

The second Geordi episode in a row and I couldn't be happier…it was really nice seeing some treatment towards him, and through Burton's character, an actual partnership develops between a Federation officer and an untrustworthy Romulan officer. In the Trek universe, stories allow for such complications as a means to explore how two men from totally different worlds must co-exist in order to survive. Trusting the other man when you are unsure of the results—making such difficult decisions—are part of what makes Star Trek so special. Worf's decision was practically made for him when the dying Romulan officer told him he didn't want his Klingon blood polluting his body (he calls it "Klingon filth"). Being a fan of Babylon 5, it was cool seeing Andreas Katsulas as a Romulan Commander incensed with Picard for allowing his officer to die instead of bringing him to the Neutral Zone. Katsulas would bring that sly, false-smiling, potentially-treacherous personality to his B5 character, G'Kar and it fits a Romulan trying to keep the intentions of his people being in Federation space illegally (he claims it was a piloting error!) perfectly. You can just look at him and tell he wouldn't dare be on the up-and-up with the Federation on anything that divulges possibly real sinister intent on the part of the empire. I really enjoy the interactions between Katsulas and Patrick Stewart as both play the exchange of ship leaders as expected. Picard knows Katsulas' Commander Tomalak is full of it, while Tomalak's sole purpose is to conceal secrets and keep the Federation from knowing the real reason why the Romulans were on that planet. It is all a game and the two actors are exciting to watch. To avoid war and how Picard does so has always been a pleasure to watch to me. In this episode, it is no different.

I agree with most reviewers that this was an excellent episode. Worth struggle in his decision about whether to donate a transfusion of ribosomes to a enemy is well constructed. However, no one seems to have pointed out the very obvious fact that the romulan in question does not want the transfusion. In fact he vehemently denies it. Get neither the doctor nor the captain even acknowledge that he has any choice in the matter. Even in the 20th century those ethics would have been rejected. How is it no one pointed this simple fact out anywhere during the episode?

This episode is one of the better written and acted ones with two plots happening at once connected by two Romulan enemy soldiers: One that is dying on the Enterprise and one in danger of dying on an asteroid called Galarndon Core. The first story, in which the ill alien can only be saved by a transfusion, is the less compelling tale. Worf is the sole available donor but cannot get past his hatred of Romulans for killing his Klingon parents. Picard tries to convince him to go through with the transfusion, aware that it won't look good for the Enterprise if the soldier dies while in Federation custody. However, the captain feels he can't order Worf to do this. In the battle between Worf's hatred and the limited time the Romulan has, the enemy loses out.

The second subplot is better. Geordi Laforge misses his transporter window of opportunity and is stuck on the asteroid, which has an ionized atmosphere that wreaks havoc on humanoid nervous systems. That is what killed the first soldier and is now killing the second one that, unbeknownst to Geordi, is also trapped on Galarndon Core. The only hope for Geordi is to find a beacon that the Enterprise sends him to locate the safe transporter location. Normally, that would be no problem, as he can track it with his visor. Unfortunately, the ionized air is causing the interface between his brain and the visor to disintegrate. The enemy soldier knocks Laforge out and takes him prisoner. When Geordi wakes, he realizes the soldier is in trouble and he soon will be, too. His enemy---whose name is Bochra---must become his ally when the Romulan loses the ability to walk and Geordi loses the ability to see.

This episode is tight, well-directed and solidly produced, and the acting was spot on. John Snyder as the strangely honorable Bochra was particularly intense. The Romulan commander was also well-played by Andreas Katsulas. There was good tension from the unresolved dilemma faced by Worf and its results, in that the Enterprise almost comes under attack when Picard admits that the Romulan soldier died in Federation custody. The conflict is averted when Geordi and Bochra are beamed safely to the bridge of the Enterprise and the commander is told by his still-living soldier of how honorably he has been treated. Overall, a good Next Generation episode.

I enjoyed this story and I would rate it as one of the strongest of the series so far although it did remind me of the All Quiet On The Western Front plot where we have two men of opposing armies trapped in a trench together.

The SNG writers gave the story a nice twist setting it upon the Ionised Storm Planet (Galandon Core) with a blind engineer and a badly injured Romulan trading barbs.

The Alternative story involved Worf who is asked to save the life of a badly injured Romulan who was originally found on the Ionised Storm Planet. This plot had a few twists and turns to it as well due to Worf's hatred of Romulan's considering it was the Romulan's who killed both of Worf's parents.

Will Worf help the Romulan who declares that he would rather die that have Worf's blood coursing through his veins? Will Worf agree to the transfusion just to spite the Romulan? Or will Worf regard the Romulan as being worthy of honour and wrestle with him off the gurney?

One of those mixed message episodes about the Romulans. We get a sub plot with Geordi that hints at the possibility of positive relationships with them but we also get a plot that revolves around Worf letting a Romulan die instead of saving him with a cell transplant.

At this point we only have 'Scotty' for comparison but I'll be damned if Geordi doesn't put in a solid showing as an effective 'think on his feet' engineer. He uses his phaser to create metal ice picks and like a pure alpha he rock climbs his way to safety and then he comes up with a McGuyver method of using his space visor and a tricorder to sniff out the magic space rays that Wesley has beamed down to the planet.

It's interesting that we get no mention of what the Romulans were actually doing on the planet. Something nefarious no doubt. Guess it doesn't matter, right? This is about examining perceptions and individual responses to the Romulans and a peppering of the cuban missile crisis.

Solid.

If they keep giving Geordi these awesome story lines, he'll be my favorite character quickly. Great episode with Geordi getting left behind on a hostile planet, finding his own way out of a hole, and dealing with being a Romulan prisoner all while slowly losing his ability to use the visor. The second part was wondering what Worf would decide regarding saving a dying Romulan. I'm glad he made the decision that he did, and that Picard didn't order him to do anything. His decision was a good way to remind us that Worf is not human. He's a Klingon and he'll rationalize things like a Klingon. Good stuff. Did we ever find out what the Romulans were doing there in the first place? Maybe we'll find out later.

ST:TNG:55 - "The Enemy" (Stardate: 43349.2) - this is the 7th episode of the 3rd season of Star Trek: The Next Generation.

Again, the Romulans are the focal point of this story as well as the Federation planet Galorndon Core (which will be seen again in the "Unification" episode. This is where the Enterprise discover a wrecked Romulan vessel and one survivor, while at the same time they lose Geordi LaForge who falls down a hole and must find a way out, but not before finding some unexpected surprises.

Soon, a Romulan vessel comes to the "rescue" of the wrecked ship with the late Andreas Katsulas starring as Commander Tomalak in his first of 4 appearances on TNG.

At the same time, Worf must decide if he can put his hatred of Romulans aside to help save one of their lives.

Trivia note: Dr. Crusher's hair is now its length we come to associate with her - definitely longer than the previous episode. And a nice homage to late Jerry Goldsmith's Klingon theme.

The third season of Next Generation had Captain Picard (Patrick Stewart) get stronger and more resolute with each episode. The way he handled Romulan Commander Tomalak (Andreas Katsulas) in the face of imminent attack was noteworthy and established his resolve in a critical situation. Prior to that, the Enterprise crew had to find a way to bring back Commander LaForge from the storm-plagued planet Galorndon Core, where he encountered a Romulan whose injured partner was beamed up to the Enterprise earlier along with Commander Riker (Jonathan Frakes) and Lieutenant Worf (Michael Dorn). Worf's hatred of Romulans for killing his parents is put to the test when his body's cells are proven to be the only ones that might be beneficial in saving the life of the first Romulan brought aboard. Captain Picard's reluctance to order Worf to help a dying man is rendered moot when the Romulan dies, forcing the Captain to use his negotiating skills with Tomalak to agree to a truce in order to return the surviving Centurion Bochra (John Snyder) to the Romulan vessel, made easier when Bochra stated that Geordi saved his life. The surprise in this episode for me was when Wesley Crusher hit upon the idea of sending a neutrino pulse down to Galorndon Core to act as a beacon for Geordi to locate on the storm ravaged planet, so that a fix could be established on his position to beam them both aboard. With all the capable and brilliant minds of the officers on board the Enterprise, I had to wonder why no one else had thought of it.

New uniforms, new credit sequence and Doctor Crusher returned to us but was Season 3 of The Next Generation really as good as we remember? Some of that enthusiasm may have have been generated by relief that the series had not been cancelled but the 1990's also heralded an era of considerably more stability behind the scenes. Senior Trekker will continue to score every episode with a 5.

The Enemy is an intelligent episode with plenty of interest, another excellent part for Geordi LaForge and three memorable guest Romulans. For once, the Planet Hell sets look really forbidding and hostile but, as much as anything, it is LeVar Burton's performance that helps us to buy into the inhospitable environment against which he has to unite with the injured Centurion Bochra in order to escape. Despite the sand in his boots.

Meanwhile, aboard the Enterprise, Worf refuses to donate his blood to a dying Romulan. The impact of this is softened by the Romulan's last words being "I would rather die than pollute my body with Klingon filth" but, nonetheless, many people were surprised at the direction the storyline took. Apart from wondering why Dr Crusher did not simply replicate what she needed.

Currently facing off from the Enterprise above Galorndon Core is Andreas Katsulas in the first of his appearances as Commander Tomalak. His distinctive and instantly recognisable presence radiated menace and may have been a springboard for his Sci Fi tour de force as G'Kar in Babylon 5. Steve Rankin, who played Pathak, is one of those actors who crops up time and again as alien characters in Star Trek and we have to be grateful to them for their dedication behind the limelight. John Snyder, who played Bochra, has been extremely successful in film and voice work and became far more recognisable without the Romulan prosthetics.

I either didn't understand this episode, or it's really bad. Romulans get to bully Federation, fly into its space, explore the planet, and lie about how many people they sent, and Picard does the standard Federation 'friendship and morals' speech, after which the Romulans just leave without being reprimanded. What?

At least Worf refused to bow down to it.