An unsophisticated alien
probe assumes a relative position, holding steady with
the U.S.S. Enterprise, and releases a nucleonic particle
stream that penetrates the ship's shields. Focusing
solely on Picard, the beam knocks him unconscious. When
he wakes up, Picard finds himself in unfamiliar
surroundings, being cared for by an attractive woman.
The woman, Eline, tells him his name is "Kamin," and he
is her husband of three years. She also tells him that
he has been sick and must be experiencing a memory loss.
Picard soon learns that he lives on the planet Kataan,
where he works as a simple iron weaver. His confusion is
compounded when he notices that Eline wears an exact
replica of the alien probe as jewelry. She tells Picard
he gave her the necklace as a gift.
On the Enterprise, the crew is unable to revive Picard.
Realizing the particle emission that has attached itself
to him may control his life, they are afraid to destroy
the beam. Only a few moments have passed, but on Kataan,
it is already five years later, and Picard is settling
into his life. He comes up with a solution to the
drought that is destroying the planet, but his advanced
ideas are laughed at by leaders of the primitive
society. However, his life is not without its pleasures.
Picard kisses Eline, an act that causes his pulse to
rise back on the Enterprise. Worf insists they must
destroy the beam since their Captain is under attack.
They do so, and
Picard's pulse drops dramatically. On Kataan, where
seven more years have passed, he falls to the floor.
Acting quickly, the crew restores the beam. Back on
Kataan, another 12 years have passed, and Picard has two
children. The drought continues to worsen, and Picard's
teenage daughter, Meribor, realizes their planet is
doomed. At the same time, Geordi and Data are able to
chart the probe's radiation to Kataan, a planet that was
destroyed in a supernova explosion over a thousand years
ago.
On Kataan, the years
continue to fly by. Picard continues his quest to get
something done about the drought, but his suggestions
fall on deaf ears. Later, Eline dies, as does Picard's
best friend Batai, and his first grandchild is born.
The elapsed time on
the Enterprise is still only a few minutes. However, Dr.
Crusher becomes alarmed when she realizes that Picard's
metabolic rates match those of an 80-year-old man. In
fact, Picard is actually 85 years old on Kataan, where
the drought has almost completely destroyed the planet.
His children and grandchild convince the unwilling old
man to accompany them to a missile launching — an event
they are all very excited about. Picard doesn't
understand the point, knowing the missile will do
nothing to save the planet or its people. However, as
the missile takes off, his family, with the help of
Eline's spirit, explain to Picard that they are
launching a probe into the future to find a person who
will bring them immortality by telling others about
their planet after it is destroyed. Picard realizes the
missile is actually the probe that brought him to Kataan
over 30 years ago. As this happens, he wakes up aboard
the Enterprise and is amazed to learn he has only been
unconscious for 25 minutes, in which time he lived a
third of a lifetime. |
 |
Production: 225
Season: 5 Episode: 25
Original Air Date: 06.01.1992
Stardate: 45944.1 |
 |
|
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Patrick Stewart as
Jean-Luc Picard
Jonathan Frakes as William Riker
Brent Spiner as Data
LeVar Burton as Geordi La Forge
Michael Dorn as Worf
Gates McFadden as Beverly Crusher
Marina Sirtis as Deanna Troi
Whoopi Goldberg as Guinan |
 |
|
 |
|
|
Patti Yasutake as Nurse
Ogawa
Margot Rose as Eline
Richard Riehle as Batai
Scott Jaeck as Administrator
Jennifer Nash as Meribor
Daniel Stewart as Young Batai |
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|
 |
| The flute from the episode
"The Inner Light" appears again as a background prop in
Picard's ready room in a number of season 6 and 7
episodes, as well as in a deleted scene from Star Trek:
Nemesis (2002), in which Data removes it from its box
and examines it while talking to Picard. |
|
Click this link to view the
complete script in a TXT format
STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION
"The Inner Light"
#40275-225
Story by
Morgan Gendel
Teleplay by
Morgan Gendel and Peter Allan Fields
Directed by
Peter Lauritson
THE WRITING CREDITS MAY NOT BE FINAL AND SHOULD NOT BE USED
FOR PUBLICITY OR ADVERTISING PURPOSES WITHOUT FIRST CHECKING
WITH THE TELEVISION LEGAL DEPARTMENT.
Copyright 1992 Paramount Pictures Corporation. All Rights
Reserved. This script is not for publication or
reproduction. No one is authorized to dispose of same. If
lost or destroyed, please notify the Script Department.
FINAL DRAFT
MARCH 24, 1992
STAR TREK: "The Inner Light" - 03/24/92 - CAST
STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION
"The Inner Light"
CAST
PICARD ELINE
RIKER BATAI
DATA ADMINISTRATOR
BEVERLY MERIBOR
YOUNG BATAI
GEORDI
WORF
Non-Speaking
NURSE OGAWA TOWNSPEOPLE
INFANT SON
Non-Speaking SUPERNUMERARIES
SUPERNUMERARIES
MEDICAL TEAM
STAR TREK: "The Inner Light" - 03/24/92 - SETS
STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION
"The Inner Light"
SETS
INTERIORS EXTERIORS
USS ENTERPRISE USS ENTERPRISE
MAIN BRIDGE
PICARD'S QUARTERS PROBE
KAMIN MAIN ROOM KAMIN HOME
COURTYARD & GARDEN
TOWN SQUARE
OPEN FIELD
STAR TREK: "The Inner Light" - REV 03/27/92 - PRONUNCIATION
STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION
"The Inner Light"
PRONUNCIATION GUIDE
BATAI b'TIE
ELINE el-EEN
EMIRISTOL em-er-IS-tahl
KAMIE KAY-mee
KAMIN KAY-min
KATAAN K'-TAHN
KENOMAY KEN-oh-may
MERIBOR MARE-ih-bore
NUCLEONIC noo-klee-AHN-ik
RESSIK RESS-ik
Click this link to view the
complete script in a TXT format |
