First Season - Episode 023

SKIN OF EVIL

Stardate: 41601.3 - 41602.1
Rating: 9 Humour: - Action: + Tension: + Romance: +

Alternate Titles: Work: "THE SCHROUD"
German: "DIE SCHWARZE SEELE"
Danish: "ONDSKABENS HUD"

Teleplay By: Shearer, Hannah Loui
Stefano, Joseph
Story By: Stefano, Joseph
Director: Scanlan, Joseph L.
Executive: Roddenberry, Gene
Co-Executive: Berman, Rick
Hurley, Maurice
Co-Producer: Lewin, Robert
Wright, Herbert

Cast

Captain Jean-Luc Picard: Patrick Stewart
Cmd. William T. Riker: Jonathan Frakes
Lt. Geordi LaForge: LeVar Burton
Lt. Worf: Michael Dorn
Doctor Beverly Crusher: Cheryl Gates McFadden
Counselor Deanna Troi: Marina Sirtis
Lt.Cmd. Data: Brent Spiner
Lt. Natasha Yar: Denise Crosby
Wesley Crusher: Wil Wheaton
Armus: Mart McChesney
Voice of Armus: Ron Gans
Leland T. Lynch: Walker Boone
Nurse: Brad Zerbst
Ben Prieto: Raymond Forchion

Plot

A shuttle containing Troi and a pilot is returning from a conference when it crash-lands on Vagra II. When the Enterprise locates the shuttle inter- ference prevents them from using their sensors or transporters to beam up the two occupants. The away team find an alien named Armus which appears like an oil slick but is able to assume humanoid shape at will. Armus blocks their path and prevents them from rescuing their comrades. During the enco- unter, Armus taunts the crew as they attempt to reach the shuttle.

Goofs

  • When Riker is being pulled into Armus, the away team runs towards Armus. However Geordi drops his phaser into Armus. When Captain Picard beams onto the planet, the away team is standing around calmly, and Geordi's phaser is back in his pocket. (Either the phaser didn't get THAT dirty, or they beamed down another one quickly)
  • Also, the computer-generated picture Worf is looking at within the first minutes of "Skin of Evil" is the very same one you can see twice later: It contains already this graph of Armus' energy-level (or whatever it's meant to represent) with the same ups and downs Troi is causing much later in the show!

Quotes

Riker: "What do you want?"
Armus: "Maybe I want nothing."
Riker: "Then you would have killed all of us."
Armus: "I still might."

Riker: "Data...Data something's got me!"

Armus: "Touch him, and he dies."

Data: "I would guess that death is no longer sufficient to alleviate its boredom, therefore Commander Riker is alive."

Data: "You are capable of great sadism and cruelty. Interesting, no redeeming qualities."

Armus: "I do not serve things evil, I am evil."

Picard: "Shall I tell you what true evil is? It is to submit to you. It is when we surrender our friends, our dignity, instead of defying you."

Yar: "Hello, my friends. You are here now watching this image of me because I have died. It probably happened while I was on duty, and quickly, which is what I expected. Never forget I died doing exactly what I wanted to do. What I want you to know is how much I loved my life, and those of you who shared it with me. You are my family, you all know where I came from and what my life was like before. But Starfleet took that frightened, angry young girl and tempered her. I have been blessed with your friendship, and your love."

Yar: "Ah, Worf. We are so much alike, you and I. Both warriors, orphans who found ourselves this family. I hope I met death with my eyes wide open."

Yar: "My friend Data, you see things with the wonder of a child. And that makes you more human than any of us."

Yar: "Captain Jean-Luc Picard, I wish I could say you've been like a father to me, but I've never had one so I don't know what it feels like. But if there was one person in this universe who I would choose to be like, someone who I would want to make proud of me, it's you. You who have the heart of an explorer and the soul of a poet. So you'll understand when I say, 'Death is that state in which one exists only in the memory of others', which is why it is not an end. No goodbyes, just good memories..... Hailing frequencies closed, sir."

Picard: "Au revoir, Natasha."

Data: "Sir, the purpose of this gathering, confuses me."
Picard: "Oh? How so?"
Data: "I find my thoughts are not for Tasha, but for myself. I keep thinking, how empty it will be without her presence. Did I miss the point?"
Picard: "No...no you didn't Data. You got it."

Revised: ddmmċċċċ