Imaginary Friend

Episode aired May 2, 1992
TV-PG
45m

IMDb RATING

6.0/10

3.4K

YOUR RATING

Shay Astar and Noley Thornton in Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987)

ActionAdventureDramaSci-Fi

A powerful, potentially dangerous energy life form, intent on scouting out the Enterprise, steps into the role of a girl's imaginary friend.A powerful, potentially dangerous energy life form, intent on scouting out the Enterprise, steps into the role of a girl's imaginary friend.A powerful, potentially dangerous energy life form, intent on scouting out the Enterprise, steps into the role of a girl's imaginary friend.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

6.0/10

3.4K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

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Storyline

Did you know

Trivia
In early drafts, Isabella was much more benign and curious. This was changed, in part due to the producers feeling the resulting story was dull...and also because they felt it was too similar to The Child (1988).

Early drafts also gave "Isabella" as the name of Clara's mother, who died (from an allergic reaction to anesthesia) while giving birth to Clara. Ensign Daniel Sutter has never put this tragedy entirely behind him; despite his love for Clara, he always treats her with an element of anxiety and resentment. (It doesn't help that the girl's reasoning ability has recently kicked in.)

They don't even celebrate Clara's birthday since, in her father's own words, the worst thing that ever happened to him occurred on what should've been the greatest day since his wedding; such (according to Daniel) would be like rewarding Clara for breaking something very special, like a Ming vase, when she had no clue of the ramifications. Moreover, Ensign Sutter does not take it well when his daughter names her imaginary friend after the mother she never knew; once, he angrily drove away one of Clara's best friends...because the other girl happened to be named Isabella.

All of this was changed or eliminated in rewrites.

Goofs
When Troi confronts "Isabella" and Clara tells Troi "Isabella's" threatening response, Clara is clearly scared--and Troi, being an empath, should be able to sense Clara's fear. Yet in the next scene, she acts as if Clara was just acting out.

Quotes
Captain Jean-Luc Picard: [to "Isabella," the energy life form] You are seeing this ship, all of us, from a unique perspective - from a child's point of view. It must seem terribly unfair and restrictive to you. As adults, we don't always stop to consider how everything we say and do shapes the impressions of young people, but if you're judging us, as a people, by the way we treat our children - and I think there can be no better criterion - then you must understand how deeply we care for them. When our children are young, they don't understand what might be dangerous. Our rules are to keep them from harm, real or imagined, and that's part of the continuity of our Human species. When Clara grows up, she will make rules for *her* children, to protect them - as we protect her.