All Good Things... (episode)

Picard learns from Q that he is to be the cause of the annihilation of Humanity and begins an incredible journey through time from the present, to the past when he first took command of the Enterprise, to twenty-five years into the future. (Series finale, feature-length)
== Summary ==
=== Teaser ===
On the holodeck, Lieutenant Worf and Counselor Troi have just finished a walk on the Black Sea beach at night. Upon exiting the holodeck, Troi gets a bit irritated when Worf refers to their romantic experience as nothing more than "stimulating" and rolls her eyes when he tries to add that it was "very stimulating". On the way back to her quarters, Troi discusses how she doesn't spend nearly enough time on the holodeck, and should go there more often. Worf is about to drop her off at her quarters, but wants to talk about their next date. He feels that they should get approval from Commander Riker before continuing their relationship and is concerned about hurting his feelings, but Troi firmly states that their relationship does not need such approval.
Worf is about to kiss Troi goodnight, when Captain Picard walks off the turbolift. In a hurried mood, he asks Troi for the date, to which Worf answers that it is stardate 47988. Picard confirms the date with himself, before he reveals to Troi that he, without knowing the reason, is somehow moving back and forth through time.
=== Act One ===
In Counselor Troi's quarters, Picard explains the experience. He had the feeling he was somewhere in the past. Troi asks for a description, but Picard says that it is as hard to remember as trying to recall a dream. He remembers that it was years ago, before he took command of the . But then, the experience was that of him in the future, as an old man. He remembers being outside, doing something, but can not remember any specifics. Troi asks him to consider if this was merely a dream, but Picard says that the experience was much more real than a dream. The very touch and smell of things was more real than a dream. Troi asks how long he was in each period, but Picard responds that he is not sure. He remembers feeling disoriented, but this soon passed, and he felt as if everything was perfectly normal. As soon as he tries to explain something, Picard stops speaking in mid-sentence.
Picard is now an old man in a vineyard, tying up some vines. As he does this, he hears La Forge's voice, jokingly complaining about an issue on the Enterprise, "the warp core or the phase inducers… or some other damn thing" as he approaches, smiling warmly. Picard is very delighted to see his old friend and they embrace each other. La Forge is unsure of how to refer to the ambassador. Picard suggests Jean-Luc, but La Forge doesn't feel sure about calling him that, and settles on captain, like he had done twenty-five years prior, the last time they served together on the Enterprise. La Forge offers to help, and tells Picard how to help his plants grow better, saying he picked up some gardening experience from his wife Leah. Picard asks how she is, and how the kids (Alandra, Bret, and Sidney) are. La Forge responds that they are just fine, his wife had just recently been named Director of the Daystrom Institute, but their son Bret is applying to Starfleet Academy in the next year. It is at this moment La Forge confesses that he stopped by from Rigel III to see Picard and how he was holding up to his newly contracted Irumodic Syndrome. As they begin to head back to Picard's house for tea, Picard tells La Forge what he thought of his latest novel, but in the middle of a comment on the protagonist, he suddenly sees a strange group of people, dressed in shabby clothes, and supposedly mocking the captain. La Forge apparently does not see the people, but before Picard can say anything, the scene shifts again, to another time period.
On board the shuttlecraft , Natasha Yar, an old member of the crew, is talking with the captain about any previous experiences he has had with starships. He states that he has never been aboard one, but is familiar with the blueprints and specifications. Yar comments that Picard is in for a treat, as the Enterprise is quite a ship, and the shuttle is cleared for arrival. Outside the window, the USS Enterprise is docked at McKinley Station, in orbit of Earth. The time shifts back to the "present," in Troi's quarters, and he tells her that he was just with Yar in the shuttle. Picard sits down, seemingly troubled by this.
=== Act Two ===
In sickbay, Dr. Crusher reports that she found nothing to indicate hallucinations. There are also no indications of temporal displacement, and Crusher believes that Picard is enjoying waking people up in the middle of the night, to which he responds that he really just likes running around the ship in his bare feet. Nurse Ogawa gives Crusher bio-spectral results, but these also show no signs of temporal displacement. After asking Troi to excuse them for a moment, she tells Picard about results of a scan for Irumodic Syndrome. There were no signs of the disorder itself, but there is a small structural defect in his parietal lobe that could lead to the syndrome. Although she says that it is possible to live a whole life without developing problems, she is not confident about it. Riker enters to report that Worf has found nothing on his security scans. Worf comes on the comm to report that there is an incoming transmission from Admiral Nakamura. Picard answers it in Dr. Crusher's office, to hear that Nakamura is issuing a fleet-wide yellow alert. Nearly thirty Romulan warbirds have been diverted to the Neutral Zone from Romulus, and there is also some sort of spatial anomaly in the Devron system. The orders are to go to their side of the Neutral Zone, and to find out what the situation is, and what the anomaly is. They cannot, however, enter the Neutral Zone until the Romulans do.
Suddenly, the time shifts to the future, but this time, Picard notices the difference. He says that he was somewhere else a few minutes ago, a long time ago, talking to Beverly Crusher. He notices that he was on the Enterprise, in sickbay, but conjectures that it may have been a hospital. La Forge wants to call Picard's doctor, thinking that it is the Irumodic Syndrome, but Picard says that it is not. La Forge then asks what he wants to do about it, and Picard responds that he wants to see Data, to which La Forge agrees. Then, Picard sees the strange, barbaric people again, but doesn't understand yet. Again, La Forge sees nothing, and then takes the captain to go see Data. They go to Cambridge, and Picard explains how real the experience was. Data's housekeeper Jessel offers them tea, and Picard accepts. As Picard and La Forge attempt to exchange seats with Data's cats (who seem to be sitting on every available chair, shelf, or other horizontal surface), Picard starts to compliment Data's home. Data explains that it is one of the perks of holding the Lucasian Chair at Cambridge, the home itself once belonging to Sir Isaac Newton, one of the early Lucasian professors. Data then goes on to explain the change in his hair color, and then Picard remarks that the tea is not Earl Grey, but Darjeeling tea. Data asks Picard about how long it has been since he has seen a doctor about his Irumodic Syndrome. Picard responds a week and that he has been taking peridaxon, which will not cure the syndrome. Picard starts to explain that Data, too, likely thinks that his time shifting is all a delusion, an idea which Data says had indeed crossed his mind. Yet, Data says that because there is no evidence to disprove the captain, they can run some neurographic scans with the equipment he has on campus. He tells the captain that they will get to the bottom of this. As Picard says that this is the Data he remembers and could count on, another time shift occurs.
In the past, Captain Picard just exits the shuttlecraft Galileo with Tasha Yar. Picard then commences to read the orders which placed him in command given by Admiral Norah Satie, but is interrupted several times by the strange people he saw in the future. The assembled crew look around and see no one present. As he finishes reading the orders, he goes to shake hands with Counselor Troi, but is again distracted by the shouting people he sees all around the bay. Deeply disturbed, Picard calls for red alert and orders all crew to battle stations. The crew look puzzled at each other, hardly the reaction they were expecting from their new captain, but Lieutenant Yar barks at them to follow the captain's orders and everyone quickly exits the shuttlebay to comply. Picard, alone, takes hold of himself and with concern, exits as well.
=== Act Three ===
In the observation lounge, Picard, noting the golden models of the previous Enterprises adorning the wall which had long since been removed from the lounge in his original time frame, makes a notation in his personal log, recorded under security lockout omega 327, stating that he will not tell his crew about his time shifting, afraid of altering the timeline. Other members of the senior staff enter. Yar reports that scans showed no unusual anomalies, and Worf notes that it would be helpful if they could know exactly what they are looking for. Picard does not answer, but asks the counselor if she senses a foreign alien presence, one with great intelligence far superior to their own, but the counselor states that she only senses the ship's crew and families. Picard then asks Worf to issue a level 2 security alert, which surprises Yar, as she is the security chief. Realizing his mistake, Picard promptly corrects himself, and asks Yar to issue the alert. Chief Miles O'Brien then calls the captain to the bridge. 
Starfleet has issued an alert, stating that a number of vessels, mainly freighters, are moving to the Neutral Zone between Romulan and Federation space. A large spatial anomaly has appeared in the Devron system, the same place an anomaly was detected in the present. Worf remarks that it could be a Romulan trick to lure their ships in as an excuse for a military strike and O'Brien states that Starfleet has canceled the mission to Farpoint, ordering the Enterprise to the Neutral Zone. Picard however, states that they will continue the mission to Farpoint, despite orders. Yar is surprised at this, but Picard stands firm, even when Worf tells Picard that the security of the Federation could be at stake. He tells Troi that he has no reason, but then correctly guesses that there is a problem with the warp plasma inducers. He asks O'Brien to accompany him to engineering, where he gives the chief instructions to bypass the plasma inducers. O'Brien is hesitant to make any corrections, as this is not his field of expertise, stating that it should be the chief engineer who makes these modifications. However, Picard reminds O'Brien the chief engineer has yet to arrive and puts his full confidence in the chief. As he asks for more help from , he states that they will need to "burn the midnight oil," something which the Data of the time states would be inadvisable. He tells O'Brien not to ignite anything as it will set off the ship's fire suppression system and seal off the entire compartment but O'Brien states how it was an expression to relate that they would need to work late. Picard, amused at the reminder of Data's complete unfamiliarity with Human expressions, then welcomes the commander on board, and asks for his help on the infusor array. Data identifies the problem, noting they will need a new field induction subprocessor and states that perhaps they will have to "ignite the midnight petroleum" to fix the problem.
Suddenly, Picard shifts back to the present. He starts to describe that he remembers more each time he shifts. He states that at first, he felt that he was in the future, and then he suddenly had the experience of being in the past. Crusher then states that a scan she just did indicates that Picard has somehow accumulated over two days worth of memories in a matter of minutes, evidence that he is indeed traveling through time.
=== Act Four ===
In the observation lounge, Picard tries to put things straight. Troi does not remember any of the events in the past such as the red alert, or the diversion to the Neutral Zone. Data states that there appears to be a discontinuity between time periods as nothing that happens in one affects the others, but Riker states that there appears to be the same anomaly in the Devron system in both time frames, something too coincidental. La Forge theorizes that it may be some kind of temporal disturbance, but Crusher asks what this has to do with the time shifting. Picard says that these are good questions, but he doesn't have the answers yet. He wants everyone to prepare battle readiness reports to cope with the Romulan threat, and ends the meeting. Riker asks Troi if she wants to have dinner before the late night work, but she says that she already has plans with Worf. There appears to be some sort of tension, and this bothers Riker, who loses his awareness for a few moments. Picard then tells Riker that because the time shifts coincide with disorientation, Riker should be ready to take command during a crisis if it should arise. He then goes to his ready room, and Dr. Crusher follows. She gets him some warm milk with a dash of nutmeg, and observing that he's exhausted, orders him to sleep. Picard notices the look of worry on Crusher's face, and she brings up the issue of his possible Irumodic Syndrome. She reminds him that he has been to the future and knows the disease will occur, but Picard takes her hands in his, smiles warmly at her, and says he prefers to view the future as something that is not written in stone. Picard reminds her that a lot of things can happen in 25 years. The two share a tender, but romantic kiss. Crusher then agrees with him and leaves.
In the future, La Forge wakes the captain, and Picard asks if they have reached the Neutral Zone. He explains to La Forge that he was in the past, and tells him they have to get to the neutral zone in this time period. La Forge asks why, and Picard tells him about the anomaly in the Devron system, but La Forge says that it may all be coincidental. Picard insists that they have to check, and La Forge agrees. However, La Forge brings up a potential problem: there is no neutral zone, ever since the Klingons took over the Romulan Star Empire, and to make matters worse, relations between the Federation and the Klingons at this point are strained. Yet La Forge says that they will need a ship to get to the Neutral Zone, and Picard asks him to contact Admiral Riker at Starbase 247. Admiral Riker says that he cannot help. Picard asks what if the anomaly is really there, but Riker simply responds that the latest report from Starfleet Intelligence states no unusual activity in the Devron system. Picard refuses to believe this, wanting to go there to see for himself. Riker states that he will have the Yorktown conduct scans, stating that it is the best he can do. He apologizes and ends the transmission, and Picard gets upset that he cannot go. Data however, has an option. They could arrange passage on a medical ship, which has been granted permission to help Romulans fight off a strain of Terrellian plague. Picard supports the idea, and La Forge states that now they need to locate a medical ship. Picard however, can arrange this. He asks Data to find the , saying that he has some pull with the captain – at least he used to. The Pasteur arrives in orbit with Dr. Beverly Crusher in command. She welcomes the three of them aboard, and tells Picard that his idea is absurd, but then again, she could never say no to him. A member of the bridge crew calls out for "Captain Picard" and both Picard and Crusher respond with a yes. Picard replies to Crusher that she kept his last name, suggesting a marriage and subsequent divorce of these two in this future timeline, hence the captain of the Pasteur is actually Captain Beverly Picard. She says that they need to get clearance to cross the border, and La Forge suggests contacting Worf. Picard immediately agrees, stating that Worf is the answer, as he is governor of H'atoria, a small Klingon colony near the border. Crusher asks Picard to get some rest, but Picard says that he is not an invalid and does not want to be patronized. Crusher apologizes, and then Picard agrees to go get some rest. As soon as he leaves, Crusher asks Data and La Forge about what they think of his story, and all three silently agree that they don't believe it. However, she states that they will go on one more mission if it is what Jean-Luc Picard wants to do. In the turbolift, Picard asserts to himself that they will indeed find the anomaly.
As he exits the turbolift, he is in the past, asking for a report. O'Brien states that they are nearing the coordinates he was given, and Picard asks Data to scan for something unusual, a strong barrier of some sort, with a large plasma field that is highly disruptive. Data reports that there is nothing there. Picard states that this is the right place, and the right time, but "he" is not here. Yar asks who, and Picard yells for Q. He states that he knows Q is there, but there is no response. Picard again asks the counselor if she senses an alien presence, and Worf asks Yar what is a "Q," who responds that all she knows is that it is a letter of the alphabet. Picard doesn't understand why history is not happening the way it should, but he suddenly shifts to the courtroom in which he had his first encounter with Q. He finally recognizes the barbaric people he has been seeing, and Q appears as he did seven years prior, stating that he thought Picard would never figure out it was Q who was behind it.
=== Act Five ===
In the courtroom, Picard demands to know what is going on. Q asks Picard if he doesn't know, based on where he is. Picard then recounts that seven years ago, the last time he was standing in that courtroom, he was accused for being the representative of a savage race. Picard stated that they had agreed that the "trial" was over, but Q says that he will not help connect the dots, thinking it would be boring. He then offers Picard the chance to ask ten yes-or-no questions, and he will answer. Q states that he is not putting mankind on trial again. He does say, however, that there is a connection between the trial seven years ago and these events. The anomaly is related to what is going on, but it is not a Romulan creation to start a war. Q also states that he did not create the anomaly, but that he is responsible for Picard's time shifts. Picard however, loses his chance to asks more questions when he asks why. Q then states that the trial never ended, and that they have been ruled guilty. Q states that the Human race has failed to expand their minds. Picard defends that Humanity is what it is, but Q states otherwise. Their trek through the stars will soon be terminated, and Humanity will be denied existence. Picard states that even Q is incapable of such an act, but Q then says that it will not be him who destroys Humanity, it is Picard. Q states that Picard is doing it, has done it, and will do it again. Q then closes the court, and Picard is sent back to the present. Heading directly to the bridge, he reports to Commander Riker that they have a much bigger problem than they thought. He calls immediately for red alert, and a senior staff meeting.
=== Act Six ===
In the observation lounge, the senior staff discusses the situation. La Forge thinks it is another one of Q's tricks, but Picard disagrees. He believes Q to be deadly serious, but both Crusher and Troi say that there is an apparent confusion in Q's statement about that fact that he has already caused, and is now causing, the destruction of Humanity. However, Data points out that the discontinuities in the three time periods make Q's statement accurate, if confusing. Now Picard wonders out loud doubtfully whether he should lock himself up in a room in all three time periods, but Riker says that action in itself might cause Humanity's destruction. Counselor Troi warns them not to second guess, and believes that the best course of action is to proceed normally and handle each situation as it arrives. Picard agrees, and then goes on to describe a curious side note. He states that Q admitted being responsible for his time shifts, and believes that there may be a way to actually save Humanity. Riker asks why, and Picard responds that Q has always had more than just passing interest in Humanity and with Picard in particular. Data agrees and points out that Q's interest in Picard has always been similar to that of a master and his beloved pet. Getting looks from all of the senior staff, Data tells Picard that it is only an analogy. An officer states over the comm that they are approaching the Neutral Zone. Data scans, and finds four Romulan Warbirds holding place on the Romulan side. The USS Concord and USS Bozeman are waiting on the Federation side. Worf hails the lead Warbird, but a time shift occurs, placing Picard in the future.
Governor Worf is now on the viewscreen of the USS Pasteur. Crusher and Worf exchange quick greetings, and then Crusher asks if he has had time to read their request. Worf reports however, that he is no longer a member of the Klingon High Council, and that he must refuse, for their own safety. If they had a ship with a cloak, it would have been safer, and criticizes Riker for not helping them, but Picard doesn't care. He needs to get to the Devron system. Picard then tells Worf that the Worf he remembered was more concerned with honor and loyalty rather than regulations. But Picard remarks that this was a long time ago, and that perhaps Worf has changed. Worf gets outraged at this, and Worf reluctantly allows them to cross the border, provided that he comes with them. Picard accepts these terms. Beverly tells Picard, though, that if they run into any trouble, she is pulling them out and returning to Federation space. As soon as Worf is aboard, she sets course for the Devron system, warp 13. She allows Picard to sit in the command chair and give the order to engage, but as he does, he shifts back to the past.
O'Brien asks where to engage to, and Picard responds to engage to the Devron system, warp 9. Yar states that the Devron system is in the Romulan neutral zone, but Picard disregards the warning. Counselor Troi then asks Picard to speak to her privately in his ready room. Picard also asks Yar to contact Farpoint Station and states that he wants to speak to Riker. In Picard's ready room, Troi tells him that the crew is a bit confused with his irrational orders, and some don't trust him. She says that it takes time for a crew to get to know their captain, and vice-versa, but Picard stands firm that he knows what they are capable of. Troi also says that it is hard to operate in the dark, without knowledge as to what they are doing, and Picard sympathizes with this but feels that he does not have a choice. Yar then tells Picard that she has Commander Riker on subspace. Picard accepts the call, and informs Riker that they will be briefly delayed in picking him up at Farpoint. Riker asks how long, but Picard is unsure. He then tells Riker to deliver the message to the rest of the crew, and ends the call. It is at this time that Counselor Troi reveals the romance in the past that she had had with Commander Riker, but Picard states that he is confident in her abilities to deal with the situation.
Suddenly, Picard is in the present, talking with Commander Tomalak. He proposes sending one ship from each side into the Neutral Zone to investigate the anomaly. Tomalak agrees as soon as he hears Starfleet has not approved the plan, and reminds the captain to only send one ship. Picard sets the course to the Devron system, warp 5. They arrive shortly, and sensors pick up a large subspace anomaly. Picard orders a full scan, wanting as much information as possible.
In the past, the Enterprise arrives at the same location, and also picks up the same anomaly. However, it is larger that it just was in the present. He orders another full scan of the anomaly. In the future, Picard orders the anomaly on screen. However, Data regretfully reports that there is no anomaly to see.
=== Act Seven ===
Continuous scans in the future report no anomalies within a light year of the Devron system. Worf also reports that several warships have been dispatched to their location to investigate a renegade Federation vessel. Crusher wants to leave, but Picard wants to try a different way to scan for the anomaly. Data suggests using an inverse tachyon pulse to scan beyond the subspace barrier. He starts modifications, but Crusher makes it clear that if they don't find anything in six hours, they are heading back to Federation space. Picard tells the ensign not to leave in six hours, but Crusher overrules him. She then asks to see him in her ready room. Picard goes, and Crusher scolds him for questioning her orders. She states that he would never tolerate that behavior on the Enterprise, and she wouldn't here. Picard agrees, but reminds Crusher about the fact that Humanity's fate is at stake. But Crusher says that he might not be saying anything that is the truth. She reveals that he has advanced Irumodic Syndrome, and that it is possible that the entire journey is in his mind. However, she reminds him that if it were anyone else, they wouldn't be here, and then she leaves for the bridge. Picard is about to follow, but Q appears again, this time in the guise of an old man. Picard demands to know where the anomaly is, but Q does not give him the answer. However, Q reminds Picard that he is not alone in this; who he is, who he was and who he will become are always with him. Picard realizes that the answer to the problem lies in his time shifting, and then asks Q if the anomaly destroys Humanity, but Q reminds Picard that it is he is what will destroy Humanity, not the anomaly.
In the present, Data has a preliminary report of the anomaly. It is a massive temporal displacement, emitting the energy equivalent to ten G-type stars. However, they cannot scan the interior of the anomaly, and cannot find the source. Picard then suggests the inverse tachyon pulse that the future Data suggested. Data is amazed at the captain's knowledge, and agrees to make the modifications. He and La Forge work on rerouting power and initiate the tachyon pulse. However, soon afterward, La Forge experiences some pain, and trouble with his VISOR. Data calls sickbay, and Crusher determines that La Forge is growing new eyes. Nurse Ogawa reports that they have reports from two crew members stating that old scars are healing themselves. Data then offers a partial explanation. The anomaly is a multiphasic temporal convergence in the space-time continuum, an eruption of anti-time. The relationship between time and anti-time is analogous to the relationship between matter and anti-matter, and upon contact, the two would annihilate each other, causing the rupture in space.
In the past, Picard explains to Data that if they scan the anomaly with an inverse tachyon pulse, they will see that the anomaly is a rupture between time and anti-time. He orders Data to make the modifications, and is still trying to figure out why the anomaly is larger in the past. He then goes to his ready room. In the future, the Pasteur is under attack from two Klingon attack cruisers.
=== Act Eight ===
Under attack, the USS Pasteur attempts to escape. Warp power is off-line, so they try to evade the attacks. The impulse drive is fluctuating, and shields are down to 30%. The Pasteurs weapons are no match for the Klingon ships, and La Forge can't get warp power. Shields are failing, and Crusher attempts to explain that they are on an errand of mercy. The Klingons don't listen, and Worf signals a surrender. As shields fail, helmsman Nell Chilton is killed and a ship decloaks. It is the , still in service and now upgraded as well as being heavily armed. Admiral Riker hails them, and offers to help with the Klingons. He takes out one ship, and draws the fire of the other. The Pasteurs warp core, however, has destabilized, and there is a warp core breach in progress. Riker beams the Pasteurs crew aboard, and then angrily scolds Worf for letting the Pasteur enter hostile territory, and putting their friends in jeopardy. Worf retaliates, saying that if Riker had helped them in the first place, none of this would have happened, before Picard breaks up the argument by reminding them that the Pasteur is seconds away from exploding, and that they need to get to a safe distance. Riker orders them out of range of the Pasteur, narrowly escaping the blast caused by the ship's explosion, and then engages the Enterprise out of Klingon space. The cloak is down, so they will go the old fashioned way and engage at warp 13 back to Federation space. Picard is outraged, and demands that they stay, yelling that everything depends on it, but Crusher administers a sedative to Picard.
In the present, Picard accidentally bumps into a crew member on his way to sickbay. Inside sickbay, several time-reversing phenomena are occurring. La Forge's visual acuity is improving by the minute, and Alyssa Ogawa lost her baby. Picard enters, and Crusher explains that the baby somehow grew backwards, until the DNA itself broke down. However, the temporal energy seems to be affecting the entire crew, causing everyone to "grow backward," and it could eventually kill all of them. In the observation lounge, Picard asks the senior staff to contact the nearest starbase to see how widespread the effect of the temporal reversion is. Data is about an hour and 45 minutes away from completing his tachyon scan, and Picard wants to find some way to collapse the anomaly, then dismisses the senior staff. After they leave, Q appears musing that Picard has a difficult decision ahead of him… an anomaly he knows nothing about but will be somehow responsible for the end of Humanity; the question is will collapsing it save Humanity or destroy it. Q decides that Picard needs the proper perspective to solve the puzzle, and clicks his fingers.
Picard suddenly finds himself back on Earth with Q, about 3.5 billion years in the past. Q shows Picard the sky, which shows that the anomaly is so large that it can be seen from Earth and spreads across the entire Alpha Quadrant. Picard then realizes that the anomaly is expanding as it moves back in time. Q then shows Picard a pool of green sludge, a pool of amino acids. They are about to combine to form the first proteins, however, the disturbance from the anomaly stops the combination as it happens. Life on Earth doesn't start, and the anomaly stopped the creation of Humanity. Realizing from Q's words that he somehow created the anomaly, Picard is transported back to the past Enterprise now knowing that if the anomaly isn't collapsed then Humanity will cease to have ever existed.
=== Act Nine ===
In the past, Picard wants to know how the anomaly was formed. Data says that their information is limited; they would need to be able to scan the center to get an idea of its creation. Picard asks if there is any way, but nothing aboard could do the job. Data says that a tomographic imaging scanner with multiphasic resolution could do the scan, however the device is still in the experimental phases at the Daystrom Institute.
In the present, Data uses the imaging scanner (which, by this point in time, is completed) to scan the anomaly, but gets very unusual readings. He has found three tachyon pulses with the same amplitude modulation converging at the center of the anomaly. It is as if all three pulses came from the Enterprise. Picard then deduces that three pulses from three time periods, converging at one point in space may have caused the anomaly.
In the future, Picard wakes up from a nap, and heads to Ten Forward to talk to Admiral Riker about this new information. In Ten Forward, La Forge compliments on how well Enterprise has held up over the years. Riker says that Starfleet tried to decommission her five years ago, but the advantage of being an admiral was that he got to choose his own ship. Crusher then asks Riker how long the tension between him and Worf is going to continue. Riker thinks that after twenty years, it would be too hard to stop, but Data says that the last thing Troi would have wanted is for her best friends to be alienated. Riker says that he tried to put it behind them at Troi's funeral and make peace, but Worf refused to even talk to him. As they talk about this, Picard enters Ten Forward, to the surprise of everyone there. Picard tells Riker that he knows why the anomaly is being caused. He tries to explain the creation like the problem of the chicken and the egg. Data deduces that the captain is describing a paradox. Data finds that it is possible they caused the anomaly they have been looking for, and that if they hurry, they may be able to see the initial formation of the anomaly. Riker agrees to head back, and tells the bridge to go back to the Devron system at maximum warp. As Riker leaves, he cautiously asks Worf for a helping hand on the bridge, to which Worf agrees.
=== Act Ten ===
The Enterprise enters the Devron system, and does indeed pick up a small temporal anomaly off their port bow, an anti-time eruption. Picard was right, and proposes to stop it before it can travel back through time. Riker asks Data for any ideas. Data suggests that the tachyon pulses should be shut down in the other time periods. Picard shuts down the pulse in both the present and the past, but the anomaly remains unaffected. The only way to stop the eruption is to seal the rupture at the convergence point, by using a static warp shell. In the past, Picard orders the Enterprise into the anomaly, and Tasha Yar refuses to put the ship in jeopardy. She asks for an explanation, but Picard can not give an explanation. He tells them what they have to do, take the ship to the center of the anomaly, and create a static warp shell. He tells them that they may not survive, but that this has to be done, because what is at stake is far more than any of them could imagine. He tells them about the faith he has in them, and asks for their trust in return. They agree, and make preparations to go in. 
In the present, Data makes the same suggestion, and Picard orders the Enterprise in. In the future, the same is done, as the Enterprise heads towards the anomaly. Temporal energy interferes with main power once they enter, but they attempt to stabilize it. At the center, all three ships initiate the warp shell, and a new subspace barrier forms. All three time periods overlap, and there are now three Enterprises visible. The warp shell is working, but the temporal energy ruptures the past Enterprises warp containment system, causing an anti-matter eruption, destroying the ship. On the present ship, the containment system also goes, and the present Enterprise is destroyed. On the future Enterprise, as La Forge reports that the anomaly is nearly gone. Q also appears to Picard, telling him that he will miss him and he had potential but "then again, all good things must come to an end." At that point, the containment system is lost, and the ship is destroyed, along with the anomaly.
"The continuum didn't think you had it in you Jean-Luc, but I knew you did."
Picard is now back in the courtroom with Q, sitting with his head in his hands. Upon hearing Q's voice, he learns that the anomaly was indeed collapsed, and Humanity was saved, once again, and everyone is safe. Picard then proceeds to thank Q for helping him get out of it. Q admits that he got Picard into it (under orders from the Continuum), but it was his choice alone to give him a helping hand. Picard hopes that he never finds himself in the courtroom again, causing Q to ask if Picard has been paying attention… the trial never ends. The Continuum wanted to see if Humanity could expand their mind and horizons and for one brief moment Picard did, when he realized the paradox. Q tells Picard that during that one moment, his mind was open to possibilities that he had never considered before. That is the journey that truly awaits Humanity, exploring the unknown possibilities of existence. Picard asks Q if there's something he's trying to tell him, and it appears for an instant that Q is going to tell Picard something meaningful, but at the last second pulls back simply stating that he'll find out… and that he'll be watching, and may even drop in from time to time. "See you… out there", the omnipotent entity states to Picard before disappearing.
Back on the Enterprise, Picard is at the beginning of his journey, leaving a turbolift and walking into a corridor towards Counselor Troi's quarters. He asks the date, very much the same way he did at the beginning, and upon hearing that he is back where he started, Picard quietly laughs to himself. He goes back to bed, saying that he could use some sleep, leaving both Troi and Worf dumbfounded. As he records his log, he states that he is the only one who remembers the events of the entire journey, and that there is no anomaly in the Devron system.
In Riker's quarters, Riker, Worf, Crusher, Data, and La Forge are playing their weekly game of poker. At the end of a round (and the usual friendly banter), Crusher begins to wonder why Picard shared the information about the future he encountered with them. La Forge says that it sure goes against the rules they've always heard about not polluting the timeline, but Data believes that this case is different. Since the anomaly never occurred, the future they encounter will be radically different from the one Picard experienced. Riker thinks that Picard told them so that they would not make some mistakes twice, as he looks towards Worf meaningfully. Worf agrees, and they silently affirm their friendship. At this point, Troi enters, and joins the game. A few moments later the door chimes again and to everyone's surprise, Picard is at the door. Riker calmly asks the captain if there is a problem. Picard says that there is no problem, but wants to join them for the game. The pleasantly surprised crew make room for him and Data gives Picard the cards to deal. As Picard starts to shuffle the deck, he takes a moment's pause to regard his crew and friends and notes that he should have done this a long time ago. Troi tells him he was always welcome, and Picard starts to deal the cards.
:"Five-card stud, nothing wild… and the sky's the limit."
The Enterprise then heads off into space, to continue exploring the final frontier.
== Memorable quotations ==
"Now that was an incredible program."
"I am glad you approve. I have always found the Black Sea at night to be a most… stimulating experience."
"Worf, we were strolling barefoot along the beach while balalaika music played in the air… ocean breeze washing over us… stars in the sky… a full moon rising… and the most you can say is "stimulating"?"
"It was… very stimulating."
: - Troi and Worf, first lines of the episode
"I… I don't know how or why, but I'm moving back and forth… through time."
: - Picard
"Captain Picard to the bridge. Captain, we've got a problem with the warp core or the phase inducers or some other damn thing."
: - La Forge, to Picard in the future after visiting him for the first time in nine years
"How do you like your tea?"
"Tea? Earl Grey, hot."
"'Course it's hot! What do you want in it?"
: - Jessel and Picard, who is hanging onto old habits, in the future
"It appears we will be required to ignite the midnight petroleum, sir."
: - Data, in the past, meaning "burn the midnight oil"
"Do you really think he's moving through time?" 
(La Forge and Data exchange dubious glances)
"I'm not sure I do, either. But, he's Jean-Luc Picard and if he wants to go on one more mission that's what we're going to do."
: - Crusher, to La Forge and Data
"Q! We're here! This has gone on long enough!"
: - Picard, in the past, expecting Q to arrive during the Farpoint Mission
"Q! What is going on here? Where is the anomaly?"
"Uh, where's your mommy? Well, I don't know."
"Answer me!"
: - Picard, talking to Q as an elderly man in the future
"This anomaly we're looking for, will that destroy Humanity?"
"You're forgetting, Jean-Luc, you destroy Humanity."
: - Picard and Q
"What is a 'Q'?"
"It's a letter of the alphabet as far as I know."
: - Worf and Tasha Yar, not yet having encountered Q in that timeline
"Oh, you'd like me to connect the dots for you, lead you from A to B to C, so that your puny mind could comprehend. How boring."
: - Q
"Five questions down!"
"That's only four!"
"Is it a Romulan plot? Is it a ploy to start a war? Those are separate questions."
: - Q and Picard, during their game of ten questions
"Q's interest in you has always been very similar to that of a master and his beloved pet. That was only an analogy, captain."
: - Data, to Picard
"Oh, I expected as much. You're such a limited creature – a perfect example of why we made our decision. The trial never ended, captain. We never reached a verdict. But now we have. You're guilty."
"Guilty of what?"
"Of being inferior."
: - Q and Picard
"You obtuse piece of flotsam!"
: - Q, to Picard at the trial
"Humanity's fate has been sealed. You will be destroyed."
: - Q, to Picard
"May whatever god you believe in… have mercy on your soul. This court stands adjourned."
: - Q
"It is not for you to set the standards by which we should be judged."
"Oh, but it is, and we have."
: - Picard and Q
"Has Starfleet Command approved this arrangement?"
"No."
"I like it already."
: - Tomalak and Picard, discussing the latter's proposal to send one vessel each into the Neutral Zone to examine the anomaly.
"Strange, isn't it? Everything you know, your entire civilization, it all begins right here in this little pond… of goo."
: - Q, to Picard while observing life beginning to form three billion years before on Earth
"It's time to put an end to your trek through the stars."
: - Q, with a slight bend of the fourth wall
"Damn it, I'm not stupid!"
: - Picard, to Beverly Crusher in the future Enterprises Ten Forward when asked to return to bed
"I know it is difficult for you to understand, but we have to take the ship into the very center of the phenomenon and create a static warp shell. Now, this will put the ship at risk. Quite frankly, we may not survive. But I want you to believe that I'm doing this for a greater purpose and that what is at stake here is more than any of you can possibly imagine. I know you have your doubts about me… about each other… about the ship. All I can say is that although we have only been together for a short time, I know that you are the finest crew in the fleet and I would trust each of you with my life. So, I am asking you for a leap of faith… and to trust me."
: - Picard, in the past
"Mister Data, you're a clever man. In any time period."
: - Picard, to Data
"Two down, one to go…"
: - Q, to Picard as the past and present Enterprises are destroyed
"Goodbye, Jean-Luc. I'm gonna miss you… you had such potential. But then again, all good things must come to an end…"
: - Q
"The Continuum didn't think you had it in you, Jean-Luc. But I knew you did."
"Are you saying that it worked? We collapsed the anomaly?"
"Is that all this meant to you? Just another spatial anomaly, just another day at the office?"
"Did it work?"
"Well you're here, aren't you? You're talking to me, aren't you?"
"What about my crew?"
"The anomaly, my ship, my crew! I suppose you're worried about your fish too?"
: - Q and Picard, after the anti-time anomaly is collapsed
"You had a hand in helping me get out of this."
"I was the one that got you into it; a directive from the continuum. The part about the helping hand… was my idea."
: - Picard, thanking Q
"That is the exploration that awaits you; not mapping stars and studying nebulae, but charting the unknown possibilities of existence."
: - Q, to Picard
"Q, what is it that you're trying to tell me?"
"You'll find out."
: - Picard and Q
"See you…out there."
: - Qs last words to Picard
"Four hands in a row… how does he do it?"
"I cheat."
(Data glares)
"I'm kidding!"
: - Worf, Riker, and Data playing poker
"I should have done this a long time ago."
"You were always welcome."
: - Picard and Troi – 
"So, five-card stud, nothing wild… and the sky's the limit."
: - Picard, last line of the series – 
== Background information ==
=== Production history ===
* Final draft script: 
* Filmed: 11 March 1994 – (17 days)
* Premiere airdate: 
* First UK airdate: 
=== Story and script ===
* This episode was the series finale for Star Trek: The Next Generation.
* Brannon Braga and Ronald D. Moore wrote "All Good Things…" and later drafts of simultaneously. This often led them to mix the stories up.
* Early versions of this story included the Borg attack at Wolf 359 as a fourth main timeline. () According to Brannon Braga, Hugh would have appeared as well, helping to rescue Picard from the Borg in this timeline. (The Fifty-Year Mission: The Next 25 Years, p. 281) The story also originated from a pitch by Ronald D. Moore early in the season in which Q had gone insane, causing the universe to come unraveled. The other characters found themselves in a bizarre place, with Q as a homeless guy sitting in a corner next a garbage can muttering "I used to be a superbeing. I used to be a superbeing." Although Michael Piller did not want to do this story, he did like the idea of bringing Q back and using him to bookend the series. (TNG Season 7 DVD – "The Making of 'All Good Things…'")
* Michael Piller had an influence on the writing of the second half of this episode. "The first draft of 'All Good Things' was very similar for an hour, but the second hour wandered around without a clear story direction," Piller recalled. "I wanted Ron [D. Moore] and Brannon [Braga] to get more ambitious and suggested the idea of Picard working with different versions of himself in the different time periods to solve the crisis." 
* A line cut from the 2364 portion of the episode would have established Dr. Selar as being aboard at that time, acting as chief medical officer pending Crusher's arrival. 
* The episode's final line – "So, five-card stud, nothing wild... and the sky's the limit" – was coined by Brent Spiner. (Making It So, p. 375)
=== Cast and characters ===
* According to Star Trek: The Next Generation - The Continuing Mission (1st ed., p. 206), John de Lancie, upon hearing that The Next Generation was ending with the seventh season, approached Rick Berman. The book quotes him as saying, "I actually felt motivated and sentimental enough to go to Rick [Berman] and say, 'You know I've never asked you for a job, but I did the first episode, and I understand you're doing a two-hour last episode, and I'd love to be in that." Rick Berman is said to have replied, "Say no more. You're already in it anyway, whether you like it or not." However, when asked about this story in a interview, de Lancie denied that he had ever approached Berman. 
* Denise Crosby (Natasha Yar), Colm Meaney (Miles O'Brien), John de Lancie (Q), Richard Sarstedt (Enterprise-D officer), and David B. Levinson (post-atomic court spectator) are the only actors, besides the regulars, to appear in both this episode and the pilot , although Crosby was a regular at the time of the pilot.
* Patrick Stewart (Captain Jean-Luc Picard) and Jonathan Frakes (Commander William T. Riker) are the only actors to appear in every episode of the series.
* This is the only season finale for which Denise Crosby filmed scenes as Tasha Yar, since the character had been killed prior to the end of the first season. Yar appears in via stock footage and Crosby also appeared in the fourth season finale as Sela.
* The Romulan commander used, Tomalak, had not appeared since Season 4. This was the only time that Andreas Katsulas appeared on Star Trek during his run as Ambassador G'Kar on Babylon 5 (he later played another character on after the end of Babylon 5). With Colm Meaney guest-starring in "All Good Things…", this was a rare occurrence when regulars on competing shows Babylon 5 and appeared in the same episode during the run of both shows.
* Colm Meaney commented about this episode, "It was strange, very nostalgic. I thought it was a very powerful way for ST:TNG to go out. I thought it was a great story and a terrific episode. It covered a lot of ground and left you thinking." ("An Enlisted Man", )
=== Sets and props ===
* Several changes were made so that the sets would appear as they did in season one for the past sequences. The striping behind the captain's chair was removed, the ops and conn chairs were returned to a more reclined position, and the equipment lockers on either side of the bridge were also changed. The captain's chair itself, as well as the rest of the command chairs, were not changed back to their season one appearance. The master systems display table in main engineering, as well as the "plugs" blocking the second set of corridor entrances, were also elements that were added after "Encounter at Farpoint" that weren't removed.
* The past Enterprise restores the wood paneling to the equipment lockers on the sides of the bridge and the reclining chairs for the ops and conn stations as well as the gold ship models in the observation lounge, which were present in the first season. However, the Captain's Chair retains the configuration introduced in the second season. Additionally, as the past Enterprise enters the anomaly, the camera angle used that contains O'Brien and Data in front of the viewscreen has the non-reclining chairs for the conn and ops position introduced in season 2 being used.
* The bird sculptures in Q's courtroom previously appeared in the pilot episode . They can also be seen in Karnas' office in the first season episode and in the bar on Qualor II in the fifth season episode .
* The two-step raised platform for the future Enterprise bridge was re-used for , and elements of that bridge had been seen before in .
* The bridge of the is a redress of the bridge of the mercenary vessel that appeared in and .
* The console Romulan Commander Tomalak leans over to address Picard through the viewscreen is a reuse of a stock set element that previously appeared as a central console on the mercenary vessel's bridge in and .
=== Production ===
* "All Good Things…" entered production on Friday . The episode was scheduled to be filmed over sixteen days.
* The vineyard scenes with Picard and Geordi were filmed at Callaway Vineyard & Winery in Temecula, California on 21 March 1994. ("Starfleet Moments & Memories Year Seven – A Unique Family", TNG Season 7 DVD special feature)
* Production on began while this episode was being filmed. The scenes filmed were on the Enterprise-B sets. (TNG Season 7 DVD)
* Journey's End: The Saga of Star Trek: The Next Generation was mostly filmed during production on this episode too. This led to friction amongst the cast and production team, including an argument between Patrick Stewart (exhausted from having directed the previous episode, as well as appearing heavily in this one) and an Entertainment Tonight camera crew. (; )
* This is the only Star Trek finale of the 1990s and 2000s not to be directed by Allan Kroeker, who directed , , and . Terry Matalas later directed .
* Despite having been scheduled to be filmed over just sixteen days, this episode's shoot required a seventeenth day, which was Tuesday . On that day, filming took place on Paramount Stage 16, representing Q's courtroom, and on Paramount Stage 18, representing primordial Earth. As such, the only cast members to be involved in any of the day's filming were Patrick Stewart and John de Lancie. ("All Good Things…" call sheet)
* There are only three scenes in the episode that don't include Picard at all: the opening scene that ends with Troi and Worf getting on the Turbolift, a scene with Data and Geordi in Engineering and the scene on the future Enterprise in Ten Forward when the group discusses Riker and Worf's feud.
=== Editing ===
* The footage of the 2364 Riker reporting is a reused shot taken from . In that episode, the man featured behind Riker is established as Paul Rice (played by Marco Rodriguez) or at least the holographic version of Rice. He was digitally removed when the episode was remastered in .
* Early in the 2364 sequence, O'Brien reports that a number of ships have been reported entering the Neutral Zone. Several scenes which were ultimately deleted (but are included in the episode's remastered Blu-ray release, as well as being included in the novelization of the episode) that expanded upon this by having a section where Picard discovers a group of Terellian vessels trying to take advantage of the anomaly's healing and rejuvenation properties.
=== Continuity ===
* Past-Data seems to imply that the anomaly was formed by the convergence of the tachyon pulses from the three Enterprises (though his exact words are "It is as if all three originated from the Enterprise") In the future, it is in fact the Pasteur, not the Enterprise, that fires the tachyon pulse. Ronald D. Moore later said of this: "This is an error that no one caught until the episode was on the air. And who caught it first? Rick Berman's ten-year-old son. Kind of humbling." . 
* It is clear that there is no more warp 5 limit in the future. This limit was set in . In addition, ships in the future timeline are able to go above Warp 10, up to at least Warp 13. This would appear to contradict , where it is stated that Warp 10 is the theoretical limit. It is, however, possible that the warp scale was recalibrated in this future.
* Data begins a high-speed rant while attempting to comprehend the meaning of "burn the midnight oil." This is a reference to earlier seasons, where Data would similarly "babble". ()
* Due to a costuming error, Data wears lieutenant junior grade insignia in the 2364 portion of this episode. This is despite the fact that he is referred to as commander and the fact that he wore lieutenant commander insignia in , during which that part of the episode is set. Furthermore, Chief O'Brien wears a full ensign pin.
* In the future timeline, Data can use contractions, and appears to understand idioms, as he deciphers the captain's reference to "the chicken and the egg", which he was unable to in the past (as explained earlier, where he did not understand "burning the midnight oil").
* This was only the third Q episode to not have "Q" in the title. The previous episodes were and . Later, the episode and the episode also featured Q without having "Q" in the title, as does the entirety of Q's appearances in Picard Season Two, beginning in . 
* Picard, Data, and Worf are the only crewmembers to actively participate in all three time periods (although Riker only briefly appears on screen during the early timeline).
* This is one of three episodes where Picard is seen occupying the first officer's chair instead of his usual command chair, the other two being and .
* In the past timeline, Picard refers to a young Miles O'Brien and his passion for building model starship engines, a fact first revealed in the third season episode (though the former episode discussed "ships in bottles", not "model starship engines" per se).
* The 's possession of a cloaking device gives a hint that the Treaty of Algeron's agreement for the Federation to not use any cloaking devices may no longer be in force in the alternate timeline of the anti-time future in 2395. Given that the Klingons have conquered the Romulans in that timeline, it could mean the entire treaty was defunct.
* After this episode, very briefly became the sole carrier of the Star Trek franchise with the exception of the film . This began with and ended with in January 1995 before the premiere of .
* The conversation in the conference lounge around the mid point of the episode has some parallels to a similar conversation in . In both conversations the crew discuss an impending catastrophe related to time travel, said catastrophe is apparently a result of the actions or failure to act of one or more members, and in both cases Riker argues that an attempt to avoid the forthcoming disaster may in fact be what causes it to happen.
* It is unclear how Picard ascertains which of the three time periods he is moving between is the "correct" one. He has the information that the three timelines do not have continuity and are independent of each other. Yet he discloses that he is traveling between time to the crew of 2395 and 2370, but not to the crew of 2364. One reasoning could be that when Q convenes the court, he mentions that it has been 7 years, so that could be used as a frame of reference on which of the timelines is correct, but this is not discussed onscreen.
* When Q gives an opportunity to Picard to ask 10 yes or no questions, one of the questions Picard asks is whether Q is responsible and Q answers no. But as revealed at the end, it was Q who got Picard into the situation in the first place on the orders of the Continuum.
=== Reception ===
* After production wrapped on "All Good Things…", The Next Generation had its series wrap day on Wednesday . The cast got a ten-day break before jumping back in to commence work on Star Trek Generations. (TNG Season 7 DVD)
* In between the "Journey's End" documentary and the finale, there was a Star Trek: The Next Generation Viewers Choice Marathon that revealed the top five episodes as picked by the fans.
* During a discussion between Chase Masterson and Brannon Braga on the website "The Fandom" in August 2005, Braga stated that he thought this episode was the best Star Trek script he had ever written. 
* In their joint 2004 commentary for the DVD, Braga and Moore admitted that they felt "All Good Things…" turned out to be better than Star Trek Generations.
* This is also one of Rick Berman's favorite episodes. He called it "the best season-ender we ever did." 
* Damon Lindelof, the producer of and co-creator of Lost, took inspiration from this episode when writing an episode for the latter called The Constant, where Desmond Hume was moving back and forth through time just like Picard. 
* This episode won the 1995 Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation.
* This episode was also nominated for four Emmy Awards, a distinction it shares with only three other episodes. It won for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Special Visual Effects and was also nominated for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Music Composition for a Series (Dramatic Underscore) (Dennis McCarthy), Outstanding Individual Achievement in Editing for a Series – Single Camera Production, and Outstanding Individual Achievement in Costume Design for a Series.
* Entertainment Weekly ranked this episode #5 on their list of "The Top 10 Episodes" to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Star Trek: The Next Generation. 
* The book Star Trek 101 (p. 74), by Terry J. Erdmann and Paula M. Block, lists this episode as one of the "Ten Essential Episodes" from Star Trek: The Next Generation.
* In Canada, in addition to the episode's broadcast on CityTv, the episode was viewed at the Toronto baseball stadium, then called SkyDome, to an audience of 40,000 fans. 
=== Apocrypha ===
* This was the only TNG episode adapted into a , "".
* This episode was also novelized. The novelization includes the scenes depicting Picard's discovery of a Terellian fleet attempting to use the health benefits of the anomaly.
=== Video and DVD releases ===
* UK VHS release (two-episode tapes, CIC Video): Volume 89, catalog number VHR 2921, ; released as the two-part, non-feature length, version of the episode
* UK collector's edition VHS (including Journey's End: The Saga of Star Trek: The Next Generation): catalog number VHR 2923, 
* As part of the UK VHS release Star Trek: The Next Generation - The Full Length TV Movies: Volume 10, catalog number VHR 4110, 
* As part of the TNG Season 7 DVD collection
* As part of the Star Trek: The Next Generation - The Complete TV Movies collection
* As part of the Star Trek: Fan Collective - Time Travel and Star Trek: Fan Collective - Q collections
* As part of the TNG Season 7 Blu-ray collection
* As part of the All Good Things (Blu-ray) release
* As part of the Star Trek: The Picard Legacy Collection Blu-ray release
== Links and references ==
=== Starring ===
* Patrick Stewart as Capt. Jean-Luc Picard
* Jonathan Frakes as Cmdr. William T. Riker
=== Also starring ===
* LeVar Burton as Lt. Cmdr. Geordi La Forge
* Michael Dorn as Lieutenant Worf
* Gates McFadden as Dr. Beverly Crusher
* Marina Sirtis as Counselor Deanna Troi
* Brent Spiner as Lt. Commander Data
=== Guest stars ===
* John de Lancie as Q
* Andreas Katsulas as Tomalak
* Clyde Kusatsu as Nakamura
* Patti Yasutake as Alyssa Ogawa
=== Special guest stars ===
* Denise Crosby as Tasha Yar
* Colm Meaney as O'Brien
=== Co-stars ===
* Pamela Kosh as Jessel
* Tim Kelleher as Lt. Gaines
* Alison Brooks as Ensign Chilton
* Stephen Matthew Garvin as Ensign
* Majel Barrett as Computer Voice
=== Uncredited co-stars ===
* David Keith Anderson as Armstrong
* as Data's cat
* Bacall as Data's cat
* Bandit as Data's cat
* Teda Bracci as a post-atomic court spectator
* Buffy as Data's cat
* as Data's cat
* Cameron as Kellogg
* Tracee Lee Cocco as Jae
* Marijane Cole as a female operations officer
* Nyra Crenshaw as a male operations officer
* as Data's cat
* Brian Demonbreun as Andrew Powell
* as Data's cat
* Holiday Freeman as a command officer
* Ogegko Gatoman as a post-atomic court spectator
* Keith Gearhart as an operations ensign
* Martha Hackett as Androna (deleted scene)
* Bill Hagy as a sciences officer
* Fumiko Hamada as a command officer
* Justin as Data's cat
* Lauren C. Kim as an operations officer
* Geri Lee as a post-atomic court spectator
* David B. Levinson as a post-atomic court spectator
* Michael Moorehead as a sciences ensign
* Tom Odom as a future command officer
* Pauline Olsen as an operations ensign
* Jerry Quinn as a future Ten Forward waiter
* Joycelyn Robinson as Gates
* Marco Rodriguez as Paul Rice (archive footage; not in remastered version)
* Rick Ryan as 
* Richard Sarstedt as a command ensign/lieutenant j.g.
* Sascha as Data's cat
* Shelley as Data's cat
* Sinbad as Data's cat
* Lou Slaughter as an operations officer
* Leslie Stump as post-atomic court spectator
* Noriko Suzuki as an operations ensign
* Mary Thompson as an operations officer
* Uma as Data's cat
* Guy Vardaman as Darien Wallace
* Tim Wachsner as a post-atomic court spectator
* as Data's cat
* Zeke as Data's cat
* Unknown performers as
** Bridge officer 
** Conn officer
** Docking officer 
** Eleven future Enterprise-D crewmembers
** Female sciences officer
** Fletcher (voice)
** Four Pasteur crewmembers
** Gates (voice)
** Post-atomic court spectators
** Six command officers
** Two operations officers
=== Stunt double ===
* LaFaye Baker as stunt double for Alison Brooks
=== Stand-ins ===
* David Keith Anderson – stand-in for LeVar Burton
* Debbie David – stand-in for Brent Spiner
* Michael Echols – stand-in for Michael Dorn
* Kerry Hoyt – stand-in for Tim Kelleher
* Nora Leonhardt – stand-in for Marina Sirtis
* Lorine Mendell – stand-in for Gates McFadden
* Richard Sarstedt – stand-in for Jonathan Frakes and John de Lancie
* Dennis Tracy – stand-in for Patrick Stewart
* Guy Vardaman – photo double for Brent Spiner
=== References ===
3.5 billion years ago; 2364; 2375; 2386; 2390; 2395; ability; accusation; acetylcholine; Alpha Quadrant; alphabet; alternate timeline; amino acid; analogy; anomaly; anti-time; anti-time Data's cats; anti-time eruption; anti-time future; anti-time past; anti-time present; antimatter containment; ape-like race; area of expertise; attack cruiser; bacillus spray; balalaika; battle readiness report; battle stations; ; bearing; Betazed; biometrics lab; Black Sea; Black Sea at Night; blood gas analysis; "bloody"; boatswain's whistle; ; ; building blocks; card player; career; chicken and the egg; Cambridge University; cat; cerebral cortex; ; civilization; cloaking device; ; cooking; ; cup; Darjeeling tea; dash; Daystrom Institute; dealer; deflector dish; ; Devron system; Devron system sector; DNA; Earl Grey tea; Earth; Earth Station McKinley; emergency power; English language; etymology; expression; Farpoint Mission; Farpoint Station; Federation; Federation space (Federation territory); figure of speech; fireplace; fire suppression system; focal point; force field grid; France; G-type star; ; Galaxy class decks; ; governor (vah'cha); H'atoria; hippocampus; hovercar; Human history; Humanity; ice pick; idiom; infusor array; inverse tachyon pulse; Irumodic Syndrome; judge; judge's bench; Klingon; Klingon Empire; Klingon language; Klingon territory; La Barre; ; ; ; Lake Cataria; leaf miner; ; level 2 security alert; level 4 neurographic scan; Livingston; long range sensor scan; Lucasian Chair; Luna; maid; ; McKinley Station; medical tricorder; medical ship; microscope; mind; mission of mercy; multiphasic temporal convergence; Munoz; (Klingon attack cruisers); neurological disorder; ; nightmare; novel; number one; nutmeg; ocular implant; ; optic nerve; oxygen isotope ratio; paradox; parietal lobe; ; peridaxon; petroleum; phase inducer; phenomenon; plasma coil; ; ploy; poker; pond; post-atomic horror; priority one message; protagonist; protein; psychogenic; puzzle; ; Q Continuum; red alert; renegade; replicator (aka replication system); representative; Rigel III; Rippert; Romulan; Romulan Neutral Zone; Romulan space; Romulan Star Empire; Romulus; ; secondary plasma inducer; senile; senior officer; shearing force; skunk; sky; Sol; spacedock; space-time continuum; spatial anomaly; species; s; star; Starbase 23; Starbase 247; Starfleet; Starfleet Academy; Starfleet Command; Starfleet Intelligence; Starfleet Medical; static warp shell; subspace scan; surrender; synaptic pathway; tea; temporal anomaly; temporal energy; temporal lobe; temporal mechanics; temporal paradox; temporal reversion; Ten Forward; Terrellian plague; Terix; throne (judge's throne) tomographic imaging scanner; trial; tryptamine; Type 6 shuttlecraft; VISOR; warm milk; warp core breach; warp drive; warp factor; warp plasma inducer; yellow alert; 
==== Other references ====
* USS Pasteur dedication plaque: Advanced Technologies; Aesculapius; ; Apollo; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; Engineering Division; ; Fleet Operations; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; Marin County Starfleet Yards; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; Skywalker Division; Tactical Systems; ; ; USS Pasteur dedication plaque; ; ; ; 
* Starship mission status: ; Alderaan; Alpha Laputa IV; ; ; ; ; Beta Cygni system; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; pulsar; ; ; Romulan Neutral Zone; sector; Sector 21396; Sector 21538; Sector 22358; Sector 22846; Sector 22853; Sector 23079; Starbase 134; Starbase 434; ; ; ; Vulcan Science Academy; warp drive; 
* Spacecraft Systems Status: Bussard collector; captain's yacht; class M; gross vehicle mass; impulse engine; main shuttlebay Mars; navigational deflector; observation lounge; phaser bank; service docking port; shuttlebay 2; shuttlebay 3; torpedo launcher; umbilical connect port; Utopia Planitia; warp nacelle
==== Unreferenced material ====
Androna; merchant ship; Selar; Terrellian transport ship
=== Timeline ===
; 3.5 billion years ago (alternate): Q shows Picard prehistoric France, the site of the first amino acid formation on Earth.
; 2364 (anti-time past): The Enterprise-D is diverted to the Romulan Neutral Zone from the Farpoint Station mission.
; 2370 (anti-time present): …
; 2395 in an alternate future timeframe: Data is a professor at Cambridge. Picard is retired in France. Riker has been elevated to admiral. The Klingons have taken over the Romulan Empire. Crusher is captain of the Pasteur. Troi has died. La Forge is a writer and the father of three children.
=== External links ===
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Category:TNG episodes