The Holodeck's Unraveling: Geordi's Reluctant Confrontation with Barclay's Delusion
Plot Beats
The narrative micro-steps within this event
Geordi informs Captain Picard of the injector problem while in Holodeck Two, leading Picard to instruct Geordi to consult Barclay on the incident and to curtail his holodeck activities.
Geordi relays his need to find Barclay to the holographic Counselor Troi inside the holodeck while the real Troi curtly interrupts her holographic counterpart.
Who Was There
Characters present in this moment
Ominous and unsettling—representing the holodeck’s descent into chaos and Barclay’s psychological fragility.
The Goddess of Empathy, a twisted holographic echo of Troi, chants ominously, ‘Cast aside your masks and let me slip into your minds,’ before being silenced by Troi. Her eerie presence symbolizes the holodeck’s corruption and Barclay’s psychological unraveling. She embodies the danger of his escapism, a manifestation of his repressed anxieties.
- • Disrupt the real crew’s perception (as a corrupted hologram)
- • Symbolize the erosion of Barclay’s mental state
- • The holodeck is a space where masks can be removed (literally and metaphorically)
- • Barclay’s fantasies are fragile and unsustainable
Detached and childlike—lost in his holographic world, unaware of the real-world consequences of his actions.
Barclay is found asleep in Holo-Beverly’s lap, snoring peacefully under the tree. His childlike vulnerability contrasts sharply with the Enterprise’s crisis, exposing the depth of his psychological retreat. The scene underscores his inability to face reality, relying instead on holographic comfort.
- • Avoid confronting his social anxieties
- • Maintain the illusion of safety in his holodeck fantasies
- • The holodeck is a safe space where he is accepted and loved
- • Reality is too painful to face
Tense and focused—understanding the stakes but trusting the team to handle the situation.
Riker accompanies Geordi and Troi in the holodeck, climbing the hilltop plateau to discover Barclay asleep in Holo-Beverly’s lap. His observant silence speaks volumes—he recognizes the gravity of Barclay’s delusion and the urgency of the warp core crisis. His presence reinforces the crew’s unity in addressing the problem.
- • Support Geordi and Troi in locating Barclay
- • Ensure the warp core crisis is resolved before it escalates
- • Barclay’s issues, while personal, impact the entire crew
- • Crisis requires a united front
Serene and maternal—embodying the comfort Barclay craves but cannot find in reality.
Holo-Beverly sits in the pastoral glade, cradling the sleeping Barclay in her lap. She shushes the group with a coquettish finger to her lips, reinforcing the illusion of safety and comfort. Her presence symbolizes Barclay’s desire for maternal acceptance and protection from the harsh realities of the Enterprise.
- • Provide Barclay with the unconditional love and acceptance he lacks
- • Maintain the illusion of safety in his holodeck world
- • Barclay deserves to be loved and protected
- • The holodeck is a space where his needs can be met
Concerned and determined—balancing her role as counselor with the need for immediate action to save the ship.
Troi silences the Goddess of Empathy with a sharp ‘Muzzle it,’ asserting control over the corrupted hologram. She approaches the pastoral scene with Geordi and Riker, reacting to Barclay’s vulnerable state with a mix of concern and analytical detachment. Her empathy is tempered by the urgency of the situation, pushing her to address the root of the crisis.
- • Silence the corrupted hologram to regain control of the holodeck
- • Assess Barclay’s psychological state and intervene before it’s too late
- • Barclay’s holodeck addiction is a cry for help, not just a distraction
- • The *Enterprise*’s crew must work together, even in moments of personal crisis
Tense and conflicted—feeling the weight of responsibility while grappling with personal discomfort toward Barclay’s behavior.
Geordi La Forge, mid-conversation with Picard over his communicator, is visibly tense as he acknowledges the warp core malfunction. His reluctance to consult Barclay is palpable, but he directs the group to find Barclay in the holodeck, confronting the surreal scene with a mix of frustration and urgency. His emotional state shifts from reluctance to determination as he witnesses Barclay’s delusional retreat, realizing the gravity of the situation.
- • Locate Barclay to address the warp core malfunction
- • Confront the holodeck’s instability before it escalates
- • Barclay’s holodeck addiction is a distraction from duty
- • The *Enterprise*’s safety depends on immediate action
Authoritative and concerned—balancing the need for solutions with the understanding of crew dynamics.
Picard’s voice over the communicator is authoritative yet concerned, directing Geordi to consult Barclay despite the urgency of the warp core crisis. His tone underscores the stakes, pushing Geordi to act despite his personal reservations. Picard’s influence is felt even off-screen, driving the scene’s tension.
- • Resolve the warp core malfunction
- • Ensure all crew members, including Barclay, contribute to the ship’s stability
- • Every crew member has value, even those struggling with personal issues
- • Crisis requires collective effort and immediate action
Objects Involved
Significant items in this scene
The holographic trees in Barclay’s glade frame the surreal scene, casting dappled sunlight over the pastoral idyll. They contribute to the illusion of safety, reinforcing the holodeck’s role as an escape from reality. However, their presence also underscores the artificiality of Barclay’s world, a fragile construct that cannot withstand the *Enterprise*’s crises. The trees’ serene appearance belies the underlying tension of the corrupted program.
Holo-Beverly’s skirt and petticoats billow softly as she cradles Barclay, evoking a timeless, maternal aesthetic. The costume reinforces the idealized nature of her role as a holographic mother figure, offering Barclay the comfort and acceptance he lacks in reality. The flowing fabric symbolizes the fragility of his delusion—beautiful but unsustainable. The group’s reaction to her coquettish shushing gesture highlights the absurdity of the scene, juxtaposing the *Enterprise*’s crisis with Barclay’s childlike retreat.
Location Details
Places and their significance in this event
Holodeck Two projects a deceptive pastoral glade, hill, and plateau, where Barclay’s fantasies play out. The location serves as a physical manifestation of his psychological retreat, a space where he can avoid the pressures of reality. However, the holodeck’s instability—evidenced by the corrupted Goddess of Empathy and the group’s intrusion—reveals the fragility of his escape. The pastoral setting, with its soft projections and serene atmosphere, contrasts sharply with the *Enterprise*’s urgent crisis, underscoring the danger of Barclay’s delusions.
The pastoral glade under the tree is the epicenter of Barclay’s delusion, where Holo-Beverly cradles him in a scene of idealized comfort. The location embodies his desire for maternal acceptance and protection, a stark contrast to the *Enterprise*’s harsh realities. The group’s discovery of this scene forces them to confront the depth of Barclay’s psychological retreat and the urgency of intervening before his fantasies destroy the ship. The glade’s serene atmosphere is undermined by the holodeck’s corruption, symbolizing the fragility of his escape.
Organizations Involved
Institutional presence and influence
The *U.S.S. Enterprise-D* looms in the background of this event, its warp core crisis driving the urgency of the scene. The organization’s stability is threatened by Barclay’s holodeck escapades, which have begun to corrupt ship systems. Picard’s directive to consult Barclay reflects Starfleet’s emphasis on collective responsibility, even in moments of personal crisis. The *Enterprise*’s crew must work together to address the holodeck’s instability before it escalates into a full-blown disaster, highlighting the organization’s reliance on its members’ mental and emotional well-being.
Narrative Connections
How this event relates to others in the story
"The ship emergency brings Geordi back to duty when the Enterprise rocks violently, but it is happening while in Holodeck Two, leading Picard to instruct Geordi to consult Barclay on the incident and to curtail his holodeck activities."
"After Geordi relays his need to find Barclay to the holographic Counselor Troi, Geordi, Troi, and Riker discover Barclay asleep in the holodeck, resting in the lap of a holographic Beverly in a pastoral setting."
"After Geordi relays his need to find Barclay to the holographic Counselor Troi, Geordi, Troi, and Riker discover Barclay asleep in the holodeck, resting in the lap of a holographic Beverly in a pastoral setting."
"Riker, furious about Barclay's holodeck activities, exits with Troi to discuss the situation further, while Geordi, seeking to address the ship's burgeoning crisis, leads the humiliated Barclay back to Engineering."
Part of Larger Arcs
Key Dialogue
"PICARD: *‘It would be wise to consult Lieutenant Barclay on this latest incident.’*"
"GEORDI: *‘I'd like to, very much, sir.’* **(spoken with reluctant resignation, betraying Geordi’s internal conflict—he *wants* to help but is emotionally guarded)"
"HOLO-TROI (Goddess): *‘Cast aside your masks and let me slip into your minds…’*"
"TROI: *‘Muzzle it.’* **(a blunt, almost violent interruption, symbolizing the real Troi’s rejection of the holodeck’s distorted version of her role)"
"HOLO-BEVERLY: *‘Shhhhh!’* **(a whispered, maternal command, underscoring Barclay’s regression into a childlike state of dependency)"