Object

Kevin Uxbridge's Nonfunctioning Hand Phaser

A compact, palm‑sized Starfleet‑style low‑yield phaser found in the Uxbridge house, carried by Kevin Uxbridge. In the arrival scene the device appears scuffed and inert: power indicators remain dark and it produces no charge when aimed. Its inert condition is noticed by the away team and frames the device as a dormant threat and a narrative focal point for mistrust and investigation.

2 appearances

Purpose

Handheld defensive energy weapon intended to deter, threaten, or incapacitate; in the scene it is deployed specifically as a nonlethal deterrent despite being inoperative.

Significance

Acts as a tangible symbol of fragile control and false security: the phaser's presence heightens tension and underscores the away team's vulnerability because its inoperability turns an asserted protection into hollow theater, deepening the scene's psychological stakes.

Appearances in the Narrative

When this object appears and how it's used

2 moments

S3E3 · The Survivors

Waltz in a Ruined House

Kevin holds a compact low-yield phaser during the encounter as a defensive prop. It is inspected by Worf and referenced as nonfunctional, serving as a social signal rather than a real threat — a prop that underscores Kevin's guardedness and the couple's attempt at self-defense amid trauma.

Before: In Kevin's hand, presented as a deterrent though sensor-inert and nonfunctional.

After: Remains in Kevin's possession; continues to be a symbolic, nonworking object rather than an operational weapon.

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S3E3 · The Survivors

Refusal of Rescue — The Uxbridges Choose Home

A small, inert low-yield phaser is held by Kevin and noted by Worf; its nonfunctionality reframes it as a theatrical defensive prop rather than an active threat and helps the away team assess the household's intent and danger level.

Before: In Kevin's hand, visibly present but showing no active power signature.

After: Remains with Kevin and is acknowledged as nonfunctional; retained as a domestic artifact of fearful precaution rather than a viable weapon.

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