Tin Man
When the Enterprise races to make first contact with a mysterious, sentient starship before the Romulans, a troubled telepath must confront his past and merge minds with the alien being to prevent a devastating war.
The Enterprise is diverted from its charting mission by the USS Hood, which brings mission specialist Tam Elbrun, a Betazoid telepath with a troubled past, and orders to investigate "Tin Man," a living starship discovered near the unstable Beta Stromgren star system. Elbrun's arrival is met with anxiety, especially from Counselor Troi, who knows him as a former patient, and Commander Riker, who remembers Elbrun's controversial role in a disastrous first contact. During a mission briefing, Elbrun demonstrates an unusual connection with Tin Man and Data discovers that two Romulan cruisers are also heading to the system. The Enterprise races toward Beta Stromgren while Elbrun contends with the overwhelming thoughts of the crew and the memories of his past failures.
The Enterprise encounters a Romulan warbird, which attacks to delay them, then recloaks and heads for Tin Man and sacrifices its ability to return home. Picard orders the crew to stand down, to Elbrun's dismay. Picard hopes the Romulans will reveal their intentions. Data and Elbrun try to learn more about Tin Man. Data is intrigued by the creature's dual nature as both a living being and a vessel. As the Romulans attempt to hail Tin Man, Picard orders an intercept when scans reveal they’re arming weapons with the intent to destroy the alien. But Elbrun suddenly connects with Tin Man, or Gomtuu, warning it of the danger. Tin Man unleashes an energy pulse that instantly destroys the Romulan warbird and damages the Enterprise.
After the attack, Picard confronts Elbrun, who reveals that Tin Man is an ancient, solitary being seeking death near the supernova-bound star. Elbrun insists that direct physical contact is the only way to truly reach Tin Man. Picard refuses to allow him to go aboard, but Data suggests accompanying Elbrun as an intermediary. As the Enterprise struggles to repair its systems, another Romulan ship decloaks and heads toward Tin Man. Picard allows Data and Elbrun to transport to Tin Man.
Inside Tin Man, Data witnesses Elbrun merging with the ship's consciousness, finding a sense of belonging that has eluded him his entire life. Elbrun expresses his intention to stay, and merges with Tin Man. Meanwhile, the Romulan warbird threatens the Enterprise. With Elbrun now fully integrated, Tin Man emits another energy pulse, throwing both the Enterprise and the Romulan ship billions of kilometers away to safety, just as Beta Stromgren goes supernova. Data is safely returned to the Enterprise. In the aftermath, Data reflects on Elbrun's decision, realizing that he found peace and purpose in his union with Tin Man. Data then says that he feels like he belongs on the Enterprise ship.
Events in This Episode
The narrative beats that drive the story
The Enterprise, on a routine charting mission, is unexpectedly intercepted by the USS Hood, which delivers urgent, classified orders. Captain DeSoto introduces mission specialist Tam Elbrun, a Betazoid telepath whose name immediately evokes concern; Commander Riker recalls his controversial role in the disastrous Ghorusda first contact, which resulted in 47 casualties, while Counselor Troi reveals he was her former patient. Elbrun beams aboard, displaying an abrupt and tactless demeanor, yet is uniquely unable to read Data's mind, a fact that both fascinates and unnerves him. During the mission briefing, Elbrun reveals the target: 'Tin Man,' a living starship of organic appearance orbiting the supernova-bound Beta Stromgren star, which requires direct mind-to-mind contact. The mission's urgency escalates dramatically when Elbrun discloses that two Romulan cruisers are also en route, intending to secure Tin Man for their own study, likely involving dissection. Picard assigns Data to lead life sciences. The act concludes with Elbrun angrily confronting Riker about the Ghorusda incident, deepening the crew's distrust and highlighting Elbrun's volatile nature while establishing the central conflict and the enigmatic protagonist. This segment effectively sets up the premise, introduces the key players, and establishes the high stakes of the mission.
The Enterprise’s routine mission to chart the Hayashi system is violently disrupted when the USS Hood—a ship Picard knows well—abruptly materializes on an intercept course, its urgency unannounced and its …
The Enterprise’s routine mission is violently disrupted when the USS Hood intercepts at high warp, delivering a cryptic, high-priority directive from Captain DeSoto. The crew’s unease escalates as DeSoto reveals …
The Enterprise’s routine mission is abruptly derailed when the USS Hood intercepts at high warp, delivering Tam Elbrun—a Betazoid telepath with a fraught past—as the mission’s critical specialist. Picard’s initial …
The scene opens with Captain Picard, Counselor Troi, and Data entering the Transporter Room, where Troi prefaces Tam Elbrun’s arrival with a warning: ‘He’s not what you might expect, Captain.’ …
This charged, high-stakes moment crystallizes Tam Elbrun’s psychological fragility and his desperate need for control—both as a defense mechanism and a tool to mask his discomfort. The scene unfolds in …
The moment Tam Elbrun materializes aboard the Enterprise, his abrupt, almost hostile demeanor immediately establishes his emotional detachment and disdain for social niceties. Instead of accepting Picard’s hospitality or engaging …
This scene is a masterclass in subtextual tension, where the Enterprise’s crew—particularly Riker—confronts the specter of Tam Elbrun’s past while the mission’s stakes crystallize. The moment begins with Tam’s abrupt, …
In a moment of rare vulnerability, Data—the Enterprise’s unshakable android—pauses mid-mission to voice an unsettling existential query to Geordi and Riker, asking if he feels 'not there.' His question, laced …
On the Enterprise bridge, Data—midway through processing the Vega Nine probe’s findings—pauses mid-sentence, his golden eyes flickering with uncharacteristic hesitation. The crew gathers around Science One as he reveals their …
In the Observation Lounge, the Enterprise crew gathers to confront the revelation of Tin Man—a sentient, organic starship orbiting the dying star Beta Stromgren. Tam Elbrun, a volatile Betazoid telepath, …
This pivotal two-part event exposes the psychological fragility beneath Tam Elbrun’s defiant exterior while deepening the crew’s unease about his reliability. In the Observation Lounge, Tam’s erratic behavior—his physical pain, …
As the Enterprise speeds towards Beta Stromgren, Captain Picard expresses growing concern over Tam Elbrun's mental stability. Dr. Crusher and Counselor Troi provide insight into Elbrun's unique condition as a 'switched on' Betazoid, born with overwhelming telepathic abilities that have led to a lifetime of stress, isolation, and repeated hospitalizations. He finds solace only in non-humanoid life forms, which offer a reprieve from the incessant 'tide' of human thoughts. Simultaneously, the Enterprise detects a cloaked Romulan ship tracking them, raising immediate defensive concerns and escalating the external threat. Troi visits Elbrun in his quarters, where he candidly confesses his profound struggle with the constant influx of other minds, likening it to drowning. He reveals his deep empathy for Tin Man, confiding that he is already in telepathic contact with the alien, sensing its ancient solitude and loneliness, despite the vast distance. This revelation underscores Elbrun's extraordinary abilities and his unique connection to the alien entity. The act culminates with the Enterprise reaching Beta Stromgren, where the tracking Romulan warbird decloaks, signaling an imminent and unavoidable confrontation, heightening the tension and confirming the dual threats facing the mission.
The Enterprise’s bridge erupts into tension as Wesley Crusher’s sensor anomaly—an ‘echo’ trailing the ship—triggers a cascade of revelations and escalating stakes. Worf’s confirmation of the object’s unnatural signature (likely …
This pivotal scene unfolds in two intercutting threads: the Enterprise’s escalating crisis on the bridge—where a cloaked Romulan warbird’s aggressive pursuit forces the crew into a Red Alert—and Tam Elbrun’s …
The Enterprise hurtles toward the Beta Stromgren system, where the sentient starship Tin Man drifts near a collapsing supergiant star—a cosmic ticking bomb. Picard arrives on the bridge to find …
The Enterprise hurtles toward first contact with the alien starship Tin Man, only to be ambushed by a Romulan warbird that uncloaks and unleashes a devastating volley, forcing Picard into …
In the high-pressure crucible of Main Engineering, Geordi La Forge makes a calculated but ethically fraught decision to override critical safety protocols, rerouting power from the ship’s structural integrity field …
In the heart of Main Engineering, Geordi La Forge makes a reckless but calculated decision to restore partial shields by siphoning power from the Enterprise’s structural integrity field—a move that …
This high-stakes confrontation on the Enterprise bridge marks the explosive collision between Picard’s strategic caution and Tam’s telepathic desperation. After dismissing Tam’s warnings about Romulan hostility toward Tin Man, Picard’s …
This pivotal event unfolds in two emotionally charged segments: first, a rare moment of vulnerability between Tam and Data in Data’s quarters, where Tam—frustrated by his inability to read Data’s …
In a moment of escalating tension, Tam Elbrun—overwhelmed by the Romulans' aggressive intentions toward Tin Man—takes a reckless, unilateral action. Ignoring Picard’s orders and the crew’s warnings, he forces a …
The Romulan warbird launches a surprise attack on the Enterprise, damaging its shields, then recloaks and races towards Tin Man, sacrificing its warp coils for a one-way trip to ensure first contact. Tam Elbrun, telepathically sensing the Romulan commander's intentions during the attack, confirms their desperate strategy to delay the Enterprise and reach Tin Man at any cost, also revealing a second Romulan ship is still trailing. Despite Elbrun's frantic objections, Captain Picard makes the strategic decision to order the Enterprise to stand down, opting to observe the Romulans' actions and gather intelligence rather than engage. While the Enterprise crew, led by Geordi, struggles to repair the severely damaged systems, Data and Elbrun engage in a philosophical discussion about Tin Man's peculiar dual nature as both a living being and a vessel, and the inherent purpose of existence. As the Romulans prepare to destroy Tin Man, Elbrun, in a moment of panicked resolution, makes direct telepathic contact, warning the alien, which he calls 'Gomtuu,' of the imminent danger. Tin Man responds with a powerful energy pulse, instantly obliterating the Romulan warbird and severely damaging the Enterprise. Picard, livid and visibly shaken, confronts Elbrun, accusing him of recklessly endangering the ship and its crew, marking a critical turning point in their strained relationship.
In the sterile glow of Enterprise’s Sick Bay, Tam Elbrun—physically recovered but psychologically unmoored—emerges from a fugue state triggered by his telepathic merge with Gomtuu, the sentient starship. As Dr. …
In the sterile glow of Enterprise’s sickbay, Tam Elbrun—physically recovered but psychologically unmoored—emerges from a fugue state to reveal the haunting truth of Gomtuu’s existence: a sentient starship, the last …
In the high-pressure crucible of Main Engineering, Geordi La Forge races against time to salvage the Enterprise’s crippled sensor arrays—critical for tracking the Romulan threat and Tin Man’s unstable energy …
In the high-pressure crucible of Main Engineering, Geordi La Forge and his team scramble to restore the Enterprise's crippled sensor arrays—critical for navigating the volatile space around Tin Man and …
In the tense confines of the Enterprise's ready room, Captain Picard convenes an urgent assessment of Tam Elbrun’s psychological state and moral integrity, forcing him to confront the volatile telepath’s …
In the charged aftermath of Picard’s private assessment of Tam Elbrun’s psychological state, Data seizes a rare moment of quiet to challenge the captain’s hesitation—not through confrontation, but through a …
The Enterprise is thrust into a high-stakes standoff when a Romulan warbird materializes, its commander issuing an ultimatum that forces Picard into a brutal calculus: surrender the alien entity (Tin …
In the wake of the Romulan ultimatum—a direct threat to destroy the alien intelligence Tin Man and the Enterprise if they interfere—Captain Picard records a raw, unfiltered log entry that …
In the high-stakes crucible of the Enterprise bridge, Captain Picard makes a decisive, morally fraught choice that will determine the fate of the crew and the mission. With the Romulan …
In the aftermath of Tin Man's defensive strike, the Enterprise faces extensive system failures, with Geordi estimating a daunting twenty hours for full repairs, a timeframe jeopardized by the imminent supernova and the threat of another Romulan vessel. Riker prioritizes shield restoration, anticipating further conflict. In Sickbay, Tam Elbrun recovers from his fugue state and reveals profound insights about Tin Man, which he now refers to as 'Gomtuu.' He explains that Gomtuu is an ancient, solitary being, the last of its kind, and has journeyed to Beta Stromgren specifically to die, seeking an end to its millennia of loneliness and the 'empty pain' of losing its symbiotic crew. Elbrun insists that to truly communicate and understand Gomtuu, he must make physical contact by going aboard the alien. Captain Picard vehemently refuses, distrusting Elbrun's judgment and fearing further reckless endangerment of the ship. Simultaneously, the Enterprise detects the second Romulan ship, which soon decloaks and heads directly towards Tin Man, escalating the external threat. Data, recognizing Elbrun's unique connection and his own ability to be a calming, 'restful' presence for the telepath, proposes that he accompany Elbrun as an intermediary, a 'bridge back' to his Starfleet obligations. The act culminates with the Romulan commander hailing the Enterprise, explicitly stating their intent to destroy the alien and threatening the Enterprise if it interferes, setting the stage for the ultimate confrontation.
In the disorienting, organic corridors of Tin Man, Tam Elbrun materializes alongside Data, his body immediately wracked by the overwhelming psychic force of Gomtuu’s consciousness. The alien entity’s presence floods …
In the disorienting, bioluminescent corridors of Tin Man, Tam Elbrun—overwhelmed by the alien entity Gomtuu’s psychic onslaught—spirals into a fugue of terror and pain, his Betazoid senses drowning in an …
With the second Romulan ship poised to attack and Beta Stromgren on the verge of supernova, Captain Picard makes the critical decision to send Tam Elbrun and Data to Tin Man, despite Counselor Troi's deep-seated fears that Elbrun will lose himself to the alien. Upon beaming aboard Gomtuu, Elbrun is initially overwhelmed by the intense influx of the alien's accumulated experiences, struggling with the sheer volume of information. Data attempts to contact the Enterprise for extraction, but a sudden force field prevents any transporter lock, leaving them isolated within the living ship. Elbrun, however, quickly assimilates the information, finding an unexpected sense of peace and profound understanding. He explores Gomtuu's organic interior, discovering its control center and the symbiotic relationship it once shared with its lost crew. Elbrun realizes that Gomtuu, having lost its purpose and reason to exist, needed someone to care for, and he, in turn, needed a place where the incessant 'voices are silent.' He declares his intention to stay, merging completely with Gomtuu's consciousness, fulfilling his lifelong search for belonging. As the Romulans prepare to fire and Beta Stromgren begins its final collapse, Tin Man, now fully integrated with Elbrun, emits a final, powerful energy pulse. This pulse instantaneously transports both the Enterprise and the Romulan ship billions of kilometers away to safety, just as the star goes supernova in a spectacular explosion. Data is safely returned to the Enterprise, where he reflects on Elbrun's profound union and the peace and purpose he found, leading Data to a personal realization of his own belonging on the Enterprise.
The Enterprise bridge erupts into controlled chaos as the Romulan commander delivers a blunt ultimatum—threatening to fire on the Enterprise if it interferes with their attempt to secure Tin Man. …
The Enterprise bridge erupts into controlled chaos as the Romulan commander’s ultimatum hangs in the air, his threat of violence now a tangible sword over the mission. Picard, his voice …
The Enterprise and Romulan warbird are violently hurled into uncharted space by Tin Man’s cataclysmic energy pulse, triggering the supernova of Beta Stromgren—a cosmic event that shatters the status quo. …
The Enterprise emerges from the violent supernova of Beta Stromgren, disoriented and adrift in uncharted space. The crew—Picard, Riker, Worf, Troi, and Wesley—recover from the shock of the cataclysmic energy …