The Dauphin (episode)

Wesley falls in love with the new leader of a war-torn planet.

Summary
The USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D) is given the task of transporting the young leader of Daled IV, Salia, and her guardian, Anya, to their homeworld from their place of exile on Klavdia III. Their world has been in civil war for generations, and Salia is expected to bring peace to her troubled planet, which is tidally locked, developing separate cultures that dwell on day and night sides, which has caused the war.

In a chance encounter, Wesley Crusher and Salia meet each other in the corridor and become smitten. Anya orders Salia go straight to their quarters, but Wesley cannot concentrate on anything else. He bumbles in engineering, and La Forge relieves him of duty, insisting he talk to her. He has no idea what to say, and therefore visits Worf, Data and Riker for advice, where Worf regales him with a summary of Klingon romance, Data starts explaining the anatomic angle, and Riker lays his smoothest lines on Guinan. Wesley becomes exasperated at all three situations, and decides just to go to Salia's quarters.

When Wesley arrives, Anya is on a tour of the ship with Worf, where she becomes increasingly agitated at how unsafe the ship is. This culminates with her revealing her true nature as an allasomorph when Dr. Pulaski refuses to kill a sick patient. Meanwhile, Wesley treats Salia to a Thalian chocoloate mousse, and takes her to the holodeck, showing her the wonders of the galaxy.

They then go to Ten Forward, where she laments how she will never be able to leave Daled IV after she arrives. When Wesley suggests she stay on the Enterprise, she bolts from the room, and Guinan hints that Salia wants Wesley to follow her. She, emotionally distraught, yells at him, and goes to her quarters where Anya is waiting.

Picard tells Wesley not to see Salia again. However, Salia comes to visit Wesley in his quarters, telling him that she slipped out while Anya was asleep. As Wesley and Salia are kissing, Anya suddenly appears, and Wesley is shocked to discover that Salia, too, is an allasomorph, as both Anya and Salia shapeshift in a fight over whether or not she should be allowed to see him.

When the Enterprise arrives at Daled IV, Salia comes to say goodbye to Wesley, but Wesley is hurt by her deception and asks her to leave. Anya is transported to her home moon, and Wesley comes to the transporter room to say goodbye just before Salia beams down in her true form. Somewhat depressed, he goes to Ten Forward where Guinan comforts him and tells him that there will be other women.

Log entries

 * Captain's log, USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D), 2365

Memorable quotes
"Oh, I don't know if she'll have time for you, Wes. She's destined to rule an entire world."


 * - Riker, to Wesley

"Mr. Worf, have our passengers' accommodations met with their approval?"

"I doubt if anything ever meets with that woman's approval."
 * - Picard, with Worf referring to Anya

"I don't think this is my style."

"Shut up, kid."
 * - Wesley Crusher, while viewing Riker and Guinan pretending to flirt with each other

"This child is supposed to bring them together."

"She seems too delicate for such a task."

"Do not be fooled by her looks. The body is just a shell."


 * - Picard, Riker and Worf discussing Salia's role as leader of Daled IV

[Worf makes a prolonged scream.] "That is how the Klingon lures a mate."

"Are you telling me to go yell at Salia?"

"No. Men do not roar. Women roar...and they hurl heavy objects...and claw at you..."

"What does the man do?"

"He reads love poetry." [Worf regains his composure.] "He ducks a lot."


 * - Worf and Wesley

"You underestimated me in your sickbay. That is usually fatal."
 * - Anya, to Worf

"Go to her door. Beg like a Human."
 * - Worf giving courtship advice to Wesley

"Judging by her appearance, it is likely you and Salia are biologically compatible. Of course, there could be a difference in the histocompatibility complex in the cell membrane, but–"

"Data, I want to meet her. Not dissect her."


 * - Data and Wesley

Special and visual effects

 * Visual Effects Supervisor Dan Curry recalled the morphing sequences of the characters. For this technique his department used a painted morph scene, a hand animated sequence from pic to pic. Curry used this technique earlier in his career, on the horror film Jason Lives: Friday the 13th Part VI in 1986. ("Departmental Briefing Year Two: Memorable Missions - The Dauphin", TNG Season 2 DVD special feature)
 * The special effects team worked hard to achieve the morph effects, however director Rob Bowman thought the monster outfits looked terrible and tried to lessen their screen time as much as possible. (Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion, p. 78)

Sets and props

 * The star field shown in the background as the Enterprise-D departs Daled IV is a mirrored image. The right side of the central vertical axis is a reflection of the left side. This is similar to what was used for the star field on the bridge in the original Star Trek pilot,.
 * Wesley Crusher's superconductor magnet prop, slightly modified, appears again in as the spatial trajector matrix.

Cast and characters

 * Wil Wheaton receives his first screen kiss. It is from actress Jaime Hubbard, who is ten years older than Wheaton. (Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion, p. 78)
 * Madchen Amick was the runner-up for the role of Salia. (Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion, p. 78)

Continuity

 * The term "Dauphin" is French for "dolphin" and was traditionally used as the title of the crown prince of the ancien régime. (The French title for this episode is La Dauphine, using the feminine form of the title.) Some elements of this lost culture are present in the decor of the sets used for Federation Presidential offices in Paris through the.

Reception

 * Wheaton later recalled, "I used to get a lot of mileage out of this joke I'd tell at conventions. The first girl that Wesley fell in love with turned out to be a shape-shifter who turned into a hideous monster, y'know after he had exposed his soul to her. Which happened a lot to me in my personal life. And I was glad Star Trek was able to capture that parallel." (Intergalactic Guest Stars, TNG Season 5 DVD special features)
 * Director Rob Bowman remembers, "Decent show about Wesley Crusher falling in love for the first time. I just felt that there was no real conflict there. We did the best we could with a simple story." ("Rob Borman - Director of a Dozen", The Official Star Trek: The Next Generation Magazine Vol. 10, p. 19)
 * A mission report for this episode by Robert Greenberger was published in The Official Star Trek: The Next Generation Magazine Vol. 8, pp. 17-21.
 * First UK airdate: 5th June 1991

Video and DVD releases

 * Original UK VHS release (two-episode tapes, CIC Video): Volume 18, catalogue number VHR 2471,.
 * UK re-release (three-episode tapes, Paramount Home Entertainment): Volume 2.4, catalogue number VHR 4740,.
 * As part of the TNG Season 2 DVD collection.
 * As part of the TNG Season 2 Blu-ray collection.

Starring

 * Patrick Stewart as Capt. Jean-Luc Picard
 * Jonathan Frakes as Cmdr. William Riker

Also starring

 * LeVar Burton as Lt. Geordi La Forge
 * Michael Dorn as Lt. Worf
 * Marina Sirtis as Counselor Deanna Troi
 * Brent Spiner as Lt. Commander Data
 * Wil Wheaton as Wesley Crusher

Special appearance by

 * Diana Muldaur as Doctor Pulaski

Guest stars

 * Paddi Edwards as Anya
 * Jamie Hubbard as Salia
 * And

Special guest star

 * Whoopi Goldberg as Guinan

Co-stars

 * Colm Meaney as Chief O'Brien
 * Peter Neptune as Aron
 * Mädchen Amick as Teenage Girl
 * Cindy Sorensen as Furry Animal
 * Jennifer Barlow as Ensign Gibson

Uncredited co-stars

 * Michael Braveheart as Martinez
 * Dexter Clay as an operations division officer
 * Alex Daniels as large creature
 * Tim McCormack as Bennett
 * Randy Pflug as Ten Forward waiter
 * Guy Vardaman as Darien Wallace
 * Unknown performers as
 * Boliska
 * Daled IV contact (voice)
 * Hennesey
 * Male USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D) computer voice
 * Salia as the large creature
 * Security officer

Stand-ins

 * James G. Becker - stand-in for Jonathan Frakes
 * Darrell Burris - stand-in for LeVar Burton
 * Dexter Clay - stand-in for Michael Dorn
 * Jeffrey Deacon - stand-in for Patrick Stewart
 * Nora Leonhardt - stand-in for Marina Sirtis
 * Tim McCormack - stand-in for Brent Spiner
 * Guy Vardaman - stand-in for Wil Wheaton