I got really into Star Trek a little late…
I got really into Star Trek a little late… about two years ago when the early series were on Netflix and my SO and I binge watched The Next Generation and Deep Space Nine consecutively.
While there were many characters, races and melodramatic plot lines to love, TNG’s ship counselor Deanna Troi was by far one of my favorites.
Troy, played by Marina Sirtis for the 8-season run of the show as well as a few big screen movies, played the warm heart on deck, often looked to for sympathy and support in the cold emptiness of space. She was also one of the rare females on the show to not be buried under a Starfleet uniform.
The mixed race human-Betazoid had some of the telepathic powers of her mother’s alien people, but more often than now found herself drumming up strength while the rest of the crew was in peril.
The actual actress who played her, Marina Sirtis, hails from the UK and managed to turn a broadcast TV show into a lifelong achievement. Not too shabby when you account for the massive/creepy fan base she’s developed and of which I am apart of.
You can catch Sirtis AKA Deanna Troi in person when she comes to the VA Comicon the weekend of 11/21.
So in no particular order, here are a few reasons why Troi was the best TNG character.
1 – In space no one can hear you ice-cream
As one of the few Starfleet women who clearly showed gender, Troi was often and inevitably sexualized throughout her tenure, but in her defense, she often used it as a way to exert power over men. Take a look at her chocolate ice cream ritual below and tell me she doesn’t have Commander Riker wrapped around her finger by the end:
2 – Feelings, wonderful feelings!
Being a telepath, Troi was often sought for her ability to look deeper into her surroundings. Sadly, only being half-Betazoid left her powers a bit less formed than desired. More often then not, the precision associated with telepathy would be replaced with vague or obvious assumptions as seen in the montage below:
3 – Mommy issues
While Deanna embodied a civilized and controlled female member of Starfleet, her mother, Lwaxana Troi, was pretty much an intergalactic cougar-hussy. She was often predatory to the point of hilarity, and I can’t help but respect the contrast and tension she created with her daughter.
These are just a few of the reasons Deanna Troi has forever been an inspiration in my life. That might be a bit of an exaggeration, but Sirtis is a badass and I’m pumped to see her roll through RVA this weekend as part of VA Comicon.
