TNG turned her into a Romulan

The best of counselor Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis) Star Trek: The Next Generation episode saw her become a Romulan. Courtesy of her Betazoid mother Lwaxana Troi (Majel Barrett-Roddenberry, Deanna Troi could feel the emotions of those around her. This unique ability served her well in her position as a Starfleet ship counselor aboard the USS Enterprise-D under command Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) could also sense when others were hiding something, making her an important advisor to Captain Picard and an invaluable asset to the Enterprise-D. team.

Star Trek: The Next Generation, however, it did not always make the best use of Counselor Troi's abilities, often reducing her to pointing out the obvious or relegating her to the background. There were many moments where Deanna Troi deserved better as a character, and she didn't really get a chance to shine until TNG's final seasons. It wasn't until TNG Season 6 saw Troi finally get to wear a regular Starfleet uniform instead of her usual civilian attire. Troi's strongest episode has arrived TNG Season 6, Episode 14, 'Face of the Enemy', when she was kidnapped and turned into a Romulan for a secret mission.

Troi becoming Romulan was Deanna's best Star Trek: TNG episode

Troi’s best episode was TNG Season 6, Episode 14 – “Face of the Enemy”

Star Trek: The Next Generation'Face of the Enemy' begins with Deanna Troi waking up aboard the Romulan Warbird Khazara and discovering that she has been altered to look like a Romulan. Deputy Commander N'Vek (Scott MacDonald) then informs her that she needs to pose as Major Rakal of the Tal Shiar to help the Federation. Romulan Vice Proconsul M'Ret and his aides wish to defect from the Romulan Empire to the Federation, and Troi ultimately helps them achieve this goal. Throughout the ordeal, Troi keeps a cool head and skillfully navigates the complicated situation she finds herself in.

Because Counselor Troi is thrown into this mission without her knowledge or consent, "Face of the Enemy" initially robs Troi of much of her agency. However, she quickly assesses her situation and takes control, making excellent use of his empathetic abilities and knowledge of Federation politics. When the Enterprise encounters the Khazara, Captain Picard and his crew recognize Troi, but follow her example to maintain the ruse. They trust that Troi knows what she is doing and finally transport her back to the Enterprise just in time.

Why Star Trek: TNG Took So Long to Find Counselor Troi's Potential

TNG focused on other characters before Troi

The initial concept of Counselor Deanna Troi as a character was inspired by Lieutenant Ilia (Persis Khambatta), a character created for Star Trek: Phase II that started to appear Star Trek: the movie. Troi was originally created to be cerebral and almost Spock-like, but ultimately she took on more of a caretaker role. Troi and her empathic abilities changed significantly after Star Trek: The Next Generation premiere, and it often felt like the show didn't know what to do with her. With her revealing jumpsuits and obvious attractiveness, Troi lost some of the qualities originally imagined for the character, which disappointed actress Marina Sirtis.

Starting with the Star Trek: The Next Generation In Season 6's two-parter 'Chain of Command', Troi began wearing a Starfleet uniform and taking on more command duties. Later, TNG 7th season, Deanna also took the Bridge Officer Test and was promoted to the rank of commanderallowing her to occasionally take command of the bridge. When given the chance, Troi proved how smart and capable she was, but the first few seasons of TNG devoted more time to other members of the USS Enterprise-D crew. Still, Deanna Troi remains an integral part of Star Trek family and Star Trek: The Next Generation It wouldn't have been the same without her.