Your Alter Avatar

The Architecture of Transformation
Transfigurations – S3E25

This episode begins by finding an injured, unconscious humanoid crashed in a one-man spaceship on a planet nearby. In sickbay, Dr. Beverly Crusher works to repair the humanoid’s injuries and retrain his limbs to move and walk. When he regains consciousness, he cannot remember who he is. They refer to him as John Doe. His healing and cell regeneration takes place at an accelerated pace and Dr. Crusher also notices another cell transfiguration happening in his body that has nothing to do with his healing. At one point, the transporter chief comes in with a dislocated shoulder and John Doe touches the shoulder and it is completely healed.

Later, the Enterprise locates his home planet and brings aboard Captain Sunad who says, “Kill him, Captain. He’s evil.”

John Doe replies, “You could learn from these people, Sunad. They don’t fear me.” 

Sunad responds, “They don’t know how dangerous you are and the others like you.” 

John Doe: “That is what you and the others like you have maintained for generations. It’s not true. Captain. My species is on the verge of a wondrous evolutionary change. A transmutation beyond their physical being. I am the first of my kind to approach this metamorphosis. They tried to convince us it was a sickness we would never survive. The pain and energy pulses would kill us. They claimed we were dangerous so they destroyed anyone who exhibited the signs of the transfiguration.”

Sunad: “We were protecting our society.”

John Doe: “By murdering us? You saw the mutations as a threat to your authority. You were horrified of something you couldn’t understand. Some suspected what was happening to them was not evil. … You hunted us down. But I survived. With the help of kind, generous people.”

Diversity or Division?

What if this is a metaphor for humanity? What if we are on the cusp of a wondrous, evolutionary change? That we are a noble creature and are evolving to a higher level of being? If that was our world view, how would things be different? For us individually and for the planet as a whole?

Which would you rather have? What are the consequences in a society where viewing others that are different from ourselves (U.S. vs Arabs, White vs. Black, Women vs. Men, Rich vs. Poor) as 'the bad guy'? Our view has a great deal to do with the outcome.

This episode contrasts the accepting and cooperative nature of humans on the Enterprise with the unaccepting and condemning nature of the Zarkonian people. It is a metaphor for the different sides and viewpoints of ourselves, as individuals, communities, and countries. Star Trek portrays a vision of a humanity that is evolving towards living in harmony with our differences. And by celebrating our differences, we bring each person's gifts into creating a better world for everyone on the planet. The real question is: What can each of us do now to transform and transcend? Not the other guy. You.

I think Star Trek has it right.

So what would you like your Alter-Avatar to be? Leave a comment. We could get some interesting Alter-avatars here.

And look for Part II of this episode in the next post.

Until then, Johanna