The Perfect Mate

TNG Season 5 Episode 21
Air Date: April 27th, 1992

The Enterprise is hosting peace talks between the Kriosian and the Valtian, two planets that share a common ancestry. The fighting between the worlds started because of the two leaders fighting over the same woman. It turns out the peace talks will be the Kriosian providing the leader of the Valtian the perfect mate.

Captain Picard only learns about this when a Ferengi who was rescued during the episode tries to steal some Kriosian cargo, which turns out to be a woman. This woman, Kamala is to be given as a bride to the Valtian leader. She has a rare ability which they call an empathic metamorph. She has the ability to mimic the perfect mate for whomever she meets. She emits pheromones which makes her near irresistible. Eventually she has to imprint herself onto someone which forms her final personality.

During the episode Picard spends a lot of time with her and falls for her as she does for him. At the end of the episode she tells him that she imprinted on him, and while she can fake being the perfect mate for the Valtian leader.

The episode starts with the ethical quandary of someone being given to someone else as tribute. Effectively a form of slavery. Kamala is played by Famke Janssen who also played Jean Gray in X-Men with Patrick Stewart. This was her acting debut.

One of the Ferengi is played by Max Grodénchik who played in the episode "Captain's Holiday" as a Ferengi and he eventually plays Quark's brother Rom. In all his Ferengi roles he wears the same prosthetic.

Rules of Acquisition

Rule 35: "Peace is good for business."

Quotes

"Mr. Worf, escort our Ferengi guests to quarters. Not too close to mine." - Cmdr. Riker

"My body is producing an unusually elevated level of what you would call pheromones. The effect can be quite provocative. Perhaps you sense it." - Kamala
"Aah. Unfortunately I'm not an empath." - Cmdr. Riker
"Oh, I think you're more empathic than you admit. At least when it comes to women." - Kamala

"Do you find me unattractive?" - Kamala
"I find you unavailable." - Captain Picard

"Penny." - Doctor Crusher
"What?" - Captain Picard
"For your thoughts. Penny for your thoughts." - Doctor Crusher
"Do you have one?" - Captain Picard
"I'm sure the replicator will have one on file." - Doctor Crusher

"I must admit, I'm curious." - Ambassador Briam
"Curious?" - Captain Picard
"I was chosen for this mission for a very simple reason. I'm 200 years old. The temptations of a beautiful metamorph do not easily reach me, and yet I would be lying if I were to claim that, even at my age, they do not reach me at all. But you, you worked with her, side by side, for days. How could you resist her?" - Ambassador Briam
"Ambassador, have a safe trip home." - Captain Picard