Making sense of "Masks" episode

There has been a lot of love or hate regarding this episode. Also a lot of people are kind of confused as to what to make of it.

Here is my take on it and let me see if others agree.

Some ancient species from 87 million years ago sent the equivalent of a holonovel about their ancient myths into space to preserve their culture. (sort of like our Voyager Golden Record IRL). However, unlike Federation holonovel programs that require a holodeck to run it, this "Masks" holonovel had the holodeck built-in. So when you run it, the Masks archive is the holonovel and holodeck rolled into one and transforms nearby space into the world of that ancient civilization.

Unfortunately, the Masks archive was prematurely activated (or perhaps was defective) and started transforming the Enterprise. Maybe it was meant to be activated in some empty area on a planet or something to that effect. Maybe there was instructions on how to turn it on but it got turned on accidentally?

In human terms, it would be like if someone created a holonovel about ancient Greek mythology. But instead of requiring a holodeck, this holonovel had the holodeck built-in. And then we sent into space to be retrieved by future peoples.

Is this the way others interpret this episode as well?

 

The alien ship was actually built by the same race that sent the "spider parasites" in Conspiracy. By materializing it's holographic library, it would neutralize the threat of the federation catching on and the parasites would beam over under cover of the library transmission.
Unfortunately, all the parasites died before they encountered the Enterprise.

 

There's the problem, no one reads the instructions until it's absolutely necessary and maybe too late.

 

I just assumed it was another slant on "the Enterprise gets hacked" episode, like Contagion. Just like the archive used Data to reenact its characters, instead of using something simple, like the holodeck, it used either the replicators or transporters, or both, to reconfigure the matter present on the ship into its own artifacts. So yes, a holonovel of sorts, but designed from existing matter, perhaps even with the ship's own systems. They got a 2for1 deal. It's a ship gets hacked AND a Data gets hacked episode

 

I loved this episode. Spiner's performance as the old man--staying by the fire to keep warm

 

I felt it was all a bit forced. He was giving good performances, but it was all just so much to throw into the mix. It played like a one-man show simply for the sake of letting the guy who NEVER gets to play emotions have the chance to show his range & diversity, like they were throwing him a bone. That's kind of a weak reason around which to build an episode. It felt obligatory, even the 1st time I saw it

 

I like "Masks".
I do have a soft spot for somewhat spooky episodes like "Conundrum" and "Masks". Not to mention that Spiner's acting is so incredibly good in "Masks".

I also agree iwith what polyharmonic wrote about the original purpose of the D'Arsay was to have the archive activated on some planet, not on board a starship.

 

Me too. I actually lean toward Schisms & Night Terrors for my favorite spooky ones, but Dark Page, Phantasms, & Realm of Fear have a bit of that going for them too, & are pretty solid episodes too.

 

aliens putting sun worshiping stories in thier very expensive probe? Makes sense! Starships turning into stone with no repercussions? no problem.

A carrier wave that works perfectly and interfaces with a computer it's never designed to work with? No way in hell.

 

I had no idea people hated masks till years later. I love episodes about mythology and history of other cultures.

 

Honestly, I don't hate it. It may seem that way, because I barely rewatch it, & I think it's a little cheap & paper thin as a concept, but I don't hate it. They do a heck of a job producing it

 

I don't hate the episode, but even for Star Trek the transformation process of the ship is weird. Like how the program would know to turn a console to a haystack but not to mess with the hull the life support.

The mythology part I like, just the transformation process of the ship is super dumb.

 

It is silly but the masks, names, and Spiner made it a fave of mine.

 

Imagine if it had gone in the direction of the horror film--THE RUINS

 

I saw it when it first aired. I already knew it was a gonna be a campy episode by the second commercial break...

 

Pretty much, except the archive used what it had at hand to re-create the world. In this case, the Enterprise's replicator technology. As we have seen in Trek's universe, the exchanging of matter and energy is fairly commonplace and is also used to a degree in transporter technology. So while based on mythology, it's not magic.

RAMA

 

Then the entire issue is resolved when the ship has a warp core breach and destroys the probe. Galaxy-class warp cores were made from tissue papers after all.

 

Here's how to make sense of "Masks":

 

I didn't hate Masks when I first saw it. Just thought it was a middle of the road episode.