So Riker, Geordi and Ro are sitting in Ten-Forward...

[chrinFinity]

Geordi says to Riker "…We figure an extreme lateral polarization bias in our chroniton-induced atomic super position interacted with perpendicular charged graviton field emissions, in some way that generates highly localized multiphasic frictional gradients. At least, that’s our best working theory."

Riker lets out a sigh, and says

Spoiler: Riker

“…Okay, I guess that explains not falling through the floors, but how were you able to breathe?”

 

[Mojochi]

I know you're joking, but I guess, it's the same way they were able to see & hear, when in Time's Arrow phasing makes you disappear. (& probably should) In The Next Phase & The Pegasus, the phased persons disappear to everyone else, but somehow allows them to see, hear & in some ways touch things (See also Timescape, where they can see & touch everything)

The idea that you'd be invisible, but the people you're invisible to can be seen by you is never really explained either, or that in Time's Arrow everyone becomes invisible to each other, but in Timescape it's the exact opposite, even though Picard's idea has them using the same kind of phase discrimination used on Devidia II (Mentioned by name)

So if they can walk on surfaces, then they are interacting with that realm, & breathing the air there is really no different. Go with it. It's fiction

 

[chrinFinity]

You were right the first time; it was a joke.

 

[Mojochi]

I'm right all the time

 

[Marynator]

I feel those things are rather cute to think about, but I don't over do it or I'll hurt my head and ruin my enjoyment. Basically my feeling is these shows have wonderful stories, and the science-y stuff is more setting than plot really, and worrying too much about it can detract from what your enjoyment of the narrative. That's why I don't like it really when shows are getting overly pretentious about realism, because they'll only be able to go so far and then will have to just take liberties like everyone else, but I so much prefer when they're just not pretending. But that's not to say I don't want them to try at all, lol oh dear I'm probably sounding like a hot mess right now I know. I do hope I'm making sense?

Well @Mojochi it looks like you've been converted more to my line of thinking, lol.

 

[Mojochi]

@Marynator , I've always known to give them some liberty, especially with the tech stuff. It just depends on how integral the details are I guess. This one is clearly meant to be overlooked. They've done phasing stuff in about 4 episodes, & it hasn't ended up the same hardly at all

Besides, I can't express enough how much I love this episode, despite its science believability issues. It is an absolute gem of a character piece. Every character finds a moment or two where you can see their personality come to the surface

It's especially prevalent in Data's funeral planning B plot. The irony being that the person whose advice he took closest to heart was Worf's, even though it was expressly given as the antithesis of advise.

I love how alien Ro comes across in not understanding the theme, after spending the episode having the foundation of her beliefs called into question & being hung up on what Will was planning to say about her.

Incidentally, if I had to guess what he was likely planning to say, from his attitude & what we know about him, it would've been along the lines of regretting that they'd been so conflictual with one another, that they hadn't ever really seen eye to eye, & that he wished that hadn't been so, because he probably did come respect her quite a lot, after the initial reaction.

I don't know that they ever did grief better as a theme

 

[Nakita Akita]

You're phased.
Duh, you don't need to breath.
Duh.
Did you miss Multi-phasic physics that day?