View source for The Bonding (Episode)

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{{ImageInfoBox2|name=The Bonding|file=tng153.jpg|caption="The Bonding" ([[Star Trek: The Next Generation|TNG]]&nbsp;153)}}
{{TableRow|title=Series|data=''[[Star Trek: The Next Generation]]''}}
{{TableRow|title=Season|data=3}}
{{TableRow|title=Episode|data=5}}
{{TableRow|title=Production Number|data=153}}
{{TableRow|title=Release Date|data=[[1989 (Production)#OCT23|23 Oct 1989]]}}
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'''[[Stardate]] [[2365#SD43198|43198.7]]: Worf makes an orphaned boy part of his family'''

A routine mission to explore the ruins of the [[Koinonians|Koinonian]] civilization ends in tragedy when a bomb left over from that people's long war explodes, killing [[archaeology|archaeologist]] [[Starfleet Lieutenant|Lieutenant]] [[Aster, Marla|Marla Aster]]. Now [[Starfleet Captain|Captain]] [[Picard, Jean-Luc|Picard]] and [[Counselor]] [[Troi, Deanna|Troi]] must comfort her twelve-year-old son, [[Aster, Jeremy|Jeremy]], who has already lost his father. The tragedy evokes empathetic feelings from [[Crusher, Wesley|Wesley Crusher]] and [[Worf]], who led Aster's away team. But just as the shock is beginning to wear off, the boy's mother reappears and transforms the Asters' quarters into their old home on [[Earth]], bringing joy and confusion to Jeremy.

[[Data]] discovers that "Marla" is actually an energy being from the planet below. After it is trapped with [[forcefields]], it says that it wants only to care for the boy, since the long-dead race that it once shared the planet with was responsible for Marla's death. Picard argues that [[Humans]] must endure suffering and pain along with joy, while Troi points out how Jeremy can never have a full life in the artificial environment. The alien relents after Crusher and Worf tell their stories, and the [[Klingons|Klingon]] leads the boy through the ''[[R'usstai]]'' bonding ceremony, making them brothers.

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'''Director'''<br/>
[[Kolbe, Winrich|Winrich Kolbe]]

'''Writer'''<br/>
[[Moore, Ronald D.|Ronald D. Moore]]

'''Starring'''<br/>
[[Stewart, Patrick|Patrick Stewart]] &hellip; [[Starfleet Captain|Captain]] [[Picard, Jean-Luc|Jean-Luc Picard]]<br/>
[[Frakes, Jonathan|Jonathan Frakes]] &hellip; [[Starfleet Commander|Commander]] [[Riker, William|Will Riker]]<br/>
[[Spiner, Brent|Brent Spiner]] &hellip; [[Starfleet Lieutenant Commander|Lieutenant Commander]] [[Data]]<br/>
[[McFadden, Gates|Gates McFadden]] &hellip; [[doctor|Dr.]] [[Crusher, Beverly]]<br/>
[[Sirtis, Marina|Marina Sirtis]] &hellip; [[Counselor]] [[Troi, Deanna|Deanna Troi]]<br/>
[[Burton, LeVar|LeVar Burton]] &hellip; [[Starfleet Lieutenant Commander|Lieutenant Commander]] [[La Forge, Geordi|Geordi La Forge]]<br/>
[[Dorn, Michael|Michael Dorn]] &hellip; [[Starfleet Lieutenant|Lieutenant]] [[Worf]]<br/>
[[Wheaton, Wil|Wil Wheaton]] &hellip; [[Starfleet Ensign|Acting Ensign]] [[Crusher, Wesley|Wesley Crusher]]

'''Guest Starring'''<br/>
[[Powell, Susan|Susan Powell]] &hellip; [[Starfleet Lieutenant|Lieutenant]] [[Aster, Marla|Marla Aster]]<br/>
[[Damon, Gabriel|Gabriel Damon]] &hellip; [[Aster, Jeremy|Jeremy Aster]]<br/>
[[Meaney, Colm|Colm Meaney]] &hellip; [[O'Brien, Miles|O'Brien]]<br/>
[[Turner, Raymond D.|Raymond D. Turner]] &hellip; Teacher<br/>

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[[Category:Logs|Bonding, The (Episode)]]
[[Category:TNG|Bonding, The (Episode)]]
[[Category:Film|Bonding, The (Episode)]]
[[Category:Prime Timeline|Bonding, The (Episode)]]
[[Category:24th Century|Bonding, The (Episode)]]