Stigma

Stigma, aired February 5, 2003

No Trip and T'Pol, sorry. A very good episode - funny and tragic (with a ray of hope). T'Pol continues to explore her own Vulcan heritage as Enterprise makes its way through space, and Trip continues to explore (or be explored by!) other cultures. Both characters have integrity - they have codes of behavior and both try to live by them.

Justice cannot be done to Trip or T'Pol in this photonovella of Stigma. The following is heavily focused on Trip (our bias is showing), but that is no reflection on T'Pol and her story - it is a limitation on how many images can be included before crashing all your computers. Trip's every gesture and facial expression were classic, but, because it is impossible to include all, here are selections.

Phlox's wife arrives...


...and greet each other by sniffing.




The cultural exchange begins.


**Well, that was odd.**


Phlox asks for information about the disease T'Pol suffers from, but claims it is to help research on a similar disease from his own world.


The Vulcans aren't buying it.


The opening of a scene filled with sexual innuendo. Quantum physics, or whatever, sure sounds fun!


I can take apart and put together any piece of equipment there is, that is one of the reasons Cap'n Archer chose me for this mission...


...because I'm really good at following instructions, but these instructions are...


...in Denoblian, which is why I am here. So let's go through it slowly...


...do you see the threads on the aperture ring?


Now remodulate the emitter frequency, that will initiate the neutron stream. (Aside: Trip is beginning to get the picture.)


Trip: "You're going to have to help me with this one."
"It's very simple. Insert the thick end into this opening...." (Aside: no one in the audience heard anything after that instruction. But there was more...)


"You can pull it out now. The stream should be initiated."


T'Pol and Archer dine. The Vulcans are coming.


The Vulcans arrive and want to talk with the Doctor and T'Pol. Archer is puzzled but agrees.


Phlox tries to cover for T'Pol and makes things worse. He should have said he asked her what she knew, but that she recommended asking the Vulcan physicians for more information. Hindsight is 20/20.


Drat those sneaky Vulcans. They have evidence of T'Pol and the disease.


Meanwhile, back at the Seduction of Trip segment, Phlox's wife is still reinitializing the neutron stream while gossiping with her husband. These Denoblians know how to multi-task.


Phlox reminisces how he wanted to ask Liesl to be his wife, but she already had three husbands, and Denoblians have their standards!


Trip left alone with Phlox's wife - ::I may be laughing on the outside but on the inside I WANT OUT OF HERE!::


Archer, justifiably incensed, wants to know why he was kept in the dark about T'Pol's illness.


Archer travels to the planet to ask the Vulcans for help. He is denied but...


...there is one who may prove to be different.


T'Pol alone in her quarters. She gazes at the candle. A call comes through. It is the one who may prove to be different...


...and he is. He will help.


A bit of hope for our T'Pol.


He is one of the mind-melders. He is caught between two worlds.


Meanwhile, Trip is trying to gain some sense of normalcy in his life by dining with Hoshi when...


...he spots...


...Phlox's wife (sorry, everyone, I can't remember Phlox's wife's name).




Trip: I hope you aren't talking about me in Denoblian, Hoshi, as you practice your grammar.


Hoshi: Yes, we are. Oh, Commander, get real. Phlox's wife was only pulling your leg.


Phlox's wife: Sorry, do you think she realizes I wasn't...exactly... pulling your leg?


Trip: No, not exactly. But say, aren't you a married woman?
Phlox's wife: I'm a woman, isn't that enough?
Trip: I've got to go, too, I've got to write a synopsis of the horror film to be shown tonight. **And it is nothing compared to the horror film I find myself in at this moment. I'm outta here.** (Aside: Nice focus on the butt exit, no?)



Trip: She's at it again
Malcolm: She is quite attractive.
Trip: This is serious. I need to tell Phlox what is going on.
Malcolm: Don't do it, my friend. Phlox angry is not a sight you want to behold.





Trip: Your wife, well, your wife is coming on to me. She has the hots for me. She wants me.


Phlox (gleefully): Has she offered to make you a rose-petal bath? And if so did you accept?
Trip: Phlox, your wife is married. As far as I am concerned, that is the end of the story. **Did I enter the Twilight Zone? I thought that was on a 8 pm?**


Trip loses yet another friend because he refuses to sleep with his friend's wife.


T'Pol packs to leave.


Archer convinces her to try to beat the system.


T'Pol and Archer before the tribunal.


The one who may prove to be different proves to be different.


The other tribunal members are shocked. However, the argument put forth to save T'Pol is abhorrent to her. She refuses to say that she was an innocent victim of an attack because then she allows the Vulcans to continue to assign blame rather than look for a cure.


Phlox says goodbye to his beloved.


Phlox: Too bad you and Trip didn't get to know each other better.
Trip: Well, I gotta get back to my warp engine, the plasma is running a little hot.
Phlox's wife: I know how it feels.
Trip: **Queue exit**


"Humans!" Shared laughter.


T'Pol will be allowed to stay on Enterprise, but she will fight for the one who made a difference. T'Pol hopes that others will speak out and end this senseless prejudice.

The End. Such a good episode. Trip and T'Pol were both wonderful.

A whole mess of folks have made comments

Nice pics.

Okay, so Mrs. Phlox is mackin on Trip

T'Pol has a really bad disese.

My question, does Trip know she's sick? or Does T'Pol know Mrs. Phlox has the hots for him?

Thanks for the pics, and posted so quickly! I'm hoping some wonderful author/ess will write the fic. for the 'missing scenes' where Trip does find out that T'Pol is sick, and they also have a discussion about Mrs. Phlox's flirting with our boy! You have to admire the woman's taste though! Lovely varying expressions on Trip's face, smashing pics thanks again.

A good, solid episode. Mixed humor and pathos very well. Got a kick out of the scenes between Trip and Mrs. Phlox (and here's to you, Mrs. Robinson . .. ) hee-hee. He plays blushing and aw-shucks, ma'am damn cute, doesn't he?

No, Cursor, Trip and T'Pol didn't cross paths at all in this episode. He doesn't know she is sick, and she doesn't know about Mrs. Phlox. I'm not sure, given the state of her health, T'Pol is thinking about Trip and what he is up to a great deal.

Integrity
It is the key word for both story lines.

Trip and T'Pol's own personal sense of integrity.

Lots a great Trip expression here. I particularly liked the pic of Trip standing back while Phlox and Feezal 'sniff' each other. Priceless. Of course, he and Malcolm in the gym was scrumptious!!!

Great pics, Myst. Loved the captions!

As always, myst, excellent work!

I really liked Stigma, and the whole integrity issue in both storylines fascinates me. Now we just need to BLEND these together and we'll have ourselves one hell of a pair, no?? Further proof that the two best characters on Trek are Trip and Polly.

FEEZAL - that's her name!!!

Great captions - made me laugh - especially our loveley chief engineer's (likely) inner most thoughts!!!

Wonderful work on the pic's and the cap's...

I dont think Trip ever came close to losing Phlox as a friend. If anything as the final laugh ( a gentle not cruel laugh that seemed to say poor thing.. silly but otherwise smart charming human)shows he is bemused at Trip.

And as been noted else where Trip was able to get across that personally this wasnt his cup of ta without totally condemning it.

And then we have T'pol who took even bigger risks for her sense of integrity.\\

Losing the only place she feels at home.
Because this time there is no longer any beating about the bush about this.. not leaving this place is of utmost importance to her now.

But she risks that and possibly her future life becuase she refuses to seperate herself from the persecuted.. though considering the circumstances few could blame her.

Oh her finding out about Mrs phlox may be handled off screen. She will possibly hear about it from phlox who will still find the thing so funny.

But as for him finding out about her illness.
I can see several of the writers of the show wanting dibs on that one.

Sorry, for the confusion. I was just joking about Trip losing Phlox as a friend. Phlox just didn't understand how Trip could turn down an adventure with such an attractive woman and Trip, being Trip, felt he was offending Phlox in some way by rejecting her. I was imagining, when I wrote the caption, poor Trip often being asked by friends to sleep with their wives (singly, not collectively) and insulting both friend and wife by refusing. It seems a recurring situation which could happen only to Trip.

Both Phlox and Feezal (thanks, zealousgirl!) seem bemused and, as you say, gently amused by Trip. Do you think Phlox had been talking about Trip to Feezal and that is why she was so intrigued from the very beginning? Or was it just a matter of one look and she wanted him bad?

Sorry for the misunderstanding misunderstanding..
:)

Actually I do think Phlox had written to her about Trip.
She sorta was looking at him right away like so that is the young man you told me about.

Possibly Phlox thought he was doing something good for Trip.

I mean better for him to spending time with a quality woman like Feezal then off chasing after some snarky princess or getting mugged while trying to pick up women while on shore leave...

But yeah over all Phlox was amused.. even when he told trip i thought you joined starfleet to find out about new cultures.

Yes... Trip and T'Pol were excellent. Now,
it must be scripted that they be excellent
together!

As usual, wonderful pics and captions. Looking forward to seeing the show.....

Myst, will you be doing caps of T'Pol's Quarters for that section of the site?

Some great pixs! I just love all of Trip's facial expressions! Can't wait to see the episode when it airs in the UK!!

Yes, Bucky, I did screen caps for T'Pol's quarters and added to that section of the Image Gallery.

Ah....Trip!! Both A and B plots were really good. I love this guy's expressions....too many to just pick out one. And I loved how CT delivered the "She's your wife" line 2 times in 2 different ways.....

I am really enjoying the Mal-Trip friendship too-I think they need to work out and talk OFTEN!!!! *hubba hubba*

Madame Phlox was the second wife, right? I wonder what the first and third wives are like?? And would they both have the hots for Trip too?

Phlox's wife is named Feezal