Terrarium (episode)

For the artificial habitat, please see terrarium.

Stranded on a toxic moon, Ortegas must defy her deepest beliefs to survive.

Summary

Log entries

Memorable quotes

"Mayday, Mayday. This is Lieutenant Erica Ortegas of the Federation starship Enterprise. I just got kicked out of a wormhole. I don't know where I am, but I'm going down. Whoever hears this, come find me at these coordinates. And bring snacks."

- Ortegas' distress call

"Hello, Lieutenant Erica Ortegas. I have taken on this form so that we may more easily communicate."
"Who are you?"
"We are the Metrons. We've inhabited this region of space since long before your species walked upright."
"Why did you do this to us?"
"Curiosity."
"Curiosity?"
"Human and Gorn. Two barbaric species, each determined to destroy the other. But what could happen if you were forced together... with the need to survive? We found the idea of such an experiment... intriguing."
"This was more than that."
"When you first arrived, this creature didn't need you to survive. It kept you alive because it was lonely. And you, you managed to work past your pain and trauma. There is hope for your two species."
"Well, pardon me for saying, but I don't care what you think."
"The violent reaction of your fellow human has given us much to consider. We need more data to determine if the human and the Gorn will ever find peace."

- A Metron, explaining their actions to Ortegas

"You are not ready to meet us. You won't remember me, and perhaps someday we may need to reset your perception of the Gorn as well."
"What will I remember?"
"What you experienced. It was genuine. You may keep it."

- The Metron, erasing Ortegas' memory of their first contact

"What you had to face down there... what happened to the Gorn..."
"She kept me alive. She saved me. She was my friend. La'An is my friend, too. I don't know what to do with that."
"They both wanted to protect you."
"So what do I do now?"
"You remember her."

- Uhura, comforting a grieving Ortegas

Background information

Title

This episode's title was revealed via press release on 5 June 2025. [1]

Story and script

Preproduction

Production

Postproduction

Cast and characters

Despite being credited, Jess Bush (Christine Chapel), Babs Olusanmokun (Joseph M'Benga), and Martin Quinn (Montgomery Scott) do not appear in this episode.

Sets and props

Costumes

Soundtrack

Special effects

Continuity

The plot of this episode is similar to the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "The Enemy" and the Star Trek: Enterprise episode "Dawn", as well as the 1985 science fiction film Enemy Mine.
At the end of the episode, the Metron suggests that they need more data to determine if Humans and Gorn could ever find peace, foreshadowing the events of "Arena" six years later.
The Enterprise is due to meet up with Captain Matt Decker and the USS Constellation, both of which previously appeared in TOS: "The Doomsday Machine".