The ship is trapped in a two-dimensional wake. The solution requires Troi to use her human intuition rather than her Betazoid powers to realize the beings are acting on instinct, moving toward the string like "moths to a flame".

In this episode, the Enterprise is ensnared by a swarm of two-dimensional lifeforms pulling the ship toward a lethal cosmic string. Simultaneously, Counselor Deanna Troi suffers a sudden "short circuit" of her empathic abilities, leaving her feeling effectively disabled and "blind" to the emotions around her.

Guinan offers to take over Troi's job, noting the similarities between counseling and bartending. This push helps Troi realize she can still be useful using only her human intellect and intuition. Trivia & Legacy:

Troi goes through the classic stages of grief—denial, anger, and fear—eventually attempting to resign because she feels "hollow" without her gift. Do you think her reaction was realistic for someone losing a primary sense, or was it, as some reviewers suggest, "self-absorbed whining"?