10 Best Star Trek Characters Only In One Episode

There are few one off TNG characters who stand out as much as Berlingoff Rasmussen. In the TNG episode "A Matter of Time," Rasmussen presents himself as an historian from the future. He raises several legitimate ethical questions about time travel while himself acting to profit by changing history.

The sheer gall of this time travelling con artist is unforgettable. A scientist from the past in a stolen time machine, he successfully fools the crew for almost the entire episode. His lie is so well crafted that at one point he has Picard practically begging for information from the future.

On top of all of this, his ultimate fate is an open door asking to be explored. His scheme ultimately comes unraveled and he is left stranded in the 24th century. However, the question of what might become of a man like this in the 24th century sticks with the audience.

While the episode suggests that he would be a subject of study it does not seem like a sustainable scenario. The high intellect, low cunning and charm which got him so far on the Enterprise would make him still quite dangerous anywhere else. In a universe with multiple methods of time travel, would someone like Rasmussen not attempt to get home?

In the end he is a rogue whose continued potential for mischief and winning personality make it all the more disappointing that we never saw him again.