10 Weirdest Star Trek Doppelgängers
9. The Next Generation's Little Rascals
Where exactly do these young whippersnappers fall on the doppleganger scale? They might be unique, they might even be stretching the term, but they're also so very, very silly.
Ever wished you could be a child again? Just for a day? It's safe to say that Ro Laren absolutely didn't...despite becoming one of the cutest little ensigns we ever did see. Rascals sees Picard, Guinan, Ro and Keiko O'Brien fall victim to a transporter accident that physically turns them into kids while their minds remain intact.
Guinan's mischievous smile makes it clear she intends to have a blast during her second childhood...and she's determined to drag Ro along for the ride. Ro, however, verges dangerously close to sulking, for good reason given her unhappy upbringing in a refugee camp. No doubt many people would be mortified at the idea of revisiting their younger years. Meanwhile, Keiko struggles with the reality of family life, and Baby-Picard relinquishes command under threat of the bridge crew dissolving into giggles.
But the best part of the episode comes when the ship is boarded by Ferengi. Shut in the schoolroom with the real children, Picard has to lead a revolt with a bunch of kids at his back. In a bid to get a message to Riker, Picard Jr. stamps his foot in an award-winning tantrum, demanding to see his 'Number One Dad'.
Of course, they manage to revert them back to adults, but in a touching conclusion to the escapade, Ro chooses to spend a little longer as a child. And Guinan's assertion that crayons can take you to more places than a starship is a beautiful pearl of wisdom. Maybe we should all spend an hour with crayons now and then, without a care in the world.