Depending on where you are in the world, it's the 28th of October aka Deanna Troi day. I created this thread for you all to share anything you want about her character. Post your favorite Deanna Troi fan art, fanfiction, say what you love about her character, state your favorite episode of hers, etc. I originally posted this elsewhere on this site, but I deleted it and decided to repost here. It's a personal essay that I wrote on how Deanna Troi's character helped me find my place in the world. Anyhow, Happy Deanna Troi Day and indulge in a piece of chocolate in her honor ๐
My essay:
How Deanna Troi Taught Me About Empathy, Identity and the Power of Kindness
The character of Deanna Troi in the television series 'Star Trek: The Next Generation' has been a source of solace and guidance in my life. From the loss ofย her empathy in the episode 'The Loss' to her embodiment of kindness and her multicultural identity, I found myself relating to her more than I had ever related to anyone else before. Through Troiโs experiences, I have learned the importance of acceptance, embracing my unique identity, and facing adversity with grace.
In the episode "The Loss," I deeply connected with Troi as I witnessed her sudden loss of empathy, an experience that resonated with me due to my own battle with Meniere's disease. Meniere's disease causes progressive hearing loss, bouts of vertigo lasting up to 24 hours, tinnitus (ringing in the ears), and a sensation of fullness in the affected ear(s). Similar to Troiโs experience, my hearing loss came unexpectedly one morning, leaving me unable to hear anything. The impact of the following line struck me profoundly: "How can you understand losing something you never had?" While people could sympathize with my situation, the sudden loss of something I relied on and the subsequent detachment from the world that I felt was challenging for them to truly understand.
As an introvert and highly sensitive person (HSP), I have often found solace in Troiโs character. I relate to her empathetic nature and the overwhelming emotions she experiences. Additionally, I have synesthesia, which means I perceive the world differently. Synesthesia varies for each person who has it, but in my case, emotions are tangible to me, both my own and those of others. For example, anxiety feels prickly and appears orange in color, while loneliness is a cold, grey sensation (like being wrapped in steel). I have never encountered anyone who shares these experiences, and mentioning them often led people to think I was seeking attention or that I had a mental illness. Consequently, I learned at a young age to keep this aspect of myself a secret. Despite being a fictional character, Deanna's shared experiences have given me hope that I am not alone in the universe and that there may be others who can relate to me.
I ended up developing a moderate hearing loss at age 23, which is why I consider myself late deafened. I found myself caught between two worlds. I was too deaf to fully fit into the hearing community, yet not deaf enough to be embraced by the Deaf community. This sense of not belonging was further compounded by the parallel experiences of Deanna Troi, whose character also grappled with a lack of knowledge and connection to half of her heritage. Troi's human father passed away when she was young, preventing her from fully understanding and embracing her human side. Similarly, my own father was estranged from his family.ย In fact, until I did an online DNA test last year, I had no knowledge of my Greek heritage. As a result, I grew up feeling incomplete, only knowing half of my identity. It was like there was this constant void in my life. I felt like I never quite fit in anywhere. I was either too much of something or not enough. I felt lonely and like an outcast; like there was nowhere in this world for me.
In conclusion, the character of Deanna Troi from the series โStar Trek: The Next Generationโ has served as both a guiding light and moral compass in my life. From her struggles with the loss of her empathy to her mixed heritage and her high levels of emotional sensitivity, Troi's life experiences closely mirrors my own. Through her character, I have found solace, inspiration, and a sense of belonging. Troi has shown me that, even in the face of adversity, it is possible to find connection, understanding, and resilience. I will forever carry these invaluable insights with me as I continue on my own lifeโs journey.
Thank you for sharing these with me. I'll definitely check them out. It sounds like we write similar types of fanfiction. I rMy pen name on Archive of Our Own is empathic_truthsayer (yes, inspired by the lovely Deanna Troi). ecently finished a two part series entitled "Child of the Stars". I incorporated a lot of my own experiences into the stories; writing is cathartic for me. It is a bit angsty: depression, self-harm, bullying, etc. I also try to create awareness for real life issues through my work (discrimination, disability awareness, etc). If you're interested, here's a short excerpt from each of my stories:
Child of the Stars
Family Branches (part 2):
Thanks for sharing your story. I appreciate "The Loss" episode a lot too.
I've already shown the fan art I bought from a a fellow Imzadian, but my favourite Imzadi Fanfic is my own. I haven't gotten all that I've written on Archive of Our Own, since I lost my website, but I asked a friend of mine to send me what she saved of my site or stories, because I don't have all of them. I will put my Trek story which is TNG/VOY crossover with a character I created (Deanna's little talked about little sister, from another father, who's older than Baron, who doesn't have the same father either). Hey, Lwaxana had a lot of men and she listed them all in some episode. Anyway, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mriana The Fourth Loss I updated after Majel died. It was helpful to update it at the time, but not helpful enough to bring my muse back.
I think I finally got my muse back again and I'll post the newest story with Imzadi in it (the TNG/VOY crossover and forgive me J/C fans, but Chakotay, didn't die, moved on from KJ in my story. KJ never died in my ST world either. Sorry J/Cers, I love J/C, but a man ends up moving on eventually if the woman set on leading alone. And that C/7 thing, never existed, just like W/T never existed, in my ST world. There is that.)
Incidently, @Val N my character went deaf too (deaf Betazoid who's father was 1/2 Cherokee and 1/2 Betazoid married to Lwaxana, but her dad died when she was 3). Do you know how hard it is, without over doing it, to keep the reader reminded that she is either communicating telepathically or in sign language or on a PADD, but not always talking and/or reading lips? Except for in one place, thanks to Bill Miller giving me the idea in his song, "Ghost Dance", which I can't devulge much more than that and I've probably given away too much already. I created this character years ago, who walks a variety of worlds, but never in one (deaf/hearing (because she can talk, but not hear, except telepathically, as well as one other place), Betazoid/Human), and ironically, she and Geordi had twin daughers long before Picard, unfortunately... Have to read the story when I put it up on Archive, if you want to know what happens. Warning though- There is a character [violent] death, but it's not Geordi, Imzadi, Chakotay, or KJ. I also rewrote some of the P/C crap in Picard, erasing the 20 lost years. Bev didn't disappear, Jack exists though. That's all I'm saying. Anyway, I'm painfully slowly working on getting my stories that I wrote before Majel died up on Archive Of Our Own. I might bring my website back again, since I still have the domain, but I don't know when. For now, "The Fourth Loss" is there, but I've already mentioned the character death there, given that I said it was a little cathartic to update it. Hopefully, if people like my latest story when I post it (two book, for want of better words, story) I'd say my muse might be back again, called "Spirit Bonded" and "Unbreakable Bond", which you can watch for, because it is Imzadi, P/C, and C/other (also Imzadi). I hope to post it while I'm on my staycation this week. One side note, I created her because there were no deaf people on the Enterprise regularly, but they had a blind man. I wasn't happy with a taste of Riva. I wanted a regular, so I created her, but I don't think I put her story in writing. I should though, but it sounds a little like "The Loss". Signs are hard to convey though. Even so, Deanna and Will are often there to help my character, family you know. Enough of that though.
Next favourite Imzadi stories, no order, was whoever did Counselor's Quarters website fanfic writer Michaela I believe her name was/is, Carol's Imzadi story "Heaven and Hell" and her P/C version of that "Heaven is Hell", and then D. Destiny had a couple good ones too. I write and read more than just Imzadi, but Imzadi will always be #1 with me, because sometimes, even P/C can be Imzadi, as well as others.