due to the fact that deanna is often side-lined in episodes revolving around other characters or major plotlines, we rarely get to see her even doing her job on the enterprise. moreover, early episodes that center on deanna often have a sexist premise (the child, ménage à troi) and do not allow her to grow as a character. in the early seasons, most of deanna's characterization does not come from the lines she is given, but from the way marina sirtis builds on these lines and adds nuance and depth to the character. however, not only does face of the enemy revolve almost entirey around deanna troi as a character, the episode also challenges her in ways never seen before. deanna is transported into an unknown, potentially hostile environment and struggles with her predicament. she is forced to act in ways she never does on the enterprise, working against a very capable and intelligent romulan commander, who presents both a threat and a challenge to deanna. by taking her out of her comfort zone and making her face this challenge alone, the episode allows deanna to grow and to show her true strength and intelligence. the result is one of the best episodes in all of star trek history. in this essay, i will