Star Trek Interviews / Articles

     Profile of LeVar Burton/Lieutenant Geordi La Forge

                Taken from the Public Domain

Geordi La Forge is the blind navigator of the Enterprise, or to be
more precise, he has been medically blind from birth.  But 24th
Century medicine has developed an ingenious device know as a VISOR
(Visual Instrument and Sensory Organ Replacement) which can mimic
the functions of normal sight, and add a few others of its own.
The exact limits of the VISOR are unclear, but we know the Geordi
can 'see' most of the electromagnetic spectrum, including x-rays,
infra-red, ultra-violet and microwave.

He can occasionally be a little sensitive if anyone who tries to
sympathise with his 'handicap', as they see it.  On a number of
occasions he has been know to put down such comments with the
observation that his sight is in fact better than ordinary human
vision.  That said, he freely admits that his wide range of vision
facilities is not quite the same as human eyesight, and he
sometimes yearns for the ability to see the subtle nuances of the
world and the people around him.  This most often applies in his
relationships with women, with whom he seems to have a great deal
of trouble.

On a number of occasions there has been talk of replacing his
VISOR with something less obtrusive, but since that would also
mean less effective vision he has turned down each offer on the
grounds that it would make him a less useful officer.  In Heart Of
Glory, Geordi's VISOR is fitted with a device to allow his 'sight'
to be relayed back to the Enterprise's main viewscreen.  Picard in
particular is fascinated with the wide range of frequencies which
are available, and they spend some time enjoying the spectacle:
"Look over at Data... there's an 'aura' around him."  "Well of
course, he's an android."  "You say that as if you think that's
what we all see..."  "Don't you?"

Promoted at the end of the first series to Lieutenant Commander,
Geordi was placed in charge of engineering (strange - he doesn't
have a Scottish name) and it was in this post that his talent
really began to show.  He very quickly moved into the Wesley and
Data league of high-tech miracle workers, devising a number of
impressive solutions to problems, often with the help and
assistance of those two close friends.

Unfortunately it can sometimes seem that Geordi is the token black
member of the team - I don't know whether one can count Michael
Dorn in that capacity; under all that Klingon make-up he could be
almost any colour.  Occasionally this attitude shows through in
some of the appallingly hip and trendy dialogue which is written
for him.  In particular, prepare to cringe with embarrassment in
The Last Outpost where poor LeVar Burton has to cope with "Ahhh, I
see where you're going... we shift down, then kick hard into warp
nine - yeah! - and come back fighting! Woowee!"  I kid you not -
and this from the ship's navigator while talking to the first
officer.


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