The USS Essex never shows up on screen in TNG's season 5, episode 15 "Power Play", but its crew does... well, whatever's left of them that was taken over by telepathic lightning ghosts? Look, it's complicated and the most important thing is that even when possessed by lightning ghosts, Chief O'Brien just wants a snack. Kyle decides this isn't enough, so the brothers go full nerd as they dig deeper into the Essex's shockingly deep presence in the beta canon of the books, and all of its encounters with... lizard people?!
