A primitive society mistakes Picard for a god.
A team of anthropologists is observing the Mintakans, a society that lives in a stage similar to the early Bronze Age, from a hidden blind. When an accident reveals the observers' presence, the Enterprise must repair the damage. Picard is worried that the Mintakans will take the Federation for gods.
When a Mintakan sees the crew and thinks of Picard as a deity, the Captain faces a hard challenge. He has to persuade them that he is a man, not a god, without causing more harm. The episode is a thoughtful examination of belief, superstition and reason. It also upholds the Prime Directive as a core value of the Federation, and Picard delivers a memorable speech on the subject.