The `terraform state show` command is used to retrieve and display the current state of a specific resource managed by Terraform. It provides detailed information about the resource's attributes, including IDs, IPs, names, and computed values, as stored in Terraform's state file. The command has one optional flag: `-state=path`, which allows specifying a different path to the state file. However, this option is ignored when using remote state, as Terraform automatically fetches the state from the backend. The `terraform state show` command does not modify the state; it only displays stored resource data. It can be used to inspect resources, including standalone, remote, and module-based resources, providing a way to verify configurations, debug issues, and ensure consistency.