THE LANDING PARTY LANDS IN A ZOO!

 

Episode Title:  The Eye of the Beholder

Air Date: 12/15/1973

Written by David P. Harmon

Directed by Hal Sutherland

Cast: William Shatner as Captain James T. Kirk    Leonard Nimoy as Commander Spock        DeForest Kelley as Dr. Leonard H. McCoy AKA “Bones”              James Doohan  as Lieutenant Commander Montgomery Scott AKA “Scotty”, Lieutenant Arex, Lieutenant Commander Tom Markel                  George Takei as Lieutenant Hikaru Sulu                     Majel Barrett as Lieutenant M’Ress and Lieutenant Randi Bryce            

Ships: USS Enterprise NCC-1701, USS Ariel registry unknown

Planets: Lactra VII

My Spoiler filled summary and review: The Enterprise arrives into orbit of the planet Lactra VII responding to a distress call from the USS Ariel.  The Ariel is a small survey ship with a crew of only seven.  When they find it however the little ship is abandoned.  There is a message left over from the Ariel’s Captain, Lt. Cmdr. Tom Markel, who explains that when the landing party didn’t respond the rest of the crew went down to search for them.  Kirk is pretty offended that a captain completely abandoned his ship. However, Spock and McCoy manage to talk him down from it. 

message from the Captain of the USS Ariel

Kirk decides to lead a landing party of three with Spock and McCoy accompanying him.  When they get down to the planet, they find a variety of different atmospheres in a short distance from another causing them to speculate that this environment is artificially created.  They get attacked by strange creatures some of them they have seen before, and one very big one that lands on poor Dr. McCoy when they stun it.  The poor Doctor has to wait for Kirk and Spock to dig him out, and I am surprised that McCoy lasted as long as he did under the blob.

The three find what appears to be a city.  They enter it and are quickly trapped behind a force field.  Spock discovers that these aliens are telepathic and extremely highly advanced.  Their brains are so powerful that to compare them with any human would be like to compare a human with an ant.  Their equipment is seized and they are brought to an Earth-like environment. Locked in with them is the crew of the Ariel. 

monster stunned 

It appears they are now exhibits in an inter-galactic zoo.  Spock has to explain to Kirk, who takes a while to wrap his head around this, that the Lactrans don’t view them as intelligent beings but rather dumb animals.  Lt. Randolph is ill and without a medical kit they can’t help her.  Both parties all think about the medical kit which causes the Lactrans do bring it over to them.  This indicates that the Lactrans are telepathically in tune with their needs.  With the Lieutenant treated, and idea springs up in the minds of Kirk and Spock.  What if they fake illness and focus their minds on the communicator?  They pull this off and one of the Lactrans complies and gets the communicator and gives it to Kirk.  Then Kirk tries to signal an emergency beam out but the Lactran grabs the communicator back and that individual is beamed up instead. 

taken to a zoo

Scotty gets the surprise of his life when he sees a Lactran in the transporter room where the landing party should be.  With the power of its mind the Lactran sends the ship spinning out of orbit. While on the planet, the landing party learns that the Lactran that was taken was a child.  So now all the adults have run into the room at once and are performing these mental attacks on their captives in order to figure out what happened to the missing kid. 

Crew of the Ariel

It turns out Scotty is more than just an engineering miracle worker.  He managed to communicate with the child and the Enterprise was restored to its orbit. The two beamed down to the planet and the adults were happy to see their child unharmed. Realizing that these are intelligent creatures, our heroes are allowed to go home.  According to Spock they will be happy to hear from them again in a little over twenty centuries from now.  

Getting the med kit!

Additional thoughts: The crew of the Enterprise being put in an inter-galactic zoo for the entertainment of advanced aliens. This story sounds familiar. In fact, that was the first Star Trek story told in “The Cage.” A major difference is the Talosians have another goal in mind aimed at using the humans to restore their declining civilization.  The Lactrans don’t have any other agenda, they are looking just to have an interesting zoo for the education and entertainment.  So, this Is our first pure inter-galactic zoo story exploring just that aspect.  

On display

In an interview with astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson, he was asked about the possibility of aliens. Tyson pointed out that if there were life in the universe that somehow managed to find a way to transverse space time in order to travel to Earth, there was a strong chance that those intelligent aliens might not view us humans as intelligent creatures.  Tyson pointed out that the most intelligent chimpanzee could only be taught to do things like open an umbrella and set up a chair. Their capabilities are only on par with human children and could never engage a human adult in a sort of battle of wits.  He pointed out that such aliens might look at Stephen Hawking who can do calculus in his head as being sort of cute because that is something that their three-year-old can do. 

Family's reunited

The captain that wasn’t a captain. In the US Navy it is possible for an officer who has not yet reached the rank of captain to be the commanding officer of a ship.  Holding the rank of commander and in some cases lieutenant commander for very small ships, the ship’s CO is called “captain” while abord her and their actual rank when they are not.  However, in Star Trek we often see officers with the captain’s insignia no matter how small their particular ship is. However, in this episode we have a commanding officer of a small ship with a rank to fit. 

With this episode we come to the end of the first season of Star Trek: The Animated Series. It was a very interesting take and a great way to explore the franchise as animation has a lot of possibilities that live action tv at the time didn’t have.  For long suffering Star Trek fans who missed their show when it went off the air in 1969, they were finally able to see their fourth season.

FINAL GRADE 4 OF 5  

HONEY, I SHRUNK THE CREW!

 

Episode Title:  The Terratin Incident

Air Date: 11/17/1973

Written by Paul Schneider

Directed by Hal Sutherland

Cast: William Shatner as Captain James T. Kirk    Leonard Nimoy as Commander Spock        DeForest Kelley as Dr. Leonard H. McCoy AKA “Bones”              James Doohan  as Lieutenant Commander Montgomery Scott AKA “Scotty”, Lieutenant Arex, Gabler, and Mendant of the Terratins                           George Takei as Lieutenant Hikaru Sulu                     Nichelle Nichols as Lieutenant Nyota Uhura and Alice              Majel Barrett as Nurse Christine Chapel, Lieutenant M’Ress and The Queen of Hearts           

Ships: USS Enterprise NCC-1701

Planets: Terratin

My Spoiler filled summary and review: The Enterprise is on scientific endeavor to monitor a gas cloud that formed from an old collapsed star.   This clearly would be a very boring episode so of course something has to happen.  They get a distress call from a nearby planetoid in the Cepheus system that came in an old outdated Earth code.  It was sent to them twice and included the unknown word “Terratin.”  This is a lot more interesting than a cloud of gas so they decide to check it out.

These tools don't seem to be the same size or is it us?

The ship arrives at the Cepheus system and they head to the small planetoid.  Then the ship receives an energy blast during which their shields were ineffective and the bodies of every crewmember glow white. However, when it is over it seems that no harm has been done to anyone.  At least that was what they thought but there was some clear harm to their dilithium crystals.  This is causing the whole ship to lose power and they are now running on the ship’s battery like this was an early episode of season 1 involving either Gary Mitchell or Harry Mudd. 

We are not as toll as we use to be!

As they are trying to fix that problem, they encounter a new problem.  At first Kirk thinks that Mr. Spock is slouching and Spock thinks the same of Kirk.  Then some of Scotty’s engineers complain that their tools have been missized. It appears either the ship and the nonorganic matter inside of it is getting bigger or the crew and the other biological matter inside the ship is getting smaller.  Scans confirm it is the later, the distance between their cells is shrinking so they are getting smaller but retain their original weight.  This also where the fans find out that their uniforms have some biological element to them that is why no one is going to end up naked.

They try their best to keep operating the ship but they are getting smaller every minute!  At first, they have to stretch for things, then use stools, and finally they have to build pullies and leavers.  Sulu loses his cool and tries to shoot the planet with the ship’s phasers but falls climbing the helmsman’s chair and breaks his leg.  The Captain tries to get him to sickbay but the doors won’t open because it can no longer “see” them.  Kirk grabs a pin, now half the size of his body, to get the scanner to read him and open the door.

When you find yourself short you are going to have to adapt!

They get down to sickbay but both the Doctor and Mr. Sulu are two small to use the normal medical device that they use to knit broken bones.  Chapel remembers a smaller device that they use for the inner ear. Chapel climbs the office furniture to grab it.  She almost succeeds but she falls into sickbay’s water tank for aquatic lifeforms and starts to drown before the Captain saves her using a needle and thread. She does hang to the medical device and with that Sulu is on the mend. 

The crew can’t stop getting smaller so Kirk decides that beam down to the planet and make contact with the people there to see if they can stop this.  Spock designs him a new communicator to fit his height and Scotty has a team of engineers who have built a contraption that will allow them to operate the transporter.  Given that they can’t be sure that this will work and hour from now they program the transporter to automatically bring Kirk back at a prearranged time.  

Trying to figure out how much time!

Turns out the transporter is the cure.  When Kirk beamed the down to the planet he was restored to normal size.  The bad news was his communicator was now difficult to work.  Kirk also sees the tabletop sized settlement.  When Kirk returns, he starts sending some his crew down to get the cure and come right back.  There is some difficulty as Kirk has to continually watch his step to avoid crushing any of his crew.  He orders the entire crew to report to the transporter room to be re-sized. 

Table Top City 

Contact is established with the Terratins who explain that they were responsible for shrinking the crew as a way of trying to communicate.  Kirk is still annoyed with the Terratins but agrees to help them as they are desperate and in a time of need.  Their colony was once an Earth colony called “Terra Ten” who shrank because of their time on the planet, and now their colony is threatened with volcanic activity.  Also, it turns out their planet is packed with dilithium crystals that they can use to power the ship.  With the crew restored and the ship repaired the Enterprise finds the Terratins a new place to live.   

"We need your help, so we made you small!"

Additional thoughts: This was a fun little episode, yes pun intended.  The crew has had to deal with all sorts of threats before however the starship getting too big for them was never one.  Watching the crew of the Enterprise try to keep operating their starship after being transformed into tiny people was by far the best part.

Am I the only one who thought it was odd that Chapel couldn’t swim?  Wouldn’t that be a requirement in Starfleet?  I assume they have pool at the Academy.  If not, I think Captain Kirk should order some mandatory swimming lessons for the crew.  There are enough threats in space we don’t need to have anyone drown while visiting a local planet.  

"I can't swim!"

I did think it was interesting that the transporter was the magical cure again.  Very similar to “The Lorelei Signal,” the transporter is the quick cure for the aliment of the week.  Not only is it the TV budget friendly way to send people to the surface, it is the half-hour run time friendly way of curing problems.  Considering all the times it split someone in two or sent them to the mirror universe, I guess it’s a good thing it can also unexpectedly cure people.  Since their clothes also shank did they have to beam down all their clothing supplies as well to get them back up to proper size?

Lastly why did they go all the way to another planet to find the Terratins a new place to live?  I think they should have just kept their little colony onboard the ship.  It would be like having an ant farm only a million times more fun. 

FINAL GRADE 4 of 5 

RETURNING TO THE MOST ENTERTAINING PLACE IN THE UNIVERSE

 

Episode Title:  Once Upon a Planet

Air Date: 11/3/1973

Written by Chuck Menville and Len Janson

Directed by Hal Sutherland

Cast: William Shatner as Captain James T. Kirk    Leonard Nimoy as Commander Spock        DeForest Kelley as Dr. Leonard H. McCoy AKA “Bones”              James Doohan  as Lieutenant Commander Montgomery Scott AKA “Scotty”, Lieutenant Arex, White Rabbit, Gabler, and Master Computer                           George Takei as Lieutenant Hikaru Sulu                     Nichelle Nichols as Lieutenant Nyota Uhura and Alice              Majel Barrett as Lieutenant M’Ress and The Queen of Hearts           

Ships: USS Enterprise NCC-1701

Planets: Fantasy Planet in Omicron Delta

My Spoiler filled summary and review: After so many exhausting adventures the crew of the Enterprise needs some rest and relaxation.  The Captain has decided to bring them to the planet that will literally bring their dreams to life:  the Fantasy Planet of Omicron Delta.  A landing party comprising of McCoy, Sulu, and Uhura beam down.  McCoy and Sulu are extremely excited since they remembered their previous adventure here.  They are very happy to see the white rabbit run around with Alice chasing him. 

Then things start to go bad, the Queen of Hearts shows up and demands heads.  Uhura steps in to rescue the Doctor but she is then kidnapped by a flying hovercraft.  McCoy and Sulu are forced to do an emergency beam out.  Back up aboard the ship, the bridge crew tries to brainstorm what went wrong and see if they can get Uhura back.  McCoy insists that he didn’t think up the Queen of Hearts.  It becomes imperative that they find the Caretaker to fix the situation like he did before.  Kirk and Spock join McCoy and Sulu back down on the planet.

Happy to be back

Uhrua finds her captor is a talking computer, which is a very confusing situation.  However, she quickly learns that the “Master Computer” is even more confused than she is.   For one, the computer thinks Uhura is some sort of slave onboard the Enterprise.  It thinks all lifeforms aboard starships are slaves to their ships.  It is concerned that its planet is being invaded and intends to turn the returned landing party “off.”  Uhura becomes horrified as she realizes that the computer is planning on killing her friends.

Uhura about to be taken away

The landing party finds the grave of the caretaker killing the hope of solving this quickly.  Then they are attacked by pterodactyls and forced to retreat into a cave.  While back on the Enterprise the crew finds the ship has a will of its own and suddenly breaks orbit before getting back in its original position.  While on the surface the landing party is still stuck in their cave.  McCoy mentions they are playing a game of cat and mouse.  Suddenly the cave’s other entrance has a giant cat waiting for them.  Good one, Bones.  However, the landing party brainstorms and they recall how McCoy on their last visit had been “killed” then was whisked away beneath the planet.  They decide to bet that particular clean-up program is still activated. Spock volunteers and McCoy injects him with melenex that will in short time cause the Vulcan to lose consciousness and for his skin to discolor.  Their bet is paid off as Spock is whisked away as well.  The three follow the transport but only Kirk manages to get underground before the entrance closes.  Back on the Enterprise, Scotty has to deal with the ship’s artificial gravity having been turned off. 

Alice

Kirk and Spock find Uhura so now all three of them are facing off against the Master Computer.  The computer is looking to take the Enterprise and explore the galaxy looking to bond with other computers.  On the ship, Scotty discovers some hardware being built that the Master Computer is looking to download its software into.  The three of them mange to convince the Master Computer that they are not slaves to the Enterprise, and that they control it. This took some convincing as the Master Computer sees them as inferior due to lack of equal brain power.  Uhura reminds the Master Computer that some people choose to serve others of their own free will.  As we all benefit when we help each other out.  The Master Computer listens to the reasons of the three officers and releases the Enterprise.

With the Fantasy Planet back in operation, Captain Kirk calls up to the Enterprise to let them know shore leave can resume.  This crew is looking forward to a good time.   

Additional thoughts: One of the great strengths of The Animated Series is when they do follow ups to the classic series.  In the original series we got very few follow up episodes.  There was “I Mudd” as a squeal to “Mudd’s Women” and “The Enterprise Incident” was in some ways a squeal to “Balance of Terror.” The first animated episode made was “More Tribbles, More Troubles” as a follow up to the story from “The Trouble With Tribbles.”  It was such a great way to excite fans after a four-year hiatus, and to generate interest in this series.  The classic Star Trek episode “Shore Leave” was always one of the more fun episodes of the series.  It was great to see the Fantasy Planet again.  I wish they had taken some more opportunity to show some other outrageous things that can happen on it with the animation.  I was sorry to see that the Caretaker had died.  We didn’t get to see much of him in the first episode it would have been nice to have learned more about him.  Nevertheless, the Master Computer made for a great adversary. 

Grave of the Caretaker

McCoy claims that he didn’t think up the Queen of Hearts.  Is he sure and if so, why?  If I saw Alice and the White Rabbit from Alice in Wonderland I would instantly start thinking of the Mad Hatter, the Cheshire Cat, and the Queen.  If I saw Batman and Robin swinging about, I would immediately think of the Joker and Two-Face.  If Kirk told me to clear my head, I would think of the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man.

Queen of Hearts

I love the classic “you couldn’t have made me bit” from the Master Computer. This is an old and always fun science fiction troupe of the AI who discovers religion.  The AI seeks to bond with its creator but refuses to see its creators as humans.  Humans are naturally inferior who need a calculator to do a basic math problem while the computer can do trillions simultaneously, therefore humans could not have made it, its creation must have been the actions of a “Supreme Being.”  Now this episode doesn’t go that far, the Master Computer does question its creation at the hands of lower lifeforms however it only seeks to meet other computers like itself, not a deity.

Battle of wits against the Master Computer

The Fantasy Planet is such a fun place and I am glad they were able to save it.  I feel that credit there belongs to Lt. Uhura.  Kirk is the Bane of All Artificial Intelligence and once Kirk entered the room it was only a matter of time before he convinced the Master Computer to kill itself.  However, thanks to Uhura’s presence they were able to convince the Master Computer to go back to being a helpful and benevolent entertainer of beings all across the galaxy who would like to have fun at the Fantasy Planet.  Thank you Lt. Uhura. 

FINAL GRADE 5 of 5

KIRK AND SPOCK TURN INTO FISH PEOPLE!

 

Episode Title:  The Ambergris Element

Air Date: 12/1/1973

Written by Margaret Armen

Directed by Hal Sutherland

Cast: William Shatner as Captain James T. Kirk    Leonard Nimoy as Commander Spock        DeForest Kelley as Dr. Leonard H. McCoy AKA “Bones”              James Doohan  as Lieutenant Commander Montgomery Scott AKA “Scotty”, Lieutenant Clayton, Lieutenant Arex, Cadmar, Domar, and unnamed Aquan male                           George Takei as Lieutenant Hikaru Sulu                     Nichelle Nichols as Lieutenant Nyota Uhura                Majel Barrett as Rila and unnamed Aquan female         

Ships: USS Enterprise NCC-1701, Aqua-shuttle NCC-1701/5

Planets: Argo

My Spoiler filled summary and review: The Enterprise has been sent to Argo a planet that the seas have expanded to cover almost all the land the planet had.  A Federation planet that is similar in composition to Argo is undergoing similar changes.  Starfleet feels that by studying Argo they can best help their colony world. They go down to explore Argo in this brand-new aqua shuttle that will allow them to move underwater as well as in space.   They were actually having some fun with this when they were then attacked a giant sea monster.  Nothing about the planet in their studies even made them think such a thing was possible, which shows you the pervious Starfleet team cut too many corners. They battel and knock the creature out but it quickly wakes up and starts to kick their butts across the sea.  With their weapons down they request emergency beam out.  The Enterprise was able to grab the entire landing party with exception to Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock who were left behind.

The sea monster loves shuttles

They send down another shuttle and find the Captain and First Officer.  However, they quickly discover that they have been transformed into sea creatures who cannot breathe the air.  In order to bring them back to the ship McCoy has to set up a large aquarium for the two officers to reside.  Kirk and Spock refuse to live the rest of their lives in such a way, and when McCoy tells them he can’t reverse the procedure the two decide to go back and find the people who did this to them.  Since their new abilities allow them to travel anywhere in the ocean that is where they go to look.

Transformed into sea creatures

Despite the area being a large worldwide ocean with a large potential for predators, Kirk and Spock find the ocean creatures, called the Aquans, who were the one who changed them.  The Aquans were once air breathers but since their planet started to change their ancestors altered their DNA and they became sea people.

The Grand Tribunal does not like outsiders

It seems there is a divide in this underwater society between the youth and the older ones.  In the Grand Tribunal the young challenge the long-standing religious ordinances while the older ones stick by those very ordinances.  It was the young ones acting against such traditions that led them to help Kirk and Spock survive by transforming them.  Kirk tries to prove to the elders he is not a threat and instead just an explorer from another world, however when Scotty tells him of the impending quake, they more convinced that the outsiders have to go.  Kirk and Spock are sentenced to death by suffocation.  However, they are once again saved by the young Aquans, who agree to help them find an ancient lost city that has scrolls that contain information to reverse the change and return the recipient to an air-breather again. 

The old are stuck in their ways

Together they find the city and scrolls (that seem to be made of parchment so I am amazed that they lasted so long in the water) and the Starfleet officers bring the scrolls back to the Enterprise.  McCoy is able to change them back, but they have to get some venom from the sea monster they fought earlier.  Once again the young Aquans aid the Starfleet officers.  Together they locate a sea monster can catch it in a big net allowing them to steal some venom.  Back on the ship, Kirk and Spock are returned to normal.  To return the favor to the Aquans who had been so helpful to him and his first officer, Kirk uses the ship’s phasers to blast an un-inhabited part of the planet that will reduce the quake’s impact on the inhabited areas. 

With the planet now stable the young Aquans have decided to change their own state to that of air-breathers so they can live in the now raised cities.  The older generation still want to live in the water but they vow to remain in contact. The Enterprise completes an unexpected first contact with a piacular people.

One of their lost cites exposed to the air

Additional thoughts: This happens to be the very first episode of Star Trek: The Animated Series that I myself ever saw.  As a child, I caught it on Nickelodeon or the Cartoon Network, I don’t remember which.  I remember thinking “oh, this looks familiar,” as I had seen Star Trek many times.  The thing that drew my eye right away was Kirk’s and Spock’s webbed hands.  I later learned from a babysitter that the Star Trek franchise had an official animated series component, but I wouldn’t see the entire series until after I was an adult.

This is generally a good episode although the limits of a 22-minute run-time stunts it. Things are resolved rather easily.  Kirk and Spock have no problem finding the Aquans and encounter no sea predators that might want to make them a snack, which is surprising considering the attack that cost them their shuttle. 

Young willing to help outsiders

So, about that shuttle, why do we need a special aqua shuttle?  You would think that any shuttle that could survive a trip into the sea.  Yes, I understand water pressure and all but, in a universe, where phasers and photon torpedoes are a real threat you would think these great space vehicles could travel anywhere in space including the oceans.  

The Aquans were an interesting bunch.  How often are societies challenged by the differing views of the young vs. the old?  I believe its all the time.  The typical youth were much more open-minded and willing to go against religious doctrine to help their new friends.  I did think the end was weird by the young deciding they didn’t want to be sea people anymore.  I mean I understand your desire to make contact with the outside, but why turn your back on everything that you are.  At least the all vowed to keep in contact.

FINAL GRADE 4 of 5

THE NAME OF THIS EPISODE DID NOT AGE WELL!

 

Episode Title:  The Jihad

Air Date: 1/12/1974

Written by Stephen Kandel

Directed by Hal Sutherland

Cast: William Shatner as Captain James T. Kirk    Leonard Nimoy as Commander Spock        DeForest Kelley as Dr. Leonard H. McCoy AKA “Bones”              James Doohan  as Sord and Tchar         George Takei as Lieutenant Hikaru Sulu        David Gerrold as EM 3 Green             Jane Webb as Lara and Vedala Female

Ships: USS Enterprise NCC-1701, four other unnamed starships. 

Planets: mad planet

My Spoiler filled summary and review: The Enterprise has been summoned to meet with a representative from the Vedala people on a giant asteroid.  The Vedala are the oldest spacefaring race in the known galaxy and when they want a meeting the Federation is apt to apply.  Kirk beams down with Mr. Spock to meet the Vedala Ambassador.  When the two get there they find out that the Ambassador is recruiting them to be on a team for a Mission Impossible type of assignment. 

Team being assembled!

The team consists of beings recruited for their talents and vested interests.   The first of these is Tchar, the hereditary prince of the Skorr and Master of the Eyrie.  His people were once a warrior race but now preach the value of peace.  This is a good thing for the rest of the galaxy, as Spock notes the Skorr can raise an army of billions of soldiers in a short amount of time.   The second is Sord, a powerful reptilian-like creature who I assume is recruited to be the muscle.  (At first I thought he was a Gorn but apparently not.)  The third is Em/3/Green, an expert lock-pick and thief, however he also is a coward and not good at working under pressure.  The final member is Lara, who is a human and her talents are she is an excellent hunter who has a flawless sense of direction.

Tchar begins by explaining his planets history and that their passion for violence was only quelled by a teacher named Alar, who basically played the role of Surak to their society with the only difference being a religious undertone.   After he died his brain waves were copied in placed into a device which came to be known as “the Soul of Skorr.”  This allows them to keep their leader with them forever.  However, just recently the device was stolen and Tchar fears without their leaders’ brain waves-on-ice secure the people of Skorr will revert to the ways of their ancestors and rage a great holy war on the rest of the galaxy.  The have keep the theft secret and their intelligence operation has lead them to the general location of the artifact.  It is on the planet Madworld, called this because of the instability of the planet.  There have been three attempts to retrieve it, but all of these attempts have ended in failure. 

If you are going on a mission you need a set of wheels!

Now on Madworld, the team sees that it easily lives up to its name with the horrible weather.  They are given a land vehicle adding some speed to their journey.  When going over the probabilities of survival, Spock is asked if he only quotes statistics.  He replies that he also quotes philosophy and poetry but that would inappropriate at this time.  Unfortunately, the team runs into an active volcano spilling lava everywhere.   Things go from bad to worse when their vehicle breaks down.  There is no time to fix it so they lose it to the lava.

I'm glad we all fit!

The good thing is they were not too far away from the fortress and they come across it rather quick. It is locked and booby-trapped to explode.  The good news is the cowardly Green is able to pick the locks and get them in there while the rest of the team fights of automated sentinels.  It is at this point that Kirk starts to expect a trap and as soon as they are all inside they are sealed in.  Kirk then declares that the other teams made it this far and failed because someone on the team betrayed them and sabotaged the mission.  Kirk accuses Tchar and Tchar flies down and admits it. It turns out that the future ruler of his people wanted them to return to the glory of their past.  Realizing he could never do that so long as the great teacher’s essence was still influencing them he decided to get rid of it.  Now his people will wage war throughout the galaxy.  

It is like when you get in an accident with your new car!

Tchar shuts off the gravity in this building and, even though they are on a planet, with the gravity turned off they all start to flout through the air.  Tchar thinks he has won but he doesn’t know that Captain Kirk is the greatest fighter in the entire galaxy who can fight with speed and grace even in a zero-g environment.  Aided by his first officer, Mr. Spock, who also is an impressive fighter, the two tag team the big bird and swiftly defeat him.  With that the Soul of Skorr is restored to its people.

Not so nice!

Now that all has been won the Vedala Ambassador congratulates Captain Kirk but also lets him know there are no rewards or medals for the achievement only gratitude.  She also makes him aware that he is going to forget the entire adventure as the Vedala strongly desire secrecy for the good of the Skorr.  When Kirk and Spock are beamed back to the ship, Mr. Sulu is surprised as from his perspective they just left two minutes ago.  Kirk lets the helmsman know there has been a change of heart and this mission is now off.      

Additional thoughts: I remember my freshman year of college.  I had taken a class in Middle Eastern politics and felt I was well versed in the issues of the day.  I remember being the only one in my immediate family and friend group who even knew who Osama Bin Laden was and what he was all about.  Then 911 happened.  Everyone knew who he was and what jihad meant.  Actually, they knew what the popular usage of jihad was.   There are multiple types of jihad to which “holy war” is only one. However it was the one everyone became familiar with so if the Animated Series was running anywhere they probably skipped over this episode.

It is ironic that the adventure in this episode is erased from everyone’s memory.   For when I began to watch it I realized I had forgotten it as well.  With most episodes I haven’t seen in a long time I usually remember the plot in the first five minutes, this time the only thing I recognized was Tchar.  I think the episode was a victim to the structure of only being a half-hour plus commercials cartoon show.  Once the plot was explained there wasn’t much time for anything else to happen.   It was too bad because the show started our strong and the team that was assembled was neat; however everything was too quickly resolved. 

Another limitation of the half-hour format is Kirk’s new limited love life.  During this adventure Lara, our lady huntress, has the hots for Captain Kirk.  Normally this would mean our good Captain was going to get down with a nice lady, as he so often did.  However, he has to remind her that this isn’t the time for that sort of thing because we don’t want to scare the kids on Saturday morning who are under the belief that babies come from storks.

If we were live action we would get action

So what happens to Tchar, after stealing the most important part of their society is he still allowed to become their king?  I think he is a very bad choice, but who knows how bird monarchy is supposed to work?  Hopefully they will have some procedure that would prevent him from ruling.  For if they do not the universe may have a big fight on its hands in just a few years.

When a Prince is against his people!

FINAL GRADE 3 of 5