Original air date: February 23, 1967
Captain’s log, Stardate 3192.1
SYNOPSIS
Kirk and Spock must save their ship's crew when they are declared all killed in action in a bizarre computer-simulated war where the actual deaths must nevertheless occur.
CANON CONTEXT
RECAP
I’ve said it before but I’ll say it again, these episodes are getting better and better each one I watch. With this one Kirk is again having to deal with an ambassador who outranks him, but when has that ever stopped Kirk. The mission? To take this ambassador to Eminiar VII where they hope to establish diplomatic relations with them. However, when the Enterprise gets close they are warned off. Ambassador Fox insists they continue as he is hell bent on this diplomatic mission.
To ensure safety, Kirk, Spock, and a few other crew transport down to the planet. Scotty is left behind and in charge of protecting the ship. I love this Irish dude!
While on the planet, Kirk meets with the leader, Anan 7, who explains their precarious situation. For the last 500 years they have been at war with a neighboring planet, Vendikar. Except this is not a war like anything we’d think of. This war involves a simulation. They have a machine rigged up that simulates an attack by their enemy. This will then calculates the casualties and their location.
While the Enterprise is in orbit around their planet it makes them a target of these fake attacks. Because of this everyone on the ship is now declared dead and must report to their disintegration chambers for execution! Wild, right?
Ok so let’s start with the episodes obligatory eye-candy. This episode it’s a very hound Barbara Babcock:
She’s know for shows like Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman but when I think of her all I can hear/see is her role as Blanche’s sister in Golden Girls.
Okay, so this Mea 3 takes the captain and his landing party to see Anan 7 with his council:
This is when it’s explained to Kirk that his crew is considered dead and must enter the chambers of death. Now, in truth, I was fully expecting that Kirk would discover these machines aren’t actually killing them but maybe transporting them to some secret underground society where their heat signatures are masked so the enemy assumes they are dead but they really aren’t.
Turns out these machines really do kill them and so the crew sets out destroying them all one at a time.
Meanwhile, back on the ship Scotty sure does have his wits about him. He’s not about to lower their shields or concede to any demands the ambassador makes unless it comes from the captain. He’s well aware that Kirk is being held captive no matter how much Anan 7 tries to trick them. All the deception done to quickly meet the casualty quota before their neighbor planet decides to wage a real war with real weapons.
Realizing there will be no defeating Kirk and his ship that has been given instruction to destroy the entire Eminiar planet if Kirk isn’t returned safely, Anan 7 is forced to hear alternatives:
He can either use the assistance of Ambassador Fox to broker a truce between them and the Vindikar or they could fight a real war with real weapons and casualty.
Kirk was betting that neither side, having waged fake war for 500 years, would want to enter into a real war and would listen to any option that would avoid it. He was right, as always.
DID THEY REALLY SAY THAT?
Anan 7: Once your ship was in orbit about our planet, it became a legitimate target. It has been classified destroyed by a tri-cobalt satellite explosion. All persons aboard your ship have twenty-four hours to report to our disintegration machines. In order to ensure their cooperation, I have ordered you, Captain, and your party held in custody until they surrender. If possible, we shall spare your ship, Captain, but its passengers and crew are already dead.
Spock: Yeoman Tamura, you stay here and prevent this young lady from immolating herself. Knock her down and sit on her if necessary.