Episode 3 - Where No Man Has Gone Before

Well, after the disappointment that was Charlie X, it’ll be nice to get back into some straight-up pulpy space goodness without vain and petty proto-gods running around all over…

Well.

It’s not that bad, really. I’d put this one squarely in second place so far (I know, only three entries, but still). This one is particularly interesting from a technical standpoint, rather than due to the story itself. It looks like this was one of the earlier episodes filmed because a lot of the look and feel of both the Enterprise and the characters is markedly different from what we’ve seen before. Examples:

Spock is decidedly more “satanic” looking – bigger ears, eyebrows that slope inward at a very steep angle, and are bushier. Also, he tends to yell commands a lot in this episode, sounding like the first mate on an 18th century Man-O-War.

No McCoy. Instead, the doctor is named Piper, and is considerably older.

No Uhura, although the man who is at her station is also black.

Uniforms are very different, tending mostly to be gold turtle-neck type affairs that zip at the shoulders. We do see some blue, but no red.

There are extraneous gadgets on the bridge, most notably a view screen on a flexible metal arm on Kirk’s chair that looks a bit like the head of a Martian walker from the George Pal film “War of the Worlds”.

Phasers, instead of the sleek design we are used to, are bulky tube-like affairs, and the phaser rifle looks like something that fell out from under a 1958 Chevy.

All of this together indicates that we are far closer to The Cage than we are later episodes, in filming order if not by the actual timeline of the TOS universe. So, aside from these mostly cosmetic differences, what about the story?

It turns out the Enterprise is on a mission to the edge of the galaxy. As they near the boundary, they find and recover a recording buoy from a ship lost over 200 years before, on a similar mission. Scotty is the transporter operator for the beam-in, his first appearance in the series. It turns out that the captain of the ship, the Valiant, scuttled her for reason or reasons unknown; Spock begins to study the data tapes to see if he can discover a cause.

Meanwhile, Dr. Elizabeth Dana (Sally Kellerman, grwow) who is temporarily assigned to the Enterprise to study how crewmembers respond in stressful situations, has a frosty run-in on the bridge with helmsman Gary Mitchell. We find out later that Kirk was one of Mitchell’s classmates at Starfleet Academy, and they have been friends ever since.

Spock discovers that the Valiant encountered some type of energy barrier, and when their ship entered it, it disabled them and killed several of the crew. At some point afterward, one of the dead crewmen made a miraculous recovery. Then the proverbial poop hits the fan in an unspecified manner, the Valiant’s captain spends time researching ESP on the ship’s computer, and then boom. Yes, boom.

Dr. Dana advises that she has a fairly high ESP rating, and we discover that apparently all Starfleet personnel are tested for this during their academy days. Everyone finds this Rather Interesting.

So, sidebar completed, the ship continues to the edge of the galaxy – where they encounter an energy barrier. Odd, it doesn’t read on sensors, so they keep going. Then, boom. Yes, boom. Panels on the bridge blow up, sparks fly, and the ship barely manages to get back out of the field on low impulse power, her warp drives drained and the nearest base decades away. Oh, and Dr. Dana and Mitchell were knocked out by the mysterious force. Several other crewmen weren’t so lucky, and die.

Later, in sickbay, it is determined that Mitchell and Dana survived due to their higher than normal ESP ratings. Mitchell, lying in bed, acts unsurprised. And he has SPARKLY EYES! Man, it looks like those appliances hurt like hell, but he soldiers on throughout most of the rest of the episode looking like someone poured glitter in his eyes. Time passes, and we see him reading books at lightning speed, mentally affecting things at a distance (a cup, then later switches on the bridge). Clearly, he is on his way to demi-godhood.

So, three episodes in, and we’re up to godling #2 already. Hmph.

Dr. Dana tests his growing abilities by picking a random tape and asking him to repeat what is on page so-n-so. Turns out it is one of the best known love sonnets of all time, written on one of the planets of the Canopus system in the year 1996! The FUTURE! He says her picking that particular page was no accident. Apparently, Gary has snow globe-eyes for Dr. Dana.

Emergency officer’s meeting to decide What To Do About Zeus. Sulu advises that Mitchell’s powers are growing exponentially, explaining the concept to the highly intelligent Star Fleet officers by using the “doubling pennies in a month to become a millionaire” example. I guess Latinum isn’t in widespread use just yet. Spock is concerned that as Mitchell grows more powerful, he might turn more directly on the crew. Nah.

Kirk decides they need to recharge the ship’s engines, and fortunately there is an automated mining facility on a nearby world that can be used for the task. Spock thinks they should strand Mitchell there, but Kirk, ever the optimist, says he won’t do it. Spock says there is no other choice, they must kill Mitchell while they still can. Again in sick bay, Mitchell says Spock is right, evidencing an ability to read minds as well – surprise.

Kirk tries to overpower him as he grows more incoherent, but Mitchell zaps Spock and Kirk with electricity (man, that must get old), but Kirk recovers, cold-cocks him, and they sedate him for transport down to the planet. Once on the surface, the ship’s engineers rig the facility to blow to smithereens, and likely take Mitchell with it, if he gets out of control. Mitchell, safely behind a force field, tries the little-god routine, but he’s still too weak to break out of containment. Charlie could give him some pointers.

Despite Spock’s certainty, and Kirk’s reluctantly growing acceptance of the fact, that Mitchell must die, Dr. Dana plays the old “he’s not a monster, there’s still good in him” card. Eye rolling ensues (mine, if not Kirk’s), and hours pass.

The facility is all ready to blow, everyone but engineer Kelso, Kirk, Spock, Dana and a handful of others have left, and the ship’s engines are ready to go. Mitchell strikes! He levitates a power cable in the control room and strangles Kelso, breaks free from his cell, overpowers Kirk and Spock, then flees with Dr. Dana.

On the surface, Mitchell transforms a small grotto into a Garden of Eden, complete with an apple tree, and our metaphor meters go off the charts. “You’ll enjoy being a god, Elizabeth…” No doubt. Only, Kirk isn’t letting it happen. He orders everyone off the planet, takes a phaser rifle, and sets off in pursuit of Mitchell.

Dana, who has also begun to manifest sparkly-eyes, finds Kirk and advises he should leave, that Earth is no longer important to them. Kirk reminds her of Mitchell’s demonstrated lack of compassion, and the dark side of humanity that he has in him, trying to turn her against him.
Then Mitchell appears! Kirk fires his rifle, to no effect! So they have a fist fight! Kirk’s shirt is torn! He’s down for the count! Mitchell thoughtfully provides a grave for Kirk, complete with tombstone (dated 012774 – (something I couldn’t make out)). He tries to trigger a rockslide, but Dana stops him. Mitchell advises “Morals are for men, not god.”

Force-lightning duel between Mitchell and Dana! Zap, pow! And Dana expires! But Mitchell is weak enough for Kirk to overpower him, knock him into the grave meant for him, and blast the rocks to finish over the rockslide, burying Mitchell in the grave meant for him - an ironic twist.

Later, on the bridge… the ship is repaired and back under way. Kirk, hand bandaged (no hypo spray?), is recording the death in the line of duty of Mitchell and Dana. A quip from Spock about feeling for Mitchell despite his fate, Kirk advising there might be hope for him yet, and roll credits.

Ok, Star Trek was cutting-edge for its day, in almost any way you care to mention – but the writing so far isn’t terribly impressive. I’m hoping we can get away from the godlings for awhile. I give this one two and a half tribbles, for not being Charlie X.

On deck - The Naked Time.