Episode 5 - The Enemy Within

Another pretty good one, and a good follow-up to the last episode. This time, we are treated to an in-depth view of the passive intellectual side and wild animal side of Captain Kirk, thanks to a transporter accident.

This time, an away-team led by Sulu and being supervised by Kirk is gathering samples of rocks and whatnot from a new planet, and one of the crewmen his hurt in a rock-slide. In the process, he is dusted with some strange yellowish material, and when he is beamed back to the ship for treatment, it is clear that something isn’t quite right with the transporter. It is all Scotty can do to bring the crewman in safely, and he quickly examines the powder and finds it to be magnetic in some fashion.

Still, it doesn’t seem terribly serious, and when Kirk calls for a beam-up, Scotty obliges. Again, it is difficult and barely accomplished, but Kirk materializes and staggers, clearly woozy from the effect. Scotty helps him to sick-bay, momentarily leaving the transporter unattended.

And that’s when ANOTHER Kirk beams in. This one is sweaty, wearing eyeliner, and is dramatically lit from below. Also, he gets the evil/danger music just before we go to the opening credit sequence. Clearly, something is amiss.

Interesting to note that the newly arrived Evil Kirk doesn’t have an emblem on his shirt.

From this point, we see various examples of how the two Kirk’s differ, starting with the good, drained and indecisive about many things, preferring a nap over reading reports that when he was “whole” he would likely have gone through quite professionally.

Meanwhile, Evil Kirk is storming into sick-bay and demanding Saurian brandy from Dr. McCoy, who relents and gives it to him. Now, with brandy in hand and Starfleet emblem restored to his shirt, he swaggers the halls in search of Yeoman Rand’s quarters (remember last time?). He goes in and is rummaging through her girly things when she arrives and he forces himself on her.

It seems to me that we’re seeing the repressed side of Kirk’s personality, distilled and concentrated, and his base passions are coming out quite clearly. For the most part, this isn’t a side we’ve seen much of, or has even been hinted at, in prior episodes.

Rand scratches his face, and another crewman sees the assault, causing Evil Kirk to flee the scene. Intense close-ups and lots of sweat continue as Evil Kirk goes to ground.

Meanwhile, Spock confronts Good Kirk about the brandy incident, which of course is denied. Then we see that the transporter is still wonky, but this time they have a poor over-decorated alien doggie split in two. One passive and sweet, the other a raging little mutt. Scotty advises they will have to shut down the transporter until the problem is found, since clearly this is a problem.

Apparently the Enterprise only has one transporter room because, as a consequence, they can’t recover the away team from the rapidly cooling night-time of the planet below. If they can’t be recovered soon, they will freeze in the -120’ temperatures that are headed their way.

Yeoman Rand confronts GoodKirk about the attack, but he denies involvement, using the lack of scratches on his face as evidence. Discussion ensues, and it is decided that Kirk must have been cleft in twain like the dog was. They make a ship-wide announcement about a Kirk imposter, dangerous, and with scratches on his face. Well, of course, EvilKirk hears this and sets about covering up his scratches with makeup. He also beats the tar out of a crewman and takes his phaser.

At this point, the episode becomes a “man-hunt”, with a gradually weakening and less decisive GoodKirk and Spock searching for EvilKirk. We also have Spock reminding Kirk he must be stronger, and not appear weak in front of the crew. As Captain, he can’t afford weakness as it will shake the crew’s faith in his ability to command. GoodKirk tells Spock to remind him if he slips.

GoodKirk decides that if he were hiding, he would go to the lower engineering decks, so that’s where he and Spock go. GK and EK meet – they circle each other, and GK tells EK that he can’t kill him, that they need each other to survive. EK pauses just long enough for Spock to nerve-pinch him into submission. Yay good-guys!

Unfortunately, a blast of phaser fire from EK has now disabled the transporter – it will take days to fix. Looks like Sulu and the boys will be chilling out for the rest of their lives.

In sickbay, Spock speculates that having a human personality so perfectly dissected is a great opportunity for research. He seems particularly interested in the dark side of human nature on display. McCoy berates him, Kirk looks disappointed, and Spock advises “If I seem insensitive to your plight, understand that it is the way I am.” and reminds them that he is constantly fighting a battle with his dual nature as well.

Evil Kirk begins to rage against his restraints, and his vital signs spike into the critical range – it looks like he might be dying, by GoodKirk talks to him, tells him to use his mind, his intellect, and to try to not be afraid. He grabs EK’s hand, and together calm him back down to normal. Everyone leaves sick-bay, thinking EK to be asleep, and we’re treated to an evil grin. He’s up to something.

Meanwhile, Scotty has found a way to bypass the blasted transporter circuits (of course – he’s Scotty) and they test the transported on the doggie(s). Two leave, one returns – dead. Oops.

And here is where McCoy ads a line to the collective consciousness of humanity “He’s dead, Jim.” Who knew he first used it about a dog?

Well, Spock and McCoy try to convince GoodKirk of their view on the matter – try it now, to find out if they can save the freezing away-team, or autopsy the dog and double check everything for safety, giving Kirk a better chance to survive but dooming the team. GK decides to proceed immediately… and to autopsy the dog as well. Decisive, without being decisive, and its getting worse. Spock suggests he might need to relinquish command, and GK is finally decisive – no. He doesn’t say it, but this is more proof of his fierce intentions to never give up his ship, even when he seems to have lost that part of his personality.

So, Spock and McCoy go their separate ways, and GoodKirk, weaker than ever, goes to sickbay to get EvilKirk. By himself. Hm.

Anyway, EvilKirk says he won’t fight him, that he agrees, etc. and then when GoodKirk unstraps him, *pow*, right in the kisser. He then scratches GK’s face to mask their true identity, takes his phaser, and leaves. This time, he controls his crazy animal side, appearing more like the jaunty Kirk we’ve come to know. He even sees Rand in the hall and apologizes, advising her that he’ll explain everything later. Oh, and also, “EK” scratched his face, see, to try to make them look the same.

Onto the bridge he saunters, takes his seat, and orders the ship to leave orbit. Everyone is shocked and hesitant – what about the away team? – but he orders it again, shouting it. Now everyone on the bridge knows something is up. McCoy and GK arrive on the bridge, and the confrontation is on. Which one is which? Well, EK shouts that it is him, and gets more desperate as it becomes obvious that his plan is foiled. He breaks down – “I want to live!” – and GK takes his phaser and advises him that he will – that they will both live. EK slumps despondently into GK’s arms, and Shatner gets to hug himself – no doubt a dream come true (I know, it was his stunt-man seen from behind, but still).

Off to the transporter room. Beam out – and trouble again beaming back – tension! This time just one Kirk appears on the pad, and it is our Captain! He quickly orders the away-team beamed aboard, and the day is saved.

Later, on the bridge, there is some indication that Rand might have found something attractive about EK after all, a semi-creepy post-script to the episode. We end with apologies all around.

So, overall, I think this was an interesting episode from the standpoint that more of the “inner Kirk” that was on display in the Naked Time is revealed. All men have a dark side, but rarely do we get to see it so starkly. Normally, Kirk is well-balanced and in control, but we get to see him lose it, in both aggressive and passive modes, but it is easy to see that the “softer” side of Kirk won out in the end, reminding us that he will tend to prefer intellect and compassion over brute force, if given the choice. However, he can be savage if needed.

I’ll give this one three and a half phasers.