Today we meet a character that many think was the precursor to Q on Next Generation. Do I agree? Let's discuss...
Plot:The Enterprise is captured by Trelane, the childish ruler of Gothos.
Guest Stars:William Campbell as Trelane
Nitpick:It drives me nuts the way Trelane acts when he discovers Women are on the Enterprise. First of all, why wouldn't they be? Second, why would he be interested in women in the first place? Also, we meet Trelane's parents at the end and when Kirk asks who they are, they evade the question and say humanity isn't ready to learn of their race. Just like what happened at the end of Shore Leave when we met the Caretaker. That happens way to much in classic Trek, we're just supposed to accept the impossible...just because.
Summary:
Teaser-The Enterprise encounters a planet that has never been charted. Kirk decides they do not have time to explore it. As the ship tries to pass the planet Sulu vanishes from the Bridge, followed by Kirk himself.
Act 1-The Enterprise has been searching for Kirk and Sulu for several hours with no luck. The planet is uninhabitable, except for bizarre area of Earth like atmosphere. When strange messages welcome the ship, Spock sends McCoy and two others to check it out. The three find a castle, and when they go into explore they find Kirk and Sulu frozen like statues. Suddenly a piano starts playing and an amusing fellow explains he snatched Kirk and Sulu away. They are restored and Kirk question the fellow, who says he is General Trelane, retired. He kidnapped the two to keep the ship from passing by. Trelane explains he has made Earth is hobby, but it appears he has been looking in on the planet years earlier. Kirk asks why Trelane brought them here, and Trelane explains they are not prisoners just guests. Trelane explains that his species have a method of changing matter from one form to another, at will. When Kirk insits on leaving Trelane gives him a sample of the true atmosphere on the planet as a warning.
Act 2-On the ship, Spock is working on a way to beam any living thing up. Trelane continues to brag about his decor while McCoy reports Trelane isn't life as they know it. Kirk insists they can't stay but Trelane wont let them leave. Suddenly a transporter signal comes through, and they are beamed up despite Trelane's protest. The crew returns to the Bridge and set course away from the planet. However, Trelane appears on the Bridge and whisks the crew back to the planet. While Trelane dances with a yeoman, Kirk discusses things with Spock and McCoy. They realize that Trelane never seems to live a large mirror in the room, and wonders if maybe here is a machine back there is causing all these thing to happen. So he challenges Trelane to a duel to trick him into revealing his weakness.
Act 3-Trelane gets the first shot but misses. Kirk then aims, and destroys the mirror revealing a hidden power source. Angry, Trelane tells Kirk to return to the ship and he has incurred his wrath. On the ship they try to get away from Gothos but no matter where they do, Gothos is always ahead of them. Kirk finally decides to go down alone and finally have it out with Trelane. He appears in a court room where Trelane is a judge. Trelane points out he had other resources at his disposal besides the one Kirk destroyed, and is determined to punish Kirk for his crimes. Trelans gets so angry that he promises Kirk he will hang for his crimes until he is dead, dead, dead.
Act 4-Trelane is amazed that he was so enraged, never thinking it possible. Kirk points out to Trelane that for someone who likes games, he isn't really doing anything challenging. Hanging by he neck isn't a challenge, but a hunt through the woods would be much more fun. Trelane is intrigues and sends Kirk to the forest, where Trelane will find him and kill him. Kirk tries to contact the ship, but is unable before Trelane strikes. After fighting for awhile, the two are stopped by strange beings in the sky. They claim to be Trelane's parents, and tell Trelane that has been misbehaving and will be punished. Trelane starts pouting like a little child, as his parents tell him its time to come home. Trelane is then vanishes, and the life forms allow Kirk to return to his ship saying they would never have let Trelane intercept the ship if they'd known they'd be so vulnerable. On the ship Spock asks how they should classify Trelane, and Kirk suggests calling him a naughty boy.
Final Thoughts:So is Trelane a member of the Q continuum? Sure. Why not? Campbel steals the show being delightfully whimsicle and menacingly pissed off at the same time. The truth is the script is kind of all over the place, it's the performance of Campbell that makes the episode work.
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