Well I guess since since we had parallels to Ancient Rome, Vietnam War, and 20's Gangsters it only makes sense we'd get to WW2 era Nazi Germany. The parallels are really on the nose here, and yet I kind of like this episode.
Plot:The Enterprise, searching for a missing Federation historian, discovers that the historian has apparently contaminated the cultural development of the planet where he was assigned as a cultural observer to have it follow the societal path of Nazi Germany
Guest Stars:Richard Evans as Isak, Valora Noland as Daras, Skip Homeier as Melakon
Nitpick:What was the point of the transponders? Yeah I know, the laser but still. And why is this the only time they've ever been used?
Summary:
Teaser-The Enterprise is approaching Ekos to locate missing cultural observer John Gill, noted historian and history teacher who of course was one of Kirk's instructors. Seriously who doesn't Kirk know? As the ship is approaching the planet the ship is attacked by an old style rocket with a thermonuclear warhead. Technology the planet is not supposed to have (where have I heard that before?). The ship destroys the rocket, and when McCoy wonders how they got that level of tech Kirk looks the picture of Gill and says they may have had help.
Act 1-Fearing Gill has somehow violated the prime directive, Kirk and Spock decide to beam down. Before they they have McCoy provided subcutaneous emergency transponders to locate them and beam them up if they can't use their communicators. Kirk tells Scotty to beam them up, no matter what. When Kirk and Spock beam down, they find the society is identical to Nazi Germany in World War 2. Right down to the uniforms. They watch as a man is arrested, the police wearing swastika's. A propaganda report shows how much like Nazi Germany it is, right down to a Fuhrer who is clearly John Gill. Stealing some uniforms Kirk and Spock try to break into the Fuhrer's headquarters. However they are caught immediately when a guard notices Spock's ears.
Act 2-Kirk are stripped and interrogated, while also being whipped. The two are imprisoned near a Zion underground member named Isak. He explains that they hate Zions because they need someone to hate. He says that the Nazi movement only began a few years ago, the same time Gill arrived. Kirk needs to get their equipment back, and Kirk has an idea to escape. Using the transponders and a light they can equip e makeshift laser to open the door (I neve got Spock in this scene, he seems to be enjoying causing Kirk pain by standing on his whipped back). They make their way to the laboratory where Kirk pickpockets the keys, and then grab two disassembled communicators. Kirk and Spock steal two more uniforms and escape the building, with Isak in a stretcher. They make their way to the underground, where Isak learns his fiancée is dead. Spock works on the communicators when suddenly officers come in with weapons. They recognize the woman in charge from the film they saw before.
Act 3-Kirk and Spock try to intervene but it's revealed the woman, Daras, is a member of the underground and this had just been a test of Kirk and Spock. Kirk reveals who they are and what they are doing there and how John Gill got to be there. Kirk is still trying to find a way to get to Gill, and Isak says the next chance is a speech is making in the chancellery where Isak fears war will be declared. Posing as documentary film crew Kirk and Spock make there way into the building. They make there way down the halls pretending to be making a documentary. In a guarded room Spock catches a glimpse of John Gill being propped up in a chair, drugged apparently. They hide in a closet where Kirk realizes they need McCoy. Spock has fixed a communicator so they contact the ship, and have McCoy beamed down dressed as Gestapo doctor. The signal has been picked up starting a search for the source. McCoy arrives, struggling to fit into his costume, when two guards appear at the doorway.
Act 4-Kirk is able to convince them that they were hiding because McCoy was drunk. Chairman Eneg accept that explanation and continue their search. Spock is puzzled, they saw Eneg before and should have been recognized. The furher's speech begins, with Gill's face blocked by a microphone and not moving at all. McCoy confirms he looks drugged, and the three sneak to the broadcast booth. Using the documentary ruse, they manage to get inside. As the assistant speaks, McCoy pumps Gill full of stimulants. Still, Spock needs to use his mind probe on him to get him to answer questions. As the assistant pledges to wage war, Daras pleads with Kirk to get the Enterprise to stop the invasion. Kirk refuses wanting to find a solution to save both planet. Gill explains how he found the society in a state of anarchy. He tried to help by encouraging the Ekosians to adopt Nazi Germany as a model, believing they could embrace its efficiency while eschewing its sadistic or xenophobic aspects. Spock says that sounds logical considering the way they recovered from the economic collapse after WWI. Run kindly maybe such a system could work, but the assistance drugged him instead and installed him as a figurehead as the society fell in to a pattern of violence and racism. When they are discovered Kirk pretends Spock was trying to assassinate the further. As he is led away, Kirk struggled to help Gill so he call of the war. As Spock is being dressed down Gill has finally recovered and gives a real speech halting the invasion, but he is gunned down as he speaks. The assassin killed immediately by Isak. As he dies, Gill admits he was wrong and the prime directive was the right way all along. As Ekos prepares for a new way of life, back on board the Enterprise Spock admits confusion on how Gill could have done what he did. Kirk says the problem wit the Nazi's wasn't they were insane but that were power hungry. When given to much power, absolute power corrupts absolutely.
Final Thoughts:Like other episodes I've discussed, this isn't an awful episode but it sure isn't one I would put just to watch a random episode one day. As for the parallels to Nazi Germany and all...once again I am neither inclined or qualified to get into that. I do find it odd there aren't any return to the ship scenes in this one, was it because the episode went long or they couldn't come up with any reason to see what Scotty was doing? I like that the episode injects some humor so it doesn't get to dark. Though that triumphant ending on the planet sure does ring empty.
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