Just two more episodes let and today we have one that is often considered one of the highlights of season 3. However, I've never ben able to get into it. Let's see if we figure out why.
Plot:Kirk, Spock, and McCoy are trapped in a planet's distant pasts, where Spock finds love with an exiled woman.
Guest Stars:Mariette Hartley as Zarabeth, Ian Wolfe as Mr. Atoz
Nitpick:A lot of trouble could have ben avoided this episode if Atoz had given just one straight answer.
Summary:
Teaser-The Enterprise is at the planet Sarpeidon where the sun is about to go super nova. Their mission is to warn the inhabitants. However, when Kirk, Spock and McCoy beam down they find no one. Then one man greets them. He is Mr.Atoz the librarian. He is surprised to see them, saying he thought everyone was gone. Kirk asks where they went to go, and he says it was up to the individual. Atoz then shows then some of their selections, when another Atoz appears. He points them to the desk, where yet another Atoz sits and is annoyed at how late they are.
Act 1-Atoz explains that the people on the planet were warned long ago and are now safe. Kirk asks where but can't get a straight answer. Atoz says he is the real one. He explains he plans to join his family when the time comes. Atoz takes out a disc and puts on a pedestal, and Kirk sees images from the past. Spock asks what he is to select, and Atoz says the period one is interested. When they are ready they Atoz will make sure they are prepared. McCoy pulls a disc which shows an arctic environment. As Kirk watches the images he hears a woman scream. This causes him to run out the door, but instead of going outside he warps somewhere else. Suddenly he is on a street somewhere. Spock and McCoy follow and end up in the artic area that McCoy was watching. Kirk is in a world that resembles 17th century England as the woman he heard scream is being accosted. Kirk saves the day and ends up in a sword fight. While Spock and McCoy are in a frozen tundra trying to find some source of heat. Kirk discovers that the woman is a thief, and suddenly notices the doorway is gone and is stuck there.
Act 2-Kirk has no idea how to get back to the library. As he looks around the wall he can hear Spock and McCoy at their location. Spock figures that the population escaped the destruction of the world by retreating into its past. The woman believes the voices are spirits and Kirk is taken by the authorities. Spock and McCoy work to find shelter, and as the harsh winter begins to take their toll on McCoy a woman suddenly appears and leads them to a cave. Spock is able to get McCoy to lay down, he is suffering from frostbite conditions. Spock decides to wait to see if he recovers. The woman reveals herself, and asks who Spock is. She asks why they are there, if they are prisoners too. She explains that this is a place people are sent when they commit a crime. In her case, assassination's. Zarabeth begins to think that she is going crazy, and Spock convinces her that he is really there. She has been here for so long. Meanwhile, Kirk is in a prison cell when a Prosecutor appears. He talks to Kirk but when he hears Kirk says library he seems to panic and run off.
Act 3-In the cave Spock tries to wake McCoy who is recovering. Zarabeth asks who "Jim" is and Spock tries to explain who Kirk is. He asks Zarabeth to show him where the time portal is but she points out McCoy is ill. Spock struggles to be able to logically figure out what to do. Spock says that she can go back with them but she cannot go through the portal again without dying. There cell structure is changed before they enter so that they cannot go back to where they came from. McCoy has recovered and wonders where they are. Spock explains how they are stuck there. Meanwhile, Kirk manages to escape from his cell. The Prosecutor arrives to take Kirk to the inquisition however Kirk is able to overpower him. Kirk soon realizes the prosecutor has also come from the future. Prosecutor begs Kirk not to implicate him. Prosecutor explains that Kirk cannot return. When Kirk says that he was never prepared, he's told he must get back at once. If not transformed than a person can only survive a few hours in the past. In the cave McCoy and Zarabeth chat and Spock seems more annoyed than usual. McCoy notices how interested in Zarabeth Spock is. McCoy is shocked Spock has tried anything, but Spock says they cannot get back. McCoy says it is not like Soiok to give up. When McCoy accuses him of wanting to stay there, he calls Spock a name. In response Spock grab's McCoy and angrily says he does not lie it when McCoy says that. And never did. McCoy then realizes just where they are, and what is happening to Spock. Prosecutor helps Kirk find the doorway, and soon he is back in the library. An Atoz replica insist that Kirk be prepared, but when Kirk fights he ends up stunned by the real Atoz.
Act 4- Spock and Zarabeth continue to get to know each other better. He even eats meat which Vulcan's never do. Zarabeth says she has everything she needs to survive, except companionship. Spock realizes he is not acting correctly, and isn't sure why. He calsl Zarabeth beautiful and is clearly falling for her They finally kiss and he clearly enjoys her company. Atoz is trying prepare Kirk but Kirk is able to get out of the way. He finally defeats Atoz and forced him to help him find Spock and McCoy. The Enterprise is running out of time to beam the three up. As Atoz looks through various discs, McCoy says that Spock has been dishonest. He points out that Zaravethg would say anything to keep her from being alive. She cannot get back, but the two of them are able to. He tries to get her to tell the truth when Spock is enraged and grabs McCoy by the neck. McCoy points out what Spock is doing, and he relents. McCoy then asks what is happening on his planet in this time period. Spock realizes that in this time, Vulcan's ancestors are barbarians with passionate emotions. Spock is reverting to that mentality. Spock asks Zaraabeth for the truth and she explains the two may be able to go back. McCoy says he is going to try. In the library the search continues for the correct disc. Spock and Zarabeth catch up with McCoy but are about to give up when they hear Kirk calling them. They follow the sound of his voice to the doorway. Spock bids Zarabeth farewell, and they return to the library. Atoz quickly escapes, and Spock assures McCoy that he is back to normal. The three beam up before the sun goes nova.
Final Thoughts:This is a tale of two stories, Kirk and Spock's. And Kirk's is so boring. Not bad, just boring. It's what is happening with Spock and McCoy that proves more interesting. The idea of Spock regressing to when Vulcans were more savage is nicely done. And Mariette Hartley is great in the episode, her chemistry with Leonard Nimoy is also great. The one good romance in this dreary season in my opinion. It's no surprise that two great spin-off books have been made from this episode. So do I like this episode more now? I still can't really get into it but its' not bad. Kirk's story is so quick there's no weight to it and Spock's story is great but not enough to save the episode for me personally. It's a decent episode however and I can see why many suggest it would have been better if this had been the series finale, rather than one we would end up with!
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