So after two horid episodes can we get a good one today? Just maybe. This is one that some may like, but I never got into. It's a Kirk romance story but easily the worst.
Plot:While the Enterprise searches for the rare cure to a deadly disease, the landing party is confronted by a reclusive man who is willing to kill to preserve his privacy.
Guest Stars:James Daly as Flint, Louise Sorel as Rayna Kapec
Nitpick:The one thing that always stuck with me was the scene were Flint turns the Enterprise into a tabletop model. It makes no sense, and goes nowhere, but it got my attention. The ending is a little controversial, but I will give my opinion on what Spock does at the end.
Summary:
Teaser-The crew is suffering from a deadly bout of Rigellian fever. The Enterprise visits a supposedly barren planet to gather Rytelan. A rare element that is the key to the antidote. The landing part is attacked by a robot called M-4. A man called Flint stops the robot, but orders the three to leave at once. Kirk says they can take the substance by force, and Flint says he has the power to kill Kirk where he stands.
Act 1-Kirk insists but Flint still refuses. Aggravated, Kirk calls the Enterprise and tells him to lock phasers on their coordinates. Flint applauds the show of power, and finally relents and gives them two hours to secure the substance. He sends the robot to help gather the material while allowing the three into his home. Inside a beautiful castle, the crew are surprised to find authentic Earth art. A rare collection of Shakespeare first volume, art by Davinci and a Guttenberg Bible. Meanwhile, someone is watching on a screen. Spock comments that the work is unique and even rare. Flint talks to a woman about the men and she is curious about them. She is clearly very intelligent, and very lonely. McCoy admires the old bottle of saurion brandy (I guess it's like wine?). Spock says he is close to feeling envy at the collection. They are all authentic and original, but were made with contemporary tools. Kirk tells Scotty to run a check on Flint and the planet. The robot returns with the substance and Flint says that the robot can prepare the anti toxin. Flint ten introduces the woman, named Rayna. And Kirk is immediately smitten.
Act 2-Rayna is amused that Spock is a Vulcan and wishes to discuss things with him. Flint says her parents will killed in an accident and he takes care of her. The three of them are the only men she has ever seen. Flint encourages Rayna spend time with Kirk, which she does. They play billiards and dance to a piano while Spock plays. Kirk and Rayna are clearly growing fond of each other as they dance. McCoy appears and says that the substance is useless as an antidote. Flint suggests he will gather more and when he leaves Spock realizes the waltz he was playing is an original Brahms. Brand new. Kirk goes to lab and as he looks around Rayna enters. After some flirting Kirk asks what is behind a door, she does not know. She says she comes to lab when she is troubled. She says Flint is the kindest man in the galaxy, and yet she is troubled. Suddenly the robot enter, and attacks.
Act 3-Just as it is about strike Kirk, Spock vaporizes it with his phaser. Flint explains the robot was meant to defend the house, it did not anticipate Kirk poking around the lab. Suddenly another robot appears, Flint made another. He says McCoy is satisfied with the new substance, and suggests Kirk and Spock wait for the anti toxin to be ready. When Flint leaves he has to force Rayna to follow. Kirk figures Flint loves Rayna and is jealous that she is interested in Kirk. Kirk calls the Enterprise and the fever has spready to almost the whole ship. There was no record of Flint, or Rayna. Spock says Flint is human but has some odd bio functions and is extraordinarily old. Flint and Rayna watch Kirk and Spock on a screen, and the two figure they are being watched. Rayna accuses Flint of sending the robot in but he denies doing so. Rayna comes into say goodbye though Kirk doesn't want to. As they close in and kiss, Flint watches on the screen. McCoy tells Spock that the substance is missing. Kirk begs Rayna to go back with him saying she loves him not Flint. She runs away, and in the lab McCoy reports the missing substance is behind the closed door. There is a clever moment here when Speck had deduced this and tries to keep Kirk from going inside to spare his feelings. I liked this. They get the door opened, and find other earlier Rayna's. They are androids, all of them.
Act 4-Flint arrives and reveals his secret, he is Vandal Savage. Um no wrong franchise. He is an immortal born over a millennia before Christ in 3834 B.C. He reveals that he is DaVinci, Brahms, Solomon, Alexander, Lazarus, Merlin and dozens more. Eventually he acquired enough wealth to purchase the planet and create the perfect woman, as brilliant and immortal as he is. Kirk provided the final step in her creation, stirring up her emotions. Flint says Kirk cannot love her, she is his to love. Flint says that the must stay now that they know his true identity. Spock says they can remain but Flint will not risk it. He then uses a device to take the Enterprise out of orbit and appear tabletop size. Flint says the crew will be in suspended animation until Rayna's emotions turn to him. However Rayan enters the room, and discovers the truth. She says that she will hate him if he does this to them, which compels him to restore the Enterprise. Kirk is upset the delay could have harmed his crew...no, sorry he never even brings that up. Flint says he will take Rayna but Kirk refuses to allow it. The two then fight, and the site of two men she loves fighting over her makes he angry. She tells them to stop, and says that she no one orders her. Kirk says she is now human, and despite Spock's warning the two keep fighting over her. They try to force her to choose, but she cannot and she is finally overwhelmed and falls to the ground. Spock explains she did not have time to adjust to her feelings, and it finally destroyed her. On the Enterprise, a heartbroken Kirk sits in his quarters when Spock comes in to report the epidemic is over. Kirk wishes he could forget her as he falls asleep. McCoy comes in happy to see Kirk sleeping and reports that Flint is dying. His leaving Earth sacrificed his immortality. McCoy says Spock will never know what love can drive a person to. He also says he wishes Kirk could forget her. When he leaves Spock goes over to Kirk. He puts his hands on Kirk's head, and says "forget".
Final Thoughts:After yesterday, at least this felt like a normal episode. Just to show how brilliantly original this season was, this is the third epidemic the Enterprise has faced in the past few episodes. Though the first that actually affects them, I guess. The episode has a big problem for me, and it isn't that it's boring. Which it is. The problem is I just can't buy that Kirk is truly in love with Rayna. Smitten? Sure. But love? In TWO HOURS? I mean Edith Keeler worked because they had a few days, and they shared values. Miramanee worked because he had two months. But here? No. Ok fair is fair and it's a decent script. I do like what the episode was trying to do with the idea of creating a perfect woman and the impact emotions play. Louise Sorrel was really good in the role. By the way she would stay awesome in soap operas, which is where I saw her first. I don't remember liking her so much the last time I saw this one. As for the ending, some think Spock was being a true friend and helping Kirk. Others think he was violating him. Others just wonder what the heck the point of that was. I liked his scene earlier as I noted where he knew what was behind the door and tried to keep Kirk from seeing. This was, a weird choice and if we knew exactly what he was doing it may have worked better. This episode is better than I remember but still a bore. And why did Flint have to be all those famous figures? Just saying he was immortal was enough, but everything from Merlin to DaVinci? It's so lame that even Star Trek Voyager poked fun at it!
No comments:
Post a Comment