Where No Man Has Gone Before

1x03 Charlie X The Naked Time Star Trek: The Original SeriesSeason 1

 WRITTEN BY

Samuel A. Peeples

 DIRECTED BY

James Goldstone

 AIRED ON

September 22, 1966

 RUNTIME

50 minutes

 STARRING

 VIEWS

370

 LAST UPDATE

2024-09-24 16:16:07

 PAGE VERSION

Version 19

 LIKES

2

 DISLIKES

0

 SUMMARY

No summary yet.

 STORY

No story yet.

 BEHIND THE SCENES

• The Second Pilot to Secure the Series: Originally, Star Trek’s first pilot episode was “The Cage”, but NBC rejected it for being "too cerebral." Instead of canceling the show, they did something rare: they asked for a second pilot, leading to “Where No Man Has Gone Before.” This episode was successful in securing the series' production and led to the iconic Star Trek we know today.
• Gary Mitchell: A Powerful Villain: The character of Gary Mitchell, played by Gary Lockwood, was originally considered as an ongoing villain if the show went to series. His transformation into a god-like figure due to the energy barrier at the edge of the galaxy made him a formidable opponent to Kirk, but this concept of god-like antagonists evolved into many other episodes and characters in the series, including the famous Q from Star Trek: The Next Generation.
• Casting Changes: Leonard Nimoy as Spock is the only actor to have survived from the original "The Cage" pilot. However, several characters were replaced or recast for "Where No Man Has Gone Before." For example, Captain Pike (Jeffrey Hunter) was replaced by William Shatner’s Captain Kirk. Majel Barrett, who played Number One in “The Cage,” was no longer in the main cast but would return as Nurse Christine Chapel.
• William Shatner’s First Performance as Captain Kirk: This was the first time William Shatner appeared as Captain James T. Kirk, a role that would become legendary. His portrayal of Kirk, with charisma and decisiveness, set a different tone compared to Jeffrey Hunter's more introspective and brooding Captain Pike from “The Cage.”
• Costume and Visual Effects Upgrades: Uniforms were slightly different from what would eventually become the norm in Star Trek. The gold and blue shirts were a bit shinier, and this episode marked the first time Kirk wore his gold command tunic. Additionally, Spock's eyebrows and ears were slightly modified after the first pilot, giving him the signature Vulcan look he would carry through the series. The episode also featured advanced special effects for the time, particularly in portraying Gary Mitchell’s psychic powers. The glowing eyes of Gary Mitchell were achieved using special contact lenses, a process that was uncomfortable for actor Gary Lockwood but effective in conveying Mitchell's transformation.
• Behind-the-Scenes Friction: Director James Goldstone had some challenges working with the cast, particularly William Shatner, as he worked to find the right tone for Kirk’s leadership style. Shatner was very collaborative, and his approach to Kirk evolved as the series went on.
• There was also concern behind the scenes regarding the pacing of the episode. NBC wanted more action and faster pacing, which is why the fight between Kirk and Mitchell was included as the climactic moment. Originally, the episode had a more philosophical ending.
• Gary Lockwood and Sally Kellerman: Gary Lockwood (Gary Mitchell) and Sally Kellerman (Dr. Elizabeth Dehner) were relatively well-known actors when they guest-starred in this episode. Lockwood had appeared in 2001: A Space Odyssey, while Kellerman would go on to star in MASH. Lockwood has remarked in interviews about how impressed he was with the writing on Star Trek and enjoyed working on the show, despite the discomfort of the special effects lenses.
• The Edge of the Galaxy: The episode is notable for establishing that the USS Enterprise can travel beyond the edges of the galaxy, and it’s the first time viewers get to see an energy barrier at the galaxy's edge—a concept that’s explored in later episodes and other Star Trek series. This boundary, and its hazardous effects, would become a point of reference in future episodes, contributing to the show's sense of cosmic exploration.
• Spock’s Lack of Emotion: Spock’s character was still evolving during this episode. His famous lack of emotion was emphasized more here than in “The Cage,” where he had been shown smiling. This more logical and emotionless version of Spock became a cornerstone of his character as the series progressed. Nimoy and the writers worked together to refine Spock’s stoic demeanor.
• Early Challenges with Ratings: Despite being well-received by executives, the episode aired third when the series began its broadcast run, following “The Man Trap” and “Charlie X.” Ratings were initially modest for the series, but Star Trek gained a passionate following over time. Its syndication success in the following years turned it into a cult hit.
• Memorable Kirk Line: The episode features one of Captain Kirk’s most iconic lines, often misquoted, but the original quote is: “One of the most important things a captain learns is who not to listen to.”
• Nod to the Title in Future Trek: The phrase "Where No Man Has Gone Before" became so iconic that it was adapted as part of the Star Trek franchise’s opening narration: “Space, the final frontier...to boldly go where no man has gone before.” It would later be modernized in The Next Generation to “where no one has gone before,” to be more inclusive.
• Enterprise’s Destruction Almost Happened: An early draft of the script considered having the Enterprise destroyed at the end of the episode, but this idea was quickly scrapped. The destruction of the ship would not occur in the series until Star Trek III: The Search for Spock.

 MYTHOLOGY

Exploration of the dangers of humanity evolving too quickly.
Lt. Gary Mitchell gains god-like powers after exposure to an energy field at the edge of the galaxy, posing a threat to the crew.
Themes of power, control, and the limits of human evolution are introduced.

 QUOTES

Capt. Kirk: Captain's log, stardate 1312.4. The impossible has happened. From directly ahead, we're picking up a recorded distress signal, the call letters of a vessel which has been missing for over two centuries.

Dr. Elizabeth Dehner: Women professionals do tend to overcompensate.

Kirk: What makes you right and a trained psychiatrist wrong?
Spock: Because she feels. I don't. All I know is logic.

Lt. Cmdr. Gary Mitchell: You should have killed me while you could, James. Command and compassion is a fool's mixture.

Kirk: He didn't ask for what happened to him.
Spock: I felt for him, too.
Kirk: I believe there's some hope for you after all, Mr. Spock.

 FILMING LOCATIONS

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 REVIEWS

Odd people on board... again!

Written by Pike on 2019-04-16
★ ★ ★ ★

This is only the third episode so far, and already we are at three episodes with odd characters onboard the ship out of... three. This is already starting to become old... and we are only in 1966!

Still, the conclusion of the episode is thrilling. Sure, it feels dated and is close to being ridiculous when watched today, but I actually enjoyed it and it felt like a breath of fresh air to leave the secluded ship for a while.

Also, I think the show would be better if the episodes would last only 43 minutes instead of 50. The pace could be a bit faster.

SUMMARY
I give it 4 out of 5. Very good.
___________________________________________

The One Where Kirk’s Best Friend Gets Godlike Powers and an Ego to Match

Written by lilly on 2024-09-15
★ ★ ★ ★

Where No Man Has Gone Before kicks off Star Trek with a big existential bang—because what's more fun than exploring the final frontier? How about giving your best friend infinite power and watching him become the universe’s worst narcissist?

It all starts when the Enterprise hits a mysterious energy barrier at the edge of the galaxy (because, of course, there’s a "wall" around the galaxy). Enter Gary Mitchell, Kirk's old buddy, who gets zapped by the space energy and suddenly evolves into a walking omnipotent nightmare. At first, it's just some light ESP and glowing eyes—no big deal, right? But then Gary starts turning into Space God 2.0, with a massive superiority complex. He starts moving things with his mind, reading thoughts, and doing that annoying "I know everything" thing we all hate in friends.

Kirk is stuck trying to deal with the cosmic upgrade of his bestie, and it’s not going well. Gary’s newfound powers come with a side of megalomania, and he starts talking about remaking the universe because, hey, why not? He even tries to convince Kirk to join him on his divine quest, but Kirk’s not really into the whole “conquer the cosmos” thing—especially when Gary starts referring to everyone else as "ants."

Meanwhile, Dr. Elizabeth Dehner, a fellow crew member, also gets hit with the space upgrade, but she’s more "reluctant goddess" than "power-hungry maniac." Still, it’s hard to focus on her inner struggle when Gary’s over here throwing telekinetic temper tantrums like a spoiled deity.

Things come to a head when Kirk realizes there’s no talking Gary down from his newfound god-complex, so he does what any good captain would do—he challenges him to a good ol' fashioned fistfight on a desolate planet. Spoiler alert: it’s not easy punching a guy who can move mountains with his mind, but Kirk makes it work with pure grit and some conveniently placed rocks.

In the end, Kirk is forced to take Gary down for good, and Dehner sacrifices herself to help him do it. The moral of the story? Absolute power corrupts absolutely, especially when your best friend gets space zapped into an all-knowing super-being.

Where No Man Has Gone Before reminds us that while exploring strange new worlds is fun, sometimes you just want to keep your crewmates as regular old humans—preferably the non-glowing-eyed variety.

 TRANSCRIPT

Captain's log, Star date 1312.4. The impossible has happened. From directly ahead, we're picking up a recorded distress signal, the call letters of a vessel which has been missing for over two centuries. Did another Earth ship once probe out of the galaxy as we intend to do? What happened to it out there? Is this some warning they've left behind?
[Briefing room]

SPOCK: Your move, Captain.
KIRK: We should have intercepted by now. The Bridge said they'd call.
SPOCK: I'll have you checkmated your next move.
KIRK: Have I ever mentioned you play a very irritating game of chess, Mister Spock?
SPOCK: Irritating? Ah, yes. One of your Earth emotions.
KIRK: Certain you don't know what irritation is?
SPOCK: The fact one of my ancestors married a human female
KIRK: Terrible having bad blood like that.
KELSO [on monitor] Bridge to briefing lounge. Object is now within tractor beam range.
KIRK: No visual contact, Mister Kelso?
KELSO [on monitor]: No, sir. It's too small to be a vessel. It only reads about one metre in diameter.
SPOCK: Not large enough even for a lifeboat.
KELSO [on monitor] Small enough to bring it aboard, sir, if you want to risk it.
KIRK: Lock onto it, Mister Kelso.

[Transporter room]

SCOTT: Materialiser ready, sir.
KIRK: Bring it aboard. Old-style ship recorder that could be ejected when something threatened the ship.
SPOCK: More like destroyed the ship in this case. Look at it. Burnt, pitted.
KIRK: Let's hope its tapes are intact. We'll feed it through Mister Spock's computer.
SCOTT: Yes, sir. It's begun transmitting, sir.
KIRK: Flash the Bridge. Put all decks on the alert.

[Turbolift]

MITCHELL: Hold it, Jim.
KIRK: Getting into shape?
MITCHELL: Yeah, well I figured you weren't on the Bridge. Kelso's voice sounded a little nervous. Well, uh, you finish the game?
SPOCK: He played most illogically. His next move should have been the rook.

[Bridge]

MITCHELL: Yore relieved, Mister Alden.
ALDEN: Acknowledged, Mister Mitchell.
KIRK: Screen on.
KELSO: Screen on, sir. Approaching galaxy edge, sir.
KIRK: Neutralise warp, Mister Mitchell. Hold this position.
MITCHELL: Neutralise warp, sir.
KIRK: Address intercraft.
MITCHELL: Intercraft open.
KIRK: This is the Captain speaking. The object we encountered is a ship's disaster recorder, apparently ejected from the S.S. Valiant two hundred years ago.
SPOCK: The tapes are burnt out. Trying the memory banks.
KIRK: We hope to learn from the recorder what the Valiant was doing here and what destroyed the vessel. We'll move out into our probe as soon as we have those answers. All decks, stand by.
MITCHELL: Department heads, sir. You wanted everybody on the Bridge before we left the galaxy. Jones.
SMITH: The name's Smith, sir.
SULU: Astro sciences standing by, Captain.
SCOTT: Engineering division ready, as always.
PIPER: Life sciences ready, sir. This is Doctor Dehner, who joined the ship at the Aldebaran colony.
DEHNER: Psychiatry, Captain. My assignment is to study crew reaction in emergency conditions.
SPOCK: Getting something from the recorder now.
DEHNER: lf there was an emergency, I'd be interested in how that crew reacted, too.
MITCHELL: Improving the breed, Doctor? Is that your line?
DEHNER: I heard that's more your specialty, Commander, line included.
MITCHELL: (to Kelso) Walking freezer unit.
SPOCK: Decoding memory banks. I'll try to interpolate. The Valiant had encountered a magnetic space storm and was being swept in this direction.
KIRK: The old impulse engines weren't strong enough.
SPOCK: Swept past this point, about a half light year out of the galaxy, they were thrown clear, turned, and headed back into the galaxy here. I'm not getting it all. The tapes are pretty badly burned. Sounds like the ship had encountered some unknown force. Now, orders, counter orders, repeated urgent requests for information from the ship's computer records for anything concerning ESP in human beings.
KIRK: Extrasensory perception. Doctor Dehner, how are you on ESP?
DEHNER: In tests I've taken, my ESP rated rather high.
KIRK: I'm asking what you know about ESP.
DEHNER: It is a fact that some people can sense future happenings, read the backs of playing cards and so on, but the esper capacity is always quite limited.
SPOCK: Severe damage. Seven crewmen dead. No, make that six. One crewman seemed to have recovered. That's when they became interested in extrasensory perception. More than interested, almost frantic about it. No, this must be garbled. I get something about destruct. I must have read it wrong. It sounded like the captain giving an order to destroy his own ship.
KIRK: Comments?
PIPER: The only fact we have for sure is that the S.S. Valiant was destroyed.
KIRK: That's probably the best argument to continue the probe. Other vessels will be heading out here someday and they'll have to know what they'll be facing. We're leaving the galaxy, Mister Mitchell. Ahead, warp factor one.
SPOCK: Force field of some kind.
MITCHELL: We're coming up on it fast.
SPOCK: Sensor beam on.
KELSO: Sensor beam on, sir.
SPOCK: Deflectors full intensity.
KELSO: Deflectors full intensity.
SPOCK: Deflectors say there's something there, sensors say there isn't. Density negative. Radiation negative. Energy negative.
KELSO: Whatever it is, contact in twelve seconds.
KIRK: Gravitation on automatic. (consoles blow up) Emergency stations. All decks on fire alert. Neutralise controls. Kelso, put it on manual. Any radiation? Anything?
SPOCK: Negative!
KIRK: Helmsmen, take us out of here. (Dehner gets hit by an electric charge, then Mitchell) Helmsmen! (Kirk takes controls) Lateral power! (Spock takes over, Enterprise veers away) Take damage reports.
SPOCK: Damage control reports, all stations!
CREWMAN [OC]: Gravity control switching to batteries.
DEHNER: Something hit me, like an electrical charge.
PIPER: He's alive. Appears to be in shock.
CREWMAN [OC]: Engineering deck three, can you give damage report?
CREWMAN 2 [OC]: Sensor beams. Full power on the deflectors.
SPOCK: Main engines are out, sir. We're on emergency power cells. Casualties, nine dead.
CREWMAN [OC]: Gravity is down to point eight.
CREWMAN 2 [OC]: All decks, this is Bridge Engineering. Due to emergency conditions.
KIRK: Gary. Gary, are you all right?
MITCHELL: I'm a little weak for some reason, Jim, but I feel all right now. (opens eyes, they're glowing)

Captain's log, Star date 1312.9. Ship's condition, heading back on impulse power only. Main engines burned out. The ship's space warp ability gone. Earth bases which were only days away are now years in the distance. Our overriding question now is what destroyed the Valiant? They lived through the barrier, just as we have. What happened to them after that?

[Bridge]

DEHNER: Autopsy report, sir. Each case showed damage to the body's neural circuit. An area of the brain was burned out.
KIRK: And you, are you feeling all right?
DEHNER: Yes. Mitchell, too, except for his eyes. We're trying to find a reason for that now, and why, out of our whole crew, only certain people were affected.
SPOCK: I think we've found that answer, Doctor.
KIRK: You mentioned that tests show you have a high degree of extrasensory perception. So do the records of the others. Gary Mitchell has the highest esper rating of all.
DEHNER: lf you're suggesting there's anything dangerous
SPOCK: Before the Valiant was destroyed, its captain was frantically searching for ESP information on his crew.
DEHNER: Espers are simply people with flashes of insight.
SPOCK: Are there not also those who seem to see through solid objects, cause fires to start spontaneously?
DEHNER: There's nothing about it that could possibly make a person dangerous.
SPOCK: Doctor Dehner is speaking of normal ESP power.
DEHNER: Perhaps you know of another kind?
KIRK: Do we know for sure, Doctor, that there isn't another kind?

[Sickbay]

MITCHELL: (without looking) Hello, Jim. Hey, you look worried.
KIRK: I've been worried about you ever since that night on Deneb IV.
MITCHELL: Yeah, she was nova, that one. Not nearly as many after-effects this time, except for the eyes. They kind of stare back at me when I'm shaving.
KIRK: Do you feel any different?
MITCHELL: Well, in a way, I feel better than I've ever felt before in my life. Actually seems to have done me some good.
KIRK: How?
MITCHELL: Well, I'm getting a chance to read some of that longhair stuff you like. Hey man, I remember you back at the Academy. A stack of books with legs. The first thing I ever heard from an upperclassman was, watch out for Lieutenant Kirk. In his class, you either think or sink.
KIRK: I wasn't that bad, was I?
MITCHELL: If I hadn't aimed that little blonde lab technician at you
KIRK: You what? You planned that?
MITCHELL: Well, you wanted me to think, didn't you? I outlined her whole campaign for her.
KIRK: I almost married her!
MITCHELL: Better be good to me. I'm getting even better ideas here.
KIRK: (looks at monitor) You? Spinoza?
MITCHELL: Once you get into him, he's rather simple though. Childish, almost. I don't agree with him at all.
KIRK: Go on.
MITCHELL: Hey, I'm trying to tell you I feel fine. When do I go back on duty?
KIRK: I'm going to ask Doctor Dehner to keep you under observation for a while.
MITCHELL: With almost a hundred women on board, you can do better than that, friend Captain.
KIRK: Consider it a challenge.
MITCHELL: That doesn't seem very friendly. (weird voice) Didn't I say you'd better be (normal) good to me?

[Bridge]

SPOCK: He's reading even faster now than just a few moments ago. Is that Gary Mitchell, the one you used to know?
KIRK: Put a twenty four hour watch on the Sickbay. Fullest possible range of examinations and tests.

[Sickbay]

PIPER: Perfect, perfect. I've never had a patient like you, Gary. Even the healthiest are generally off on some reading. leaves)
DEHNER: I know you don't particularly like me, Mister Mitchell, but since I am assigned here, can we make the best of it?
MITCHELL: I've got nothing against you, Doctor.
DEHNER: Nor against the walking freezer unit?
MITCHELL: Well, I, sorry about that.
DEHNER: Women professionals do tend to overcompensate. Now let's talk about you. How do you feel?
MITCHELL: You know, everybody, everybody seems worried that I don't have some kind of fever or something. Maybe if we could just change these dials (sends them soaring). Now back to normal, I think.
DEHNER: How did you do that?
MITCHELL: I'm not sure, I, I just thought of making it happen, and it does. It's, hey, er hey watch this, Doc.
(indicators plummet, Mitchell collapses)
DEHNER: Stop it. Stop it! You were dead for almost twenty two seconds. There were no readings at all.
MITCHELL: Yeah. Oh, boy. You, you know, Doc, there have been other things too, like going halfway through the ship's library in hardly a day. Yeah. Oh, what's happening to me?
DEHNER: Do you remember everything you read that quickly?
MITCHELL: Yeah.
DEHNER: On any tape?
MITCHELL: Sure. Yeah.
DEHNER: Try this one.
MITCHELL: Yeah.
DEHNER: Page three eighty seven.
MITCHELL: My love has wings. Slender, feathered things with grace in upswept curve and tapered tip. The Nightingale Woman, written by Phineas Tarbolde on the Canopius planet back in 1996. It's funny you picked that one, Doctor.
DEHNER: Why?
MITCHELL: That's one of the most passionate love sonnets of the past couple of centuries. How do you feel, Doctor?
DEHNER: What?
MITCHELL: How do you feel?
DEHNER: I just fell. Nothing happened.
MITCHELL No? Are you sure? Are you sure?
KELSO: Er, I was on my coffee break. I thought I'd check up on
MITCHELL Yeah, that's okay Lee, come on in. Don't let the light in my eyes bother you, pal. It's all for our, our good-looking lady doctor here.
KELSO: Yeah. Sure.
MITCHELL: So, er, so, how go the repairs?
KELSO: Well, the main engines are gone, unless we can find some way to re-energise them.
MITCHELL: You'd better check the starboard impulse packs. Those points have about decayed to lead.
KELSO: Oh, yeah, sure, Mitch.
MITCHELL: I'm not joking, Lee! You activate those packs, and you'll blow the whole impulse deck.
KELSO: I'll, er, I'll get on it right away. I just wanted to stop by and make sure you were okay. See you later. (leaves)
MITCHELL: He's a fool. A fool. He'd seen those points and he hadn't noticed their condition.
DEHNER: How do you know?
MITCHELL: The image of what he'd seen was still in his mind.

[Briefing room]

KELSO: Well, it didn't make any sense that he'd know, but naturally, I checked out the circuit anyway. I don't know how, but he was right. This point is burned out exactly the way he described it.
DEHNER: Sorry I'm late. I became so interested in observing Gary, Mister Mitchell.
SPOCK: Our subject is not Gary Mitchell. Our concern is, rather, what he is mutating into.
DEHNER: I know those from your planet aren't suppose to have feelings like we do, Mister Spock, but to talk that way about a man you've worked next to for years is worse than
KIRK: That's enough, Doctor.
DEHNER: I don't think so. I understand you least of all. Gary told me that you've been friends since he joined the service, that you asked for him aboard your first command.
KIRK: It is my duty, whether pleasant or unpleasant, to listen to the reports, observations, even speculations, on any subject that might affect the safety of this vessel, and it's my science officer's duty to see I'm provided with that. Go ahead, Mister Spock.
SPOCK: Have you noted evidence of unusual powers?
DEHNER: He can control certain autonomic reflexes. He reads very fast, retains more than most of us might consider usual.
KIRK: Mister Scott, would you repeat what you just told us?
SCOTT: About an hour ago, the Bridge controls started going crazy. Levers shifting by themselves, buttons being pushed, instrument readings changing.
SPOCK: And on my monitor screen I could see Mitchell smiling each time it happened, as if this ship and crew were almost a toy for his amusement.
KIRK: Are they right, Doctor? Has he shown abilities of such magnitude?
DEHNER: I saw some such indications.
KIRK: And you didn't think it worth mentioning?
DEHNER: No one's been hurt, have they? Don't you understand? A mutated superior man could also be a wonderful thing. The forerunner of a new and better kind of human being.
KIRK: Mister Sulu.
SULU: If you want the mathematics of this, Mitchell's ability is increasing geometrically. That is, like having a penny, doubling it every day. In a month, you'll be a millionaire.
SPOCK: In less time than that, he will have attained powers we can't understand and can't cope with. Soon we'll be not only useless to him, but actually an annoyance.
KIRK: There'll be no discussion of this with the crew. Thank you. (everyone else leaves)
SPOCK: We'll never reach an Earth base with him aboard, Jim. You heard the mathematics of it. In a month he'll have as much in common with us as we'd have with a ship full of white mice.
KIRK: I need a recommendation, Spock, not vague warnings.
SPOCK: Recommendation one. There's a planet a few light days away from here. Delta Vega. It has a lithium cracking station. We may be able to adapt some of its power packs to our engines.
KIRK: And if we can't? We'll be trapped in orbit there. We haven't enough power to blast back out.
SPOCK: It is the only possible way to get Mitchell off this ship.
KIRK: If you mean strand Mitchell there, I won't do it. That station is fully automated. There's not a soul on the whole planet. Even the ore ships call only once every twenty years.
SPOCK: Then you have one other choice. Kill Mitchell while you still can.
KIRK: Get out of here.
SPOCK: It is your only other choice, assuming you make it while you still have time.
KIRK: Will you try for one moment to feel? At least act like you've got a heart. We're talking about Gary.
SPOCK: The captain of the Valiant probably felt the same way, and he waited too long to make his decision. I think we've both guessed that.
KIRK: Set course for Delta Vega.

Star date 1313.1. We're now approaching Delta Vega. Course set for a standard orbit. This planet, completely uninhabited, is slightly smaller than Earth. Desolate, but rich in crystal and minerals. Kelso's task, transport down with a repair party, try to regenerate the main engines, save the ship. Our task, transport down a man I've known for fifteen years, and if we're successful, maroon him there.

[Sickbay]

MITCHELL: I'm thirsty. (cup slides under tap, is filled, then flies through the air to his hand) It's like a man who has been blind all of his life, suddenly being given sight. Sometimes I feel there's nothing I couldn't do, in time. Some people think that makes me a monster, don't they Jim.
KIRK: Are you reading all our thoughts, Gary?
MITCHELL: I can sense mainly worry in you, Jim. Safety of your ship.
KIRK: What would you do in my place?
MITCHELL: Probably just what Mister Spock is thinking now. Kill me while you can.
(He zaps Kirk and Spock with electric bolts)
DEHNER: Stop it, Gary!
MITCHELL: I also know we're orbiting Delta Vega, Jim. I can't let you force me down there. I may not want to leave this ship, not yet. I may want another place. I'm not sure yet just what kind of a world I can use.
DEHNER: Use?
MITCHELL: I don't understand it all yet, but if I keep growing, getting stronger, why, the things I could do, like, like maybe a god could do. (Kirk knocks him out)
KIRK: I want him unconscious for a while. (Dehner sedates him)

[Transporter room]

MITCHELL: You fools! Soon I'll squash you like insects. (Piper re-sedates him)
KIRK: Energise.

[Planet surface]

KIRK: Can you do it, Lee?
KELSO: Maybe, if we can bypass the fuel bins without blowing ourselves up.
KIRK: Take him.
DEHNER: There's not a soul on this planet but us?
KIRK: Nobody but us chickens, Doctor.

[Delta Vega Control room]

ALDEN: I think I've got the 203-R set, Lee.
KELSO: Good, Alden. Transport it up with you, will you?
ALDEN: Okay.
KIRK: The fuel bins, Lee. Could they be detonated from here?
KELSO: A destruct switch? I guess I could wire one up right there.
KIRK: Do it.
SPOCK: He's regaining consciousness.

[Delta Vega Brig]

KIRK: Doctor Piper. I want only one medical officer here at any one time. The other will monitor him on the dispensary screen.
DEHNER: I'd like to stay now, try to talk to him.
MITCHELL: My friend James Kirk. remember those rodent things on Dimorus? The poisoned darts they threw? I took one meant for you.
KIRK: And almost died. I remember.
MITCHELL: So why be afraid of me now?
KIRK: You've been testing your ability to take over the Enterprise. In the transporter room, you said something about us seeming like insects by comparison, squashing us if we got in your way.
MITCHELL: I was drugged then.
KIRK: Yes. In the Sickbay, you said if you were in my place, you'd kill a mutant like yourself.
MITCHELL: Why don't you kill me then? Mister Spock is right and you're a fool if you can't see it.
DEHNER: You don't mean that, Gary.
MITCHELL: Man cannot survive if a race of true espers is born. In time you'll understand that. (tests the forcefield)
KIRK: Gary. Gary, don't!
MITCHELL: Jim.
KIRK: His eyes went back to normal.
SPOCK: Fighting the force field drained his strength, for a while at least. He could be handled now.
MITCHELL: I'll just keep getting stronger. You know that, don't you.

[Bridge]

SCOTT: (having put new panel in a bridge station) It fits like a glove, Captain.

[Delta Vega Control room]

SCOTT [OC]: Oh, did Mister Spock get the phaser rifle we sent down?
KIRK: I didn't order any (Spock enters with rifle) Affirmative. Landing party out.
SPOCK: He tried to get through the force field again. His eyes changed back faster. He didn't become as weak.
KIRK: Doctor Dehner feels he isn't that dangerous. What makes you right and a trained psychiatrist wrong?
SPOCK: Because she feels. I don't. All I know is logic. In my opinion we'll be lucky if we can repair this ship and get away in time.
KELSO: Direct to the power bins. From here you could blow up this whole valley.
KIRK: If Mitchell gets out, at your discretion, Lee, if sitting here, you think you're the last chance, I want you to hit that button.

Captain's log, Star date 1313.3. Note commendations on Lieutenant Kelso and the engineering staff. In orbit above us, the engines of the Enterprise are almost fully regenerated. Balance of the landing party is being transported back up. Mitchell, whatever he's become, keeps changing, growing stronger by the minute.

[Delta Vega Brig]

DEHNER: He's been like that for hours now.
KIRK: Have Doctor Piper meet us in the control room with Kelso. We'll all transport up together.
SPOCK: If he should try to stop us
KIRK: Kelso will be on the destruct button until the last minute. I think he knows that.
DEHNER: I'm staying behind with him.

[Delta Vega Control room]

KELSO: Fission chamber three checks out. The station seems to be running fine.
SCOTT [OC]: You're a talented thief, Kelso. Everything you sent up seems to be fitting in place.
KELSO: I'm kind of proud of the job we've done. We're going to be ready to transport up (a cable loops over his neck from behind and throttles him)

[Delta Vega Brig]

KIRK: You're leaving with the ship, Doctor.
DEHNER: He is not evil.
KIRK: I gave you an order, Doctor.
MITCHELL: You should have killed me while you could, James. Command and compassion is a fool's mixture. (zaps Kirk and Spock then waves away the forcefield. He leads Dehner into his cell and we see in the mirror her eyes are like his now)
PIPER: It hit me, too, whatever it was. Kelso is dead, strangled. At least Spock's alive.
KIRK: Doctor Dehner?
PIPER: She went with Mitchell.
KIRK: Don't give him a pill until after I'm gone. It's my fault Mitchell got as far as he did. Did you see their direction?
PIPER: Yes, there was some morning light. They were headed across the valley, to the left of the pointed peaks. There's flatlands beyond.
KIRK: When Mister Spock recovers, you'll both transport up immediately to the Enterprise.
PIPER: But Captain
KIRK: If you have not received a signal from me within twelve hours, you'll proceed at maximum warp to the nearest Earth base with my recommendation that this entire planet be subjected to a lethal concentration of neutron radiation. No protest on this, Mark. That's an order.

[Planet surface]

DEHNER: It would take almost a miracle to survive here.
MITCHELL: Then I shall make one. Behold. (creates and oasis with flowers and a spring) You'll soon share this feeling, Elizabeth. To be like God, to have the power to make the world anything you want it to be.
DEHNER: What's wrong?
MITCHELL: A visitor. A very foolish man. You'll enjoy being a god, Elizabeth. Blasphemy? No. Let there be food. Kaferian apples. Whenever we visited that planet, I always favoured these. Can you hear me, James? You cannot see me. I'm not there. You follow the right path, James. You'll come to me soon.
DEHNER: I can see him in my mind, too.
MITCHELL: Go to him, Elizabeth, talk to him. Now that you're changing I want you to see just how unimportant they are.
DEHNER: Yes, it just took a little longer for it to happen to me.
KIRK: You must help me Before it goes too far.
DEHNER: What he's doing is right for him and me.
KIRK: And for humanity? You're still human
DEHNER: No, I
KIRK: At least partly, you are, or you wouldn't be here talking to me.
DEHNER: Earth is really unimportant. Before long, we'll be where it would have taken mankind millions of years of learning to reach.
KIRK: What will Mitchell learn in getting there? Will he know what to do with his power? Will he acquire the wisdom?
DEHNER: Please go back while you still can.
KIRK: Did you hear him joke about compassion? Above all else, a god needs compassion. Mitchell! Elizabeth.
DEHNER: What do you know about gods?
KIRK: Then let's talk about humans, about our frailties. As powerful as he gets, he'll have all that inside him.
DEHNER: Go back.
KIRK: You were a psychiatrist once. You know the ugly, savage things we all keep buried, that none of us dare expose. But he'll dare. Who's to stop him? He doesn't need to care. Be a psychiatrist for one minute longer. What do you see happening to him? What's your prognosis, Doctor?
DEHNER: He's coming.
KIRK: Then watch him. Hang on to being a human for one minute longer.
MITCHELL: I'm disappointed in you, Elizabeth. (phaser rifle has no effect on him) I've been contemplating the death of an old friend. He deserves a decent burial, at least. (a grave appears in the rock, with a tombstone engraved James R Kirk. A massive boulder on the cliff above is loosened)
DEHNER: Stop it, Gary.
MITCHELL: Morals are for men, not gods.
KIRK: A god, but still driven by human frailty. Do you like what you see?
MITCHELL: Time to pray, Captain. Pray to me.
KIRK: To you? Not to both of you?
MITCHELL: Pray that you die easily.
KIRK: There'll only be one of you in the end. One jealous god. if all this makes a god, or is it making you something else?
MITCHELL: Your last chance, Kirk.
KIRK: Do you like what you see? Absolute power corrupting absolutely. (Dehner zaps Mitchell, he returns fire, she continues and his eyes return to normal)
DEHNER: Hurry. You haven't much time.
(The two men punch and wrestle until Kirk raises a rock over his head)
KIRK: Gary, forgive me.
(Mitchell's eyes glow again)
MITCHELL: For a moment, James, but your moment is fading.
(They both fall into the grave, but Kirk leaps out first, grabs the rifle and brings the boulder down to entomb Mitchell)
DEHNER: I'm sorry. You can't know what it's like to be almost a god.
(She dies)
KIRK: Enterprise from Captain Kirk, come in.

[Bridge]

KIRK: Captain's log, Star date 1313.8. Add to official losses, Doctor Elizabeth Dehner. Be it noted she gave her life in performance of her duty. Lieutenant Commander Gary Mitchell, same notation. I want his service record to end that way. He didn't ask for what happened to him.
SPOCK: I felt for him, too.
KIRK: I believe there's some hope for you after all, Mister Spock.

 HISTORY

2024-09-24 16:16:07 - Pike: Added some trivia.
2024-09-18 12:05:19 - Pike: Added the writer.
2024-09-17 20:48:40 - Pike: Added the director.
2024-09-15 21:34:05 - lilly: New review added.