star trek kirk vs spock episode

Balance of Terror (episode)

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The Enterprise battles a Romulan ship suspected of destroying outposts near the Neutral Zone.

• 1.2 Act One
• 1.3 Act Two
• 1.4 Act Three
• 1.5 Act Four
• 2 Log entries
• 3 Memorable quotes
• 4.1 Production timeline
• 4.2 Story and script
• 4.3 Production
• 4.5 Costumes
• 4.6 Continuity
• 4.7 Preview
• 4.8 Reception
• 4.9 Apocrypha
• 4.10 Remastered information
• 4.11 Video and DVD releases
• 5.1 Starring
• 5.2 Also starring
• 5.3 Co-starring
• 5.4 Featuring
• 5.5 Uncredited co-stars
• 5.7 Stand-ins
• 5.8 References
• 5.9 Unreferenced material
• 5.10 External links

Summary [ ]

A wedding aboard the Enterprise

Captain James T. Kirk is officiating at a wedding between two crew members, Angela Martine and Robert Tomlinson , in the Enterprise 's chapel , with the ceremony being broadcast on video screens all over the ship.

The bride and groom are in their regular Starfleet uniforms , with Angela wearing a white flower crown. Montgomery Scott is also present to give Angela away, acting as father of the bride . Suddenly, a red alert klaxon interrupts the ceremony, followed by a request for Captain Kirk to report to the bridge . Kirk learns that Earth Outpost 4 is under attack as everyone runs to battle stations .

Act One [ ]

The USS Enterprise investigates in the vicinity of the Romulan Neutral Zone , where an unknown assailant is methodically destroying each of the Earth outposts bordering the Zone. Spock explains to the crew that the Neutral Zone was established after the Earth-Romulan War over a century ago . Neither race has had contact with the other since that time, and neither side knows what the other looks like. Kirk then tells the crew that while self-defense is permitted, they are forbidden by Starfleet Command 's orders to violate the Neutral Zone. The Enterprise and its crew are to be considered expendable.

Lieutenant Stiles assumes the attacking vessel is Romulan, but Kirk points out that after a century, no one would know what a Romulan ship looks like. Stiles shares his knowledge of Romulan ship markings, as a number of his relatives died in the Earth-Romulan war. " Their war, Mr. Stiles, " says Kirk. " Not yours. "

Earth Outposts 2 and 3 are found to be destroyed, and the Enterprise briefly contacts Outpost 4. The sole survivor of Outpost 4, Commander Hansen , describes a powerful blast of energy from a ship they couldn't track and the destruction of Outpost 8. He then reports that the ship has reappeared. A view relayed from the outpost's sensors shows the ship firing, and then the viewing screen goes blank.

Spock's sensors detect a moving object, but nothing is visible on the screen. He suggests that the Romulans have some sort of invisibility shield. Since the Romulan ship seems to be in no hurry, Kirk theorizes that it may not be aware of the Enterprise . Spock then reports that the ship is heading back towards the Neutral Zone.

Despite objections from Stiles, Kirk orders a parallel course instead of an intercept course. By matching the unknown ship's course and speed, he hopes to make the Enterprise seem like an echo . Under no circumstances is the Enterprise to enter the Romulan Neutral Zone without a direct order from Kirk. Stiles points out that there could be Romulan spies on board the Enterprise , and Sulu recommends maintaining a security alert .

Uhura picks up a communication signal, through which Spock is able obtain a view of the Romulan ship's interior, providing the Federation their first visuals of the Romulans. Stiles notices the Romulan captain's physical resemblance to Spock.

Act Two [ ]

As Uhura attempts to interpret the Romulan signals, Stiles sarcastically suggests giving the job to Spock. Kirk orders him to keep his bigotry to himself.

" Stay with him, helm. "

Meanwhile, on the bridge of the Romulan ship, the Romulan commander has noticed the Enterprise following them. He confers with one of his officers ( the centurion ) on the ethics of their mission. He then rebukes and demotes another officer, Decius , for dispatching a subspace message in violation of orders for radio silence . The centurion warns the commander that Decius has powerful friends. The commander quietly expresses distaste for the mission but assures the centurion of his devotion to his duty.

During a Romulan attack, Rand and Kirk brace for the impact of a plasma torpedo

In the Enterprise briefing room, the officers discuss their chances against the Romulan ship. Spock demonstrates the effect of the Romulan weapon on Outpost 4's protective shields, and Scott reports that the Romulan ship's power is "simple impulse". Stiles urges an attack, arguing from history that running would guarantee war. Spock agrees, pointing out that Vulcan had begun to colonize space before giving up its warlike ways, and that if the Romulans are indeed descended from ancient Vulcans, they are more dangerous than Kirk might realize. After a moment, Kirk gives the order to attack. The Enterprise heads into battle at red alert.

Act Three [ ]

Kirk orders the Enterprise crew to attack the Romulans

Following the Romulan ship's path towards a comet 's tail, Kirk orders the Enterprise to jump forward and attack the Romulan ship when its trail becomes visible. The Romulan commander hopes to double back to intercept the Enterprise , but, on learning that his target is no longer following, orders an evasive maneuver. Each commander, having failed in his plans, reflects on the other's intelligence.

A barrage of phaser fire damages the Romulan ship. The centurion pushes the Romulan commander out of the way of falling debris but is fatally injured himself. Meanwhile, the phaser circuits on the Enterprise burn out as the Romulan ship fires its primary weapon. Kirk orders full astern and as the Enterprise backs up, they find that the weapon has a range limit which causes the shot to partially dissipate, resulting in reduced impact.

Determined to prevent the Romulan ship from reentering the Neutral Zone, Kirk orders another barrage of phaser fire. Unable to stop the Romulan ship, and aware of the consequences, Kirk orders the Enterprise into the Neutral Zone. Displaying restrained emotion as his friend dies, the Romulan commander orders all debris and, sadly, the body of his friend into the escape chute as a decoy. The Enterprise picks up the debris on the sensors but in doing so, loses track of the Romulan ship.

Act Four [ ]

McCoy counsels Kirk

It has come down to a waiting game and both ships have powered down in the Neutral Zone to prevent detection. After the Enterprise has been powered down for 9 hours and 47 minutes, Kirk tries to rest in his quarters , when Yeoman Rand walks in and asks the captain if he would like something to eat from the galley . Kirk shakes his head and tells Rand to get him coffee and have it on the bridge, as he will be heading up there soon. Just then, Dr. McCoy arrives as Rand leaves. Kirk confesses that he wishes he were on a cruise somewhere with no responsibility. He admits to McCoy that when his crew looks to him to make the next move, he wonders, " What if I'm wrong? " McCoy struggles at first to come up with an answer to this and Kirk does not expect him to provide one. However, McCoy puts his hand on Kirk's shoulder and gently says, " In this galaxy , there's a mathematical probability of three million Earth-type planets . And in all the universe, three million million galaxies like this. And in all of that, and perhaps more, only one of each of us. Don't destroy the one named Kirk. "

Later on the bridge, Spock, while making repairs, accidentally activates a panel, and the Romulan ship detects the Enterprise and moves in to attack. Kirk anticipates this and manages to fire on the Romulan ship. Furious, the Romulan commander orders more debris into the disposal tubes, including a nuclear warhead .

Spock picks up the "metal-cased object" on his sensors and the Enterprise fires upon it. The massive explosion causes damage to the Enterprise but despite now having the upper hand, the Romulan commander decides to head for home.

Scott reports that while phasers are operational, only Tomlinson, the groom from the wedding, is manning the station. Stiles quotes his experience with phasers and Kirk sends him down to assist. In an attempt to lure the Romulan ship back, the Enterprise plays dead.

Despite his reservations, and the crippled status of his ship, the Romulan commander is reminded by Decius that it is the commander's duty to crush the enemy. The commander then reluctantly gives the order to attack.

Meanwhile, Spock checks on the phaser crew and Stiles coldly remarks that they " will handle things without your help, Vulcan ." After Spock leaves however, a phaser coolant leak erupts. As the Romulan ship moves in to attack, Kirk gives the order to fire phasers. But both Tomlinson and Stiles have been overcome by the coolant fumes. Realizing the danger, Spock runs back and manages to fire the phasers in time, severely damaging the Romulan ship.

After his defeat, the Commander of the Romulan flagship bestows his respect to the victor.

Visual contact between ships is somehow established as Kirk watches a severely wounded Romulan commander stagger to his feet. The Romulan commander turns and looks upon Kirk's face. Despite Kirk's offer to beam aboard any survivors, the Romulan commander informs him that it is not the Romulan way. He then says, with admiration, " I regret that we meet in this way. You and I are of a kind. In a different reality, I could have called you friend, " and as the last part of his duty, he sets the Romulan ship to self-destruct . Kirk watches regretfully as the ship is destroyed.

Kirk goes to sickbay and discovers that not only did Spock fire the phasers, but he also rescued Stiles. Stiles is humbled and amazed that Spock saved his life after everything he had said to him. Unfortunately, Spock was unable to save Robert Tomlinson. Prior to Kirk leaving sickbay, Yeoman Rand enters and informs him that Starfleet has responded with an endorsement of his decision to enter the Neutral Zone based on the circumstances.

Kirk is then forced to console Tomlinson's grief-stricken fiancée , Angela Martine, while she stands alone in the chapel. " It never makes any sense. We both have to know that there was a reason, " Kirk says softly to Martine. She tearfully assures the captain that she will be fine and leaves. Kirk watches Angela go and then leaves the chapel too, striding purposefully down the ship's corridor.

Log entries [ ]

• Captain's log, USS Enterprise (NCC-1701), 2266

Memorable quotes [ ]

Stiles, Kirk, and Scott

" Since the days of the first wooden vessels, all ship masters have had one happy privilege: that of uniting two people in the bonds of matrimony. "

" I had no idea that history was your specialty. " " Family history. "

" Their war, Mr. Stiles. Not yours. "

" Happy wedding day, almost. " " You won't get off my hook this easily. I'm going to marry you, Mister. Battle or phaser weapons notwithstanding. "

On board the Romulan vessel

" Leave any bigotry in your quarters. There's no room for it on the bridge. "

" That Earth outpost sent word to an Earth vessel, now it follows. " " Which neither retreats nor grows near, which turns as we turn. Commander, it is our judgment that we run from a reflection. " " Perhaps so, but my judgment prevails. "

" He has friends. And friends of his kind mean power. And power is danger. " " Danger and I are old companions. "

" Not too soon for me to see the stars of home. "

" War is never imperative, Mr. Spock. " " It is for them , Doctor. Vulcan, like Earth, had its aggressive, colonizing period; savage, even by Earth standards. And if the Romulans retained this martial philosophy, then weakness is something we dare not show. "

" I wish I were on a long sea voyage somewhere. Not too much deck tennis, no frantic dancing. And no responsibility. "

While Kirk rests in his quarters, Rand enters to check up on him

" In this galaxy, there's a mathematical probability of three million earth-type planets… and in all the universe, three million million galaxies like this one. And in all of that, and perhaps more, only one of each of us. Don't destroy the one named Kirk. "

" He's a sorcerer, that one! He reads the thoughts in my brain! "

" You and I are of a kind. In a different reality, I could have called you friend. "

Angela Martine in the ship's chapel

" We are creatures of duty, Captain. I have lived my life by it. Just one more duty to perform. "

" It never makes any sense. We both have to know that there was a reason. "

Background information [ ]

Production timeline [ ].

• Theatrical premiere of "The Enemy Below": 25 December 1957
• Theatrical premiere of "Run Silent, Run Deep": 27 March 1958
• Story outline by Paul Schneider : 14 April 1966
• Revised Story outline: 26 April 1966 , 29 April 1966
• First draft teleplay: 20 May 1966
• Second draft teleplay: 3 June 1966
• Revised teleplay by John D.F. Black : 21 June 1966
• Second revised teleplay by Black: 2 July 1966
• Final draft teleplay by Gene Roddenberry : 14 July 1966
• Revised final draft teleplay: 18 July 1966
• Additional revisions: 19 July 1966 , 20 July 1966 , 21 July 1966 , 22 July 1966 , 25 July 1966
• Day 1 – 20 July 1966 , Wednesday – Desilu Stage 9 : Int. Bridge
• Day 2 – 21 July 1966 , Thursday – Desilu Stage 9 : Int. Bridge
• Day 3 – 22 July 1966 , Friday – Desilu Stage 9 : Int. Bridge
• Day 4 – 25 July 1966 , Monday – Desilu Stage 9 : Int. Bridge , Chapel (redress of Transporter room ), Phaser control room (redress of Engineering )
• Day 5 – 26 July 1966 , Tuesday – Desilu Stage 9 : Int. Kirk's quarters , Briefing room , Sickbay , Corridors
• Day 6 – 27 July 1966 , Wednesday – Desilu Stage 9 : Int. McCoy's office , Romulan bridge
• Day 7 – 28 July 1966 , Thursday (Half Day) – Desilu Stage 9 : Int. Romulan bridge
• Original airdate: 15 December 1966
• Rerun date: 3 August 1967
• First UK airdate (on BBC1 ): 25 October 1969
• First UK airdate (on ITV ): 6 December 1981
• Remastered airdate: 16 September 2006

Story and script [ ]

• The plot of this episode is based on the 1957 film The Enemy Below , with the Enterprise taking the part of the American destroyer and the Bird-of-Prey with its cloaking device taking the part of the submarine. ( The Star Trek Compendium 4th ed., p. 40) Director Vincent McEveety had seen the film but only noticed the similarity later, when this was pointed out to him. He commented, " Obviously, it's the same story. " ( Captains' Logs: The Unauthorized Complete Trek Voyages , p. 34)
• Star Trek: The Original Series 365 (p. 063) suggests that Schneider may have also been inspired by another submarine film, Run Silent, Run Deep . The authors note that the film contains a similar plot thread of an officer longing for vengeance, as well as the tactic of releasing wreckage and bodies from a damaged vessel in order to mislead the opposing ship. The Star Trek Compendium (5th edition, p. 40) also mentions this film as the inspiration along with The Enemy Below .
• The "Revised Final Draft" of the script was disseminated on 18 July 1966. ( Cover )
• A portion (scene 46) with the doomed Commander Hansen was filmed but cut from the final episode. [1] In it, Hansen informed Kirk that the Romulan vessel is of "starship design" and that the Romulans had probably stolen Earth designs via espionage and traitors. This is the basis for Stiles' remarks in scene 52 about a vessel "remarkably similar to ours" and having Romulan spies aboard the Enterprise , which was aired and before he even knew what Romulans looked like. [2]
• A shot filmed for scene 171 but cut from the finished episode shows Kirk saluting the Romulan commander, which the latter acknowledges with a courteous nod, before destroying his ship. [3]

Production [ ]

• The music featured during the opening scenes of the wedding ceremony is the 19th century English tune " Long, Long Ago ."
• Although phasers are used throughout the episode, the visual effect seen is that which later was used for photon torpedo launches, probably because the term "photon torpedo" was not invented until later in the season, in " Arena ". Kirk orders the phasers to be "set for proximity blast "; each phaser blast acts like a Navy depth charge.
• This is the only time in the series that the Below decks Phaser weapons room is seen.
• The Making of Star Trek and The Star Trek Compendium (4th ed., p. 40) state that the ship's chapel was a redress of the transporter room. Inside Star Trek: The Real Story (pp. 170-171), states that it is, instead, a redress of the briefing room.
• The trailer includes footage of the Enterprise firing its phasers from " The Corbomite Maneuver " instead of the "blast-like" phaser effect seen in the actual episode.
• Regular first season extra Ron Veto gets his only close-up in TOS, when he replaces Stiles at the navigation console.
• Two of the actors playing Romulans in this episode later played Vulcan characters, namely Mark Lenard ( Sarek ) and Lawrence Montaigne ( Stonn ).

Costumes [ ]

• The Romulan helmets shown aboard the Romulan bridge were designed to cover the ears of the actors. This saved the additional cost of creating prosthetic ear-points for each of the supporting actors. They were reused in " Amok Time " (on Vulcans) and " The Enterprise Incident " for the same reason. ( Star Trek: The Original Series 365 , p. 173)
• The rarely seen command work utility jumpsuit is worn by several crew members in this episode.

Continuity [ ]

• This episode saw the introduction of the Romulan Star Empire in Star Trek . Paul Schneider is credited with creating the Romulans. Schneider remarked, " It was a matter of developing a good Romanesque set of admirable antagonists that were worthy of Kirk. I came up with the concept of the Romulans which was an extension of the Roman civilization to the point of space travel, and it turned out quite well. " ( Captains' Logs: The Unauthorized Complete Trek Voyages , p. 34) Schneider's next contribution was " The Squire of Gothos ".
• Associate producer / story editor John D.F. Black said about Schneider, " He was the father of the Romulans. Not Gene, not me, not anyone else – but Paul Schneider. And when he came up with the Romulan characters, they were so wonderful – I mean, they were full. I liked that script a lot. " ( These Are the Voyages: TOS Season One , p. 217)
• "Balance of Terror" introduces cloaking devices to the Star Trek universe. While this episode suggests that they are a new development in interstellar history, ENT : " Broken Bow " and DIS : " The Vulcan Hello " establish that Starfleet has encountered Suliban and Klingon cloaks in the past ( 2151 and 2256 , respectively).
• This is the only time in which the ship's weaponry is fired through a chain of commands (Kirk, to Stiles, to phaser room), although " The Corbomite Maneuver " comes close with Bailey 's phaser drills.
• When Kirk requests communication with the Romulan flagship , Uhura opens a hailing frequency from the navigation console , which seems unusual. However, when she left the communications station , Uhura had shut down most of the light indicators, which could indicate a transfer of functionality to the navigator's position. This is not the first time the navigation console has been used to open communications. In " The Cage " and " Where No Man Has Gone Before ", when Captain Christopher Pike and Captain Kirk, respectively, want to "address intercraft," the system is opened from the navigation console. This apparently is also true in the alternate reality , because in Star Trek , Pavel Chekov is able to address the crew of the USS Enterprise from his position at navigation.
• As an homage, Captain Picard 's wedding remarks in TNG : " Data's Day " are almost the same as those Kirk uses. ( Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion , 3rd ed., p.152)
• An alternate timeline version of the events of this episode is shown in SNW : " A Quality of Mercy ", in which Christopher Pike remains captain of the Enterprise , while Kirk is present as captain of the USS Farragut .
• This episode contains the first mention of Romulus ' neighboring planet Remus , which later appears prominently in Star Trek Nemesis .

Preview [ ]

• The preview contains a Captain's Log recorded solely for the preview: " Captain's log, stardate 1710.0. The starship Enterprise is under heavy attack by an enemy vessel. "

Reception [ ]

• McEveety recalled, " [Kirk and the Romulan commander] were very heroic characters pitted one against the other, and it dealt with the length to which people would go for their honor. It was a morality fantasy play, but terribly gripping. I thought that Mark Lenard's performance was brilliant, as was Bill Shatner's. It was a two-people show that I felt was real strong. " ( Captains' Logs: The Unauthorized Complete Trek Voyages , p. 34)
• Mark Lenard said, " The Romulan Commander was one of the best roles I ever had on TV. " Comparing the part with that of Sarek , Lenard elaborated, " In many ways, I did enjoy that role [Sarek], but I think the more demanding role and the better acting role was the Romulan Commander" . ( These Are the Voyages: TOS Season One , p. 217)
• Gene Roddenberry picked this as one of his ten favorite episodes for the franchise's 25th anniversary. ( TV Guide [ page number? • edit ] , August 31, 1991)
• According to the original showrunner of Star Trek: Discovery , Bryan Fuller , the events of "Balance of Terror" were to provide a "touchstone" for the series. [4] However, since Fuller left the series during its development, it is unclear what exactly this was supposed to entail. The Romulans have not been seen or mentioned on Discovery thus far, though Romulus was mentioned in " Context Is for Kings ".
• In 2017 , Ted Sullivan described the Discovery episode " Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum " as "'Balance of Terror' good". [5]

Apocrypha [ ]

• In the James Blish adaptation of this story, presumably based on an earlier draft of the script, Stiles dies. In addition, Robert Tomlinson and Angela Martine actually marry, in a second ceremony late in the story. When the Enterprise fires on the Romulan ship for the final time, the latter explodes immediately, with the conversation between Kirk and the Romulan commander being omitted.
• In the William Shatner novel The Return , where Kirk is resurrected by a Borg /Romulan alliance to kill Captain Jean-Luc Picard , the Romulan alliance is arranged by the granddaughter of the Romulan commander of this mission, convinced that Starfleet are brutal murderers and seeking revenge for her grandfather's death at Kirk's hands.
• The story of the events on Romulus leading up to this episode are told in the comic book " Alien Spotlight: Romulans ".
• A different background to this episode is told in the novella The First Peer and the novel Summon the Thunder , where Vrax is the Praetor who authorized the Neutral Zone incursion.
• In the novel Headlong Flight , an experiment in dimensional displacement results in the USS Enterprise -E of the "prime" universe – over a decade after Star Trek Nemesis – encountering both an alternate version of the USS Enterprise -D – from a year after the Battle of Wolf 359 , in a timeline which ended with the death of Picard/ Locutus of Borg – and a trio of Romulan ships from this era, in a timeline where the Romulan ship depicted here apparently destroyed Kirk's Enterprise in the final showdown.

Remastered information [ ]

• "Balance of Terror" was the first episode of the remastered version of The Original Series to air, though in some markets it was preceded by " Miri ". It premiered in syndication on the weekend 16 September 2006 and most notably featured new effects shots of the comet, Romulan plasma torpedo , and Bird-of-Prey, as well as of the Enterprise and Bird-of-Prey "adrift".

Video and DVD releases [ ]

• US CED VideoDisc release: 1 March 1983
• US LaserDisc release: July 1985
• Original US Betamax/VHS release: 28 February 1985
• Original UK VHS release (two-episode tapes, CIC Video ): Volume 5 , catalog number VHR 2250, release date unknown
• Japan LaserDisc release: 10 November 1992
• US VHS release: 15 April 1994
• UK re-release (three-episode tapes, CIC Video): Volume 1.3, 8 July 1996
• As part of the US VHS collection Star Trek - The Greatest Battles : 3 April 1997
• As part of the UK VHS collection Star Trek - Greatest Battles : 16 November 1998
• Original US DVD release (single-disc): Volume 4, 19 October 1999
• As part of the TOS Season 1 DVD collection
• As part of the Star Trek: Fan Collective - Captain's Log DVD collection
• As part of the TOS Season 1 HD DVD collection
• As part of The Best of Star Trek: The Original Series DVD collection
• As part of the TOS Season 1 Blu-ray collection

Links and references [ ]

Starring [ ].

• William Shatner as Capt. Kirk

Also starring [ ]

• Leonard Nimoy as Mr. Spock
• Mark Lenard as a Romulan Commander

Co-starring [ ]

• Paul Comi as Stiles
• Lawrence Montaigne as Decius

Featuring [ ]

• DeForest Kelley as Dr. McCoy
• Grace Lee Whitney as Yeoman Rand
• George Takei as Sulu
• James Doohan as Scott
• Nichelle Nichols as Uhura
• Stephen Mines as Tomlinson
• Barbara Baldavin as Angela
• Garry Walberg as Hansen
• John Warburton as The Centurion

Uncredited co-stars [ ]

• John Arndt as Fields
• William Blackburn as Hadley
• Robert Chadwick as a Romulan scope operator
• Frank da Vinci as Brent
• Walt Davis as Romulan crewman 1
• Vince Deadrick as Romulan crewman 2
• Jeannie Malone as a yeoman
• Sean Morgan as Brenner
• Eddie Paskey as Leslie
• Ron Veto as Harrison
• Command crewman
• Command crew woman 1
• Command crew woman 2
• Command lieutenant
• Medical technician
• Operations crewman
• Sciences lieutenant
• Wedding attendee 1
• Wedding attendee 2
• Wedding attendee 3
• Vince Deadrick ( double )
• Allen Jaffe (stunt)

Stand-ins [ ]

• William Blackburn as the stand-in for DeForest Kelley
• Frank da Vinci as the stand-in for Leonard Nimoy
• Jeannie Malone as the stand-in for Grace Lee Whitney
• Eddie Paskey as the stand-in for William Shatner

References [ ]

2156 ; 2160 ; ability ; Achilles' heel ; act of war ; adversary ; " all decks alert "; " all hands "; amen ; analysis ; answer ; area ; assignment ; assumption ; asteroid ; atomic weapon ; battle stations ; battle status ; bearing ; best man ; bigotry ; bird-of-prey ; blip ; body ; bonds of matrimony ; book ; " Bones "; brain ; briefing room ; campaign ; candelabra ; carelessness ; cast ; centurion ; century ; chance ; commander ; channel ; chapel ; cloaking system (aka cloak , invisibility screen ); code ; coffee ; command base ; Command base nearest to Neutral Zone ; comet ; comet tail ; command order ; composition ; comrade ; condition red ; conduit ; conscience ; contact ; control circuit ; couch ; Cryptography ; customer ; cycle ; damage report ; dancing ; danger ; death ; debris ; deck ; decode ; deflector shield ; disposal tube ; distance ; dust ; duty ; Earth ; Earth Outpost Station ; Earth-Romulan War ; emergency call ; emergency warp ; enemy ; error ; escape maneuver one ; estimate ( estimating ); evasive maneuvers (aka evasive action ); family history ; face-to-face ; feeling ; flagship ; friend ; fuel ; fuel reserve ; " full astern "; Galaxy Quadrant YX-12-114 ; galley ; green ; hardness ; hailing frequency ; heading (aka course ); " Here Comes the Bride " (aka " Bridal Chorus "); history ; homeland ; hour ; Human ; Icarus IV ; idea ; identification ; impact ; implosion ; impulse ; interception course ; intruder ; iron ; junior officer ; lab ; lateral power ; lectern ; light ; magnitude ; mass ; master ; match ; maximum warp ; memory ; metal ; meter ; mile ; minute ; Milky Way Galaxy ; million ; mission ; mistake ; mister ; motion sensor ; navigator ; Neutral Zone Incursion ; no quarter ; nuclear warhead ; obedience ; object ; " of course "; opinion ; order ; " out of reach "; outpost station ; Outpost 1 ; Outpost 2 ; Outpost 3 ; Outpost 4 ; Outpost 5 ; Outpost 6 ; Outpost 7 ; Outpost 8 ; overload ; parallel course ; patrol ; phaser control room (aka phaser room , phaser control ); phaser coolant ; phaser coolant seal ; phaser crew ; phaser weapon ; philosophy ; plasma ; plasma torpedo ; plastaform ; playing dead ; power consumption ; praetor ; Praetor's flagship ; probability ; proof ; protective shield ; proximity fuse ; question ; radiation burn ; range ; rank ; rank reduction ; reality ; Remus ; retreat ; risk ; rodinium ; Romii ; Romulan Star Empire ; Romulans ; Romulan Bird-of-Prey ; Romulan Neutral Zone ; Romulan praetor ; Romulus system ; Romulus ; rule of silence ; salute ; savage ; science ; sea ; second ; Sector Z-6 ; security alert ; sensor ( sensing device ); sensor probe ; sensor range ; services ; session ; shipmaster ; sighting ; signal for war ; sneak attack ; sorcerer ; space recorder ; Space Service ; space vessel ; specialist ; speaker ; spy ; " stand by "; standby alert ; standby crew ; starboard ; star sector ; Stiles (Captain); Stiles (Commander); Stiles (Commander); Stiles family ; subject ; subspace radio ; superior officer ; surrender ; survivor ; Table of Comets ; tactic ; tactical report ; tape ; telepathy ; television camera device ; tennis ; theory ; thing ; thought ; transfer coil ; Treaty of 2160 ; trick ; velocity ; victory ; viewing screen ; Visual communication ; Vulcans ; Vulcan (planet) ; Vulcan history ; weapons control ; weapons crew ; wedding day ; wooden vessel

Unreferenced material [ ]

bird ; bull ; chest pain ; creature ; hawk ; a medicine ; seat-harness ; terrier

External links [ ]

• "Balance of Terror" at StarTrek.com
• " Balance of Terror " at Memory Beta , the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
• " Balance of Terror " at Wikipedia
• " Balance of Terror " at MissionLogPodcast.com , a Roddenberry Star Trek podcast
• " Balance of Terror " at the Internet Movie Database
• 3 Marlys Burdette

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Live Long And Prosper: The 10 Best ‘Spock’ Episodes

It’s been a week since the passing of Leonard Nimoy and we’ve all dealt with his loss in a multitude of ways and through our own stages of grief. However, I think it is safe to say that through this difficult process, we as Star Trek fans, can pay no better homage to Mr. Nimoy than in revisiting the vast body of work he left with the franchise.

The following is a look at my own 10 favorite episodes that focus on Spock. Taste and preference is often subjective, of course, and this list is not meant to be definitive or exhaustive. Rather, it’s a collection of episodes that I feel is the most representative of Spock’s legacy as a character both of the original 1960s television show and in the larger Star Trek universe. It was a wonderful and touching experience selecting and revisiting these episodes and I would love to hear what your personal favorites are in the comments section below.

For the sake of simplicity, this article only covers television episodes that span across three distinct series ( The Original Series , The Animated Series , and The Next Generation ). Additionally, the episodes are not ranked in any sort of authoritative ranking, but rather listed in the order in which they were produced. I know that I left out episodes that many of you would have put into your own list, but that is the beautiful irony of Spock: his impact on Star Trek was so vast that any episode list (even one that went beyond a collection of ten episodes) couldn’t do his character complete justice.

“Galileo Seven” – Season 1, Episode 13



This episode is a standout episode for me because it’s the first time (but certainly not the last time) that the series places Spock in command while under incredibly difficult circumstances. Here, Spock is the ranking officer aboard the shuttlecraft “Galileo” among six other crewmembers including Doctor McCoy and Chief Engineer Scott. Unfortunately the shuttlecraft is forced to make an emergency landing on a planet populated by hostile alien giants. Throughout the course of the episode, Spock is forced to rely on all of his skills, not just his scientific and technical ones, but also his leadership skills in order to ward off the giants’ attacks but also growing dissension among his crew members.

Favorite Quote :

“I am not interested in the opinion of the majority, Mister Gaetano!”

– Spock to Lieutenant Gaetano. It’s a great line that shows the command ability of Spock, the Enterprise’s First Officer, and his prescient recognition that aboard a starship, there is no democracy.

“The Menagerie Parts 1 and 2” – Season 1, Episodes 15 and 16



The only two-part episode in the run of the original Star Trek television series, this episode is a direct call-back to the pilot episode “The Cage” with Jeffrey Hunter as Captain Christopher Pike in command of the Enterprise. Eleven years prior to James Kirk commanding the ship, Spock was aboard the Enterprise as a young lieutenant and coincidentally also the ship’s science officer back then. While aboard, he witnessed Captain Pike encounter a race of alien beings known as the Talosians with powerful telepathic abilities. Years later, after Pike had been left in a crippled, paralyzed state by a freak accident, Spock would remember this encounter with the Talosians to devise a way for his old friend and captain to find some sort of solace from his paralyzed state, even if it meant breaking Starfleet regulations to do so. 

This is a powerful episode that vividly demonstrated that despite Spock’s seemingly cold logical exterior, on the inside, still beat a heart that cared, above all else, for the well-being of his friends and comrades. It’s an excellent foreshadowing of the sacrifice that Kirk and the rest of the Enterprise crew will willingly endure for him in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock .

Favorite Quote :


“Mr. Spock, even if regulations are explicit, you could have come to me and explained.”

“Ask you to face the death penalty too? One of us was enough, captain.”

– Kirk to Spock after the Talosians reveal the truth. Spock’s answer subtly reveals the type of self-sacrifice and selflessness that imbues his character, which will be demonstrated most notably in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan .

“This Side of Paradise” – Season 1, Episode 25

In this episode, the Enterprise discovers a planet full of colonists who they initially thought were dead but are in fact thriving because of a mysterious alien spore indigenous to the planet. Here, Spock discovers that an old flame of his, Leila Kalomi, is also alive and present and they rediscover their love for one another. Spock here is emotive in a way that is rarely seen in the series and shows a surprisingly tender and loving side. However, as we learn, this is all a result of the spores and its manipulation of those it actively infects. Although this episode ends with Spock and the rest of the crew breaking free of the spores’ control, it still ends on a bittersweet and melancholy note, for Spock most of all.

“I have little to say about it, captain. Except that for the first time in my life, I was happy.”

– Spock to Kirk, describing his experience on the planet’s surface and with Leila.

“The Devil in the Dark” – Season 1, Episode 26



This episode has a special place in my heart because its message is so thoroughly Star Trek, even before Star Trek was actually a common frame of pop cultural reference. Here a mining colony has specifically requested the Enterprise help them in finding and stopping a mysterious creature that is killing the colony’s workers and threatening the supply and delivery of the colony’s precious minerals to other worlds. The most redeeming factor of this episode is how Spock expertly provides a much needed non-human perspective to the situation. It is he who suggests that there’s perhaps an alternative to killing the creature, called a Horta, and it is he who is eventually able to break down the barriers of communication through a mind-meld with the creature. This allows for the eventual peaceful co-existence between the miners and the Horta. This type of message, one that espouses tolerance, co-existence, and mutual understanding, is one that will survive in many subsequent Star Trek iterations and it all starts here.



Favorite Quote :

“The Horta has a very logical mind. And after close association with humans, I find that curiously refreshing.”

– Spock to Kirk at the end of episode and demonstrating some of that dry, droll wit his character is known for.

“Amok Time” – Season 2, Episode 5



Spock, going through the biological urges for Vulcan sexual mating known as pon farr, returns to his home planet to marry his betrothed, T’Pring, or he will perish. On the surface of the planet, he engages in a ritual intended to have him fight for T’Pring’s hand in marriage. Through a quirk of circumstance and manipulation, Kirk is chosen as T’Pring’s champion and the person with whom Spock has to fight and kill in order to succeed. This episode is a classic one which sets into foundation one of the many key building blocks of what we as fans now recognize as essential pieces of Vulcan culture and mythology. It describes in vivid terms of the complex and raging emotions that lie just underneath the surface of most Vulcans, of which Spock (who is also half-human) faces on an even more poignant and difficult level. It also introduces the character of T’Pau, who we will in a younger incarnation in Season 4 of Enterprise during the “Kir’Shara” trilogy.

“How do Vulcans choose their mates? Haven’t you wondered?”

“I guess the rest of us assume that it’s done… quite logically.” “No. It is not.”

– Spock to Kirk on the nature of pon farr. This is also quite possibly the greatest understatement in the entire series.

“Doomsday Machine” – Season 2, Episode 6

This episode is another great showcase of Spock in command. When the Enterprise responds to the distress signal of its sister ship, the Constellation, they discover only that its skipper, Commodore Matt Decker, is still alive and demonstrating clear symptoms of PTSD. He vows revenge on the alien “Doomsday Machine” that destroyed his ship and crew at all cost. Having been thrust into command with Kirk being stranded aboard the wrecked and drifting Constellation, Spock is on a direct collision course with Decker as the Commodore pulls rank and commandeers the Enterprise. This is just a wonderful episode that demonstrates the Spock’s spine of steel and his impeccable ability to operate and succeed under incredibly difficult circumstances.

“Commodore, I do not wish to place you under arrest.”

“You wouldn’t dare.” (Spock signals the guards forward) “You’re bluffing.” “Vulcans never bluff.”

– Spock and Decker, as Spock relieves Decker of command

Additional

Gene Roddenberry in his novelization of The Motion Picture noted that Commander Willard Decker in the movie is actually Commodore Matt Decker’s son.

“Journey to Babel” – Season 2, Episode 15

This episode is another standout classic because it establishes so many fundamental elements of Trek canon: introducing the Andorians and the Tellarites as well as Spock’s father, Ambassador Sarek of Vulcan. It is also a pivotal episode, as noted by the episode’s writer, the famed D.C. Fontana, because it was the first time so many aliens were assembled in a single place and time on the series. It establishes the foundation for the tumultuous relationship between Spock and Sarek, which Leonard Nimoy himself stated was a worthwhile allegory for the often rocky relationship that many individuals have with their own parents, often in attempts to navigate and reconcile their own impulses and the expectations of others. And of course, this episode is the genesis of the now-infamous “Andorian Fight Scene!” meme that has now flooded the Internet, most notably on the various weekly shows of Trek.fm.

“You’re human, too. Let that part of you come through.”

– Amanda, Spock’s human mother, pleading with him to save Sarek’s life



Additional Fun Fact :

This episode also provides the first on-screen reference to a Vulcan pet known as a sehlat. Spock’s sehlat will be seen in The Animated Series episode “Yesteryear”, also written by D.C. Fontana.

“The Enterprise Incident” – Season 3, Episode 4

This third season episode has the unique distinction of being only a handful of episodes in The Original Series that directly dealt with the mysterious Romulans. This episode is in many ways, “The Last Temptation of Spock”, in which the alluring Romulan Commander attempts to appeal to Spock’s internal turmoil between his human and Vulcan instincts and get him to switch allegiances away from the Federation and deliver the Enterprise to Romulus. In a wonderful and subtle piece of acting, Nimoy demonstrates a deft spectrum of emotions that range from feelings of romantic attraction and intimacy to deceit and subterfuge. This episode also has the distinction of featuring the first-ever on-screen depiction of a female starship commander.


Favorite Quote :

“Military secrets are the most fleeting of all. I hope that you and I exchanged something more permanent.”

– Spock to the Romulan commander, in the melancholy and emotionally gripping conclusion which has the Romulan commander being detained by Starfleet.

“All of Our Yesterdays” – Season 3, Episode 23



In the penultimate episode of the original series, Spock, McCoy, and Kirk find themselves trapped in a doomed planet’s distant pasts. In my opinion, Leonard Nimoy gives one of his finest performances here with his gradual regression to his emotional self, his conflict with McCoy, and his beautiful but tragically brief relationship with Zarabeth, a fellow exile with them in the past. We’ve seen Spock previously struggle with both his Vulcan and human sides, but this episode demonstrates that Spock’s struggle with emotions is not necessarily a result of a clash between those two sides. Rather, it could be his actual Vulcan side, one that is in a raw and younger stage of development that could be the source. It demonstrates that not all Vulcans are necessarily cold, emotionless, and logical by default and foreshadows a more nuanced take on the race that will be further explored in Enterprise.

“And she is dead now. Dead and buried. Long ago.”

– Spock to McCoy, on Zarabeth, in one of the most gut-wrenching conclusions in the series.

“Unification Parts 1 and 2” – TNG Season 5, Episodes 7 and 8

In 1991, on the heels of the original crew’s cinematic farewell in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country , Spock made an appearance on The Next Generation in a much-anticipated two-part episode. Captain Picard is sent by Starfleet to recover Spock, who they believe has defected to the Romulan Empire. This episode is memorable in so many ways: from Sarek’s final on-screen appearance, the uncanny symmetry between Data and Spock demonstrated by their conversation together, and Spock’s comparisons of Picard and Kirk. While it’s safe to say that many fans feel that this two-parter could have been much stronger than what we ultimately saw on-screen, the concluding scene when Spock mind-melds with Picard to finally understand what his father Sarek truly thought of him is a moving and indelible tribute to life-long Trek fans everywhere.

“In your own way, you are as stubborn as another captain of the Enterprise I once knew.”

“Then I am in good company, sir.”

– Spock and Picard



BONUS: “Yesteryear” – The Animated Series, Season 1, Episode 2



In a previous entry, I noted the reference to a sehlat in “Journey to Babel”. In this episode of The Animated Series , we actually get to see Spock’s sehlat named I-Chaya. But more importantly, this episode provides an excellent foundation to many concepts and ideas of Spock’s background and Vulcan society as a whole that would be referenced in later live-action works. Michael and Denise Okuda and even reportedly Gene Roddenberry himself have admitted that of all of the episodes of The Animated Series, this episode is the one that is the closest to being canon.

“Earther! Barbarian! Emotional Earther! You’re a Terran, Spock! You could never be a true Vulcan!” “That is not true! My father…” “Your father brought shame to Vulcan. He married a Human! You haven’t even mastered a simple Vulcan neck pinch yet, Earther!”

– Sofek and Spock, in a scene that clearly foreshadows the events shown in 2009’s Star Trek reboot

photos: CBS Home Entertainment

Will Nguyen lives in the Boston area. You can tweet him at @Will_Nguyen . He’s also a regular contributor to Warp 5, a weekly Enterprise show on Trek.fm, a dedicated podcast network that talks about every aspect of the Trek universe from television, the movies, literature, and everything in between.

Will Nguyen is an avowed Star Trek cosplayer and fan. You can follow Will on Twitter @boomerniner .

March 8, 2015 at 12:20 am

Sniff, sniff. I will miss Leonard Nimoy!!! LLAP

March 14, 2015 at 6:19 pm

Was in the middle of watching Original Series when I heard the sad news, still crying and my heart aches. Agree with the above episodes, thank you for sharing LLAP x

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Exclusive: Star Trek's Ethan Peck and Paul Wesley Unpack Spock and Kirk Ahead of Strange New Worlds Season Two

Ethan Peck and Paul Wesley spoke about whether they kept Star Trek canon in mind while shooting season two of Strange New Worlds.

Has the galactic bromance we've all been waiting for finally arrived? Fingers crossed. Young Spock and Kirk ( Ethan Peck and Paul Wesley ) will inevitably cross paths in season two of the highly anticipated second season of Paramount+'s Star Trek: Strange New Worlds , the hit prequel series to the original Star Trek .

Season two takes off at warp speed on June 15 on Paramount+, and the daring crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise will head into uncharted territory — with storylines and character arcs alike. Expect the Enterprise crew to delve more deeply into personal journeys this season, confronting friends and enemies near and far. All of it struck a chord with Peck and Wesley, as Spock and Kirk begin fitting more deeply into Trek canon.

Speaking in a roundtable interview with journalists prior to season two's premiere, Peck and Wesley opened up about what they appreciated most about playing their iconic characters. “I watch the earnestness that Spock brings to his journey,” admitted Peck. “There’s such a childlike vulnerability in the way he explores himself and certain situations because he is so young and [half] human. I think that makes for a lot of really great comedic opportunities as well because he's always the odd man out, and that's really fun to play.”

“In many ways, Kirk is still a boy, at least in the version I’ve been playing,” shared Wesley. “I'm not sure he understands how to be a captain yet. He's still a lieutenant. He's not ready to be a captain yet. I would like to slowly begin to train him as someone with a deep confidence and an unwavering sort of sense of who he is. But I don't think he's quite there yet. That's what makes [the show] special to watch.”

Indeed. Peck and Wesley shared more in these exclusive MovieWeb clips and the interview below.

Ethan Peck on the Upcoming Season

To the delight of Star Trek fans, season one of Strange New Worlds was a pitch-perfect thrill ride. Along with a return to a more episodic Trek format, fans and critic appreciated the creative spin offered . With Anson Mount as Captain Christopher Pike , Rebecca Romijn as Una Chin-Riley/Number One, Jess Bush as Nurse Christine Chapel, Christina Chong as La’An Noonien-Singh, Celia Rose Gooding as Nyota Uhura, Melissa Navia as Erica Ortegas and Babs Olusanmokun as Dr. Joseph M’Benga, the show was immediately picked up for another season before season one even ended.

Related: Exclusive: Star Trek Strange New Worlds Season Two Details and a Wild Episode 8 Revealed By Cast

“We were mid-production on season two when the first episode of season one premiered,” shared Peck. “We were well on our way into the second season and not knowing how you're doing was kind of insane. Personally, when I saw the first two episodes premiere in New York, I was really taken aback by the high level of quality I was suddenly part of. I didn't know what to expect because we do our job, we carry the baton for the time we're there on set, and you just kind of never know how it's going turn out.”

For Peck, playing Spock in season two stretched him as an actor. Fans are bound to appreciate an episode dubbed “Charades,” where Spock is reunited with his fiancé T'Pring (Gia Sandhu) and exhibits incredible range as a performer. There’s some humor to appreciate in that season two episode, in fact, giving audiences a look at pre-Spock, the one that would later evolve into the iconic Spock played by Leonard Nimoy .

When asked how mindful he is of Star Trek canon when stepping into the role, Peck said: “It's so difficult to keep all that in mind, because we are so far from the beginning of the original series. And I would really task the writers with that job. I think that we will see Spock go through many different types of exploration of himself. And they may appear more human at times or more Vulcan at times.”

As for his eventual introduction to Kirk in Strange New Worlds and the trajectory of those characters’ relationship, Peck added, “I was most excited to explore the adversarial component of the relationship, which maybe we will, or maybe we won't see.”

Paul Wesley Opened Up About Playing Kirk

“It’s obviously the genesis and the beginning of this friendship that we all know so well,” noted Wesley of Spock and Kirk’s first encounter in the upcoming season. “What's great is that they don't know what their friendship is going to be yet. They really don't know what it is about. I wanted to portray a hint of intrigue, but subconsciously, you don't really understand why Kirk is drawn to this guy or why he finds him so compelling.”

Related: Every Star Trek Movie, Ranked by Accessibility to Non-Fans

Kirk's story arc in season two will surprise fans for the mere fact that at several junctures, he plays different versions of Kirk. You’ll have to tune in to experience the full details, but Wesley noted:

The season one finale is based on "Balance of Terror." I watched that episode multiple times and Kirk is fairly serious . Then as you watch, there are moments where he's incredibly playful. I think every episode speaks to a different characteristic and quality that Kirk has. In season two, episode three was very playful, but also, the one through line is that he's very heroic, and has a good moral compass. He always trusts his instincts. So, that is the pillar; something not very not movable.

In addition to Wesley playing James T. Kirk this season, l ook for Carol Kane in a recurring role as Pelia. The offbeat character will undoubtedly become a fan favorite. In the meantime, Wesley revealed how important it was for him, as an actor, to keep Star Trek canon in mind when stepping into Kirk’s shoes.

“It would be a mistake to sort of automatically be that version of the Kirk that is part of the canon we know,” said Wesley. “I think he's still sort of trying to figure himself out. Part of the fun of playing this character, pre the Kirk that we all know, is to slowly evolve, and to slowly develop the mannerisms or characteristics, you know, the cadence. I think we can slowly get there. If we get there from day one, it's a little bit less interesting to watch. I wanted to keep it a little bit unique and different. But of course, I do think about the Star Trek canon .”

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds premieres June 15 on Paramount+ in the U.S., the U.K., Australia, Latin America, Brazil, France, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, and Austria. New episodes of the 10-episode season drop weekly on Thursdays.

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Star Trek - Kirk & Spock Fight to the Death

Spock must battle Kirk in a fight to the death

On the planet Vulcan, Spock must battle Kirk in a fight to the death over Spock's betrothed wife because she picked Kirk to champion her.

Chris Pine’s Best Moment As Star Trek’s Captain Kirk Isn’t the One You Think

Hint: It doesn't involve the Kobayashi Maru test.

The Big Picture

• Chris Pine's portrayal of James T. Kirk in Star Trek showcases a journey from selfishness to selflessness, reflecting growth and heroism.
• The film reboots the iconic sci-fi franchise with action-packed sequences and a new timeline that sets up the origins of Kirk and Spock's friendship. Pine's best moment as Captain Kirk is in the final sequence of the film where he and Spock work together to infiltrate the Narada .
• Pine brings sensitivity to Kirk's character, fulfilling his father's legacy and showcasing a vulnerability that highlights his heroic transition.

There really should not be a debate over who is Hollywood’s “Best Chris,” as Chris Pine has easily proven himself as an actor of real depth . Between his steely role in the neo-Western Hell or High Water and his charismatic romanticism as Steve Trevor in the Wonder Woman films, Pine has shown that he’s capable of standing out within talented ensembles. However, the challenges he faced when stepping into the role of James T. Kirk in the reboot of the Star Trek franchise were immeasurable. While William Shatner’s performance has been cited as the gold standard of overacting, Pine brought a surprising sensitivity and nuance to his role as the younger Captain Kirk.

The mythology of Star Trek is quite dense, but director J.J. Abrams' 2009 reboot serves as a great entry point for newcomers to the franchise. By taking place within an alternate universe known as the “Kelvin Timeline,” the new trilogy was able to forge a new direction and show the events leading up to the iconic episodes of Star Trek: The Original Series . Longtime fans may have struggled accepting a new actor in Shatner’s iconic role, but Pine gave Kirk a complete character arc during the action-packed conclusion of 2009’s Star Trek when he and Spock worked together to infiltrate the Narada.

Star Trek (2009)

J.J. Abrams' 2009 movie Star Trek rebooted the iconic sci-fi franchise in a totally new timeline. When a Romulan ship travels back in time and alters the past, the lives of James T. Kirk (Chris Pine), Spock (Zachary Quinto), and the future crew of the USS Enterprise are drastically changed. In this new timeline, the Romulan Nero (Eric Bana) sets out for revenge on Spock, setting off a chain of events that reshape the entire universe.

Chris Pine's Best Moment as Kirk Comes in 'Star Trek's Final Act

While the original Star Trek series took place in an established universe, the reboot film examines how Kirk rose from a humble background to become one of the bravest and most accomplished captains in the history of Starfleet . Bravery is always in his wheelhouse, but Kirk starts off the film as a selfish jerk who only uses Starfleet to advance his own ego. Kirk essentially decides to enlist in Starfleet Academy in order to win a bet with Captain Christopher Pike ( Bruce Greenwood ). Following this, he seems more interested in starting feuds with Spock ( Zachary Quinto ) and flirting with Lieutenant Uhura ( Zoe Saldaña ) than he is fulfilling the Prime Directive. However, a pivotal conversation with Spock Prime ( Leonard Nimoy ) indicates to Kirk that he has a greater legacy to fulfill.

Pine shows in Star Trek's conclusion that Kirk has grown more responsible. His mission is a critical one; the ruthless Romulan, Captain Nero ( Eric Bana ), has already destroyed the planet Vulcan, and is intent on leading an attack on Earth. While Pine has always done a great job at showing that Kirk has a keen sense of humor, his complexion grows far more grave when he informs his crew about the impending mission. Kirk realizes that everything he came from, including his family and friends on Earth, is at stake. It’s the first instance in the film where he develops a knack for heroism that is entirely selfless, and not out of a desperate attempt to prove himself worthy to the other characters.

What Happened to the 'Madame Web' Director's Star Trek Movie?

While the final sequence includes the type of kinetic action that is common in Abrams’ films , Star Trek shows how Pine’s Kirk has learned from his eclectic experiences . Kirk has spent a majority of the film sneaking around Starfleet facilities in order to solidify his place within the crew of the Enterprise ; it's fitting that his finest hour involves infiltrating an advanced spacecraft in a daring and heroic mission that doesn’t follow official protocols. Kirk’s final brawl with the ruthless Romulan villain Ayel ( Clifton Collins Jr. ) shows how his checkered past ends up benefiting him. Although he started the film getting into a bar brawl with haughty Starfleet officers, Kirk finally puts his nasty hand-to-hand combat skills to good use.

'Star Trek' Shows the Origin of Kirk’s Friendship With Spock

One of the most interesting revisions that 2009’s Star Trek makes to the core mythology of the franchise is positioning Kirk and Spock as rivals. Although the two eventually grow into close friends throughout the original series , Spock’s insistence on sticking to procedures initially rubs Kirk the wrong way. The ending of Star Trek teases the eventual bond that will develop between Kirk and Spock, as they are forced to work together in order to sneak aboard the Narada . Pine is more cheerful in his interactions, indicating that Kirk has taken Spock Prime’s words about their respective destinies to heart. As unlikely as it seems to him initially, he’s grown to accept the idea that he and Spock could be friends.

Although he makes a few jokes at his new ally’s expense, Pine shows that Kirk has come to acknowledge Spock’s feelings . Kirk has been so infuriated with Spock’s attitude that he has overlooked the fact that Vulcan has been destroyed; Spock lost much of his family and cultural heritage. Kirk is well-aware that Spock is half-human , and that Earth is the only planet he has left to call home. There’s a sensitivity to how Pine characterizes Kirk’s attitude; he recognizes the pain that Spock feels upon losing a parent, as it’s one that he knows all-too well.

Kirk Fulfills His Father’s Legacy at the End of 'Star Trek'

Star Trek begins with a harrowing opening sequence featuring Chris Hemsworth as Kirk’s father, George , who sacrifices himself in order to save the crew of the Kelvin from a Romulan attack. Pine gives Kirk the chance to mirror his father’s heroic action , as he goes into the mission with an acknowledgment that he could easily perish. Although the Romulans were responsible for his father’s death, Pine doesn’t turn Kirk into a vengeful character; rather, his heroic endeavors indicate that Kirk has learned to take pride in his family name.

2009’s Star Trek was a surprise hit at the box office , and spawned two direct sequels that faced Kirk off against even more ruthless villains . Pine turned Kirk into an empathetic hero whose vulnerability was an attribute; it was in Star Trek ’s finest hours that he made the steady transition into the hero fans knew he would become.

Star Trek is available to stream on Paramount+ in the U.S.

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• Cast & crew
• User reviews
• Episode aired Jan 19, 1967

For bringing hostility into their solar system, a superior alien race brings Captain Kirk into mortal combat against the reptilian captain of an alien ship he was pursuing. For bringing hostility into their solar system, a superior alien race brings Captain Kirk into mortal combat against the reptilian captain of an alien ship he was pursuing. For bringing hostility into their solar system, a superior alien race brings Captain Kirk into mortal combat against the reptilian captain of an alien ship he was pursuing.

• Joseph Pevney
• Gene L. Coon
• Fredric Brown
• Gene Roddenberry
• William Shatner
• Leonard Nimoy
• DeForest Kelley
• 42 User reviews
• 13 Critic reviews

• Captain James Tiberius 'Jim' Kirk

• Mister Spock

• O'Herlihy

• (as Carole Shelyne)

• (uncredited)

• Lieutenant Leslie
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• Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

Did you know

• Trivia Although it was not intentional, Desilu's research department realized that Gene L. Coon 's screenplay strongly resembled a novella of the same name by Fredric Brown . To deal with the difficulty, Brown was telephoned about the matter and he agreed to a writer's fee and an official credit for the story.
• Goofs Gunpowder is a low explosive: it has to be contained to explode. Otherwise it simply burns. Even if Kirk had real gunpowder, it wouldn't have exploded.

Metron : You surprise me, Captain.

Captain James T. Kirk : How?

Metron : By sparing your helpless enemy, who surely would have destroyed you, you demonstrated the advanced trait of mercy. Something we hardly expected. We feel that there may be hope for your kind. Therefore, you will not be destroyed. It would not be... civilized.

Captain James T. Kirk : What happened to the Gorn?

Metron : I sent him back to his ship. If you like, I shall destroy him for you.

Captain James T. Kirk : No. That won't be necessary. We can talk. Maybe... reach an agreement.

Metron : Very good, Captain. There *is* hope for you. Perhaps, in several thousand years, your people and mine shall meet to reach an agreement. You're still half savage. But there is hope. We will contact you when we're ready.

• Crazy credits The closing credits are set against a combination background of stills from that episode, previous and future episodes - as per usual Star Trek: TOS practice.
• Alternate versions Special Enhanced version Digitally Remastered with new exterior shots and remade opening theme song. Highlights include a wider angle on the Cestus outpost showing more destruction (and removing an oddly-placed chunk of metal in the foreground) and the never-before-seen Gorn ship.
• Connections Featured in Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey (1991)
• Soundtracks Theme From Star Trek Written by and credited to Alexander Courage

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• Feb 16, 2022
• January 19, 1967 (United States)
• United States
• Official Facebook
• Vasquez Rocks Natural Area Park - 10700 W. Escondido Canyon Rd., Agua Dulce, California, USA (Fight with the Gorn N34.486018 W118.313123)
• Desilu Productions
• Norway Corporation
• See more company credits at IMDbPro

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How Ethan Peck's Spock became the mirthful glue binding us to "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds"

H ijinks do not separate man from beast, as any cat owner, squirrel friend or chimpanzee observer knows far too well. They are, however, one of the many stark differentiators between humankind and Vulcans. Ethan Peck's version of Spock learns this early on in " Star Trek: Strange New Worlds " when he accidentally switches bodies with his betrothed T-Pring (Gia Sandhu) and duty calls, for each of them, before they can switch back.

"I do not like hijinks," T'Pring tells Spock.

"Neither do I," he replies, "but it appears that hijinks are the most logical course of action." He's proven to be correct when each awkwardly steps into the shoes of their other half and gains a better understanding of their daily lives. Everything works out – awkwardly, but well enough.

That episode, "Spock Amok," is an instructive prerequisite to the actions Spock undertakes in the second season premiere of "Strange New Worlds," "The Broken Circle." When Captain Christopher Pike ( Anson Mount ) leaves Spock in charge of the Enterprise for a few days while he heads off on a personal mission to save his Number One, Una Chin-Riley ( Rebecca Romijn ) from imprisonment, you knew his time in the captain's chair wouldn't be uneventful.

Pike assumes it will be, since the ship is undergoing a mandatory inspection while docked at Starbase 1. What's the worst that could happen? How about this: La'An Noonien-Singh (Christina Chong), who has stepped away from Starfleet to pursue her own exploits, sends a time-sensitive distress signal from a sector of the universe the Federation avoids for fear of running afoul of the Klingons . This places Spock and the bridge crew in a predicament: they can follow orders to remain where they are, the logical choice, or defy them to save a friend, which could go wrong in all kinds of ways.

This Spock chooses hijinks.

"Star Trek: Strange New Worlds" maintains the closest fidelity to Gene Roddenberry's vision as it was established in the original series , both in terms of its mission of the week format and episodic considerations of sociocultural matters.

The United Federation of Planets' principles are always being tested, stretched and broken as the voyages of the U.S.S. Enterprise demonstrate. Nevertheless, even when the crew's best intentions end up being the wrong ones, they learn, adapt and grow.

Future Spock is a master of subtlety; Peck's is still learning how to harness the human clown goofing about in his DNA.

"Strange New Worlds" evolves the original model by emphasizing character over scenario, a luxury the 1960s show didn't have. Back then its now-iconic characters were entirely new. Now they're like family or, if not that, someone universal enough that even people who never connected to the tales of William Shatner's Captain Kirk get any references to him or Leonard Nimoy's Spock.

Because of this, Peck had the toughest needle to thread in picking up Spock's mantle. The second most difficult undertaking in that regard is shouldered by Celia Rose Gooding, who expands Nyota from the version Nichelle Nichols originated.

But as central to the Trek legend as Nichols is, Nimoy's Spock is on par with Shatner's Kirk as the personification of the franchise. In hindsight, J.J. Abrams lessened that burden for Zachary Quinto by setting his adventures in an alternate universe, the Kelvin timeline. He acquitted himself well enough.

Peck is the third actor to take on the role and the one who's spent the second longest amount of time in Spock's skin. His portrayal holds the challenge of plausibly maturing Spock in a way that connects the character's past to who he eventually becomes – as in, the Starfleet officer we already know. Therein rests the delight in what he brings to "Strange New Worlds," in that he's a half-human, half-Vulcan figuring out the balance of who he is and who he strives to be.

Season 1 of "Strange New Worlds" is a trip through destiny – Pike's specifically. In the original series, Pike was introduced as a disfigured character kept alive inside by a boxy apparatus through which he could communicate with a blinking light. In this one he's a silver-haired Space Zaddy who cooks for his crew and commands from a place of mutual respect and understanding. During a mission undertaken on " Star Trek: Discovery " Pike is made aware of this terrible fate that awaits him. It continues to haunt him in this series.

Through a glimpse at a possible fate that his future self presents to him, Pike is made to realize that what awaits him has to happen. If he prevents it, not only will it rip apart the Federation, it will kill its best chance at attaining peace with its Romulan adversaries. Which is Spock.

Season 2 widens its lens to build the case as to why that will be by focusing initially on Spock before diving deeper into other figures and their background, with a connecting thematic refrain that one's legacy should not necessarily determine one's fate. (A newly introduced Starfleet officer named Pelia, played by Carol Kane, is a mirthful reminder of that for reasons best discovered by watching.)

She and others point out in a complimentary way, that Spock is not like any other Vulcans they've encountered. He still follows logic above all else while understanding that occasionally doing what's right and best for the galaxy and his fellow crewmembers requires going against logic.

"Hijinks are the most logical course of action."

Venturing deep into his self-realization journey allows us a peek into how Nimoy's half-Vulcan mastered the art of dry-to-merely-invisible humor and brainy sarcasm without breaking his deadpan expression or violating who we expect Spock to be. Future Spock is a master of subtlety; Peck's is a superbly capable leader who's still learning how to harness the human clown goofing about in his DNA.

His Spock's story is one of becoming which, like the premiere's mission, presents many opportunities to lurch sideways. This is why when "Star Trek: Discovery" announced its intention to bring Spock into the storyline, I was not hopeful. And I don't think I was alone in that feeling. Not initially anyway.

Spock's essential prominence in the "Star Trek" universe is one of those traits that can be equally beloved and exhausting; there is no lazier way to buy the fandom's affection than injecting him into a plot. In fairness, that was an inevitability in "Discovery." Its main character, Michael Burnham, is Spock's adopted sibling.

But Peck defied those assumptions by building the character from the text instead of following prior depictions. The resulting Spock is plausibly more emotional than his future self is while allowing his devotion to logic to play on the borders of comedy.

"Strange New Worlds" directors accentuate this whenever it makes sense; even in the gloomiest junctures can be somewhat softened by Spock's eyebrow dancing into its quizzical arch.

Want a daily wrap-up of all the news and commentary Salon has to offer? Subscribe to our morning newsletter , Crash Course.

There is a fear these new episodes present that the directors may over-index on that charming quirk in the second season. It is prominent in the first two episodes, and when it pops up in the second episode its usage is a bit too cute for the moment.

But in the premiere, when the crew asks for his Warp catchphrase, explaining that it announces what kind of commander he is – Pike's is "Hit it," for example, and Burnham's is "Let's fly" – Spock's best at a moment's notice is also totally in character. "I would like the ship to go," he commands, cocking that eyebrow before adding, "Now."

Then, when they get to the mission at their destination, hijinks ensue. This time they are terrifying and bring the Federation to the precipice of war.

With Spock at the helm, there is never a time when the audience is made to feel that the situation won't work out, and that's true even when a couple of characters flirt with death. "Strange New Worlds" proved its willingness to off series regulars in the first round of episodes, so the possibility of that happening was very real. So too is Peck's connection with his human side's eruption of fear, panic and sorrow. 

Spock dials these back in upcoming episodes, both earning and boosting his comedy side. As a character tells another, Vulcans convey their true feelings not through words but in the way they comport themselves. You have to watch them closely to comprehend the nuances of their expression. Those who didn't get that from Nimoy's performance may gain a better understanding by spending time with Peck's Spock, which is one of the sweeter assignments a viewer can give themselves.

Season 2 of "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds" premieres Thursday, June 15 on Paramount+. New episodes debut on Thursdays.

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The 12 Most Important Supernatural Episodes That Defined The Show

Tng ended star trek’s redshirt joke for good, supernatural: 10 best dean quotes.

• Supernatural's lasting impact is evident through its extensive references to pop culture, especially Star Trek, reflecting its passionate cult following.
• Various episodes of Supernatural cleverly incorporate nods to Star Trek, showcasing the show's attention to detail and fondness for the iconic series.
• By seamlessly weaving Star Trek elements into its storylines, Supernatural pays homage to the beloved franchise and connects with fans on a deeper level.

Throughout its remarkable 15 seasons, Supernatural contained countless references to other television shows and films, but The CW series had a particular love for Star Trek . Following brothers Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean (Jensen Ackles) Winchester as they traveled around the country hunting monsters, Supernatural gained a passionate cult following similar to the Star Trek fandom. As the resident pop culture aficionado, Dean was always quick with a sarcastic remark or relevant reference for nearly any situation. With its talented cast and compelling storylines, Supernatural spanned genres and became the longest-running American live-action fantasy TV series, with 327 episodes.

Since Star Trek: The Original Series began in 1966, the Star Trek franchise has become a pop culture phenomenon. Characters like Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner) and Mr. Spock (Leonard Nimoy) have become so ingrained in popular culture that even those with little knowledge of Star Trek can recognize them. Star Trek has since spawned numerous films and television shows and produced some of the most iconic science fiction stories of all time. It's no surprise then, that references to Star Trek and its characters have been popping up in other films and television shows for decades. Here are 10 times Supernatural has nodded to Star Trek.

Supernatural has more than 300 episodes in the series run, but a few of these episodes completely change the tone and course of the entire series.

10 The Vulcan Mind Meld

Supernatural season 1, episode 6 - "skin".

As Sam and Dean investigate a suspicious murder, they realize the culprit is a shapeshifter who can look like anyone. When the shapeshifter captures Sam and Dean, it takes on the appearance of the older Winchester, which gives the being access to Dean's memories. As Sam explains the situation to the real Dean (who had been unconscious), he says: "It was like he was downloading your thoughts and memories."

Dean replies, "You mean, like the Vulcan mind meld?," to which Sam agrees it was "something like that." Throughout Star Trek , Spock and other Vulcans have used the Vulcan mind meld to share their thoughts and gain a better understanding of others. Unlike a mind meld, the shapeshifter's ability only worked one way and the creature used it as a means of control.

In another surprising Star Trek connection, "Skin" was directed by none other than Robert Duncan McNeill who played Lt. Tom Paris in Star Trek: Voyager.

9 The USS Enterprise

Supernatural season 4, episode 3 - "in the beginning".

When the angel Castiel (Misha Collins) sends Dean back in time to 1973, he encounters the younger version of his parents. Initially, Dean has no idea where (or when) he is, and he heads to a nearby diner and sits down next to a young man, who is later revealed to be his father, John Winchester (Matt Cohen). Still unaware that he has traveled back in time, Dean tries to use his cell phone, but of course has no reception in 1973.

Dean turns to John and asks: "Know where I can get any reception?" John looks at Dean's 21st-century flip phone and says: "The USS Enterprise?" Dean soon realizes he has been transported back in time and sets out to learn more about his young parents. Considering how popular Star Trek reruns were in the early 1970s, it makes perfect sense that John would liken Dean's phone to a Star Trek communicator .

8 The Holodeck

Supernatural season 4, episode 22 - "lucifer rising".

In the Supernatural season 4 finale, a high-ranking angel named Zachariah (Kurt Fuller) whisks Dean away to a location he calls a "Green Room" to keep him safe until it's time for him to play his role in the apocalypse. Zachariah tries to tempt Dean with different diversions, encouraging him to wait patiently. Dean, however, refuses Zachariah's suggestions, saying: "No, no. Let's bail on the holodeck, okay?"

Introduced in Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek's holodeck allowed people to virtually visit any real or fictional location they could imagine. Since Zachariah offers to conjure up all manner of distractions for Dean, his "Green Room" could be seen as its own kind of holodeck. Dean, however, has grown fed up with the angels, and he doesn't get to experience any holodeck-like illusions.

7 Redshirts

Supernatural season 6, episode 13 - "unforgiven".

When Sam and Dean investigate a series of missing persons, Sam remembers that he had previously worked a similar case with his resurrected grandfather, Samuel Campbell (Mitch Pileggi). In flashbacks, Sam and Samuel hunt a monster known as an Arachne by using the local sheriff as bait to lure the creature. When Sam suggests this course of action, Samuel questions him saying, "So, what, Roy's just some redshirt to you, just spider bait?"

Sam replies that this is his backup plan, but Samuel notes how cold Sam has become. During this time, Sam had been missing his soul after a brief stint in Hell. Without his soul, Sam did not experience emotions like empathy, and he had no problems using the sheriff to catch the monster. Samuel's reference to a "redshirt" refers to the disposable security officers who were often killed on away missions in Star Trek: The Original Series.

Star Trek is infamously known for killing off officers wearing red, but Star Trek: The Next Generation actually put an end to this trope in 1987.

6 Speaking Klingon

Supernatural season 8, episode 10 - "torn and frayed".

As Dean and Castiel investigate a strange occurrence involving a burning bush, they interview the badly burned witness. He reports that the bush spoke to him, but when Castiel asks what the voice said, the man replies: "No clue. Sounded like Klingon to me." Dean then asks the man to repeat what the bush said and he responds that it sounded like "sol-voch-tay."

While this does sound like a Klingon word, Castiel reveals that it is actually an Enochian word that means obey. As Enochian is a language unique to angels, Castiel reasons that this particular angel must be desperate to communicate via burning bush. Since their introduction in Star Trek: The Original Series, Star Trek's Klingons have become one of the franchise's most iconic aliens, and their language has a full alphabet and English translations.

5 Holodeck, Part 2

Supernatural season 7, episode 2 - "hello, cruel world".

As Sam continues to experience hallucinations of Lucifer (Mark Pellegrino) , he struggles to differentiate reality from what is only in his mind. As Dean tries to convince Sam that he's real and Lucifer is the hallucination, he asks his brother: "Why would the devil holodeck you a whole new life, when he could just kick your ass all over the cage?"

After the end of Supernatural season 5, Sam spent time trapped in a cage in Hell with Lucifer, and he continues to feel the effects of that experience. With his reference to the holodeck, Dean suggests that there would be no reason for Lucifer to create an elaborate fictional life for Sam if he were really still trapped in the cage. As Dean points out, the "post-apocalyptic mess" they are currently living in would be the worst type of holodeck adventure.

4 Planet Vulcan

Supernatural season 4, episode 21 - "when the levee breaks".

As Supernatural season 4 comes to a close, Dean and his uncle Bobby Singer (Jim Beaver) try to help Sam overcome his addiction to demon blood. Sam and Dean have different ideas about preventing the impending apocalypse, and Dean chooses to align with the angels rather than the demons. When Bobby questions why Dean trusts the angels, Dean replies that he doesn't, adding that "they come on like shady politicians from planet Vulcan."

Dean points out that an alliance with the "shady" angels is still better than letting Sam trust a demon. Although Sam is often considered the "nerdier" of the two brothers, Dean makes the most references to Star Trek and other movies and franchises throughout Supernatural. Dean clearly knows enough about Trek to liken the often difficult-to-read angels to the ever-logical Vulcans.

Dean is the funny one of CW's Supernatural. Some of his quips and one liners have become iconic to fans and before it ends, we have his 10 best quotes

3 Live Long & Prosper

Supernatural season 7, episode 20 - "the girl with the dungeons and dragons tattoo" & season 8, episode 11 - "larp and the real girl".

Introduced in Supernatural season 7, Felicia Day's Charlie Bradbury quickly became a fan-favorite character, with her fun personality and nerdy interests. As Sam and Dean work to stop the dangerous Leviathan, Charlie uses her computer skills and connections to help the two brothers. When Charlie says goodbye to Sam and Dean, she offers them a Vulcan salute.

Charlie returns several times throughout the show, and Sam and Dean learn more about her geeky interests, which include Star Wars and Lord of the Rings . Like Dean, Charlie often references television shows and films, and she eventually becomes like a young sister to the Winchesters. She regularly uses the Vulcan "Live Long and Prosper" salute as a means to say goodbye.

2 Khan Worms

Supernatural season 6, episode 16 - "...and then there were none".

In this tense episode of Supernatural, Sam, Dean, and their uncle Bobby face off against a parasitic worm-like creature that Dean refers to as "a Khan worm on steroids." The worm could enter a person's body through their ears or mouth and then control them. Once the worm has left the person, they had no memory of what they had done while under its influence.

Never given an official name, these creatures were referred to as Khan worms from that point forward. In Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan , Khan Noonien Singh (Ricardo Montalban) used similar burrowing worm-like creatures called Ceti eels to manipulate Commander Pavel Chekov (Walter Koenig) . The eel larvae could crawl into a person's ear and make them extremely susceptible to suggestion.

1 Save The Whales

Supernatural season 6, episode 18 - "frontierland".

In the Supernatural episode "Frontierland," Dean realizes that he and Sam need to travel back in time to acquire the ashes of a Phoenix. When Dean explains the plan, he excitedly says: "We’ll Star Trek IV this b*****." While Sam gives his brother a blank look, their uncle Bobby responds that he only watched Star Trek: Deep Space Nine . Dean shakes his head, saying: " It’s like I don’t even know you guys anymore. Star Trek IV. Save the whales."

The original line had Bobby saying he only watched Star Trek: The Next Generation, but actor Jim Beaver requested the line be changed to DS9 because his late wife Cecily Adams had portrayed the Ferengi Ishka on that show.

In the end, Dean lays out his plan to travel back to 1861 to get what they need, and the brothers call on their angel friend Castiel to send them back in time. Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, of course, follows Kirk, Spock, and their crew as they travel back in time to the 1980s to find two humpback whales they can bring back to save Earth of the future. Dean Winchester may not seem like a typical Trekkie, but he shouts out Star Trek numerous times over Supernatural's fifteen seasons.

Supernatural is available to stream on Netflix.

Every live-action Star Trek show is available to stream on Paramount+.

Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home is available to stream on Max.

Supernatural

Created by Eric Kripke, Supernatural is a fantasy/drama series that premiered in 2005. The series follows the adventures of Dean and Sam Winchester - two men wronged by supernatural beings as children who now spend their days investigating and hunting demons, ghosts, and monsters across the United States. 

Star Trek: The Original Series

Star Trek: The Original Series follows the exploits of the crew of the USS Enterprise. On a five-year mission to explore uncharted space, Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner) must trust his crew - Spock (Leonard Nimoy), Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy (Forest DeKelley), Montgomery "Scotty" Scott (James Doohan), Uhura (Nichelle Nichols), Chekov (Walter Koenig) and Sulu (George Takei) - with his life. Facing previously undiscovered life forms and civilizations and representing humanity among the stars on behalf of Starfleet and the United Federation of Planets, the Enterprise regularly comes up against impossible odds and diplomatic dilemmas.