Welcome to Triskelion, the planet where everything comes in threes! Three suns, three brains, and even the time is trisecs! On the less fortunate side it is also a horribly depressing planet of slaves whose only job is to fight each other to to the death so brains in a dome can gamble on the outcome. This episode also features a whole lot of McCoy and Spock fighting over just about everything while Kirk is gone.
The episode opens with a standard, "checking in on an outpost," but when Kirk, Chekov and Uhura step onto the transporter pad they disappear abruptly and without a trace. They find themselves in a courtyard under unfamiliar stars and without working communicators. Suddenly armed figures appear and it seems like a fight to the death, but they all stop when a bald figure appears. He is Galt, master thrall of Triskelion. They are fitted with the collars everyone on the planet wears and when they try to escape the collars either choke them or give them severe pain, it isn't stated or entirely clear from the acting. They are to be trained to fight for the providers, the apparent rulers of the planet.
Back on the Enterprise Scotty is checking the transporter and Spock is scanning the surface of the planet they are orbiting. There is nothing on the surface, but just as the three disappeared there was a powerful energy beam from a distant hydrogen cloud which Spock pursues over the loud objections of McCoy and Scotty. It gets so bad Spock tells them to mutiny or let him search and they agree to help on the condition that he go back to where they started if he doesn't find them.
Back on Triskelion they are taken to cells and it seems Uhura is raped in a very unpleasant scene which cuts to commercials and suddenly she seems fine. As I said, this planet really sucks. Chekov and Kirk both meet their trainers and Kirk immediately starts trying to seduce his green haired female trainer. He gets her in trouble for talking about the Providers, but the romance apparently entertains them too much to do more than warn. Back on the fighting courtyard Kirk and company refuse to strike a tied up thrall and so Kirk has to fight a giant with a whip while his hands are tied behind his back. He manages to win and suddenly the voices of the Providers are heard bidding on them.
The Enterprise arrives at Triskelion but is immediately disabled by the Providers. Kirk gets them to bet himself and his crew against the freedom of themselves and the entire planet. Even though it would be the total end of their way of life the Providers, nothing more than pulsing rubbery brains, agree to the bet. Kirk has to fight three on one for everyone's life, but of course wins in the end despite breaking several rules and they are all freed.
Aftermath: Coming right after the hilarious and lighthearted Trouble with Tribbles this episode comes across as especially dark. Of course Kirk manages to save literally everyone in the end, but on the way it features by far the most disturbing content so far.
7 out of 10
No comments:
Post a Comment