Operation: Annihilate!

     The episode starts out with the Enterprise's sensors picking up another ship heading perilously towards the sun. Kirk establishes a connection with a ship and tries multiple times to get them to reverse to no avail. As he's turning away he receives a distress call from the planet below, the same planet his brother Sam lives on. When the message stops Kirk exclaims that the voice sounded like it belonged to Sam's wife Aurelan so Kirk orders that they should go investigate the planet.
   On the planet Kirk and the landing party are charged by a group of men who shout warnings but wield bludgeoning objects. The crew uses the phasers to stun the crew then immediately run to a female's scream which happens to be Aurelan. When they find her she's screaming about some creature being here and trying to shut a grate.

Kirk tries to subdue her, but that doesn't seem to work so Bones gives her a sedative to relax her. As Kirk tries to tell her everything's okay, Bones finds two other bodies: the comatose body of Kirk's nephew Peter and the deceased body of his brother Sam(who is funnily enough also played by William Shatner, the only other Star Trek character other than Captain Kirk he ever plays.)

 

     Bones insists on bringing everyone back on board for examination. Once on board and examinations have proceeded McCoy tells Kirk that it is lucky that Peter is comatose because if conscious he would be in severe pain. Aurelan on the other hand is awake and not taking well to the medicine McCoy is giving her. Kirk tries to question her for information, but all he learns is that the creatures spaceship crashed it was using people to help rebuild the ship. 

    Kirk and the landing party go back down to the planet to search for the creatures and follow an odd buzzing noise to an area filled with odd amoebe like creatures. They shoot one down with the phasers set to kill, but it barely damages it. As the crew is turning to leave it attacks Spock. Kirk removes it quickly but it seems its too late. Spock is hurt. 

    Back on the Enterprise McCoy examines Spock and finds long tentacles wrapped around Spock's nervous system. These same things are found in the system of Peter and Aurelan. As McCoy is telling this to Kirk, Spock leaves the sick bay and makes his way to the front of the ship where he tries to take control of the ship. Several people including Kirk try to subdue him, but it is very obvious Spock is much stronger than them. It isn't until  Bones uses a sedative on him that he stops.

        Back at the sick bay Spock has shackles now but he insists he's fine and that he control the pain. He wants to hep Kirk but Kirk denies him and tells him to stay in bed. This doesn't sit well with Spock and soon he's escaping again, this time heading towards Scotty, a security officer, and the landing pods. Spock tries to convince them to let him down, but Scotty won't let him. Spock and Scotty have a bit of a show off which ends in Scotty pointing a phaser at Spock to keep him contained. Scotty calls for help and soon Kirk, McCoy and a few more security officers have entered the room. Scotty explains his side of the story and Spock does the same to which Kirk replies by letting Spock go down to the planet, through Bones's protests. 

      On the planet Spock is able to capture one of the amoebe creatures and bring it back to the ship. Kirk orders all the medical and life science technicians to examine the creature. After examining for a while everyone is stumped. Nothing will kill it. Nothing except the sun. Kirk, Spock, and McCoy try to figure things out but come out short trying to figure out what properties of the sun will kill the creature. Until it hits them: LIGHT!! 

     McCoy sets up a test and throws all forms of light at the creature, which dies. HURRAY! but Kirk isn't sure it will work on those with pieces of the creature in their nerves on the planet. McCoy alters the test so it has planet conditions then tests it on a willing volunteer: Spock. Bones warns Kirk and Spock that this could have serious consequences to the optic nerve, but Spock insists. McCoy pulls the lever and when the test is over Spock says he feels much better...but then admits to being blind. The nurse comes in moments later with test results that say he only needed to use UV rays which would not have blinded Spock.

    They send UV rays over the planets surface which kills off all the creatures, which turned out to be brain cells of a much bigger creature. 

      After everything is fine and dandy Kirk tries to explain to a guilty McCoy that Spock's blindness is not his fault, but it isn't until Spock walks onto the bridge of the Enterprise with sight intact that they both feel better.
   The episode then ends with quips between Bones and Spock, and the realization that Vulcans have an extra pair of thin invisible eyelids that instinctively kicked in which is why his sight came back. 

The City on the Edge of Forever

        This episode starts aboard the bridge in an unusually calm start. This is wrecked quickly when Sulu's station explodes and Sulu is flung across the board. While Kirk and Spock try to figure out whats going on and prevent it from happening again, Bones is called in to check in on Sulu. He administers a small dosage of cordrazine to Sulu, who wakes up instantly with this huge cheesy smile on his face. Because of course huge cheesy smiles is how people wake up all the time from being knocked unconscious.

      The ship shakes again, but this time more violently causing McCoy to fall onto the needle with cordrazine, injecting the rest of the medicine into himself. Once the ship is steady everyone realizes what happens and runs to his side, because cordrazine is very powerful stuff and should be taken in small doses.

 

Well, the medicine doesn't sit well with McCoy and he goes stark raving bonkers believing that someone is out to kill him. The medication takes hold of McCoy and he runs from the bridge, violently pushing past the emergency medical staff and security guards. McCoy makes his way to the transport room, knocks out the controller with an extremely cheesy move that couldn't have been more than a light tap, and beams himself down to the planet.
        Kirk, Spock, Scotty, Uhura, and two security guards all follow McCoy down to the planet. This choice of  landing party crew alone should tell how important the mission to find Bones is. Spock, Scotty, and Uhura are the ones who run the Enterprise when Kirk is off running around on his missions, but all three of them have come down with Kirk. This then begs the question: Who's watching the Enterprise?
          This question is never answered though because Kirk and Spock discover a giant rock formation that looks like the middle has vaporized. Spock discovers that the rock is the cause of all the time displacement. When Kirk asks him to explain he can't and goes on to say that the rock is impossible by all logic.

      Spock continues to go on about how impossible the rock is when Kirk asks the magic question, "Then what is it?" Suddenly the rock lights up and begins to respond. The rock tells them that its sole purpose in being created was to answer questions. It tells them that it is the Guardian of Forever and that it is both machine and being as well as being neither at the same time. To which Kirk and Spock give the rock 'WTF' faces. 

       This scene gets interesting when Spock and The Guardian of Forever argue. Well, its not really arguing. Theres no raised voices or fist fighting, but it isn't a calm conversation either. The  Guardian constantly mentions how lacking in knowledge and how simple minded Kirk and Spock are to it. Once even daring to say that Spock's science knowledge is primitive. Spock looks aghast, like he'd just been struck in the face or told that ghosts were a logical phenomena. Kirk asks him smugly if he's annoyed and Spock gives him this priceless look that pretty much says, "HELL YEAH I'M ANNOYED! BABY I'M SPOCK! WHAT AUTHORITY DOES A ROCK HAVE TO CALL MY KNOWLEDGE OF SCIENCE PRIMITIVE!" 

      The rock goes on to explain how its a gateway to the past. As it explains this and Spock tries to rationalize it Bones jumps through the center of the rock. Afterwards it seems that the communicators no longer work and the Enterprise is gone. Spock comes to the conclusion that whatever Bones does in the past screws up the future so Spock and Kirk jump through the rock to fix everything an get McCoy, knowing full well that they may not end up in the same place or even same time. 

         

      Kirk and Spock jump through the hole and find themselves in 1930's America. Of course Spock and Kirk stand out a mile with their bright colors and Starfleet uniforms. Trying to blend in more Kirk steals some clothes, but ends up getting caught by the police. To get himself out of trouble he makes up this convoluted story about how Spock is Chinese and how his ears were pulled by a mechanical rice picker. The cop of course sees right through it and tries to arrest them, but Kirk and Spock make a break for it holding the clothes tightly.

          They find safety from the cop in a dark basement and change clothes.  A little after they're done changing a beautiful lady comes down to the basement and sees Kirk and Spock. After Kirk explains they're story( minus a few details) the lady introduces herself as Sister Edith Keeler and tells the two that they are welcome to stay and get food at the missionary. 

                   A little later while Kirk and Spock are eating food at the missionary, Edith goes on a fantastic rant about how eventually there will be peace and spaceships and all these other things that are in Kirk and Spock's present, but her future. So of course they exchange looks quite a bit during her speech. 

       Edith gives Spock and Kirk a place to sleep in the missionary, and while Spock figures out a way to find out how history was corrupted and how to fix it, Kirk does his normal lady charming thing on Edith. 

 

     Spock figures out that McCoy will arrive soon and whatever he does causes two possible outcomes to Edith: Death or Germany wins World War 2.  Of course Germany doesn't win WWII so Kirk and Spock realize Edith must die, but this becomes an issue when Kirk admits he's fallen in love with her. 

               Unknown to Kirk and Spock at the same time Kirk and Spock are figuring things out, Edith is nursing a crazed Bones back to health. There is almost meetings quite a bit between the members of the Enterprise, but always stopped short. Edith even mentions that her man is taking her out to a Clark Gable movie. Of course McCoy being from the future doesn't know who that is. Well later on her date with Kirk when she asks about the Clark Gable movie, Kirk also doesn't know who that is and makes a comment similar to McCoy.  Edith laughs and mentions McCoy who just so happens to be leaving the missionary as Kirk turns around. He runs back to the missionary and bombards McCoy with a hug. 

      As Kirk, Spock, and McCoy reunite Edith is left in the middle of the street wondering what the hell is going on, so she walks to the boys not seeing a giant truck behind her. Kirk grabs McCoy who tries to run and save her all the while hiding his face in McCoy's shoulder, not wanting to see Edith die. McCoy yells at Kirk asking him if he knew what he did by holding him back. Kirk can't respond, but Spock answers solemnly that Kirk knew all too well what he was doing.  

     Kirk, Spock, and McCoy end up back on the planet with the Guardian. Scotty makes a comment that they'd only been gone for a few seconds, though to Spock and Kirk they'd been gone practically a week. As Uhura mentions everything is as it should be Kirk remains stone faced and sullen only speaking to say, "Lets get the hell outta here." 

     Everyone beams back, but not after watching Kirk fully aware that something happened in the past, worry clearly pasted on everyone's face...even Spock's.

The Alternative Factor

      This episode starts off with the Enterprise exploring an uncharted planet. As they are doing this the ship is attacked by a violent force. When everyone recovers Spock says that the most peculiar and practically impossible thing happened: everything 'blinked' out. When the scanners start working again it is reported that on the planet where there was once no signs of life there is now one: a male, possibly dangerous.  Kirk of course beams down to check it out with Spock and a bunch of red shirts.

      Down on the planet they find absolutely nothing except a small space ship. As they are checking out the cute white little space ship a guy standing high upon a group of rocks starts shouting at them about some 'thing' being evil. As this man is freaking out and flailing he falls to the ground. Kirk runs to see him and the man is sprawled in a position that makes him look either dead or seriously injured.

      Back on the Enterprise Kirk finds out that the 'blinking' did not just happen in the Enterprise but in the quadrant of space around them too. Kirk checks on the man who fell and who seems to be very much alive. After he fell he had blood by his eye and by his mouth, but in this shot he is completely blood free. WTF?! Are they really that bad with consistency? The man whose name is Lazarus goes on to tell Kirk that he has to kill this evil 'thing', this planet murdering 'creature'. He clams this 'thing' is not human and is what attacked him.  Kirk tells Lazarus he wants him to beam down to the planet with him and the landing party to see if what Lazarus is saying is actually the truth.
    On the planet everyone looks around and Spock tells Kirk that Lazarus(who is bleeding once again) is a liar since there is no proof of the facts he is giving which of course makes Lazarus mad because no one really likes being called a liar.  But of course it wouldn't be an awesome moment if Spock didn't reply, "I fail to see your indignation sir, I've just come up with the logical conclusion that you are a liar."
    Suddenly Lazarus starts to twitch and he's surrounded by computer generated red solar systems and another violent force shakes the planet. Lazarus is then seen completely white and clear, fighting someone else. When Lazarus reappears and the violent shaking stops he falls to the ground once again near Kirk who bombards him with yet another set of questions.

    Back on the Enterprise, Lazarus is being patched up by Bones and Spock and Kirk are as confused as ever.  They can't figure out what caused the 'blinking' yet Kirk realizes there is some truth to the words that Lazarus has been telling. All Spock knows is that the 'blinking' happens at the same times that Lazarus claims to confront the 'thing'.
   Bones calls Kirk down to the sick bay slightly worried. It seems that McCoy treated Lazarus with a couple head wounds and then when he turned the corner Lazarus's head wounds were completely gone as if they never happened. Of  course he can't prove this though because Lazarus has gone missing. Lazarus is next seen in what looks to be a kind of staff hang out where he over hears to officers talking about the dilithium crystals that power the ship. This intrigues him and he nonchalantly just follows them out.
     The flash of red solar systems surround Lazarus again and he has to cling to walls to stand up straight. Right after Kirk and McCoy find him with the correct head wounds to McCoy's surprise.
    Spock then calls Kirk down to the bridge where he tells Kirk there's another ship. Of course Kirk is wondering how the scanners didn't pick it up before. Well, as it turns out it's not actually there. Well, that's not right either. It seems that according to the normal scanning procedures there is nothing there, but really there is another ship. Spock then admits he's at a loss for words because the ship may or may not be caused by a 'rip' in the universe.
   Lazarus then starts raving about the dilithium crystals and how that will be the way to stop the 'thing', but of course Kirk won't let him use his dilithium crystals because they power his precious Enterprise. So of course Lazarus starts to freak out claiming that there won't be any ship at all to power if he doesn't kill the 'thing'. At the mention of a danger to his ship Kirk gets pissed and starts yelling at him, trying to get him to spill how it would hurt his ship, but Lazarus instead of spewing answers spews threats...or what sounds like threats though Lazarus claims they aren't.

 

 Lazarus then breaks into the engineering room and attacks a red shirt and a Lt. Masters...while Kirk was on com with Masters. So of course Kirk knew that he attacked Masters and the red shirt. And as it turns out he also took two of the Lithium crystals were stolen. When Kirk confronts Lazarus he claims not to have attacked the two officers or stolen the crystals, constantly claiming the 'thing' stole them. 

       To see if the dilithium crystals are hidden back in Lazarus's ship, Kirk, Lazarus and the rest of the landing party go back to the planet. Turns out Lazarus was right and they weren't in his ship, but puzzles Spock is the fact the traces of the dilithium crystals can't be found anywhere on the planet anymore. Everyone splits up to look for clues like the Scooby Gang and another 'blink out' occurs this time making a rock nearly smash Captain Kirk. Lazarus shouts to him just in time from a ledge above, but then falls nearly a few seconds later. 

     Back in the sick bay Kirk forces Lazarus to answer a few questions to the annoyance of McCoy. After Kirk accuses Lazarus of being a liar, Lazarus then tells Kirk that his ship is no mere ship but a time chamber/ a time ship and that of course he is a time traveler to which of course Kirk and Bones exchange looks of apprehension. Lazarus says that the 'thing' is also a time traveler, fleeing from him throughout time. And then he starts freaking out about having to kill him again.
    Bones then tells Kirk that he should leave Lazarus alone because he's injured to which Kirk responds, "Sometimes pain drive a man harder than pleasure, I'm sure you know that Doctor!" Bones tries to reassure Kirk that Lazarus isn't going anywhere but sure enough as soon as everyone leaves the sick bay Lazarus gets up and walks out.
    In another part of the Enterprise Spock and Kirk go over the facts. They come to the conclusion that the source of radiation that's causing the 'blinking' is not from our universe...or even in our universe. It comes from a parallel universe. Spock then explains that if a + universe comes in contact with a - universe could cause a warp, it would be like mixing matter and antimatter. They then come to the conclusion that maybe even Lazarus is from another dimension and that the 'blinking' is from the two Lazarus' switching places. Spock then warns Kirk that if the two Lazarus's meet and/or touch it could be complete annihilation.
   The next time we see Lazarus he is messing with something that very clearly says "WARNING HIGH VOLTAGE" . The scene cuts to Lt. Masters and the red shirt in the engineering room once again and suddenly as they are working the equipment starts smoking. Lazarus runs in while the smoke is horribly bad and steals two more dilithium crystals then runs and quickly beams himself back down to the planet, quickly followed by Kirk.
   The next scene is Lazarus way to happily working on his ship and then Kirk shows up. Lazarus starts freaking out and then suddenly Kirk begins to fade away.

     Kirk is then seen in the same spot on the planet, but this time talking to a different version of Lazarus. This Lazarus, that we shall call L2, explains that the original Lazarus(L1) went mad when he learned that with parallel dimensions means more than one version of him. L1 became so frustrated that he decided he had to destroy L2. L2 then explains that there is a 'door' between the two dimensions and if he can get L1 to enter it and destroys the ships that the two universes will be saved. 

   Kirk then reenters his universe, fights this super cheesy fight with Lazarus, pushes him into the spaceship which sends him through the 'door'. Immediately Kirk sends everybody up to the Enterprise and blows up the little white ship. And the episode ends with Kirk worrying over the two Lazarus' trapped in the 'door' forever.

Errand of Mercy

       This episode starts out on the bridge of the U.S.S. Enterprise. Kirk gets a message the Klingons are going to attack the planet Organia. It is the Enterprises' job to protect the Organians. Just shortly after receiving the message the Enterprise is attacked. After a brief battle Kirk deems Sulu in charge and beams down to Organia with Spock. Now there's nothing wrong with Sulu being in charge, but I thought a prior episode mentioned that when Spock and Kirk go out to play Scotty was in charge. I mean I could be wrong and as we have noticed Gene Rodenberry (the creator of Star Trek, if you didn't know) doesn't always pay attention to details, but I was kind of surprised when Kirk gave the long 'protect my ship' speech to Sulu and not Scotty.
      Now Organia is supposed to be this peaceful well adapted intelligent wonderfully placed progressive planet, but when Kirk and Spock arrive they see that not all of this is true. Organia looks like it hasn't changed since knights were gallivanting around saving princesses and slaying dragons. I mean there's a castle and everyone's walking around in clothes one would normally wear to a renaissance. I thought Spock said the place was progressive!
      Kirk and Spock begin speaking to the main counsel about the Klingons, but they don't seem too worried. Kirk tries to press the importance of fighting back against the Klingons, about defending themselves but nothing seems to work. While Kirk is fighting with the counsel Klingons begin to attack Organia. The Organians do not seem to worried about themselves at all. The Enterprise leaves to get back up, leaving Spock and Kirk stranded on Organia with the Klingons attacking and the Organians refusing to fight back.
           The Counsel has Kirk and Spock wear the Organian garb to blend in so the Klingons won't immediately kill them. Kirk is fine, but Spock being a Vulcan is still unsafe so they create this elaborate backstory of why he is even on Organia. Turns out there are Vulcan merchants, who knew?
     

   

          The Klingons arrive led by General Kor and of course buy Kirk as a Organian, almost too much, enough that they appoint him ambassador between Organia and the Klingons, but they don't believe Spock's a merchant for a second. They take him away on the belief he's a spy and put him through their super secret mind scanning/reading test thing that could liquify a normal human brain. When Spock comes back Kirk learns that Vulcans have the ability to protect themselves from such procedures but if Kirk were to do it he would surely die. 

      Now before I go on with the episode I want to take a minute to talk about the Klingons. For those of you way ahead, those who have seen Next Generation you know that a Klingon looks like 

 

so when the first time a Klingon appears and they look like this

 

Not gonna lie I was a little taken aback. 

 

There are some similarities of course. The facial hair and skin color seem to be the main two that pop out at me. Probably because they're the most obvious. But in later years the Klingons get the funky head design and the cool language, neither to be seen in their first appearance. Well, it's safe to say the Klingon's get cooler as the series goes on! 

     Now back to the plot, Kirk and Spock make a plan to get the Organians to care. They use a sonic grenade to blow up Klingon supplies hoping it would spark a reaction out of the Organians. Needless to say it didn't. With surveillance cameras, Kor learns of Kirk's secret plot to rise against the Klingons. He sticks Spock in jail as a spy and when the Organians blatantly give away who Kirk really is he takes Kirk back to his office to 'talk' to him. But really, that's all it is. Kor gives this really beautiful lovely long speech to Kirk and to be honest I have no idea what it was about because after the got a close up on Kor's face in the beginning of the speech I just couldn't stop staring. The makeup they do for his eyebrows is just appalling! You can see his real eyebrows underneath his fluffy fake ones! All I know is at the end of the speech Kor gives Kirk twelve hours to surrender to him or he will dissect Spock and will use the brain tap machine to liquify Kirks brain. 

         At the end of the speech I didn't pay attention to Kor puts Kirk in the same cell as Spock and at once I thought, "You shouldn't have done that! When Spock and Kirk get together they PLOT!" And sure enough once the two are in room together they start plotting. I mean they come up with absolutely nothing but they were plotting. The Organians show up and with much grief from Kirk they rescue Kirk and Spock leaving no trace as to how they got in or out. 

               In the next scene the Klingons become panicked as they try to figure out what happened to the prisoners. They were there one minute and the next they were gone! 

               The Counsel refuses to explain what happened and the Klingons make an announcement to Organia: Give me Spock and Kirk or we'll kill 200 people at a time. But still the Organians refuse to do anything. So of course Spock and Kirk take things into their own hands and with really bad odds they storm the castle. Somehow they face the bad odds and make it to Kor's lair where this big brawl almost happens but is stopped suddenly. Every time someone tries to hit someone or beat another with a weapon they stop hysterically and cry in pain. Something similar happens on the Enterprise when the bridge tries to fight the Klingon ships. The Organians just pop into Kor's lair and explain everything. They made anything that could be used as a weapon 300 degrees. The only to stop it is for Kirk and Kor to stop their war. Kirk actually argues for the point of war for a while then realizes he is wrong and then sometime in the next couple minutes the Organians admit to being several thousand year old energy beings that can never die and then when everything is solved nonviolently they disappear in a cloud of energy in this major WTF moment.
      And then it cuts to the bridge of the Enterprise, there's a thought provoking moment between Spock and Kirk but I'm still left reeling from the last scene so even as the credits go rolling by I'm still going ,"WTF just happened!" 

The Devil in the Dark

     This episode starts out with miners talking while waiting in a cave. They seem to be very worried, but the reason is yet unknown. The group talks one of the members down from his worried frenzy saying the Enterprise will be there shortly then everyone but the previously frenzied man leave. I don't know why frenzied man is left alone, especially if he is so obviously scared of something but he is. Apparently his frenzy was for good reason because not long after everyone leaves he looks at the camera and screams. The rest of the group rushes back to find him apparently burnt to a crisp though we don't actually get to see it. This is not new though, because the leader of the group makes a comment stating that he was burnt like a few others which makes me wonder if this is a common thing why would you leave someone alone? THAT'S HOW PEOPLE DIE!
     After the opening sequence we see Kirk, Spock, and McCoy have beamed down to check things out and they learn a creature has been killing the miners, just burning them to dust leaving nothing but a few bones and some teeth. The leader of the miners, Vanderburg, tells Spock and Kirk that miners have been dying on the lower levels of the mines but now the deaths have also been happening on some of the higher levels as well. A silver rock catches Spock's eye to which Vanderburg blows it off and tells him that it's just some silly rock they found.
        As everyone's checking things out the creature steals a piece of equipment from the air duct. This means unless patched everyone on the planet could die of asphyxiation. Kirk calls Scotty about the problem to which Scotty tells him he can make a temporary fix but it won't last forever.
     As Scotty fixes the air duct(or at least tries to) Kirk, Spock, and a line of red shirts explore the lower levels of the planet to find and kill the creature. I don't know about anyone else but as soon as I saw that line of red shirts all I could think was "One or all of you will die today." And sure enough not even five minutes later one of the poor red shirts is screaming out.
     With a few readings Spock discovers a tunnel. Kirk and Spock follow it and it leads to a crossroad. They split up and Kirk's path leads him to the creature. The creature doesn't make a move at Kirk and seems alltogether frightened by him. Spock once again meets up with Kirk only to discover Kirk trying to connect with the creature. Spock does the Vulcan mind meld and learns the creature known as the Horta is in terrible pain, probably from the last time Kirk and Spock shot at it.  To learn more about it, Spock goes up and touches it and mind melds again. As he does that Kirk has McCoy come down to treat the Horta's wounds.
      Spock's mind meld tells Kirk where the missing piece to the equipment is. Kirk follows the tunnel to retrieve the piece and learns that those silly rocks Vanderburg blew off where actually the Horta's eggs which would explain why she was going all serial killer on everyone. She was protecting her eggs. The miners decide to help the red shirts be extra security but instead just beat them up and try to kill the Horta. Kirk stops them and berates them. After Kirk explains that the Horta is actually peaceful and that the miners were actually the murderers first they use Spock to make a deal between the miners and the Horta to better the efficiency of the mining planet.
    Later back on the Enterprise Kirk receives a call from Vanderburg saying the Horta have actually increased production a great deal. He mentions that the Horta were hard to adjust looking at but they were alright in the end. Spock makes a comment that the Horta make the same comment about humans. McCoy makes a snide comment about Spock's ears to which Spock says the Horta thought Spock's ears were the only good feature of humans, not knowing Spock was not a human. Spock mentions something about humility to which Kirk tells him he's slowly becoming more human. Spock looks flustered and says, "No need to insult me, Captain."
And another great moment brought to you by Spock.

This Side of Paradise

          Ohmigosh! This episode was pretty epic. It's filled with so many awesome quips and moments that I found myself either hiding in my pillow or laughing hysterically.
         So this episode starts out and Kirk and a landing crew beam down to Omicron Ceti III where an agricultural group came three years ago. According to research the group should have died because of the planets odd surroundings but when Kirk and the landing crew arrive they see something different. Kirk goes on this speech about how its sad the agriculturalists spent so long in space just to die, but then with perfect timing the leader of the agriculturalists, Elias Sandoval, pops up announces no one is dead and everything on the planet is perfect.
        And what an understatement that is. Kirk suspects something is up and sends the landing party to investigate the planet. Right before splitting up Elias introduces the party to Leila Kalomi, another beautiful blonde woman. And just as predicted the 'love interest lighting' hits her as soon as she enters.

 

     But here is where it gets fun. Her eyes are not for the infamous ladies man Captain Kirk, but for Spock. Apparently the two knew each other six years ago and though Spock of course had no feelings for her, she was in love with him.
        Kirk and the landing party explore the planet and discover a few strange things. The planet has no animal life whatsoever and in an agriculture animals are slightly needed. There is a strange pink plant that seems to be everywhere. And all of the colonists of the planet are perfect in every way.
      Leila meets up with Spock who is trying to figure out the lack of animal life. She tells him she'll help him discover the secrets of the planet if he follows her so she leads him to one of the obviously fake pink plants and it sprays very obviously fake spores right in Spocks face. It hurts him and he drops to the ground clutching his chest. Leila is concerned because it didn't hurt the colonist but Spock points out he is not like them. Which makes me laugh because how could she be in love with him and not know he's not fully human?
         Spock's reactions to the pink flowers spores are hilarious. He is at peace with life and so apparently is in love with Leila. This in itself made me grab the pillow. It was so weird for me to see Spock showing emotions, let alone admitting to be in love. And then he kisses Leila.

                                           

          And if you think this the end of Spock being cuckoo-kazoo then you are so very wrong.  Kirk calls him up on the communicator and Spock talks back. YEAH! SPOCK! I KNOW RIGHT!! Yeah, he's all Sassy Spock! Kirk asks him to come and Sassy Spock's all "Nah, I'm not really feelin' that." Kirk gets grumpy and says something along the lines of "You're not really feeling that WHAT?!?"   So Sassy Spock says "I'm not really feelin' that, SIR." and then goes back to lip locking with Leila and drops the communicator to the ground. 

                    When Kirk finds Spock using a frequency signal from the dropped communicator they find Spock and he's dangling from a tree laughing. Yeah, you read that right. LAUGHING! SPOCK! WHAT?! 

Yes, Spock is the guy in green hanging from the tree!

Kirk is being ordered to have all of the colonists board his ship so they can be taken to be interviewed. McCoy heads up getting everything ready and sending people on board the Enterprise. Well, someone from the landing crew intoxicated by the pink flower tries to take it on board and suddenly the spores are on everyone: McCoy, the landing party, the Enterprise. Everyone but Kirk. 

     The Enterprise declares mutiny and beam down to the planet. The plant aboard the ship gets Kirk and he's about to beam down to Spock when suddenly, like almost random suddenly, he gets pissed off and stops. When he stops he realizes anger or intense emotion is the cure to the spore so he calls Spock up and pisses him off so bad Spock literally almost kills him.

                 Luckily Spock snaps out of it and realizes Kirk had to say those horrible things to awaken him from the Spores.  Kirk figures out that if there is a way to make a signal that irritates the nerves and makes everyone have extreme emotions then everyone can be saved. Spock says this is possible, but before he will build it he says their actions were guilty of a court martial. Kirk replies back with "If we're both in jail how will either of us make the device." To which Spock says that's actually really smart and follows Kirk to make the device. 

        As they're building the device Leila uses McCoy's communicator to contact Spock. Spock tells her to give the communicator back then beams her onto the Enterprise. She notices quickly that he is no longer under the power of the store and that he no longer loves her. This breaks her heart and as she cries she loses the spores. Spock explains he had to in order to help her, and she says shes still in love with him yet she doesn't his first name. Again I am surprised with the fact she's been in love with him for over six years and she knows very little about him. Spock handles this well and simply says, "You couldn't pronounce it." Then beams her back down and finishes the device. 

     Once finished Spock and Kirk turn it on and fights break down all over the planet. Once everyone is better Elias uses McCoy's communicator to tell Kirk Omicron Cheti III is unsafe and would now like to cooperate in being interviewed and moving to a new planet. 

    When all is fixed and everyone is heading away from the planet Spock admits that it was weird being under the spores, but being under the power of the spores was the first time he felt truly happy. 

A Taste of Armaggedon

    Kirk and the crew of the Enterprise are on a special mission with Ambassador Fox to make peace with the Eminians. After a few complications Kirk, Spock, 2 security guys, and Yeoman Tamara beam down to check it out. So, I guess it's official that Yeoman Rand's not coming back seeing as how we're practically done with season one and she hasn't returned. Sad, really. I quite liked her underlying romance with Kirk.
      On Eminiar 7, Kirk and the landing party learn the Eminians have been in a war for over 500 years. With a little questioning they learn that this isn't an ordinary war. It's a computer war. When the enemy releases an attack  the Eminians have to kill the people in that area through disintegration chambers.During one of the attacks it seems the computers register the Enterprise as a casualty and the whole ship must come down to die. Kirk won't allow this and is sent in containment along with the rest of his landing party until the crew of the Enterprise comes down to die. Spock uses telepathy to get them out of containment. When released they see their greeter Mea 3 walking to be disintegrated. They stop her and blow up disintegrated chamber 12. Then of course they have to take out some guys so they don't run crying back to Anan 7.
         Meanwhile on the ship, Ambassador Fox is getting agitated that Kirk and the landing party have not completed the mission. Scotty and Bones know something is up and refuse to cooperate with the Ambassador's orders.
         Kirk and the others refuse to be disintegrated or have the crew disintegrated which means the Eminians  will have to use real weapons in their war. Kirk thinks this is a brilliant plan, it will teach them a lesson about war but the Eminians refuse. After several long drawn out battles and the Ambassador stupidly coming to Eminiar 7 only to get captured and almost killed Kirk is able to save the day, destroy their computers with the help of Spock, give the Eminians an actual war, and then travel through space once again.
    This really wasn't one of my personal favorite episodes, sometimes it seemed a little repetitive and drawn out, but for the most part I liked it. It seemed to speak to this day and age, how everything is so computerized that eventually are wars will be too. Kirk makes a point of saying that wars are messy and a virtual war is not messy at all. Too much technology is not always a good thing.