Aired November 17, 1966 and November 24, 1966 | Stardate 3012.4
I love this episode for what it demonstrates about Spock's character and the shockingly lenient Starfleet court martial rules. Even so, the plot is weak and goofy. The lack of consequences for the actions taken in this episode is astounding and undermines the stakes created earlier in the plot. It really seems like Spock could have just asked nicely and Starfleet would have approved his plan.
When watching TOS, I'd suggest skipping the pilot since you'll see it all in these episodes, and it's not compelling enough to watch twice.
Summary
The USS Enterprise reports to Starbase 11 as ordered, only to find no such order was issued. While investigating how such a mistake was possible, the triumvirate meet Captain Pike, who was grievously injured in a mission-related accident. He's completely paralyzed and can only use a light to answer questions yes or no.
Spock very logically breaks many rules to smuggle Captain Pike onboard, mutinies and starts toward Talos IV, the last remaining offense punishable by death in Starfleet.
Kirk and Admiral Jose Mendez chase the Enterprise in a space shuttle until Spock eventually beams them onboard because they have passed the point where they can safely get back to the starbase with the fuel they have left.
Spock has set the computer to manage the ship's navigation and refuses to return the command to Kirk. Mendez organizes a court martial of Spock where he, Kirk and Pike - who hasn't been retired because Starfleet didn't have the heart to remove his command after his accident - are the judges. On the record, he asks Spock why he has mutinied, which under Starfleet law gives Spock free rein to explain himself.
Spock shows impossible recordings of a previous mission Pike and Spock served on together. It reveals that Talos IV has technology to immerse anyone in fantasy. Spock wants to return Pike to Talos IV, so he can experience life as if his accident never occurred.
It turns out Mendez is an illusion created by the Talosians who created the court martial as a distraction, so Kirk would not try to take over the ship. The real Mendez also sends a message to the Enterprise, pardoning the crime because Pike has done so much for space exploration.
Pike is taken to Talos IV to live out his life with Vina, a human woman already living there.
For the time - 😬😬😬😬🔘
I gave the pilot three out of five problematic rating, and I'll add another one because of the ableism surrounding Pike. In the pilot, Pike is more willing to die than be kept by the Talosians. This plot is implying his paralysis is worse than death.
Characters
Bones
Kirk
Spock
Christopher Pike
Admiral Jose Mendez
Miss Piper
Helen Johannson
Mr. Hanson
Planets/Astral Bodies
Starbase 11
Talos IV
The other kind of ship
Spirk
Spock desperately wants Kirk to understand why he mutinied, but he also wants to preserve Kirk's innocence, so he puts himself at greater risk.
