Episode no. Season 3Episode 14 Story by Lee ErwinJerry Sohl | Teleplay by Lee Erwin Cinematography by Al Francis | |
"Whom Gods Destroy" is a third season episode of the original science fiction television series, Star Trek. It is episode #69, production #71, and was broadcast on January 3, 1969. It was written by Lee Erwin, based on a story by Lee Erwin and Jerry Sohl, and directed by Herb Wallerstein. The title is based on a phrase spoken by Prometheus in Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's poem, "The Masque of Pandora" (1875): "Whom the gods would destroy, they first make mad." This episode was withdrawn by the BBC in the UK because of 'sadistic plot elements' during the initial run in 1971 and was not shown until a repeat run in January 1994.
In this episode, Captain Kirk faces off with a demented shape-shifting starship captain determined to control the universe.
Plot
On stardate 5718.3, the Federation starship USS Enterprise arrives at the planet Elba II, used by the Federation to house the criminally insane in an underground facility due to its poisonous surface conditions. They carry a shipment of medicine to be used to cure the patients.
Captain Kirk and First Officer Spock beam down with the shipment and meet the facility director Donald Cory (Keye Luke). He gives them a brief tour, where one of the inmates, an Orion female named Marta, warns the two that Cory is not who they think he is. Too late, they discover the real Cory imprisoned in a cell, and their host introduces himself as Garth of Izar (Steve Ihnat). Garth was a former starship captain who became injured and mentally unstable after a rescue mission; he physically recovered with help from the people of Antos that taught him the ability to shapeshift to heal his own injuries and take the form of others. When Garth threatened to attack Antos, his crew mutinied and stranded him. Despite his fall from grace, Kirk has looked up to Garth as one of his personal heroes.
Kirk and Spock are imprisoned, and Garth, taking on Kirk's form, tries to have Chief Engineer Scott beam him back aboard. However, Scott refuses when Garth fails to give the correct response to a chess-based passphrase challenge. Scott and the Enterprise crew recognize something is wrong, but a force field around the facility prevents them from rescuing their crewmates and any attempt to disable it could kill all those in the facility.
Garth tries to learn the required passphrase by first treating Kirk and Spock to an opulent dinner with himself and Marta. Despite bragging about his own infamy before his fall to Kirk, Kirk refuses to give over the code. Garth then turns to torturing both Doctor Cory, and then Kirk, but the latter remains steadfast. Finally, Garth has Marta attempt to seduce Kirk, but Spock arrives and subdues her. The two make contact with the ship, and again Scott challenges them with the passphrase. Kirk, sensing something amiss, instructs Spock to provide it, forcing Garth, disguised as Spock, to reveal his ploy.
Kirk is again captured, and he is forced to watch Garth crown himself "Master of the Universe" in front of the other inmates, his rule to be more powerful than other villainous leaders in history. He demonstrates his power by killing Marta with an explosive he planted on her body. The explosion gives Spock enough time to disable his guard, acquire a phaser, and track down Garth and Kirk. On entering a control room, Spock finds two Kirks in front on him. The two accuse the other of being Garth, and attempt to play knowledge of famous Starfleet battles to prove their identity. One Kirk finally orders Spock to stun them both; Spock realizes that this could only be an order the real Kirk would give, and stuns the other one, who is revealed to be truly Garth. Garth is put into custody, and Doctor Cory begins administration of the drugs to put Garth and the other inmates on track for recovery.