The Return of the Archons (Star Trek TOS - S1E22)

Join us as we jump through the plot holes of The Return of the Archons and explore one of Trek’s earliest deep dives into authoritarian “utopias,” creepy hooded enforcers, and a Red Hour Festival so lively, it's a riot!

Transcript

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[Music] Hey, Lee Freakingse is open and welcome aboard tracks and tangents on your Co-host Brian. And I'm your Co-host Jackie. I'm the Star Trek movie. We've tracks off on Tandans. And I'm your Star Trek expert who is here to get the tangents back on track. Each episode we watch and talk about a different Star Trek episode. And this week we watched... Star Trek, the original series season one, episode 21, the Return of the Archons. Welcome back to another episode. Whoa! Was this fun? I think we're gonna have drastically different thoughts. I have purposely withheld my thoughts on this episode as we've been preparing for today. But welcome back to another fun little trip into Star Trek. Quick show news or housekeeping over on our Patreon, Patreon.com/treksintangents. We're going to start offering and publishing a new bonus supplemental episode each week after our main podcast episode. Woohoo! We're gonna call it Star Notes. You can thank Jackie for the title. I love it. Star Notes. But we're going to pick one or if the episode is particularly light two topics where we're going to do a deeper in-depth dive, kind of allow ourselves to go off on a really big tangent on one specific topic. Like where's Jan? I miss her. And Gertrude, where are they? And where is Gertrude? So we'll pick topics that will allow us to maybe talk about canon inconsistencies. Maybe we'll pick an interesting character and go on a deeper dive into their backstory in some of the supplemental non-canon Star Trek material like the comic books or the novels. So tune in. We'll preview each supplemental episode in the topic at the end of each episode. And this will of course be published on the same day as the regular podcast every Tuesday. And it will be free to everyone who follows our Patreon. Free. Very, very free. So go check it out on the Patreon page, link in the description of the episode. And after you listen, leave a comment. Let us know what you thought. Let us know your own thoughts to the topic. We'd love to hear what you think. And with all that being said, let's just get started with this week's episode. We'll start as we always do by revisiting last week's Turbo Lift T's. That was where at the end of last week's episode, I gave Jackie the title to this week's episode. And Jackie gave her elevator pitch or Turbo Lift T's without any other context or information to what she thought the episode's plot was going to be. So computer. What was Jackie's prediction last week? Jackie was excited about this prediction, which was, it sounds like we are going to be introduced to another alien species. And then, when they enter up to Kirk or an away party that is going through their lair and their home. So Jackie, what do you think of your prediction for this week? Almost a home run. What makes you say that? Because I have thoughts. Well, maybe not a home run, more like, I mean, it's a second base. Okay. Were we introduced to another aliens? I guess they would be aliens. They're not humans. And they used to be alive. So there's two. They're still alive. And they interrupt an away party that's going through their lair and their home. I guess they do interrupt the away team in their search for the Archonship. Well, the scouting interrupted them. What scouting? And on the other hand, they were not. And on the other hand, they were not. And on the other hand, they were not. And on the other hand, they were not. And on the other hand, they were not. And on the other hand, they were not. And on the other hand, they were not. They were not. And on the other hand, they were not. And on the other hand, they were not. And on the other hand, they were not. And on the other hand, they were not. And on the other hand, they were not. And on the other hand, they were not. And on the other hand, they were not. And on the other hand, they were not. And on the other hand, they were not. Okay. Like the Russian dolls, we keep opening tiny, tiny dolls. Right. So we go from the completely brainwashed people to the underground resistance, to the underground resistance, the inner level as the inner priest, who does the brainwashing. And then we finally get to the main room, but we have to deal with a hologram. And then we finally get to meet the end result, the little doll in the middle, which is just a computer. Is it a hologram like Star Wars or is it a projection? Because I didn't understand that. Sure. So not a huge distinction. Well, I guess it would be a distinction in Star Trek. It would be very... Now we're comparing Star Trek to Star Wars. And we're opening up a huge can in future words. I didn't mean to do that. I just meant like our God is against a wall. Sixth grade math class when they use the projector and the little dry erase pencils. And we saw it on the wall. And then in Star Wars, they're like standing there on a platform dancing around, saying, "Help me, help me." Yes. At this point in the Star Trek timeline, you are correct that they are closer and they refer to themselves as projections. Because in later Star Trek, we will get holograms, which are... I guess the easiest way to say, "Holograms would be three-dimensional projections." And these projections are just two-dimensional, like the overhead projector we remember from our classrooms. And in... To tie it all back to Star Wars, Star Wars would be pretty two-dimensional projections. But in Star Wars, they call them holograms. We're not getting into Star Wars here. No, no. I was... I was just saying... There's so many words for the same thing. It's just like, "Lah." I call them holograms because in Star Trek, that will become the dominant term. But you are correct in... As of this moment, onscreen, in the episode, it is very much just a projection. And I imagine that's because the writers of Star Trek have an invented or fleshed out the idea of a hologram yet. They are using what technology their brains can think of as writers. Well, logically, my man's spot calls it a projection. Okay. Well, my initial impression of the episode to get us back on Trek, this is not an episode I like. There are far too many plot holes in this episode. I really just can't get away from some of those plot holes. There's way too much that just makes absolutely no sense when you break it down. Specifically, the biggest question is going to be, "What is the festival? The red hour?" But more specifically, there's just too many plot points that seem to never get tied off and never get resolved in any of it. It's entertaining, but it's just not a good episode. I understand, but for the past couple episodes, I've had to work over time in my brain, and it was nice to just watch a fun thing. Okay. Catering to different audiences. But with all that being said, "Why don't Jackie, you just walk us through this week's episode?" So we're just plopped into the episode with Sulu and O'Neal running as fast as they can away from these people, or presuming people in monk outfits. They're brown and hooded, and they're holding like a pipe, but... Like brown wood walking sticks. Maybe a little shorter. Both staffs. Quarter staffs. But when I looked at it, it looked like a real pipe from the hardware store. We do see eventually that they are hollow and they are pipes, but... So they're running away, and Sulu comments, "We didn't get the clue. We have no idea what clue they're looking for, but oh well." So they hide around in a corner, and they're trying to get a hold of the enterprise to beam them up, and they finally get a hold of them, and Kirk is like, "Oh shoot, Scotty, beam them up ASAP." But O'Neal is like, "I can't wait! I'm going!" And he runs away. Yeah, it's important to note that they're in a setting that is very much like 1950s building. Like the Wild Wild West. Not quite as rugged as the Wild Wild West. The streets are paved. The buildings are made of plaster or some kind of non-wood shack looking things. It very much is supposed to resemble a 1950s city-scape. I know it's supposed to be... Because they're clothing as very western. They're clothing at this very moment is very much Paul Revere Revolutionary War time period. Yes. We'll get into why the setting looks like it does in our triple tidbits at the end. I have to wait that long? Okay. Okay. So O'Neal has run away, but Sulu is waiting for the him to be beamed up. I guess you have to stand still and not leave the area. They're not going to beam you up while you're running. But then the monk hooded bad man finds Sulu and like touches them. We're assuming with his staff and then Sue gets all... He's like stiff as a board and then he's smiling and then he beams up to the enterprise. But where did O'Neal go? We don't know. Because now we're back on the enterprise. So he's up there and he on the enterprise and Sulu's like, "Oh my gosh! Look at all we had to do." They don't wear this and he throws clothing of some sort at the transport crew member. Like he's very angry. Our happy Sulu is not happy. Yeah. One of the plot points that gets dropped. He's blaming Lindstrom. I believe it's Lindstrom. So many names. Yeah. And they all look alike. They're all just a bunch of generic white guys. Well, we've been saying no. They don't get the names and now they're giving all the names. Right. But Sulu gives a throwaway line saying it's Lindstrom's fault. He dressed them in inappropriate clothing for what the natives were wearing. They wear things like this and then he tosses a bundle of clothing at Lindstrom. They never get into it. It looks like to me that they somehow got a hold of one of the monk's robes. That's what I thought. And that's what he's tossing to them. But again, they don't get into it. So finally though, Kirk arise right when Sue does that and he like calm, so down. He's like, it's okay. You know, comes it down. And he's also called for McCoy to come because he's a doctor. And our happy Sulu is not happy. So let's, you know, help him relax. So everybody's, you know, conjuring around Sulu to make sure he's okay. But where's O'Neill? He never tells him where. And as Sulu is calming down, they're asking him questions like what happened? What did you see? And Sue just starts smiling and is our happy Sulu, but his face is blank. You know how when you fake smile? He's totally fake smiling and saying, it's all about Landrue and O'Neill's at Paradise. And he's going on and on with random words. And then we click out and go to the opening credits. Right. So we come back from the opening credits. And we hear Kirk's captain's log. And he is explaining that the enterprise is orbiting a planet called Beta 3. And they're trying to find a lost starship. It's called Archon and it disappeared over 100 years ago. And correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe from what I was reading that the Archon is the name of the ship, not the name of the people. That's what I thought, okay, two, which will later be confusing because they refer to the people from the Archon as the Archon, the people. Yes. So we have Kirk, Spock, McCoy, Linstrom, and two other blonde-headed young men beam down in a larger search party down to the planet to see what, first of all, they have to find O'Neill and continue on whatever Suge and O'Neill was originally trying to do. And the search party has changed into a different time period. A tie I did notice. Now they are wearing clothing that is more along the lines of Westerns. I would say what we imagine Westerns to be from television shows from the 1960s, because they're probably rating the same costume department as shows like Gunsmoke and so forth. Yeah, John Wayne's just around the corner. No, he's not. We're not going to see a John Wayne Star Trek crossover. That'd be really fun. But weirdly, Spock is not wearing anything like that. He is just wearing a giant poncho with a hood. And I presume it's because he's hiding his ears. 100% because they don't have any other way to disguise that. I guess he could have wore a hat, but yeah, they're... He would look really terrible in a hat, because those little bull or hats in that time period just sat on the head. Yeah, and he's got weird eyebrows. He has weird coloration. So the hood, I think, is the most effective way to hide his appearance. Fun fact, it also allowed them to save some money because they wouldn't have to do up his ears for these scenes. Well, then that answers my question about one time. He has totally white ears and his face was different. That could be it. Someone probably realized, "Oh, shoot, we have a scene to shoot today where we have to see his ears. Let's throw them on real quick." But so, yes, he's just standing out like a sore thumb, but they're all there together. And as they're looking around, there's the townspeople, but they're all walking... As if they're walking the track at a football field. They're just walking happily around the town, down the street, around they go, smiling... You know, those fake smiles and enjoying their day. And Spock gives a really good description of someone who walks pretty close by them as mindlessness, vacancy, contentment. Exactly. Because they're not zombies in the sense that they are ambling aimlessly, although it kind of looks like it. But they're just completely brainwashed in a state of pure contentment and bliss. So, as I started to walk, we are interrupted, though, by this gentleman who just says, "Joy to you, friends." And then Kirk responds in the same way, you know, like as a mirror, because they don't know what to say to them. And the man recognizes that they are strangers, and he wants to know where are you from? Like, why are you here? You must need rooms. You can go to this gentleman up the way, Mr. Rager. Are you here for the festival? It's almost the red hour. It's just going on and on and on. And all the time, nothing else is happening. It's the same, everyone is just going around in a circle. And it's almost 6 o'clock. Right. And as just a side note, we also, at this moment, meet a tertiary character named Tula, who comes... I'm going to point this out. It seems like Tula chooses to approach the conversation that's going on. I'm building my own head cannon here. Everyone else is wandering aimlessly and paying no attention to the conversation between the stranger and the away team. Tula seems to come up to them. Well, after her daddy's name was mentioned. So, but again, I'm saying that she makes the choice to go up to them. A little side note, we'll talk about later. But she is the daughter of Rager, who was mentioned is owning a home that might have rooms for these travelers that they should go check out. But very quickly, everything changes. Yes, because the clock strikes 6 o'clock. And it's like all these happy, normal people explode into looting. Like after a soccer game, the losing team is going crazy, like literally throwing things, attacking each other, setting things on fire. But then also, we see a couple like making out. So is it a good thing or is it a bad thing that's happening or is it both? I think it's a bad thing because, look, all the evidence, property destruction, violence against each other because they're beating each other up. So, it's just so weird. We also see how traumatized tulip is in the moment. So, there's probably a lot of assault of various degrees and kind going on upon everyone. It's a riot. This is probably the first iteration of the purge. I haven't seen that. We'll do a bonus episode on the purge. We'll make a note. Yes, so that while the clock is striking and all that's happening, just like you said, tulip is literally screaming and clawing at her neck and chest. And they're like, what was happening? So, they all run to Reggaer's house, not tulip and not the man that introduced himself, just this enterprise crew. Yes. And they run into the house and three older gentlemen are there and they surprise them. Right. And all call out their names because, again, Star Trek is not good at introducing character names in a timely manner. We have Reggaer, who is the owner of the home, father to tulip that we met earlier. We have Tamar, who is the taller gentleman, who primarily stays in the background for much of the conversation. And then we have Heikum, who is ultimately the gentleman who becomes the Tatll tale. Yes, I named him that. The Tatll tale? Yes. Okay. So we'll call them Reggaer, the Tatll tale and the passive. They all walk into a barn. I'm kidding. Kirk, of course, apologizes that they just barged in. They had been in the world to go, but they were suggested to go here before all the right happened. And the older gentlemen ask, you know, as if nothing's happening, are you from the valley? What brings you here? Just random things. And then Kirk doesn't really answer. So the tall generalman goes, they just have different rules down in the valley, which Heikum doesn't really buy throughout the conversation. Also pointing out everyone seems surprised that Kirk and the away team are not outside participating in the festival. This is definitely an abnormality. Yes, because they mentioned they're young enough. So is there an age break? I have to assume that at a certain point, elder members of the community are not expected to participate in this mayhem and riot for the festival. But again, it's unusual for Kirk and the away team not to be participating in this. Tamar tries to explain it away that they're from somewhere else and they may have different rules and rituals and practices. But Heikum, again, is pushing back, saying, this is the way it is everywhere. This is completely part of Landruse plan and Landruse law, Landrubin, their godlike figure, who's everywhere and controls everything. So why is it even a possibility for there to be different societal practices if this is supposed to be planet wide? Even the the tolerate gentleman comments that and Tatl tail gets insulted and he goes off to tattle on his friend that you would think as his friend. Right. Eventually, Rager has at least accepted Tamar's explanation is to why things are different. They're just looking for lodging someplace to rest after the festival. Let me show you to your rooms and get you settled and then you can go out and participate in the mayhem and the looting and the destruction of our beautiful town, fair visitors. And yes, Heikum runs away to say, I'm going to tell on all of you the strangers are no good. They're not part of quote the body. They're infidels, be a good term to describe it. And yes, he's going to tattle on to martue for him talking crap about the logivers and the rule of law. So now Rager takes Kirk and everybody to the lodge in room that they can sleep for the evening and there's bunk beds in there. So he's ready for everybody and Kirk is looking out the window as they're all talking and that's where we see more mayhem. Like, it doesn't stop. It's crazy. And it's like Rager forgets that they're not going to the festival because he keeps reminding them that they should go out and have fun. Yeah, he's slightly alarmed to hear that these visitors are not going to be participating in the festival. Kirk again reiterates work where you have no plans to go out and participate in the festival. But he doesn't have the same reaction that Heycom had. He's not angry. He's not bewildered. He's just slightly confused more than anything. And there's not even a reaction when McCoy asks him why isn't Tula here? Like your daughter, but she just right outside. Yeah, he's very much explaining that away is well, this is festival. This is what has to happen. This is what Landry wants. More interesting is why he doesn't immediately go tell on Kirk and everyone else for not participating in the festival. We learn about that later. Right. And while they're all doing this riot, the people are joyful. Like there is a huge 180 from just the content mindless, just wandering. And now they're intently enjoying themselves while breaking things. Right. So now we are just with Kirk and crew and Kirk has decided that they probably have all nights to figure out their game plan for the morning. So six o'clock chimes again and the party stops. Nobody's cleaning up the mess though, but they're all mindlessly walking around again. Right. They don't go home and sleep. They don't go 10 to their wounds because we've literally watched them beat each other up, get thrown through windows, etc, etc. They literally just kind of they don't even dust themselves off. They just immediately start their slow walk up and down the street. But Tula though she has finally come home and she doesn't seem to have calm down though. She's still freaking out. Yeah, she's acting differently. I think that she has a similar characteristic that is shared with her father. And I'm going to get into it more a little bit later in the episode for my theory, but you are correct. It's also why I pointed out when they first met Tula, Tula made a conscious choice to go engage in conversation with the away team and the strange man. Like she has like will like free will she has some resistance to Landry. Oh, I that makes a lot more sense because when the festival stopped and everyone is back to being brainwashed and going about their business, she is violently upset. She is visibly shaken. She is crying. Spock and McCoy take her into another room and sedate her to calm her down. No one else who is participating in the festival the night before is acting this way. I think also with them being able to do that, that's when reggaer and tomorrow start to think that the away team are the actual icons because they have these like powers. And so they need to be hidden from the law givers, which are those people and we assume people in those brown monk hood things with the pipe. Right. Cause they all eventually follow Spock, Tula, McCoy into a parlor or sitting room. And yes, point blank, reggaer and tomorrow ask the away team ask Kirk, are they the icons are they are they the icons have they come back is what they're asking because it's a prophecy which we learn kind of. But of course Kirk says don't worry about us we're good friend you calm down and then that old man comes in and he brought with him the two more law givers with their called law givers for some strange reason lots of really stupid name. They are the ones that enforce the laws of landrew so they give the law to the people their priests. So, Tatl tail like ignores Kirk and co and says that's the guy that talked bad about you and tomorrow's like it was just a joke I didn't mean anything and they ignore him and they kill him by like using like what looks like a cloud mist and fire works flames sparklers. Yeah, sparklers. Yeah, they come out of the end of this staff Jackie calls it a pipe but it's important to point out that this attack from their staff does in fact kill tomorrow. And then the law givers then turned to Kirk and say all of you are not of the body and you will be absorbed and then we have a commercial break. It's like dramatic we come back from the commercial and Kirk tells them he will not go anywhere with them here if uses to leave and the law givers are confused they even have like a huddle on what to do and this is where spark notices and goes to Kirk saying they don't know what to do when they aren't obeyed. They're not used to facing outright disobedience so they turn back around the the law givers and they're like you must be confused let's tell you again you have to come with us because you're going to go into the absorbing chamber you know just letting you know and Kirk ignores them and says why did you kill that guy. And then one of the monks says out of order you better come with us to land you Kirk again refuses there'll be they'll go see land you when they have time they're busy at the moment and he even takes the pipe staff whatever from one of the monk people and gives it to spark to investigate. And it's like the monk kind of I can see like inside like he wants to stop his feet by you cannot take my toy kind of thing and there's like a loud whirling noise that we hear and the ones that live there start saying it's landrew and then Mr. Tattles Hill runs out of the room. Make a quick note here it's at this point that spark makes an offhanded comment as he examines the tube staff from the log giver talking about how it's just a staff it's just an hollow tube there's no mechanism I don't know how that can be because we saw the sparklers and the smoke and it killed tomorrow. But let's pretend that it's all psychic ability and it's landrew somehow having this telepathic ability to kill tomorrow fine because tomorrow is under the influence and he lives on the planet and he's already been exposed to landrew and all of that fine how does this staff then brainwash Shulu yeah because he literally touch us. How does an on that same note how does soo-loo become brainwashed by being exposed to the staff but everyone else is forced to go to the absorption chamber to become brainwashed that's too much to think about there's already enough to think yeah it's one of the plot holes that brings this episode down for me so anyway we come back to the plot and reggaer says he knows a safe place they can go before landrew comes where they can all hide. So they go outside the hum and everyone is just walking around still looking crazy and the group is trying to kind of like walk in a line so they're not noticed I presume but of course our man that we met first before comes again to say hello again and then reggaer notices a change and then the body has been summoned by a person. He's been summoned by landrew because they've all stopped the people and been down to pick up any kind of weapon and start chasing them because landrew has caught on about Kirk and everybody being there. Kirk tells his crew that don't get your phasers out but put them on stun and then spark also comments that all of that happening with the crowd it was done by telepathy. Have to be telepathy according to spark that's what he's proposing he's proposing a hypothesis makes sense to me so the crowd closes in and they have to stun everybody to be able to get past them and as they're going by they realize one of them is on the deal. So they grab him to bring him with them and reggaers like no no no don't bring him because you know landrew will find us but I mean don't leave one behind so they they all take a deal with them to the safe place that reggaer has told him about and inside the safe place kind of like a bunker like stone. He puts aside a bunk bed and pulls out a beautiful lighting tile that is like 6000 years old and even spark goes whoa that doesn't go here yeah specifically they don't comment that it's 6000 years old they just comment that it is technology that is far more advanced than anything that they've seen so far on the planet. There's talk about how it came from a time before landrew and he says that no one knows when that was but it could be as far back as 6000 years old so they don't really date it but they kind of date the time period that it's from. And McCoy is attending to a meal who they have on the bunk bed and he is starting to wake up and they make sure that he stays asleep by giving him another shot. Spock also picks up and reports that he's detecting huge energy field readings that are coming from nearby and all around them but not any kind of specific source. So reggaer goes on to explain that he's part of an underground organization that is immune to whatever landrew has like the power that he has of these people and they are organized in groups of three. To be able to stay safe and tomorrow was reggaer's contact and he was the one that knew the third person so reggaer doesn't know who the other person is which I think is complete crap because later we find out who the third person is he introduces himself reggaer seems way too friendly friendly with this new person and not cautious at all so. I would explain this away is reggaer is still being slightly cautious toward Kirk and the away team and not giving away all the information at once Kirk asked reggaer about the arcons like you called us that earlier why are you asking about it and reggaer goes on to say that roughly a hundred years ago. So it's a good idea to go landrew was so powerful that he just plucked this star from the sky and it happened to be a bunch of people that were absorbed into what we call the body right and come on Kirk and come on Spock were literally spoon feeding you this information they're called the arcons the ship that you're looking for is the Arkon the ship disappeared a hundred years ago. The arcons appeared on beta three to these people a hundred years ago draw the parallel come to the conclusion it's the same thing but in any case this information triggers Kirk in spot to supplies that the power readings that they're picking up from all around them is powerful enough to take down a starship. Kirk calls up to the enterprise get Scottie because Scotties and charge at this moment because think about it McCoy is down on the surface Spock is down on the surface so lose incapacitated makes sense that Scotties and charge but Scottie says that they're fighting off heat beams they've diverted all of their power to their deflector shields and they don't even have enough energy and power to divert into any form of engines for propulsion. So we're back in another situation where the enterprise has no power for their engines they're in orbit they can't adjust their orbit and they will eventually crash into the planet specifically Scottie says they have about 12 hours before that happens. And then a projection appears on the wall and we learn that this is Landry. He tells Kirk that he has created a perfect world of peace and harmony and Kirk and the away team threat net so to make it better at all he's just going to absorb them into the body and then we have a super high whirling sound that knocks everybody unconscious and then we get a commercial break Kirk regains consciousness in a new place. I'm like Stone bunker but still new and there's torches all around but if there's if they're in a stone cave is not going to be like carbon monoxide or some kind of deadly gas. We certainly don't see any windows to help get fresh air in. I'm going to pretend that they're just out of camera shot. So Kirk wakes everyone up but he notices that McCoy O'Neill and another guard they never say his name are missing. They also don't mention it but we should point out regar's gone. That's right. We never see regar here as part of the captured party. And he never even talks about it is like gone. Yeah they don't mention that he's gone. Yeah. So Spock goes on saying that they've been moved to some kind of maximum security establishment. They don't really know. And then we hear that one storm has this major big headache and it's okay it's from the two hypersonic blah blah blah. Okay. Suddenly a door opens and McCoy and the other guard walk in and they go with a great McCoy and McCoy just goes hello friend. We were told to wait here and then he has that weird empty smiley face on and he just goes to sit down. I mean Kirk even like shakes McCoy. Wake up. What are you doing? McCoy just goes on about how Landry remembers everything and he's he's of the body and they said, yeah. Another monk pops in and tells them to come with him. Kirk refuses and the log givers says then you're going to die. They very quickly have figured out their little logical impasse and oh you want to show open defiance. We're not confused by that anymore. We'll just kill you. Kirk goes with the log giver and then we have a hard jump to a new room. It's the control room actually and Kirk is like shackled against the wall and in walks another gentleman Marplan. He relieves the log giver that's already at the control panel and tells them he's on a break. So he turns on the machine to me here a worrying. I go, woo, we jump back to where the men are being held in altogether and Spock is trying to mind meld on McCoy. But he's unable to break through. There's so much control over him already. A log giver comes in and takes Spock out to replace Kirk. When Spock goes into the room where Kirk is, they pass each other and Kirk is acting just as if he is brainwashed with the whole blank face and says joy to you friend. And we see a that fancy eye raise of Spock's and then we have a commercial break coming back from the break. Spock is now shackled at the exact same space that Kirk was. Marplan tells Spock not to be worried. He free Spock from the shackles and he also tells them that he's the third of the triad with Rager. We don't know where Rager is yet but he'll show up later. He gives Spock the phasers back and tells him to act just like Kirk did. The log givers show up and they take Spock back to the cell where he joins with Kirk and Lindstrom and they have to stay out of your shot of McCoy so that they can discuss a plan of what's happening next and McCoy keeps trying to eat the drop. Marplan and Rager come into the room. McCoy greets them and they greet him back. Marplan returns the communicators to Kirk. Kirk wants more information about Landrue. McCoy realizes that they are talking not as of the body and starts to yell to summon the log givers so that he can tattle on them. And McCoy and the other security officer end up attacking the group. They end up getting knocked out and subdued but the commotion and McCoy shouting does in fact summon the log givers. Two of them enter the cell, Spock and Kirk end up knocking them out which is advantageous to them because they now can steal their robes. Kirk ends up convincing Marplan and Rager that they need to help them confront Landrue and while they both agree that the last minute Rager freaks out and tries to run away and ends up getting nerfed pinched out by Spock. So now it's just Marplan who leads Spock and Kirk to the Hall of Audiences to confront Landrue. And Kirk and Spock call for Landrue to appear. The projection appears on the wall and starts yelling at them calling him a disease and a parasite and that the body has to be cleansed. Instead of just absorbing the two he's just going to get rid of them and whatever else they touch but they're not worthy to be in the body. Along with everyone else that is coming contact with them has memory of them has knowledge of them he's going to wipe out their collective existence as much as he can from the collective society. As an experiment they try to use their phasers to break the wall that the projection is on and they're able to break through it that shows a giant computer. We learn that that giant computer is Landrue but like 6000 years old Landrue he made himself into the programming. They have an argument over what the good of the body is Kirk is trying to explain that Landrue is actually harming his people by doing what he's doing. He's not allowing them to grow he's just their stagnant and because they're arguing and arguing and arguing the computer actually short circuits and explodes itself. Right Kirk is able to successfully confuse the computer by arguing that the computer Landrue is in fact harming the collective society which goes against its core programming therefore it is directed that it has to destroy itself. And then it's going to be a little bit more like the one that he's on his own now nonchalantly you might want to get rid of those other robes and come to find out those heat rays that are holding enterprise are also gone and so do is back to normal immediately so he goes right into his spot on the bridge. And if the destruction of the computer is what caused Sulu to break free from the telepathy mind control how is it that less than 15 seconds after the computer is destroyed that Sulu has woken up ben assessed by the ship's crew to be fit for duty and allowed to return to the bridge and be in place to resume station is very very fast. And then we also learned that Lindstrom along with a bunch of experts stayed on the planet beta three to help the people of that planet create a new society so it's pretty interesting to learn. Yeah much like the carbon might maneuver when the crew member stays with that alien to go explore because humans are nice and Lindstrom also does say that. There are fights and arguments but it's good to actually be humans down there spot mentions how mankind has wished for a role that's peaceful and secure is the one land you provided but Kirk and her ups with yeah we just never got it we're just lucky I guess and they exchange smiles and roll credits so Jackie what are your final thoughts and impressions what did you think about season one so 21 the return of the arcons me like you said earlier I really liked it now that I see your your points I see where it fell through but I think it was still entertaining the entertainment factor does not save the episode for me there is far too many plot holes we touched on a few of them will touch on more of them in our star note supplementary episode that will post later but besides the festival and the red hour riot chaos never receiving an explanation never getting further into detail to the reason why there are some people that are just immune to Landrugh all share it now my thought I think some of the people are descendants of the crew of the arcons ship and I think that the introduction of aliens into the planet I think some of them created offspring with some of the natives to the planet on beta three and I believe that somehow that combination of genetics and mutations caused their offspring to have resistance to the telepathy effects of Landrugh so regar his daughter Tula would have been offspring somehow from those descendants all a missed opportunity to tie in the arcons the myth of the arcons the prophecy of the arcons all fell short it could have been like a part two or three I really wish we would have gotten that so yeah just kind of had some entertaining moments but ultimately this episode falls flat for me we'll round out our final thoughts here with our favorite quote from the episode Jackie what's your favorite quote? Kirk actually tell Spock that Mr. Spock the plug must be pulled and he's describing how he has to kill Landrugh the computer because this is not an actual living organism because Spock asks when we took a oath why are we killing something when we should be pushing it to grow it's a good quote because it's also a moment in the episode where they're starting to formulate this hypothesis that Landrugh is not an alien creature with telepathy powers but instead is a computer they're drawing parallels to computers so I think that's the first instance where we kind of see the light bulb click for them that it's a machine I have a similar quote for a very similar part of the episode is there starting to put the pieces together it's Spock in describing the situation and the inhabitants of beta three to Kirk Spock says this is a soulless society captain it has no spirit no spark all is indeed peace and tranquility the peace of the factory the tranquility of the machine all parts working in unison I like the quote because again it's a moment where Spock is diving deeper into the inhabitants of the planet are more than just brainless zombies wandering about their day they are being controlled by a central thought or brain like a machine and they're doing so for a purpose I think that's the first parallel that Spock draws to say that all of this has a purpose ultimately it's the purpose is to have the most perfect society in Landrugh's eyes but those are going to be our quotes I have very few triple tidbits or fun facts for the episode and why do we call them triple tidbits Jackie because they're amazing because Jackie doesn't understand what triples are they're both a blessing any curse this episode first aired February 9 1967 I think the best story I've seen so far on set was many of the regulars on the show and I would imagine some of the extras all were trying to quit smoking at the time of filming again Roddenberry would not allow any of the actors or crew to smoke on set he felt that society in the future would have moved beyond tobacco and cigarettes so I would imagine a lot of them were trying to quit smoking or fighting nicotine fits as they weren't allowed to smoke in between takes so a lot of them resorted to chewing gum on set this drove the director Joseph Pevney insane so many takes were ruined in this episode as they were filming because someone had gum in their mouth and forgot to spit it out all chewing like a cow yeah so as a prank William Shatner went around before one big scene I imagine it was probably one of the early scenes with everyone first walking around outside but there were a lot of extras in the shot and so he went around and he handed out bubble gum to everyone and then as soon as the director called action they all blew a giant bubble just to tick him off so that sounds amazing Ben Stiller the modern day actor has his own production company is as many actors do his production company is named red hour and that is directly influenced by this episode my last triple tidbit is that the reason why I know it's supposed to be 1950s buildings and sets for the exterior shots this is the same back lot that they shot Mirion so Jackie's flower gassed it but it makes awesome but it makes sense yeah they're not going to build an entire city they're just going to reuse their back lots so yeah same same scenes is very creative episode same buildings but those are going to be your triple tidbits and this is the part of the episode where we share our episode ranking where we pretend that the episode is a member of our crew for our fictitious starship one starship per season of star Trek and we assign it a starfleet rank a higher rank not only means we found the episode more entertaining but we also find it to be a more valuable member of our crew the opposite of course is true a lower rank means we found it less entertaining and we think it is a more disposable member of our crew our rankings begin at the bottom with Ensign lieutenant junior grade lieutenant all of which we can have an unlimited number of crew members at that rank then we have seven lieutenant commanders five commanders one captain and one admiral none of this makes sense don't worry we post a visual representation of our rankings over our patreon at patreon.com every Wednesday after the episode goes live feel free everyone can go check it out and see where our ranking stack up Jackie this week for your starship the USS Galactic glitter be what rank do you give the return of the arcons? I'm going to have it join the three that are already down with my lieutenant and I set up for there. okay that's going to be right about the middle of the road in our episode ranking but under the middle of the road Jackie why are you doing it this ranking? I'm just getting at this ranking just to keep it right where it needs to be it doesn't need to go any higher it was just nifty. all right and for my starship the USS cosmic shark boy howdy I don't want to do it but it's going to go right at the bottom under Ensign. you're making a really hard touch assemble. yeah so this is going to be bottom for me this episode falls completely flat. interesting premise i enjoy the fact that it touches on i like the overall arcing story i like the idea of a super computer having telepathic powers controlling the population as a means to create the perfect society will also at a time. in the saving the society but there's way too many plot holes guys there's way too many there's an entire scene of a riot that they don't address they it makes no sense that so you can be brainwashed with one of the staffs but then everyone else needs to be taken to the absorption room to be brainwashed by an even larger machine it makes no sense that they're searching for a ship called the arcon and there's a mythical creature that's supposed to return. to the people called the arcons and no one draws a parallel to it they never find the ship they never touch on the fact of what the prophecy is way too many inconsistencies it's not a good episode it's not written well maybe someone can dig out some behind the scenes some lost footage some cut footage and piece it all back together to make sense. but i'm just gonna throw this one away they're all upset because of their lack of cigarettes that's right as of the recording of this episode i am db ranks the episode as a seven point one out of ten i think a lot of people like it i don't know why again as a reminder updated graphics to our rankings will be posted on our patreon at patreon dot com slash trexin tangents on Wednesday after the episode goes live. and finally we'll wrap up this episode by giving next week's turbo lift tease this is where i give Jackie the title of next week's episode and Jackie without any other information without any other context and without any other idea as to what the episode is about will try to guess the plot of that episode. Jackie next week's episode is entitled space seed. i really hope that this one is when we see good truth or one of her relatives you know that pink flower we met a long time ago with Sulu and Janice in the little floral area that will be super cute. and tune in next week to see how accurate Jackie's prediction is if you want more show information you can find and directly support our podcast on patreon at patreon dot com slash trexin tangents don't forget starting this episode this week posted at the same time we will start posting our star note bonus supplemental series episode tied directly into this episode. this week's topic is going to be what is the purpose of the festival and the red hour it'll be available for everyone over at our patreon who follows us on patreon patreon dot com slash trexin tangents we mentioned we post graphical representations of our episode rankings. we also have for our crew members who support our patreon a monthly deep dive into star trek the animated series all of our test episodes are posted there as well come check us out especially all the beginning ones because I got so much better yes if you want to also you can follow us on x dot com for updates at trex underscore tangents we're also on instagram and blue sky at trexin tangents. Jackie working people find you and what are you up to I'm on instagram as jibum jibb o o m I need to make a song like Mickey Mouse but I have a lot of disability advocacy service dog information fashion I play all kinds of musical instruments look for me there and I also have a shop on what not is good or bow boutique. all right you can watch me stream a variety of video games over at twitch dot tv slash pirate pound town those of you the play world or craft the midnight expansion is out as of this release that exciting so I plan on spending a lot of time playing world or craft and streaming come check me out on youtube I'll also try to post some summary videos and I always post video game content if I'm on youtube also pirate pound town my secondary channel on youtube is pirate treasure hunting where you can find coin collecting and other hobby content I post socially on blue sky pirate pound town and I can also be found on instagram under pineapple cannibal links to all social media mention can be found in the episode description thank you everyone for tuning into this episode we hope you had fun like we did we will see you all next week. peace and harmony friends and transmission.[Music]