barbarians Archive

6

Star Trek Animated Series Re-Watch: “The Ambergris Element”

The Ambergris Element
Written by Margaret Armen
Directed by Hal Sutherland

Season 1, Episode 13
Production episode: 22013
Original air date:  December 1, 1973
Star date: 5499.9

 

Mission summary

The Enterprise is in orbit around Argo, a run-of-the-mill class M planet that was submerged underwater due to seismic activity. Starfleet is interested in the hows and whys of this global catastrophe because an identical Federation planet may soon suffer the same fate.

Kirk, Spock, McCoy, and a redshirt board the “aqua shuttle,” a catamaran-like shuttlecraft, and hope to spend a lazy afternoon on the planet’s oceans collecting algae and other samples. But wouldn’t you know it, these plans are violently disrupted by a giant red tentacled Cthulhu from the deep.

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16

Star Trek Re-Watch: “A Taste of Armageddon”

“A Taste of Armageddon”
Teleplay by Robert Hamner and Gene L. Coon
Story by Robert Hamner
Directed by Joseph Pevney

Season 1, Episode 23
Production episode: 1×23
Original air date: February 23, 1967
Star date: 3192.1

Mission summary
The Enterprise is en route to NGC 321, a star cluster hosting a number of inhabited worlds. The Federation (first named here in full as the United Federation of Planets) wants desperately to stop the bloodshed of the past and establish peaceful, diplomatic relations. In pursuit of that goal they’ve sent along Ambassador Robert Fox to make contact with Eminiar VII, the star cluster’s principal planet.

With hailing frequencies open (thanks, Uhura), they finally receive a response from the planet: Code 710. That code means that under no circumstances should the Enterprise approach the planet.

“Disregard that,” says Ambassador Asshat (AA).

Kirk warns him that disregarding that signal could result in interplanetary war, but AA responds that he’s “willing to take that risk.”

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