“And The Children Shall Lead”
Written by Edward J. Lakso
Directed by Marvin Chomsky
Season 3, Episode 4
Production episode: 3×05
Original air date: October 11, 1968
Star date: 4842.6
Mission summary
Captain Kirk, Mr. Spock, and Dr. McCoy beam down to Triacus, an isolated Federation outpost. They find sprawled out on the ground each of the adult members of the exploration party. Most appear dead, but one of them moves: it’s Starnes, who looks like he had a very bad night. Shaking and sweating furiously, he fails to recognize Kirk, says something about “the enemy within,” and then promptly collapses on the ground dead. Hmm. Upon closer inspection one woman has a vial in her mouth–some kind of poison. All seem to have died by their own hands.
All except five young children, who rush out and demand that our heroes play games with them. Tommy, Mary, Steve, Ray, and Don rush to Kirk, link hands together, and dance around him while singing “Ring Around the Rosie.” Twice.
Captain Kirk thinks he may now understand why the adults shuffled off this mortal coil.
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