OK, here is another episode which features several recurring TOS plot elements and themes - Kirk gets kidnapped (Gideon, Adonais, Gamesters, Wink, others) , super-being plays with Kirk (Adonais, Gamesters, Charlie X, others), Kirk can't resist the urge to try to piss off his superior opponent although he knows he's hopelessly outmatched (Adonais, Gamesters, Charlie X, others), Kirk has fun with being a captive (too many to list) Kirk gets tortured and doesn't really mind too much (too many to list) , Kirk offers his own life/freedom in exchange for his crew's freedom (Savage Curtain, Gamesters, others), Kirk attempts to seduce enemy by seeming to become what they want him to be (Wink, By Any Other name, others), Kirk behaves as if a woman matters to him even though she doesn't (too many to list)....
This episode adds more fuel to the K/S fire, without offering anything to challenge it. This episode also throws a spotlight on Kirk's "creative" (some might say peculiar) problem-solving methods, adding weight to my assertion that Kirk is a masochist, as I shall explain.
The Enterprise is flying through a fairly boring stretch of space when they encounter a "rogue planet". It's deemed uninteresting, but as they try to pass, Sulu and Kirk disappear from the bridge. Long story short, a search party finds Kirk and Sulu in suspended animation in a castle on the surface. The planet is a most inhospitable world except for one tiny oasis where this castle is located. We soon meet a fellow who introduces himself as "General Trelane". His decor and dress look like something from Earth during the 1700's. Trelane lives 900 light years from Earth, and it's as if he learned everything he knows about Earth by studying it from afar without taking the time difference into account.
Blah, blah, blah...
Before long Kirk has angered Trelane and he gets punished. Trelane gives him a taste of the planet's true atmosphere, which makes Kirk choke, and brings him to his knees. Kirk is warned to stop acting so uppity, but of course Kirk doesn't agree.
Spock finds a way to beam up Kirk and company, but as they try to escape, Trelane appears on the bridge. He brings them instantly back to his lair, this time bringing along Yeoman du jour Ross, Lt. Uhura, and Mr. Spock as well.
Now the plot thickens.
Trelane shows interest in Yeoman Ross, and he starts dancing with her. Kirk gets one of his famous ideas. Kirk insults Trelane, and challenges him to a duel, ostensibly because he is jealous over Yeoman Ross.
[NOTE: Any idiot can plainly see that Kirk's anger for Ross's sake is a put-on. He is playing a role, in fact, he's playing into Trelane's fantasy. This kind of gimmick is very typical of Kirk. Kirk is actually a fan of the same time period in Earth history himself, so he knows exactly what to say and do to begin to manipulate Trelane. He is no longer the toy: he is now toying with Trelane, only Trelane doesn't know it.]
Trelane, thinking that Kirk's fury over his mistreatment of Ross in genuine, is delighted to find himself challenged to an old-fashioned duel. This is not the same as the insubordination Kirk was punished for before: this is something he welcomes, as Kirk rightly suspected he would. As Kirk probably hoped he would be, Kirk is now offered to choose one of two matched pistols for the duel.
Kirk is now armed with a weapon which Trelane himself has given him. His idea is to shoot what appears to be Trelane's power device, instead of shooting Trelane directly. Trelane throws Kirk a curve ball when he insists upon being allowed to take the first shot. Kirk protests: that's not the way it's done! Trelane insists that Kirk play by his unfair rules, and to convince Kirk to agree, he aims his pistol at...
GUESS WHO! Go ahead! Guess!
If you guessed Yeoman Ross, you are wrong. :)
Trelane very cannily threatens Mr. Spock, and Kirk is obviously very moved by this. His reaction is plainly emotional, especially when Spock looks a little scared. Kirk quickly agrees to Trelane's terms. Spock protests by saying "Captain..." while wearing a very concerned (emotional) expression. Kirk fixes his troubled gaze on Spock, and gives a tiny but emphatic shake of the head to silence him. This is a moment of extremely high tension.
[NOTE: "Oh NO! Anything, but don't hurt Mr. Spock!" Anyone with at least one eye could see, that in this case, Kirk's distress is quite genuine. Spock's distress at the danger Kirk's inviting is also obvious.]
Kirk, who is an honorable man, keeps his word. He bravely waits for Trelane to finish making his shot before he makes his attempt. Trelane dramatically shoots the ceiling, then throws his arms open, and says, "...my fate is in your hands".
Kirk shoots Trelane's power device. Hoorah!
It seems to help, sort of. They are then able to escape to the ship, but Trelane is not defeated, only pissed off.
As the ship again attempts to get away, they find their path repeatedly blocked by the rogue planet. Finally, a frustrated Kirk calls for a full stop, and he stomps off to beam down and confront Trelane alone.
[NOTE: NOW THINGS GET REALLY INTERESTING.]
Kirk finds himself on trial. His judge, jury and executioner? Trelane, natch. Trelane castigates Kirk for general bratty uppityness, and sentences him to death by hanging. Moments later he rejoices that he finally felt what genuine anger was, and he's delighted.
Kirk sees an opportunity, and promptly sets to exploiting it in his trademark fashion. He explains to Trelane that he couldn't have experienced the wonderful emotion of anger without his help, and stokes Trelane's budding anger addiction by provoking him further with insults. But that's just a taste. Kirk is teasing, seducing Trelane. He begins his characteristic dance of seduction, seeming to become what Trelane wants him to be, and hinting strongly that fresh delights await him...but only on condition.
Trelane, the goof, is hooked. What conditions?
Kirk now artfully reels him in. Kirk offers to become Trelane's playmate. He promises him the terror, suspense, and fun of a genuine personal conflict, and Trelane delightedly agrees. He asks Kirk how he likes the idea of being hunted, saying "How does that strike you?" as if anxious for Kirk's approval.
Kirk's answer is, "That strikes me...very well."
[NOTE: Kirk seems simply sincere, even to us, as he says this.]
Kirk then insists that in exchange for his enthusiastic cooperation, that his people aboard the Enterprise should be allowed their freedom. Trelane agrees, and the deal is made.
[NOTE: Kirk has already seen that Trelane is NOT an honorable man, so why he imagines that Trelane will keep this promise is a mystery.]
The game's now afoot. While trying to contact the ship to tell them to escape while they can, Kirk runs from Trelane, who pursues him on foot with a sword. It quickly becomes obvious that Kirk can't contact the ship to warn them.
This was not the deal. Kirk is now pissed. Soon, Kirk grabs the sword away from Trelane and tries to slice him in half, which of course doesn't work, because Trelane is a magical super-being whom Kirk can't hurt. Kirk throws the useless sword away. Trelane instantly produces a new one and the chase begins again.
Minutes later, Kirk is cornered. The situation is truly hopeless. Trelane triumphantly orders Kirk to his knees. Kirk, obviously seeing that the situation is hopeless, opts to refuse to cooperate, knowing it will anger his super-opponent, and that anything at all might happen next.
Except Trelane doesn't get mad as he should. So Kirk tries harder. When disobedience and insults aren't enough, he snatches the sword from Trelane and breaks it. When that doesn't do it, he slaps Trelane across the face a couple of times.
[NOTE: Kirk is deliberately provoking the wrath of a wildly emotional and unpredictable super-creature, knowing that the lives of all his people are still at stake. What possible good could come of this? What's he going for, do ya think? At this point what's his plan? To my eyes it looks like he's trying to supersize the butt-beatin' he's already got coming.]
Well, guess what happens next. Go ahead! Guess!
That is, guess what would have happened next, if Trelane's parents had not showed up right then to set Kirk free?
[NOTE: This is not the first time Kirk invites a guy who's significantly stronger than himself to a knock-down, drag-out brawl. How does Naked Time, Amok Time, and This Side of Paradise strike you? ]
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