#s1 ep18 the squire of gothos

[fun-k-boards]

Gayest pickup line I've ever heard...

[tothatmanonthebridge]

Review: Star Trek - The Original Series 'The Squire of Gothos' (S1 Ep18)

Trelane obviously has done his homework on humans, but he failed to learn the most sacred rule of human civilisation:

You don’t get to pick your own nickname.

It is a depressing thought that an outside vision of Earth would see war as our primary pastime, our way of being. But while Trelane gets the pattern right, he definitely misses the substance. War is not a feeling. It is something that happens to us, but it’s not the complex web of love and fear and hope and anger that constitutes our experience, whether in wartime or peacetime. Even when Trelane gets angry, it’s ultimately a shallow imitation. He says he experienced genuine anger, but for all his dramatics he never accesses the ‘real thing’.

Still, even as the episode positions the crew of the Enterprise as morally superior to Trelane, it does serve to poke holes in the ideology of the Starfleet. The phasers are notable for having a non-lethal setting, but they *can* kill. And Trelane’s demonstration of their power is chilling. Of course, the most disturbing element is Trelane’s giddy enthusiasm as he murders helpless creatures for no reason, when we have seen much more restraint from our heroes even when in direct conflict.

Every episode, the show announces that ‘space is the final frontier’. This statement evokes feelings of adventure and discovery. But, the American frontier was a violent conquest. The mission of the Enterprise, and its calm thoughtful realisation, might seem completely opposite to the lawless brutality of the wild west (that is to say, how it is depicted in film, the real history as I understand it, while very brutal, was much more complicated). However, the essential principles are similar: they are colonisers, never questioning their right to be cover new ground, and to settle wherever they please. Even if it’s relatively bloodless, I’d argue that it’s still violent.

Of course, a frontier does not have to be spatial. The frontier in the Star Trek universe is more one of knowledge (especially as the show so far can’t seem to decide if the ship is exploring mapped or unmapped territory). Acquiring knowledge about other species and planets is sort of gestured at half-heartedly within the plot, but really just like any good science fiction work, Star Trek deals with problems of human nature.

Even in the ostensibly ‘sillier’ episodes such as this one.

Some more thoughts:

I fully expected Desalle to bite it in this episode, he just exudes deadshirt energy and somehow he survived? Somehow everyone survived?

(Well, everyone human. R.I.P. Plum’s ex-girlfriend).

Actually wasn’t that creature the last of its kind? Did Trelane commit genocide??? It certainly fits the theme of the episode.

I noticed that Spock seems more comfortable in his position of authority here. It’s a nice continuation from Galileo Seven.

I love that this show seems fixated on two things: finding any excuse to dress up the women in period outfits, and undressing Kirk as much as possible…

The ending is obviously very similar to Charlie X, thank the PTB for deus ex machina eh? I do think Squire of Gothos is a better episode, although I did actually manage to have sympathy for the highly unlikeable Charlie at the end, who seemed genuinely terrified at going back to a life without love or affection, whereas with Trelane it was just a tantrum at playtime being over. It was appropriate of course, but by that point I was ready for it to be over tbh. I did love the spotlight focussed on Trelane and then slowly disappearing. It was a very appropriate artistic choice for our dramatic antagonist.

Queer Trek Corner:

How does this show keep getting gayer??? I realised I needed a dedicated section to keep my thoughts straight.

Not that my thoughts are ever ‘straight’ of course...

While Spock’s turn-on is obviously Kirk beating him at 3D chess, Kirk’s is evidently Spock delivering sick burns – which he does several times to Trelane in this episode. Here, Kirk gives Spock the most adoring look I have ever seen on a human being I MEAN COME ON THAT IS NOT A HETEROSEXUAL LOOK

And when Trelane attempts to force Kirk’s compliance, from a room full of onlooking crew members, he chooses to threaten Spock.

I’m sorry, it is a truth universally acknowledged that the villain will threaten the hero’s love interest. It’s a tale as old as time.

Now, Spock may not be a helpless damsel

-- I mean except in certain fun role-play situations… too much? --

but the effect is the same.

I think this could easily be one of my favourite episodes of season 1, but time will tell!

Next up: Arena

[redshirtrights]

the squire of gothos

[tos s1 ep18]

mccoy likes the desert bc he is a cowboy at heart

to boldly go where no man has gone before...BAAHH BUMMM BA DA DA DA DAAAAAA 

when do they add deforest kelley’s name to the opening credits 

SCOTTTYYYY!! HELLO

the comedy of spock deadpanning: “tallyho” 

spock sees scotty as essential...mood 

one of my favorite games is trying to spot james doohan’s missing finger

it’s really hard. 

omg so at stlv there was a dude cosplaying as the squire 

my three biggest scotty ships are him with uhura, bones, or spock and rn scotty was leaning over uhura at her comms station but when spock walks by he starts following him around 

“mr. spock” “mr. scott” 

this dude being into like regency france reminds me of me in my hetalia phase. 

“nubian prize” “taken as a prize on one of your conquests, captain?” i have the same empty look as uhura rn oh my god i live in fear one day some white bread man is gonna talk up to me and call me some exotic aztec princess or some shit

are these glowly things his parents

they have to be omg. “hii sorry our son did that.” 

[tothatmanonthebridge]

Review: Star Trek TOS - Arena (S1 Ep18)

... Who else was low-key Team Gorn captain in this episode?

I don’t think I have much to say about Arena that I didn’t address in my review of Squire of Gothos. While the series so far has been heavily episodic, this instalment serves as an appropriate follow-up to Squire of Gothos and its anti-war message. Interestingly, Kirk (and by extension the human race) are not presented as the calm reasonable alternative here. Their stated purpose and methods is directly questioned.

It really works to the story’s benefit that we always follow the Enterprise’s POV here. The conflict is framed as an unprovoked and brutal attack at the beginning, and given Kirk’s history with the slaughter of innocent civilians, he (and we along with him) feels justified in his reckless pursuit. Reframing the conflict as one of colonisers setting up shop wherever they want and the local civilisation defending their land… was honestly more progressive than I expected the show to be.

The conclusion, of course, in which the colonisers kindly spare the leader of the native civilisation and work on a nice treaty yay sunshine and rainbows the end is obviously idealistic and potentially a little offensive in another way (although not for me to decide).

Still, as a show trying to project an ideal future, I can’t say I hate the overall message here.

Colonialism is bad people.

I did feel that the episode dragged on a bit and was quite predictable. Predictable isn’t necessarily a bad thing of course, and at best comes from knowing how good storytelling works. Kirk taking forever to realise that the minerals could be used as a weapon was just a bit boring though. I understand setting up each of the ingredients so the audience can figure it out with him, and so when he puts everything together it’s more satisfying. However, I’m sorry, the aliens gave that one to him on a silver platter. If they hadn’t mentioned at the beginning that he would have all the tools he needed to make a weapon I might have been a bit more forgiving of that realisation being so drawn out.

Arena is still definitely a strong episode and one I definitely look forward to rewatching in future.

Queer Trek Corner:

While Ren the Barbarian did an AMAZING job highlighting the erotic nature of Kirk and the Gorn’s deadly dance in their video on the episode --

-- I am disappointed they didn’t mention Kirk shooting the contents of his canon all over the Gorn at the climax of the fight.

So here I am.

Mentioning it.

Next up: Tomorrow is Yesterday