star trek gamesters of triskelion cast

The Gamesters of Triskelion (episode)

• View history
• 1.2 Act One
• 1.3 Act Two
• 1.4 Act Three
• 1.5 Act Four
• 2 Log entries
• 3 Memorable quotes
• 4.1 Script and production
• 4.2 Performers
• 4.4 Costumes
• 4.5 Props and special effects
• 4.6 Continuity
• 4.7 Remastered information
• 4.8 Apocrypha
• 4.9 Production timeline
• 4.10 Video and DVD releases
• 5.1 Starring
• 5.2 Also starring
• 5.3 Guest star
• 5.4 Co-starring
• 5.5 Featuring
• 5.6 Uncredited co-stars
• 5.7 Stunt double
• 5.8 References
• 5.9 External links

Summary [ ]

The three Starfleet officers leave the bridge with Captain Kirk leaving Commander Spock in command. They enter the transporter room and wait to be beamed down but just as Chief Engineer Montgomery Scott begins the sequence, the three instantaneously vanish from the starship. They find themselves lying on their backs on a strangely decorated floor. Kirk surmises it could be a transporter malfunction , and then realizes by looking up at the planet's sky that there are three suns and they are on an entirely different planet, judging from the color of the sky. Meanwhile, Scott reports to Spock the unusual disappearance of the landing party (no "flash of light," sparkle, or dematerialization process), but they can find no reason.

The three trapped officers try to use their communicators to contact the Enterprise only to discover that none of them works. At this point, they are surrounded by four alien warriors, all carrying a weapon of some kind, and approaching menacingly. Kirk, Uhura, and Chekov draw their phasers and wait for the right moment to fire. Kirk gives the command, but their phasers do not work either. The captain quickly orders hand-to-hand combat, but they are eventually outnumbered and overpowered. Kirk is knocked onto his back and finds a sharp blade aimed at his throat by an alien woman.

Act One [ ]

A mysterious bald figure appears, clothed in black. He commends the Starfleet officers for their fighting spirit and introduces himself as Galt , the master thrall of the planet Triskelion . They are taken to a dungeon and cuffed to the walls where they are fitted with metallic collars. Galt reveals that his masters, the Providers , were "expecting them and arranged their transportation". The three are to be trained as thralls and to fight in the games for the Providers for the remainder of their lives.

Meanwhile, back on the ship, Scott has checked the transporter from one end to the other and found absolutely no malfunction. Spock has scanned the planetoid twice and found no life. Doctor McCoy is becoming frustrated with Spock's inability to find any leads on their friends' whereabouts.

Back on Triskelion, the captain, Chekov, and Uhura are taken to "quarters" that have been prepared for them. They are prison cells complete with barred doors with their names on them. The three attack the thralls guarding them and begin to make a run for it. Galt closes his eyes and they start to shine like two stars. The small, white devices on the collars they are wearing light up. They stop dead in their tracks, grabbing at their collars, and drop to the ground in total agony. When Galt opens his eyes, the collars shut off and they slowly get back to their feet. Galt tells them that escape is impossible while they wear their Collars of Obedience. The three voluntarily return to their cells.

On the Enterprise , Spock has determined that their missing crewmates are not within the confines of the solar system they are in. Doctor McCoy's frustration is mounting while Spock is at a loss as to where else to look for them.

Back in their cells, the prisoners discuss the possibility of rescue by the Enterprise . Uhura is visited by Lars , her Drill Thrall, with a tray of food. He backs her into her cell and tells her, " There is little time. I have been selected for you. " The sounds of a struggle follow and Uhura cries out while Captain Kirk shouts, helplessly, from his cell. One of the female thralls approaches Kirk's cell. He reaches for her through the bars shouting, " What's happening to Lieutenant Uhura? "

Act Two [ ]

Kirk still looks on from the bars of his cell as Lars leaves Uhura's cell, telling her that it is not allowed to refuse "selection". Kirk's Drill Thrall enters with food telling him it is the "nourishment interval" and sits to watch him eat it.

Ensign Jana Haines at the science station on the bridge reports a fluctuating energy reading on a hydrogen cloud . Spock takes over at the science station and identifies it as an ionization trail . The ship's computers can offer nothing that would account for it. Spock orders a course change to follow the ionization trail. Dr. McCoy accuses Spock on taking them on a wild goose chase. Spock informs him that it is the only lead they have. They leave the system on 310 mark 241 at warp 2.

Chekov gets a visit from his big, female drill thrall and is worried that she has been "selected" for him. She has not. She introduces herself as Tamoon and promises to train him well. If her provider chooses him, they may yet be selected for each other. Chekov looks away, grimacing.

In Kirk's cell, Shahna tells him that the color on the collars are the sign of the provider that owns them. " The Provider that offers the most quatloos puts his color on us. " While eating his "nourishment", Kirk begins telling her of the concepts of slavery . He starts asking about who operates the collars and how, but Shahna tell him that it is not permitted to speak of that. Kirk then starts flirting with her, telling her she is very beautiful, but she has never before heard the word. He shows Shahna her reflection on a food cover as a definition. When he asks about where she was born and who her parents were, she tells him her mother was killed in a "freestyle match." A light and gong signals the beginning of the "exercise interval." Shahna gives Kirk a training harness to wear.

On the Enterprise , McCoy and Scott express doubt as to their course of action. Spock has them heading for the nearest solar system along the path of the ionization trail, M24 Alpha , 11.630 light years ahead.

Back in the arena area where they first landed, Kirk, Chekov, and Uhura are practicing with weapons with their drill thralls. Galt brings out a thrall – an older black man who Galt says was slow in obeying a command – for them to use as practice target. Uhura hotly refuses the training exercise, as do Kirk and Chekov, which earns them a taste of their collars of obedience. Galt orders Uhura bound, but Kirk claims responsibility for the actions of his crew and takes her place as practice target. Galt regrets losing Kirk in this way, but says that it is worth it as an example to the others. Kirk is bound and placed in the center of the arena.

Act Three [ ]

Kirk is already bleeding from a wound to his back from the whip of Kloog , the towering alien thrall that has been selected to administer his punishment. During a rest interval, Shahna gives Kirk an energy drink and advises him that Kloog's left eye is weak and to attack him from that side. When the combat resumes, Kirk works at his bonds and manages to partially untie them. Getting his hands in front of him, he eventually gets Kloog in a strangle hold and is about to defeat him when a voice from above says " Hold! " It is the voice of Provider 1 . He, Provider 2 , and Provider 3 begin bidding for the newcomers . They eventually are sold to Provider 1 for the price of 2,000 quatloos. Kirk asserts that they are free people and belong to no one . Providers 2 and 3 then place a series of wagers: fifteen quatloos that Captain Kirk is untrainable, twenty quatloos that all three are untrainable, five thousand quatloos that they will all have to be destroyed, all of which Provider 1 accepts. Galt's eyes light up and the color of the three Starfleet officer's collars changes to red. Galt tells them that they now bear the mark of a fine herd and that any disobedience is now punishable by death making escape unlikely.

On the Enterprise , Scott is arguing that it does not make sense that their missing friends could have been transported this far and that they should continue to search the area where they were lost. Spock reminds him that they did and found no sign of them. McCoy is beginning to fear that they might not still be alive after all the time that has passed.

Somewhere outside the thralls' compound, Shahna and a shirtless and whip-scarred Kirk take a break near some old ruins after a two-mile run. Kirk asks why the Providers like watching people suffer and if they are computers, but Shahna does not seem to know. She gets nervous when he starts asking if this was a city for the Providers, and he starts talking about how the area they are in reminds him of his home planet, Earth . She is unfamiliar with the concept of planets and suns which Kirk says make up the lights in the night sky. He comes closer to Shahna and starts speaking about the concepts of freedom and love, and how, on Earth, no one selects a mate for you, you get to choose your own. Shahna does not think his words are permitted and starts to walk away. Kirk goes back to asking about the Providers. She begins to tell him that she has never seen them but that they are said to be "not like us". Before she can tell him any more, her collar lights up and she drops to the ground in agony. Kirk looks to the sky shouting that it was his fault, that he made her talk and begging them not to kill her.

Act Four [ ]

Kirk continues to plead for Shahna's life, asking that they punish him instead. The voice of Provider 1 asks if that is what Humans call compassion. It is interesting but of no use here; he must learn obedience, if he is to be an excellent thrall. Shahna's collar shuts off and she asks him why he would risk his own punishment on her behalf. He tells her that it is the custom of his people to help each other when they are in trouble and kisses her on the lips. She asks if this, too, is "helping," and he says you could call it that. Looking into his eyes she asks, " Please… help me once again. " After some more kissing she begins to understand that a man and a woman can be together of their own choice. Galt appears out of nowhere but because they have amused the Providers, there is no punishment. Kirk protectively puts his arm around Shahna and they walk off together.

On the bridge of the Enterprise , Spock asks Scott if they can sustain a speed greater than warp 6. Scott and Dr. McCoy think they have gone too far already on a hopeless errand. Both of them want to go back to Gamma II for another search. Spock takes them aside and reminds them that he is in command and that they will remain on course unless they are planning to announce a mutiny . McCoy is upset with Spock's statement, but calms down and then asks that if they do not find them in the trinary system they are approaching, can they then go back for another search of Gamma II. Spock agrees and asks if Scott can give him warp 7. Scott happily says yes, " and maybe a wee bit more ." Spock orders warp 7.

Shahna brings Kirk his dinner and tells him that he makes her feel "strangely". He begins kissing her again and as she looks at him with bedroom eyes, he knocks her out. Taking her key, he frees Chekov and Uhura, who have also disabled their drill thralls. They plan to find their phasers and try to short out their collars. As they move across the arena, Galt appears and activates their collars but does not kill them. The voice of Provider 1 tell them that this was just a warning.

The Enterprise assumes standard orbit around Triskelion. Sensors show only one concentration of lifeforms on the planet, in the lower hemisphere, and humanoid. Not wanting to endanger the captain and the others if they are alive by beaming down a large force, Spock plans to beam down with Dr. McCoy hoping to rescue the captain and the others. Before they can even leave the bridge, the ship's systems are frozen by the Providers. Kirk and Provider 1 explain the situation on Triskelion. Kirk accuses the Providers of being too afraid to show themselves. Since they feel he presents no danger while he wears the collar, Provider 1 transports Kirk to a chamber 1,000 meters below the planet's surface, where three disembodied brains — colored red (Provider 1), green (Provider 2) and yellow (Provider 3) — sit in a dome-shaped glass case. An enormous power plant looms in the background. The Providers explain that their race once had humanoid form, but they evolved beyond that form. The games have become their only purpose. They had hoped that the Humans would bring new blood to the thralls, but regret that they will now have to be destroyed. Kirk threatens that to do so would mean their own destruction at the hands of the Federation and Starfleet, but the Providers plan to make it look like they were destroyed by a magnetic storm so that no one will ever know they were responsible. Enraged, Kirk accuses them of being murderers without the spirit to really wager for the lives they take. As soon as he says it, he realizes that gambling is the key to these creatures. He tells the Providers that his people are the most successful gamblers in the galaxy and it is in their nature to win. He wagers that his crew can defeat an equal number of thralls set against them. The providers immediately start placing bets on the outcome in quatloos, but Kirk tells them that quatloos are trivial and that the stakes must be higher. If they win, the Enterprise goes free and the thralls are freed and started on a course to self governance. If they lose, the entire crew of the Enterprise will become thralls and give them generations of the most exciting wagering they've ever had. The Providers agree but on the condition that Kirk fight three other thralls on his own. Kirk protests that the odds are not fair, but he is told by the Providers that they are extremely fair since the alternative is death. Because he is fighting for the lives of his crew, the Providers allow them to watch the combat on the ship's viewscreen. Kirk must stay on the yellow sections of the arena; his three opponents, Kloog, Lars, and an Andorian man, must remain on the blue sections. Touching another's color deprives a competitor of a weapon. An opponent must be killed to be removed from the game. If only wounded, he is replaced by a fresh thrall.

The combat begins. Kirk takes out Kloog and then Lars, but only wounds the Andorian. Shahna is brought in to replace the wounded. Kirk does not want to fight her, but she accuses him of having tricked her with lies and attacks. Kirk gets her on the ground with his knife to her throat and she surrenders. The Providers keep their word and tell everyone to remove their collars. Kirk tells Shahna that he did not lie and she asks if she can go with him back to the lights in the sky he had told her about earlier. He tells her that she has much to learn on Triskelion first before reaching for the stars. He kisses her goodbye and gently strokes her cheek. Kirk, Uhura, and Chekov return back to the Enterprise this time via the ship's transporter as they sparkle and vanish. Shahna, with a tear running down her cheek, along with Tamoon, and Galt look to the sky to which Kirk has returned. Through her tears, Shahna says, " Goodbye, Jim Kirk. I will learn and watch the lights in the sky… and remember. " The Enterprise departs Triskelion.

Log entries [ ]

• Captain's log, USS Enterprise (NCC-1701), 2268

Memorable quotes [ ]

" Hope? I always thought that was a Human failing, Mister Spock. " " True, doctor. Constant exposure does result in a certain degree of contamination. "

" I would welcome a suggestion, doctor, even an emotional one, as to where to look. " " First time you've ever asked me for anything, and it has to be an occasion like this. "

" It is not allowed to refuse selection. "

" Doctor, I am chasing Captain Kirk, Lieutenant Uhura, and Ensign Chekov, not some wild aquatic fowl. "

" How can one live on a flicker of light? "

" Tie her! "

" Please, help me once again. "

" This is going to kill our romance. "

" What in the name of heaven is this? " " Heaven's got very little to do with this. "

" All your people must learn before you can reach for the stars. "

" Goodbye, Jim Kirk. I will learn. And watch the lights in the sky. And remember. "

Background information [ ]

Script and production [ ].

• The original title was "The Gamesters of Pentathlon" on the first-draft script from 1 May 1967 .
• The original version of the script featured Kirk, Sulu, and Uhura being taken captive while traveling in a shuttlecraft. However, the production staff thought it was too similar to the teaser of " Metamorphosis ", and changed it to feature them being detained while transporting down instead. ( These Are the Voyages: TOS Season Two , p. 433)
• Eventually, Sulu's part was replaced with Chekov, to accommodate George Takei's schedule. (see below)
• Uhura's drill thrall was originally written as a large muscular black man, but Robert H. Justman complained that it would reinforce the "different but equal" policies presented in some network programs, and opted to cast a white actor in the role instead. ( These Are the Voyages: TOS Season Two , p. 434)
• Margaret Armen 's original script featured a "slithering vine", named a "Delka Vine" grabbing Shahna and tossing her into a pond, and Kirk having to rescue her by wrestling the tentacle vine. Robert Justman found this idea much beyond the scope of the series budget, and the scene was scrapped. ( These Are the Voyages: TOS Season Two , p. 437)
• Gene Nelson was the first new director to be hired for the second season (all previous episodes of the season were directed by either Joseph Pevney , Marc Daniels or Ralph Senensky ). Despite finishing on schedule and leaving a good impression on the producers, he was never asked to direct more episodes. ( These Are the Voyages: TOS Season Two , p. 448)
• Bart La Rue ( Provider 1 ), Walker Edmiston ( Provider 2 ) and Robert C. Johnson ( Provider 3 ) were uncredited on-screen, despite having dialogue.

Performers [ ]

• Dick Crockett , who appeared in the episode as an Andorian , was stunt coordinator for this episode. ( The Star Trek Compendium )
• Robert C. Johnson , voice of one of the Providers, was one of America's most famous voices for a few years: he was the tape recorded voice that gave the Impossible Missions Force its assignments at the beginning of most episodes of Mission: Impossible . Mission was filmed next door to the Star Trek set, and actors from the series would often wander over to see what was happening on the Enterprise . Johnson previously did voice work on the first Star Trek pilot, " The Cage ".
• When asked why his character was never developed more, George Takei stated that " one episode of Star Trek would have helped to develop Sulu very much and that was "The Gamesters of Triskelion". " The first draft of this episode did feature Sulu, however, Takei was away on location in Georgia for the filming of The Green Berets and despite his intentions to appear in the episode, he was unable to return to Los Angeles to make the appearance due to complications on the film set. Much to Takei's disappointment, he did not appear in this episode, yet despite this, Takei said " things turned out well anyway, I got to do The Green Berets and they rewrote all of Sulu's lines for Chekov , so Walter (Koenig) got a good break. " ( Starlog issue #3, p. 31; The Star Trek Compendium )
• The ruins that Kirk and Shahna encounter while jogging were recycled from the surface of M-113 in " The Man Trap ". Some rock formations and branches are recycled from the previous episode filmed, " Obsession ".

Costumes [ ]

• An ultimately unused take of Paul Baxley stunt doubling for Kirk during the fight scene resulted in the stuntman splitting his pants. ( Star Trek: Lost Scenes )

Props and special effects [ ]

The three Providers and a familiar backdrop

• The Janus VI mining station backdrop painting from " The Devil in the Dark " is reused in the scene under the surface of Triskelion.
• The top of Lazarus ' ship from " The Alternative Factor " was recycled as the glass bubble that encases the Providers. ( The Star Trek Compendium )
• The daggers used by the Terran Empire crew in " Mirror, Mirror " were used by the drill thralls.
• The "collars of obedience" are very similar to the control device placed around Dr. Zachary Smith's neck in the Lost in Space episode "Invaders From the Fifth Dimension", aired 3 November 1965.
• The spear used on Lars was made up of two pieces, front and back, to give the illusion of impalement. An unused take of this scene was not used due to the two pieces of the spear not lining up. ( Star Trek: Lost Scenes )

Continuity [ ]

• McCoy's exchange with Spock regarding survival in a transporter beam (" It's been nearly an hour. Can people live that long as disassembled atoms in a transporter beam? " " I have never heard of a study being done, but it would be a fascinating project. ") is ultimately realized by fellow Enterprise crewmember Montgomery Scott in TNG : " Relics ". Scott successfully survives after being suspended in transport for 75 years ( 2294 to 2369 ), following the USS Jenolan 's crashing into a Dyson sphere , however his partner, Franklin, does not.
• Kirk raises the question of whether he, Chekov and Uhura are in the same dimension. The episode aired a few months after the first broadcast of " Mirror, Mirror " in which Kirk and Uhura were among those transported to another dimension.
• McCoy expresses disbelief that the landing party were possibly transported light years away from the Enterprise. In the alternate reality , before the start of James T. Kirk 's five-year-mission, the concept of such long-distance beaming was already known to that timeline's Montgomery Scott ( Star Trek ), and the alternate Khan Noonien Singh would use similar (or possibly the same) technology to beam from Earth to Qo'noS ( Star Trek Into Darkness ).
• This is the first episode ending with a "Paramount Television" logo instead of the "Desilu" logo, after Desilu was sold to Paramount Pictures .

Remastered information [ ]

Triskelion, now visually belonging to a trinary star system

"The Gamesters of Triskelion" was the forty-sixth episode of the remastered version of The Original Series to air, premiering in syndication on the weekend of 20 October 2007 .

Aside from the standard CGI replacement footage of the Enterprise , this episode most notably featured new effects shots of the planets Gamma II and Triskelion .

One piece of new footage was added to this episode, the establishing shot of the planet Triskelion, shown during the opening credits, now included the system's trinary suns.

A short part of the end credit roll was also visually altered; at the start of the original end credit roll, the Enterprise was seen from the aft when departing Triskelion. For the remastered version, the new CGI Enterprise was seen approaching headlong when departing.

Apocrypha [ ]

• A cat version of "The Gamesters of Triskelion" was featured in Jenny Parks ' 2017 book Star Trek Cats .

Production timeline [ ]

• Story outline "The Gamesters of Pentathlon" by Margaret Armen : 10 April 1967
• Revised story outline: 5 May 1967
• Second revised story outline: 8 May 1967
• Revised story outline by Gene L. Coon : 12 May 1967
• First draft teleplay by Armen: 20 June 1967
• Second draft telepay: 28 June 1967
• Revised second draft teleplay: 1 August 1967
• Final draft teleplay: 16 August 1967
• Revised final draft by John Meredyth Lucas : 28 September 1967
• Second revised final draft: early- October 1967
• Third revised final draft "The Gamesters of Triskelion": early- October 1967
• Day 1 – 17 October 1967 , Tuesday – Desilu Stage 9 : Int. Bridge , Transporter room
• Day 2 – 18 October 1967 , Wednesday – Paramount Test Stage : Int. Providers' chamber , Cell corridors
• Day 3 – 19 October 1967 , Thursday – Paramount Test Stage : Int. Kirk's cell , Uhura's cell , Chekov's cell
• Day 4 – 20 October 1967 , Friday – Desilu Stage 10 : Ext. Combat arena
• Day 5 – 23 October 1967 , Monday – Desilu Stage 10 : Ext. Combat arena
• Day 6 – 24 October 1967 , Tuesday – Desilu Stage 10 : Ext. Combat arena , Providers' ancient city
• Original airdate: 5 January 1968
• Rerun airdate: 3 May 1968
• First UK airdate (on BBC1 ): 18 November 1970
• First UK airdate (on ITV ): 19 December 1982
• Remastered airdate: 20 October 2007

Video and DVD releases [ ]

• Original US Betamax release: 1986
• UK VHS release (two-episode tapes, CIC Video ): Volume 24 , catalog number VHR 2359, 2 April 1990
• US VHS release: 15 April 1994
• UK re-release (three-episode tapes, CIC Video): Volume 2.6, 2 June 1997
• Original US DVD release (single-disc): Volume 23, 5 June 2001
• As part of the TOS Season 2 DVD collection

Links and references [ ]

Starring [ ].

• William Shatner as Capt. Kirk

Also starring [ ]

• Leonard Nimoy as "Mr. Spock "
• DeForest Kelley as "Dr. McCoy "

Guest star [ ]

• Joseph Ruskin as Galt

Co-starring [ ]

• Angelique Pettyjohn as Shahna

Featuring [ ]

• Nichelle Nichols as Uhura
• James Doohan as Scott
• Steve Sandor as Lars
• Walter Koenig as Chekov
• Jane Ross as Tamoon
• Victoria George as Ensign Jana Haines
• Dick Crockett as Andorian Thrall
• Mickey Morton as Kloog

Uncredited co-stars [ ]

• William Blackburn as Hadley
• Frank da Vinci as Brent
• Walker Edmiston as Provider 2 (voice)
• Roger Holloway as Roger Lemli
• Robert C. Johnson as Provider 3 (voice)
• Bart LaRue as Provider 1 (voice)
• Jeannie Malone as Enterprise yeoman
• Eddie Paskey as Leslie
• Frieda Rentie as Enterprise lieutenant
• Unknown actor as Humanoid Thrall

Stunt double [ ]

• Paul Baxley as stunt double for James T. Kirk

References [ ]

alternative ; amusement ; anarchy ; anger ; answer ; aquatic ; astrogation ; athletic competition ; atom ; attitude ; automatic communications and astrogation station ; base ; blood ; blue ; body ; captivity ; chamber ; chance ; choice ; circuit ; city ; collar of obedience ; color ; compassion ; competitor (aka contestant ); computer ; computer probability projection ; communications ; competitive ability ; contamination ; contest ; control system ; Cossack ; courage ; course ; creature ; crying ; culture ; curiosity ; custom ; danger ; Daniel ; data ; death penalty ; den ; demonstration ; development area ; devil ; dial ; dimension ; disobedience ; distance ; door ; dozen ; drill thrall ; Earth ; education ; evolution ; exercise interval ; explanation ; exploration ; eye ; facility ; failure ; faith ; fate ; Federation ; follow course ; fowl ; freedom ; freestyle match ; friend ; gag ; gambler (gamester); gambling ( gambler ); Gamma II ; Gamma system ; generation ; gesture ; green ; hand-to-hand combat ; heaven ; hemisphere ; herd ; here and now ; home planet ; hope ; hour ; Human (aka Earth people); humanoid ; hunch ; hundred ; hydrogen cloud ; information ; ingenuity ; intellect ; intention ; inferior being ; ionic interference ; ionization trail ; landing force ; leader ; lesson ; life (aka lifeform ); light (artificial); light (natural); light year ; lion ; location ; logic ; love ; M24 Alpha system ; M24 Alpha sector ; magnetic storm ; master thrall ; mental ability ; meter ; mile ; Milky Way Galaxy ; mind ; " mind the store "; mistake ; murderer ; mutiny ; name ; nature ; need ; newcomer ; night sky ; nourishment ; nourishment interval ; obedience ; odds ; opinion ; phenomenon ; place ; planet ; planetoid ; power source ; power surge ; practice target ; primary mental evolution ; proof ; Providers ; punishment (aka correction); quarters ; quatloo ; question ; race (aka species ); range ; rebellion ; red ; rest interval ; result ; risk ; rock ; romance ; Scots language ; search ; self-governing culture ; sensor ; sensor scan ; Shahna's mother ; sky ; slavery ; specimen ; speculation ; stakes ; standard orbit ; star ; starvation ; stock ; stubborn ; suggestion ; superior development ; surface ; surrender ; thing ; thousand ; thrall ; title ; top sergeant ; training ; training enclosure ; training exercise ; training harness ; transporter ; transporter beam ; transporter circuit ; transporter malfunction ; transporter mechanism ; transporter platform ; transporter power ; transporter range ; transporter sequence ; Triad ; trinary sun (aka trinary star system , trinary system ); trisec ; Triskelion ; Triskelion ruins ; universe ; value ; viewscreen ; voice ; Vulcan ; weapon ; " wee "; whip ; " wild goose chase " ( goose ); word ; yellow

External links [ ]

• " The Gamesters of Triskelion " at Memory Beta , the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
• " The Gamesters of Triskelion " at Wikipedia
• " The Gamesters of Triskelion " at MissionLogPodcast.com , a Roddenberry Star Trek podcast
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Home > Star Trek The Gamesters Of Triskelion Cast

Star Trek The Gamesters Of Triskelion Cast

• UPDATED: December 8, 2023

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Star Trek: The Gamesters of Triskelion is an episode from the original Star Trek series, first aired in 1968. The episode follows Captain Kirk, Mr. Spock, and Dr. McCoy as they are forced to participate in deadly gladiatorial games on a distant planet. The cast includes several memorable characters, portrayed by talented actors. Here are the top ten cast members and their IMDb URLs:

1. William Shatner (Captain James T. Kirk) – https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000638/ 2. Leonard Nimoy (Mr. Spock) – https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000559/ 3. DeForest Kelley (Dr. Leonard “Bones” McCoy) – https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0445492/ 4. Angelique Pettyjohn (Shahna) – https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0678873/ 5. Joseph Ruskin (Master Thrall Galt) – https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0751240/ 6. Steve Sandor (Lars) – https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0762383/ 7. Jane Ross (Tamoon) – https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0743693/ 8. Victoria George (Tamoon) – https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0313273/ 9. Mickey Morton (Kloog) – https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0607985/ 10. Lou Elias (Ozaba) – https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0253063/

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The Gamesters of Triskelion

William Shatner

Angelique Pettyjohn

Leonard Nimoy

Joseph Ruskin

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Boldly Rewatching the Voyages: The Gamesters of Triskelion

(Note: If you haven’t read it yet, my introductory post on this Star Trek: The Original Series rewatch is a good place to start.)

Original Air Date: January 5, 1968

Crew Death Count: 0 (but two thralls are killed)

Bellybuttons: 1 (Kirk is the hunkiest thrall! We also have several near-misses, what with the thralls’ BDSM costumes)

“The Gamesters of Triskelion” is largely a hybrid of “ Arena ” and “ The Menagerie ,” and both of those earlier episodes were superior. This week, the Enterprise travels to the uninhabited planetoid Gamma II for a routine facilities check of the Federation’s automatic communications and astrogation (?) station there. Kirk leads a landing party of Uhura and Chekov. Uhura’s presence is logical as she is the communications expert. I guess Chekov is the substitute navigator in Sulu’s absence ( George Takei was filming The Green Berets (1968) at the time, or he would have been the third member of the landing party). The landing party is abducted to the distant planet of Triskelion, where threee noncorporeal Providers maintain a collection of thralls (slaves) who fight each other for the Providers’ entertainment. Most of the episode is a fairly routine retread of the series’ most common themes: humans exceptional, aliens inferior, slavery bad, Kirk woos women, McCoy complains, Spock defends logic, Kirk loses his shirt, yawn.

The Providers are disembodied brains who live underground. (They are voiced by Bart LaRue , Walker Edmiston , and Robert Johnson , who all had significant voice roles in Star Trek and other movies and TV shows.) Like the Old Ones from “ What Are Little Girls Made Of? ” and the Talosians in “The Menagerie,” the Providers once had physical bodies. Provider #3 tells Kirk, “Through eons of devoting ourselves exclusively to intellectual pursuits, we became the physically simple, mentally superior creatures you see before you.” Finding the brainy life boring, the Providers live vicariously through the physical exploits of their thralls. Considering the availability of advanced android technology observed in previous TOS episodes, I wonder why the Providers didn’t just implant themselves in android bodies and engage in their own fisticuffs. Perhaps like all people of privilege, they prefer to talk a good talk while sending others to face the real danger. And we can speculate that the Providers, like all slaveholders, relish the power of controlling the lives of others.

The term “ thrall ” is not in common use, but it’s also not made-up Star Trek jargon. It derives from an Old Norse term referring to a slave or one living in a state of servitude or submission. The obvious comparison is the gladiators of the Roman Empire . Believed to have originated with the Campanians in the 4 th century BC, the popularity of the gladiatorial games peaked with the Romans in the 1 st century BC. Some gladiators volunteered, but many were slaves or captured enemy soldiers, and even if they achieved public popularity, they still faced that whole fight-to-the-death scenario. Ridley Scott ‘s Gladiator (2000) came long after TOS, but the brutality of gladiatorial life was popularized in the 1960 film Spartacus . We generally view slaves as being forced to work for their “owners,” but, like the Roman gladiators, the thralls primarily serve to provide entertainment. This doesn’t change the fact that the thralls have no choice in any detail of their lives.

The thralls are not native to Triskelion – we see an Andorian, and the other thralls are all unique in appearance – but they appear to have been born in captivity. Like slaves brought to North America from Africa, they have been denied their original culture and forced into a common identity of bondage. Each member of the Enterprise landing party is assigned a “drill thrall” (no double entendre intended!), and Kirk’s drill thrall Shahna ( Angelique Pettyjohn ) has no understanding of interplanetary travel or the possibility of life beyond Triskelion. Worse, they have been convinced that they are born to be enslaved, that they are incapable of living independently. When Kirk asks, “Why do the Providers…like to watch others being hurt, killed?” she can only answer, “That is the way.” No wonder the Enterprise crew, with basic freedom of choice, seems stubborn and rebellious in comparison.

Kirk is, of course, the central character and consistently demonstrates his established leadership style. Within seconds of being transported to Triskelion, Kirk determines they are not on Gamma II based on the sky color and the planet’s trinary star system. He remains true to his “survival is the first order of business” principle, demonstrated in “What Are Little Girls Made Of?” and “ The Apple ,” and later in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982), taking time to resupply his energy reserves when Shahna brings food. He never stops gathering information, questioning Shahna at every opportunity, looking for any clue that might lead to escape. He goes so far as to seduce Shahna, confusing her with new emotions and knowledge to encourage sharing of information. He even sacrifices his own safety to diminish the suffering of others – volunteering to accept physical torture intended first for Uhura and later for Shahna – thereby earning the respect of both the thralls and the Providers.

Kirk goes too far in the end, however. Desperate to pull the wool over the Providers’ non-existent eyes, Kirk tells these career gamblers that humans also possess a love of wagering. His description of his own culture is an apt portrayal of humans in the 21 st century: “We compete for everything – power, fame, women [oh, no!], everything we desire.” Lobbying for the thralls’ freedom should Kirk be victorious, he denies the Providers’ claim that the thralls are too inferior for self-reliance, claiming the Federation has taught self-governance to societies throughout the galaxy. If he’s basing this on the cultures Kirk has left in shambles with vague promises of aid (“ The Return of the Archons ” and “The Apple” come to mind), he’s giving himself way too much credit. Worse, Kirk gambles the lives of his crew on one final duel to the death: if he single-handedly defeats three thralls, everyone goes free; if he loses, the entire Enterprise crew will become thralls. What possesses Kirk to take this risk? It’s sheer luck that Kirk is victorious. It would have made far more sense to order Spock to turn tail and escape.

There are some terribly uncomfortable moments relating to race and gender; some deservedly uncomfortable, others a reflection of TOS’ typical clumsiness. When a disobedient thrall is offered to the others for target practice, Uhura refuses to attack him and is threatened with being horse-whipped by Kloog ( Mickey Morton ); Kirk insists on taking the punishment as Uhura’s captain. And that’s a relief, because the thought of seeing a Black woman whipped on network television is ghastly. (Yes, we’ve seen it in other productions and it was ghastly then, too.) The United States’ failed reckoning with slavery was on a lot of people’s minds in 1968. The Emancipation Proclamation ’s 100 th anniversary had been observed in 1962 and the Civil Rights Movement was in full force. The U.S. Congress passed a series of civil rights legislation in the 1960s, including the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and the Civil Rights Act of 1968 , containing the Fair Housing Act, only three months after this episode aired. Much of the 1960s, however, was a bloodbath for civil rights leaders: Medgar Evers , James Chaney , Malcolm X , Vernon Dahmer , Wharlest Jackson , and Martin Luther King Jr. are only a few of the local and national leaders killed between 1963-1968. For any viewers with doubts about the direction required for progress, Kirk spells it out for us when he tells the Providers, “A species that enslaves other beings is hardly superior, mentally or otherwise.”

Later, Kirk’s strategy to confuse Shahna includes talk of love, which Kirk carefully defines in terms of censor-friendly gender roles: “Love is the most important thing on earth. Especially to a man and a woman.” He follows through with, “On earth, men and women live together, help each other, make each other happy.” Kirk quickly backtracks when he makes out with Shahna in an “information-gathering” session, then punches her! Take that, happiness! Kirk knocks Shahna unconscious to take her key and free his landing party from their prison cells. While we can understand Kirk’s willingness to do anything to save his crew, the ease with which he assaults Shahna after manipulating her emotions continues TOS’ disturbing pattern of misogyny. Shahna at least gets to call out Kirk’s manipulation in the last fight scene: “You lied. Everything you said.” Unlike previous conquests, Kirk doesn’t even pretend to have sincere feelings for Shahna; the class divide between them is too wide.

The worst moment comes when Lars ( Steve Sandor ) introduces himself to Uhura as her drill thrall. Lars enters Uhura’s cell and assaults her in TOS’ most disturbing scene since “ The Enemy Within .” The actual assault occurs off-screen and leads quickly into what would have been a commercial break, so the outcome is left to the viewer’s imagination. Some interpret this to mean Uhura was raped, but a close listen to the dialog indicates otherwise. After the break, we pick up with Lars leaving Uhura’s cell and looking offended. “It is not allowed to refuse selection,” he says, implying that Uhura did exactly that and Lars intends to go crying to the Providers. After witnessing Uhura’s courage in “ Space Seed ,” not to mention her willingness to take on the Providers earlier in this episode, we can certainly imagine she successfully fought off her attacker. The moment is more significant than just a plot point; Uhura is defying the long history of sexual assault of Black women by white men during slavery. Nevertheless, watching the characters’ shadows matched to Uhura’s screams is terrifying.

The other crew members behave consistently with their established personas, and that’s mostly good news. Chekov calls the Providers “Cossacks,” the same insult he used on Klingons in “ The Trouble with Tribbles .” When Scott observes the landing party’s disappearance from the transporter room early in the episode, he chooses preparedness over panic and conducts all the appropriate equipment checks before making his report to Spock. With Sulu and Chekov both absent and Spock in temporary command, a female officer takes over both the science station and the navigation console, the only time I recall this happening in the series. Spock demonstrates the superiority of logic when he pursues the abductees by following the only available clue, instead of idling around doing nothing, as McCoy and Scott both recommend. Spock also gets the episode’s most insightful dialogue. When McCoy refers to hope as “a human failing,” Spock reminds us what propaganda experts have been demonstrating for centuries: “Constant exposure does result in a certain degree of contamination.” Speaking of McCoy, his constant complaining (“This is ridiculous!”) demonstrates why later iterations of Star Trek don’t allow the chief medical officer to wander the bridge. And Scott adds insubordination to his troubled resume. When Spock asks if they can exceed warp six, Scott responds, “It’s my opinion that we’ve gone too far as it is, sir.”

The episode’s resolution is unsatisfying on two levels. The first is the mistake of leaving the newly-freed thralls in the care of the Providers with vague promises of citizenship classes. Why is Kirk so confident the Providers will suddenly give the thralls a better life? It’s hard to believe the Providers will give up their gambling addiction (more on that shortly) to become civic-minded social workers. Even if the thralls were born on Triskelion, their ancestors came from other worlds. Wouldn’t the thralls face better prospects with their original societies? As wrong as the Providers’ system is, Kirk has violated the Prime Directive and left another culture in shambles with no plans for follow-up. And what about the Andorian injured in the final battle – doesn’t he need medical attention?

The failure to properly confront the problems with sports gambling is the conclusion’s second problem. This ties in directly to the dilemma of the thralls’ inexperience with self-sufficiency. Brutal competition is all the thralls have ever known; wagering on the outcome is all the Providers know. It’s easy to imagine that, when free, the thralls will slip back into the old pattern of combat for sport, with the Providers eager to indulge. If people beating each other senseless for entertainment, with spectators betting on the results, seems barbaric, welcome to present-day human life. Mixed martial arts, western-style boxing, and football are far more dangerous than the sports-reporting media would lead us to believe. Yet we keep cheering on the bloodshed. Meanwhile, sports betting is a growing business, thanks in part to the 2018 U.S. Supreme Court decision that overturned a national sports gambling ban . Sports betting in 2020 exceeded $800 million just in the state of New Jersey . So much for the myth that we can’t afford higher taxes! Imagine how different the world would be if that $800 million were invested in healthcare or education instead. Kirk speaks to all of us when he tells the Providers, “It’s an unproductive purpose, unworthy of your intellect. … Perhaps you’re not as evolved as you believe.”

Star Trek ’s original series is often described in terms of the triad of Kirk, Spock, and McCoy, and “The Gamesters of Triskelion” is an episode of threes. A triskelion is a trinary motif of rotational symmetry depicted in a variety of forms, including three spirals or three human legs. The image dates back to the ancient world, found in Malta, Ireland, Greece, and Sicily. In more modern times, it shows up in Celtic-themed jewelry, the logo of the U.S. Department of Transportation , and a SHIELD headquarters in Marvel Comics . A more nefarious use includes three 7’s in a triskelion arrangement used by white supremacists . The triskelion can represent many occurrences of threes, whether natural or contrived, including past, present, and future, or body, mind, and soul. In “The Gamesters of Triskelion,” the thralls fight on a triskelion platform, there are three Providers, Triskelion has three suns, three Enterprise crew members are abducted, Kirk fights three thralls in the final competition, and three voices (Spock, Scott, and McCoy) guide the bridge of the Enterprise . As viewers, we might recall that we’re in the middle of a three-season series. Regardless of its flaws, “The Gamesters of Triskelion” does a fine job of expressing humanity’s past (slavery), present (civil rights legislation), and future (freedom and the promise of equality). Star Trek encourages optimism, so let’s hope the former thralls face a promising future. If these new citizens grow impatient, we can understand. As we’ve learned in our own century, the future is a long time coming.

Next: A Piece of the Action

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Into the Forest I Go

The Gamesters of Triskelion

In the episode “The Gamesters of Triskelion,” the U.S.S. Enterprise is thrown off course by a mysterious force, and Captain James T. Kirk and his crew find themselves pulled through space to a distant planet. Upon their arrival, they are met by a society of alien humanoid creatures called the Providers, who have enslaved three other humanoid species. The Providers explain to the crew that they use these “thralls” for a game of physical combat, and the losers become slaves.

Kirk and the crew are taken captive by the alien beings, and are forced to participate in the combat games against the thralls. The stakes are high, and the crew must fight for their lives. The game pits them against the thralls, who have been trained in the art of physical combat and are much more experienced than the Enterprise crew.

The crew is forced to fight against the thralls and each other, in what amounts to a gladiatorial battle. They must battle for their lives and the lives of their thrall comrades, while negotiating their way out of the alien planet.

The crew must find a way to escape and free the thralls from their bondage, while also dealing with their own emotions about the situation. They must balance their morality and their desire to fight for their freedom, while also struggling with the psychological implications of being forced to fight their own friends and family.

Kirk and the crew must battle their way through the Gamesters of Triskelion, fighting for their freedom and the freedom of the thralls. With a mixture of courage, cleverness, and determination, they must find a way to outwit their alien captors and free themselves from their bondage. Along the way, they will discover more about the mysterious Providers, and their own courage in the face of adversity. In the end, they will learn lessons about the power of courage, the importance of morality, and the lengths to which one must go to ensure freedom.

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Star Trek – The Gamesters of Triskelion (Review)

The first Star Trek pilot, The Cage , was produced in 1964. To celebrate its fiftieth anniversary, this December we are reviewing the second season of the original Star Trek show. You can check out our first season reviews here . Check back daily for the latest review.

The Gamesters of Triskelion is not a great episode of Star Trek . Although filmed after Obsession , even if the production order lists it before that episode, The Gamesters of Triskelion feels like we’re watching producer John Meredyth Lucas finding his feet. It’s an episode that feels light and looks relatively cheap, formed from a collection of clichés that would already be familiar to Star Trek fans or fans of pulp science-fiction.

Perhaps the best thing that can be said about The Gamesters of Triskelion is that it has a decidedly pulpy charm to it. The entire episode looks like it was lifted from the cover to some trashy paperback, and the plot is recycled from stock science-fiction concepts and themes. While this isn’t enough to sustain an entire fifty minutes of television, it does allow the episode to feel a little distinctive and memorable… if not necessarily in a good way.

Shat happens…

It is amazing how much of the franchise’s memorable iconography and imagery comes from weaker episodes of the classic Star Trek . It’s a testament to the show’s production design team, that could always find a way to make  Star Trek look impressive, even on a tight budget and a short schedule. There’s also something enduring about the bizarre images that  Star Trek could throw up on screen, even when the scripts were lacking; from space! Lincoln in The Savage Curtain to half-black/half-white racism in Let That Be Your Last Battlefield .

Of course, there are episodes that are both great and iconic at at the same time, like Mirror, Mirror . Still, rewatching the show, it is hard to believe just how much of the popular perception of Star Trek comes from episodes that are of… questionable quality. After all, The Gamesters of Triskelion seems to have made an impression. It seems to be a go-to reference for Matt Groening’s television shows.

Throwing a bit of stick about…

It was the Star Trek episode that The Simpsons chose to reference in Deep Space Homer , right down to the distinctive set design and a NASA official yelling, “I’ll wager 400 quatloos on the newcomer!” The design of the “brain spawn” on  Futurama seems influenced by the design of the eponymous gamesters here. The Gamesters of Triskelion is really the perfect cocktail of Star Trek clichés and memorable images.

The Gamesters of Triskelion looks like a pulpy piece of science-fiction from the late fifties or early sixties, filled with primary colours and elaborate fight sequences. It is a story about slavery and oppression, in which a handsome Earth man is abducted to another planet so that he may teach a beautiful woman about this thing called love. The beautiful alien has striking green hair and a costume that seems to be made of tinfoil. There are ancient ruins and obvious soundstages. There are creepy overseers and monstrous aliens. The whole thing is overseen by three brains in a jar.

A jarring transition…

The episode seems more preoccupied with the next fight sequence than with logical plot developments. Gerard Fried’s iconic fight music from Amok Time gets yet another go-around, as Kirk and his away team find themselves fighting for their lives against a number of aggressive aliens. Fred Phillips’ Andorian makeup reappears here, but the production design of The Gamesters of Triskelion seems to hark back to classic science-fiction archetypes – the burly giant Kloog, the space-age Roman Lars, the bald cloak-wearing psychic Galt and the green-haired space babe Shahna.

Interestingly, and perhaps tellingly, The Gamesters of Triskelion marks a return to the aesthetics of the first season. The episode presents a planet that is a graveyard, occupied by ruins of an ancient civilisation that collapsed in on itself long before mankind reached the stars. It recalls the eerie sense that space is a graveyard, an element of early stories like The Cage or Charlie X or The Man Trap or What Are Little Girls Made Of? or even The Squire of Gothos .

Galt sees all…

There was a sense in those early episodes that mankind had arrived late to the party, stepping out into a once-vibrant cosmos that was now decaying and collapsing. The gamesters were once a mighty civilisation. Now all that remains are three brains in a jar, gambling on fights to the death. This feels like a rather conscious step backwards for Star Trek , which had spend a significant portion of the late first and early second season suggesting that space was populous and full of activity from powers like the Romulans or the Klingons.

It’s possible that this step backwards is a result of the changes taking place behind the scenes. After all, it was Gene L. Coon who had overseen a lot of the development of the wider Star Trek cosmos. After he left, it did seem like the show slipped backwards a little bit. With its space-age vampire preying on witless Starfleet officers, Obsession seemed to hark back to The Man Trap , the first Star Trek episode to air. By Any Other Name would see the crew revisiting the galactic barrier for the first time since Where No Man Has Gone Before , the first episode produced.

Second star on the left, straight on ’til morning…

There’s a sense that this is Star Trek trying to find its footing again, after all manner of changes behind the scenes. It’s an episode packed with elements that feel familiar, with no real sense that the series is pushing itself. The crew fight to the death! Non-corporeal bored aliens! Kirk seduces a beautiful babe! Freedom is good! Slavery is bad! Action! Dramatic music! A significant section of the episode is given over to time-eating scenes on the bridge of the Enterprise as Spock, McCoy and Scotty argue about what to do. (Answer: try to find the missing crew members .)

The most interesting plot element of The Gamesters of Triskelion is the implied criticism of television and spectacle… and maybe gambling. The gamesters are effectively couch potatoes. “We have found athletic competitions our only challenge,” they tell Kirk, “the only thing which furnishes us with purpose.” Kirk suggests that this is a flaw humanity shares, advising them, “My people pride themselves on being the greatest, most successful gamblers in the universe. We compete for everything. Power, fame, women, everything we desire, and it is our nature to win.”

This is what happens when Shatner tries to eat all the scenery at once…

Much is made of the entertainment of the gamesters, both inside and outside the ring. When Kirk begs for mercy for Shahna, the gamesters spare him – because the drama engaged them. “Captain, you do indeed present many surprises. Because you have amused the Providers, there will be no punishment.” The climax of the episode features the gamesters broadcasting the fight, as if hoping to share their sport with the universe. “Because you wager your skill for all your people, they will be permitted to watch the outcome of the game on the ship’s viewscreen.” 

However, even that was done much better in Bread and Circuses – another episode about how mindless (and cruel) entertainment can be used to hold a society back from reaching its potential. However, while Bread and Circuses made a few sly swipes at NBC, The Gamesters of Triskelion hedges its observations in the most banal and generic manner possible. Of course slavery and fights to the death are bad, but that is all that exists of the gamester culture.

The brains of the operation…

It doesn’t help that the script mangles a lot of these themes. Most obviously, Kirk seems horrified by the idea of enslaving all of these races for the amusement of the gamesters. This makes sense. Slavery is bad, after all. However, he is perfectly happy to murder them as part of his final gambit. Of course, the gamesters force his hand, but the episode is too swept up in the excitement of the brawl to give it any real thought.

“An opponent must be killed to be removed from the game,” the gamesters tell him. “If only wounded, he is replaced by a fresh thrall. Is that clear, Captain?” It seems like Kirk might have tried to haggle this with the gamesters – insisting on a limit to the number of tag-ins or such. Instead, Kirk simply replies, “Yes, that’s clear.” Kirk is pretty bloodthirsty during the fight – he only seems to hesitate when Shahna is used against him.

Crossing sticks…

There’s also a rather uncomfortably imperialist subtext to the episode, arguably one that comes embedded in the pulpy tropes. Stating his terms to the gamesters, Kirk reflects, “You will educate and train them to establish a normal self-governing culture.” While this is understandable, Kirk adds, “We have done the same with cultures throughout the galaxy.” It makes it sound like the mission of the Enterprise is not to seek out new civilisations, but to spread the Federation’s idea civilisation, building societies in their image.

Of course, this comes with the territory. The aesthetics of The Gamesters of Triskelion come right out of a science-fiction b-movie, with Kirk even teaching an alien space babe about love. “What is beautiful?” Shahan actually asks at one point. “What is love?” she asks later on. The Gamesters of Triskelion plays into the same sort of fantasy as Edgar Rice Burroughs’ John Carter of Mars – the story of a hero abducted to a strange land who takes the opportunity to hook up with an exotic slave girl and to oppose tyranny. ( John Carter of Mars was also fond of exotic gladiatorial combat.)

“Baby don’t hurt me. Don’t hurt me. No more.”

It feels like The Gamesters of Triskelion embraces the idea of a white man remaking an alien culture is his own image a little too quickly after A Private Little War . Similarly, the episode’s casual sexism feels a little out of place as well. A Private Little War featured a sexual assault and murder towards the end, as a way of punishing a female villain. The Gamesters of Triskelion places an implied attempted rape at an act break, as an incredibly cheap way of drumming up tension.

Uhura is assaulted by Lars in her cell, in a sequence shot in silhouette. “What are you doing?” she protests as he enters her cell. “Get out!” Lars matter-of-factly states, “I have been selected for you.” Despite his choice of euphemism, it is clear what is going on. As Kirk begins to freak out, the tension mounts, the music builds… and the camera cuts to black as we zoom in on William Shatner’s face.

Reach out a touch somebody…

This is a tasteless sequence in a number of ways. For one thing, the scene is constructed more around Kirk’s helplessness than anything concerning Uhura. Kirk is the character who gets the big reaction shots, and it is made perfectly clear that Kirk’s freakout as he tries to protect his officer is as important (if not moreso) than anything that actually happens to Uhura. Once the episode has got an act break out of Lars’ attempted rape, it is never mentioned again.

As much as the episode places Uhura in peril by having her “selected” for Lars, it is telling how The Gamesters of Triskelion treats potential “selection” for the two male members of away team. Chekov’s potential “selection” is treated as a joke, because the threat of sexual assault is apparently a thrill when it happens to a woman, but hilarious when it happens to a man. Shahna’s potential “selection” for Kirk is treated as a love story waiting to happen. “I must say, I’ve never seen a top sergeant who looked like you,” he quips.

That fresh “out of the body” glow…

The episode’s fixation on “selection” is itself quite unsettling. The idea of breeding slaves does underscore the horror the practice – the idea that these people are nothing but livestock to those who own them. However, the fact that The Gamesters of Triskelion features no children (and no pregnant characters) suggests that the episode is more interested in using “selection” to generate some cheap laughs and even cheaper thrills, rather than to communicate the horror of slavery.

There’s also the unavoidable reality that The Gamesters of Triskelion feels rather cheap. There are a number of obvious elements that make it seem like The Gamesters of Triskelion is cutting corners, even beyond the script assembled from recycled parts. Rather than the expensive transporter effect, the gamesters ensure that characters travel via much cheaper jump cut. The backdrop seen during Kirk’s conversation with the gamesters is very clearly the same one used in The Devil in the Dark .

It doesn’t help that Shatner is in full scenery-chewing mode. To be fair, Shatner’s gloriously over-the-top performance is one of the highlights of the episode, but it’s a performance that draws attention to the cheesy artifice of the whole production. This is an episode in which Kirk seduces a green-haired lady in a space bikini before engaging in a battle royale against a whole host of b-movie aliens. Shatner’s performance is a cherry on top, suggesting that the actor isn’t taking the whole thing entirely seriously.

The cast occasionally had to resort to desperate measures to keep Shatner’s ego in check…

It is worth noting that The Gamesters of Triskelion could have been the last episode of Star Trek . The show was in a precarious position at this point in its run. At one point, word even reached the set that Star Trek had been cancelled – that NBC would not be continuing the show. As guest star Angelique Pettyjohn told the fan magazine Enterprise Incidents :

The producer came in during lunch time and made an announcement to the cast and crew that he was sorry to say that the network had cancelled the series, and then everyone was very depressed. And so the last two days of shooting everyone was king of down around the set because of that and because they all loved working together so much. On my last day of shooting I had a particular speech where I said, ‘Goodbye Jim Kirk, I will watch the lights in the sky and remember;, and I had several tears in my eyes and those tears were real at the time because I was thinking, as my motivation as an actress that seriously it was goodbye Star Trek. I will watch the film and the lights in the sky and I will remember this experience with all of you, and it meant a great deal to me and I cried at that and that’s how I meant it because I knew that the series wasn’t going to be shooting any more.

It does lend Shahna’s tearful goodbye a bit more resonance, but it is also a terrifying thought. Even without the difficulty of syndicating a thirty-six episode show, which would likely have killed any chance of the repeats that helped Star Trek secure its audience into the seventies and beyond, it’s depressing to imagine the production shutting down on The Gamesters of Triskelion .

Triumvirate 2.0…

Of course, the show did close on The Turnabout Intruder at the end of the third season, which can hardly claim to be a much better episode. However, that episode came at the end of a long and painful season where the series stumbled and faltered under a variety of factors. In contrast, the second season of Star Trek had been been bold and creative and ambitious, and it would be again. Closing out on a piece of dull pulp like The Gamesters of Triskelion seems like the worst place to cut the second season. Well, except for after The Omega Glory and Assignment: Earth .

The Gamesters of Triskelion is memorable. It is very pulpy science-fiction, harking back to fifties and sixties space operas and planetary romances. While none of the elements coalesce into a good or interesting story, the visuals do linger. Which is something.

You might be interested in our other reviews from the second season of the classic Star Trek :

• Supplemental: (Gold Key) #1 – The Planet of No Return!
• Supplemental: (Marvel Comics, 1980) #4-5 – The Haunting of Thallus!/The Haunting of the Enterprise!
• Metamorphosis
• Friday’s Child
• Who Mourns for Adonais?
• Supplemental: Spock’s World by Diane Duane
• Supplemental: New Visions #3 – Cry Vengeance
• Wolf in the Fold
• The Changeling
• Supplemental: (DC Comics, 1984) #43-45 – The Return of the Serpent!
• Supplemental: (IDW, 2009) #13 – The Red Shirt’s Tale
• Supplemental: Deep Space Nine – Crossover
• Supplemental: New Visions #1 – The Mirror, Cracked
• Supplemental: (DC Comics, 1984) #9-16 – New Frontiers (The Mirror Universe Saga)
• Supplemental: Mirror Images
• Supplemental: Mirror Universe – The Sorrows of Empire by David Mack
• Supplemental: (IDW, 2009) #15-16 – Mirrored
• The Deadly Years
• Supplemental: (Gold Key) #61 – Operation Con Game
• Supplemental: (DC Comics, 1984) #39-40 – The Return of Mudd
• Supplemental: The Galactic Whirlpool by David Gerrold
• Supplemental: Alien Spotlight – Tribbles
• Bread and Circuses
• Journey to Babel
• A Private Little War
• The Gamesters of Triskelion
• The Immunity Syndrome
• A Piece of the Action
• By Any Other Name
• Return to Tomorrow
• Patterns of Force
• The Ultimate Computer
• The Omega Glory
• Supplemental: Assignment: Eternity by Greg Cox
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Filed under: The Original Series | Tagged: cancellation , Gambling , gamesters , gamesters of triskelion , gene roddenberry , john meredyth lucas , margaret armen , pulp , sci-fi , science fiction , shanha , Shatner , star trek , Television , to the death , tos , what is love? |

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A few months ago I had an opportunity to re-watch “The Gamesters of Triskelion” for the first time in many, many years. And I think that from now on, going forward, I am inevitably going to think of this episode as “the one where Captain Kirk gets it one with Lady Gaga” 🙂

The Gamesters of Triskelion is really the perfect cocktail of Star Trek clichés and memorable images.

LOL! You are NOT kidding! Seriously, even before reading your review, I thought of this episode as the quintessential example of by-the-numbers Star Trek: The Original Series…

1) The crew of the Enterprise become the pawns of incredibly ancient alien beings with seemingly god-like powers 2) Kirk meets a sexy, half-naked alien woman who he seduces in order to gain information and foment rebellion 3) The entire crisis is resolved in a huge, dramatic fight scene between Kirk and a group of alien gladiators 4) Having overthrown a corrupt and totalitarian regime, Kirk promptly skedaddles away on the Enterprise, leaving behind the denizens of the planet to have to pick of the pieces & rebuild civilization all on their own, in the process also abandoning the woman whose heart he broke

I guess you could offer up the excuse you’ve cited before, that “The Gamesters of Triskalon” was just one more episode in a TV show that the creators figured would get viewed once or twice and then forgotten about by the general public, as opposed to becoming an entry in an iconic series that is endlessly re-watched by avid fans half a century later.

“The Gamesters of Triskelion” is very much a product of its time, when TV was both plot-driven and extremely episodic. In a way, it is sort of unfair to judge it by today’s standards, when so much of television is character focused and driven by a larger arc. If an episode like this aired in 2014, I expect many viewers would be wondering if any of these events would be followed up a season or so from now, if we’d be re-visiting Triskelion to see the consequences of Kirks actions. Did the Providers really try to organize the former Thralls into a new civilization, and if so were they able to make it functional? Has Shahna moved on with her life, or is she still pining for Kirk?

I guess this just goes to show how much audience expectations have changed since the late 1960s. Back then, most viewers probably said “Oh, that was cool. I wonder where the Enterprise is going to end up next week?” Nowadays, the audience is more likely to be left asking “Wait, that’s it? That’s the end? But what happens next?”

It’s certainly interesting that this episode reveals just how much of a product of its era the original Star Trek was, and enables us to see how much the medium of television has transformed in the intervening decades.

My apologies for the looooong reply. And I hope that you do not mind all of my recent comments. Your blog is really thought-provoking.

Of course I don’t mind your comments! Glad to have them! Apologies that it takes me so long to reply. As you may have gathered, I tend to schedule posts in advance so I’m away from the actual site for extended periods.

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http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Recap/StarTrekS2E16TheGamestersOfTriskelion

Recap / Star Trek S2 E16 "The Gamesters of Triskelion"

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Original air date: January 5, 1968

As Kirk, Uhura and Chekov prepare to beam down on a routine mission, they vanish into thin air and Scotty immediately contacts the bridge. "I presume you mean they vanished in a manner not consistent with the usual workings of the transporter," Spock replies. Scotty does - they disappeared with a Stop Trick and the "boing" sound effect that indicates the involvement of Sufficiently Advanced Aliens . Spock, Scotty and McCoy spend the rest of the episode trying to find them in order to add Padding .

Kirk, Uhura and Chekov find themselves on the planet Triskelion, where they encounter kidnapped beings from across the galaxy. A Dracula lookalike named Galt informs them that the Providers have chosen them to become "thralls", which apparently entails being forced to fight one another in BDSM outfits. Kirk, Uhura and Chekov begin their "training" with each assigned a "drill thrall" of the opposite sex. Kirk gets Shahna, a Green-Skinned Space Babe (actually a green- haired space babe) wearing what looks like a very kinky bikini made out of tin foil. Our heroes, of course, refuse to have any part in this and Galt decides to make an example of Kirk by having him whipped. Being Kirk, he manages to turn this into a Fight Scene and subdue his whipper. At this point, the Providers bid on the three newcomers and they become full-fledged thralls. That was quick training. His shirt having been ruined in the whip fight, Kirk goes shirtless for the rest of the episode. Having apparently realized that one Trek cliché has still been left out, Shahnah asks Kirk What Is This Thing You Call "Love"? , prompting the usual speech and demonstration .

By this time, the Enterprise has found Triskelion by following the energy trace left by the Providers' teleporter. As Spock and McCoy prepare to beam down, the Providers seize the ship. Kirk convinces the Providers to show themselves and they turn out to be Brains In A Jar . He bargains for his freedom, agreeing to take part in a three-against-one fight. If Kirk wins, all the thralls go free, but if he loses the entire crew of the Enterprise willingly becomes thralls. Kirk wins, of course, and the Providers honor their agreement. Kirk bids farewell to the now freed Shahna.

The Tropes of Triskelion:

• Abhorrent Admirer : Chekov's drill thrall.
• Anti-Villain : The drill thralls, since they have no more freedom than any other. That said, Shahna is the only one who comes off as truly sympathetic, considering that Galt is a Torture Technician and the other two are attempted rapists.
• On the other hand, the possibility of this happening to Chekov is Played for Laughs .

• Brain in a Jar : The Providers.
• The Charmer : Kirk does a blatantly going through the motions seduction of Shahna.
• Designated Girl Fight : Upon arriving on Triskelion, Kirk, Chekov and Uhura get attacked by four thralls, two males and two females. Kirk and Chekov are fighting one male thrall each, while poor Uhura has to defend herself alone against both females.
• Does This Remind You of Anything? : The Providers' actions are such an obvious parallel to the Atlantic slave trade that it would be very surprising if this was not intentional.
• Even Evil Has Standards : The Providers are indisputably evil, being space slave traffickers, but when Kirk wins the final wager, they honor their agreement to let everyone go.
• For the Evulz : The only reason the Providers give for kidnapping people all over the Galaxy, enslaving them, forcing them to fight to the death, and ruthlessly punishing the most minor deviance, is because they were bored .
• Gladiator Games : What the Providers subject their thralls to.

• Perfectly Cromulent Word : The characters keep saying that Triskelion orbits a "trinary" star. The correct word is "ternary".
• Sexophone : Used ironically for the advent of Chekov's Abhorrent Admirer .
• Temporary Substitute : George Takei was busy filming The Green Berets , so Chekov took his place in the script, with a barroom brawling style in the fight scenes taking the place of the martial arts scenes planned for Sulu.
• Two of Your Earth Minutes : The Providers claim to have transported Kirk "one thousand of your meters beneath the surface."
• Walking Shirtless Scene : Roughly half-way through the episode, Kirk's shirt is rendered unwearable after being whipped repeatedly. He spends the rest of the episode shirtless.
• What Is This Thing You Call "Love"? : Kirk attempts to teach Shahna, with such success that she's heartbroken when he leaves.
• Star Trek S2 E15 "The Trouble with Tribbles"
• Recap/Star Trek: The Original Series
• Star Trek S2 E17 "A Piece of the Action"

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Star Trek – Season 2, Episode 16

The gamesters of triskelion, where to watch, star trek — season 2, episode 16.

Buy Star Trek — Season 2, Episode 16 on Vudu, Prime Video, Apple TV.

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Cast & crew.

William Shatner

Capt. James T. Kirk

Leonard Nimoy

DeForest Kelley

Dr. Leonard McCoy

James Doohan

Engineer Montgomery Scott

Nichelle Nichols

George Takei

Episode Info

The Gamesters Of Triskelion Stardate: 3211.7 Original Airdate: 5 Jan, 1968

<Back to the episode listing

Star Trek ® and related marks are trademarks of CBS Studios Inc . Copyright © 1966, Present. The Star Trek web pages on this site are for educational and entertainment purposes only. All other copyrights property of their respective holders.

Screen Rant

1 star trek actor starred alongside 5 classic captains.

Joseph Ruskin holds an impressive Star Trek record by appearing on screen alongside five of the franchise's most recognized, classic captains.

• Joseph Ruskin's unique distinction lies in appearing alongside all classic Star Trek captains, solidifying his legacy across multiple series.
• His diverse roles range from commanding as the Cardassian Informant to guiding as the Vulcan Master, showcasing his versatility.
• Despite brief appearances, Ruskin's impactful performances and distinct characters add depth and intrigue to the Star Trek universe.

Actor Joseph Ruskin appeared alongside five classic Star Trek captains . Appearing in small or minor roles amid ensembles including Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner), Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart), Captain Benjamin Sisko (Avery Brooks), Captain Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew), and Captain Jonathan Archer (Scott Bakula), Ruskin holds an important and distinguished Star Trek claim. Joseph Ruskin is the only actor to have worked alongside each of the franchise's earliest captains (not including Captain Christopher Pike (Jeffrey Hunter), Star Trek's pilot episode commanding officer.

Born Joseph Richard Schlafman, Ruskin sadly passed away from natural causes in December 2013 at the age of 89. Besides voice acting roles in two video games, Ruskin's Star Trek links include working alongside many franchise actors on other creative projects – including Leonard Nimoy in "The Outer Limits" (1964) and Chris Pine in "Smokin' Aces" (2006). Both Nimoy and Pine, Spock, and James T. Kirk, respectively, starred in Star Trek movies as captains, further enhancing Ruskin's captainly distinction. Ruskin's roles in four Star Trek series and a movie are a unique glimpse into the layered intergalactic community's diversity and a fun exploration of Ruskin's convincing and comprehensive acting talents.

How To Watch All Star Trek TV Shows In Timeline Order

6 star trek: the original series season 2, episode 17 - "the gamesters of triskelion", joseph ruskin as galt.

In the Star Trek: The Original Series episode "The Gamesters of Triskelion", Joseph Ruskin plays Galt, a mysterious figure dressed in a black robe with a large red collar. The master thrall of the planet Triskelion, Galt is a mildly chilling figure, able to dole out a painful punishment for bad or undesired behaviors, his eyes shining like stars as the new thralls’ collars of obedience glow and cause severe discomfort. Playing with themes of slavery and consent, "The Gamesters of Triskelion" is somewhat dark and disturbing, and Ruskin’s role as Galt is subtle, muted, strong, and unflinching.

Galt marks the obedience collars once thralls have been purchased by the highest bidding Providers, overseeing training exercises, employing the use of less valuable thralls for target practice and example, and issuing painful and unpleasant punishments for refused participation or commands. The ominous, imposing Galt is a menacing and mighty allegory of humanity’s terrible past and the allusion to potential other-worldly dangers awaiting mankind throughout space. It’s a strong, if undefined, performance – and a dependably noble first franchise performance from this long-spanning Star Trek actor.

A photograph of Galt, along with drill thralls Tamoon (Jane Ross) and Shahna (Angelique Pettyjohn), was shown in Star Trek: Lower Decks, Season 2, Episode 5 - "An Embarrassment of Dooplers."

5 Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Season 3, Episode 3 - "The House of Quark" & Season 5, Episode 3 - "Looking for par'Mach in All the Wrong Places"

Joseph ruskin plays tumek.

Joseph Ruskin appeared as the Klingon Tumek in two episodes of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Prominently Klingon culture-driven, these episodes revolve primarily around Quark (Armin Shimerman) , with Tumek introduced as a respected and much-trusted advisor to Grilka (Mary Kay Adams). Older and wise, Tumek had an essential role in Grilka's house and demonstrated an insightful, honest, loyal, and honorable personality with a keen understanding of familial politics and a tired clarity and awareness of other characters' motivations.

In the DS9 season 3 episode, "The House of Quark," Grilka abducts Quark to her home on Qo'noS and later weds him at knifepoint after he falsely claims responsibility for her husband's accidental death in an attempt to boost his business. As Quark quickly finds himself in a dilemma of deception, alien customs, and relational manipulation, Tumek informs him that he's played into the devious schemes of Grilka's opponent. Though Quark eventually navigates his way out of these circumstances with a distinctly Ferengi financial flair, this episode is an exciting look at Klingon culture, tradition, and inter-species relationships.

Ruskin impressively aids the narrative with a commanding and convincing character

Similar themes are also explored in the DS9 season 5 episode, "Looking For pah'Mach in All the Wrong Places." Lt. Commander Worf (Michael Dorn) and Quark learn about Klingon mating rituals and work together to woo Quark's ex-wife, Grilka. Ruskin's Tumek quickly warns Worf away , with the much-loved Klingon character subsequently working to aid Quark's efforts in love. When Quark and Grilka retire for their Klingon mating ritual, Worf is engaged in a similar ceremony by Jadzia Dax (Terry Farrell). Ruskin impressively aids the narrative with a commanding and convincing character, demonstrating skillful acting prowess and a sympathetic understanding of the subject matter.

4 Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Season 3, Episode 20 - "Improbable Cause"

Joseph ruskin plays a cardassian informant.

In this first part of a complex and winding two-episode story , the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine officers launch an investigation following an explosion in Elim Garak’s (Andrew Robinson) tailor shop. With traces of a bomb located in the debris and Garak’s list of enemies a mile long, the scope of Constable Odo’s (Rene Auberjonois) task to uncover the culprit(s) is daunting. Later rocked by another explosion, a potential poisoning, Garak’s own complicity, and suspicions over Romulan involvement in the attacks on Garak’s life, Odo meets a shadowy contact on a lifeless moon.

Ruskin again performs well here, manipulating the audience and narrative with a series of obscure and stylized shots that show little of his appearance

The Cardassian Informant (Joseph Ruskin) is mysterious, suspicious, and literally cloaked in a veil of darkness. He confirms Odo’s suspicions about the Romulans’ involvement but alludes to a bigger picture with the revelation of Romulan vessels along the Cardassian border and news that other operatives of the Obsidian Order (besides Garak) were recently killed in suspicious circumstances. With an impressively clear Cardassian countenance, Ruskin’s Informant is vague, credible, and yet questionable. Evoking an air of Garak-esque duplicity, the Informant is informative and dubious, doing much to escalate the tension and secrecy of the scene.

Remarkably removed from his previous franchise roles, Ruskin again performs well here, manipulating the audience and narrative with a series of obscure and stylized shots that show little of his appearance but his eyes and overall presence. With this limited physical opportunity, Ruskin impressively conveys a multi-layered, intelligent, and memorable character with a wealth of qualities and depths. Ruskin offers a compellingly intriguing character of questionable morality in an exciting tale of conspiracy, assassination, and deception.

The Obsidian Order was an intelligence agency in the Cardassian Union.

3 Star Trek: Voyager Season 5, Episode 13 - "Gravity"

Joseph ruskin plays a vulcan master.

When a USS Voyager shuttle crash lands on a class D desert planet, Lt. Tom Paris (Robert Duncan McNeil) and Lt. Tuvok (Tim Russ) encounter Noss (Lori Petty) and quickly work together to establish shelter and activate The Doctor (Robert Picardo) to treat Noss’ wounds. Noss’ developing feelings for Tuvok provokes the Vulcan to remember his experiences from his youth with a Vulcan Master (Joseph Ruskin) where he admitted to various volatile emotions stemming from a romantic attraction. Ruskin’s Vulcan Master promptly informs the young Tuvok that he must train to control his emotions to avoid being consumed by them – particularly pertaining to love.

Ruskin's performance is balanced and gentle, but characteristically intense and wholly transformative

Occupying a pivotal influence on Tuvok, Ruskin’s role in this episode is both brief and dignified . Patiently guiding an emotionally unbalanced and untrained young Tuvok, Ruskin’s Vulcan Master offered guidance and teaching on powerful emotions and the power of embracing logic. It’s a pleasant character, again offering interesting insight into Vulcan culture and tradition, and demonstrating ongoing importance through Tuvok’s own recalled memories. Ruskin’s performance is balanced and gentle, but characteristically intense and wholly transformative – using a small, shared space to make a strong, artistic, and impactful statement.

Star Trek: Voyager Cast & Character Guide

2 star trek: enterprise, season 1, episode 1 - "broken bow", jospeh ruskin plays a suliban doctor.

Joseph Ruskin as a Suliban doctor in Star Trek: Enterprise 's series premiere , "Broken Bow". The Suliban doctor works alongside Silik to administer truth drugs to Klaang (Tiny Lister, Jr), a Klingon courier who crashed on Earth. Klaang's transport to the Klingon homeworld was the inaugural mission of Captain Jonathan Archer (Scott Bakula) and the NX-01 Enterprise, which the Suliban disrupted in their efforts to capture Klaang.

Playing a Suliban doctor is a questionable and admittedly limited role for Joseph Ruskin, not offering as much opportunity to shine as in previous performances, but Ruskin still makes a clear and noteworthy impression. Maintaining his pattern of distinctly different character portrayals in each role, Ruskin again works with little to create much. It’s an interesting study of the actor’s range, particularly in so full a costume, and the impressive ability to convey a layered personality and rich mindset with little room to maneuver in the story’s script or narrative.

1 Star Trek: Insurrection

Joseph ruskin plays a son'a officer.

In Star Trek: Insurrection , Joseph Ruskin plays a Son'a officer who has a showdown with Commander William Riker (Jonathan Frakes) late in the film. Ruskin's Son’a officer aboard the flagship of Ru’afo (F. Murray Abraham) faces a choice between destruction or defeat when Riker sets the USS Enterprise-E on a collision course with the Son'a ship, and Lt. Commander Worf (Michael Dorn) confirms that it isn’t a bluff. Ruskin’s character orders evasive maneuvers, exposing the ship to direct fire from the Enterprise – and effectively surrenders. The ship’s life support subsequently disabled, the Son'a are transferred to the Federation flagship.

Ruskin's role in Star Trek: Insurrection is relatively brief yet well-rounded and resonating.

Joseph Ruskin has an interesting role in Star Trek: Insurrection, not a large part, but certainly one of note. Like his other appearances in Star Trek , Ruskin’s part in Star Trek: Insurrection is relatively brief yet well-rounded and resonating. Picking up an impressive credit as an actor in each of these early series alongside five of Star Trek ’s most important captains, Joseph Ruskin demonstrates originality, creativity, longevity, and depth . In roles ranging from minor enemy support characters to a traditional Klingon advisor and a learned Vulcan guide, Ruskin’s easy, dynamic, and approachable performances in each instance remarkably reflect an earned and innate inner confidence and obvious natural talent.

Star Trek: Insurrection is available for streaming on Max.

All Star Trek series (except Prodigy) are available for streaming on Paramount+.

Star Trek: The Original Series

Star Trek: The Original Series follows the exploits of the crew of the USS Enterprise. On a five-year mission to explore uncharted space, Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner) must trust his crew - Spock (Leonard Nimoy), Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy (Forest DeKelley), Montgomery "Scotty" Scott (James Doohan), Uhura (Nichelle Nichols), Chekov (Walter Koenig) and Sulu (George Takei) - with his life. Facing previously undiscovered life forms and civilizations and representing humanity among the stars on behalf of Starfleet and the United Federation of Planets, the Enterprise regularly comes up against impossible odds and diplomatic dilemmas.

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, also known as DS9, is the fourth series in the long-running Sci-Fi franchise, Star Trek. DS9 was created by Rick Berman and Michael Piller, and stars Avery Brooks, René Auberjonois, Terry Farrell, and Cirroc Lofton. This particular series follows a group of individuals in a space station near a planet called Bajor.

Star Trek: Voyager

The fifth entry in the Star Trek franchise, Star Trek: Voyager, is a sci-fi series that sees the crew of the USS Voyager on a long journey back to their home after finding themselves stranded at the far ends of the Milky Way Galaxy. Led by Captain Kathryn Janeway, the series follows the crew as they embark through truly uncharted areas of space, with new species, friends, foes, and mysteries to solve as they wrestle with the politics of a crew in a situation they've never faced before. 

Star Trek: Enterprise

Star Trek: Enterprise acts as a prequel to Star Trek: The Original Series, detailing the voyages of the original crew of the Starship Enterprise in the 22nd century, a hundred years before Captain Kirk commanded the ship. Enterprise was the sixth series in the Star Trek franchise overall, and the final series before a twelve-year hiatus until the premiere of Star Trek: Discovery in 2017. The series stars Scott Bakula as Captain Jonathan Archer, with an ensemble cast that includes John Billingsley, Jolene Blalock, Dominic Keating, Anthony Montgomery, Linda Park, and Connor Trinneer.

Angelique Pettyjohn (1943-1992)

• Costume and Wardrobe Department

IMDbPro Starmeter See rank

• Repo Wife #2

• Dora Belair

• 1968 • 1 ep

• Charlie Watkins
• Cigarette Girl (as Angelique)
• 1967 • 2 eps

• Lisa Martyn

• Anita Little

• Nazi Interrogator (as Angelique)
• Cassie (as Angelique)
• Brenda Weeks (as Heaven St. John)

• Dancing Nun

• Woman at Craps Table (uncredited)

• Miss Honeysuckle (as Angelique Pettijohn)

• Elizabeth Plover

• Girl at Bar (segment "Love and the Modern Wife") (uncredited)

Costume Department

• leather costume and accessories (as Ms. Pettyjohn)

Personal details

• 5′ 6″ (1.68 m)
• March 11 , 1943
• Los Angeles, California, USA
• February 14 , 1992
• Las Vegas, Nevada, USA (cervical cancer)
• No Children
• Maia Irene Enke Herbert
• Relatives Jerald C. Herbert (Sibling)
• 4 Pictorials

Did you know

• Trivia Best remembered for her role as the drill thrall Shahna in the second-season episode, " The Gamesters of Triskelion (1968) ". She became popular at the Star Trek conventions and was photographed in her costume from the episode.
• Trademark Voluptuous bombshell figure
• When did Angelique Pettyjohn die?
• How did Angelique Pettyjohn die?
• How old was Angelique Pettyjohn when she died?

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