star trek enterprise silent enemy cast

Silent Enemy (episode)

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Enterprise is attacked by an unknown alien starship, as Archer orders the crew to install experimental "phase cannons". Meanwhile, Sato is ordered to find out what Reed's favorite food is for a birthday dinner.

• 1.2 Act One
• 1.3 Act Two
• 1.4 Act Three
• 1.5 Act Four
• 2 Log entries
• 3 Memorable quotes
• 4.1 Production
• 4.2 Continuity
• 4.3 Reception
• 4.4 Apocrypha
• 4.5 Video and DVD releases
• 5.1 Starring
• 5.2 Guest stars
• 5.3 Co-stars
• 5.4 Uncredited co-stars
• 5.5 References
• 5.6 External links

Summary [ ]

The mysterious aliens

Enterprise NX-01 launches Echo Two , a subspace amplifier . Hoshi Sato wants to run some tests, which will take about an hour. Malcolm Reed then detects an alien ship . Their configuration is unknown, but the captain tries to hail them, sensing an opportunity for first contact . Unfortunately, he gets no reply. The vessel then warps away, leaving Captain Archer to surmise, " Was it something I said? " The only information Malcolm Reed is able to gather from their first contact is that their ship is protected by a sensor -dampening field, preventing the Enterprise from scanning the vessel.

Act One [ ]

Sato guesses that perhaps Enterprise 's signal didn't make sense to the alien ship, but T'Pol thinks that they simply didn't understand their motives. Travis Mayweather thinks the aliens didn't find them interesting. As Archer tells them to calibrate the new subspace amplifier, Sato speaks to the captain in private, saying that she has tracked down Reed's parents, who currently live in Kotabaru, Malaysia.

Stuart and Mary Reed speak to Captain Archer, thinking that perhaps Malcolm is in trouble. Archer finds out that they don't even know what position Malcolm has taken aboard Enterprise . When Archer tells them he is an armory officer, Mr. Reed says that Malcolm's grandfather would be pleased – he was an ordnance officer in the Royal Navy . Mrs. Reed says that the Reeds have been Navy men for generations. Archer then says that he is going to be making a special dinner for Malcolm's birthday , and he would like to know what he likes to eat. However, they don't know if he has a favorite food, as he "always ate what was put in front of him." Ending the conversation, Archer finds Sato and asks her to find out instead. Sato thinks that maybe Chef would be a better choice, but Archer claims that as it is a "delicate assignment", it needs her "finesse." Sato says that she's busy, but Archer orders her to complete the task.

Archer is talking to Trip Tucker . Tucker missed "dinner and a show" – T'Pol's latest bout with chopsticks . Tucker has been catching up with people from home. He received a letter from "the Natalie from Pensacola ", who thought that their long distance relationship wouldn't work – after all, they are 100 light years apart. Archer then talks about Reed, saying that they don't know much about him at all. Their conversation is cut short however, as the Enterprise drops out of warp and Archer is called to the bridge ; the alien ship has returned.

Archer tries hailing the alien vessel again, although the results are the same as the previous attempt. Sato then picks up something, and a high-pitched squeal is heard, temporarily startling the bridge crew , who clasp their hands over their ears in pain. T'Pol says that they're being scanned, as the alien ship comes about and fires on the defenseless Enterprise , before going to warp. Nobody is hurt in the attack. Reed managed to get some scans when the vessel fired, as their shielding dropped for just a few seconds. He detects at least fifteen bio-signs , but T'Pol doesn't recognize the species. Reed doubts that their spatial torpedoes would have made much difference anyway. Archer tells them to stay on long-range sensors, and leaves the bridge with T'Pol.

Act Two [ ]

Archer, T'Pol, and Tucker assess the damage caused by the alien's attack. It came uncomfortably close to breaching a bulkhead with only open space on the other side: Tucker and the 12 other crewmen working in the section at the time would have had no chance. Back in the turbolift , Archer tells T'Pol that Enterprise just wasn't equipped to handle some of the threats they are facing. There are phase cannon ports, but the weapons weren't installed because of their early departure from Earth . He suggests they should head back. Talking this over with Reed and Tucker in the armory however, they are convinced they can install the phase cannons within two weeks as they already have most of the parts anyway; Archer mentions that the crew at Jupiter Station is trained for the work. Tucker assures Archer that his engineers are just as good, but Archer says that other systems need overhauls as well. Reed asks for permission to start the work, as it would mean less time in spacedock . Archer gives them the green light, and as they get to work, Archer orders Mayweather to set a course for home.

Reed and Tucker show off the prototype phase cannon

Reed and Tucker go over the specs for the phase cannons with the engineering crew. They must get their only cannon working and build two more from scratch. Tucker believes they can finish the work long before they get to Jupiter Station, saying the only thing the station's crew will be doing is giving the Enterprise a "wash and a wax." Tucker gives them the motivational speech, and they get to work.

Meanwhile, Sato is talking to Madeline Reed , Malcolm's sister. Unfortunately, she also has no idea what her brother likes to eat, but says that he went for a week without eating. She says that Malcolm isn't the easiest person to get to know, something that Sato is discovering. Sato then speaks to Mark Latrelle , Malcolm's best friend. He thinks it is fish , because he went to a restaurant on the Embarcadero with Malcolm, but the latter only went there because of Maureen , a waitress . Latrelle then says that Malcolm hates fish, to Sato's frustration. Mayweather walks in as Sato cuts the communication, and asks her how the secret mission is going. She has spoken to Malcolm's sister, his best friend, his uncle Archie, and his two spinster aunts , but all they know is that Malcolm "occasionally eats". T'Pol interrupts, and suggests that if Sato wants to know something about Malcolm, perhaps she should ask him.

Sato sits with Reed in the mess hall . He is looking over the phase cannon schematics, and Sato attempts to make conversation. She asks him how his meal is, attempting to coerce the answer she wants out of him without him realizing. She says that maybe one night she should cook something herself, but Reed isn't paying attention. She goes directly to the point, asking him what his favorite food is, but he refuses her previous offer of cooking, without answering the question. Sato says that eating in the mess hall lacks a personal touch, and that she has a hot plate in her quarters. Unfortunately, Reed takes this the wrong way, thinking that Sato is flirting with him. As she realizes this, she takes her meal somewhere else, leaving an embarrassed Reed behind in the mess hall.

Act Three [ ]

The aliens on board Enterprise

Enterprise detects the alien ship behind them, and they attack again. Reed, still in the mess hall, tries to contact the bridge and armory, to no avail. He orders the crewmen there to report to their stations. The alien ship activates a dampening field , as the lights go out. They then launch a shuttle . As all main systems go off-line, T'Pol reports that the doors in launch bay 2 are opening. Archer heads there with a security team. Two crewmen are examining a relay, and they see two strange looking aliens walking past. Suddenly, they are knocked to the floor, unconscious. Archer and his team find them being probed by the two aliens, who are very tall and thin bipeds, with faces that look slightly humanoid. When Archer warns them to stop what they're doing, they give him a glance and then ignore him; he fires his phase-pistol at one of them, but there is no effect. The two aliens walk off, and Archer sends his team after them. He calls Phlox to the two injured crewmen. The alien shuttle leaves and docks with its mothership, which promptly fires at the port nacelle , damaging it. They then go back to warp.

Phlox tells Archer that the two injured crewmen were subjected to some rather invasive scans, but they'll recover. Tucker calls and tells them that it'll be a few days before they can go to warp, but the impulse engines will be up and running within a few minutes.

On the bridge, Mayweather suggests that they contact the Vulcan High Command , who could "give them a hand". Archer swallows his pride and agrees. Sato can't make contact with Echo Two , and T'Pol finds out that it has been destroyed – along with Echo One . They can't contact Vulcan .

Reed and Tucker are busy installing the phase cannons. While Tucker is calm and just getting on with the work, Reed is annoyed that they are falling behind. He gets even more agitated when his hand receives a rather nasty shock while touching the relays; he had ordered that they were to be depolarized. He explains that they could bypass the EPS grid , and have the cannons draw power directly from the impulse engines. The relays were rated for handling such power, and if a surge were to occur, the inverters to the cannons were designed to cut in at the first sign of overload. Tucker insists that they have to do it by the book, concerned about the cannons damaging the ship and getting crew killed, but Reed states that he's simulated the setup a dozen times and believes it would be an "acceptable risk", as otherwise, the aliens could return before the cannons are ready. Tucker tells him that as Chief engineer , he'll be the one who should decide what is an acceptable risk. Reed reluctantly agrees.

Archer asks Tucker for a progress report in engineering . Tucker says the engines should be back by the "end of day tomorrow." Archer tells him about his failed attempt to contact the Vulcans , who would "oh-so-politely" offer to help them. He also says that Enterprise won't leave Earth before they're really ready. Tucker asks him if his ears are "a little more pointier than usual". Archer says that he rushed out of spacedock because he had something to prove. Tucker however says that if he asked the crew whether their journey has been worth the risk so far, he'd get the same answer from them all.

Sometime after the discussion about risk with Archer, Tucker goes to see Reed in the armory. Reed is about to disconnect the cannons from the impulse engines but Tucker stops him; Reed confirms that he's sure that his setup will work just fine. Tucker gives his official approval and Reed asks him to give him a hand.

Oops… the results of shaving a couple of meters "off the top"

Two days after their last encounter with the alien vessel, and there has been no sign of them. It has taken just 48 hours to get the phase cannons working, and Archer expresses his pride in his crew in his log. They are ready to test the new weapons and find a moon with no signs of life. Archer asks for a couple of meters off the top of a mountain on the surface. The phase cannons do more, however, completely obliterating the mountain and causing a power surge on Enterprise that rocks the ship. As the cannons are checked for damage, Reed reports that the blast was ten times what was expected, due to something causing an overload to the cannons' phase modulators . The resultant plasma recoil blew out plasma relays across decks C and D. T'Pol detects an anomalous reading from Launch Bay 2. Going down to the launch bay themselves, Archer, Tucker, and Reed head inside first with their phase-pistols while T'Pol pinpoints the reading to find a small device attached to a corner of the ceiling. T'Pol scans it as putting out more than 600 megajoules of energy, and tapped into most of the ship's systems, including internal sensors and communications. Reed surmises that the strangers are toying with them, and want the Humans to know that they can destroy Enterprise whenever they wish, even with the ships' own weapons. Archer activates the closest visual sensor and leaves a message for the aliens. They may not be looking for fights, but they won't run away from one. Their new adversaries may think they've left them defenseless, but Humans don't give up easily, and after stating the crew will defend Enterprise any way they can, he ends the message by destroying the device.

Act Four [ ]

Sato enters sickbay , and sees that Phlox has released his patients. Asking him about Reed's favorite food, he notes that he likes eggs , cooked any way, pancakes , sausages , and bacon . Sato asks if there is one food in particular, but once again her plan is foiled as Phlox doesn't know either. Just as she is leaving, Phlox shouts out " bromelain ! ", realizing that maybe he can help, after all. It would mean going into Reed's medical files, but Sato says she is under orders from the captain. Phlox notes that Reed suffers from a number of allergies , including dust mites, oak pollen, tropical grasses, and various plant enzymes , including bromelain. He has been taking regular injections so his body can tolerate bromelain, which is found mainly in pineapple . Relieved, Sato thanks the doctor and leaves.

The alien ship returns, but this time, Enterprise is ready for them and stands her ground. This time, they want to talk, but the only communication that Enterprise receives is a repeating, edited version of Archer's speech with the word order changed:

Archer cuts the transmission, and orders Reed to fire as their opponent begins closing the distance, possibly for boarding action. The phase cannons rake across the target but have little effect though, only causing a slight fluctuation in the alien ship's shields. To Archer's frustration, Reed explains that even if Jupiter Station had installed the cannons they wouldn't be any more effective. Archer then wonders if they can overload the cannons on purpose; Reed notes that combined with the damage from the previous overload the plasma recoil would knock out power to two decks, but Archer would prefer that than surrender the Enterprise . Tucker comes up with a solution to repolarize the gravity plating to absorb the recoil (though Reed points out that it was not designed for such amounts of force), and then make use of it by shunting the extra energy to strengthen structural integrity , and Archer approves it. Enterprise fires again, rocking from the recoil, the cannons overloading the alien ship's shields and they fail, causing damage. Reed then fires two torpedoes, which disable the alien ship's warp engines. The bridge crew watches as the aliens turn and flee at impulse, one of their engines leaking plasma.

Checking in with the armory, Tucker reports that the plasma relays on B deck were blown out but it's nothing they can't handle. Reed will have the cannons back online within the hour, and the aft cannon should be ready by the end of the next day. Archer then decides that there's little point in returning to Earth. Sato says that an additional benefit of backtracking so far is that they can launch another subspace amplifier. Archer tells Mayweather to resume their previous course.

Captain Archer , Ensign Sato , and Commander Tucker present Malcolm Reed with his pineapple birthday cake

It's September 2nd . Archer, Tucker, and Reed are sharing a round of beer in the armory, and they toast to their "mysterious friends": " I wish we could have seen the looks on their faces ", adds Tucker. Tucker says that a way to thank them for the job they did was to let them sleep in the next morning, which Archer agrees to. Sato enters, with the "component" that Archer asked for. He opens the case, and reveals a birthday cake to Reed, who cuts open the cake. He is surprised to see that it has pineapple inside, and he reveals it to be his favorite, to smiles all around. Asking how on Earth they knew, Sato replies that they "have their sources". Smiling, Reed dishes out some cake to them.

Log entries [ ]

• " Captain's starlog, September 1, 2151. It's been two days now with no sign of the alien vessel. My crew has managed to do in 48 hours what would've taken the armory team at Jupiter Station at least a week. To say that I'm proud of them would be an understatement. We're preparing our first test. Everybody has their fingers crossed, including me. "

Memorable quotes [ ]

" Maybe they checked us out and decided we weren't very interesting. " " Us? Not interesting? "

" The Reeds have been navy men for generations. " " Until Malcolm decided to join Starfleet. I suppose the ocean wasn't big enough for him. "

" We're talking about a delicate assignment, Hoshi. It needs your finesse. "

" You know, they say long distance relationships never work. Well… this is about as long distance as you can get. "

" You missed T'Pol's latest bout with chopsticks. " " Damn! Dinner and a show. "

" If I asked your parents what you like to eat, would they be able to tell me? " " Are you kidding? My mom would give you her recipe for pan-fried catfish and wouldn't let you go till you promised not to screw it up. "

" By the time we reach Jupiter Station, I don't want their engineers to have a thing to do but give us a wash and a wax. "

" Tactical systems are down. " " Why don't you save time and tell me what isn't down?! "

" You looking forward to seeing Earth? " " Sure. I just didn't think I'd be seeing it so soon! " " This time, we won't be leaving before we're ready. " " Are your ears a little pointier than usual? "

" I… I never said we didn't belong out here, I just wish we had launched with all our systems online… especially weapons! " " If we hadn't launched when we did, they would have sent Klaang back to Qo'noS in a box . " " I keep reminding myself of that, but I rushed us out of spacedock because I had something to prove. "

" In the old days astronauts rode rockets with millions of liters of hydrogen burning under their seats. Do you think they said 'Gee, I'd like to go to the moon today, but it seems a little risky'? I think that if you asked any one on board whether this mission was worth the risk, you'd get the same answer from every one of them. "

" You're sure there's nothing down there? " " Yes, captain. " " Not even a microbe? I don't want to blow up something that could evolve into a sentient species in a couple of billion years. "

" I just asked for a little off the top! "

" I assume you planted that device because you wanted to learn more about us. I'll be happy to give you a quick lesson. We're not here to make enemies. But just because we're not looking for a fight, doesn't mean we'll run away from one. You may think you've left us defenseless, but let me tell you something about Humans. We don't give up easily. We'll protect Enterprise … any way we can. "

" I don't suppose scanning his taste buds would help? " " Medically speaking, there's no accounting for taste. "

" You are defenseless. Prepare to surrender your vessel. "

" To our mysterious friends. I wish I could have seen the looks on their faces. "

" Don't get too used to drinking on duty. But you did your jobs pretty damn well yesterday. I'd say that deserves a little celebration. " " Cheers. "

" Pineapple? But that's my fav– " (Sato suppresses a smile as Reed looks at her) " How on Earth did you know? " " We have our sources. "

Background information [ ]

Production [ ].

Winrich Kolbe with Connor Trinneer

Concept art for the aliens in this episode

• The choice to never reveal the motives of the aliens who attack Enterprise herein was, in André Bormanis ' words, "a bit of a risk." Bormanis, however, felt that the episode's unexplained depiction of extraterrestrial life was realistic, later commenting, " I think our earliest encounters with alien life forms will leave us utterly baffled. " [1]
• The first draft of this episode's script was issued on 2 October 2001 . It was revised on 4 (blue revision pages), 8 (pink pages), 9 (yellow pages), 11 (green pages), and 12 October (goldenrod pages). The final draft of the teleplay was submitted on the latter of those dates, 12 October.
• Reed actor Dominic Keating approved of how this outing ponders the specifics of his character's personality. " It's a terrific set-up, really, " he commented. " Rather than an episode that puts it all on the table and says, 'OK, here's Malcolm,' this one asks, 'So just who is Malcolm?' " ( TV Zone , issue #147, p. 30) The way in which the episode leaves this an unanswered question was also a highlight for Keating. " It's quite subtle because you get to see more of me, but you still don't know much about me, " he observed. " We learn that we don't know much about Reed. It's sort of a nice way to begin the Reed experience. " ( Star Trek: Communicator  issue 138 , p. 59) Additionally, Keating described the mess hall sequence in which Ensign Sato tries to determine Reed's favorite food as "a lovely scene." ( TV Zone , issue #147, p. 30)
• This is the only episode of the series to have been directed by regular Star Trek director Winrich Kolbe and was the final Star Trek episode directed by him.
• The aliens, referred to by several members of the art department as "Shroomies," were designed by Dan Curry and represented with CGI models built by John Teska . [2] (X)
• Originally, this episode was to be titled " Call To Arms ", [3] (X) but was changed before airing when someone realized that there was a Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode with the same name .

Continuity [ ]

• This episode takes place one week before the previous episode, " Cold Front ".
• The ship that attacks Enterprise herein is of the same configuration as numerous Kovaalan ships that attack Enterprise in a subspace corridor in the third season episode " E² ".
• This episode establishes that Malcolm Reed was born on September 2.
• Mark Latrelle 's contention that Reed disliked fish is later disproved by a scene in " Shuttlepod One ", in which Reed's first choice of emergency ration is sea bass .
• Despite stating that medical records are confidential, Phlox appears to leave Reed's file on the display when he leaves.

Reception [ ]

• Out of all the Star Trek episodes he has written, André Bormanis named this as one of his favorites. He cited the fact that the episode does not clarify the aliens' motivations as his "favorite aspect of the story." [4]
• While working as an executive producer on Enterprise , Brannon Braga found this episode turned out well. In retrospect, he commented, " I thought [it] was kind of a good episode. I really felt the crew facing some unknown thing that was kind of scary. " ("To Boldly Go: Launching Enterprise , Part III: First Flight", ENT Season 1 Blu-ray special features)
• This episode achieved a Nielsen rating of 3.7 and was watched by an average of 6.11 million viewers. [5]
• Star Trek Magazine 's "Ultimate Guide" rated this episode 3 out of 5 arrowhead insignias. ( Star Trek Magazine  issue 164 , p. 78)
• The unofficial reference book Beyond the Final Frontier (p. 363) comments about this episode, " When you hear Archer say he doesn't really know Reed, it's almost impossible not to hear the writers sitting around a table saying the same thing. We find out a bit more about the tactical officer in this episode, which is unremarkable but watchable. "

Apocrypha [ ]

• In the 25th century timeline of Star Trek Online , the aliens return as part of the game's "Legacy of Romulus" expansion pack, and are known as the "Elachi". They act as allies of the revived Romulan Star Empire under the command of Empress Sela and the Tal Shiar . Elachi ships (similar in appearance to the design in "Silent Enemy") participate in attacks on independent Romulan colonies and the fledgling Romulan Republic. During ground-based attacks they deploy large building-sized attack walkers.
• The Enterprise novel A Choice of Futures by Christopher L. Bennett also features the aliens, here known as "Vertians". They launch a number of attacks on Federation ships, with it eventually being discovered that they communicate by empathy and thus did not recognise non-telepathic species as sentient and saw them as animals to be analysed. A mind-meld with Captain T'Pol convinces them of their mistake and they agree to change their behaviour.

Video and DVD releases [ ]

• UK VHS release (two-episode tapes, Paramount Home Entertainment ): Volume 1.6, 22 July 2002
• As part of the ENT Season 1 DVD collection
• As part of the ENT Season 1 Blu-ray collection

Links and references [ ]

Starring [ ].

• Scott Bakula as Jonathan Archer
• John Billingsley as Phlox
• Jolene Blalock as T'Pol
• Dominic Keating as Malcolm Reed
• Anthony Montgomery as Travis Mayweather
• Linda Park as Hoshi Sato
• Connor Trinneer as Charles "Trip" Tucker III

Guest stars [ ]

• Jane Carr as Mary Reed
• Guy Siner as Stuart Reed
• Paula Malcomson as Madeline Reed

Co-stars [ ]

• John Rosenfeld as Mark Latrelle
• Robert Mammana as Engineer

Uncredited co-stars [ ]

• Adam Anello as operations division crewman
• Solomon Burke, Jr. as Billy
• Amy Kate Connolly as science division crewman
• Mark Correy as Alex
• Evan English as Tanner
• Lindly Gardner as operations division crewman
• Peter Godoy
• Jack Guzman as science division crewman
• Bryan Heiberg as operations division crewman
• Amina Islam as command division ensign
• Martin Ko as command division ensign
• Carmen Nogales as operations division crewman
• Bobby Pappas as operations division crewman
• Monica Parrett as command division crewman
• Prada as Porthos
• Thelma Tyrell as operations division crewman
• Cynthia Uhrich as operations division crewman
• John Wan as operations division crewman
• Mark Watson as operations division crewman
• Gary Weeks as operations division crewman
• Todd Wieland as operations division crewman

References [ ]

allergy ; apple juice ; Archie ; armory ; armory team ; astronauts ; bacon ; beam emitter ; B-deck ; beer ; bread ; bromelain ; catfish ; C-deck ; Chef ; chief engineer ; chopstick ; cook ; cooking ; D-deck ; DNA ; Denobulan ; dilithium alignment ; dozen ; drive plasma ; dust mite ; Duvall ; Earth ; Echo One ; Echo Two ; E-deck ; eggs ; Embarcadero ; enchilada ; encryption code ; engineering ; enzyme ; EPS grid ; evasive maneuvers ; finger crossing ; fish ; flattery ; galley ; generation ; gigajoule ; grav-plating ; halibut ; helium ; hot plate ; hull plating ; hydrogen ; impulse drive ; Indian food ; internal sensor ; Jupiter Station ; Klaang ; Kota Bharu ; launch bay ; long range scan ; mahi-mahi ; Malaysia ; Malcolm Reed's spinster aunts ; Maureen ; medical file ; medical record ; megajoule ; mess hall ; meter ; microbe ; microns ; microscope ; moon ; Mount McKinley ; nacelle ; Natalie ; oak ; ocean ; octopus ; omelette ; ordnance officer ; pan ; pancake ; peanut butter ; Pensacola ; phase cannon ; phase cannon port ; phase-modulated energy weapon ; phase modulator ; phase-pistol ; pineapple ; pizza ; plant ; plasma ; plasma leak ; plasma recoil ; plasma relay ; polarized hull plating ; pollen ; primary coil ; protein concentrate ; Qo'noS ; ravioli ; ready room ; Reed family ; restaurant ; rocket ; Royal Navy ; salad ; San Francisco ; sausage ; scallops ; scanning range ; scope ; scrambled eggs ; sea bass ; sentient species ; Shenandoah ; "Shroomie" starship ; "Shroomie" shuttle ; spacedock ; structural integrity ; subspace amplifier ; subspace transceiver array ; suction cup ; survival training ; Surak -class ; swordfish ; targeting scanner ; taste bud ; toast ; Tucker's mother ; translator ; tropical grass ; visual sensor ; Vulcan ; Vulcan (planet) ; Vulcan High Command ; Vulcan ship ; warp-capable species ; warp drive ; water ; waveguide ; welder

External links [ ]

• "Silent Enemy" at StarTrek.com
• " Silent Enemy " at Memory Beta , the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
• " Silent Enemy " at Wikipedia

• The Original Series
• The Next Generation
• Deep Space Nine
• Strange New Worlds

Project Daedalus

Su’kal, the war without, the war within.

Silent Enemy

The crew of the United Earth spaceship Enterprise NX-01 is on a mission of exploration into the unknown regions of space. They have made it to the edge of the Delphic Expanse, a dangerous and unexplored region.

Captain Jonathan Archer, Commander Charles “Trip” Tucker III, and Sub-commander T’Pol are the officers in charge of this mission into the unknown. Their mission is put on hold, however, when they come across an alien vessel. This vessel is unlike anything they have ever seen before. It is shrouded in mystery and they have no idea where it came from or what its intentions are.

As the Alien vessel moves closer, the crew is able to get a better look at it. It is a massive warship and it is heavily armed. The crew is unable to make contact with the alien vessel and is unable to communicate with them.

The Alien vessel is aggressive and begins to fire at the Enterprise. The crew is able to dodge most of the weapons fire, but they sustain some damage. In order to prevent any further damage, Archer orders the crew to retreat. The Alien vessel continues to fire at the Enterprise as they make their escape.

The crew is able to make it back to Earth and the damage sustained to the Enterprise is minimal. They are able to make repairs and get the ship back in working order.

Once the repairs are done, the crew is able to come up with a plan to defeat the Alien vessel. They come up with the idea of using a “silent” weapon, one that has no sound or light. The plan is to create a gravimetric pulse which should disrupt the Alien vessel’s shields and allow the Enterprise to get close enough to destroy it.

Archer and the crew of the Enterprise are able to execute the plan and it works. The Alien vessel is destroyed and the crew is able to make it back to Earth safely.

The crew of the Enterprise learns an important lesson from this experience, that not all enemies can be defeated through conventional means. Sometimes, the best way to defeat an enemy is to use a silent weapon, and to be prepared to think outside the box. The crew is thankful to have survived this ordeal and they continue on their mission of exploration.

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Star Trek: Enterprise

Silent Enemy

Cast & crew.

Stuart Reed

Paula Malcomson

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Star Trek: Enterprise – Season 1, Episode 12

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Cast & crew.

Scott Bakula

Capt. Jonathan Archer

Connor Trinneer

Cmdr. Charles "Trip" Tucker III

Jolene Blalock

Subcommander T'Pol

Dominic Keating

Lt. Malcolm Reed

Anthony Montgomery

Ensign Travis Mayweather

Ensign Hoshi Sato

Episode Info

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• Star Trek: Enterprise

Silent Enemy

When an unidentified enemy vessel attacks  Enterprise , Archer orders the ship's return to Jupiter Station for weapon upgrades. But, Reed, Tucker, and the crew work frantically to get their new phase cannons operational to meet this new threat. Meanwhile, Archer realizes no one knows Reed well enough to give him a personalized birthday gift. So, he orders Sato to investigate Reed's favorite food. 

Cast Appearances

Scott Bakula

John Billingsley

Jolene Blalock

Dominic Keating

Anthony Montgomery

Connor Trinneer

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Silent Enemy

Enterprise is attacked by an unknown alien starship, as Archer orders the crew to install experimental “phase cannons”. Meanwhile, Sato is ordered to find out what Reed’s favorite food is for a birthday dinner.

In this episode of the podcast, Wes and Clay discuss “Silent Enemy” and whether or not it is succeeding at building a tone unique to Enterprise. Plus! The guys talk about recognizing bananas within a cake, the dark secrets surrounding Reed, and why Enterprise succeeds at being creepy!

• Post author By Wes
• Post date 06/01/2020

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In “Silent Enemy”, the Enterprise is attacked by an unknown silent enemy. In order to defend the ship, Archer orders the Enterprise to return to the Solar System and have phase cannons installed at the Jupiter Station. It’s a moment of rare reflection for Jonathan Archer – did his leaving Earth early, and thus being under-prepared for the hostilities they’re encountering in deep space, cause undue suffering for his crew? In the B-plot, Hoshi works to uncover Malcolm Reed’s favorite food. It’s one of the strangest plots that any Trek series has ever attempted, both for its sheer lack of any interesting features and for its complete disconnect from anything happening in the main plot. Enterprise is embracing it’s small moments – but are these moments too small?

Wikipedia plot summary for “Silent Enemy”:

“In September 2151, while deploying subspace amplifiers to improve their ability to communicate with  Starfleet ,  Enterprise  is approached by an alien vessel. Captain  Archer  hails them, but the vessel returns to warp. He wonders why: Ensign  Sato  points out that the Universal Translator is far from perfect; and Sub-Commander  T’Pol  says that some species have motives that cannot be understood in human terms. Soon, however, the mysterious ship returns and scans the Earth ship, sending a high pitched screech through the com systems, and firing on  Enterprise  before again jumping to warp.

Archer notes that  Enterprise  is now encountering more aggressive species than anticipated, and sets course for Earth so that Jupiter Station can finish the weapons refit. Commander  Tucker  and Reed ask to be allowed to complete the work themselves, but Archer disagrees, though he gives them permission to begin the procedure. While doing so, the alien ship returns and disables  Enterprise ‘s warp drive and main power. Strange alien bipeds then board the ship, and assault two crew-members. They return to their ship, damaging a warp nacelle before departing again. Mayweather suggests contacting the  Vulcan High Command  for help, but both subspace amplifiers have been destroyed.

Two days later,  Enterprise  locates an uninhabited planet for a weapons test, which produces a blast yield 10 times the expected output, due to an unexpected surge. T’Pol traces the anomalous reading to Launch Bay 2, to a device tapped into internal sensors and comm channels. Archer then sends the aliens a message: he does not want a fight but will protect his ship by any means necessary. With that, he destroys the device. T’Pol detects the alien vessel again, which uses a re-edited version of Archer’s earlier message to demand surrender. Archer asks if Reed can intentionally repeat the previous overload of the cannons. Reed complies and damages the alien vessel, knocking out their shields. Reed follows up with two torpedoes before the aliens go to warp.”

In this episode of the podcast , Wes and Clay discuss “Silent Enemy” and whether or not it is succeeding at building a tone unique to Enterprise. Plus! The guys talk about recognizing bananas within a cake, the dark secrets surrounding Reed, and why Enterprise succeeds at being creepy!

Silent Enemy

When Enterprise is attacked by an unidentified enemy ship, the crew must work frantically to get their new phase canons to operate. Meanwhile, Archer realizes that no one knows Reed well enough to give him a personalized birthday gift.

Enterprise, seizoen 1

Memory Beta, non-canon Star Trek Wiki

A friendly reminder regarding spoilers ! At present the expanded Trek universe is in a period of major upheaval with the continuations of Discovery and Prodigy , the advent of new eras in gaming with the Star Trek Adventures RPG , Star Trek: Infinite and Star Trek Online , as well as other post-57th Anniversary publications such as the ongoing IDW Star Trek comic and spin-off Star Trek: Defiant . Therefore, please be courteous to other users who may not be aware of current developments by using the {{ spoiler }}, {{ spoilers }} OR {{ majorspoiler }} tags when adding new information from sources less than six months old (even if it is minor info). Also, please do not include details in the summary bar when editing pages and do not anticipate making additions relating to sources not yet in release. THANK YOU

Silent Enemy

• View history

• 1.1 Characters
• 1.2 Starships
• 1.3 Locations
• 1.4 Races and cultures
• 1.5 States and Organizations
• 2.1 Background
• 2.2.1 Notable cast and crew
• 2.3.1 Timeline
• 2.4 External link

References [ ]

Characters [ ], starships [ ], locations [ ], races and cultures [ ], states and organizations [ ], appendices [ ], background [ ].

Elachi Incubator

The mysterious ship from this episode was later reused as a Kovaalan vessel in a season three episode " E² ".

In the Star Trek Online expansion Legacy of Romulus , these mysterious aliens are identified as the Elachi , a new enemy attacking Romulan colonies.

Notable cast and crew [ ]

• Scott Bakula as Jonathan Archer

Connections [ ]

Timeline [ ], external link [ ].

• Silent Enemy article at Memory Alpha , the wiki for canon Star Trek .
• 1 Ferengi Rules of Acquisition
• 2 The Chase
• 3 Preserver (race)

Behind The Scenes: The Making of Two Captain Kirks in “The Enemy Within”

I n the world of the Starship Enterprise, there seldom were television moments as intriguing as seeing Captain Kirk face his doppelgänger. The classic “Star Trek” episode “The Enemy Within” showcases this scenario and the seamless interaction between the two Kirks is a testament to the skilled storytelling and production techniques of the show. Renowned science fiction author Richard Matheson penned this memorable episode and found himself in alignment with creator Gene Roddenberry, making for a smooth creative process. An anecdote recounts a harmonious meeting between the two:

“Matheson was in sync with ‘Star Trek’s’ concept from the beginning, and had a similar experience previously on ‘The Twilight Zone.’ This made discussions about the episode’s structure relatively straightforward, with only minor disagreements.” – Black

Matheson’s previous work included the iconic “Twilight Zone” episode “Nightmare at 20,000 Feet,” starring none other than William Shatner himself.

Challenges did arise during the shooting of “The Enemy Within,” particularly in scenes that required both Kirks to interact physically. Director Leo Penn explained that a photo double for Shatner was employed and creative camera work was essential:

“The process of filming the scenes with both Kirks required inventive shooting techniques and meticulous coordination, especially when physical interactions were involved, necessitating the use of a photo double.” – Penn

While the final product was convincing, keen-eyed viewers noted that the photo double’s hair wasn’t an exact match for Shatner’s distinct look.

FAQs About “The Enemy Within” Episode

• Q: Who wrote the “Star Trek” episode “The Enemy Within”?
• A: The episode was written by Richard Matheson, an acclaimed sci-fi author.
• Q: What was one of the biggest challenges in filming scenes with both Kirks?
• A: The biggest challenge was filming scenes where the two Kirks had to physically interact, which required a photo double and creative camera work.
• Q: Did Gene Roddenberry have any issues with the script for “The Enemy Within”?
• A: No significant issues were mentioned. Roddenberry and Matheson reportedly had a productive meeting with only minor points of contention regarding the story’s direction.
• Q: Was “The Enemy Within” the first time William Shatner worked with Richard Matheson?
• A: No, they had previously collaborated on the “Twilight Zone” episode “Nightmare at 20,000 Feet.”

In conclusion, the “Star Trek” episode “The Enemy Within” is an exemplar of classic sci-fi storytelling and innovative television production. Thanks to the synergy between writer Richard Matheson and series creator Gene Roddenberry, as well as director Leo Penn’s resourceful filming techniques, audiences were treated to a compelling narrative that stood the test of time. It’s these behind-the-scenes efforts that helped turn “Star Trek” into the legendary franchise it is today. Despite minor hiccups, such as the slight disparity in the photo double’s hairstyle, the episode remains a standout in “Star Trek” lore and a favorite among fans.