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Dagger of the Mind

William Shatner

James Gregory

Leonard Nimoy

Morgan Woodward

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Dagger of the Mind

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TOS: S1 – E9: Dagger of the Mind

STARDATE: 2715.1

The show opens with the Enterprise orbiting Tantalus 5, Saturn-like planet. We then see a giant pharmaceutical bottle with the label: Tantalus Penal Colony; Infra Sensory Drugs; Attention: Dr. Tristan Adams. The capsule, along with some other items, is loaded into the transporter pad by an engineering crewmember. The crew attempted to beam the items over, and as Captain James T. Kirk enters, they are not successful. He reminds them that they cannot transmit something into a penal colony due to the restrictions of their shielding.

Kirk calls to the colony, who opened the force field, and the transport is successful. One item is beamed back to the Enterprise , which was research material bound for the Central Bureau of Penology in Stockholm. Kirk ordered that Mr. Berkeley, who was in charge of the transporter operation, to refresh himself on penal colony procedures. He also is ordered to lock up the research materials.

As Berkeley and the other crewman get back to work, the case that was just beamed over, opens and a man wearing an oxygen mask creeps out. He attacks the crewman (apparently knocking him out) and begins to look for an escape route.

On the bridge, Kirk laments that he missed the opportunity to meet Dr. Tristan Adams. Dr. McCoy responds that a “cage is a cage” and that he saw no point in going to the colony. Lt. Uhura announced that the settlement had a message for the Enterprise — that a prisoner had escaped. They thought that this prisoner had hidden in the box that was beamed over. Kirk ordered a Security Alert 3.

Back in the transporter room, the escapee switched clothing with the engineering crewman and started running through the corridors. When the alarm sounded, another Enterprise crewman saw the prisoner and messaged the bridge of his location on Deck 14. As Uhura announced to the crew where he was and his description, the prisoner attacked another crewmember, this time taking his phaser.

Kirk messaged the colony, and Dr. Adams responded. Kirk said that the Enterprise had a prisoner aboard. Adams apologized and reminded Kirk that this guy was intelligent and extremely violent.

Spock mused to McCoy on how humanity glorified violence for 40 generations and imprisoned those who employed it. McCoy turned at Spock and in a mocking voice, asked him how the Vulcans solved their “violence problem.” Spock told the doctor that they eliminated all emotion, and where there is no emotion, there is no motive for violence.

As soon as Spock uttered those words, the turbolift doors opened, and the prisoner burst out and attacked the crewman assigned to security. He then turned and asked who the captain was. Kirk responded that he was and the man slowly approached him.

He started to say what his name was and then stopped. He buckled over from an apparent pain. He struggled and said that his name was Van Gelder and he asked for asylum.

“At gunpoint?” Kirk asked.

Van Gelder refused to hand over the gun and threatened to destroy the navigation controls to the Enterprise . Before he could, Kirk kicked the phaser out of his hand, and Spock performed the Vulcan neck pinch.

Van Gelder said he wanted Kirk’s assurance first that he would not be returned to the prison. Kirk said “no promises” and demanded the weapon. Van Gelder refused to hand over the gun and threatened to destroy the navigation controls to the Enterprise . Before he could, Kirk kicked the phaser out of his hand, and Spock performed the Vulcan neck pinch. Van Gelder went down, and Kirk ordered that he be taken to the sickbay. He also asked that the ship reverse course and head back to Tantalus 5.

Van Gelder was under examination by Dr. McCoy, who said that his readings were abnormally high and that it took a triple dose of sedative to calm him down. The doctor reported that Van Gelder started talking about certain things and would abruptly stop and change subjects.

As Kirk began to walk out the sickbay door, Van Gelder came to and accused them both of taking him back to Tantalus 5, so they could “wash their hands of him.”

Kirk asked him to tell them his name again. He tried to respond, and again when he did, he stopped by some obvious pain. On second try, he eked out “Simon… Van Gelder.”

He explained that he was the director of the Tantalus Colony and a graduate of … and an assistant to … but was unable to complete his thoughts. He then to Kirk and McCoy that his memories had been partially erased. He screamed at them, saying that he refused to go back and that he would not let them. McCoy sedated him again.

Kirk returned to the bridge and observed Spock studying something. The Vulcan was looking into “Dr. Simon Van Gelder,” who had been assigned to the Tantalus colony six months back, as Dr. Adams associate. Kirk then contacted Adams, to confirm that the prisoner was Dr. Simon Van Gelder. Adams confirmed that it was, and asked if he was alright, stating that the Tantalus staff were worried about him.

Adams said that Van Gelder had been experimenting with a beam that would be used on “incorrigible” patients. According to Adams, Van Gelder felt that he could not test the beam on another man without testing it on himself first. McCoy stepped in to tell the captain, to say that this story from Adams did not quite add up. Kirk asked McCoy to explain, but the doctor could not. Kirk said that Adams had revolutionized the care of prisoners everywhere. Spock suggested that they ask Adams if he wanted Van Gelder returned. Kirk did, and Adams said that they’d like Van Gelder dropped off at a superior facility for the very best care. Kirk then turned to McCoy who said that there were no “superior facilities.” McCoy wanted an official inquiry.

Kirk told Adams that he needed to conduct an investigation, and Adams agreed, asking that he visit himself with minimal staff. Kirk said McCoy to send a member of his team as well.

As the ship turned around to head back to the colony, and McCoy reported that Van Gelder was still agitated and that he’d prefer to keep him on board until the captain’s investigation was complete.

Dr. Helen Noel, portrayed by Mariana Hill. Courtesy of CBS / Paramount

He also said that he did have a qualified member of his staff that he’d like to send to the penal colony with Kirk, Dr. Helen Noel. This particular crewmember was sultry and shockingly beautiful to the captain when he met her at the transporter pad. She reminded him that they met during a Christmas party with the medical staff. Kirk appeared uptight when she spoke to him, especially when Spock began to pay close attention.

Just as the Kirk and Noel materialized at the colony, they stepped into a turbolift, which immediately descended at an extreme speed. Kirk embraced Noel firmly as they traveled. When the doors opened, Dr. Adams greeted them both, and welcomed them to “Devil’s Island.”

Kirk offered his phaser to Adams as per regulation, but Adams said that he could keep it, so long as it wasn’t visible. As Adams poured drinks, the captain attempted to call back to the Enterprise with no avail. Adams explained that the security screen was blocking the signals. At that moment, a woman entered the room, and Adams introduced her as “Lethe.” She, according to Adams, came to the colony for some rehabilitation and stayed on as a therapist.

“I love my work,” said Lethe, with an almost robotic rhythm of speech. Kirk asked her what crime she committed to be sent to this place. She told Kirk that the crime did not matter now, because the person who committed the crimes no longer exists.

Adams said that there was no reason for Lethe or anyone else to have to live with their past. He turned to Noel who agreed that this is a primary tenant of psychotherapy.

After the toast, Adams took Kirk and Noel on a tour of the compound. As they walked, Kirk stopped and observed an experiment gone wrong. He asked to see it more closely. Dr. Noel said there was no need to examine a mistake, but Adams laughed and allowed the captain to see.

Meanwhile, Van Gelder began to give Spock additional clues as to what happened to him at the colony. He told Spock of a “neural neutralizer,” and then gave a few garbled words and screamed. McCoy sedated him again.

At the same time, Adams showed Kirk and Noel the neural neutralizer in action. Adams told them that it was experimental and that it neutralized brain waves. It also relaxes the patient, and the effects were only temporary. Noel seemed to like the device, saying that it was an alternative to pumping a patient full of chemicals.

As Noel and Adams left the room, Kirk stayed behind and asked the operator how it worked. Adams returned and told the captain that Kirk reminded him of an ancient skeptic. Noel again vouched for Adams’ technology. Adams then told Kirk that it was with this device that Van Gelder suffered his injury. Adams said that Van Gelder tried the tool on “full volume” by himself, which resulted in his problems.

Kirk thanked the operator of the neural neutralizer, who said nothing in return. After the captain left, the operator began to speak to the patient who was undergoing treatment in the neural neutralizer. “You will forget all that you’ve learned,” he told the patient. The operator turned up the power of the device, and the patient appeared to be in distress.

The scene cut to Spock speaking to Kirk over his communicator from within sickbay. Spock told Kirk how Van Gelder mentioned the neural neutralizer. Kirk said that he knew that this was the device that injured Van Gelder. Adams left the room so that Kirk and Spock could speak freely.

Spock said that Van Gelder warned that the captain was in danger. Noel said that was nonsense and said that Van Gelder essentially short-circuited his brain. Kirk said that he planned to stay the night at the colony — and Van Gelder struggled out a “NO!” from the sickbay bed he was strapped into. Van Gelder told Spock and McCoy not to let them stay at the colony.

Spock and McCoy began to debate the merits of trying a Vulcan mind-meld, which Spock said was a very personal thing for his people. McCoy said that if there was any chance to see what was in Van Gelder’s mind — to learn if what he said was true — then they must chance it.

Spock grabbed Van Gelder from the temple and below the chin, then he switched to holding Van Gelder’s head on both sides. Spock spoke quietly to Van Gelder, saying that they were now sharing the same thoughts. McCoy looked on in awe.

On the planet, Kirk entered Noel’s room and asked her what she thought of the inmates. She said that she thought they looked happy and well adjusted. Kirk said they looked “a bit blank.”

Spock attempting to get the real truth of the matter from Van Gelder with a mind meld. Courtesy of CBS / Paramount

Kirk said that he wanted to get a better look at the neural neutralizer, and asked if she was familiar with its technology and the theories behind it. She agreed, and they left her room.

Spock’s mind meld made progress with Van Gelder, and they learned that the neural neutralizer was used to erase memories and replace those memories with thoughts designed by Adams.

Kirk ordered Noel to test the neural neutralizer on him. She tried minimum intensity for just a second. After the test completed, Kirk said that he had no memory of the test. Noel said that his face was utterly blank. Kirk then asked her to make a suggestion to him while the beam was on. She told him that he was hungry, and when the beam turned off, he said that he’d like to get something to eat. Kirk noted how effective the device was, especially for one that Adams was going to abandon.

They tested it again, and this time she brought up the Christmas party, which was mainly small talk between the captain and a member of the crew. Noel suggested that he change the story. Instead, she wanted Kirk to believe that he swept Noel off her feet (literally) and carried her to his cabin.

But while Noel was planting ideas in Kirk’s head, Adams and a henchman came into the control booth. Adams said that he wanted a “complete demonstration” of what could be done so that there would be no doubt in the captain’s mind…

Adams turned up the intensity of the neural neutralizer to a much higher level and began suggesting to Kirk that he loved Dr. Noel very much. Adams said that Kirk would lie and cheat for her. Noel struggled to with her captors but was unable to stop the neural neutralizer or Adams. Kirk repeated what Adams said while under the beam’s control.

Adams then ordered Kirk to drop his phaser; which he did. Then he ordered the communicator as well. But Kirk resisted and attempted to contact the Enterprise. He writhed in pain due to the powers of the beam.

Later, we join Kirk and Noel in a dark room. When he came to, Kirk began to reach for Noel and told her repeatedly that he loved her. She tried to remind him of what happened. He said that he did remember. Kirk then walked to the wall of the room, where there was a duct. Kirk hoisted Noel into the ducts where she began to wriggle through as she looked for the power supply for the device.

Adams’s men returned and took Kirk back to the neural neutralizer chamber. While inside, Adams began to brainwash Kirk at the device’s maximum power when they learned that Noel had disappeared. Kirk eventually found his way out of the examination chair and onto the floor.

On the Enterprise , Spock tried desperately to raise the captain on the communicator.

Meanwhile, Noel found an electrical room and got to work. She must have done something because Adams’ men came looking for here. Noel evaded them and found a master power switch and turned off the main power. In the neural neutralizer chamber, the power too went out, and Kirk was able to take charge.

One of Adams’ men turned the power back on and went back to take care of Noel. Instead, she kicked him into the equipment, and he was electrocuted. Noel picked up his phaser and went back into the ducts.

Noel’s accident turned off the station’s force field, and Mr. Spock was able to beam down into the same room where the power was controlled. When he arrived, he turned off the force field for the colony but turned on the power for the station. Adams was still on the floor in the neural neutralizer room when the power came back on — and fell victim to his device.

Kirk caught up with Noel and immediately started kissing her. She pushed him back, saying that Dr. Adams made him feel this way. Spock then arrived, and the two went back to apprehend Adams. The rest of the Enterprise crew came as well, and when they found Adams, they discovered that he had died.

The captain supposed that without anyone in the room to give him suggestions, the neural neutralizer emptied Adams’ mind.

Later, when Kirk arrived on the bridge, Uhura told him that he had a message from the colony. Van Gelder wanted the captain to know that the neural neutralizer would be dismantled and destroyed.

McCoy walked up to Kirk as he sat in the chair and wondered what it would be like to die of loneliness. Kirk felt no pity for Adams.

TREK REPORT SUPPLEMENTAL:

This was a good episode. I wondered as I watched it if Adams and his brainwashing tool inspired Disney when they created the villainous Dr. Reinhardt for 1979’s “The Black Hole.” Reinhardt did similar things into the crew of the ship in the film.

In a way, it was a shame that nothing came of Noel and Kirk. They would have made a handsome couple. But it was not to be, as this would be the only episode of Trek that actress Mariana Hill would appear on.

While it was entertaining, there was no “moral message” from this one. After Adams died, that was it. Kirk escaped with his mind intact, and they left the planet. I guess it might be too much for all episodes to end with something that resonates, or has relevance in the real world.

RATING: 3.5 out of 5

Directed by: Vincent McEveety Written by S. Bar-David Created and Produced: Gene Roddenberry Produced by Gene L. Coon Associate Producers: Robert H. Justman, John D. F. Black Director of Photography: Jerry Finnerman Art Directors: Roland M. Brooks and Walter M. Jefferies Music composed and conducted by: Alexander Courage

William Shatner as Kirk Leonard Nimoy as Spock

James Gregory

CO-STARRING

DeForest Kelley Morgan Woodward

Mariana Hill as Helen Noel

Nichelle Nichols as Uhura Susanne Wasson as Lethe John Arndt as First Crewman Larry Anthony as Transporter Man Ed McCready as Inmate Eli Bahr as Therapist

Film Editor … Bruce Shoengarth Assistant to the Producer … Edward K. Milkis Assistant Director … Gregg Peters Set Decorator … Marvin March Costumes created by … William Theiss

Post Production Executive … Bill Heath Music Editor … Robert H. Raff Sound Editor … Joseph G. Sorokin Sound Mixer … Jack F. Lilly Photographic Effects … Westheimer Company Script Supervisor … George A. Rutter Music Consultant … Wilbur Hatch Music Coordinator … Julian Davidson Special Effects … Jim Rugg Property Master … Irving A. Fenberg Gaffer … George H. Merhoff Head Grip … George Rader Production Supervisor … Bernard A. Windin Makeup Artist … Fred B. Phillips, S.M.A. Hair Styles by … Virginia Darcy, C.H.S. Wardrobe Mistress … Margaret Makau Casting … Joseph D’Agosta Sound … Glen Glenn Sound Co.

A DesiLu Production in association with the Norway Company

Executive in Charge of Production … Herbert F. Solow

Star Trek: The Original Series

Dagger of the Mind

Cast & crew.

Ed McCready

James Gregory

Tristan Adams

Morgan Woodward

Simon Van Gelder

Marianna Hill

Susanne Wasson

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© 2006 CBS Corp.

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http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Recap/StarTrekS1E9DaggerOfTheMind

Recap / Star Trek S1 E9 "Dagger of the Mind"

Edit locked.

Original air date: November 3, 1966

The Enterprise is delivering some huge ass bottles of drugs to the Tantalus Penal Colony . (Wonder where they got big enough cotton balls?) They also pick up a box marked "Do Not Open" and addressed to "Bureau of Penology, Stockholm, Eurasia-NE". Not sure what it was supposed to be holding, but it is soon revealed to be holding a crazy old man who knows karate!

Said crazy old man is at first believed to be an escaped inmate from Tantalus, but it's discovered that he's actually Simon Van Gelder, one of the doctors. Dr. Adams tells Kirk that Dr. Van Gelder pulled a Professor Guinea Pig while working on a device called the Neural Neutralizer, losing his mind in the process. And would he kindly return him? Bones tells Kirk he smells a rat. Kirk gives Adams some B.S. about how they can't due to some red tape. Adams good naturedly accepts this and cordially invites Kirk down for a visit. Kirk takes him up on this. Bones suggests Kirk take a psychological expert with him. He recommends Dr. Noel. It seems Kirk and Dr. Helen Noel have met before. Apparently, even in the future office Christmas parties can get out of hand...

This episode is also known as "The One That Got Parodied Off By South Park ".

Tropes of the Mind:

• Above the Influence : Zigzagged; when Kirk tells Helen to give him a fake memory, she chooses one where he sweeps Helen off her feet after the Christmas party regardless of what the crew might think. However even in this fantasy she accepts that Kirk doesn't genuinely love her , and is horrified when Dr Adams implants the suggestion in Kirk's mind.
• Action Survivor : Dr Helen Noel doesn't have the skills to fight security mooks and sabotage power circuits, but she saves the day anyway. In fact, she's the first (and possibly only) Starfleet woman in TOS to straight-up kill someone.

• Air-Vent Passageway : Helen is sent down the air shaft because she'll fit more easily. It appears big enough for Kirk too , but he's hauled off by the guards for further experimentation so it's up to her anyway.
• Arc Symbol : The logo on Dr. Adams' boiler suit and that of his "helpers" is a hand freeing (or crushing?) a dove under a stylized sun. (We'll see it again in "Whom Gods Destroy.") Or is that "sun" actually the round, flashy light of the Neural Neutralizer?
• Artistic Licence – Geography : Stockholm's position in Eurasia is clearly to the north- west (NW), not the north-east. (Northeastern Eurasia is basically Siberia.) It is in Northeastern Europe , however.
• Big Damn Kiss : Kirk plants a Smooch of Victory on Noel. She reluctantly tells him that he was only hypnotized to think he was in love with her.
• Big Electric Switch : A red double-handed switch is used to shut off the power to the facility, including the security force field. Good thing too, as Helen might not otherwise have known how to Cut the Juice . After he arrives, Spock disables the forcefield by breaking into a circuit box and flicks off a row of switches , then flips the Big Red Switch back on to restore power elsewhere.
• Big "NO!" : When Dr. Van Gelder tries to warn Kirk against staying on Tantalus.
• Bothering by the Book : Bones does this to force Kirk to investigate what's going on at the Tantalus colony, as Kirk feels it's Someone Else's Problem . Fortunately Kirk is more amused than upset.
• Bridal Carry : Noel induces an Imagine Spot for Kirk suggesting that he carried her into his quarters this way.
• Broken Ace : Van Gelder. Perhaps Adams to a degree.
• Can't Argue with Elves : Spock finds it interesting that "Your Earth people glorify organized violence for forty centuries, but you imprison those who employ it privately." Even Bones has no come back for that.
• Cat Scare : Aware there's an escaped prisoner on the loose, Kirk and Bones flinch when the turbolift opens behind them only to admit a Red Shirt who takes up position by the door. Which leaves him in an excellent position to be knocked unconscious when a phaser-wielding maniac charges through the turbolift door later on.
• Chekhov's Gun : The forcefield that prevents beaming in the opening scene becomes a plot point when Kirk and Helen's lives are in danger.
• Creepy Monotone : Lethe. "I love my work."
• Critical Psychoanalysis Failure : Dr. Adams turns the tables on the institution's supervisor, turning him into a neurotic wreck who hands the keys over to the patient. And that's just the start...
• Cut Phone Lines : When Dr Adams forces Kirk to hand over his communicator, Kirk tries to call for help instead, but the forcefield prevents his signal going through.
• "This is a potentially violent case." Cut to crewman Mugged for Disguise .
• Van Gelder is raving about the neural neutralizer — cut to Adams explaining the device, which he dismisses as a harmless failure.
• Early-Installment Weirdness : For some reason, Kirk tells Spock, who appears to be at the science station, to "take us out of here, warp factor one."
• Emotions vs. Stoicism : Spock says "Where there is no emotion, there is no motive for violence."
• Empty Shell : Adams uses the Neural Neutralizer to render people into mindless servants. Van Gelder: He can reshape any mind he chooses. He used it to erase our memories, put his own thoughts there. He was surprised it took so much power. We fought him, remember? But we grew so tired, our minds so blank, so open, that any thought he placed there became our thoughts. Our minds so empty like a sponge, needing thoughts, begging. Empty. Loneliness. So lonely to be sitting there empty, wanting any word from him.
• Expository Pronoun : Van Gelder and Spock both refer to themselves as "we" during the mind meld.
• Expy : The Neural Neutralizer works a lot like The Ludovico Technique from A Clockwork Orange .
• Fake Memories : Adams can empty a person's mind and implant new memories or attitudes there. Needless to say such a technique can be used not only to remove traumatic memories that lead to crime or mental illness , but also to adjust a prisoners' personality or memory according to Adams' whim .
• Famed In-Story : Kirk is an admirer of Dr Adams who has revolutionised the penal system, though he's never met the man. To his credit when investigating Bones suspicions, Kirk maintains a proper level of skepticism even though Helen shares this admiration.
• Faux Affably Evil : Adams seems so charming and polite at first. He makes a toast to "love and warmth" , but it's only a Mask of Sanity .
• Freak Out : Dr. Van Gelder has the mother of them all . Screaming, raving, crazy eyes, violent outbursts. He shouts "I am not a criminal!" Incidentally, the actor needed a four-day reprieve after this emotionally-taxing role.
• Gilded Cage : Kirk points out to Bones that modern mental institutions may as well be vacation resorts. Bones replies "A cage is a cage, Jim."
• Girl of the Week : Dr. Helen Noel. She was one In-Universe too, as the captain had an after-party fling with her that he hasn't followed up on.
• Go Mad from the Isolation : The fate of Dr. Adams, who is alone in the brainwashing room when the power is suddenly turned on again. The lack of any mental stimulation at all—because there's no-one manning the console—makes his brain shut down completely.
• Heroic Willpower : Kirk apparently has this or something similar, judging by Adams' comment about the strength used on him without effect having broken down Van Gelder.
• Hoist by His Own Petard : Adams has his mind emptied by his Neural Neutralizer when it comes back on at full intensity without anyone at the controls to give him instructions.
• Human Mail : Van Gelder, though he's wearing a breathing mask while in the crate.
• I'm a Doctor, Not a Placeholder : Dr Noel knows nothing about hyper-voltage power circuits as she's not an engineer. Though the line is not delivered straight as the Trope Namer is not present.
• Van Gelder urges Spock to proceed with the mind meld, despite being warned that it could be dangerous for a human. He knows it's the only way to reveal the truth, since every time he tries to just say what happened, he experiences terrible pain.
• Realising that Dr Adams is hardly going to tell him the truth if there is something wrong with the neutralizer, Kirk decides to try it out on himself.
• Kirk sends Helen down the air shaft to Cut the Juice even though she knows nothing about megavoltage power systems and could get killed short-circuiting the wrong wire. She decides that anything is better than waiting to be treated by Dr Adams .
• Karmic Death : Adams dies by having his mind completely wiped by the same machine that he used on Van Gelder and Kirk.
• Kissing Under the Influence : While something happened in the past with Dr. Noel, Kirk only kisses her now because the suggestion was planted within his mind by the device.
• Literary Allusion Title : From Macbeth : "Or art thou but a dagger of the mind, a false creation proceeding from the heat-oppressed brain?"
• The Ludovico Technique : The moment Kirk leaves the room after discussing the neural neutralizer, the operator cranks up the intensity and tells the inmate inside that he must forget everything that he's heard, or he will experience intense pain the more he tries to remember it. This technique was used on Van Gelder, as we see him cringing in agony every time he tries to remember his name or what was done to him.
• Van Gelder at first, who is trying to battle his own psychological damage to warn Kirk and the crew of what's going on down on the planet below.
• The Main Characters Do Everything : Dr. Helen Noel is one of the Enterprise's psychiatrists. So, why isn't Bones assisted by any of them for the puzzling case of Van Gelder?
• Male Gaze : The audience gets a nice look at Helen's cleavage as she's crawling down the air vent.
• The McCoy : Helen takes on this role while down on the colony, while Kirk takes on a more detached, questioning persona in response.
• Meaningful Name : Lethe is the name of the river of forgetfulness in Greek myth. Tantalus was sent to Tartarus for murdering his son and punished by being never allowed to eat or drink. And isn't it funny that the girl Kirk met at a Christmas party was named "Noel"?
• Mental Fusion : Spock mind-melds with Van Gelder to pick information from his troubled mind.
• Mind-Control Device : A "hospital" basically zombifies people with a hypno-spinny-thingy. Trying to remember what happened to you, let alone tell others, causes increasing pain and eventually death.
• Mind Meld : Bones insists that Spock use "an ancient Vulcan technique" to look into Van Gelder's mind and get to the truth. Spock is reluctant to try a meld because it's a very private matter to the Vulcan race. Furthermore he has never used it on a human before and it could be dangerous — ironic when considering its casual use in later years.
• When Kirk tries out the Neural Neutralizer, he has no idea he blanked out for a second when it was turned on until Noel tells him.
• When Spock is about to start the mind meld, he assures Bones that it's not hypnotism and he won't be affected just by observing.
• Mugged for Disguise : Dr. Van Gelder knocks out a Red Shirt and steals his jumpsuit in an attempt to fit in. It doesn't work for long because he's wearing an Engineering uniform in the wrong area of the ship, and so is spotted during the security alert when everyone else has gone to their stations.
• Nice Job Breaking It, Hero : Kirk decides to secretly try out the neutraliser himself. This turns out to be a mistake as Dr Adams catches him there and decides to use it for real .
• Not What It Looks Like : Spock rushes to Kirk's rescue without even waiting for a security team , and is not impressed to find him smooching one of his own officers.
• Pen Name : Writer S. Bar-David is a pen name for Shimon Wincelberg. He incorporated several references to Jewish parables into the screenplay.
• Dr. Van Gelder is felled by Spock applying the Vulcan neck pinch. Averted earlier when Gelder karate-chops the transporter crewman, and Kirk later chops a mook.
• Rather than a purely-telepathic act as portrayed in later years, the Vulcan mind-meld seems a lot more complex. It initially involves Spock manipulating pressure points on Gelder's face to affect his nerves and blood vessels, to induce a relaxed state susceptible to a Mental Fusion . He tells Van Gelder he should feel a strange euphoria and a floating sensation.
• Professor Guinea Pig : Invoked to explain Van Gelder's condition; however Bones refuses to believe this explanation and demands that Kirk investigates the matter.
• Psycho Psychologist : Dr. Tristan Adams
• Red Shirts : They get off easy in this ep. Two get karate chopped, one gets put in a chokehold until he passes out. It's possible that Dr. Van Gelder wasn't far gone enough to murder and just knocked them out for a while.
• Shmuck Bait : Dr Adams adopts a concerned, friendly persona to allay Kirk's suspicions, even letting him keep his phaser when Kirk was about to hand it over as per regulations.
• Shout-Out to Shakespeare : The title comes from the soliloquy of Macbeth ("A dagger of the mind, a false creation").
• Stab the Scorpion : Helen backs off in alarm as a Brainwashed and Crazy Kirk advances towards her. Turns out he's actually spotted the air vent she's standing in front of.
• Suggestive Collision : When the elevator drops faster than expected, Kirk and Helen Security Cling .
• Teleport Interdiction : The Tantalus penal colony has a security force field which must be deactivated to allow beaming up or down. The Red Shirt gets teased for forgetting that.
• Tested on Humans : Dr Adams is delighted at having had two 'normal' subjects (Kirk and Van Gelder) to test his machine on.
• That Woman Is Dead : Lethe's response when asked What Are You in For? The real reason would be she could not recall her original life thanks to being brainwashed.
• Unwitting Instigator of Doom : Spock gets a rare heroic example when he turns on the power, with no way of knowing that it would also turn on the mind control machine with the villain of the week still inside.
• What Did You Expect When You Named It ____? : Tantalus Penal Colony, because why wouldn't you name your mental hospital after a Classical Mythology figure who's most famous for being subjected to everlasting torment. To be fair, it's the name of the planet, but why did they call the planet that in the first place?
• What the Hell, Hero? : With Van Gelder safely Strapped to an Operating Table , Kirk just wants to dump him back on the penal colony while Bones wants to study his medical condition . Van Gelder tells them both off for their attitude.
• Wounded Gazelle Gambit : After being pulled away from the high-voltage power control, Noel mimes the classic "swooning damsel" pose. When the orderly moves to apprehend her, she kicks him into the live wires with both feet.
• The X of Y : The "Dagger of the Mind".
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• Star Trek S1 E10 "The Corbomite Maneuver"

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Prep Begins For ‘Star Trek: Strange New Worlds’ Season 3 Finale; Cast And Directors Share BTS Images

| April 25, 2024 | By: Anthony Pascale 15 comments so far

Work on the third season of  Star Trek: Strange New Worlds  continues to move swiftly in Toronto and looks to be set to wrap up next month. We have some fun bits from the set shared by the cast and a couple of directors, as well as some details on the production.

2 more episodes to go

First up, a selfie from director Jordan Canning, who previously directed the season 2 episode “Charades.” The image posted earlier this week shows the director with Ethan Peck and Rebecca Romijn and has the message, “Always happy to be the redshirt between these two.”

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Jordan Canning (@jjhcanning)

TrekMovie has confirmed that Canning directed episode 8, which has wrapped. Filming for episode 9 has already begun, with Andrew Coutts directing. This will be the directorial debut for Coutts, a co-producer and editor on the show. The 10th and final episode of the season will be directed by Maja Vrvilo, a Paramount+ Trek veteran who has directed episodes of Discovery , Picard , and Strange New Worlds . Earlier this week, she posted an image of her office door, indicated prep work for her episode had already begun.

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Maja Vrvilo (@majavrvilo)

Anson has a challenge for cosplayers

There have also been a couple of fun recent social media updates from the cast. First up, Anson Mount posted on Twitter/X that season 3 will require cosplayers to bring their “A-game” as he shared some creative fan costumes.

I will say this about season 3 of #StarTrek #StrangeNewWorlds : Cos-players, you better be ready to bring your A-game. #Cosplay @StarTrek @StarTrekOnPPlus pic.twitter.com/mZ9gMmIhsL — Anson Mount 🖖 (@ansonmount) April 16, 2024

One new look for cosplayers to try is an armed Nurse Chapel, as seen in this short video from Jess Bush showing off her phaser holster.

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Jess Bush (@onejessa)

Finally, on the day of the big eclipse, some of the Strange New Worlds team took a moment to check it out. Bush shared an Instagram story with herself and co-star Melissa Navia rocking their eclipse glasses. (They had 90% totality in Toronto.)

Last week brought big news for Strange New Worlds: It’s been renewed for a fourth season. Paramount+ recently confirmed season 3 will debut in 2025.

Keep up with news about the  Star Trek Universe at TrekMovie.com .

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I LOVE holodeck dude in cosplay!

I’m curious how long their entire season shooting period actually is.

Usually 5 to 6 months. This one started just before Christmas.

I know I’ll end up watching it, but I’m just not excited for the next season. Season 2 was all over the place, in my opinion. For every episode like Those Old Scientists or Ad Astra Per Aspera, there was rubbish like The Broken Circle and Under the Cloak of War and Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow. I like the cast, but the quality isn’t there- and for all the talk of “big swings” and pushing the envelope- Season 2 was almost painfully generic.

Same here. I’ll be tuning in, but it’s not up there on my ‘must-see right away’ list. I feel like overall, the storytelling floundered during S2, legacy characters written badly, and a distinct corny popcorn feel to it. Both Spock and Pike were reduced to bumbling sidekicks. Hoping S3 has a bit more gravitas to it. Like you said, not the fault of the cast. All blame goes back to the writer’s room. I’m more than happy to consider this show as existing in its own separate timeline, as has been confirmed.

I still can’t get over how *boring* the finale was. It felt like it went on for hours and yet nothing actually happened besides a super-quick and appallingly shot fight in zero-g. Season Two really dropped the ball.

I agree. I don’t even remember what happened in the finale, except Pike at the end hesitating like a scared junior officer when the situation called for fast decisive action. As for the season in general, it feels empty, like nothing really happens in the episodes. I hate the way they turned Spock into a moron. There are better ways if the writers wanted to put some humor in… I’m sure the 12 year olds found it funny but adults are watching too…

They seem to be testing the water for the Academy show with teen romances also. Spock, Chapel / La’an, Kirk and Pike, Batel were all shallow romances and just really boring that took up way too much time in the season. They seriously need to get back to writing some good sci fi stories or this show will go down as one of the worse Star Trek series for me. It seems more of a comedy starship show than the Orville at times. And season 1 had so much promise as well.

The SNW writers room has a chalk board titled Gimmick Board only they misspelt it Big Swing Board. Hopefully they can’t destroy Spock’s character anymore as they have already scraped the bottom of the barrel with their writing of his character.

So relieved I’m not the only one who felt this way. I hear “game changer” and “big swing” and I think “great, they’re effing with my show again to bring in the non-Trek fans”!

Yes, to them “big swing” means having the characters do things completely out of character and turning Star Trek into a Broadway play. Sure the musical was original and unexpected, but really out of place, and I will never be able to get the K-Pop Klingons out of my head.

I didn’t mind the musical episode (probably because I love musicals!) but on the whole, the season felt soulless and devoid of anything interesting to say (outside of Ad Astra Per Aspera). It’s as though the entire season was written by committee and was deathly afraid of offending the fandom by doing anything even slightly controversial.

I’ve had this feeling since the first season. Anson Mount is a wonderful lead, but they’ve completed destroyed the character that we got to know in Season 2 of Discovery. And they need to do something with Spock besides him being a complete and utter pig to women.

I’m absolutely giddy for this next season. Season two was fantastic and I cannot wait for this next season.

I really wish studios would get it together. They used to be able to turn out twice the number of eps or sometimes more every year without year-long pauses between seasons.

Morgan Woodward

• View history

Morgan Woodward ( 16 September 1925 – 22 February 2019 ; age 93) was an actor who played Simon Van Gelder in the Star Trek: The Original Series first season episode " Dagger of the Mind " and Captain Tracey in the second season episode " The Omega Glory ".

Woodward filmed his scenes for "Dagger of the Mind" between Wednesday 10 August 1966 and Friday 12 August 1966 at Desilu Stage 9 and his scenes for "The Omega Glory" between Friday 15 December 1967 and Friday 22 December 1967 at Stage 11 , Stage 10 and Paramount 's B Tank .

Both of his episodes were directed by Vincent McEveety and featured Ed McCready , and both times he played phaser-wielding characters with severe mental problems.

In 1970, he was in the episode "Journal of Death" on the show The High Chaparral alongside John Colicos and Henry Darrow .

Woodward broke into television and movies in the same year, 1956. He worked steadily until his retirement in the late 1990s, with parts in dozens of movies and several television series, and well over a hundred television guest appearances.

He may be best known for his recurring role as Punk Anderson on Dallas , a show that also featured Trek guest stars Mitchell Ryan , Susan Howard , William Windom , John Anderson , Kathryn Leigh Scott , Mary Crosby , Tracy Scoggins , Joshua Harris , William Smithers , Beth Toussaint , Joseph Campanella , Michele Scarabelli , Allan Miller , and Conroy Gedeon , among others.

Woodward also played Boss Godfrey, "The Man with No Eyes", in the iconic 1967 film Cool Hand Luke . He also appeared in John Cassavetes ' acclaimed 1976 film, The Killing of a Chinese Bookie , which also featured Seymour Cassel and Robert Phillips .

External links [ ]

• Remembering Trek Guest Star Morgan Woodward at StarTrek.com
• Morgan Woodward at the Internet Movie Database
• Morgan Woodward at Wikipedia
• 2 ISS Enterprise (NCC-1701)

Star Trek (TV Series)

Dagger of the mind (1966), william shatner: captain james tiberius 'jim' kirk.

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Quotes 

Helen Noel : Dr. Helen Noel, Captain. We've met...

Helen Noel : [Kirk and Spock glance at each other. Without replying, Kirk joins her on the transporter pad]  Don't you remember? The science lab Christmas party.

Captain James T. Kirk : Yes, I remember.

Helen Noel : You dropped in...

Captain James T. Kirk : [cuttin her off]  Yes, yes, I remember.

Mr. Spock : Problem Captain?

Captain James T. Kirk : [Kirk steps off the transporter pad to talk to Spock]  Mr. Spock, you tell McCoy that she had better check out as the best assistant I ever had.

Dr. McCoy : It's hard to believe that a man could die of loneliness.

Captain James T. Kirk : Not when you've sat in that room.

Captain James T. Kirk : One of the advantages of being a captain, Doctor, is being able to ask for advice without necessarily having to take it.

Captain James T. Kirk : Bones, are you aware that in the last 20 years, Dr. Adams has done more to revolutionise, to humanise prisons and the treatment of prisoners than all the rest of humanity have done in 40 centuries? I've been to those penal colonies since they begun following his methods, and they're not cages any more.

Dr. McCoy : Jim...

Captain James T. Kirk : They're clean, decent hospitals for sick minds.

Captain James T. Kirk : Can you imagine a mind emptied by that thing, without even a tormentor for company?

Captain James T. Kirk : Mega-voltage. Touch the wrong line and you're dead.

Helen Noel : Anything's better than Adams' treatment room.

[last lines] 

Captain James T. Kirk : Take us out of orbit, Mr. Spock. Warp factor one.

Mr. Spock : Acknowledged, Captain. Warp factor one.

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8 most disturbing fates of avatar: the last airbender & legend of korra characters.

Avatar: The Last Airbender and its sequel series, The Legend of Korra, include eight surprisingly grim or disturbing fates for major characters.

• Fans of Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra will be shocked by the disturbing character deaths featured in the franchise.
• The darker tone of The Legend of Korra makes for more gruesome and tragic character deaths compared to its predecessor.
• The deaths of characters like Jet, Kya, and Hou-Ting stand out as some of the most disturbing and impactful moments in the franchise.

Avatar: The Last Airbender and its sequel series, The Legend of Korra , include eight surprisingly disturbing character deaths that stand out as the franchise's darkest moments. Avatar: The Last Airbender 's cast and incredible writing team helped turn the franchise into a global hit, leading not only to The Legend of Korra 's creation, but also two live-action adaptations of the original series. There is also a sequel film in development that will follow an adult Avatar Aang several years after the conclusion of the main series.

By the end of Avatar: The Last Airbender , only a small handful of characters have actually died. However, some of the deaths the show does include are surprisingly disturbing. Further, the sequel series is tonally much darker than The Last Airbender , so by the end of The Legend of Korra , there is no shortage of grizzly death scenes. With that in mind, there are eight deaths between the two shows that stand out as the most disturbing or gruesome moments in the franchise .

All 9 Avatar: The Last Airbender Cameos In The Legend Of Korra, Ranked

8 jet — freedom fighter, avatar: the last airbender.

After fighting to escape the Dai Li's lair under Lake Laogai, Jet is fatally wounded by their leader, Long Feng.

Jet's ambiguous death in Avatar: The Last Airbender season 2 is easily one of the show's darkest moments. After fighting to escape the Dai Li's lair under Lake Laogai, Jet is fatally wounded by their leader, Long Feng. Considering characters almost never die on-screen in The Last Airbender , this is a shocking turn of events. The scene seems to be purposefully ambiguous, likely in hopes of softening the blow for younger audiences and creating some uncertainty as to whether he is really dying.

Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra are available to stream on Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Paramount+.

Jet's death sets the stage for a tragic ending to one of Avatar: The Last Airbender 's best seasons , making it more believable when Aang is nearly killed by Azula's lightning strike in the season 2 finale. Further, Jet's death is even more disturbing considering none of the villains die in this encounter , and hardly any villains die in the show at all. The only comforting thing about Jet's early death is that he redeems himself by helping Aang and his friends find Appa and fend off the villainous Dai Li agents before succumbing to his wounds.

7 Kya — Southern Water Tribe

This devastating scene is punctuated by Yon Rha's cruel comment that he won't be taking prisoners, making it clear that Kya's sacrifice saved her daughter's life.

Jet's death might be up there with the most disturbing events in Avatar: The Last Airbender , but the murder of Sokka and Katara's mother, Kya, is probably the show's saddest moment. Kya is killed in cold blood by the leader of the Southern Raiders, Yon Rha, after she pretends to be the village's secret waterbender to save Katara from the Fire Nation. This devastating scene is punctuated by Yon Rha's cruel comment that he won't be taking prisoners, making it clear that Kya's sacrifice saved her daughter's life.

Katara tracks down Yon Rha in Avatar: The Last Airbender season 3, but decides to spare his life.

This scene takes place several years back in Avatar: The Last Airbender 's timeline , so the audience knows what's about to happen to Kya, but that doesn't make the scene much easier to watch. Kya is strongly reminiscent of Katara in the glimpse of her The Last Airbender provides, which also makes it more disturbing when her death scene is shown. This is the only cold-blooded murder described in The Last Airbender , making it easily one of the darkest events in the franchise.

6 Hou-Ting — Earth Queen

The legend of korra.

The Earth Queen isn't exactly a sympathetic character, but that doesn't make it any less graphic when Zaheer pulls the very air from her lungs.

Zaheer's murder of Earth Queen Hou-Ting is one of the most gruesome moments in The Legend of Korra , as the ruthless villain uses his newfound airbending to pull the air from the Earth Queen's lungs, killing her in a matter of moments. Zaheer's bending technique is the only one shown in The Legend of Korra or Avatar: The Last Airbender that is designed specifically to kill. As such, it is one of the most sadistic creations in the franchise, and its use easily earns a spot among the franchise's most disturbing scenes.

Zaheer is a member of the anarchist organization known as the Red Lotus.

This grizzly scene is also far more graphic than anything shown in Avatar: The Last Airbender , and there aren't many scenes in The Legend of Korra that can compete with it either. The Legend of Korra is considerably darker than its predecessor, but Earth Queen Hou-Ting's death is pretty gruesome, even for it. The Earth Queen isn't exactly a sympathetic character, but that doesn't make it any less graphic when Zaheer pulls the very air from her lungs.

5 Ming-Hua — Red Lotus Member

Ming-Hua's death is somewhat of a relief to the audience in the moment, as it seems like she might be undefeatable for a moment, but when looking back on it, it's an unambiguously gruesome way to go.

Ming-Hua, the waterbending member of Zaheer's group in The Legend of Korra , also dies in a disturbing way, succumbing to electrocution when Mako strikes her water tendrils with lightning. Ming-Hua uses her waterbending in place of arms, and she often creates numerous arms while fighting. This strategy makes her extremely formidable, but as Mako demonstrates in their duel, it also makes her susceptible to a lightning strike because water is a strong conductor. Electrocution is a grizzly way to die, making this one of the more disturbing deaths in the franchise.

Ming-Hua was previously held in a prison inside a volcano to keep her from accessing water and freeing herself.

Ming-Hua's death is somewhat of a relief to the audience in the moment, as it seems like she might be undefeatable for a moment, but when looking back on it, it's an unambiguously gruesome way to go. However, considering how difficult of a time Korra's friends were having taking her down, Mako's lightning strike might have been the only way to defeat her. Even so, there is nothing pleasant about watching Ming-Hua's body being racked with a wave of deadly electricity .

4 P'Li — Red Lotus Member

Combustionbending can blow up entire buildings with a well-placed strike, so it's unpleasant to consider what the damage might've looked like inside the breastplate that killed her.

P'Li is another member of the Red Lotus who meets an extremely ghastly end, dying of one of her own combustionbending attacks when Suyin Beifong bends a metal breastplate around her head just before she fires. Combustionbending is remarkably rare in The Last Airbender 's world, but the two known characters with this ability prove how powerful it really is. Combustionbending can blow up entire buildings with a well-placed strike, so it's unpleasant to consider what the damage might've looked like inside the breastplate that killed her.

Considering what some of her combustion strikes do in The Legend of Korra , there is no question that P'Li dies in this episode. Luckily, the show doesn't provide a view of her head after the explosion, but the implication is that she died instantly. With that in mind, P'Li's disturbing death probably isn't as painful or graphic as Ming-Hua's, the resulting damage to P'Li's body is probably more horrific than Ming-Hua's . P'Li's death is also more impactful on Zaheer because she is his girlfriend.

3 Ghazan — Red Lotus Member

It's chilling that Ghazan was willing to sacrifice his own life to kill Mako and Bolin, making this one of the franchise's more disturbing death scenes.

Ghazan is the final member of Zaheer's group, and his death is no less dark than the others. When Ghazan realizes he can't defeat Mako and Bolin, he starts using his bending to bring down the cave they're fighting in, attempting to bury all three of them under several tons of rock. However, Mako and Bolin manage to escape before the cave is completely collapsed, so Ghazan is the only one that dies. It's chilling that Ghazan was willing to sacrifice his own life to kill Mako and Bolin, making this one of the franchise's more disturbing death scenes.

Ghazan's dedication to creating anarchy is a big part of what makes this scene disturbing, but the fact that he is buried under tons of rock is also a contributing factor. Further, Ghazan uses both lavabending and earthbending to bring down the cave, so he could just as easily have been burned up by the lava as crushed by the cave. However, whether he dies from the lava or the falling rocks, this is a dark and disturbing way to go, even for a member of the notorious Red Lotus .

2 Aiwei — Secret Member Of The Red Lotus

After failing to kidnap Korra in Zaofu, Aiwei is summoned to the Spirit World to meet with Zaheer, who decides to punish him for failing to capture the Avatar by trapping him in the Fog of Lost Souls to wander for all eternity.

Although several characters in The Legend of Korra die more gruesome deaths than Aiwei, his fate at the hands of Zaheer is as cruel and disturbing as it gets. After failing to kidnap Korra in Zaofu, Aiwei is summoned to the Spirit World to meet with Zaheer, who decides to punish him for failing to capture the Avatar by trapping him in the Fog of Lost Souls to wander for all eternity. It's hard to imagine any death in Avatar: The Last Airbender 's world being worse than eternity wandering in fog.

Aiwei is an easily detestable character after it's revealed that he's been feigning his loyalty to the Beifong family and is actually a secret member of the Red Lotus, but it's hard to argue that he deserved the disturbing fate forced on him by Zaheer . He definitely deserved to be locked up for his crimes, but ironically, his decision to flee Zaofu in search of safety actually makes his fate far worse. If he had been captured by Korra, he certainly would've spent a long time in jail, but he wouldn't have to wander in fog for eternity.

1 Tarrlok & Noatak — Southern Water Tribe

When Noatak and Tarrlok then escape on a speedboat, Tarrlok realizes his brother will never stop, so he uses an electrified glove to ignite the fuel tank in their boat, killing them both in a massive explosion.

Tarrlok and Noatak's death at the end of The Legend of Korra season 1 is easily one of the show's most tragic moments. After Korra figures out that Amon is really Noatak, Tarrlok's brother, she exposes him as a waterbender, destroying the credibility of his equalist movement. When Noatak and Tarrlok then escape on a speedboat, Tarrlok realizes his brother will never stop, so he uses an electrified glove to ignite the fuel tank in their boat, killing them both in a massive explosion.

While both of these characters are villainous and detestable, their death scene is chilling to watch. Their lives are dominated by tragedy and the cruelness of their father , Yakone, so it's somewhat conflicting when Tarrlok decides to blow up their boat. It's hard to imagine Noatak ever becoming good after everything that he does as Amon, but that doesn't make it satisfying when the brothers die. There's nothing but sadness and tragedy in this death scene, which is why it's one of the Avatar: The Last Airbender franchise's most disturbing deaths.

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Avatar: The Last Airbender is an Animated Fantasy and Adventure series that appeared on Nickelodeon and was created by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko. The series featured voices from Zach Tyler Eisen, Jack DeSena, Dante Basco, and Mae Whitman. The premise follows a young boy named Aang, an Air Bender who is set to be the next Avatar, master of all elements, in a bit to unite the nations together and bring peace.

The Legend of Korra

This spinoff of Avatar: The Last Airbender follows the titular Korra, the new generation's Avatar and reincarnation of Aang. As an Avatar, Korra can bend all four elements, and the show follows her adventure through the difficulties in a rapidly growing world.