Operation -- Annihilate!

DVD, Star Trek S1 (Operation -- Annihilate!)

A suitable cap to a good season, this one is an ideal episode of original Trek, presenting as it does, the trio of main characters, their camaraderie, their roles as balancing act for the Captain, as well as giving us an excellent creature to add to the pantheon already established throughout the season, and featuring a strong planetary location that sells this totally as an alien world colonised by humans. The creeping horror of a plague of mass insanity through history immediately adds an ancient mental terror to the mix and a strong sense of the progression of time, reinforcing the series as set in a real period of history to come. All this and good use of the secondary main characters again, as well as a personal trial for Kirk, and it's a terrific all-round Trek-heavy episode. It's not quite as powerful as that which preceded it, but few are, and it continues the good work of 'The City On The Edge of Forever,' really emphasising the big three of Kirk, Spock and McCoy, without forgetting Scotty, Uhura, Sulu, and even Nurse Chapel. I don't have specific memories of watching this one as a child, but I'm sure I must have because I still recall the sense of repulsion from the single-celled creatures which convincingly zip around at such speed, something that's stayed with me. Once again they took the trouble to create something more than just a static model: it flies, it 'breathes' in and out, and when finally defeated, it melts away, dissolving in smoke.

There's something about the idea of a creature so alien it may not even have come from our galaxy, that strikes a chill only to be increased by the buildup it is given: no people, everyone hidden from sight, the whole population holed up in buildings except for a posse of men in work outfits brandishing transparent clubs, who rush the Landing Party, yet hesitantly as if fighting their own violent natures before finally succumbing and coming on, felled by Phaser blasts. It's cool to see the Landing Party forced to defend themselves so suddenly, straight into professional action, and it only continues when, alerted by a creepy humming they stumble upon a nest of the creatures, Kirk ordering his team to form a ring for protection as some awaken and fly threateningly above them. It's really well shot and could only have been bettered if they'd made the internal setting so badly lit that the creatures were just barely visible shapes hidden in shadow, heaving and massing, suddenly flitting into the light, but even so the audience sees them first, hidden behind a pillar or arch of some kind, an unknown menace. The power of the creature in our mind grows when even a Phaser on full power can only knock it temporarily to the ground. Even then this only takes it out for a few moments, whipping up onto Spock's back in vengeance as the group retreat and causing him his greatest mental challenge yet. The episode's flaws are minor, but one is Kirk doesn't seem to be really gripping the creature in his efforts to release Spock, and when the Vulcan goes crazy on the Bridge you can tell it's stunt men, not the actors themselves.

If anyone was to take an alien life form and survive the pain it exerted it would be a Vulcan, so Spock does his race credit in this extreme state. But even he, one so versed in self-control and the mind over matter ethos of his people, is initially overcome, hurrying to the Bridge against his will to take over and provide the creatures with transportation to fresh pastures of humanoid life. It takes four men to restrain him, and even then just barely (which would make sense, since Vulcans are said to possess roughly three times the strength of a human, and even with his half-human side Spock has embraced his Vulcan half more). You'd think they'd have made sure the restraint straps with which he's then held to the biobed in Sickbay were strong enough to contain him, because although it is Mr. Spock in control of himself who rips the belts away so he can continue his work, he still makes short shrift of them! The idea of an alien creature latching onto a character is one that has gone down as one of the main plot devices in sci-fi - you'll rarely see a genre series that doesn't have at least one episode where this occurs, and it's because it's such a visceral horror. You have a ticking clock from whatever the creature is doing, you have the desperate survival of the individual affected, and you might have the devastating effects someone who is trusted can wreak when under the influence of an unwanted symbiosis.

I like that Spock, in this case, is able to conquer his own inner pain and torment, but the hold the parasite has is so strong that only by keeping his full abilities trained on the problem can he remain in possession of himself, and throughout the episode the strain can be witnessed by the jerkiness of his movements, far from his usual relaxed, interested poise. Spock is an inspiration in the episode: not only does he carry on his work regardless of the intense pain, but he reacts calmly and acceptingly, without bitterness towards the strokes of hardship that come his way, remaining scientifically detached. How many could just accept the loss of their sight in such a way? And before that, he was ready to go down to the planet when the only apparent solution was to eradicate all who had been affected by the creatures' sting. Few episodes paint Mr. Spock in such an overwhelmingly favourable and inspirational light, one reason why this is one of my favourites from 'TOS.' The idea of a single-celled organism that is part of a greater brain is another concept seen throughout science fiction, as is that of a human host being possessed against its will. 'TNG' ran with both: think the Borg, individuals subsumed to a greater will, a hive mind. And the critters from 'Conspiracy' that insert themselves into the host body to take over its will in order to spread and conquer.

It's a mix of excellent concept and great production design. Although the creatures look like that fake rubber splat of joke sick you used to get, the way they're shot and articulated give them a life beyond their diminutive size. If nothing else in Trek had worked, the creature designs would still stand up as classics today: from the bulbous-headed Talosians, the green Orion slave girl and the salt vampire, to the Gorn, the Horta and these nasties, Season 1 produced some terrific and memorable aliens. But the thing is, it wasn't just the creative production the series excelled at, it was the characterisations that really stood the test of time. Kirk and Spock had been well established as a double-act, especially in the latter episodes, but McCoy was yet to be granted equal billing with them. But DeForest Kelley's presence and the depth he brought to the Doctor slowly elevated him above the other recurring characters, and if 'City On The Edge' confirmed that status, this episode underlines it as he does all he can to save Spock. It's not just the First Officer who needs saving - the shock of the episode is in Kirk's own sister-in-law dying in front of him in extreme torment as she desperately tries to give up the information of what happened and the goal of these awful creatures, at the cost of her life. Kirk has to deal with the loss of his brother (something apparently so painful to him that he blanks Sam out of his mind after the events of this episode - I think it's in 'Star Trek V' he claims he never had a brother!), and the horrible suffering his nephew, Peter, will endure when he awakes.

Kirk's decision-making is temporarily, and understandably, clouded by these extremely personal deaths, and McCoy has to remind him that his responsibility isn't just to the surviving two afflicted lying in Sickbay (Peter and Spock), but all the colonists still at the mercy of those things down on the planet. It appears there are only two options: to find a way to kill these parasites or to prevent their further damage by exterminating everyone on the planet. But Kirk demands a third alternative, something I've always found to be one of the most compelling devices in storytelling: when there is only a positive or a negative course of action what other, surprising choice, can garner the success that is required? Often it can be a simple solution - like the common cold in the Martian attack of the classic sci-fi story 'The War of The Worlds,' or the command to sleep which halts the Borg attack on Earth in 'The Best of Both Worlds' on 'TNG.' In this case it's as basic as high intensity light, or that's what the Doctor believes before subjecting Spock to such brightness that he's blinded unnecessarily, leaving McCoy guilt-stricken - ultraviolet was all that was required to turn them to mush. I must admit, this episode does put you off pancakes rather, and the day I was writing this review, what did I have for dessert? Yes, pancakes!

This twist in the story is another reason why it stands out above the usual fare: the Doctor's tragic horror at failing to diagnose the correct course of action, Spock's under-reactive response, and the positive viewpoint he chooses to take, that it was an equitable exchange when previously his life had been the price, only seem to make it more heartrending. I remember thinking the last time I watched this, almost ten years ago, whether the writers would leave Spock in this condition and conveniently forget about it by the start of the second season, because it appeared to be so final. I've equally thought that the inner eyelids that get Spock out of jail for free were something that came down over his eye like a second layer under his outer eyelids, but it sounded like it was something that protected the optic nerve internally. It's so unnecessary in ordinary Vulcan life that they don't even think about it, which is why Spock thought his blindness was permanent. It also leads to McCoy paying the Vulcan the greatest of compliments, calling him the best First Officer in the fleet, a touching moment that is expertly converted into a loveable exchange to end the episode, and one that is actually funny - McCoy's embarrassment at having said such a nice thing leads him to ask Jim not to tell Spock, who looks up from his station and thanks the Doctor for his compliment, with Kirk reminding McCoy that he'd been so concerned about the Vulcan eyes he'd forgotten about the Vulcan ears. A lovely way to close out such a strong episode, and by extension, the whole season.

There are a couple of logical inconsistencies in the story, the first requiring speculation, the second answered by the episode itself: if these organisms needed hosts in order to travel to other planets and systems, or at least build the ships that they couldn't construct themselves, how did they make it from one galaxy to another? It is only presumed they came from outside the galaxy, and even then perhaps there was some phenomenon that allowed them to be swept through the vastness between galaxies, or even that they travelled aboard some kind of vessel that other creatures from their galaxy had built - we'd learn the Kelvans came from the Andromeda Galaxy and they managed it, so it's certainly a possibility. I wish 'Enterprise' had somehow dealt with them since we know from the star map they consult (on one of the side screens above the consoles, a rare use of such), that the spread of mass insanity had taken two hundred years to get to the Denevan system, and I'm sure they could have found a way to include it without finding a permanent solution or being able to make record of the encounter for the future Enterprise to discover in its databanks. The other story point that at first is inconsistent, is that of the speculation the heat of the Denevan sun was what killed the parasite and set the Denevan free, which is what he shouted as he burned up. But they can't use extreme heat because it would turn a person to ashes before the creature was destroyed, they say. Easily answered: it was the light that killed it, as was later explained.

Everyone has their moment (even Mr. Leslie), with Sulu helping to take down Spock, Uhura being respectful, but firm when standing up to Kirk after he snaps at her for not being able to make contact with the planet (I noticed she was still wearing the black belt she wore for the Landing Party in 'City,' but she didn't beam down this time - maybe she thought if she wore it again Kirk would choose her, or it could be the scenes from both were filmed close together), and Scotty proving he's no fool when he holds a Phaser on Spock who's already pushed him across the room and nerve-pinched Leslie in the Transporter Room - the Scotsman is resolute in his obedience to his Captain's orders, to his credit. Had the creature regained control of Spock things could have been a lot worse, because, as with McCoy in the previous episode, he would be an unstoppable force if he ever turned against the crew. He could have crushed the life out of Leslie and Scott, he broke out of Sickbay as it was, just imagine what evil he could have been forced into had he been unable to counteract the hold the parasite exerted over its victims. As it was he merely pushes Scott away, and it appears his nerve-pinch can have degrees of potency, as we see Leslie conscious and back on his feet again by the time of the Captain's arrival at the Transporter. He may still be rubbing his shoulder and looking a mite aggrieved, but you'd expect him to be out for a while, usually. Nurse Chapel is included, too, her deep personal concern for Spock causing her to question the Doctor's actions in the midst of surgery, which shows just how much her heart ruled her head!

McCoy admits that all the labs and science departments are stumped by the situation, unable to remove the creature (I love the glass jar filled with liquid and little rubbery parts that he brings to the Bridge to show Kirk!), and we learn the Enterprise has a whopping fourteen science labs, so it's a heavily science-focused vessel, something we don't often get the impression of because of the dramatic action stories we're often given, but this weighted balance towards science and exploration is taken and run with in the spinoff series' which gave plenty of time to such things. We do see at least one of the labs where McCoy carries out his tests on the creature Spock recovered from Deneva (fending off another attack from a spanner-wielding citizen, in what is another great moment - taking its toll on his mental subjugation of the creature he's momentarily overcome with the pain again, but soon continues on his way to carry out the mission). The uniforms of the workers are just like those of the miners in 'The Devil in The Dark,' a nice piece of continuity, even if it was a necessity to save money on costuming. The colourful, futuristic location also served to enhance the scale of the episode which would have been diminished a little had they been running around a fake rocky planet set instead of between outwardly empty buildings, the camera watching from a distance, emphasising their smallness in the greater scale of the city. I'd have loved to see the creatures buzzing in the skies, but they probably wouldn't have been able to do it as effectively as in the tightly enclosed internal area, or it would have been like 'Pitch Black,' and they'd only have come out at night.

The title must surely be the only one in all of Trek history to be so heavily punctuated! Not only does it end in an exclamation mark, but it has two, yes two dashes between the words, quite an accomplishment. It hides the subtlety of the episode in such a melodramatic title, but I have a fondness for even the title because the story and character is so good. It was rare in 'TOS' for any of the characters to reveal backstory and family - we'd had something similar with Nurse Chapel when we met the remains of her fiance in 'What Are Little Girls Made Of?' and we'd go on to find out more about Spock and his culture in both 'Amok Time' and 'Journey To Babel,' but this episode is very much Kirk's, albeit with a tiny sliver of side order for Scotty (he talks of making the freight run as an engineering advisor, though whether this was before his Starfleet career or after, he doesn't elaborate). It's a wonderful touch to have Shatner play his own brother's corpse, even though it was the briefest of moments of seeing a man like Kirk with a moustache, and great to meet his sister-in-law and nephew (the actor would later appear in a different role in Season 3's 'And The Children Shall Lead'). Aurelan's brave defiance of the alien within her might be the most powerful scene and really chills the spine as she goes from screaming hysteria to forcing out the truth of them needing people to be their arms and legs, forcing them to build ships, all as the hypnotic throbbing of the biobed readouts underscores her death throes, the horror finally pulling her under. It's a horrible death and does more than most to craft a living terror around the creatures.

The subject of money may have come up again, as Kirk orders McCoy to help them, no matter what it takes or costs. He may have been referring generally to the effort it would cost, but equally it almost sounds as if he's saying spare no material expense. Although they come up with the third alternative of light rays, the idea crossed my mind that they could also have quarantined the planet. Spock and Peter Kirk would have been forced to go down and live among the maddened population, but I could imagine Spock going around bringing pain relief to as many colonists as he could, living out his days foiling any plot of the creatures to build ships, and living a hunted existence. It could have made for a great spinoff series, actually! Spock was the opposite of McCoy in 'City' - both under the influence of internal pressures, in the Doctor's case, an overdose, but where McCoy was wild with paranoia and unable to contain himself, Spock's Vulcan nature was able to assert the necessary control, once again proving that Vulcans, for all the lacking varieties we've seen in 21st Century Trek productions, are superior and inspirational as a race. Long live the Vulcans! And long live 'TOS,' too, for it managed to do what few TV shows could, and end its season stronger than it began, with the one-two punch of these last couple of stories, and the steady goodness of most of those preceding it was an impressive achievement and guaranteed Trek's return for Season 2. What's even more impressive is that, with the original pilot, it counted thirty episodes, the longest season of any Trek. Annihilate that!

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