Recent changes Random page
GAMING
Entertainment
 
Star Trek
Transformers
Harry Potter
 Twilight Saga
Terminator
Ghostbusters
See more...

Patterns of Force (episode)

From Memory Alpha, the free Star Trek reference

(Redirected from Patterns of Force)
Jump to: navigation, search
Real World article
(written from a Production point of view)
"Patterns of Force"
TOS, Episode 2x23
Production number: 60352
First aired: 16 February 1968
Remastered version aired: 19 May 2007
← 53rd of 80 produced in TOS →
← 50th of 80 released in TOS →
← 31st of 80 released in TOS Remastered →
← 50th of 727 released in all →
Written By
John Meredyth Lucas

Directed By
Vincent McEveety
Unknown (2268)
  Arc: {{{wsArc0Desc}}} ({{{nArc0PartNumber}}} of {{{nArc0PartCount}}})  
  Arc: {{{wsArc1Desc}}} ({{{nArc1PartNumber}}} of {{{nArc1PartCount}}})  
  Arc: {{{wsArc2Desc}}} ({{{nArc2PartNumber}}} of {{{nArc2PartCount}}})  
  Arc: {{{wsArc3Desc}}} ({{{nArc3PartNumber}}} of {{{nArc3PartCount}}})  
  Arc: {{{wsArc4Desc}}} ({{{nArc4PartNumber}}} of {{{nArc4PartCount}}})  

The Enterprise discovers a planet where a Federation historian has apparently interfered with its society to have it model Nazi Germany.

Contents

[edit] Summary

James T. Kirk wears a Nazi Waffen SS senior officer uniform

The Enterprise heads for the planet Ekos to retrieve cultural observer John Gill, a brilliant history teacher; Spock and McCoy reminisce about his style of approaching history as a matter of cause-and-effect, rather than dates and events.

While approaching the planet, the ship is attacked by an old-style chemical rocket with a thermonuclear warhead – technology that the planet is not yet supposed to be capable of developing. Fearing that Gill's mission has been compromised in violation of the Prime Directive of non-interference with developing planets, Kirk and Spock beam down to Ekos.

Kirk and Spock in Nazi uniforms

They find a culture almost identical to that of Germany during its Nazi period of the 1930s and 40s, down to the uniforms, salutes, hatred of the neighboring planet Zeon and the concept of the Führer – John Gill himself. Stealing some SS uniforms, Kirk and Spock attempt to infiltrate the Führer's headquarters but are quickly captured and interrogated by an SS-Major; this is interrupted by Chairman Eneg, who chides the SS guard for not realizing that punishment is effective for just so long.

Left with their wounds still open, they find themselves imprisoned with Isak, a Zeon underground member who explains how the Nazi movement began, coinciding with the time of Gill's arrival. Using rubindium transponders planted below their skin before beaming down, the trio manage to escape and return to their base. There, Isak is told of the death of his fiancée. In the midst of this, a squad of Ekosian stormtroopers (led by a woman) arrives, intent on arresting the entire lot. When Kirk and Spock intervene to help the underground workers, it is revealed that the woman, Daras, is an Ekosian member of the underground and the storming was a test to see if the strangers could be trusted. Kirk and Spock then reveal who they are and why they are here. They also learn that a fleet of space vehicles is preparing to depart from Ekos to carry the war of extermination to Zeon.

Kirk and Spock accompany Daras and Isak (in Nazi disguise) to Führer headquarters to try and reach Gill; Dr. McCoy joins them in Nazi uniform. Once inside, they listen to a speech by Gill, followed by another from his deputy, Melakon, pledging the destruction of Zeon. The three are able to sneak into a broadcast booth and find Gill, heavily drugged. Partly revived by McCoy, they learn the truth; Gill took matters into his own hands on Ekos, which was in a state of anarchy. He organized the planet using the efficiency of the Nazi system, but tried to prevent it from sliding into sadism. Melakon, however, began a takeover and began drugging Gill; Melakon has been the real power on Ekos for years. Isak, meanwhile, learns that Eneg is a member of the underground resistance.

With time running out before the Ekosian fleet reaches Zeon, Kirk revives Gill to a state of coherency; Gill immediately broadcasts a message halting the invasion, and declaring Melakon a traitor. Melakon shoots Gill to silence him but is, in turn, killed by Isak. As Gill dies, he tells Kirk the Prime Directive was the right way all along. Meanwhile, Eneg takes control of the government, declaring "there's been enough killing. Now we'll start to live the way the Führer meant us to live." He then goes on the airwaves with Daras to offer a new way of life for both Ekosians and Zeons.

[edit] Memorable Quotes

"Unbelievable... do you recognize those uniforms?"
"Mid twentieth century Earth. The nation state called Nazi Germany."

- Kirk and Spock


"We may make a human of you yet."
"I hope not!"

- Kirk and Spock


"You should make a very convincing Nazi."

- Spock, to Kirk


"Lieutenant? Better see a doctor, you don't look well... your color!"
"Yes, I shall tend to it Major."
"Lieutenant! Your helmet... remove it!"
"We have urgent business with the Fuhrer!"
"Lieutenant! Remove your helmet!"

- Kirk and Spock discovered by an SS-Major
Spock uses his rubindium crystal as a crude laser.
Kirk buckles under Spock's weight


Kirk notices a light bulb on the wall that might fuel a crude laser Spock has constructed.
"The power from this light is very low."
 "Yes. To reach that light I shall require some sort of platform."
 Kirk offers his back, even though he has recently been vigorously whipped. "I would be honored, Mr. Spock."
 Spock climbs Kirk's back at a somewhat leisurely pace. "Now. the rubindium crystals should find enough power here to achieve the necessary stimulus. As I recall from the history of physics, the ancient lasers were able to achieve the necessary excitation even using crude natural crystals."
 Kirk begins to buckle under the strain. "Mr. Spock, the guard who did a very professional job on my back would appreciate it if you'd hurry."
 Spock nears the light, then hesitates. "You realize of course that the aim will be very crude."
 Kirk is now in pain, and begins to yell, before controlling himself. "I . . . don't care if you hit the broad side of a barn. Just hurry, please."
 "Captain, why should I aim at such a structure?"
 Kirk struggles to control himself. "Never mind. Just get on with the job."

- Kirk and Spock attempt a prison break.


"Why do the Nazis hate Zeons?"
"Why? Because without us to hate, there'd be nothing to hold them together. So the party has built us into a threat, a disease to be wiped out."
"Is Zeon a threat to them?"
"Our warlike period ended dozens of generations ago."

- Spock, Isak, and Kirk


"She would have... been my wife..."
"She lived for five hours... while they walked past her – and spat on her. Our own people were unable to help her. Now you ask me to... help strangers?"
"If we adopt the ways of the Nazis... we're as bad as the Nazis."

- Davod and Isak


"John Gill was sent by the Federation as a cultural observer."
"You mean that the Führer... is an alien? For so long I grew to love him... then, later, to hate everything he stands for... but, now, to learn that he was an alien sent to destroy us..."
"That was never his mission. He was sent only to observe this planet. Obviously, something went wrong; that's why we're here."

- Kirk and Daras


"The colonel's drunk, he he's had a little too much to drink. He thought he would embarrass the Fuhrer."
"Yes, a doctor should have more pride."
"I...see..."

- Kirk and Spock referring to a SS Colonel {a disguised Dr. McCoy} caught in the cloak room by Eneg


"There's a spy in this building with a secret transmitter, we're conducting a search. Hail the Fuhrer!"

- Eneg


John Gill answers Kirk's questions.

"Planet... fragmented... divided... took lesson from Earth history."
"But why Nazi Germany? You studied history; you knew what the Nazis were!
"Most efficient state... Earth ever knew."
"Quite true, captain. A tiny country – beaten, bankrupt, defeated – rose in just a few short years to stand one step away from global domination."
"It was brutal, perverted! It had to be destroyed at a terrible cost! Why that example?"
"Perhaps Gill felt that such a state, run benignly, might achieve its efficiency without sadism."

- John Gill, Kirk, and Spock


"See to the Führer at once; he's ill." (grabs the guard) "And turn off that camera."

- Melakon, upon hearing the revived Gill

[edit] Background

  • An early draft of this episode had the source of cultural contamination arriving aboard a small "Ambassador class" vessel called the Magellan. The name would be later applied in TNG to the Ambassador-class of ships in the mid-24th century.
  • Because of its subject matter (specifically the use of Nazi uniforms and symbols in a manner banned by the German Constitution), this episode was withheld from broadcast by the German station that aired TOS, as large segments of the episode were technically illegal. Austrian state-owned TV, on the other hand, did broadcast it, although untranslated with German subtitles (translation of the other episodes was done in Germany and bought by Austrian TV stations). Southernmost Germany in range of Austrian TV broadcast thus could watch the episode. In Germany a translated version was aired in 1999, but only late at night on pay-TV (as well as a home video release).
  • This episode marks the only time, in any Star Trek series or film, that actor Leonard Nimoy is seen on camera not wearing a shirt.
  • Military enthusiasts have frequently pointed out that there are numerous costuming mistakes in this episode, with Nazi military characters wearing uniforms that do not correspond with their ranks in dialogue, as well as mismatched uniform components (collar tabs, epaulets, etc.). However, the silver oak leaf insignia on McCoy's uniform collar is that of a colonel, as Kirk had specified.
  • Eneg's name is an inside joke -- it is "Gene" backwards. The name "Zeon" is a take on "Zion", while "Abrom" corresponds to "Abraham", "Davod" to "David", "Isak" to "Isaac" and "Daras" reversed is almost "Sara."
  • The headquarters of the Nazi Party in this episode are the redecorated offices of Paramount Pictures during the 60s, including the building where Lucille Ball ran Desilu.
  • V-2 rocket footage from World War II Germany is used in the newscast showing Ekosian missiles.
  • No stardate is logged in the episode. Bjo Trimble gave it a stardate of 2534.0 in her Star Trek Concordance, apparently using an earlier script version. This episode was filmed in early December 1967.
  • This is the second mention of Nazi Germany in Star Trek. The first time the Nazis are mentioned was in the TOS episode "The City on the Edge of Forever". The theme is reprised in later shows, first on VOY: "The Killing Game", where Hirogen take over USS Voyager and use the holodeck to recreate Nazi Germany and then in ENT: "Zero Hour", and "Storm Front", when agents from the Temporal Cold War sent Captain Archer and the Enterprise NX back to World War II.
  • In a change from the stock explosions used throughout the second season, an animated nuclear blast was created for this episode.
  • The attacking V-2 rocket on the viewscreen of Enterprise is reused footage of the Orion ship from "Journey to Babel".
  • The underground area is the same set as was used for "The Devil in the Dark".
  • In a blooper from this episode, Leonard Nimoy as Spock attempts to contact the ship via communicator, only to hear a distinctly male voice announce, "Enterprise, Lieutenant Uhura." Nimoy stolidly hands the communicator to William Shatner, whereupon they both break up in laughter.
  • In one of the (stock) news footage scenes a car with Adolf Hitler accompanied by soldiers is used to represent John Gill as the Führer on planet Ekos. The scene is a use of stock footage from the Nazi propaganda film Triumph of the Will
  • Star Trek 12 contains a novelization of this story by James Blish and J.A. Lawrence.


[edit] Production Timeline

[edit] Remastered Information

The Enterprise orbits a remastered Ekos

The remastered version of "Patterns of Force" aired in many North American markets during the weekend of 19 May 2007. While the episode required very few new effects, an entirely new shot of the Enterprise phasering the Ekosian warhead was substituted. In addition, Ekos was given a CGI-makeover as a more Earth-like planet, with new orbital shots of the Enterprise, and the rubindium crystal beam was refined.

[edit] Video and DVD releases

[edit] Links and References

[edit] Starring

[edit] Guest Stars

[edit] Special Appearance By

[edit] Co-Stars

[edit] Uncredited Co-Stars

[edit] References

Alexander the Great; Bonaparte, Napoléon; Caesar, Julius; cancer; Chancellery Detention Center; cultural contamination; cultural observer; Deputy Führer; drugs; Ekos; Ekosian; excellency; Final Solution; Führer; gambling; Gestapo; Gestapo Command Headquarters; Hitler, Adolf; Human history; hypnosis; Iron Cross; Kuan, Lee; MP40; medi-comp; National Socialist Party (Nazi, Nazi Party); pig; Prime Directive; projectile weapon; psychosis; Ramses; rubindium; Secretary; SS; space fleet; subcutaneous transponder; swastika; swine; transponder; Uletta; Vulcan mind probe; Zeon; Zeon (planet)

[edit] External link


Previous episode produced:
"Return to Tomorrow" 		Star Trek: The Original Series
Season 2 		Next episode produced:
"The Ultimate Computer"
Previous episode aired:
"Return to Tomorrow" 		Next episode aired:
"By Any Other Name"
Previous remastered episode aired:
"Errand of Mercy" 		TOS Remastered Next remastered episode aired:
"Shore Leave"
Retrieved from "http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Patterns_of_Force_(episode)"
Rate this article:
Share this article: