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Patterns of Force (episode)

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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)
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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.

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 greeted by his brother, Abrom, and 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 - once Kirk responded to her apparent murder of Abrom by her holding at gunpoint, those gathered realize the two strangers are definitely on their side and put an end to the farce. 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

"You should make a very convincing Nazi."

- Spock, to Kirk


"If we adopt the ways of the Nazis... we're as bad as the Nazis."

- Isak


"Captain, I am beginning to understand why you earth men enjoy gambling. No matter how carefully one computes the odds of success, there is still a certain exhilaration in the risk."

- Spock


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

- Melakon, upon hearing the revived Gill


"People...people of Ekos...Hear me...We were betrayed - by a self-serving adventurer who has led us all to the very brink of disaster...I order the immedeate recall of the space fleet. This attack must stop - all units are to return to base. To Zeon - I promise, this was not an aggression of the Ekos people, only one evil man. Melakon is a traitor to his own people and all that we stand for. To Zeon people, I promise reparation, and..." (Melakon ends the spech with a machine gun)

- Gill, after being revived


"For so long I've prayed for this - now I'm sorry."
"So is he."

- Isak and Kirk, after the death of Gill

[edit] Background information

  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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 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"
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