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Who Mourns for Adonais? (episode)

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Real World article
(written from a Production point of view)
"Who Mourns for Adonais?"
TOS, Episode 2x04
Production number: 60333
First aired: 22 September 1967
Remastered version aired: 12 January 2008
← 34th of 80 produced in TOS →
← 31st of 80 released in TOS →
← 53rd of 80 released in TOS Remastered →
← 31st of 727 released in all →
Written By
Gilbert Ralston

Directed By
Marc Daniels
3468.1 (2267)
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The Enterprise is captured by an alien claiming to be Apollo, the Greek god of the sun.

Contents

[edit] Summary

[edit] Teaser

As the USS Enterprise nears the planet Pollux IV, a huge, green hand made of energy materializes in space, catching and holding the ship.

[edit] Act One

Then, on scanner 57, a new image: the ghostly, laurel-wreathed head of a man. Claiming the eons have passed, he welcomes the Enterprise crew, congratulating them for leaving their plains and valleys and making a "bold venture". Among other things, this being claims familiarity with Earth, from five thousand years ago, tossing about the names of individuals alive then. Captain Kirk's repeated demands for freedom finally irritate him, and he threatens to "close his hand" and crush the ship – a threat that seems very real. This threat finally prompts Kirk to agree to visit the planet with his officers, except for Spock. Spock evidently reminds this being of Pan, who always bored him.

The landing party consists of Kirk, McCoy, Scotty, Chekov and Lieutenant Carolyn Palamas. Palamas is trained in archaeology, anthropology, and ancient civilizations – all fields likely to be of some use here. There, they meet the being responsible for their capture. A being familiar with ancient Earth, and who introduces himself as Apollo. Despite his claims, McCoy's scans show him to be a "simple humanoid".

[edit] Act Two

Apollo claims he and others – Zeus, Athena, Aphrodite, Artemis – were a "gallant band of travelers" who visited Earth five thousand years ago. He demands to be worshiped, and in return offers a simple, pleasurable life. He reveals himself as petulant, arrogant, and accustomed to obedience. All these qualities correspond with his depictions as a god. But he controls a power that also makes him very dangerous, as the crew discover in a number of ways: phasers are fused, and individuals are injured by lightning strikes, or other acts of directed will. And, he has developed a romantic interest in Palamas.

Despite his array of tricks, the Enterprise landing party refuses to believe Apollo is a god. Aboard the ship, Spock is proceeding under the same assumption, and the crew there may be making headway: Uhura busies herself rigging a subspace bypass circuit to restore communications. And Sulu discovers a strange radiated power with no clear source.

Apollo, meanwhile, has taken Palamas away from the rest of the Enterprise crew. During a conversation, she discovers that the gods left Earth when mankind turned away from them. They returned to their home, an empty place without worshipers. But they lacked the strength to leave, and so they waited. And over the course of time, all but Apollo discorporated. Apollo claims the gods are immortal, and can't die, at least, not the way humans understand death. But even they eventually reach a point of no return; they "spread themselves upon the wind... thinner, and thinner, until only the wind remained..."

The landing party has also discovered the energy flow, but, like Sulu, they cannot isolate it. Chekov's theory is that Apollo can channel this flow of energy through his body without harm to himself. Finding the source of this energy is top priority. McCoy adds something very interesting: while generally a standard humanoid, Apollo has an extra organ in his chest that so far defies understanding. Chekov makes a key observation: as Apollo vanishes, he appears tired or pained. It seems that Apollo has a limited reservoir, and when he expends too much energy, he must retreat and recharge. Aboard ship, as Uhura and Sulu work, Spock has devised a method he hopes will penetrate the force field, at least in a few places; he proposes to generate M-rays on selected wavelengths.

On Apollo's return, the landing party attempts to goad him into attacking someone; their goal is to force him to expend his power, and weaken him so that he might be overpowered. But Palamas, who was not part of the plan, ruins it in her well-meaning attempt to save Kirk from Apollo's wrath.

[edit] Act Three

The attack on Apollo's temple

Attempts to foil Apollo's plans are hampered by Palamas, who has fallen in love with the god and whom Apollo decides will be his bride. This is a problem, because Kirk's final plan requires her to spurn Apollo; if she does this, depriving him of the love and adulation he needs, it may weaken him. If she chooses Apollo, the Enterprise crew had better be prepared for a radical change in their lives.

[edit] Act Four

Spock determines that the god's powers come from his temple. The Enterprise has used his technique to pierce the force field around the ship. When Kirk tells Palamas to reject Apollo, which she reluctantly does, the captain orders Spock to use the Enterprise's weapons to destroy Apollo's temple. Apollo, rejected by a mortal woman and bereft of his powers, spreads himself upon the winds to join his fellow gods. After he is gone, McCoy and Kirk regret what they had to do, but what Apollo demanded, mankind could no longer give.

[edit] Log entries

  • "Captain's log, stardate 3468.1. While approaching Pollux IV, a planet in the Beta Geminorum system, the Enterprise has been stopped in space by an unknown force of some kind."

[edit] Memorable quotes

"Am I seeing things?"
"Not unless I am, too. Captain! That thing's a... giant hand!"

- Chekov and Sulu


"The eons have passed, and what has been written has come about. You are most welcome, my beloved children – your places await you!"

- Apollo


"Captain Kirk; I invite you and your officers to join me. But do not bring that one – the one with the pointed ears. He is much like Pan, and Pan always bored me. No sad faces – let your hearts prepare to sing!"
"Let's go, Bones; you in good voice?"
"Jim, are you sure this is a good idea?"
"If we don't accept his gracious invitation, we'll have a crushed eggshell where this ship used to be."

- Apollo, Kirk, and McCoy


"Your fathers knew me, and your fathers' fathers – I am Apollo."
"And I am the Czar of all the Russias!"
"Mr. Chekov –"
"I'm sorry, sir; I never met a god before."
"And you haven't yet."

- Apollo, Chekov, and Kirk


"If you want to play god and call yourself Apollo, that's your business, but you're no god to us, Mister."
"I said you would worship me."
"And you've got a lot to learn!"
"And so have you!

- Kirk confronts Apollo


"To coin a phrase. Fascinating."

- McCoy, after seeing Apollo change size.


"They defied me – until they felt my wrath."
"I would like to point out that we are quite capable of some wrath ourselves."

- Apollo, and Scott

"But why? What you've said so far makes no sense at all."
"How like Aphrodite and Athena. The beauty, grace. And you seem wise for a woman."

- Carolyn Palamas makes herself known to Apollo


"Leave her alone."
"You protest? You risk much."
"And so do you."

- Scott protests Apollo's interest in Carolyn while drawing his phaser

"Mister Scott, I understand your concern over her, but she volunteered to go with him, hopefully to find out more about him. She's doing her job. I think it's about time you started doing yours. We've got to find out the source of his power. You've got a tricorder. Use it if you're able to."
"I'm able, sir."
"And one more thing. I want no more unauthorized action against Apollo or whatever he is. That's an order!"
"Aye, aye, sir."
"Besides, you stiff-necked thistle head, you could have gotten yourself killed."
"Aye.

- Kirk dresses down Scott for his recent behavior.


"Captain, some creatures can pass energy through their bodies with no harm to themselves; the electric eel on Earth. The giant dry-worm of Antos IV. The fluffy –"
"Not the whole encyclopedia, Chekov."
"The captain requires complete information."
"Spock's contaminating this boy, Jim."

- Chekov and McCoy


"All right, mister! You want worshipers? You've got enemies! If you want us to bow down..."

- Kirk


"Where's Apollo?"
"He disappeared again! Like the cat in that Russian story..."
"Don't you mean the English story – the Cheshire cat?"
"Cheshire? No, sir. Minsk, perhaps, but..."
"All right, all right, all right..."

- Kirk and Chekov


"I can give life or death. What else does mankind demand of its gods?"
"Mankind has no need for gods. We find The One quite adequate."

- Apollo and Kirk


"I shall be lenient with you, for her sake. You will make plans to bring the rest of your people down. Be sure your artisans bring tools. You will need homes."
"And you will supply the herds of sheep, and the pipes we'll play, and the simple skins we'll wear for clothes."
"You will dismantle your ship for the supplies you will need; then I'll crush its empty hull. I have been too patient. I shall be patient... no longer."

- Apollo and Kirk


"Perhaps if I assisted?"
"How old are you?"
"Twenty-two, sir."
"Then I'd better handle it."

- Chekov and Kirk, upon the return of Carolyn Palamas


"Zeus. Hermes. Hera. Aphrodite. You were right. Athena. You were right. The time is passed. There is no room for gods. Forgive me, my old friends. Take me. Take me. Take me..."

- Apollo


"I wish we hadn't had to do this."
"So do I. They gave us so much. The Greek civilization, much of our culture and philosophy came from a worship of those beings. In a way, they began the Golden Age. Would it have hurt us, I wonder... just to have gathered a few laurel leaves?"

- McCoy and Kirk, on the "death" of Apollo

[edit] Background information

[edit] Production history

[edit] Story and production

  • KIRK: "Yes, Bones? Somebody ill?"
  • McCOY: "Carolyn Palamas rejected her breakfast this mornin."
  • KIRK: "Some bug going around?"
  • McCOY: "She's pregnant, Jim. I've just examined her."
  • KIRK: "What?"
  • McCOY: "You heard me."
  • KIRK: "Apollo?"
  • McCOY: "Yes"
  • KIRK: "Bones, it's impossible!"
  • McCOY: "Spock, may I put a question to this gadget of yours? I'd like to ask it if I'm to turn my Sickbay into a delivery room for a human child–or a god. My medical courses did not include obstetrics for infant gods."

[edit] Props and special effects

Trailer effects
  • In the trailer, the phasers fired by the Enterprise at the temple are blue. In the episode itself, they are red. They would once again be blue in the remastered version of this episode (see below).
  • A traveling matte was used to allow a giant Apollo to appear with the landing party in the foreground at the end of act one. (The Star Trek Compendium)
  • Apollo's temple was constructed on an indoor studio set. Swaying trees (courtesy of hidden stagehands) and dubbed-in bird sounds were combined with stock footage of an outdoor lake and adequately conveyed the illusion of being outdoors. (The Star Trek Compendium)
  • Leslie Parrish would wear the famous Bill Theiss dress again in another Desilu/Paramount show: a 1968 episode of "Mannix" entitled "The Girl in the Frame."
  • The scene where Apollo flips Scotty to the side was actually executed by stunt double, Jay Jones, who was wearing a special harness with which he was pulled backward on cue. (The Star Trek Compendium)
  • The second season blooper reel shows Michael Forest parading very effeminately in his Apollo costume. Mr. Forest was supposedly displeased with his costume, and this was his way of showing it.

[edit] Music

[edit] Continuity

  • This is the only time in TOS that a star is both referred to as its Bayer designation and ancient name, specifically β Geminorum / Pollux.

[edit] Response

  • Jason Alexander cites this episode as his favorite of the original series, describing it as "thought-provoking, beautiful, and very sad." (TV Guide: Vol. 44, No. 34, Issue #2265, pg. 33)

[edit] Remastered information

The remastered version of this episode premiered in syndication the weekend of 12 January 2008. It featured new shots of the giant hand in space and an enhanced version of the phaser attack on Apollo's temple.

Original grey "hand" gripping the Enterprise...

...and the remastered, green, CGI "hand".

Original phaser attack on Apollo's temple...

...and the remastered counterpart.

The next remastered episode to air was "Let That Be Your Last Battlefield".

[edit] Apocrypha

  • In Peter David's Star Trek: New Frontier, character Mark McHenry is a descendant of the child of Apollo and Carolyn Palamas (revealed to have been impregnated during the events of this episode), and has at least some of Apollo's powers.

[edit] Video and DVD releases

[edit] Links and references

[edit] Starring

[edit] Also Starring

And

[edit] Guest stars

[edit] Featuring

[edit] Uncredited co-stars

[edit] Stunt double

[edit] References

4 billion years ago; 5,000 years ago; A&A officer; Agamemnon; ancient civilizations; anthropology; Antos IV; Aphrodite; Apollo's temple; appendage; archaeology; Athena; Artemis; artisan; atmospheric disturbance; bacteria; Beta Geminorum system; bow; cartographic detail; cartographic section; cartographic scanner; Cassandra; Cheshire Cat; communications system; class M type; coffee; culture; czar; Daphne; deer; Earth; eggshell; electric eel; encyclopedia; English; energy; evolution; flock; force field; giant dry-worm; goat; God; Golden Age; Greece; Greek gods; GSC; Hector; Hera; Hercules; herd; intelligent life; laurel; Leto; lyre; m-rays; Mediterranean; Minsk; Mount Olympus (Olympus); myth; mythology; neural damage; nitrogen; nuclear electronics lab; Odysseus; Olympian; organ; oxygen; Pan; percentages; phaser bank; philosophy; Pollux IV; Pollux V; pulse rate; relic; Russia; Russian; sacramental wine; Saracen; scientist; sheep; shepherd; shock; slavery; social development; space normal; standard orbit; Starbase 12; subspace bypass circuit; tractor beam; tribesman; Zeus


Previous episode produced:
"Friday's Child" 		Star Trek: The Original Series
Season 2 		Next episode produced:
"Amok Time"
Previous episode aired:
"Amok Time" 		Next episode aired:
"The Changeling"
Previous remastered episode aired:
"Day of the Dove" 		TOS Remastered Next remastered episode aired:
"Let That Be Your Last Battlefield"
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