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Yesteryear (episode)edit

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"Yesteryear"
TAS, Episode 1x02
Production number: 22003
First aired: 15 September 1973
← 3rd of 22 produced in TAS →
← 2nd of 22 released in TAS →
  {{{nNthReleasedInSeries_Remastered}}}th of 22 released in TAS Remastered  
← 81st of 727 released in all →
Written By
D.C. Fontana

Directed By
Hal Sutherland
5373.4 (2269/2239)
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Spock travels back in time to prevent his own demise in his youth on Vulcan.

Contents

[edit] Summary

"Captain's Log, Stardate 5373.4. We are in orbit around the planet of the time vortex, the focus of all the timelines of our galaxy. Our mission is to assist a team of historians in the investigation of Federation history."
Recording history through the Guardian of Forever

As Federation historians Aleek-Om, Grey, and Enterprise CMO McCoy record history, while standing outside the Guardian of Forever, the Guardian announces the return of the travelers, Kirk, Spock and historian Erikson, through its gateway after a mission to observe the dawn of Orion civilization. As the travelers begin to appear, one-by-one, Kirk announces how exciting it was to observe the birth of a civilization, just as the last traveler, Spock, emerges from the Guardian, much to the surprise of Grey and McCoy. McCoy inquires who it is they brought back with them, and the puzzled Kirk informs him that it is Spock.

The crew beam back to the ship and are greeted by Scotty. Scotty was not expecting a Vulcan among those he transported back, and was anticipating one of the historians instead. The annoyed Kirk instructs Scotty that he expects his first officer to be treated with respect, just as an Andorian crewmember enters the transporter room stating that no one has ever treated him otherwise. Kirk inquires as to who it is speaking to him, as McCoy then re-introduces Commander Thelin to him, the Enterprise's first officer for the last five years. Spock and Kirk finally come to the realization that what they have encountered is not a game, and question what it is going on.

"Captain's Log, supplemental. When we were in the time vortex, something appears to have changed the present as we know it. No one aboard recognizes Mr. Spock. The only answer is: that the past was somehow altered."

In a staff meeting, Lieutenant Erikson reviews the tricorder logs from their mission, and observes that there is nothing they could have possibly done to change the events of the future. Spock then surmises that the change in the timeline must have happened while they were in Orion's past.

Thelin questions Spock's past

The meeting is then interrupted by Bates, who just checked the Starfleet records on Spock that were requested by Thelin. Bates reports that there is no Vulcan named Spock serving with the Starfleet in any capacity. Thelin then inquires about the results of the Vulcan family history request, which Bates then related to the screen. Bates transmits an image featuring Sarek of Vulcan, and notes that he has been an ambassador to seventeen Federation planets in the past 30 years. Spock notes that this information is not correct and inquires about Sarek's family – his wife and son. Bates then transmits an image of Amanda Grayson, the former wife of Sarek, from whom she separated following the death of their son. Amanda was later killed in a shuttle accident at Lunaport on her way home to Earth. Spock mourns briefly for his mother, then inquires as to the name of the son that died, only for his name to be revealed as Spock, age seven.

Kirk, Spock and Thelin return to the surface of the planet to confer with Aleek-Om and Grey on what happened. Kirk asks if the Guardian was in use while they were away, and Grey informs him that it was used, in a limited capacity, to scan recent Vulcan history, twenty to thirty Vulcan years past. Kirk then wonders if there is any notation on the death of Sarek's son, and Aleek-Om confirms that there was, and that he had died during the kahs-wan maturity test.

Spock then recalls the date of the event in question, the 20th day of Tasmeen, noting that it was the day that his cousin Selek saved his life in the desert when he was attacked by a wild animal. Although Spock cannot remember the finer details of the event, he recalls that that was also the only time he had ever met Selek.

On a hunch, Kirk asks if perhaps this cousin might have looked like Spock looks now, only for Spock to confirm what Kirk was thinking: Spock saved his own life in the original timeline, but was unable to do it a second time because he was in Orion's past when the time vortex replayed Vulcan history, making it impossible for him to be in two places at one time. With the realization of what transpired, Kirk asks the Guardian if there is any way they can reverse what happened. The Guardian confirms that there is, but only as long as no other important factor is changed.

Spock enters the Guardian of Forever

Spock decides that in order for him to save his mother's and his own life he has to return to Vulcan and correct what has been changed. Before his departure, he requests a Vulcan desert soft suit and boots, as well as a small selection of street wear and carry bag, circa 8877 Vulcan year, from the ship's wardrobe section. A brief conversation with Thelin reveals that he bodes no ill-will towards Spock’s quest, despite that this quest would change the commander’s timeline as well. He considers it a reasonable sacrifice in order to save Spock’s family. Likewise, Spock wishes Thelin a long and prosperous life in whatever circumstances the hopefully repaired timeline would put him in.

Spock enters the Guardian and travels back to his hometown ShiKahr, in the month of Tasmeen, thirty years in the past in 2239.

"Personal Log, Stardate 5373.5, subjective time. I have returned to the past in an attempt to restore the future. I am home, and I have almost forgotten its beauty."

He meets his father Sarek and his younger self, and introduces himself as cousin Selek.

"Personal Log, Stardate 5373.9, subjective time. The timeline seems to have changed again, yet I do not believe I have done anything to disrupt it. My memory is quite clear regarding the date my cousin saved my life and it is tomorrow. The kahs-wan ordeal is an ancient rite of warrior days. When Vulcans turned to logic, they reasoned they must maintain the tests of courage and strength to keep pure logic from making them weak and helpless."

Young Spock goes on his kahs-wan a month early on his own will. His pet sehlat I-Chaya follows him into the Vulcan desert, defying young Spock's authority.

"Personal Log. The boy, Spock, should be moving towards the L-langon Mountains, he – I, had much to prove to myself. The personal ordeal upon which I embarked was meant to determine the course my life would take."

In the desert, the couple are attacked by a ferocious le-matya. Adult Spock, who had been following the two into the desert, intervenes and saves young Spock's life. Unlike the way adult Spock remembers this episode, I-Chaya is badly injured from the battle and is dying. Young Spock sets out to find a healer in the city, while adult Spock uses a nerve pinch to help ease I-Chaya's pain.

The Vulcan healer prepares his hypospray

Although Young Spock is successful, I-Chaya is too far gone by the time the healer arrives. The healer gives young Spock the choice to give I-Chaya a longer, but painful life, or to release him from his suffering. Spock chooses to release I-Chaya from life, the most logical way, and, in doing so, chooses to follow the Vulcan ways of his father.

The timeline is saved and Spock returns from the Guardian as first officer. Before beaming back to the Enterprise, Spock laments the death of I-Chaya to Kirk, admitting that this did not happen the first time around. Back on the ship, McCoy is complaining when it is Spock's turn to take the routine physical, and the fact that he has to recalibrate his equipment for a Vulcan. Spock tells him that if he wasn't recalibrating for a Vulcan he would be recalibrating for an Andorian. McCoy asks if this is some sort of joke, reminding Spock that Vulcans don't tell jokes. To this Spock responds, "Times change, Doctor. Times change."

[edit] Memorable Quotes

"Is it possible for Spock to return to Vulcan and repair the time line that has been broken so all is the same as before?"
"It is possible if no other major factor is changed."

- Kirk and The Guardian


"What a trip, Bones!"

- Kirk, to McCoy after emerging from the Guardian of Forever


"In the family, all is silence. No more will be said of it. Live long and prosper, Sarek of Vulcan."

- Spock (as Selek) to Sarek


"What you do not yet understand, Spock, is that Vulcans do not lack emotion. It is only that ours is controlled. Logic offers a serenity humans seldom experience in full. We have emotions, but we deal with them… and do not let them control us."

- Spock, to his younger self


"Earther! Barbarian! Emotional Earther! You're a Terran, Spock! You could never be a true Vulcan!"
"That is not true! My father..."
"Your father brought shame to Vulcan. He married a human! You haven't even mastered a simple Vulcan neck pinch yet, Earther!"

- Sofek and Spock


"What's the matter, Bones!"
"Who's he, Jim?"
"Whadda you mean, 'Who's he'? You know Mr. Spock."
" 'Fraid I don't, Jim."

- Kirk and McCoy


"One small thing was changed this time. A pet... died."
"A pet?"

- Spock and Kirk, after Spock returns to the present


"Every life comes to an end when time demands it. Loss of life is to be mourned but only if the life was wasted."

- Spock

[edit] Background information

[edit] Story

  • "Yesteryear" was penned by D.C. Fontana, a writer and story consultant for the original series, who also served as the animated series producer. "Yesteryear" is the sequel to the original series episode "The City on the Edge of Forever" by Harlan Ellison and ties in with the TOS episodes "Journey to Babel" and "Amok Time".
  • In this story, Spock's pet sehlat, I-Chaya, was mortally wounded, and the seven-year-old Spock decided to have him euthanized rather than continue to live in pain. NBC executives wanted the ending changed because of fear children would be "upset" by the death scene, but D.C. Fontana refused, and Gene Roddenberry supported the decision. (The Trek 25th Anniversary Celebration) Though nervous, NBC never received a single letter of complaint about the story. [1]
  • In 1974, Fontana wrote an article for the fanzine Babel #5 explaining her intentions in writing the episode and noted the importance of I-Chaya's death in the context of the story:
"I-Chaya's death was absolutely necessary to the story. Part of Spock's training had to do with the facing of responsibilities and realities. One of the greatest weaknesses of children's programming on television, especially animation, is the presentation of total non-reality. Things do die – plants, pets and people. Is there anyone who, as a child, has not suffered the loss of a pup? In deciding that I-Chaya should die with peace and dignity rather than pain and suffering, young Spock accepted reality and responsibility."
  • Fontana re-used the plot of this episode the same year for an episode of Land of the Lost entitled "Elsewhen".

[edit] Production

  • D.C. Fontana originally scrawled "no moon" on the Filmation artwork depicting a huge planetoid in the Vulcan sky. However, the note was overlooked. Star Trek: The Motion Picture later featured a similar large body.
  • Thelin, the Andorian, was given a much more pale complexion, compared to known Andorians, due to the coloring practices of Filmation: Andorians were sometimes grayish, and Orions were pale blue or yellowish instead of green. The episode's script specified that Thelin was to have blue skin. Denise and Michael Okuda offer an explanation for these differing appearances: in DVD commentary for the episode they write, 'It may be that Andorians have different ethnic groups, with different skin colors just like humans; after all, in "The Aenar" we saw some Andorians have white skin.'

[edit] Cast

[edit] Continuity

  • This episode was the exception of Michael and Denise Okuda decision to intentionally leave references from the animated series out of their reference books. They stated that this episode was the exception, "partly because it is reinforced by material in "Unification I" and "Journey to Babel", but also because of Fontana's pivotal role in developing the background for the Spock character in the original Star Trek series." (Star Trek Chronology, pg 29-30) Several years after the Chronology was published, several additional elements of the episode were used in later productions, including: T'Pol mentions her own kahs-wan in "The Catwalk", a reference to Vulcan's Forge in DS9: "Change of Heart" and its later appearance in ENT: "The Forge", along with a reference to ShiKahr. [2]
  • This is the first of three animated episodes that does not feature any scenes set on the bridge of the USS Enterprise. The two subsequent episodes that excluded the location are "The Slaver Weapon" and "The Jihad".
  • Spock's survival in the past required his travel in time to save himself. Therefore, within the logic of the episode, the "normal" timeline is actually an altered timeline.
  • Spock's dialog to his younger self, regarding logic offering "a serenity humans seldom experience," is revisited by Sarek in the 2009 Star Trek film, in which Spock likewise travels through time and meets a younger version of himself.

[edit] Reception

  • Star Trek: The Animated Series received a nomination during the First Annual Emmy Awards for Daytime Programming for the 1973-1974 season in the category of "Outstanding Entertainment Childrens Series," based on the submission of the episode "Yesteryear". [3]

[edit] Adaptations

[edit] Video and DVD releases

[edit] Links and references

[edit] Starring

And

[edit] Also starring

[edit] Guest stars

[edit] References

2232; 2237; 2239; 2264; 8877; Andorian; annual physical; Aurelia; Aurelians; boots; carry bag; death; desert flyer; Earth; Earther; emotion; Federation history; healer; historian; kahs-wan; L-langon Mountains; le-matya; logic; Lunaport; Orion; Orions; philosophy; physical; poison; practical joke; Sasak; sehlat; Selek; ShiKahr; T'Pel; Tasmeen; Terran; timeline; time vortex planet; Vulcan; Vulcans; Vulcan desert soft suit; Vulcan's Forge; Vulcan history; Vulcan neck pinch; Vulcan desert soft suit; wardrobe section;


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