Chekov’s hair has calmed down. I repeat, Chekov’s hair has calmed down. Also, a pretty blonde appears to be his girlfriend AND she’s throwing the word love around like it’s candy AND he isn’t even flinching. So, she has one-off written all over her.
That would be the end of the post if it weren’t for Kirk and his crew destroying another culture. Now, I get it. A machine with rudimentary self-awareness — that enslaved a people with kindness, giving them immortality and perpetual youth and taking care of all their needs in exchange for food — has you trapped on its planet.
My question: when you finally managed to make it power down, why didn’t you just adjust the programming and then reboot the system so the folks could keep their Eden (not the real Eden; thank you, Mr. Chekov for reminding us it’s right outside Moscow) and you could come and go as you please?
When Spock postulated that the crew of the Enterprise and KIRK had essentially forced the culture to commit original sin they brushed it off with a cartoon Satan joke at Spock’s expense (theyt always go for the ears). I think — however — we’ve all seen enough films about the devil in recent years to know it’s always good-looking; presumes to know what’s best for all parties concerned; and, loves to deflect. Sound familiar, Captain?
Sonnet 18
How beauteous, with eyes that do
not judge but with a lovesome lore
do recommend a better view
for any who would seek rapport;
how temperate, to welcome all
to stand by her in equal thrall
and ask of any nothing much
but that they do the same as such,
was she — perfection manifest —
ere man conceived of hate and greed
and all the troubles that they seed.
So by one, simple — fateful — test
did he make her a wretched thing;
and, of her riches, himself king.