star trek the menagerie part 2 full cast

Star Trek: The Original Series

The Menagerie, Pt. 2

Cast & crew.

Malachi Throne

Commodore José I. Mendez

Sean Kenney

Fleet Capt. Christopher Pike

Hagan Beggs

Brett Dunham

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Recap / Star Trek S1 E12 "The Menagerie, Part II"

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Original air date: November 24, 1966

Second part of the only two-parter of the original series, this again re-tells the events of the original pilot, and again makes heavy use of clips from that episode.

When we last left our loyal-to-a-fault Vulcan and his court-martial board, it had just been revealed that the video record of the events surrounding Captain Pike on Talos IV was actually being beamed from that forbidden planet! Starfleet, enraged that Spock would be in contact with those dangerous people, ordered him locked up, Kirk relieved of command, and Commodore Jose Mendez in command of the Enterprise. We now rejoin our heroes and otherwise as they re-enter the briefing room... Ah, but first, a re-cap, of the re-cap...

(While the first part of this is read, a scene unseen from the first part shows Spock actually entering his guilty plea.)

[Kirk's] Personal log, Stardate 3013.1. I find it hard to believe the events of the past 24 hours or the plea of Mr. Spock standing general court-martial.

Mendez asks, "How do you plead to the charge of unlawfully taking command of this starship?"

"Guilty," Spock replies.

"Of sabotaging the computers of this vessel and locking it on a course for planet Talos IV?"

[The scene shifts to the quadriplegic Fleet Captain Christopher Pike in his mobility chair.] "And of forcibly attempting to transport Captain Pike to that planet?"

Why? Why does Spock want to take to that forbidden world his former Captain, mutilated by a recent space disaster, now a shell of a man, unable to speak or move? The only answer Spock would give was on the hearing-room screen. [We see brief scenes from the previous episode and the clips of "The Cage" that were shown in it.]

How Spock could do this, he refused to explain, but there, before our eyes, actual images from 13 years ago of Captain Pike as he was when he commanded this vessel , of Spock in those days , and of how the Enterprise had become the first and only starship to visit Talos IV[...]

The summary goes on in this fashion; you get the idea.

The action picks up some hours after the scene in which Spock acknowledges that he's deliberately invited the death penalty and pleads with Kirk not to stop him from showing the record; this is shown again.

Kirk unneccessarily lays out the events , in case we didn't just see the teaser ; Spock's still in deep poop, his court-martial proceeds apace and we're still seeing footage of the first pilot coming from Talos IV.

Spock, though apologetic to Mendez, reveals specifically that the Talosian Keeper has taken control of the briefing room's viewscreen, and now they have no choice but to watch. Pike indicates that he understands; as we'll discover, he's all too familiar with this being's illusionary abilities ; no great surprise they could extend to technology. The transmission picks up just as Pike is awakening in the Talosians' underground cells...

After Pike and Vina run into the illusionary palace on Rigel VII pursued by the barbarian warrior ( the Kaylar , as Vina called him), Spock calls Pike's deduction of still being in the cage brilliant, but notes that it couldn't help him; the Talosians could subject Pike to any stimuli that they wished, and they were about to test his ability in battle...

Apparently watching himself kill the Kaylar also killed Pike's energy level, as he's now sound asleep! Poor guy; he's had more activity in the past day and a half than he's probably had since his accident... Spock speculates, probably accurately, that the Talosians have stopped the images because they already know that Pike is fatigued. Kirk observes that this means they really care about Pike. Mendez starts up with his impatient tendencies again by demanding answers to why the Talosians want Pike back so badly, but Spock insists that the answer is so unbelievable that Mendez must see it for himself in the currently-paused transmission...

Personal log, Stardate 3013.2. Reconvening court martial of Mr. Spock... and the strangest trial evidence ever heard aboard a starship. From the mysterious planet only one hour ahead of us, the story of Captain Pike's imprisonment there...

The narrative picks up just after the Talosians disappear back into their elevator, and Pike begins to converse with Vina...

After the Talosians whisk Vina away to exact her punishment for revealing the secrets of their past and motives, Mendez, Kirk, Spock and Pike discuss the notion that Pike and Vina were abducted to serve as breeding stock, for reasons beyond being simple zoo specimens, which will be revealed...

When Pike's an Orion slave trader, we cut away again; Kirk asks present-day Pike if it's Vina as the slave girl; Pike signals Yes. Mendez notes that Orion women are said to be vicious, animal-like; that no human male can resist them. We continue to watch Vina's dancing as the break comes up...

Strange evidence from the past: how the Talosians, planning to breed a society of human slaves, tempted Captain Pike with the Earth woman they held in captivity. And as she appeared to him in many forms, each more exciting than the last, Pike was beginning to weaken...

Picking up again with the Orion slave market, Pike indeed looking as though he's about to give in to the 'narcotic' quality of illusion... but in the end he fought tooth and nail to get free .

After Pike forces the Keeper to cease his illusions and drags him out of the hole Pike cut in the transparent wall, the transmission's again turned off, and... that's it? Mendez claims the Talosians have deserted Spock, and Kirk shows equal antsiness. But Pike refuses to instantly signal a request to wait for a continuation of the transmission. Spock pleads with his old Captain, that what he's taking him back to is life , or at least a chance for life. Kirk asks what Spock is on about with his talk of life or chances for life, when all the evidence they've seen so far indicates the Talosians are about keeping specimens for a zoo or breeding stock.

But Spock insists there's more to it... but nothing is shown. Mendez asks for Pike's verdict; Pike beeps a long, perhaps conditional (but how will we know the conditions?), yes, guilty. Mendez also votes guilty as charged, and Kirk, who fights to keep his face impassive and neutral, has no choice but to do the same.

On board the bridge, Helmsman reports they've entered orbit of Talos IV, not under their own power; Spock reports that the Talosians control the ship now, and they're about to give the final piece to the puzzle...

When Pike finally steps back onto his Enterprise and she makes her departure from Talos IV, the transmission finally ends. Pike stares at the blank screen, his face as always unreadable, frozen. Kirk rises to his feet, walks to face Spock, looks at him quite approvingly. Kirk begins to plead with Mendez about Spock, but then Mendez suddenly disappears! Kirk is shocked, but again if Spock is, he shows no signs... Then, The Talosian Keeper speaks to Kirk directly, telepathically! [Re-used footage of the Keeper communicating telepathically appears on the viewscreen.]

He reveals that Commodore Mendez was yet another illusion; that he was never on the shuttlecraft or on the Enterprise! The Talosians wanted to distract Kirk with a false court-martial to prevent him using his considerable strength of will, of which they'd been informed by Spock, to regain control of the Enterprise too soon. They now openly offer Pike the chance to spend the rest of his life on Talos IV, free of the confines of his damaged body. The decision, as the Keeper notes, is Kirk's, and Pike's.

Kirk notes rather exasperatedly that even if the regulations were clear, Spock could've explained to his Captain, but Spock could not ask Kirk to face the death penalty as well. Just then, Uhura radios in with the very pleasing news that Mendez - the real Mendez, back on Starbase 11, has also received the same images from Talos IV that Kirk and Spock have been watching, and due to the historical significance of Pike and his mission, has decided to suspend General Order 7 just this once, and orders Kirk and Spock to proceed as they see fit.

Despite how jubilant he must feel that his friend and science officer is off the hook, Kirk only gives a slight smirk, looking aside to Pike, perhaps knowing what the former Captain will want to do already. He's right; he didn't need to be a Talosian to figure that out. Upon questioning, Pike beeps once; yes, he wants to go there. He asks Spock if he would like to escort Pike to the transporter room, to see him off; Pike just sits there, but if one looks closely enough, one could almost see him smiling inside, as evidenced by the "yes" beep when Spock thanks Kirk, for both of them.

Kirk has one more parting repartee with Spock, wanting to discuss his flagrant emotionalism after delivering Pike; Spock claims the suggestion insults him, that he's been completely logical about the whole affair.

The Talosian Keeper contacts Kirk again, showing him Pike, relieved of his debilitated body and young again, being led by Vina back down to the Talosians' menagerie...

"Captain Pike has an illusion, and you have reality. May you find your way as pleasant." Kirk smiles mistily as we fade off.

All tropes relating to the pilot episode itself should be placed on its page.

The Troperie: Part II:

• Anatomically Ignorant Healing : Vina turns out to have been left disabled and disfigured by the Talosians' well-intentioned efforts to heal her.
• Biology Tropes : One of the main reasons that Number One threatened the Talosians was that she felt that it was wrong to build an entire race to live as slaves. Here, Spock realized that this would not happen; Vina (a middle-aged woman during the original mission thirteen years prior) would be well past child-bearing years and Pike's injuries almost guarantee he would not be able to father actual children.
• Bottle Episode : The non-flashback scenes take place completely on the Enterprise , and even then the action is confined to just the briefing room. Additionally, in combination with Part I, almost exactly half of the footage shown is pulled from "The Cage", meaning the production team effectively made two episodes for the price of one.
• Defeat Means Friendship : The Talosians were disappointed Pike managed to escape, but they apparently thought highly enough of him to offer a peaceful retirement in an illusion of good health. Pike's opinion of them isn't explicitly stated, for obvious reasons, but he must have thought along similar lines as he accepts said retirement with his former adversaries.
• Disproportionate Retribution : Despite the dangers and risks illustrated, we still are never are given a clear rationale as to why travelling to Talos IV is the only death penalty offence in Starfleet. The appearance of the illusory Commodore Mendez on the shuttle, however, suggests that the Talosians can affect the minds of humans light years away from them, possibly explaining why the Federation doesn't want to risk seriously attracting their attention .
• "Everybody Laughs" Ending : Subverted. Kirk tries to lighten the mood by accusing Spock of 'flagrant emotionalism' and Spock responds with his customary offense, but the mood and music remain wistful as Spock wheels Captain Pike out of the room.
• Green-Skinned Space Babe : Orion slave girls are described as vicious, animal-like and irresistible to any man.
• Leaning on the Fourth Wall : Kirk makes a joke about how emotional Spock appeared in the recording (in Part 1 we had even see him grin ), which was out of character for the version of Spock familiar to TV viewers.
• More Expendable Than You : Spock argues that he kept his plans from Kirk to protect the captain from the possibility of facing death.
• Powering Villain Realization : Pike realizes that the Talosians cannot read strong, violent thoughts, and also that they rely on him to supply the imaginations they use to fuel the illusions they attempt to trap him in. So he sits in his cell, stewing in hatred and anger until the Keeper gets careless and Pike seizes him.
• Oh, Crap! : The transmissions from Talos IV come to an abrupt halt, to Spock's dismay. It's only because the ship has entered orbit, and they resume soon after.
• Reasonable Authority Figure : After Spock's motives for everything are finally revealed, the real Commodore Mendez lets him off the hook and lets Captain Pike retire to Talos IV.
• Retcon : The original ending of "The Cage" had the Talosians provide Vina with an illusion of Captain Pike to keep her company. This event was omitted from Spock's evidence, and the footage repurposed to represent the Talosians in the present day giving Pike the illusion of his health and youth again. This doesn't necessarily render the original ending non-canon, note  indeed, the original ending is "re-canonized" when Talos IV is revisited in DIS : "If Memory Serves" however, as it simply means Vina is reunited with the original Pike.
• Thought Crime : A continual theme, and explicitly invoked by The Keeper. Wrong thinking is punishable. Right thinking will be as quickly rewarded.
• Star Trek S1 E11 "The Menagerie, Part I"
• Recap/Star Trek: The Original Series
• Star Trek S1 E13 "The Conscience of the King"

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Star trek : the menagerie, part ii (1966), directed by robert butler / gene roddenberry / marc daniels.

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Synopsis by Bruce Eder

Characteristics, related movies.

The Menagerie, Part I (episode)

• View history
• 1.2 Act One
• 1.3 Act Two
• 1.4 Act Three
• 1.5 Act Four
• 2 Log entries
• 3 Memorable quotes
• 4.1 Production timeline
• 4.2 Story and production
• 4.3 Sets, props, and costumes
• 4.4 Reception
• 4.5 Preview
• 4.6 Remastered information
• 4.7 Video and DVD releases
• 4.8 Apocrypha
• 5.1 Starring
• 5.2 Also starring
• 5.3 Special guest star
• 5.4 Guest star
• 5.5 Also starring
• 5.6 Featuring
• 5.7 Uncredited co-stars
• 5.8 Uncredited co-stars appearing in the original Star Trek episode
• 5.9 Remastered extras
• 5.10.1 S/COMS references
• 5.10.2 Unreferenced materials
• 5.10.3 Retconned references
• 5.11 External links

Summary [ ]

Starbase 11

The USS Enterprise arrives at Starbase 11 after a subspace message asks it to divert there. When Captain Kirk , Spock , and Dr. McCoy beam down, they are puzzled when Crewman Piper , assistant to the base's commander, Commodore José Mendez , tells Kirk the base sent no such message.

Kirk insists that Spock received the urgent request from the former commander of the Enterprise , Fleet Captain Pike . Mendez is surprised that Kirk does not know the news about Captain Pike and leads them to the medical section , explaining that, during an inspection tour of a cadet vessel , one of the baffle plates ruptured. Pike removed the cadets who were still alive, severely exposing himself to delta rays .

Now, confined to a wheelchair, Pike is disfigured and cannot speak, though his mind is unimpaired. His sole means of communication is an amber light on the front of his chair, which illuminates with an accompanying beep: once for "Yes", twice for "No." Spock requests a moment alone with his former commanding officer , and says cryptically to him, " You know why I have come… I know it is treachery and it is mutiny , but I must do this. " Pike can do nothing but repeatedly beep " No. "

Act One [ ]

In Mendez's office, Kirk continues to defend Spock's claim that the starbase summoned the Enterprise . Mendez shows Kirk the record tapes , which show no such transmissions, and emphasizes that the paralyzed Pike could not have made the call – which was heard only by Spock. Kirk says that if Spock wanted to see Pike, Kirk would have granted him shore leave ; moreover, there is no trouble in that sector of space that would have induced aliens to divert the starship as a ruse. Mendez calls the computer center , where Chief Humbolt confirms he has checked and rechecked the data tapes, and the starbase could have sent no message without his knowledge. Humbolt leaves the lab and Spock slips in and begins operating a computer to create a voice transmission to the Enterprise .

Mendez's aide, Miss Piper, enters his office with a report that again denies summoning the starship. She mentions Spock's years of service under Pike, and indications of Spock's extreme loyalty to Pike. Kirk defends Spock, telling Piper that a Vulcan is incapable of disloyalty. But Piper and Mendez insist that Pike, under constant observation, could not have even asked for that message to be sent.

On board the Enterprise , Lieutenant Uhura receives a message from starbase operations with new orders – secret, scrambled, and to be fed directly into the ship's computers. Lieutenant Hansen orders Uhura to request confirmation.

Back on the starbase, as Uhura calls for confirmation, Humbolt walks in on Spock and notices Spock's alterations to the computer. Humbolt tries to wrestle and punch Spock away from the computer terminal, but Spock nerve-pinches Humbolt into unconsciousness. Uhura then tries to call Kirk, but Spock has now prepared a tape of Kirk's voice, confirming the new orders and directing any questions to Spock. Spock then activates an intercom and tells Hansen the ship's computers will handle the helm, and forbids Hansen from discussing the orders with ship or starbase personnel.

Later, Kirk and McCoy watch Pike on a monitor, still blinking "no" to an unknown question. Kirk and McCoy discuss Pike's condition, the frustrating limitations on the art of medicine, the futility of solving the mystery through Pike, and the unimaginable possibility that Spock is lying, despite the fact that Vulcans are capable of exaggerating.

McCoy then receives a message from Starbase Transporter Control , claiming a medical emergency aboard the Enterprise but providing no details. McCoy grudgingly returns to the ship.

Mendez shows Kirk a report on the planet Talos IV marked top secret , "for eyes of Starfleet Command only." The report is the basis of the well-known General Order 7 : " No vessel under any condition, emergency or otherwise, is to visit Talos IV, " the only capital offense left on the books, for reasons known only to top fleet command. But the report does mention that the Enterprise was the only Starfleet vessel to have visited Talos IV – while commanded by Captain Christopher Pike with a half-Vulcan science officer named Spock.

While discussing the situation, Miss Piper notices that Captain Pike has disappeared from his room on a monitor. Mendez contacts Starbase Operations and is told that the Enterprise is leaving orbit and refuses to acknowledge their signal.

Act Two [ ]

The Enterprise departs from Starbase 11, completely under computer control. Uhura receives a communication signal but Spock tells her not to reply. He announces to the crew that Captain Kirk has been given medical rest leave and that he is assuming command. McCoy hears this upon entering the bridge and asks who made the diagnosis and who called a medical emergency. Spock takes McCoy to a guest quarters, containing Captain Pike, and plays a tape with the voice of Kirk, telling McCoy not to disturb Pike with questions but to follow Spock's instructions to the letter and to take care of him. During the recording, Pike again blinks "no" continually. When Spock returns to the bridge, Hansen tells him that a shuttlecraft is approaching, but Spock says they will not make contact.

Aboard the shuttlecraft Picasso , Kirk and Mendez try to raise the ship and Kirk gets angry when the Enterprise doesn't respond, as the shuttle has already traveled too far to return to Starbase 11. The shuttle's fuel runs out and it continues coasting forward. Kirk and Mendez contemplate the consequences for Spock and his inexplicable actions.

Aboard the Enterprise , Spock directs the library computer to execute pre-loaded instructions. The ship reverses engine power and comes to a full stop. Spock summons an armed security team to the bridge, orders the transporter room to beam Captain Kirk aboard, and places Lieutenant Hansen in command. Spock presents himself to McCoy (as the senior officer present) for arrest on a charge of mutiny – the orders for Spock to take command of the Enterprise were false. The security team arrives and McCoy reluctantly confines Spock to quarters.

Kirk and Mendez beam aboard, and Hansen transfers command of the Enterprise to Kirk and explains the situation. The engines restart, but the computer retains control and defies Kirk's direct order to disengage. The computer controls are tied in to the ship's life support systems and cannot be disengaged until the ship reaches Talos IV.

Act Three [ ]

As the Enterprise continues toward Talos IV, arrangements are made for a preliminary hearing . But Spock waives his right to the hearing and requests an immediate general court martial . Kirk denies his request because, of the three required command-grade officers, there are only Kirk and Mendez on board. But Spock points out that Captain Pike is still on the active duty list. Mendez confirms this:

" We didn't have the heart to retire him, Jim. He's got you; whatever he's up to, he's planned it well. "

The court martial convenes, with Mendez presiding. He reminds Spock that, if the Enterprise enters the Talos star group, a further charge involving the death penalty will be held against him, a fact of which Spock confirms he is aware. Mendez asks Spock what purpose it serves to go to Talos, and with Captain Pike, given the severity of the penalty. Spock asks if Mendez's comments are part of the record. Mendez says they are, and Spock then says he can only explain with the use of the viewscreen in the briefing room. Mendez's query has opened the door for any evidence Spock wishes to present, which Kirk believes is what Spock had in mind. Scott activates the viewscreen.

On the screen, the panel views the voyage of the Enterprise to Talos IV under the command of Pike, thirteen years prior . ( TOS : " The Cage ")

The astonishing video record is much more detailed than were log entries in those days. Questioned by Kirk, Pike signals "yes," that it is he in the video, but "no," that such records were not made during the voyage. Spock will not explain how the video was produced, but reminds Mendez that viewing the video is necessary to answer the question Mendez asked him. Mendez says the court isn't obliged to view evidence without knowing the source, but Kirk insists on seeing more of it.

Later, Mendez interrupts the presentation again to remind Spock they are in a court of space law and not a theater. Spock asks Pike if they are witnessing the actual events of thirteen years previous. Pike beeps "yes." Spock then offers to release control of the ship if, after watching the complete transmission, the court still wishes to turn back. Mendez calls the situation ridiculous and says it has gone far enough. Kirk votes instead to continue and hear the full story. Mendez votes not to continue and declares a deadlock , but Kirk points out that there is still one member of the trial board to hear from. With that, Mendez asks Pike if the trial should continue. Pike beeps "yes."

Act Four [ ]

The Talosians

On the viewscreen, the visit of Captain Pike and the Enterprise to Talos IV continues. Uhura interrupts the trial with a message from Starfleet informing Commodore Mendez that Starfleet's subspace monitors show the Enterprise has been receiving transmissions from Talos IV in violation of Starfleet general orders. Spock confirms that the video presentation is coming from Talos IV. Starfleet relieves Kirk of command, and orders Mendez to assume command of the Enterprise , disabling it if necessary to prevent further contact.

Mendez tells Spock that his contact with Talos IV has invited the death penalty: Spock has not only doomed himself but ended Captain Kirk's career as well. Spock protests that Kirk knew nothing about what was happening, but Mendez reminds Spock that a captain is responsible for everything that happens aboard his ship. Mendez then orders Spock to release the ship to manual control, and Spock respectfully declines. Mendez declares the court in recess. As everyone leaves, Kirk confronts Spock, asking him if he has lost his mind. Spock pleads with Kirk that, for his career and Captain Pike's life, he must see the rest of the transmission. Kirk orders the security guard to lock Spock up, and remains in the briefing room alone to contemplate the situation.

To be concluded…

TO BE CONTINUED…

Log entries [ ]

• Captain's log, USS Enterprise (NCC-1701), 2267

Memorable quotes [ ]

" A Vulcan can no sooner be disloyal than he can exist without breathing. "

" We've learned to tie into every Human organ in the body except one. The brain. And the brain is what life is all about. Now, that man can think anything we can, and love, hope, dream as much as we can. But he can't reach out and no one can reach in! "

" …To question Spock of all people! Me, yes. I could run off half-cocked given a good reason, so could you! But not Spock. It's impossible! "

" Probably somebody discovered a hangnail. "

" Rank hath its privileges. "

" Spock would have some logical reason for going there. " " Maybe. Maybe he's just gone mad. "

" I vote we continue. " " And I vote we do not! Deadlocked! " " Not deadlocked, Commodore. There's still one member of the trial board we haven't heard from. " " Very well. Captain Pike, it's up to you. Do we continue under these conditions? " (Pike's wheelchair beeps once) " Yes. "

" Receiving transmissions from Talos IV? Then the images we've been seeing… " " …are coming from Talos IV, sir. "

" Don't stop me. Don't let him stop me. It's your career and Captain Pike's life. You must see the rest of the transmission. " " Lock him up. "

Background information [ ]

Production timeline [ ].

• First draft teleplay "From the First Day to the Last" by John D.F. Black : 12 August 1966
• First draft teleplay "The Menagerie" by Gene Roddenberry : 21 September 1966
• Second draft teleplay: 3 October 1966
• Final draft teleplay: 7 October 1966
• Revised final draft teleplay by Gene L. Coon : 10 October 1966
• Additional revisions: 13 October 1966 , 14 October 1966 , 17 October 1966
• Day 1 – 11 October 1966 , Tuesday (Half Day) – Desilu Stage 9 : Int. Bridge , Transporter room , Mendez's office
• Day 2 – 12 October 1966 , Wednesday – Desilu Stage 9 : Int. Mendez's office , Spock's quarters ; Desilu Stage 10 : Int. Shuttlecraft
• Day 3 – 13 October 1966 , Thursday – Desilu Stage 10 : Int. Hospital room corridor , Pike's hospital room , Ext. Starbase 11 Mall ; Desilu Stage 9 : Computer center (redress of Engineering ), Briefing room (Hearing room)
• Day 4 – 14 October 1966 , Friday – Desilu Stage 9 : Int. Briefing room ( Courtroom )
• Day 5 – 17 October 1966 , Monday – Desilu Stage 9 : Int. Briefing room ( Courtroom )
• Day 6 – 18 October 1966 , Tuesday – Desilu Stage 9 : Int. Briefing room ( Courtroom )
• Original airdate: 17 November 1966
• Rerun airdate: 18 May 1967
• First UK airdate: 23 August 1969
• Hugo Award: 1967
• A limited-time-only theatrical presentation of the remastered episode, along with " The Menagerie, Part II ", was released on 13 November 2007 and 15 November 2007 . It included a message from Gene "Rod" Roddenberry Jr., a twenty-minute "making of" documentary about the restoration process, and a trailer for Season Two of the remastered series. [1]
• Remastered airdate: 25 November 2006

Story and production [ ]

• Robert H. Justman convinced Roddenberry to write a two-part episode utilizing the first pilot because they ran out of scripts in the middle of the first season, and had to shut down production otherwise. Roddenberry called it "the envelope" and wrote the episode in three or four days. [2] Robert Butler claimed it was Roddenberry's entrepreneurial talent which managed to find a way using the failed pilot as a money saving device for the show. [3]
• The original "envelope" script, entitled "From the First Day to the Last" was written by John D.F. Black ; however Roddenberry was very unsatisfied with it, and rewrote it completely, finally taking sole writing credit. The insulted Black filed a Writers' Guild grievance over payment and screen credit, but his claims were denied. ( Inside Star Trek: The Real Story , p. 251)
• Robert Butler , who directed "The Cage", was approached by Roddenberry to direct the "envelope" parts of the episode, but he refused because he disliked the series. After Marc Daniels was assigned to direct the new footage, it was decided that he and Butler would share credit for the two episodes, Daniels for the first part and Butler for the second. [4]
• Daniels finished the episode in five and a half days instead of the usual six, which compensated for running half a day late with "Court Martial", which he directed back-to-back with "The Menagerie". ( These Are the Voyages: TOS Season One [ page number? • edit ] )
• According to James Doohan , Roddenberry originally wanted to sell the failed pilot as a theatrical film. However, it needed to be expanded with additional material to reach the feature length. Roddenberry planned to film the crash of the SS Columbia on Talos IV , because it didn't require Jeffrey Hunter , who was neither available or affordable to reprise his role as Captain Pike. However, plans for the feature release were soon abandoned. [5] Roddenberry's plans for a feature release are verified by Herb Solow and Robert H. Justman in Inside Star Trek: The Real Story (p. 251).
• The Star Trek Compendium (pp. 164-165) compared Spock's risking his career and life to return Pike to Talos IV for a chance at a better life to what Kirk would later do for Spock in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock .

Sets, props, and costumes [ ]

• A matte painting was created for the Starbase 11 exterior. Large cranes representing construction can be seen in the background. The wall used in this scene was recycled for " A Taste of Armageddon ", " Wolf in the Fold ", " Plato's Stepchildren ", and " Wink of an Eye ". The round dais in front of the wall was later used by Tharn and his council in " Mirror, Mirror ".
• The Starbase Operations set is a redress of the engineering room set. An opaque blue wall has been placed behind the grid to hide the forced perspective set. The panel in this room from which Spock issues orders to the Enterprise is a re-use of the neural neutralizer control panel from " Dagger of the Mind ". The computer banks in the room will later be seen in " A Taste of Armageddon " and aboard the shuttlecraft in " The Immunity Syndrome ".
• The structures seen outside Mendez's windows are cut-outs of buildings. In the first scene in Mendez's office, behind Kirk is a clear view of a corner of the set behind one of the pieces.
• Commodore Mendez's desk features one of the goose-neck video screens seen on the early Enterprise bridge in " The Cage ".
• This is the final appearance of the tan phaser/communicator belts.
• Sean Kenney 's make-up as the injured Captain Pike took five hours to apply. Also, his hair had to be dyed white, which then turned out to be too bright for the cameras, and had to be softened with powder. [6]
• A shot which shows crewmembers listening to the intercom in a corridor is reused from " The Corbomite Maneuver ". It can also be seen in " Balance of Terror " and " Assignment: Earth ".

Reception [ ]

2009 Hallmark ornament inspired by "The Menagerie"

• This episode won the 1967 Hugo Award for "Best Dramatic Presentation". Combined with "Part II," it's the first of four Star Trek episodes to win the award. The others are " The City on the Edge of Forever ", " The Inner Light ", and " All Good Things... ".
• "The Menagerie, Part I" and " The Menagerie, Part II " constitute the only two-parter in the run of the original Star Trek .
• Gene Roddenberry picked the whole two-parter as one of his ten favorite episodes for the franchise's 25th anniversary. ( TV Guide August 31, 1991 [ page number? • edit ] )
• Chris Pike's wheelchair has become ensconced in popular culture , and has been seen in Futurama and South Park .
• The scene depicting Kirk, Spock, and Pike was used as the inspiration for a Hallmark ornament released in 2009.

Preview [ ]

• The preview contains a Captain's Log recorded solely for the preview: " Captain's log, stardate 1512.2. Why does Spock want to take us to that one forbidden world in all the galaxy? His former captain, mutilated by a recent space disaster – unable to speak or move. "
• In the original broadcast, Leonard Nimoy opens the trailer by saying "You'll learn next week…" In syndication, this line was shortened to "You'll learn next–" with the last word edited out. This change was presumably made when it was realized that Star Trek might not be transmitted weekly overseas.
• The first part of the preview's Captain's log is recycled from the preview for " The Corbomite Maneuver ", including the use of the same stardate.

Remastered information [ ]

• "The Menagerie, Part I" was the twelfth remastered episode of the Original Series to air. It premiered in syndication the weekend of 25 November 2006 and took about two months of work by the CBS Digital team. [7] The remastered version of this episode featured new footage of the shuttlecraft (here called the Picasso , SB11-1201/1), replacing the stock footage produced for " The Galileo Seven ". A new digital matte painting of Starbase 11 was created as well, for establishing shots as well as for views outside windows. Live actors, namely several production staff members in Starfleet uniforms, were also digitally inserted into the base, giving it a far more active appearance.

Video and DVD releases [ ]

• In 1980, Paramount Home Video released this episode as the first of five volumes of classic series episodes on VHS as Television Classics on VHS and Betamax videocassette. This version however, is slightly edited to present the episode in one part, rather than two parts. The credits at the end of the episode and the closing credits are removed from Part I and the opening teaser recounting the events from Part I and the regular opening sequence are removed, instead doing a quick fade-out and cut into the first act of Part II. NOTE: This may be the same cut of the two episodes made by Paramount in 1975 that was used as part of Paramount's syndicated feature film package. The syndicated version also included specially-filmed segments with Leonard Nimoy giving some insights into the original filming of the episode, but these segments were left off the home video release. YouTube user "Rob O'Hara" posted these clips of Leonard Nimoy's segments to the video service on March 4, 2024. [1] All home video versions in the US since the Laserdisc version in 1984 present the episode in its proper two-part version.
• US CED VideoDisc release: 22 March 1981 . The 1981 RCA CED Videodisc version presents the episode in the same version as above; however, the fade-out marks the end of side 1, with side 2 fading in into the first act of Part II.
• US LaserDisc release: 1 October 1984 ( ASIN B001BFX97Y )
• Original US Betamax release: 1985
• UK VHS release (two-episode tapes, CIC Video ): Volume 9 , catalog number VHR 2274, release date unknown
• Japan LaserDisc release: 10 November 1992
• US VHS release: 15 April 1994 ( ASIN B000AMHQO6 , ASIN B000JFFIY4 )
• UK re-release (three-episode tapes, CIC Video): Volume 1.6, 7 October 1996
• Original US DVD release (single-disc): Volume 8, 22 February 2000 ( ISBN 6305744890 )
• As part of the TOS Season 1 DVD collection
• As part of the TOS Season 1 HD DVD collection
• As part of the TOS Season 1 Blu-ray collection

Apocrypha [ ]

• The first winner of the Strange New Worlds contest, "A Private Anecdote", depicted Pike reminiscing during his convalescence at Starbase 11.
• The novel Burning Dreams establishes the subspace message summoning Enterprise to Starbase 11 was not a fabrication by Spock, but instead an illusion by the Talosians making Spock think he actually did receive a message, and then the Talosians spoke telepathically to Spock, making him aware of Pike's condition and asking him to bring Pike to Talos IV. The novel also establishes that at the end of the teaser, when Spock tells Pike, "I have no choice," their conversation continued with Spock telling Pike that the Talosians were aware of his condition and wanted to give him a chance for a better life than what he had and that Spock actually asked Pike for permission to try to help him.
• Pike's accident is depicted in " Through the Valley of Shadows ", the twelfth episode of season 2 of Star Trek: Discovery .

Links and references [ ]

Starring [ ].

• William Shatner as James T. Kirk

Also starring [ ]

• Leonard Nimoy as "Mr. Spock "

Special guest star [ ]

• Jeffrey Hunter as Christopher Pike (archived footage)

Guest star [ ]

• Susan Oliver as Vina (archived footage)
• Malachi Throne as José I. Mendez
• M. Leigh Hudec as Number One (archived footage)
• Peter Duryea as José Tyler (archived footage)
• John Hoyt as Phil Boyce (archived footage)
• Adam Roarke as Garison (archived footage)
• DeForest Kelley as " Dr. McCoy "
• James Doohan as " Scott "
• Nichelle Nichols as " Uhura "

Featuring [ ]

• Sean Kenney as Christopher Pike
• Hagan Beggs as Hansen
• Julie Parrish as " Miss Piper "

Uncredited co-stars [ ]

• Majel Barrett as Computer Voice
• Starbase 11 orderly
• Tom Curtis as Starbase 11 starbase operations (com voice)
• Vinci (aka "Second Guard")
• Starbase 11 patient
• Brett Dunham as "Security Chief Pitcairn "
• Tom Lupo as Enterprise security guard
• Starbase 11 assistant
• Jan Reddin as Enterprise court recorder
• George Sawaya as Humbolt
• Enterprise command crew woman
• Enterprise lieutenant
• Enterprise navigator
• Enterprise transporter technician
• Starbase 11 computer technician
• Starbase 11 doctor
• Starbase 11 officer on mall
• Starbase 11 secretary

Uncredited co-stars appearing in the original Star Trek episode [ ]

• Sandra Gimpel as Third Talosian
• Clegg Hoyt as Pitcairn (aka "Transporter Chief")
• Anthony Jochim as Columbia survivor #3
• Robert C. Johnson as voice of Pitcairn
• Jon Lormer as Theodore Haskins
• Edward Madden as Fisher (aka "Geologist")
• Leonard Mudie as Columbia survivor #2
• Serena Sande as Second Talosian
• Georgia Schmidt as First Talosian
• Meg Wyllie as The Keeper
• Columbia survivors #4 and #5
• Enterprise bridge crewman #1
• Enterprise bridge crewman #2
• Enterprise bridge crewwoman
• Transporter technician

Remastered extras [ ]

• Richard Barnett
• Jimmy Berndt
• Toni Pace Carstensen
• Denise Okuda as Starfleet operations officer
• Michael Okuda as Starfleet sciences officer
• Dave Rossi as Starfleet command officer
• Cliff Welsh
• Niel Wray as Starfleet sciences officer
• Nicki Kreitzman
• David LaFountaine as Federation administrator

References [ ]

2236 ; 2254 ; 2265 ; 3XY phagrin level ; abduction ; Able-7-Baker ; active duty list ; address ; American Continent Institute ; answer ; armor ; arrest ; atmosphere ; baffle plate ; bargain ; bartender ; battery ; body ; " Bones "; brain ; brain wave ; breathing ; bridle ; business ; button ; cadet vessel ; call letters ; canyon ; career ; chance ; charge ; chief ; choice ; Class F shuttlecraft ; class M ; collision course ; colony ; Columbia , SS ; coma ; commanding officer ; computer center ; computer control ; computer expert ; commodore ; computer expert ; Comsol, Robert L. ; confined to quarters ; contact ; counsel ; court of space law ; course ( heading ); customer ; day ; deadlock ; death penalty ; deck ; delta rays ; distress signal ; doctor ; door ; dream ; duranium ; duty ; Earth ; emergency ; emergency frequency ; encampment ; engage ; evasive maneuvers ; event ; evidence ; fact ; first officer ; fleet captain ; forced landing ; fortress ; friend ; fuel ; g ; general court martial ; General Order 7 ; geological lab report ; guilt ; hail ; half-Vulcan ; hangar deck ; hangnail ; health ; heart ; Johansson, Helen ; helm ; hope ; horse ; hour ; hull ( shell ); Human ; ice ; image ; imagination ; information ; injury ; inspection tour ; instruction ; intensive care area ; ion engine ; intercraft ; Class J starship ( cadet ship ); J-class trainee cadets ; judgment ; landing party ; library computer ; lie ; life support system ; logic ; love ; loyalty ; lunch ; M-11 ; martini ; Mary Lou ; mass computer ; maximum warp ; medical emergency ; medical rest leave ; medical report ; medical section ; medicine ; metal ; meteorite beam ; mile ; Milky Way Galaxy ; mind ; mission ; Mojave ; monitor screen ; month ; mutiny ; navigator ; nitrogen ; orbit ; order ; organ ; Orion ; Orion colony ; oxygen ; park ; patrol ; permission ; photographic record ; Picasso ; picnic ; place ; planet ; plea ; preliminary hearing ; preliminary lab survey ; printout ; prisoner ; proof ; pulp ; quarters ; radio beam ; radio silence ; radio wave ; record tape ; region ; Regulus ; retirement ; reverse power ; RHIP ; Rigel VII ; right to counsel ; rights ; risk ; scanner ; science officer ; scientific party ; scientist ; scouting party ; sector patrolled by USS Enterprise ; security clearance ; security team ; senior officer ; sensor ; shore leave ; shuttlecraft ; ship's captain ; signal ; slave ; Sol system ; solar system ; space law ; space sector ; specimen ; spectrography ; speed ; speed of light ; Starbase 11 ; Starbase Command ; Starbase Operations ; Starfleet Command ; Starfleet General Orders ; story ; subspace chatter ; subspace message ; subspace monitor ; surface ; survey expedition ; survey vessel ; survivor ; sword ; Talos IV ; Talos IV ; Talos star group ; Talos system ; Talos system's stars ; Talosians ; Tango ; tape ; theater ; theft ; thing ; third quadrant ; thought ; time barrier ; time warp ; tractor beam ; trader ; transmission ; transporter control ; trap ; treachery ; trial ; trial board ; treachery ; Vega colony ; Vernal Galaxy ; visit ; voice command ; vote ; Vulcan ; Vulcan nerve pinch ; warrior ; water ; week ; " what the devil "; wheelchair ; word ; year

S/COMS references [ ]

astronomical unit ; Talos I ; Talos II ; Talos III ; Talos V ; Talos V moon

Unreferenced materials [ ]

devil ; ice cream ; metal cube file opener ; parasites ; pie ; praying ; Scottish ; skeleton crew ; Sulu ; surgeons ; surgery

Retconned references [ ]

Shuttlecraft One

External links [ ]

• "The Menagerie, Part I" at StarTrek.com
• " The Menagerie, Parts I and II " at Memory Beta , the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
• " The Menagerie, Parts I and II " at Wikipedia
• " The Menagerie, Parts I and II " at MissionLogPodcast.com , a Roddenberry Star Trek podcast
• " The Menagerie, Part I " at the Internet Movie Database
• ↑ Leonard Nimoy's video clips from a "feature-length" presentation of THE MENAGERIE aired on KAUT-TV Channel 43 in Oklahoma City, OK on February 6, 1983, as shared by Rob O'Hara on YouTube
• 2 ISS Enterprise (NCC-1701)

• Web Channels

The Menagerie Part II

As the court martial continues, Kirk learns the Talosians meant to breed Pike with an earlier survivor, Vina, to produce their slave race. But Pike convinces them that Earthmen would prefer death to such slavery, however pleasant illusions could make it. Humans were the Talosians last chance, but Pike convinces them to release him. Finally, as they orbit Talos, Kirk learns why Spock violated General Order 7: here, in his illusory world, Pike can live out his remaining years as the man he once was. The Talosians agree to this, and the Federation suspends General Order 7 due to the circumstances.

Jeffrey Hunter

Susan Oliver

Majel Barrett Roddenberry

Peter Duryea

Malachi Throne

Laurel Goodwin

Adam Roarke

Cast Appearances

William Shatner

Leonard Nimoy

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The Menagerie, Part 1

The menagerie, part i.

William Shatner

Leonard Nimoy

DeForest Kelley

James Doohan

• 1 Science Fiction > Hard SF
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Star Trek (TV Series)

The menagerie: part ii (1966), meg wyllie: the keeper, photos .

Quotes 

The Keeper : I read most strongly a recent death struggle in which it fought to protect its life. We will begin with this, giving the specimen something more interesting to protect.

The Keeper : You overlook the unpleasant alternative of punishment.

The Keeper : Your ship - release me or we'll destroy it.

The Keeper : Each of the two new specimens has qualities in her favor. The female you call Number One has the superior mind and will produce highly intelligent children.

Captain Christopher Pike : All I want to do is get my hands on you!

The Keeper : Despite its frustration, the creature appears more adaptable than our specimens from other planets. We can soon begin the experiment.

[last lines] 

The Keeper : Captain Pike has an illusion and you have reality. May you find your way as pleasant.

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Screen Rant

Sokka's avatar: the last airbender season 2 growth teased by netflix star.

Avatar: The Last Airbender actor has teased the growth and story arc of his character Sokka in season 2 of the hit Netflix fantasy adaptation.

• Sokka's character growth is teased for upcoming seasons, focusing on emotional maturity and relationships.
• There is a possibility of exploring darker storylines from the franchise, like bloodbending
• The show's success depends on staying faithful to the source material while adding unique elements to keep viewers happy.

Avatar: The Last Airbender 's Sokka character growth is teased by actor who plays him. A remake of the acclaimed animated TV show of the same name, Avatar: The Last Airbender is the second live-action adaptation of the franchise , after M. Night Shyamalan's critically derided movie The Last Airbender . The show features four warring tribes, and the coming-of-age of 12-year-old Aang, the last of the air nomads, who is capable of mastering all four elements.

Collider reports that star Ian Ousley joined fellow cast mates at the Calgary Expo, where he spoke about his character's Avatar: The Last Airbender seasons 2 journey , and teases he is very excited about his character's story direction. He discussed how further seasons will create additional storylines that can be explored, and how they will impact his character. Read Ousley's full comments to the audience below:

I think mine is fairly obvious that, you know, we focus in the series on Sokka losing his first girlfriend, originally, and I think that's going to take him a while to kind of emotionally mature and to be ready to open up his heart again, possibly? I think that's going to kind of— just seeing that much war... I think also [it] just messes with him as he's prepared for war so much and seeing the loss of it and how his responsibility was to protect Yue. He didn't accomplish his goal of protecting Yue, which wasn't his decision, but, yeah, I think that's going to open up a lot more reality for Sokka. I'm very excited to see how we focus on his humor, his relationships in the future.

What Direction Will Avatar: The Last Airbender Take?

Seasons 2 & 3 have been confirmed.

Ousley seems happy with his character's story so far, and it's very possible Sokka could have a satisfying arc that will please both legacy fans, and newcomers to the live-action show . The character, and his sister Katara, have already had a strong backstory in the show, and season 1 reveals Sokka and Katara's mother was killed before the events of the show, providing a revenge subplot, and this also feeds into Sokka's failure to protect Yue, and what this means for his emotional journey

With two more seasons to go, the show will have the chance to explore some of the other franchise stories in greater detail , and this provides plenty more storylines for Sokka, as well as allowing the show to use iconic plot threads from the animated series. For instance, there is a chance the live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender could explore a dark season 3 storyline regarding bloodbending, and the morally ambiguous elements of this.

The future of the show could be bright, and Netflix will be hoping they have a long-term hit on their hands. The challenges of adapting source material as iconic, and detailed, as Avatar: The Last Airbender is not without difficulty, but if the core cast remains in place, and the showrunners can be faithful to the source material, while also putting their own unique spin on the franchise, there is every chance that the live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender could be looked on as favorably as the acclaimed animated show in the years to come.

Avatar: The Last Airbender season 1 is available to stream on Netflix.

Source: Collider

Avatar: The Last Airbender (Live-Action)

Based on the acclaimed animated Nickelodeon television series, Avatar: The Last Airbender is an action-adventure fantasy series developed by Albert Kim. The series follows Aang, a young man training to harness the four elements to live up to the title of Avatar - the one who will restore balance to the world.

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Published Apr 30, 2024

WARP FIVE: David Ajala on Embracing Second Chances and the Heavy Burden of Legacy

The Star Trek: Discovery actor takes us behind-the-scenes of ‘Mirrors’ as Book’s journey this season.

SPOILER WARNING: This article contains story details and plot points for the fifth season of Star Trek: Discovery.

Getty Images / StarTrek.com

Welcome to Warp Five, StarTrek.com's five question post-mortem with your favorite featured talent from the latest Star Trek episodes.

The 32nd Century has not been easy for the courier known as Cleveland "Book" Booker. The Dark Matter Anomaly erased everything his home and Kwejian culture from existence entirely, along with his family.

In his desperation to stop the DMA, he allies with scientist Ruon Tarka to eliminate the threat once and for all by destroying its power source, putting him at odds with the Federation and his partner Captain Michael Burnham. While enacting their extreme plan, Tarka and Booker end up careening towards the edge of a hyperfield with their ship destroyed on impact. However, he was saved by the 10-C, a species that utilized the DMA, and held him in stasis as they worked to understand the predicament at hand. Despite his second lease on life, the Federation had to hold Book accountable for his actions but would take his “reasons” into account as they do matter. As penance, he would aid families displaced by the DMA.

The fifth season of Star Trek: Discovery welcomes Cleveland "Book" Booker into the fold as his expertise are needed when the Discovery crew are handed a Red Directive mission that involves trailing a pair of ex-couriers across the galaxy as they collect clues that will reveal the whereabouts of a device of immense power.

StarTrek.com had the opportunity to sit down with David Ajala ahead of last week’s episode, " Mirrors ," to discuss all things Cleveland "Book" Booker.

Mirrors Milestones

"Mirrors"

StarTrek.com

The latest episode of Discovery, “Mirrors,” opens with a personal log from Book as he reflects on a piece of advice provided to him by his mentor and namesake. "Mirrors" had no shortage of exciting features for the cast as it finds Book and Burnham trapped on the Mirror Universe's I.S.S. Enterprise along with this season's antagonists Moll and L'ak, who provide us with insight on the mysterious yet aggressive Breen .

"It was super, super special," David Ajala recalling his thoughts when he got the script for the episode and seeing all these elements that would delight any Star Trek fan, "It was a cherry on top of another cherry."

"It really was," elaborates Ajala. "Sometimes when you're reading these episodes, you just never know. I personally don't know what the story's going to be because I reached out to the producers and told them that I don't want to know anything, let me just go from episode to episode. And then you see these wonderful touchstones, from across Star Trek history, that they put in the episodes. And it is just glorious. And of course, the fans are going to love it. They absolutely will."

As for how he approached the momentous tasks at hand? Ajala shares, "In all honesty, my main thing is just to always be as present as possible. Sometimes you look around, you're on set and there's so much going on in a wonderful way, and just being part of this franchise, it's always very healthy to simplify it and just be as present as possible. And I think that's the ethos I try to take into everything that I did."

The Enduring Grace of Michael Burnham

"Face the Strange"

Previously, Ajala spoke to StarTrek.com, during the Season 5 press junket, about the grace afforded him by his love, Michael Burnham . The "grey area" the former couple exists in gets even murkier as Burnham got to relive a happier time in their relationship in " Face the Strange ," and the duo face imminent destruction aboard the I.S.S. Enterprise in “Mirrors.”

A romantic at heart, the Discovery actor notes Book and Burnham’s unyielding connection to one another, "Because love prevails, love perseveres through, they're always, always going to connect."

"Their relationship is made a lot stronger because of what they have to overcome during Season 5," hints Ajala, before diving into what’s going through Book’s head during the dire scene in "Mirrors." "It is bittersweet, but I think those happy moments are full of so much joy that they'll be able to exist. So Michael Burnham and Cleveland Booker will continue to be in each other's lives. In what capacity? The future will tell or unfold, even. But I really do believe that these are two individuals that bring out the best in each other. And the course of true love never did run smooth, but it's worth it."

The Complicated Legacy of Cleveland Booker IV and the Only Family He Has Left

It's not just being on the same starship with his former lover that has Book entangled this season. The ex-courier realizes that half of the fugitive duo he's chasing — Moll — is actually Malinne Ravel, the daughter of his late mentor, Cleveland Booker IV.

"It was a really brave thing for the writers to come up with this very specific story to introduce Moll as Cleveland Booker's sister," states Ajala. "And to have someone who speaks of this Cleveland Booker, Moll speaks about a Cleveland Booker that Book doesn't recognize at all."

"To hear someone speaking negatively about someone who you hold in such high regard was definitely going to be very painful for him, but at the same time, healing," elaborates Ajala. "At the same time, I think sometimes you do need to be challenged. The substance of who you are and what you stand for needs to be challenged because it crystallizes your identity."

Understanding Moll's desperation to protect the only person she loves, Book goes to the wisdom imparted on him by his mentor, " No matter how bad things get, the one thing you always have is a choice ." Even at one point, offering his phaser to his "sister" as a token of trust.

Recalling an earlier moment in the season he connected with, Ajala says, "There’s a scene where they're in Sickbay, it's Cleveland Booker and Dr. Culber. They're looking at the monitor, watching Moll and L'ak flying through the air. And what Cleveland Booker recognizes is that they are thrill seekers like him and Michael Burnham. It just adds a very deeper, nuanced, complicated level of connection with Moll. He will always continue to try to reach her, but he'll be challenged. The reason why he continues to pursue her is because he's been afforded a second chance and he knows what it feels and the benefits of being afforded a second chance. So he wants to offer that same grace to Moll. Whether she's willing to accept it or not is another question."

"I love their relationship. I love how they grow," Ajala teases. "I love how grey their relationship is. And by the end of the season there is a resolve between these two, but it's not a resolve that has a neat ribbon on it. It's still grey. That's life."

It's the grace afforded to him by Burnham that allows him to want to offer that to Moll. "Having experienced that level of grace, he is now able to give Moll that level of grace. It's all tied around the word grace and kindness. And I believe the world would be a better place if we offered each other a bit more grace."

"It means so much more now than it did the previous season," continues Ajala. "To know that one has a choice gives an individual a bit of freedom and a bit of power, so to say. And it's also very important to be able to make the right choice from an informed place. Worst case scenario is Moll will make a decision that Cleveland Booker could have helped her to prevent. That's worst case scenario. Best case scenario is that Moll makes a decision influenced by Cleveland Booker that helps her to avoid self-destruction."

The Last Kwejian

"The Hope That is You, Part 1"

In a tense moment in "Mirrors," Moll demands to know why Book is unrelenting in his support of her. Book painfully pleads, "Because I'm Kwejian. Everything I cared about out there is gone. And he may have been a shit dad to you, but he was a great mentor to me and like it or not, that makes you just about the only family I have left."

Ajala knows the pressure on Book to continue his culture’s legacy. "It's a huge task to take on board," he explains. "We have to remember he was the Prodigal son and he was ostracized from his family, so he didn't hold onto much of his culture. And then to be welcomed back into the fold and then to lose his whole entire planet, any bit of that culture will hold such incredible significance."

"I would hope that in a world or in the future, there is a world in which Cleveland Booker is able to maintain that culture and pass it down like an heirloom," says Ajala. "Kwejian culture is special. It's special. And it talks about us all being part of the same tree and being interconnected. I hope he will be a testament to what Kwejian culture stands for."

The previous seasons of Discovery was meaningful to Ajala because they were able to share more of Kwejian culture. "Do you know what's interesting about this," asks Ajala. "When we talk about the culture and the world of Kwejian? Of course, in Season 3, we got to see some of the world. And in Season 4, we got to see some of the world. But now that world of course is obliterated. Now you'll see the physical manifestation of that through Cleveland Booker. And the physical manifestation of it is grace, kindness. And it's also the ethos that we are all connected. The world is a better place with us all connected rather than existing independently. Again, going back to being afforded a second chance, I think he has a much bigger capacity of love and of patience to be able to be the right individual to reach Moll."

Offering A Spiritual Perspective to the Ship's Doctor

"All is Possible"

While aboard the U.S.S. Discovery , we get to see Book strengthen his relationship with the crew, especially Dr. Culber.

In " Jinaal ," Burnham and Book were present on Trill as Dr. Culber partakes in the zhian’tara ritual , which allows a symbiont's consciousness to take full control of his body. The experience shakes Culber at his core as it challenges what he knows to be true.

On getting to bond with Wilson Cruz and watching the friendship between Book and Culber strengthen, Ajala shares, "It's one of the relationships that organically developed, which I love. The texture of that relationship just feels so pure for the two individuals. The way Cleveland Booker is able to speak to Culber is different from anyone else. And I feel that Culber is able to speak with Cleveland Booker is also uniquely different. I love the way these two hold space for each other, curious without being judgmental. And I think it's a relationship that will continue to thrive and they'll continue to learn from each other."

"Mr. Cruz is so great to work with, he's just good people," Ajala adds. "It doesn't feel like work with him. What does feel like work is trying not to laugh. I don't think people realize how funny Wilson is. He is hilarious. He is so freaking funny. And I just love how you can go from just being wildly funny then in the zone, focused and back to storytelling."

BONUS: An Update to Queen Grudge

"Stormy Weather"

Of course, we couldn't let Ajala leave without an update to his queen, Grudge, and her legacy on the series.

"Queen Grudge's legacy will always be that she will be able to say, 'I didn't go to drama school and yet I was able to upstage my co-star who went to drama school for two years,'" quips Ajala. "It breaks my heart. My heart is still open because she is my queen. Her legacy will be the mystery will continue that no one apart from Cleveland Booker understands or knows why she is a queen and why she was named Grudge. I think that's a wonderful mystery, which I will keep for as long as possible, but her legacy will always be that she reigns supremely with attitude and sass."

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Christine Dinh (she/her) is the managing editor for StarTrek.com. She’s traded the Multiverse for helming this Federation Starship.

Star Trek: Discovery Seasons 1-4 are streaming exclusively on Paramount+ in the U.S., the UK, Canada, Switzerland, South Korea, Latin America, Germany, France, Italy, Australia and Austria. Seasons 2 and 3 also are available on the Pluto TV “Star Trek” channel in Switzerland, Germany and Austria. The series streams on Super Drama in Japan, TVNZ in New Zealand, and SkyShowtime in Spain, Portugal, Poland, The Nordics, The Netherlands, and Central and Eastern Europe and also airs on Cosmote TV in Greece. The series is distributed by Paramount Global Content Distribution.

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‘Once Upon a Time In Northern Ireland’ Pushes Into Popular Factual

Once Upon a Time in Northern Ireland producer Keo Films has signed a Head of Popular Factual. Jo Smith joins from former Banijay label RDF, which was recently shuttered. The former BBC commissioner will oversee the popular factual slate of the Passion Pictures -owned outfit. James Bluemel’s Keo-produced Once Upon a Time In Northern Ireland was nominated for five BAFTA TV awards and won two Craft gongs last night. “As all the recent awards show, we are doing brilliantly in our premium factual division, and we are now looking forward to working with Jo to build our slate of returning formats and lifestyle shows,” said Keo CCO Andrew Palmer.

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