A Private Little War (TOS episode)
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- "A Private Little War" redirects here. For the album, see A Private Little War (album).
| Star Trek: TOS episode | |
| "A Private Little War" | |
 The Mugato attacks Kirk and McCoy, A Private Little War. |
|
| Episode no. | 48 |
|---|---|
| Prod. code | 045 |
| Airdate | February 2, 1968 |
| Writer(s) | Gene Roddenberry Gene L. Coon story by Jud Crucis |
| Director | Marc Daniels |
| Guest star(s) | Nancy Kovack Michael Witney Ned Romero Booker Bradshaw Janos Prohaska Paul Baxley Gary Pillar Eddie Paskey William Blackburn Roger Holloway |
| Year | 2268 |
| Stardate | 4211.4 |
| Episode chronology | |
| Previous | "The Immunity Syndrome" |
| Next | "Return to Tomorrow" |
A Private Little War is a second season episode of Star Trek: The Original Series, first broadcast February 2, 1968 and repeated on August 23, 1968. It is episode #48, production #45, with the screenplay written by Gene Roddenberry and Gene L. Coon, based on a story by Judd Crucis, and directed by Marc Daniels.
Overview: Captain Kirk must save an aboriginal people from the technological interference of the Klingons.
[edit] Plot
On stardate 4211.4, the starship USS Enterprise arrives at the planet Neural, 3rd planet in the Zeta Boötis System, which was surveyed by Captain James T. Kirk, thirteen years earlier during a previous mission as a lieutenant on the USS Farragut. Kirk also reports that the people of the world are still primitive, having just developed the secrets of ironworking. Kirk, Mr. Spock, and Dr. McCoy beam down to the surface.
Upon their arrival, McCoy finds the planet is a medical treasure trove of materials needed for various serums and drugs. Meanwhile, Kirk tries to find Tyree, a friendly native he met on his prior visit. Soon the landing party is ambushed by a hostile group of natives and Kirk is shocked to see they possess flintlock pistols and other firearms. He knows it is impossible for them to have advanced to this stage so quickly. Kirk tosses a rock to make a distraction, but this causes one of the natives' guns to go off and a chase ensues. Spock is shot by one of the natives, and Kirk orders an immediate beam-out back to the ship.
Once back aboard the Enterprise, Spock is looked after by Dr. M'Benga who specializes in Vulcan physiology. He informs Kirk that he has done all he can for Spock who has fallen into a healing trance, and hopefully will recover on his own. Suddenly sensors detect a Klingon vessel in orbit around the planet and Kirk orders Mr. Chekov to maintain a position outside of their sensor range. In the meantime, Kirk wants to return to the planet to seek out Tyree in hopes he can explain what is going on.
Kirk returns with McCoy, who are now both disguised as local natives to blend in. Kirk bets the Klingons have something to do with the culture's speedy development. Suddenly the two are attacked by a horned gorillalike creature called a Mugato. The beast bites Kirk, injecting him with poison before he can kill it with his phaser. McCoy is unable to call for help since the Enterprise has moved out of communication range.
A friendly group of natives finally arrive and take Kirk and McCoy to their cave where Kirk discovers Tyree is now their tribal leader. Tyree, who has just returned from a hunting mission, is married to Nona, a witch doctor who has a cure for the Mugato bite. In reality Nona is influencing Tyree with her herbal drugs and keeps urging him to acquire the hostile tribe's "fire sticks" for their tribe, but he still refuses and maintains a pacifist view.
On hearing of Kirk's arrival, Nona heads for the caves and gets there just in time to see McCoy using his phaser to heat up rocks to keep Kirk warm. Nona is intrigued with the weapon and wants to know more about the mysterious guests. Nona treats Kirk by cutting her hand and pressing a Mahko root against his wound. Now, according to legend, Kirk will be unable to refuse Nona anything once he recovers.
Meanwhile back on the Enterprise, Spock seems to be recovering well. M'Benga informs Nurse Chapel that once Spock revives, she must do as Spock tells her no matter how bizarre the request.
Once Kirk recovers, he asks Tyree about the "fire sticks" possessed by the villagers. Tyree says he saw the weapons for the first time about a year ago and believed the villagers were making them. He has not seen any strangers like the Klingons that Kirk talks about. Kirk asks Tyree if they will help him on a reconnaissance mission to the other village under the cover of night.
Nona also tags along, trying to persuade Kirk to help Tyree become a more powerful leader. Kirk refuses, since he knows that Tyree is a pacifist and against killing people. Once in the enemy village, they locate a forge in which they find a chrome steel drill and some virtually carbon-free iron which is the evidence of the Klingons' involvement. Soon a Klingon appears with the village leader Apella and Kirk's group ducks to hide. The two discuss the manufacture of improved weapons. Kirk and McCoy sneak up and overpower them taking a flintlock weapon and escaping with Tyree's help.
Back aboard the Enterprise Spock finally wakes, but is only partially conscious. He requests Nurse Chapel to strike him repeatedly until he fully recovers. She hesitantly does what he asks, lightly at first, but then starts slapping him hard. Mr. Scott happens to stop in and witnesses Chapel's beating of Spock and tries to stop her, however M'Benga arrives to explain that Spock's life is in danger and resumes the slapping. Spock finally comes out of his trance and thanks the bewildered Nurse Chapel for her assistance.
Back on the planet, Kirk shows the hill people how to shoot the flintlock weapons, but Tyree refuses to handle it. McCoy loudly protests, telling Kirk he is violating the Prime Directive and interfering with the natives' normal development. Kirk maintains that irreversible damage has already been caused by the Klingons, and if the two warring tribes are not on equal ground, one will slaughter the other. McCoy is horrified but he finds no alternative solution.
Thinking Tyree is too weak and hesitant to arm the people, Nona tries to seduce Kirk with her potions, but Kirk resists and Tyree witnesses her treachery. He is angry enough to pick up the flintlock and take aim at his wife, but he is unable to kill her and puts the weapon down. Suddenly another Mugato attacks and Kirk vaporizes it with his phaser. Nona knocks Kirk out and grabs the phaser, which in her mind is a weapon that will give her ultimate power. She runs away to face off with her tribal enemies and the others give chase to stop her.
When Kirk, McCoy, and Tyree arrive, they find Nona being attacked by the enemy villagers. Nona tries to defend herself, but she is unable to figure out how to fire the phaser and the villagers kill her. They are driven off, and McCoy reaches the stolen phaser and retrieves it.
In the end, Tyree realizes the importance of the "fire stick" weapons and Kirk orders Mr. Scott to manufacture and beam down hundreds of the flintlocks and ammunition for the tribesmen. This will put them on an even footing with their enemy, but Kirk is ruefully aware of the arms race that he has begun.
[edit] Trivia
- Nona is played by actress Nancy Kovack.
- This episode is often seen as being a depiction of the Vietnam War, with the conclusion being Gene Roddenberry's statement of reluctant support for it.
- Jud Crucis is the pseudonym of writer Don Ingalls (he and Roddenberry were LAPD police officers at roughly the same time) who was displeased that Roddenberry toned down some of his more overt parallels and condemnations of the Vietnam War. Ingalls has said that "Jud Crucis" was wordplay on "J[esus] Crucified."
- In the movie Zoolander, Will Ferrell's character "Mugatu" is a reference to the Mugato from this episode.
- The Mugato was originally called a "Gumato", but DeForest Kelley (Dr. McCoy), kept accidentally mispronouncing it as "Mugato."
- Kirk admits that he told Tyree the truth about space travel and Kirk's origin from "the lights in the sky", but this would seem to be a direct violation of the Prime Directive (not that Kirk seems to worry too much about it in other episodes).
[edit] External links
- A Private Little War at StarTrek.com
- A Private Little War article at Memory Alpha, a Star Trek wiki.
| Last produced: "Journey to Babel" |
Star Trek: TOS episodes Season 2 |
Next produced: "The Gamesters of Triskelion" |
| Last transmitted: "The Immunity Syndrome" |
Next transmitted: "Return to Tomorrow" |
