The Devil in the Dark
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Star Trek: TOS episode | |
| "The Devil in the Dark" | |
 Kirk faces the Horta |
|
| Episode no. | 25 |
|---|---|
| Prod. code | 026 |
| Remastered no. | 3 |
| Airdate | March 9, 1967 |
| Writer(s) | Gene L. Coon |
| Director | Joseph Pevney |
| Guest star(s) | Ken Lynch Janos Prohaska Barry Russo Brad Weston Biff Elliot George E. Allen Dick Dial Davis Roberts Eddie Paskey Frank da Vinci John Cavett Ron Veto Frank Backburn |
| Year | 2267 |
| Stardate | 3196.1 |
| Episode chronology | |
| Previous | "This Side of Paradise" |
| Next | "Errand of Mercy" |
"The Devil in the Dark" is a first-season episode Star Trek: The Original Series which first aired on March 9, 1967. It was repeated on June 15, 1967. It is episode #25, production #26, and was written by Gene L. Coon and directed by Joseph Pevney. William Shatner writes in his memoirs that "The Devil in the Dark" was his favourite original Star Trek episode.[1] From Shatner's perspective, this episode was "exciting, thought-provoking and intelligent, it contained all of the ingredients that made up our very best Star Treks."[2]
Overview: Captain Kirk and Mister Spock face off with a deadly subterranean beast.
[edit] Plot
 |
The plot summary in this article or section is too long or detailed compared to the rest of the article. Please edit the article to focus on discussing the work rather than merely reiterating the plot. |
On Stardate 3196.1, the starship USS Enterprise, under the command of Captain James T. Kirk, is sent to the pergium mining colony on planet Janus VI to investigate reports of a strange creature that has recently killed 50 miners with a strong corrosive substance and is destroying equipment.
Spock's curiosity is aroused by a spherical object on the desk of the mine supervisor, Chief Engineer Vanderberg, who explains that it is one of thousands of silicon nodules found on recently-opened levels of the mine, but of no commercial value.
Soon, another guard is killed and a circulation pump, vital to the colony's main reactor, is stolen. Scotty constructs a "Heath Robinson" type replacement but the original component must be found within 48 hours or the reactor will fail, rendering the mine uninhabitable. Spock suggests that the creature might be a silicon-based lifeform and would thus be resistant to the "Type I" phasers carried by the colony guards; however, the landing party's "Type II" phasers should be able to stop it.
The landing party starts searching the newly opened Level 23 where all the attacks have taken place. Kirk and Spock soon encounter a creature which looks like an animated clump of molten stone. The creature threatens them and receives a direct phaser blast. Injured, it escapes by burrowing quickly through solid rock. Spock examines a piece of the creature knocked off by the phaser blast and determines that it is silicon-based and secretes a strong acid which allows it to move through rock as easily as we move through air. Spock's tricorder readings show that there is only one creature within a hundred miles and if it is the last of its type, killing it would be a crime against science, but Kirk believes the mine is too important and the creature too dangerous to let it live.
Scotty's efforts fail and the colony begins evacuating, but the landing party and some of the miners remain behind to search for the pump. Kirk discovers a chamber filled with thousands of the silicon nodules and the creature causes the roof to collapse, trapping him. Kirk contacts Spock, who in a reversal of their previous positions, urges Kirk to kill the creature immediately. However, Kirk realises that the creature is not threatening him and begins to "talk" to it. The creature turns, showing him a large wound in its side.
Spock finds a way into the cavern and attempts a Vulcan mind meld but cannot complete it as the creature is in agony from its wound. However, he does learn that it calls itself a Horta. The Horta also gains enough knowledge from the experience to be able to etch the words "NO KILL I" into a nearby rock.
In an effort to win its confidence, Kirk orders Dr. McCoy to come and help the creature while Spock mind melds with it again. He discovers that every 50,000 years the entire race of Horta dies, except one who remains to protect the eggs and act as the mother to them. When the miners broke into the hatchery, it just fought back the only way it knew. McCoy arrives and analyzes the Horta's physiology and finding it is virtually made out of stone, declares: "I'm a doctor, not a bricklayer!" It understands Kirk is trying to help and tells him the missing pump is in the "Vault of Tomorrow".
Meanwhile, Vanderberg and the miners are being held back by a security detail, but their patience wears thin and they overpower the guards. Kirk stops them from killing the creature and explains that the Horta was simply protecting its eggs, the silicon nodules the miners have been collecting and destroying, which are now on the verge of hatching. Vanderberg regrets the damage his men have caused inadvertently, but is concerned that there will be thousands of those "things" crawling around. Kirk returns the pump and reassures him that the Horta are intelligent and peaceful and suggests they could assist the miners by locating new deposits of minerals in exchange for being left alone. McCoy proudly informs them that he's helped the Horta by using thermo-concrete, which is mostly silicon, as a bandage and reckons that he could probably "cure a rainy day!" Spock mind-melds with the Horta again and it agrees with the proposition.
As the Enterprise prepares to leave orbit, Vanderberg tells Kirk that the eggs have started to hatch and they have already hit huge new pergium deposits, as well as gold and platinum. He says they're not so bad once you get used to their appearance. Spock mentions to Kirk that the Horta also found humanoid appearance revolting, but he got the impression that she found pointed ears the most attractive human characteristic!
[edit] 40th Anniversary remastering
This episode was remastered in 2006 and aired September 23, 2006 as part of the 40th anniversary remastering of the Original Series. It was preceded the week before by "Miri" and followed a week later by "The Naked Time". Aside from remastered video and audio, and the all-CGI animation of the USS Enterprise that is standard among the revisions, specific changes to this episode also include:
- CGI updated rendering of Janus VI which added thicker clouds and more realism.
- 3D refinery backdrop matte which retained the original content but with more depth and added realism.
- When the Horta is first encountered by Kirk and Spock, the rock actually bursts into flames as it dissolves. Previously, it simply glowed red and vanished. Also, there is the added heat shimmering effect and the addition of smoke pouring off the wall.
- The addition of a miner playing with a baby Horta in front of the refinery (seen through the window in Vanderberg's office in the next to final scene)
[edit] Notes
|
|
Trivia sections are discouraged under Wikipedia guidelines. The article could be improved by integrating relevant items and removing inappropriate ones. |
- William Shatner's father died during the filming of this episode. He was offered the afternoon off to prepare for funeral arrangements, but insisted on completing the scenes where Kirk and Spock search for the Horta. The scenes where Spock mind-melds with it were filmed with a stand in filling in for Shatner, and shot from behind him. Upon his return from his father's funeral, Shatner filmed reaction shots which were integrated into the mind meld sequence. He has stated that the kindness and support lent him by Nimoy and Gene Roddenberry during filming after his bereavement made this episode his favorite of the original series.
- The creature is played by Janos Prohaska, who played a similar creature on an episode of The Outer Limits. Legend has it, Prohaska donned the costume and crawled into producer Gene L. Coon's office. Coon, after getting over the shock, was inspired and declared he was going to write a script based on the costume.
- The concept of an extra-terrestrial mining operation inadvertently harming alien creatures was later featured in Jetsons: The Movie, complete with an ending where an agreement is reached with the creatures.
- In the Star Trek documentary Trekkies 2, a Sacramento, California punk-rock band called "No Kill I" is featured.
- According to Mike Okuda's text commentary of Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, a Horta Ambassador was supposed to be included in the Federation Council sequences, but there was not enough time to create a costume.
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- Devil in the Dark side-by-side comparisons
- The Devil in the Dark article at Memory Alpha, a Star Trek wiki
| Last produced: "This Side of Paradise" |
Star Trek: TOS episodes Season 1 |
Next produced: "Errand of Mercy" |
| Last transmitted: "This Side of Paradise" |
Next transmitted: "Errand of Mercy" |
