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Old 01-03-2019, 01:22 PM
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January 3rd, 1969, "Whom Gods Destroy"


Fiver (by Nic)

Transcript
Memory Alpha


The Episode

* I'm still unsure how you can teach "cellular metamorphosis" to heal wounds, or how you go from being able to heal wounds to transforming your entire body. I think the implication is that Garth isn't a full-blown shapeshifter, but can just rearrange his skin and surface musculature. At least he doesn't have to recreate a functional commbadge like Odo apparently can.

* The codephrase is a good idea, but just opens more plotholes. Such precautions should be taken for most missions, and why was one instituted here? They didn't know there was a shapeshifter on the planet!
* I find it dubious that the Enterprise can't disable the shield without killing everybody on the planet. Surely the specs should be on file. Having Scotty say that it'll take some time to configure the phasers to disable the shield without killing everybody would accomplish the goal with fewer plotholes.

* I like how Chakoteya says that Marta's dance isn't as good as Vina's.

* Spock claims that Marta's dance is like what small Vulcan children do. I can appreciate that Vulcans would learn how to dance as a way to train their bodies how to move, and we know that Vulcans appreciate music.
* Garth has discovered more new worlds than any other man in history. This is a problem. Since he specifically calls Shakespeare an Earth man, he is evidently not human himself. Fair enough. Kirk studied Garth's career at the Academy, so Garth's heyday was at least twenty years ago. This is before the Constitution Class era by any definition. While we know little of the classes used in the early 23th century, I wonder if he was on a Bonaventure class or an Antares type. Going into the FASA RPG universe, the Mann, Ranger, and Baton Rouge classes also seem probable. All of these were undoubtedly smaller than the Constitution class, and thus had a smaller range and shorter missions than the days of Pike and Kirk. Also, the title of "discovered the most worlds" seems destined to be held by a Vulcan if you ask me.
* Garth implies that he will conquer the surrounding galaxies. How? Even with Kelvan upgrades it would take hundreds of years to get to another galaxy!
* Garth's attempt to trick Kirk into revealing the countersign is stupid. Even if "queen to queen's level three" is a valid opening move in 3D chess, there's more than one possible countering move! I doubt that even grandmasters can figure out their opponent's strategy based on a single move! Skipping straight to the agonizer would make more sense.
* I've long wondered what "Cochrane deceleration" entails. Putting aside the face that I doubt Zephram Cochrane was ever in a battle, this thing almost seems like a reverse Picard Maneuver.
* Is this the first instance of "shoot us both, it's the only way!"?
* Immediate reversal of brain damage from an injection? How is that supposed to work?


The Fiver

Garth: I am Lord Garth, and they call me Master of the Universe!
Kirk: Why don't they call you Skeletor?
Garth: Enough with the silly cartoon references! I will have none of that! Now give me control of your ship!
Kirk: I will not.
Garth: By the power of Greyskull, oh yes you will! (shapeshifts into Kirk)



I'm still a little confused about who the "Masters of the Universe" are. I care not for the 2002 series, and in the original show He-Man's friends are called the Heroic Warriors. Is "Masters of the Universe" supposed to be a broader term that refers to anyone who has access to "The secrets of Castle Greyskull?"


Garth: HA! Fooled you! Now you shall witness my coronation into Lord of the Galaxy, Master of the Universe and Secretary of State for White Fish!


I can't find reference to a country or government called "White Fish". There are a few places in Canada and the northern United States called that, but nothing with a "Secretary of State."



Nitpickers Guide

* The Tellarite makeup here is much better than in "Journey to Babel."
* Phil wonders about how this episode mentions a second mutiny on a starship, when in "The Tholian Web" the Defiant was seemingly the first mutiny on a starship. I think the simplest explanation (besides "the writers didn't care", of course) is that this ties back to the whole "starship=Constitution Class" thing and that Garth clearly wasn't on a Constitution Class ship.
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