Question for all you TOSer's

[Scooter]

Originally Posted by Chancellor Valium

Why is the punishment attached to General Order VII death?
Sure, I can see the danger of Talos IV and the Talosians with their illusion power, but not being allowed under ANY circumstances and punishable by death seems extreme...Does anyone know or have any theories as to why?

So anyway. Working from "The Menagerie" it seems that Starfleet instituted a death penalty as a deterrent in order to keep all Federation personnel away, since they would be unable to avoid the degredation being turned into zoo specimens (the Talosians having learned from Pike's escape).

Beyond this, one can posit that Starfleet also feared an unstoppable invasion from Talosians controlling their personnel and equipment.

Of course, the real reason was to make Spock's mutiny extra spicy.