Star Trek Animated: “The Jihad”

The Jihad by Stephen Kandel (January 12, 1974) -Kirk and Spock have been recruited by the foxlike Vedala, the oldest known space faring race. Someone has stolen the Soul of the Skorr, an important artifact to the avian Skorr. With it stolen, the Skorr will start a jihad against the galaxy. Kirk and Spock are joined by 4 specialists to help they find the Soul of the Skorr. They are the reptiloid Sord, lock pick insectoid M3 Green, humanoid tracker Lara, and Tchar of Skorr. The Soul of the Skorr is on a geological unstable planet. Three expeditions have already failed. Can this new team succeed? Vedala needs some safety specialists in failing to give our team a vehicle without seat belts. Kandel does a Mission Impossible in the Star Trek universe which is appropriate since the live action shows filmed across the street from each other. There is some good alien design. We get a little into their personalities. I would like to see them again in media or a novel.

Star Trek Animated: “The Eye of the Beholder”

“The Eye of the Beholder” by David P. Harmon (January 5, 1974) – A science team from the Ariel disappears while investigating Lactra 7. Kirk, Spock, and McCoy search the planet for the team. The encounter a desert next to a rain forest and creatures that seem to be from other worlds. They are captured by huge slug like beings and put into a zoo with the Ariel‘s science team. Spock detects a high level of intelligence from telepathic impressions. How will the crew escape this zoo? The aliens look alien and they are not mean or evil, they are just way more advance than Federation. Its great that the Lactrans and the crew reach an understanding rather than using brute force to escape. The Kirk’s escape attempt is also more brains than brawn. This is a great first contact story.

Star Trek Animated: “The Slaver Weapon”

“The Slaver Weapon” By Larry Niven (based on his story “The Soft Weapon”, December 15,1973) – Spock, Uhura, and Sulu are transporting a stasis box on the shuttle craft Copernicus. Stasis boxes freeze time inside and are remnants of a race know as the Slavers that once rule the galaxy. The stasis box detects another stasis box and Spock goes to investigate. They are captured by the Kzinti, a warlike feline race. The Kzinti open the box and find a picture, fresh meat, and a device. Is this a weapon? Can the crew escape? There is a good job doing the setup of the Kzinti, the Slavers, and their relationships in the Star Trek universe. The Kzinti are well drawn although the color scheme of their space suits are odd. Sulu and Uhura get great roles in the story. This was a fun puzzle story that centered on the Slaver device.

Star Trek Animated: “The Ambergris Element”

“The Ambergris Element” by Margaret Armen (December 1, 1973) – The Enterprise sends out he aquashuttle to explore the planet Argo. Argo became a water world after a series of seismic disturbances. The crew hopes by researching Argo the can help another Federation planet in the same situation. The aquashuttle is attacked by a local life form. Kirk and Spock are separated from the rest of the landing party. When Kirk and Spock are found five days later, they have become water breathers. Kirk and Spock decide to explore the depths of Argo to find who changed them. They find the Aquans who fear air breathers, but there is a schism between the generations. Can Kirk and Spock find a way to reverse the mutations? Can they find a way to control the quakes on Argo? They do a good job with the underwater scenes. The Aquans had a good design. It was cool seeing the aquashuttle and the scout gig. There were never really any vehicles in the live show. The Aquans are dealing with their fears and they find some solutions to them. Good action and some positive messages about getting along.

Star Trek Animated: “The Time Trap”

“The Time Trap” by Joyce Perry (November 24, 1973) – The Enterprise is investigating the Delta Triangle, an area of space where ships have been disappearing for centuries. A Klingon ship attacks the Enterprise and disappears. In escaping other Klingon vessels, the Enterprise disappears and finds itself in an alternate time-space continuum. Several ships are in the area. Kirk and Kor (Klingon Commander of the Klothos) meet the council of Elysia. The council tells them the situation and their rules. The crews of the Enterprise and Klothos must solve the problem in 4 days or their dilithium crystals will be destroyed. Can the two crew work together and escape? It is fun to see renderings of Orions, Tellarites, and Gorn and the image of the merging of the Enterprise and Klothos. It would be cool to see if they could rescue Elysia in the future, maybe lead by an Orion Starfleet science officer.

Star Trek Animated: “The Terratin Incident”

“The Terratin Incident” by Paul Schneider (November 17, 1973) – The Enterprise picks up a signal and goes to investigate its source. While orbiting the planet where the signal came from, the Enterprise is hit by a wave of energy from the planet. The dilithium crystals are peeling part and all organic material is shrinking. Can the crew figure what is happening before they are too small to man the ship? The sequence with Sulu and Chapel seem padded. The time would have been spent examining the Terratin city. The story should have focused with the crew that went to the city. It is cool that Starfleet uniforms are made of an algae based material. It is always good the problem is solved peaceably.

Star Trek Animated: “Mudd’s Passion”

“Mudd’s Passion” by Stephen Kandel (November 10, 1973) – Harry Mudd has escaped the android planet and is selling a love potion to miners. Kirk and Spock expose the scam and arrest Mudd. Mudd convinces Chapel to try the love potion on Spock. At the same time he steals Chapel’s phaser and ID and uses them to get out of the brig and get to the Shuttlebay. Spock starts behaving oddly after Chapel tries the love potion. During Mudd takes Chapel as a hostage during his escape and the some of the potion is released in the Enterprise‘s air system. Will the crew recapture Mudd? This is a lighter episode when the crew trips out on Mudd’s drug. It was great to see some scenes with Arex and M’Ress. It seems a bit easy for Mudd to manipulate Chapel, but the episode makes up by having Chapel get the drop on Mudd in the Shuttlebay for a bit. There are some great creature designs on the planet surface. Mudd is his usual duplicitous self. It is great they got Roger C. Carmel to do Mudd’s voice and to get his creator to write another story for him.

Star Trek Animated: “Once Upon a Planet”

“Once Upon a Planet” by Chuck Menvlle and Len Janson (November 3, 1973) – The Enterprise returns to the “Shore Leave” planet for rest and recreation. At first all is well, but then Dr. McCoy is attacked by the Queen of Hearts and her playing cards. The crew on the surface is beamed up except for Uhura. She has been captured by the planet’s master computer. What does the computer want? Can crew rescue Uhura? This was a fun sequel to the live action “Shore Leave”. We get to see more complex creations from the planet like pterodactyls and a two headed dragon. We also see the the crew deal with zero g when the artificial gravity is tuned off. The idea that a computer as complex as the one that runs the “Shore Leave” planet wants to be more than it is is a good one. The solution to the problem of the story does not require action but reason. Everybody including the seemingly hostile computer gets to live.

Star Trek Animated: “Magicks of Megas-Tu”

“The Magicks of Megas-Tu” by Larry Brody (October 27, 1973) – The Enterprise is sent to the galactic center to find the galactic creation point. While there the ship leaves the universe to another. In this universe, magic works like technology. The crew meet Lucien who tell them they are in the world Megas-Tu and the inhabitants visited Earth in the past. He seems to holding back some information on Megas-Tu. Can the crew survive in this world? This is the most trippy Star Trek to date. Once they meet Lucien we understand that magic works and the crew accept this and can use it to their advantage. Kirk uses it to protect Lucien when he is danger of a cruel exile. A great look into the ethos of Star Trek.

Star Trek Animated: “The Infinite Vulcan”

“The Infinite Vulcan” by Walter Koeing (October 20, 1973) – While exploring the planet Phylos, the crew discover a race of sentient plants. The Phylosians are a peaceful race that were ravaged by a disease brought by a human named Keniclius. Keniclius has made a giant clone of himself and has taken Spock. What does Keniclius want with Spock? Can they rescue Spock? We see some interesting alien life with the Phylosians, the swoopers, and the Retlaw. The crew uses ingenuity and logic to overcome the Keniclius and Phylosians. Sulu gets some action in this story. A great SF story from actor Walter Koeing who sadly could not be in the series.