Star Trek (TV Series) Whom Gods Destroy (1969) User Reviews

The inmates have taken over the asylum

[bkoganbing · 8/10 · 5 July 2014]

I read some of the other criticism of this episode and some feel it was a rehash of a season one episode that I haven't reviewed yet. That may be so but this particular episode is a favorite of mine because of Steve Ihnat's broad and somewhat overacted performance. This is not criticism of Ihnat but his part of former Starship commander Garth is a role that calls for it. Actors love playing crazy people because they can chew the scenery like mad and overact to the max and no one will criticize because that's what the part calls for.

As Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock are about to embark on an away visit to a prison planet to deliver medical supplies, they suspect something isn't quite right. William Shatner arranges a code signal with James Doohan before he beams him and Leonard Nimoy back on board.

That proved to be a wise precaution because when the two beam down the prison and it's a prison for the criminally insane. The warden/governor of the planet Keye Luke has been overthrown and Steve Ihnat has taken over. This former starship commander is as mad as the mad hatter and also has developed shape shifting abilities. The inmates have taken over.

He's got ambitions just as mad people do, to take over the immediate universe with the Enterprise at his disposal and his ability now to become Captain Kirk. But there's that signal code that Shatner arranged with Doohan. Can't do much until he's on the Enterprise.

Ihnat completely takes over this story and dominates this episode. His performance is very similar to the one he gave in Madigan as an absolutely nuts criminal. There are very few performances of the criminally insane on the big and small screen to rival what Ihnat did in this story and in Madigan. He was a great talent who died too young.

It may be a rehash, but absolutely see this one for Steve Ihnat.

Lord Garth - Master of the Universe

[Bogmeister · 7/10 · 19 February 2007]

Another great title (i.e.Whom Gods Destroy, They First Make Mad), but this is one of those episodes which isn't so great. However, it is one of those guilty pleasures - much as I hesitate to admit it, I enjoy the histrionics here as Kirk & Spock enter the last insane asylum in the Federation (the loopy plot, involving eradication of all mental illness, is contradicted by such later TNG episodes as "Sarek," where-in it's clear some Federation members still suffer incurable mental problems). We meet the former fleet captain (a rank attained during interstellar war?) Garth, portrayed by Ihnat, an actor with a strong screen presence who never attained much fame. Though he doesn't look much older than Kirk, it's established that he's from a previous generation of starship captains, a prototype on which Kirk and his peers based their training. Unfortunately, Garth's seen better days - check out his differently-colored boots. We also finally see the first Orion female (Craig, better known as 'Batgirl!') since "The Menagerie" - but, whoops, she's as crazy as Garth. Adding to the madness, Garth also possesses a talent for mimicry; implausibly, he can take on the appearance of anyone, down to their clothes, leading to one of those 'two Kirks for the price of one' scenes (see also "The Enemy Within" and "What Are Little Girls Made Of?").

I wrote how I enjoy this episode and, yes, it's a cheap thrill. There are no profundities to be found here, no new ideas explored - it's strictly a thriller, seasoned with a flipped out tone. But it's this tone which makes it better than many of the boring 3rd season episodes. For most of the episode, we watch Kirk & Spock deal with a psychotic green dancing girl and listen to the rantings of the brain-damaged Garth regarding his deranged plans to take over the universe. However, Garth, it turns out, is not some harmless blowhard. He's apparently invented some explosive, proved by its use later, and the only thing stopping him from invading the Enterprise is a clever chess password invented by Kirk for this episode (convenient?). It is mentioned early in the episode that Garth was/is a genius. One wonders, as the story progresses, if a Garth who is out of his mind gives Kirk & Spock so much trouble, just how formidable would a sane Garth be? Luckily, he was one of the good guys. Ihnat gives a suitably magnetic, over-the-top performance as the insane leader, though he really shows what he was capable of in the moments when Kirk was able to break through Garth's madness very briefly. And lovely Craig as the Orion girl? Crazy, man, crazy.

Just turn off your brain and welcome to the nut house!

[planktonrules · 7/10 · 8 December 2006]

This is a case where the nuts have seized control of the asylum. Garth is a famous captain--perhaps more famous than Kirk for all his exploits. The problem is that Garth is a megalomaniac and paranoid schizophrenic and somehow in the 24th century they still haven't figured out how to cure him or the other residents. Kirk and Spock don't realize this at first, as Garth has a magical ability to take anyone's form--and in the beginning he looks and talks exactly like the warden of this colony (Keye Luke).

This is a totally silly episode that is still pretty watchable because of all the silliness. First off, Lord Garth is such a bombastic nut that he manages to make Shatner's acting seem subtle--this is unusual, huh? Second, the episode features sexy Yvonne Craig ("Bat Girl" from the Batman show) as an insane green lady who is almost as crazy as Garth--plus, for added excitement, you get to see her explode later in the episode. So, while silly and overacted, there is so much weirdness and fun, it's still worth seeing.

A Suicide Squad in the Making...

[Xstal · 7/10 · 17 February 2022]

A not so secure penitentiary, is as easy to get out as to gain entry, has an imitating inmate, who mimics impersonates, he's the person who acts as the places sentry.

Visiting a not so secure asylum Kirk and Spock find a delusional ex Starfleet captain running the place.

You're the only woman on this planet, you stupid cow!

[snoozejonc · 7/10 · 1 November 2021]

Enterprise delivers medication to a mental health facility

This is a relatively enjoyable episode with plenty of entertaining moments.

The plot is fairly unoriginal and contains concepts done to death in the original series. It's take on mental illness seems quite outlandish, but I have actually seen people with delusions of grandeur very similar to the depiction of Garth in this episode.

Garth is an interesting villain who is portrayed at times in a seemingly humorous way by Steve Ihnat, but generally appears to be no threat to the Enterprise. Unfortunately, it is rather fun (and shouldn't be) to watch him ranting and raving in the throws of whatever mental illness he suffers.

Marta is the better of the guest characters, as she feels less of a caricature and more plausible than Garth. Yvonne Craig plays her very memorably.

Kirk and Spock both have decent outings as the away team. They engage in a battle of wits with Garth and it's great to see both characters using their intelligence to resolve a variety of difficult situations. Spock in particular has some typically cool displays of logic in the midst of all the drama.

There are a few issues that are a bit frustrating. Several clichés are used like the double Kirk scene, the torture chair, and the obligatory seduction. Gareth's shapeshifting is not explained particularly well in light of the subject's clothes changing at the same time. In a matter of personal taste I also find that Ihnat's voice grows more and more irritating as the episode unfolds.

William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy are both solid, save one hilarious outburst of rage from Shatner.

Visually it's great as always from the original series. The colours, costumes, and practical set designs are all highly enjoyable. One scene where Garth kills someone is quite nasty and has impact.

For me it is a 6.5/10 but I round upwards.

Worth it solely because of Yvonne Craig

[MiketheWhistle · 6/10 · 25 January 2020]

Ms. Craig was a good actress that probably is best remembered as Batgirl. It's fortunate that she was in ST as well and as a green chick. Many don't like the ep which surprises me because it's fairly typical, has Scotty, et al on the ship doing stuff with Kirk and Spock on the planet and interesting crew of guest actors.

Is it the best ep of the series, not by a long shot, but it is far from the worst.

The Other Side of Dagger of the Mind

[XweAponX · 10/10 · 28 November 2017]

Master Po (Keye Luke) is Donald Cory, the governor of this little Penal Colony, Steve Inhat and Batgirl (Yvonne Craig) are inmates. Yvonne is a green skinned "Orion Slave Girl" "Marta" with a knack for writing other people's poetry and dancing.

Queen to Queen's Level Three anyone?

This episode brings in Lord "Garth" of Izar (Inhat) and the framework of a story about a great Starfleet battle at "Axenar" - A story that was to be finally told in a Fan Film production. We at least got a great "Prelude to Axenar" that sets up how and why the Constitution Class ships were built. Garth was part of that, when he was a respected Starship Captain.

But the process that healed him has also driven him mad, and has also given him the ability to shape shift.

And when Kirk and Spock deliver a needed medication to the colony, they are cleverly tricked by Garth. What ensues is a tale to make sane minds go mad, because when there is a Shape Shifter around, you just don't know who's who.

Queen to Queen's level 3.

We get to see the proper use of the Neural Neutralizer here, which Bookends "Dagger of the Mind", and maybe that is referenced by the fact that "Marta" (Craig) has one (A Dagger).

Dagger of the Mind was about how a Doctor was assaulting people with the Neutralizer, under the guise of an "all is well" appearance. Here, the kooks have taken over Arkham Asylum, an even more secured institution that Tantalus 5. Where in "Dagger of the Mind", Spock could not get in, in this, Spock cannot get out. Both institutions had a planetary shield, which work both ways.

This episode was partially written by science fiction author Jerry Sohl, who wrote "The Transcendent Man" and some other novels.

Queen to King's Level 1!

Former Starship Captain Is An Insane Shape-Shifter

[Rainey-Dawn · 7/10 · 14 January 2017]

Season 3, episode 14. The Enterprise has arrived at the planet Elba II, which is an asylum for the criminally insane, with a serum that can possibly cure all of the inmates. Kirk and Spock beam down and find that all of the inmates are running the asylum including former (now insane) starship captain Garth, who's exploits were once required reading at the academy. Garth has learned how to shape-shift and can become anyone including Kirk or Spock. The criminals hold Kirk and Spock captive so he can take over the Enterprise and escape. Kirk and Spock learn of all this and has a surprise waiting for Garth. Before Kirk left, he gave Scotty a chess problem as a sign - which plays an important role in signaling the Ship.

Another one of those "fun" episodes. As others have said, it is flawed but fun to watch. They sure loved to pair Kirk with green skinned or haired women did they. LOL. It's a joy to watch the lovely Yvonne Craig as Marta.

7.5/10

"Why can't I just blow off one of his ears?"

[classicsoncall · 8/10 · 8 February 2011]

Well I guess there's just something about this story that places it a notch above the rest of the Season III episodes. I always prefer those that have a psychological angle to them, and in this one, Captain Kirk has to outwit a deranged madman (Steve Inhat) who's taken over an insane asylum with the rest of his fellow crazies on the planet Elba II. Garth, or rather Lord Garth of Izar, is a former Federation starship captain, admired by Captain Kirk, and still read at Starfleet Academy for his cunning victory at Axanar.

It's probably not very heartening to consider that mental illness still exists in the Star Trek future. What Roddenberry and his writers did here was clearly take another shot at self appointed elitists who believe only THEY can know what's right and necessary to rule a people and a society. Destroying anything that stands in their way is certainly appropriate, even if those they destroy are former friends and allies.

Besides the story, I also got quite a kick out of seeing former Charlie Chan Number #1 Son Lee, that would be Keye Luke, over forty years after his participation in that 1930's film franchise. He always wound up in a quandary trying to help out his 'Pop', and would have to get set straight by the Oriental Detective. Luke also had a serious role as Master Po in the mid Seventies classic series 'Kung Fu', perhaps best known for calling his young ward 'grasshopper'.

Notwithstanding my agreement with other reviewers on this board that Captain Kirk could have challenged Spock with a more definitive question while battling Garth, things still worked out satisfactorily. The ending was a bit anti-climactic considering Garth came out of his insanity treatment oblivious. The finale had all the earmarks of the first season title 'Dagger of the Mind', and I'll have to go back and check if the device used here was the neural neutralizer of that earlier episode.

Kirk v Kirk.

[BA_Harrison · 6/10 · 21 June 2022]

Kirk and Spock beam down to the high security asylum on Elba II, carrying with them a medicine that is hoped will cure the inmates of their insanity; however, it soon becomes apparent that the lunatics have taken over the asylum, led by one-time Starfleet captain Garth of Izar (Steve Ihnat), who has acquired the handy ability to shapeshift. Appointing himself Lord Garth, the crazy captain intends to seize control of the Enterprise and conquer the universe.

The idea of an eclectic gang of insane villains causing havoc for Kirk and Spock has the potential to be a lot of fun, especially with the leader being able to assume any identity, and for a while it is just that: silly but entertaining nonsense, with Ihnat chewing the scenery and Yvonne Craig adding some va va voom as sexy but seriously mad slave girl Marta (who does a sexy dance routine to help pad out the run time, and is blown up towards the end). However, the plot soon stagnates, the entire episode comprising of Garth's attempts to trick or torture Kirk into revealing the code phrase required to beam aboard the Enterprise (how fortunate that the captain had the foresight to arrange this). Ihnat's ranting soon becomes tiresome and irritating, so it's a blessed relief when he assumes the forms of Spock, and then Kirk, to try and discombobulate the captain and his first officer - if anything, this episode gives us a classic example of the now popular 'Spot the imposter' trope and the oft-used "shoot us both" gambit.

Underrated Episode

[csm-78119 · 9/10 · 28 February 2021]

This is one of the best episodes in the final season as Kirk and Spock have to deal with an uprising in a treatment centre for the criminally insane. Excellent performances from Steve Ihnat as the self styled "master of the universe" and Yvonne Craig as his attractive but deadly consort. Another opportunity for Mr Scott to hold the fort on the Enterprise as well.

Holy Star Trek! Batgirl is Green!

[mike48128 · 7/10 · 30 November 2014]

Yvonne Craig (TV's Batgirl) plays a sexy homicidal green Orion Slave Girl who lies about everything. It's a revisit to the insane asylum theme from an earlier episode, "Dagger of the Mind", and even shares some of the same props: a "torture" chair and smocks with the dove-hand control logo. This time, however, the plot is even more lame than before. Again, the inmates revolt and take over the asylum. Crazy inmate Capt. Garth (Lord Garth) has become a shape-shifter and once again, duplicate "Capt. Kirks" are plentiful, as Spock must decide who is the impostor, to save the day. Yvonne plays green "Marta" and she wears very little clothing, which is a reoccurring female theme on Star Trek. Again, Kirk goes "where no man has gone before". (If "Star Trek" was reality, one wonders just how many little toe-headed alien Kirk's would be out there running around in the known universe.) Too slow and "stagey", the episode is draggy and unimaginative, (This would only be rated a "6" were it not for the lovely Yvonne prancing around.)

A poor script but fun performances

[aaustin-10 · 5/10 · 3 April 2011]

Kirk and Spock beam down to a mental institution for the criminally insane where they are immediately captured and held as prisoners: it turns out the lunatics have taken over the asylum. The leader of the lunatics is Garth, a once-great starship captain, now a raving and delusional madman who can shape-shift and assume other people's identities. His plan is to pose as Captain Kirk, take over the Enterprise, and go off into the galaxy to wreck havoc. But he cannot get on board the ship without knowing the chess-move-password. Kirk and Spock, or course, won't tell him what it is, but the unstable Garth is ready to torture them both until they do.

This episode suffers from a terribly nonsensical climax: Spock is faced with two Kirks, one the real one and one Garth in disguise. All he had to do was ask some question only he and his long-time pal Kirk would know the answer to. Instead, he allows himself to be hit on the head and lets the two Kirks duke it out. The script at this point just does not work, and serves only the rob the whole episode of dramatic tension: we're not going to be impressed by something that makes no sense.

Still, the guest performances help keep the episode from collapsing entirely. Steve Inhat is just great as Garth. He's sauntering, hysterical, and violent, yet his view of the world as a place that needs a strongman is interesting to hear about and his histrionics a joy to watch. Yvonne Craig manages to be both creepy and sexy as the dangerous but beautiful Marta (apparently Marta's a serial killer). And the dinner scene where Garth extols his plans and desires to Kirk and Spock was great drama. Garth's maniacal ravings contrast wonderfully with Spock's calm, composed responses. Watching fascinating characters battle with differing opinions is always great TV. Too bad all of this fits into an episode where the script disintegrates.

I can't help enjoying this episode because of the loopy fun of the guest stars. So I will give it a five out of ten. Like "Plan Nine from Outer Space," it is not competent, but its giddy likability makes it entertaining enough.

Kirk and Spock needed a vacation.

[fedor8 · 23 April 2008]

Kirk: "Captain's Log, Stardate 5767686, the ship is orbiting Elba 8... we're bringing a revolutionary new medicine to a lunatic asylum, a medicine with which we hope to eliminate mental illness for all time." Can this thing cure rabid Trekkies, too? That would be a feat...

So Garth, this episode's loony/baddie, got his power of "switcherooing" by "mastering a skill"?? Where do I sign up for courses such as "Switcherooing 101" and "Advanced Switcherooing 500" in which you "learn"(!) how to assume a person's physical appearance - complete with the exact same clothes, voice, everything? An extremely silly basis for an escape from a loony bin.

Kirk: "... A dream that made me and Mr.Spock brothers." What a strange conclusion this was to a moralistic speech that Kirk, for some strange reason, deems not pointless to give to Garth and the other crazies. A little later, Spock shows the same perplexing lack of wisdom when he too tries to reason with the mentally insane, talking about logic (of all things).

In WGD, Kirk is timid, apathetic, mild-mannered, spineless, incompetent, even close to grovelling at one point. Spock is stupid: he isn't capable of asking the two Kirks a question that only the real Kirk knows the answer to, like for example: "Which animal were you forced to impersonate on Plutonia ("Plato's Stepchildren"), and whom did you have to kiss there?" Instead, Spock's rapidly deteriorating season-3 logic tells him to let the two Kirks "fight it out, the winner having to be the fake Kirk, because the real Kirk is too tired".

Most of this visually nice but dull/pointless episode consists of padding: Marta (the "green bitch" - Eddie Murphy) reciting poetry, Marta dancing, Marta getting blown up for no reason (but okay, they're all loonies, right?), Garth giving speeches, Kirk/Spock giving speeches... It takes Kirk and Spock a relative eternity to finally out-smart a handful of loonies. The plot mostly goes in circles, clueless as how to unfold itself. Considering that the inmates are all insane, how come the ex-captain keeps them so disciplined and quiet all the time?

Repetitive themes in Season 3

[mhubbard-54657 · 7/10 · 7 May 2017]

Kirk and Spock beam down to a planet on a humanitarian mission to help the mentally ill with a newly discovered serum. Once again, a formerly respected Starfleet commander, Captain Garth, is recognized by Kirk from his studies at the Academy. But the aging hero has gone bad in some manner, a repeat plot. Captain Garth is mentally ill and grandiose. He has taken over the asylum by his ability to shape- shift himself to look exactly like anyone he chooses. Soon he is torturing Kirk and playing Kirk and Spock off against each other in his attempt to get the secret password to beam up to the Enterprise. There is a sexy green-skinned female involved. Meanwhile Scotty and McCoy are up on the bridge, wringing their hands, knowing something is wrong, but powerless to intervene. Our heroes outsmart the bad guys and the final scene is a docile Garth receiving the treatment he needs, appearing to be much improved.

Not a bad episode for Season 3. Repeat themes, ie the "good" and "evil" Kirk.The moral of the story is that seriously mentally ill people often don't recognize their illness, a problem we are dealing with in 2017.

reasonable plot hurt by poor execution

[leoboudv21 · 7/10 · 28 October 2007]

Whom Gods Destroy was a reasonably good show which portrayed the mentally ill inmates running the the penal colony of Ebla II. Captain Garth, a former starfleet captain, does a good job of acting as the lunatic inmate's leader in trying to trick Captain Kirk in revealing the password for beaming aboard the Enterprise. Kirk shows he has matured since his last visit at a penal colony by instituting a password system to prevent any inmates from beaming aboard the Enterprise. We also see a convincing and frightening portrayal of mental illness by Martha, the Orion dancer, who seems sane at first but then later attempts to stab Kirk with her knife saying "I kill the people I love." However, the resolution of the episode was a downer. Spock escapes from the clutches of Garth's guards and enters the control room where he encounters 2 Kirks--one his captain and the other the shape shifting Garth. But Spock is made to appear stupid when he poses the question to them: "What maneuver did we use to defeat the Romulan vessel near Tao Seti"? One of the Kirks says: 'The Cochran Decelartion' while the other Kirk interjects and immediatedly says this solution is a classic battle maneuver which every Starfleet captain knows. And Spock is forced to agree...and hold his fire? A real Vulcan would have asked a more probing question such as what was Kirk's nickname for McCoy--Bones--or what did Kirk say at such an event. Garth would never have known the answer to this question. Then Spock gets hit on the head by Garth (in Kirk's disguise) and lets the two Kirk's get involved in a fight which lasts for about 1 minute. Spock only resolves the problem--and shoots the illusory Kirk (Garth here)--when the real Kirk pleads with Spock to shoot both of use to "save the Enterprise."

A highly unsatisfying ending. We get a touching and powerful scene when Garth--who has been given his new Stafleet medicines--later turns to Kirk and asks him..."Do I know you, sir?" since we see that Garth is not a really wicked man...just one who has fallen into bad times. Unfortunately it doesn't do much to restore the show's dignity especially when Kirk--at the episode's ending--chides Spock for not being able to distinguish between the real and illusory Kirk and says King Solomon would never allow himself to be hit on the head. This speaks directly to the poor execution of the film. But, at least, the show was fun and eminently watchable.

I love this one

[hmoika · 8/10 · 13 May 2019]

What A HOOT!

Steve Ihnat......Yvonne Craig......need I say more?

Ihnat was the absolute perfect choice to be the Lord/Master of the Galaxy.

And when Yvonne Craig madly proclaims, "He's my lover and I've got to kill him," well.......need I say more?

Loony Bin #2

[Hitchcoc · 6/10 · 8 May 2014]

This is the second episode where bad things are happening in an asylum. Obviously, thing have not changed much in about 400 years. They're still locking people up. The patients are abused. Every kind of malady is treated the same way. In this one, a man named Garth, a former starship captain has gained control of the facility, driving the iconic administrator out. Garth is monumentally cruel. He is a total narcissist, caring only for himself and using the other patients for his own purposes. This pretty much forces Kirk and Spock to deal with a totally irrational man. They must decide life and death situations concerning the other patients and bear the cruelty of Garth. The end is a bit anticlimactic and pulls some of Garth's responsibility off the table. It's hard to see his villainy when it is revealed that he is not responsible for his mental illness.

Kirk and Spock get trapped in an asylum for the criminally insane

[Tweekums · 8/10 · 12 August 2015]

When Kirk and Spock beam down to the planet Elba II to deliver medicine that could cure the last criminally insane people in the Federation they are surprised by one of the inmates. Inmate and former Capt. Garth has learnt how to change his appearance; a skill he used to take over the asylum and imitate the facility's warden. Kirk and Spock are captured and Garth charges his appearance to look like Kirk as part of a plan to take the Enterprise… luckily Kirk had arranged a pass code with Scotty so he isn't beamed up. He doesn't give up though; first he tries to force Kirk to give him the code then fellow inmate Marta, an attractive Orion girl, tries to seduce it out of him but she also fails… he will have to try something more creative: will Kirk spot a fake Spock and can Spock tell which of two Kirks is the real one?

This is a fairly fun episode for the most part; Steve Ihnat does a solid job as Garth, the self-styled 'Lord of the Universe' although the character is most amusing when imitating Kirk and William Shatner hams it up hilariously when Scotty refuses to beam him up to the Enterprise. Yvonne Craig is delightfully seductive as the green-skinned beauty Marta. The special effect where Garth changes appearance is rather weak but the scene where two Kirks fight is very impressive. The story does have a few unexplained details; most notably there is no explanation as to why Kirk set up a passcode before he was to be beamed up when he had no reason to suspect there might be a shape-shifter in the asylum and how did Garth create his super-explosive in the confines of the asylum. These details don't matter to much as it is all rather fun.

Star Trek: The Original Series - Whom God's Destroy

[Scarecrow-88 · 6/10 · 7 October 2016]

Celebrated starship captain (Steve Ihnat) suffered brain injury on mission causing mental derangement and injuries. A peaceful race taught him how to recuperate his physical injuries but the lunacy remained as Ihnat commanded his crew to massacre the race because they wouldn't agree to join him in ruling the universe! The crew decided to go against him, turning him in. On a toxic-atmosphere planet inside an asylum, Ihnat learned from the species not only to cure his injuries, he himself developed a skill to shapeshift into anyone he so chooses, doing so as the psychiatrist in the asylum (Keye Luke), kidnapping Kirk and Spock who beam down to deliver medicinal breakthrough that will cure mental illness. The episode just allows Ihnat to ham it up to his heart's content using his character's illness as an excuse. Catwoman herself Yvonne Craig is a green-skinned sexpot Orion named Marta, ill in that she must stab those she is attracted to, almost doing so to Kirk. You also have a Tellarite and Andorian, seen together in the Sarek episode, Journey to Babel, as patients helping Ihnat take over the asylum. The shapeshift ability is preposterous but it's inclusion is used as a device to confuse...Ihnat tried trickery to get aboard the Enterprise, but a chess codeword prevents him. The episode has Ihnat trying to use violent means to secure that codeword. A bomb exploding a victim is a horrifying act Ihnat isn't afraid to use as a convincing tactic of his lengths he'll go. In green paint and a provocative attire, Craig is delicious and expressionistic while at Ihnat's side...oh, she's nutty as a bucket of bolts, to coin a Lost in Space phrase. Ihnat is free to devour every scene he's in...good moment has Kirk appealing to the starship captain he admired and that brief period of lucidity fades relatively quickly. The usual attempted escape methods are there, and Spock must determine which Kirk is his captain during a Ihnat shapeshift.

Garth Of Izar in the Star Trek novels

[Polaris01313-1 · 10/10 · 15 October 2007]

Garth makes a return to the Star Trek universe in a sequel novel, where, having been cured of his insanity, returns to the planet where "SPOLIER ALERT" he was made insane after his accident. With the help of Kirk, Spock, McCoy, and the rest of the Enterprise crew, Garth tries to stop another disaster from erupting on Antos IV.

Set during the fifth year of the Enterprise's original five year mission, this was definitely an one of the better Star Trek novels and by far, an excellent sequel to the third season episode "Whom Gods Destroy". It would have been cool to have seen this sequel set after the events in Star Trek-The Motion Picture. Somehow, I can actually see Garth wearing one of those pastel-blue, pajama like uniforms.

The game was won 10 minutes in.

[thevacinstaller-03350 · 6/10 · 8 January 2023]

The episode is a victim of budget constaints and unbearably slow pacing issues that eventually lead to the kirk doppelganger fight at the climax. The main issue for me is that we learn everything within 5-10 minutes and then we sit around waiting for the resolution ---- it's a little lean on character development to make feel sympathy or any real emotion for Garth.

The most memorable moment for me was the scene when Garth/Kirk completely losing his mind when his attempt to beam up to the ship was unsuccessful. It was so over the top and wonderful.

This episode just needed something more ----- Maybe a few scenes with Spock and an inmate? Perhaps a more capable antagonist that is a true equal to our protagonists? One of the guests stars played 'Batgirl' and the script feels like it belongs in the 60's Batman show. There is some enjoyment to be found in the 'big' performances but no joy in going through the journey for me.

Nice acting could not overcome the poor script.

[kfo9494 · 5/10 · 5 July 2014]

The episode begins when Kirk and Spock beam onto Elba II, which is a planet where the criminally insane people are kept, to deliver medicine to the Governor, Cory, which is the main medical doctor. But when they get to the planet they discover that one of the mental patients, Garth a former Captain of Starfleet, has taking over the facility with the ability to transform his body to whomever he wishes. Garth will assume the identity of Kirk to take over the Enterprise in order to push the power of his poor moral fiber. But it will be a scene where Spock will have to choose the correct Captain Kirk that will bring the story to a close.

Could never get into this story with the wild chair and the fancy dancing of the painted green Yvonne Craig. The most interesting thing was the way Garth could change into any person desired. If the episode could have stayed with that detail then it would have been a much better show. Instead they went with an unbelievable ending that seemed quickly made. But it was very nice to see that the most apt person on the show happened to be Scott.

We saw this ep for the first time last night!

[spenser-43563 · 8/10 · 28 January 2021]

We had never seen this episode before - and it was pretty good. Good guest actors. We liked that Scotty McCoy & Sulu had to figure things out without Spock - and they did. We liked the appearances by Andorians & the Green Slave Girls. And there were even references to E Cochran & (maybe) Khan. We hope we see another missed episode soon!

"Lord" Garth of Izar in the comics

[[e-mail] · 8/10 · 4 October 2007]

Garth of Izar was revealed as the villain who stabbed Captain Kirk in the fifty-fifth issue of DC Comics's original STAR TREK series. Yet in that issue, he is depicted as an old man with a wrinkled face and a bald head wearing a green leotard and does not resemble Steve Inhat at all - this was due to issues surrounding the use of Mr. Inhat's image in the comic; he had died fourteen years earlier, in 1971. Garth had passed himself off as Ensign Bloemker and then as Sean Finnegan, Kirk's old nemesis from his Academy days, in order to kill him, but he ended up failing miserably, due to Mr. Spock's interference. This last of the regular stories from that series was one of the best as well, yet it is sad that the artist could not use Steve Inhat's image when he drew the evil Garth of Izar for the comic.