The plot is way out there (an alien that is "pure energy" stealing the bodies of the crew). This episode is guilty of a lot of deus ex machine considering the amount of the story that is not at all plausible. However the acting is good, and it's interesting to see an evil Spock and to hear the echoing voices. The ending is kind of "cute" as well. It also suggests the reason why all aliens in Star Trek have humanoid form, that their race had spread it's genes over the galaxy. I enjoyed the theme of the idea that power (or rather, arrogance) is dangerous and devalues life. I think it was one of the better episodes of the series.
Reviews
2 Reviews
Some interesting and some archaic philosophies
17 March 2014
There are some good insights in this episode, like the Captain's speech about existence (how we are defined by existing among other people, experiencing things, getting old, etc). Things that make you think.
My problem is this: The idea of male and female as "universal concepts" is completely absurd! It's a human social concept which can't be applied to other animals so how could it apply to the rest of the entire universe? You don't assign genders to hermaphroditic species, do you? Incredibly illogical, old fashioned concept, considering they are just ideas we impose (men are more like "this" and females more like "that" except nothing truly defines them, because you can be and identify as female when you are more like "this" and vise versa). It erases same-sex romance and closeness (because if it's a "female" spirit it is automatically in "love" with the character) Is that the only relationship men and woman can have with each other? Could it not be brother and sister? Mother and son? Old friends? No, it has to be ~lovers~ They like to anthropomorphize everything in this show, but this time they take it farther and it ends sort of ambiguously. What happened to ambassador Hedford? What about her desires, her "existence"? I am disillusioned at the ending.
My problem is this: The idea of male and female as "universal concepts" is completely absurd! It's a human social concept which can't be applied to other animals so how could it apply to the rest of the entire universe? You don't assign genders to hermaphroditic species, do you? Incredibly illogical, old fashioned concept, considering they are just ideas we impose (men are more like "this" and females more like "that" except nothing truly defines them, because you can be and identify as female when you are more like "this" and vise versa). It erases same-sex romance and closeness (because if it's a "female" spirit it is automatically in "love" with the character) Is that the only relationship men and woman can have with each other? Could it not be brother and sister? Mother and son? Old friends? No, it has to be ~lovers~ They like to anthropomorphize everything in this show, but this time they take it farther and it ends sort of ambiguously. What happened to ambassador Hedford? What about her desires, her "existence"? I am disillusioned at the ending.
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