Title

Errand of Mercy

Episode

Season 1
Episode 26

Air Date

March 23, 1967

Stardate

3198.4

Description

The Enterprise crew competes with the Klingons for control of a planet populated by peaceful, seemingly vulnerable inhabitants.

Personal Rating

This episode is a bit moralistic in suggesting that the Federation wishes to "help" the planet's inhabitants, while the Klingons only wish to exploit them, just like in Friday's Child. One can easily draw parallels with similar rhetoric here on Earth.

I like the way Kirk and Spock are convinced of the Organians' vulnerability, when in fact, the Organians are vastly superior to humans and Klingons and not the least bit threatened by either. Requiem for Methuselah is another episode in which the Enterprise is totally outclassed by the power of a seemingly more vulnerable entity.

I love how Commander Kor is taken aback with awe when he learns that the villager Barona is actually the renowned Captain Kirk. Actually, Kor is rather likeable and civil, despite his ruthlessness.

It's an entertaining and humbling episode.

Favorite Quotations

Kirk, commenting on the situation between the Federation and the Klingon Empire: "Well, there it is -- war. We didn't want it, but we've got it."

Mr. Spock: "Curious how often you humans manage to obtain that which you do not want."


Ayelborne: "What you're saying, Captain, is that we seem to have a choice between dealing with you or your enemies."

Kirk: "No, sir. With the Federation, you have a choice. You have none with the Klingons. The Klingons are a military dictatorship. War is their way of life. Life under the Klingon rule would be very unpleasant. We offer you protection." [How contemporary and familiar.]


Commander Kor, to Kirk, who's pretending to be a villager: "Do you also welcome me?"

Kirk: "You're here. There's nothing I can do about it."

Kor: "Good honest hatred. Very refreshing."


Kor, contemptuous of the villagers' placidity: "Smile and smile. I don't trust men who smile too much."


Kirk: "What would you say the odds are in our getting out of here?"

Spock: "Difficult to be precise, Captain. I should say approximately 7,824.7 to one."

Kirk: "Difficult to be precise? 7,824 to one?"

Spock: "7,824.7 to one."


Kirk, defending war with the Klingons: "We have the right --"

Ayelborne: "To wage war, Captain? To kill millions of innocent people? To destroy life on a planetary scale? Is that what you're defending?"


Mr. Spock: "I should say the Organians are as far above us on the evolutionary scale as we are above the amoeba."