Graphic Novelty²

Star Trek Continues is a homage to Star Trek TOS, and this web series’s ninth episode is the best yet! This episode was so very true to TOS, that it was eerie. While past installments have been an accurate recreation of the first series, this episode felt like it truly belonged in the canon of the original series.

The opening scene begins with some light hearted banter between the senior staff, with some expository dialogue to set up the scenario of sending the ship to a planet to help a never before contacted society.

The big three beam down, and are surprised that the world is only in shades of black and white- there is no color. They are soon greeted by two political ambassadors, one of whom is the guest star John de Lancie, who famously played the alien Q in the TNG, DS9 & Voyager series. The married ambassadors share that their Hyalini civilization is in peril, thus their distress call to the Federation. A radiation disease is killing off the population, one of the symptoms being that generations of the planet’s inhabitants have been color blind.

Doctor McCoy needs to take one of the Hyalini to the Enterprise so he can study the radiation poisoning and find a cure for it. Kirk is pleased that it is Sekara, a beautiful woman who is close friends with the ambassadors. After beaming up, with her sun’s radiation no longer affecting her, she is shocked to discover color. Initially overwhelmed by this, purple haired Sekara soon adjusts and she and Kirk manage to find some sexy time in his quarters.

During this time another alien race, the Ambicians, are discovered trying to land on the Hyalini home planet. Kirk and his crew are shocked that the seemingly peaceful Hyalini shoot at the Ambicians, and that they profess such hatred for them. Further research into the matter shows that many Ambicians have actually settled on the planet, but have been able to escape detection for their purple hair and different skin tone have not been noticed by the color blind inhabitants. Wait…doesn’t Sekura who is Hyalini have purple hair? What???

Kirk lets Sekura know the truth and she is horrified- what will her former friends and loved ones think of her once the medicine cures everyone of their radiation poisoning and color blindness? She shares her fear, “Their eyes will change but their hearts may not.” Kirk and Spock beam down to speak again the ambassadors and political council, and Kirk confronts them on their prejudices.

The obvious parallels with this story is our current political climate and issues we face with immigration. Star Trek has always been at it’s best when episodes make us confront our moral, racial and political bias. The dialogue between the Captain and Ambassador Galisti is poignant, and both make valid points. However,  Kirk’s arguments are the better of the two, with Galisti echoing some uncomfortable rhetoric we have heard out of President Trump’s speeches. Ultimately Galisti discovers the truth about Sekura and his beloved wife, and he and the other Hyalini are faced with a moral dilemma. The Enterprise has given this civilization the tools they need, now it is up to them to face an uncertain future and try to broker a peace between the two races.

In my previous posts, that cover Episodes 1-6 and then 7-8, I complain that Uhura, Sulu, Scotty & Chekov get minimal screen time, and AGAIN, this was the case. I am including some pictures of Kim Stringer who wonderfully plays Uhura, just because I think she deserves it. Love her! What could have been a perfect episode, was marred by this continued omission.

In conclusion, I was (mostly) thrilled with this episode. It saddens me to realize that just as this web-series is at it’s strongest, it only has two more episodes before they are done for good, as to avoid any conflicts of interest with CBS and the upcoming Star Trek Discovery. I look forward to the remaining two episodes and hope that they are as strong as this one.

Live long and prosper.

-Nancy

*The featured top picture is made by Star Trek fan and amazing artist, Gaz Williams.