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TOS episode #23 - A Taste of Armageddon
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Bud Brewster
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PostPosted: Sat Nov 26, 2016 2:52 pm    Post subject: TOS episode #23 - A Taste of Armageddon Reply with quote




This is actually one of my favorite episodes, for several reasons. First of all, the enhanced special effects include a juiced-up version of the original "future city" matte painting. It includes matted in elements of not only the main characters after they beam down, but a few "traveling matte" elements that were not part of the original: a monorail and several people in the distance.







This story is a bold morality tale which presents the idea that a sane and intelligent civilization can actually choose to sacrifice millions of people every year in "disintegration chambers" because their war computers have designated them as casualties in simulated battles with a planet they're at war with.





It sounds pretty unlikely — but the moral of the story is, of course, that accepting anything less than genuine peace is not really better than accepting the horrors of war. In real life, politicians make compromises like this all the time, though in much more subtle ways.





The Space Babe of the Week in this episode is played by Barbara Babcock, a lady who aged well and managed to be very appealing right through middle age.





One puzzling element in the story is Kirk's order to Scotty to execute "General Order 24" — the destruction of all inhabited areas of the planet! This was no bluff on his part just to scare the people on the planet. It's apparently something good old Star Fleet allows their captains to do if they get real agitated with uncooperative alien races.

Doesn't sound real consistent with the benevolent Federation and their great respect for alien races, as shown by the Prime Directive.

It also stretches credibility a bit concerning the power of a starship. Their are several episodes which state that the Enterprise was that powerful, but I've never quite bought the idea.

And finally, I found this wonderful jpeg from The Art of Star Trek by Judith Reeves-Stevens. I think it's the original painting, showing large portions which weren't seen in the episode!

Click on the image to go to the original jpeg, then click on that image to see the full 2,425px X 1,464px version. And then hit F11 to use your full monitor.

The detail is astounding! Shocked




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Last edited by Bud Brewster on Fri Jun 11, 2021 9:49 am; edited 7 times in total
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Gord Green
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PostPosted: Sat Nov 26, 2016 3:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Beautiful painting !

Funny how every planet Kirk goes too has a hot babe in a skimpy dress!
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Pow
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PostPosted: Sun Nov 27, 2016 1:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

One of my fav episodes too, Bud.

The Eminiear hand guns would be modified later on & become Klingon Sonic Disruptors.
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Krel
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PostPosted: Mon Nov 28, 2016 12:42 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Pow wrote:
The Eminiear hand guns would be modified later on & become Klingon Sonic Disruptors.

The Eminlear weapons were called sonic disruptors in the episode. The later, modified Klingon version were called phasers in the TV series. The Eminlear communicators also became the Klingon communicators.

David
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Pow
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PostPosted: Mon Nov 28, 2016 4:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Interesting to see how props are recycled on sf TV shows.

The computers in the war room in ATOA show up at a Federation Star Base (The Menagerie) computer complex. Mr.Spock has one on board the shuttlecraft in The Immunity Syndrome.
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johnnybear
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PostPosted: Sat Jun 16, 2018 9:33 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Either that or the Klingons were supplying Eminiar with their technology and weaponry?
JB
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Eadie
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PostPosted: Fri May 24, 2019 2:06 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Here is the original prop as used by the Klingons & Eminiari:


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Krel
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PostPosted: Fri May 24, 2019 12:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The emitters from the sonic disruptors were used on a prop that was used on several episodes. The T-shaped device with 3 emitters on the front.

David.
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Pow
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PostPosted: Fri May 24, 2019 1:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Trivia } ATOA writer Robert Hamner originally scripted that the Enterprise had been damaged by meteors.

The ship heads to nearby Eminiar in order to make repairs.

The planet's occupants refuse permission for the Federation star ship to approach the planet.

With no other options Kirk must beam down to the planet with a landing team including Janice Rand. Representatives of Eminiar approach the Enterprise crew in an anti~gravity "bubble car."
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johnnybear
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PostPosted: Sat May 25, 2019 2:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The Klingon hand weapons are also called disruptors!
JB
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Krel
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PostPosted: Sat May 25, 2019 8:49 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

johnnybear wrote:
The Klingon hand weapons are also called disruptors!
JB

In "Errand of Mercy", Kirk called them Klingon phasers. Although they did use the same sound effect as the Eminiari sonic disruptors.

David.
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johnnybear
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PostPosted: Sat Jun 01, 2019 7:53 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yeah, David, somebody else has told me this the other day as well, but i can't say that I really remember it! Plus maybe Kirk and Spock weren't that acquainted with Klingons and their weaponry before this episode so just used a generic wording for their guns?
JB
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Pow
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PostPosted: Sat Jun 01, 2019 10:53 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I always thought that it would have hauntingly tragic to see a mother and child, or a family with children waiting quietly in line before a disintegration booth.
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Bud Brewster
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PostPosted: Sat Jun 01, 2019 1:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

________________________________

A powerful mental image, Pow.

We tend to think that the idea of two advanced societies on separate planets deliberately killing thousands of their citizens in the manner shown is just too stupid to be taken seriously. Rolling Eyes

Why can't the two races work out their differences and get along? Shocked

But then we realize that mankind's entire history is filled with wars that are just as unnecessary as the mock-war in this story.

Why can't WE work out our difference and get along!? Confused

That's the moral of the story, of course. In fact, the seemingly "heartless" mock-war way of creating the casualties of a real war actually causes less pain and suffering! So, even though it seems dumb and gutless to blindly follow the "rules" of the mock-war, it really isn't any more dumb and gutless than what we've done for eons.

Sigh . . . Sad

Okay, now I'm depressed. I'm going designate five beers in my fridge as casualties of a recent attack by Vendikar and feed them into the disintegration chamber locate between my nose and my chin.

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~ The Space Children (1958)


Last edited by Bud Brewster on Sun Jun 13, 2021 3:06 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Krel
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PostPosted: Sat Jun 01, 2019 5:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

johnnybear wrote:
Yeah, David, somebody else has told me this the other day as well, but i can't say that I really remember it! Plus maybe Kirk and Spock weren't that acquainted with Klingons and their weaponry before this episode so just used a generic wording for their guns?
JB

I can't remember which episode it was, but it was stated that the Federation had only been dealing with the Klingons for 75 years in Kirk's time.. Long enough for the Federation to learn about their weapons. Kirk and Spock are professionals, so they would no more call a Klingon disruptor a phaser, than a member of the U.S. Military would call a Russian AK-74 a Russian M16.

David.
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