Wouldn't the Klingons just kill all the Tribbles?

[Avro Arrow]

I think the fact Scotty specifically said he gave them a good home. Kirk, who had been shocked a minute earlier when he thought Scott had beamed them into pace, and Uhura, who was totally bonkers over the things and she horrified at the though of McCoy dissecting one earlier in the episode were both now laughing. Plus Spock didn't bother to point the logic that the Klingons would probably just kill them all, when he's had no hesitation in stating the unpleasant truth before,....I think that all strongly indicated noone seemed to think a mass killing was about to take place.

Well, in the crew's defense, it's not like we saw the Klingons take a single aggressive action against the tribbles in the episode itself... their main reaction seemed to be recoiling in fear or disgust, and attempting to avoid even the slightest contact. Maybe the Enterprise crew figured the Klingons would abandon ship just to get away from the tribbles, or something.

 

[Lance]

One thing I never quite understood about the TAS episode is: was something done to curb the Tribbles ability to procreate? Some kind of neutering? I assumed this is why the TAS Tribbles have got the unfortunate side-effect of growing larger instead of giving birth. But if there were a 'reliable' method of keeping Tribbles (which one has to assume they found eventually, because we see people keeping them as pets in the movies), then the Glommer hasn't really got a purpose as a Tribble exterminator.

 

[PCz911]

The Klingon crew had months and months of Tribble McNuggets. Unfortunately, no dipping sauce.

While you said this tongue firmly in cheek, who knows? Rabbits were a common enough food until their cuteness overcame their "food-ness". (During WWII the English on the Homefront were encouraged to raise and consume rabbit)

 

[Ithekro]

One thing I never quite understood about the TAS episode is: was something done to curb the Tribbles ability to procreate? Some kind of neutering? I assumed this is why the TAS Tribbles have got the unfortunate side-effect of growing larger instead of giving birth. But if there were a 'reliable' method of keeping Tribbles (which one has to assume they found eventually, because we see people keeping them as pets in the movies), then the Glommer hasn't really got a purpose as a Tribble exterminator.

The Tribbles still ate. Until McCoy corrected Jones' fix, they were colonies of tribbles within one skin. The Klingons did not yet have this method. A predator is more their style.

 

[CorporalCaptain]

I think the fact Scotty specifically said he gave them a good home.

That was complete and utter sarcasm. The fact that Scotty made the play on words that "they'll be no tribble at all" means that he was fully aware that the Klingons would kill them all; that's one sense of the pun, after all. Everybody knew that the Klingons would kill them all. It was funny to everyone that they would, because by then the tribbles had been too much trouble. Hence, the title of the episode....

They just thought that the Klingons were assholes, Scotty especially after the bar fight. Getting rid of the tribbles and pissing off the Klingons was two birds with one stone. Revenge....

 

[Marsden]

The Klingon crew had months and months of Tribble McNuggets. Unfortunately, no dipping sauce.

But, Tribbles are best served live!

It became a "we'll make it someone else's problem and laugh about it" moment. Which works for me. Other people have issues with it.

Works for me, too.

This was not the writer's intention, but in my head cannon for TTWT, after everybody laughs and the producer credits are seen, Scotty says "Just kidding. I used the Transporter to de-materialize the tribbles and break them down into recyclable parts, including protein for the food synthesizers."

Everybody knew he was kidding about the Klingon ship, because that's crazy.

And K-7's chief engineer would do the same thing.

This makes the most sense so far.

While you said this tongue firmly in cheek, who knows? Rabbits were a common enough food until their cuteness overcame their "food-ness". (During WWII the English on the Homefront were encouraged to raise and consume rabbit)

What do you mean "were" ?

I think the fact Scotty specifically said he gave them a good home.

That was complete and utter sarcasm. The fact that Scotty made the play on words that "they'll be no tribble at all" means that he was fully aware that the Klingons would kill them all; that's once sense of the pun, after all. Everybody knew that the Klingons would kill them all. It was funny to everyone that they would, because by then the tribbles had been too much trouble. Hence, the title of the episode....

They just thought that the Klingons were assholes, Scotty especially after the bar fight. Getting rid of the tribbles and pissing off the Klingons was two birds with one stone. Revenge....

CorporalCaptain has won this thread.


I just see it as this:

You know how the shitter was full and then it exploded, Scotty and that poor lad Watkins, who did all the work, gathered all that furry shit up and flushed it on Koloth's lawn. I am capable of no other emotion in this matter. It is logical that they exterminated them, what the hell else are they for? They are obviously quick breeding because they are food for predators, therefore, they are born to be killed.

Why should anyone not laugh about that?

 

[Kor]

One thing I never quite understood about the TAS episode is: was something done to curb the Tribbles ability to procreate? Some kind of neutering? I assumed this is why the TAS Tribbles have got the unfortunate side-effect of growing larger instead of giving birth. But if there were a 'reliable' method of keeping Tribbles (which one has to assume they found eventually, because we see people keeping them as pets in the movies), then the Glommer hasn't really got a purpose as a Tribble exterminator.

Cyrano Jones claims that they are "safe tribbles" that have been genetically engineered so that they don't reproduce.

Pretty soon we discover that, unlike the tribbles in "The Trouble with Tribbles," these ones grow bigger and bigger as they eat more, reaching gigantic size.

And finally, it turns out that the giant tribbles are really big colonies of normal-sized tribbles that can be broken down into their constituent individuals fairly easily, either by shooting the giant tribble with a disruptor or by injecting it with a serum. And according to McCoy, those normal-size tribbles truly are "safe tribbles."

So the whole thing seems like kind of a botched genetic engineering job.

Kor

 

[FormerLurker]

^No one ever accused Cyrano Jones of being a genetic engineer.

Marsden said:
But, Tribbles are best served live!

No they are not! They get upset when they're shaved, and eat the first thing they get set on. Which is your tongue.

 

[mos6507]

Well, in the crew's defense, it's not like we saw the Klingons take a single aggressive action against the tribbles in the episode itself... their main reaction seemed to be recoiling in fear or disgust, and attempting to avoid even the slightest contact. Maybe the Enterprise crew figured the Klingons would abandon ship just to get away from the tribbles, or something.

^^^ Agreed.

Klingons treat Tribbles the same way an elephant (at least in pop culture) is deathly afraid of mice. They are kind of Klingon kryptonite in that way. Klingons' trademark ruthlessness becomes neutralized by them. It's some sort of biological response, probably because of the "cute-overload". It's like a pro wrestler being trapped in a Hello Kitty store.

 

[enterprisecvn65]

The Klingon crew had months and months of Tribble McNuggets. Unfortunately, no dipping sauce.

Khan got it wrong. The Klingon proverb actually says "Tribble is a dish that is best served cold. "

 

[enterprisecvn65]

I think the fact Scotty specifically said he gave them a good home. Kirk, who had been shocked a minute earlier when he thought Scott had beamed them into pace, and Uhura, who was totally bonkers over the things and she horrified at the though of McCoy dissecting one earlier in the episode were both now laughing. Plus Spock didn't bother to point the logic that the Klingons would probably just kill them all, when he's had no hesitation in stating the unpleasant truth before,....I think that all strongly indicated noone seemed to think a mass killing was about to take place.

Well, in the crew's defense, it's not like we saw the Klingons take a single aggressive action against the tribbles in the episode itself... their main reaction seemed to be recoiling in fear or disgust, and attempting to avoid even the slightest contact. Maybe the Enterprise crew figured the Klingons would abandon ship just to get away from the tribbles, or something.

Yeah but the Klingons were on neutral territory on the station. They realized it was a "Don't do any crazy shit" zone. If they'd started slaughtering Tribbles it would probably have led to Kirk kicking them off the station. Plus it would have weakened their claim to the planet if they were a bunch of murderous thugs over furballs.

On their own ship away from Federation sight though, that's a different story and it's open season.

It's similar to if a person had to interrogate someone who killed a person they cared about. The way that person might interrogate him in an open space with lots of people watching vs. how he might "interrogate" the killer in a room with no windows or recording equipment and a door that locks from the inside and a promise from the powers above that as long as the person in custody is still alive at the end, then no questions will be asked, would be very different most likely.

 

[enterprisecvn65]

The Klingon crew had months and months of Tribble McNuggets. Unfortunately, no dipping sauce.

But, Tribbles are best served live!

It became a "we'll make it someone else's problem and laugh about it" moment. Which works for me. Other people have issues with it.

Works for me, too.



This makes the most sense so far.




What do you mean "were" ?

I think the fact Scotty specifically said he gave them a good home.

That was complete and utter sarcasm. The fact that Scotty made the play on words that "they'll be no tribble at all" means that he was fully aware that the Klingons would kill them all; that's once sense of the pun, after all. Everybody knew that the Klingons would kill them all. It was funny to everyone that they would, because by then the tribbles had been too much trouble. Hence, the title of the episode....

They just thought that the Klingons were assholes, Scotty especially after the bar fight. Getting rid of the tribbles and pissing off the Klingons was two birds with one stone. Revenge....

CorporalCaptain has won this thread.


I just see it as this:

You know how the shitter was full and then it exploded, Scotty and that poor lad Watkins, who did all the work, gathered all that furry shit up and flushed it on Koloth's lawn. I am capable of no other emotion in this matter. It is logical that they exterminated them, what the hell else are they for? They are obviously quick breeding because they are food for predators, therefore, they are born to be killed.

Why should anyone not laugh about that?

Yeah but shit is a gross inanimate object that is naturally funny when someone you hate has an encounter with it.

Tribbles are furry living creatures that elicited happiness from people including Spock briefly.

I give you maybe Scott's good home comment was sarcastic and his "no Tribble at all" comment may have hinted at their fate. But putting aside all the other character's implied concern for their welfare, certainly Uhura at least would have flipped her shit. She was in love with the damn things and would have horrified to no end realizing what the Klingons would probably do.

 

[johnnybear]

I think The klingons were probably in more danger than The Tribbles and that is what the scene is actually suggesting!
JB