Mr. Spock and the issue of Captain Pike

[Timo]

Those above two issues would be nicely canceling out each other. How could the Talosians reward Spock with a pardon? By engaging him in a plot that reveals to Starfleet the utter futility of all resistance up to and including the threat of death penalty. Why, not only would the real Mendez be staining his uniform at the thought of the Talosians being in complete control over what everybody on Starbase 11 sees and thinks, he'd also suddenly be very interested in keeping any friends of the Talosians very, very happy.

Timo Saloniermi

 

[Greg Cox]

But, what will Pike's life be like? Given his revulsion to being in a cage, wouldn't it eventually dawn on him that despite being unfettered by his physical body, he's to live out his days on Talos IV, with no contact to any other human beings, aside from Vina. I wonder if anyone has considered a novel about that.

It's been written. Burning Dreams by Margaret Wander Bonanno.

A good chunk of the novel takes place after "The Cage" and has to do with Pike adjusting to his new life with Vina and the Talosians.