Spectre of the Gun: Melkotian Illusion

[Kei Fox]

Something I've been pondering about this episode is WHEN did the illusion begin for Kirk and crew? My only speculation is it began the moment the Melkotian buoy spoke to the crew, "Aliens!" in the respective languages. And, of course, it ended when Kirk spared Wyatt Earp, finding himself and the others back on the Enterprise, with the Melkotian buoy about to explode. If that's the case, it's a very powerful telepathic illusion, as opposed to the classic trope of dream sequences, starting when a character closes one's eyes, and it seems only a split blink occurred, but that's when the dream begins, and then ends when the character finds themselves back where they were, or that some time had passed, but still a dream...

 

[Methuselah Flint]

Yes, it is a bit of a mystery. Chekhov seems not to recall much, yet the trio do. Perhaps it starts on the bridge, but at what point does McCoy enter the bridge and examine Chekhov?

 

[Shawnster]

It was speculated on "The Mission Log" podcast that even the Melkotian appearance is a telepathic illusion.

 

[Phaser Two]

Good call. The interesting "transport" back to the Enterprise lends to the mystical ambience of the episode. In fact, I guess you can debate whether K, S, M, S & C ever left the Enterprise at all.

 

[Maurice]

The various drafts of the script make it pretty plain the whole thing was a mental exercise. They never even went past the buoy until the end when they get invited to visit.

re this episode, for any who missed it, we did a real doozy of a writeup on this episode titled "Red Skies, Red Garters".

 

[dupersuper]

It was speculated on "The Mission Log" podcast that even the Melkotian appearance is a telepathic illusion.

I hope not: the Federation needs more non-humanoid members.

 

[Timo]

Or then that apparition was the closest the Melkots could do for a humanoid avatar...

Yeah, the bit where they "wake up" and still face the buoy is clear indication that the sailing-past-the-buoy bit never really happened. Or is it? The buoy then appears to blow up, for unknown reasons - perhaps to test whether Kirk would proceed beyond his "phaser guns stand by", although this is not made explicit. Was any of that real? Was there a buoy in the first place? Were there several?

The very fact that Kirk weathers the buoy explosion and then gets the permission to pass really makes it seem as if the Melkots hate and fear these intruders, but are powerless to stop them, both their telepathic (the deceitful illusion) and physical (the mighty space mine) defenses having succumbed to the onslaught of the superior attacker...

Timo Saloniemi

 

[Ssosmcin]

Did everyone see the entire scenario, or just the landing party members? And if they never left the ship, did McCoy run up to the bridge because Chekov "died" in the illusion? Wouldn't they just snap out of it and realize "holy crap, none of this was real?!"

As a viewer, I never considered the illusion starting before they left the ship but now that it's being mentioned, the clues are all there. I'm actually surprised it's that subtle.

 

[ZapBrannigan]

Did everyone see the entire scenario, or just the landing party members? And if they never left the ship, did McCoy run up to the bridge because Chekov "died" in the illusion? Wouldn't they just snap out of it and realize "holy crap, none of this was real?!"

As a viewer, I never considered the illusion starting before they left the ship but now that it's being mentioned, the clues are all there. I'm actually surprised it's that subtle.

But this means the Melkots are another Talosian problem. We can't cope with aliens who make an Alan Parsons song of our existence. "I am the maker of rules, dealing with fools, I can cheat you blind."

 

[Push The Button]

Did everyone see the entire scenario, or just the landing party members? And if they never left the ship, did McCoy run up to the bridge because Chekov "died" in the illusion? Wouldn't they just snap out of it and realize "holy crap, none of this was real?!"

As a viewer, I never considered the illusion starting before they left the ship but now that it's being mentioned, the clues are all there. I'm actually surprised it's that subtle.

It may have been the buoy broadcasting the illusion, like in “The Inner Light”

 

[Phaser Two]

Did everyone see the entire scenario, or just the landing party members? And if they never left the ship, did McCoy run up to the bridge because Chekov "died" in the illusion? Wouldn't they just snap out of it and realize "holy crap, none of this was real?!"

As a viewer, I never considered the illusion starting before they left the ship but now that it's being mentioned, the clues are all there. I'm actually surprised it's that subtle.

Maybe they all went to the transporter room, and everything from them thinking they beamed down was an illusion. Then they were returned to the bridge without really understanding why, and since they all retained their memories, McCoy thought it might be a good plan to run a scan on Chekov, whom they all thought was dead. However, since none of the Core Four seems elated - as you'd think they would be save Spock of course - that Chekov is alive, maybe they were returned to the transporter room first. I don't know. I will say that the execution is such that I really don't care - particularly since the illusion powers provide a plausible explanation for anything the viewer can think up.

 

[Methuselah Flint]

Is it possible that the events did in fact occur? Then after the shootout, the landing party is sent back in time to just before Kirk's order to move past the buoy? A projection rather than necessarily an entire illusion?

 

[Timo]

I guess all sorts of basically supernatural scenarios are possible; it's the non-supernatural ones that are more difficult to come up with.

I just wonder what the point of the exploding buoy was. A final test, to see if Kirk could stay his trigger finger? (But if so, why proceed to the actual explosion?) An embarrassing malfunction, nicely deadpanned by the Melkot? A failed final attempt to blow up the invading starship, now that the telepathic defenders had fallen? None make much sense, not the way Balok's similar tricks in "Corbomite" do.

Timo Saloniemi

 

[Methuselah Flint]

The buoy was there as a warning. Perhaps, after the shootout encounter, and finding some faith in the ship's good intent, the Melkotians simply destroy their now-unnecessary device?

 

[Ssosmcin]

The buoy was there as a warning. Perhaps, after the shootout encounter, and finding some faith in the ship's good intent, the Melkotians simply destroy their now-unnecessary device?

^THIS

 

[ZapBrannigan]

The Melkot satellite malfunctioned and spun itself to structural failure, like this one did:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hitomi_(satellite)

It was determined that the chain of events that led to the spacecraft's loss began with its inertial reference unit (IRU) reporting a rotation of 21.7 degrees per hour at 19:10 UTC on 25 March, though the vehicle was actually stable. The attitude control system attempted to use Hitomi's reaction wheels to counteract the non-existent spin, which caused the spacecraft to rotate in the opposite direction. Because the IRU continued to report faulty data, the reaction wheels began to accumulate excessive momentum, tripping the spacecraft's computer into taking the vehicle into "safe hold" mode. Attitude control then tried to use its thrusters to stabilise the spacecraft; the sun sensor was unable to lock on to the Sun's position, and continued thruster firings caused Hitomi to rotate even faster due to an incorrect software setting. Because of this excessive rotation rate, early on 26 March several parts of the spacecraft broke away, likely including both solar arrays and the extended optical bench.

 

[Push The Button]

The Melkot satellite malfunctioned and spun itself to structural failure, like this one did:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hitomi_(satellite)

Hitomi reminds me of Nomad, though quite a bit larger. Maybe its for the best that it killed itself.

 

[Maurice]

It. Never. Happened. They never left the bridge,

[SLAM]

 

[Mrs. Silvercrest]

Yeah, I think they never left the bridge as well.
though I have to add it is my mom's favorite episode of the show. She loves westerns!

 

[Timo]

The buoy was there as a warning. Perhaps, after the shootout encounter, and finding some faith in the ship's good intent, the Melkotians simply destroy their now-unnecessary device?

...By having it suddenly become a deadly menace? Makes the Melkots sound as technologically incompetent as the Talosians.

(Might be this is what you always get when you replace education and civilization with illusion?)

Timo Saloniemi