Who Mourns For Adonais? - episode #33
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Who Mourns For Adonais? - episode #33
WHO MOURNS FOR ADONAIS? (2nd season; episode #33)
Directed by Marc Daniels writers: Gilbert Ralston, Gene Coon Air Date: 09 /22/67
Who mourns for Apollo? Who mourns for the last god? - the humans who used to worship him; they're not completely heartless, after all. This episode represents a turning point for our society as a whole, a point at which we collectively advance beyond certain primitive beliefs and/or superstitions. The Enterprise is beset by a giant hand in space, a hand which grasps the ship and holds it as if it were a toy. This is science fiction, however, so Spock provides an analytical explanation - it's not really a hand, flesh & blood, but an energy field, wielded by a being with superior abilities involving energy manipulation (see several other Trek episodes for such: Errand of Mercy; The Savage Curtain and, in particular, The Squire of Gothos).
Pretty soon, accepting a not-too-gracious invite, a landing party to the nearby planet meets a humanoid (Michael Forest) who declares himself to be Apollo, one of the famed Greek gods of mythology. Unfortunately for Kirk and co., the being seems to possess the power to back up his claim, including the ability to grow to the godlike height of 20 feet tall.
This episode also has similarities to Plato's Stepchildren, which also featured aliens who visited Earth in ancient Greek times. In this episode, the last of these gods - Apollo - exists on an otherwise ordinary planet. The other so-called gods have long since faded away. Most of these points in the story are not really explained. What actually happens when these beings fade away? - what is the scientific explanation? Do their molecules convert to energy and disperse? Why do these beings thrive on worship? Are they shapeshifters, absorbing such emotions the same way we humans take in normal food? (now see Day of the Dove).
Instead of hard science or facts, we are offered only hints, such as an extra organ inside Apollo detected by McCoy which is never elaborated on. This may be lazy writing or just a way of keeping some remaining mystery and awe around such a mythological character. In any case, the theme reveals itself as the age-old conflict between modern technology, which offers comfortable existence, and the more naturalistic gadget-free lifestyle we humans have left behind - or lost, in Apollo's view.
Returning to nature was a rising, popular theme during the sixties and seventies. Many people began to feel that we were advancing too quickly, creating an abnormal culture, as a result. The super-alien Apollo certainly feels this way and offers the alternative; Kirk rejects this outright - he has his mission, as well as a ship, which Apollo makes the mistake of threatening to crush (that's a sure way of getting on Kirk's bad side).
Despite a somewhat dopey tone during much of the episode - Apollo's demands, besides worship of himself, include such rules as gathering laurel leaves - this is still a more effective presentation of an advancing society leaving some archaic beliefs behind than the 5th Star Trek film, The Final Frontier, where-in the crew again confronted a false deity.
Of the 5-person landing party, the one female member (Lt. Carolyn Palamas, played by Leslie Parrish) does give in, temporarily, to Apollo's proposition; perhaps she represents the 20% of our population who have serious doubts about our progress. Ironically, Kirk has to remind her of her humanity, her true heritage, to turn her back to the majority. Scotty, meanwhile, really embarrasses himself here with his impulsive attitude. This was even worse than his ill-advised rush at the Nomad probe in The Changeling, because he does it twice here!
click here for a humorous version of the episode:
MONTY PYTHON MOURNS FOR ADONAIS by Spockboy
Last edited by BoG on Sun May 03, 2015 12:21 am; edited 6 times in total
Who Mourns For Adonais - full episode
CLASSIC TREK QUOTES:
Apollo: "Your fathers knew me, and your fathers' fathers – I am Apollo."
Chekov: "And I am the Czar of all the Russias!"
Kirk: "Mr. Chekov –"
Chekov: "I'm sorry, sir; I never met a god before."
Apollo: "Your fathers knew me, and your fathers' fathers – I am Apollo."
Chekov: "And I am the Czar of all the Russias!"
Kirk: "Mr. Chekov –"
Chekov: "I'm sorry, sir; I never met a god before."
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