Series: Star Trek: The Original Series
Season 1, Episode 21
Original Air Date: February 9, 1967
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| via Wikipedia |
In the Star Trek universe, Starfleet's Prime Directive dictates that there can be no interference with the internal development of alien civilizations. As I have said before, I believe the best Trek stories are the ones in which the crew is faced with an ethical dilemma. The best of those usually bump up against the Prime Directive. As a literary device, the Prime Directive ranks with Asimov's Three Laws of Robotics as one of the best in science fiction.
The Prime Directive is not quite so ironclad as the Three Laws. Asimov's robots will cease function before they break their laws. The puzzle of each story usually involves figuring out how the robots manage to cause such trouble while still playing by the rules. The Laws themselves, are never wrong. The problem is always a matter of human failure to understand them.
Enterprise captains get a bit more wiggle room. In the case of "Return of the Archons," the Prime Directive is violated practically the moment it's introduced. When Captain Kirk advocates destroying the computer he expects is controlling the planet, Spock invokes the Directive. Kirk's response: "That refers to a living, growing culture...do you think this one is?" In Trek, it seems we are always encouraged to side with the captain whether s/he is violating the Prime Directive or not. The consideration is the important thing.
*****
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| via Memory Alpha |
Excellent critique and synopsis. I can only contribute what it meant to an 18-year-old at the time. Indeed, we were encouraged to side with the captain, as protagonist in conflict with a mentally and morally static society. In 1967, we were invited to depute matters of conscience to government bureaucracy. Many declined and were punished under the law. "Return of the Archons was one hokey episode among many that served to reassure us that a healthy conscience is subordinate to nobody. The draft ended some years later.
ReplyDeleteGeo, your perspective on these episodes has been a wonderful and unexpected benefit!
DeleteThere are a lot of mind control stories in 1950s/60s fantasy/scifi. I expect the Cold War and fear of Communist doctrine and the associated crushing of individuality played a role, too.
I'll also say your perspective on the episode was most enlightening.
DeleteTony, your posts about the movies have been interesting to follow in conjunction, as well.
DeleteThe Prime Directive is the most brilliant part of the show for setting up conflict. TNG used it to perfection.
ReplyDeleteAgreed. The Borg story is rich with Prime Directive dilemmas.
DeleteThis series of posts keeps getting better, even with episodes like this one that I never thought much about.
ReplyDelete(Except for the fact that when ever my wife or I hear the word "absorbed," we start quoting these creepy townspeople...)
Thanks, Cyg. They've been a lot of fun for me, too.
DeleteI don't think I'd have given it much thought if not for the Prime Directive thing.
Capt.Kirk always found a way to circumvent the Prime Directive! Rules were made for others, not him. He was always morally in the right...
ReplyDeleteIt makes me wonder if aliens have ever visited us and just watched, due to a Prime Directive?
Or, what if their Captain was more like Kirk, and interfered?
Their Capt.Kirk probably would have interfered with what was happening in Egypt during the building of the pyramids, the Byzantine Empire during the Crusades, Mexico during the reign of the Aztecs, the Transatlantic from the 16th to the 19th centuries.
Morally in the right, and our world would be so different...probably.
I've always imagined part of the idea of the PD was that cultures need to learn from their mistakes. In the Trek universe, earth did. In the real universe, we seem to make the same mistakes over and over again.
DeleteAnd yet, there is occasional progress - peace in Western Europe for nearly 60 years. That has never happened before in world history.
I am very impressed by your reviews of this series. When I watched them I think I manly just watched them for entertainment . But I don't remember this one but with school and my job I really didn't have a lot of free time.
ReplyDeleteWhat amazes me is the comments you get that really explains so much more.
cheers, parsnip
Thanks, parsnip. Trek fascinates me - as both story and cultural phenomenon. I can already see, though, that there are some episodes about which I won't have much to say.
DeleteAnd I agree: the comments of others, including yourself, have definitely been the highlight of the experience for me.
Nice review. Thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Lady L!
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