Weird Trek Episodes - Patterns of Force aka "Why did you use Nazi Germany for your system, you Idiot?

Next up for the month is a return to the OG series for Star Trek. Current events got me wondering about this episode. No, I’m not saying that America is looking like Nazi Germany, okay? With everything going on, I thought I might revisit this one. I needed to break the pattern of “Look at Social Media and be Disappointed by People.” I don’t know what I can add to the conversation other that “F###, f###, f###, and S###,” so I’ll just like and comment a couple of things. Besides, everyone else is saying good things, and for that, I’m glad.

“Patterns of Force” came from the show’s second season. It’s not their best season, but it did have some pretty good episodes. We start out with the Enterprise heading to the planet Ekos to pick up history observer John Gill. I’d make a Johnny Gill reference, but I’ll hold off for now. After they wonder why a rocket was shot from the planet, Kirk and Spock beam down in disguise. Ekos’s technology is similar to 20^th century Earth. What our heroes find is that it’s too similar to 20^th century Earth because they find soldiers dressed up as Nazis.

I think this scene is another one that got the slash fan fiction movement going.

They try to make their way around the city and find out that John Gill has become the Ekosians’ Fuhrer. They have been wiping out their rival planet, the Zeon. Kirk and Spock don disguises to fit in, but they get caught since Spock kinda sticks out to a crowd. They get captured along with Isak, a Zeon. Thanks to some new gadgets that don’t ever get used again, Kirk, Spock, and Isak escape to the Underground resistance. There, they meet Abrom, leader of the resistance. They also find out that Daras, a decorated Ekosian Nazi, is also part of the resistance.  She lets them know that Gill wants to move forward with a plan called  “The Final Solution” that’ll wipe out the Zeons. Kirk wants to talk to Gill to see why he’s created Nazi Germany on Ekos, so a plan is hatched.

Kirk, Spock, Dara, and Isak go to a meeting where Gill will be disguised as a film crew. After they’re able to beam down Dr. McCoy, they see Gill’s speech being broadcast. They realize that Gill may be drugged, so they break into where Gill is being held. After McCoy and Spock work their magic, Gill comes out of his hazed state and tells the truth. It turns out that he saw how lawless Ekos was and decided to interfere by using Nazi Germany as an efficient government system. Unfortunately, Melakon, the deputy Fuhrer, took control and used the system to wipe out the Zeons.

Kirk, you're getting into taking those pics a little too much!

After Kirk pumps more drugs into Gill, he makes another speech to Ekos. He tells them the truth about what Melakon has done to Ekos and declares him a traitor. In retaliation, Melakon kills Gill, but then he’s killed by Isak. In the end, Isak, Daras, and another resistance member plan to get rid of the Nazi regime. After a quick epilogue on the Enterprise with Kirk, Spock, and McCoy, the episode ends.

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This was a nice episode. We got Kirk and Spock kicking the crap out of Nazis. That can be fun, ya know? You can tell someone was like “we gotta make some cuts. Do a Nazi episode or something!” I wonder if they just commandeered a set used for a war movie. I also wonder how Shatner and Nimoy, who are Jewish, felt about wearing those uniforms. Kirk, Spock and McCoy do their thing to make the episode good. I also thought the guest stars weren’t too bad. I saw what they were doing when they named them Isak, Abrom, and Melakon. They sound like they came from the Old Testament.

If it was only rhythm and blues singer, Johnny Gill. He probably would've sung the Ekosians into peace with New Edition or something. 

Okay… so ‘ole Johnny Gill decided to institute a fascist regime on the planet because it was efficient? Apparently, some historians at the time thought that, and hey, Germany did come back from being pretty destitute after World War 1. Still… why would someone think that’s a good idea? I mean… what the crap? I guess Gill would’ve had to be there to see how bad it was. At least we see him realize that it was a dumb idea. Anyway, that’s less of a problem and more of a nitpick.

As for real issues, I did feel that the story could’ve used more meat to it. I felt like it needed more plot. It also felt like a kid-friendly version of Nazi Germany. I guess you could’ve only done so much on TV at that time. Still, it felt too sanitized. Also, what was up with those gadgets in the arms? Kinda weird that those gadgets never show up again.

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Overall, I do still think it’s a fun time. You got awesome icons beating up Nazis! As long as you don’t think too much about the plot, you’ll be good here. Well, I think I’m going to get back to cleaning up or making sure cattle don’t get out. The look that cows have on their face when they know they’ve screwed up is priceless.  I’m also not going to stress too much about the news… it’s been hard to sleep lately because all of the news.  Anyway, Peace, God Bless, and be careful out there. That goes double for us black men and women.