And the Children Shall Lead

Though many Star Trek episodes feature eerie moments, this is one of the few points at which the series genuinely combines science fiction and horror. And the horror elements are highly effective. This one gave me the serious willies when I was a kid, and it still supplies a shiver or two.

Triacus, home of the Starnes Expedition, is a creepy place. All the adults in the small Federation camp are dead, apparently driven to suicide by an unseen “enemy within.” Their kids, however, are fine. In fact, they’re too fine. They’re happy, playful and emotionally unaffected by the deaths of their parents. After a funeral service (during which the kids play ball), the landing party and the orphans depart.

But they’re not alone. Once aboard the Enterprise, the children clasp hands and perform a creepy little sing-song ritual that causes a strange entity to appear. The creature is called Gorgan, but the children know him as “Friendly Angel.” He looks innocent enough on the surface, but then he encourages the kids to do less-than innocent things, such as take over the starship.

The thing has given his wee henchpersons the power to control minds by pounding their fists into their palms. They create an illusion of a tunnel of sharp swords in order to keep Sulu from diverting the helm from their desired course. They create an illusion of old age and decay to prevent Uhura from signaling Star Fleet. And they garble Kirk’s speech so he can’t give orders.

Fortunately Spock remains his usual, unaffected self. He does what he can to un-brainwash the rest of the crew, and then they play a recording of the children’s sing-song to summon their evil friend. With children and monster all on the bridge, our heroes use before-and-after video of their parents to shock the kids to their senses and turn them against the alien. Denied the energy he’s been stealing from them, the beast reverts to his true, hideous form and then fades away.

Episode rating:

Stardate: 5027.3

Episode type: Powerful alien

Written by: Edward J. Lasko

Original air date: October 11, 1968

The Paradise Syndrome / Is There in Truth No Beauty?

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