A Taste Of Armageddon (TOS Episode)
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"A Taste of Armageddon" is the twenty-third episode of the first season of the American
science fiction television Science fiction first appeared in television programming in the late 1930s, during what is called the Golden Age of Science Fiction. Special effects and other production techniques allow creators to present a living visual image of an imaginary ...
series ''
Star Trek ''Star Trek'' is an American science fiction media franchise created by Gene Roddenberry, which began with the Star Trek: The Original Series, series of the same name and became a worldwide Popular culture, pop-culture Cultural influence of ...
''. Written by Robert Hamner and
Gene L. Coon Eugene Lee Coon (January 7, 1924 – July 8, 1973) was an American screenwriter, television producer, and novelist. He is best remembered for his work on the original ''Star Trek'' as a screenwriter, story editor, and showrunner from the middle ...
and directed by
Joseph Pevney Joseph Pevney (September 15, 1911 – May 18, 2008) was an American film and television director. Biography Born in New York City, Pevney made his debut in vaudeville as a boy soprano in 1924. Although he hated vaudeville, he loved the thea ...
, it was first broadcast on February 23, 1967. In the episode, the crew of the ''Enterprise'' visits a planet engaged in a completely computer-simulated war with a neighboring planet, but the casualties, including the ''Enterprise''s crew, are supposed to be real.


Plot

The USS ''Enterprise'' travels to Eminiar VII in "star cluster NGC 321", bringing Ambassador Robert Fox to establish diplomatic relations. Little is known about Eminiar VII, beyond the fact that they have been at war with a neighboring planet, Vendikar. Nearing Eminiar VII, the ''Enterprise'' receives a message from the planet warning them not to approach, but Ambassador Fox orders
Captain Kirk James Tiberius Kirk, often known as Captain Kirk, is a fictional character in the ''Star Trek'' media franchise. Originally played by Canadian actor William Shatner, Kirk first appeared in ''Star Trek'' serving aboard the starship USS ''Enterp ...
to proceed. Kirk, First Officer
Spock Spock is a fictional Character (arts), character in the ''Star Trek'' media franchise. He first appeared in the Star Trek: The Original Series, original ''Star Trek'' series serving aboard the starship USS Enterprise (NCC-1701), USS ''Enterpri ...
, and additional security personnel beam down to the planet, where they are met by representatives Mea 3 and Anan 7. During a supposed attack by Vendikar, Anan 7 explains that the war is conducted as a computer simulation, and that the ''Enterprise'' has been "destroyed" in the attack. The two planets have a treaty, according to which they must kill the "victims" of every simulated attack. The crew are therefore expected to report to Eminiar's disintegration chambers for execution, and Kirk's party is taken captive. Spock telepathically plants a suggestion in their jailer's mind, allowing them to escape. Anan 7 uses a voice duplicator to imitate Kirk's voice and order the crew to transport down.
Scotty Scotty is a common nickname for a Scottish people, Scottish man, or for a Scottish Terrier dog. Scotty may also refer to: People Given name or nickname *Scotty Alcock (1885–1973), American baseball player *Scotty Allan (1867–1941), American ...
, suspicious, has the ship's computer analyze the message and confirms it is fake. He orders shields raised. When the crew fails to transport down, Eminiar fires upon them, but the attack is deflected by the shields. Anan 7 then contacts the ''Enterprise'', claiming the attack was due to a malfunction. Ambassador Fox, deciding to believe Anan, beams down and is taken to a disintegration chamber, where Spock and the security officers rescue him. Kirk confronts Anan 7 but is overpowered by guards and taken to the Eminian council chamber. When Anan 7 opens a channel to the ''Enterprise'', Kirk orders Scotty to execute "General Order 24" before being cut off. Kirk explains that he has ordered the ship to destroy everything on the planet within two hours. Panic ensues, allowing Kirk to disarm the guards. Spock arrives, and they destroy the war simulation computers. Anan 7, horrified, protests that a real war will inevitably follow, but Kirk points out that Vendikar is no doubt just as horrified, and that both sides now have an incentive to make peace. He suggests that Anan 7 call a
ceasefire A ceasefire (also known as a truce), also spelled cease-fire (the antonym of 'open fire'), is a stoppage of a war in which each side agrees with the other to suspend aggressive actions often due to mediation by a third party. Ceasefires may b ...
and begin peace negotiations, and Fox agrees to act as a neutral mediator.


Reception

The title of "
Armageddon Game "Armageddon Game" is the 33rd episode of the American science fiction television series '' Star Trek: Deep Space Nine''. It is the 13th episode of the second season. Set in the 24th century, the series follows the adventures on Deep Space N ...
", a 1994 episode of '' Star Trek: Deep Space Nine'', was chosen by writer
Robert Hewitt Wolfe Robert Hewitt Wolfe (born 1964) is an American television producer and screenwriter. He is best known for his work as a writer on '' Star Trek: Deep Space Nine'' and for developing and producing the series ''Gene Roddenberry's Andromeda''. Earl ...
as an homage to this episode. Zack Handlen of ''
The A.V. Club ''The A.V. Club'' is an online newspaper and entertainment website featuring reviews, interviews, and other articles that examine films, music, television, books, games, and other elements of pop-culture media. ''The A.V. Club'' was created in ...
'' gave the episode a "B+" rating. He described the story as "one of ''Trek''s classic allegorically powerful, common sense implausible scenarios." Handlen criticised a premise that had "a few too many holes to sustain its attempts at profundity" but praised the story's ambition. In 2016, ''
The Hollywood Reporter ''The Hollywood Reporter'' (''THR'') is an American digital and print magazine which focuses on the Cinema of the United States, Hollywood film industry, film, television, and entertainment industries. It was founded in 1930 as a daily trade pap ...
'' rated "A Taste of Armageddon" the 53rd best television episode of all ''Star Trek'' franchise television prior to '' Star Trek: Discovery'', including live-action and the animated series, but not counting the movies. Out of just the original series episodes, they ranked it the 18th best episode. In 2016, ''
Business Insider ''Business Insider'' (stylized in all caps: BUSINESS INSIDER; known from 2021 to 2023 as INSIDER) is a New York City–based multinational financial and business news website founded in 2007. Since 2015, a majority stake in ''Business Inside ...
'' ranked "A Taste of Armageddon" the 11th best episode of the original series. In 2017, it was rated the 8th most hopeful ''Star Trek'', which despite some grim scenes culminates in the ending of a 500-year-old war. In 2017, ''
Business Insider ''Business Insider'' (stylized in all caps: BUSINESS INSIDER; known from 2021 to 2023 as INSIDER) is a New York City–based multinational financial and business news website founded in 2007. Since 2015, a majority stake in ''Business Inside ...
'' listed "A Taste of Armageddon" as one of the most underrated episodes of the ''Star Trek'' franchise. In 2018, ''Collider'' ranked this episode the 8th best original series episode. In 2020, ''ScreenRant'' ranked it as the 8th best episode of TOS to re-watch. In 2021, ''Den of Geek'' ranked this the number one episode of the original series. That year, the episode was quoted by characters in the science fiction show '' For All Mankind'', in the episode "Triage," where "A Taste of Armageddon" was compared to the series' alternate history
Cold War The Cold War was a period of global Geopolitics, geopolitical rivalry between the United States (US) and the Soviet Union (USSR) and their respective allies, the capitalist Western Bloc and communist Eastern Bloc, which lasted from 1947 unt ...
setting.


See also

''
The Lottery "The Lottery" is a short story by Shirley Jackson that was first published in ''The New Yorker'' on June 26, 1948. The story describes a fictional small American community that observes an annual tradition known as "the lottery", which is int ...
'': 1948
Shirley Jackson Shirley Hardie Jackson (December 14, 1916 – August 8, 1965) was an American writer known primarily for her works of horror and mystery. Her writing career spanned over two decades, during which she composed six novels, two memoirs, and mor ...
story about a population inured to follow an old tradition of human sacrifice, ostensibly for the public good.


References


External links

* * *
"A Taste of Armageddon"
Review of the remastered version at
TrekMovie.com TrekMovie.com is a news website about the ''Star Trek'' media franchise. It features news reports about the feature films, television and web series, and other related ''Star Trek'' fandom. History The site was founded by ''Trek'' fan Anthony ...

Star Trek transcript - A Taste of Armageddon
{{DEFAULTSORT:Taste of Armageddon, A Star Trek: The Original Series season 1 episodes 1967 American television episodes Television episodes written by Gene L. Coon Television episodes directed by Joseph Pevney