SUMMARY: Kirk deactivates the god-machine Vaal of planet Gamma Trianguli VI in order to free its primitive inhabitants from a robotic existence and to save his ship and crew from Vaal's attack.
In 2267, as per orders from Starfleet to investigate and make contact with the inhabitants, Kirk leads a landing party to the surface of planet Gamma Trianguli VI. The environment is judged to be a Garden of Edenesque paradise but quickly that impression is changed - three members of the landing party are killed (security officers). One is killed by a bolt of lightning generated by the god-machine Vaal which rules the planet.
Ensign Hendorff is killed by poisonous plant spores fired at him. Lieutenant Mallory is killed on stepping on a rock with explosive properties
The humanoids' primitive society, whose people and lifestyle has not changed for thousands of years, is focussed around 'feeding' Vaal with energy via a large mouth-shaped doorway whenever he summons them; for instance, as it is unnecessary to Vaal, it is forbidden for Vaalians even to demonstrate affection for each other. Kirk summarises: "...simple diet, perfectly controlled temperature, apparently no vices at all, no natural enemies, and no 'replacements' (children) needed. Maybe it is Paradise after all.....for them." In return Vaal maintains idyllic planetary conditions for his slaves.
Vaal. The landing party are welcomed by the Vaalians. Feeding Vaal.
Seeing the off-worlders as a threat, Vaal uses its powerful planetary defense system to cripple the Enterprise causing its orbit to start decaying. Vaal also introduces its slaves to the concept of killing, when it instructs them to kill the landing party. Although one of the Enterprise landing party, security officer Marple, is killed, the rest easily fend off the amateurish Vaalians. Spock remarks: "The good doctor [McCoy] was concerned that the Vaalians achieved true human stature. I submit there is no cause for worry. They've taken the first step. They've learned to kill."
the Vaalian males attack the landing party
Kirk has his party round up and confine the Vaalians so that they are unable to 'feed' him the next time that Vaal sounds its dinner 'gong' to summon them. This weakens Vaal, which is also using up energy to maintain its attack on the Enterprise. A barrage of phaser fire from the Enterprise aimed at Vaal's central systems on the planet deactivate Vaal.
the Enterprise fires phasers at Vaal's central systems
Makora and Sayana
The Vaalians are released into a new world, without their god, obliged to depend on themselves for survival. Two Vaalians, Makora and Sayana, are now able to start a proper romance. They, and other likeminded Vaalians, will doubtless increase the population too. Kirk tells them: "You'll learn to care for yourselves, with our help. And there's no trick to putting fruit on trees. You might enjoy it. You'll learn to build for yourselves, think for yourselves, work for yourselves, and what you create is yours. That's what we call 'freedom' - you'll like it, a lot. And you'll learn something about men and women, the way they're supposed to be, caring for each other, being happy with each other, being good to each other. That's what we call 'love'. You'll like that too, a lot, you and your children."
Spock and Kirk confer
During the mission, after McCoy protests that the humanoids are intelligent and have got to advance and progress. Despite Spock's objection on the grounds of the Prime Directive, Kirk agrees and says the Enterprise crew owe it to the Vaalians to interfere. After the mission, in an analogy Kirk's action is likened to giving the Apple (from the Tree of Knowledge) to Adam and Eve, with them (the Vaalians) being subsequently cast out of the Garden of Eden.
Spock: "This may not be an ideal society but it is a viable one. If we are forced to do what it seems we must (destroy Vaal to save the Enterprise), in my opinion, it would be in direct violation of the non-interference directive."
Kirk argues that he is unconvinced it is a viable society in the accepted sense of the word: "These are people, not robots. They should have the opportunity of choice. We owe it to them to interfere."
Spock: "Starfleet Command may think otherwise."
Kirk: "That's a risk I'll have to take."
[TOS: Season 2: The Apple]
DISCUSSION:
A clear violation by Kirk of the Prime Directive, urged on by McCoy. Kirk arbitrarily decides to intervene in order to save his ship and crew, deciding that the Vaalians will be better off without Vaal, as he believes "These are people, not robots. They should have the opportunity of choice. We owe it to them to interfere." Spock says Starfleet Command may think otherwise. Kirk acts even though Starfleet might discipline him. To uphold the Prime Directive he should have sacrificed ship and crew in accordance with his oath, which he paraphrases in the later story [TOS: The Omega Glory]. Kirk's justification is that the circumstances alter the case or that the end justifies the means - betterment for the Vaalians but the more cynical observer might view it that Kirk's main priorities are his ship and crew. Betterment in this instance is Kirk's opinion of what is better - he welcomes the post-Vaal Vaalians to a world where they must make their own decisions which he says they will like. It is probably a good thing for the Vaalians that he does not mention the downside, for with their newfound freedoms will come hardship and often dark responsibilities. Also, having learned how to kill, who is to say that they will not take that further? It is possible, though not mentioned in the episode, that a cultural team of Federation experts would be assigned to Gamma Trianguli VI to teach the Vaalians things such as how to plant crops and lay in surpluses for the future. From the viewpoint of Western democracies of Earth's 20th (and 21st) century, liberty and freedom of choice are high ideals and, indeed, the message of this story. Janeway makes the a similar speech in [#1 and #2 Caretaker], going further by telling the dying Caretaker: "Children have to grow up. We're explorers too. Most of the species we've encountered have overcome all kinds of adversity without a caretaker. It's the challenge of surviving on their own that helps them to evolve. Maybe your 'children' will do better than you think." Janeway's comments, however, are reaction to an event that she cannot stop, namely the death of the Caretaker, whereas if Kirk leaves Vaal alone life for the Vaalians will not change in any essential way (the changes being that they have learned how to kill and how to express romantic love).
Kirk says the Vaalians "should have the opportunity of choice." but in destroying Vaal he does not give them any choice.
NOTES:
Blooper: When the plant's spores fire at Hendorff, the spread pattern as they fly toward the camera renders it impossible for them to fix in such a close-clustered pattern in his chest. The spores should continue to spread out.
David Soul plays Makora, and later Hutch in the television series 'Starsky And Hutch'.
A bad mission for red-shirts. Amusing comment in Encyclopaedia: "'I think I'll wear red,' said Kaplan as he dressed for work on that fateful day."
Blooper: Spock breaks a rock in two. When he throws half away it explodes when it hits the ground. Just breaking it in two should have detonated it.
Kirk's shirt does not get torn, though it does get dirty (see next point). Spock's shirt gets ripped, by a lightning strike from Vaal. Spock is having a bad time - hit by poisonous darts, hurled backward by Vaal's forcefield, and second degree burns from lightning, plus several banter sessions with McCoy and failing to dissuade Kirk from violating the Prime Directive.
Blooper: During the fight with the Vaalians, Kirk's shirt gets very dirty. In the very next scene, it is pristine.
In the context of Kirk violating the Prime Directive, the biblical analogy in the final scene, which is played as comedy, seems to me to be inappropriate. A reference to Eden, and serpents entering Eden, also occurs in [TOS: A Private Little War] which is an unconnected story except roughly in that it also deals with a Prime Directive issue.
