WARNING: This thread WILL contain unhidden spoilers for this entry. Because this re-watch is in a slightly-subjective chronological order and not in production order, please refrain from talking about the content of other episodes or movies in this thread. If you do, please put that content inside spoiler tags. Some people here may be watching Star Trek for the first time.
#61: Star Trek: The Original Series, season 3, episode 12 "The Empath"
Written by Joyce Muskat, directed by John Erman.
Stardate 5121.5 (November 2268)
"You don't understand what it is to live." - Captain Kirk
The Enterprise is sent to evacuate a research station on Minara II. However, when they arrive, the station is deserted. As they begin searching the station, a massive solar flare threatens the Enterprise and Captain Kirk orders Commander Scott to take her to a safe distance and pick them back up when it is safe. Commander Spock plays the station's security recordings and they witness the researchers vanish one by one after hearing a high-frequency noise. Just as they see this, the landing party experiences the same high-frequency noise before disappearing one by one. They awaken inside a dark room with an alien woman who cannot speak. Doctor McCoy concludes that it's natural for her species and Spock deduces she is an empath. Without warning, two older alien men appear and immediately assert dominance against everyone with advanced technological abilities. Kirk, Spock, and McCoy are lab rats in some kind of experiment but they do not know to what end. Or why a frightened, empathetic woman is involved.
Originally released: 6 December 1968
"The Empath" on Memory Alpha (mirror)
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What did you think?
It was such a serious situation that McCoy tore his shirt.