The Enterprise runs into a being which once visited Earth and influenced the Mayan culture.The Enterprise runs into a being which once visited Earth and influenced the Mayan culture.The Enterprise runs into a being which once visited Earth and influenced the Mayan culture.
Leonard Nimoy
- Mister Spock
- (voice)
DeForest Kelley
- Dr. McCoy
- (voice)
George Takei
- Sulu
- (voice)
- (credit only)
Nichelle Nichols
- Uhura
- (voice)
James Doohan
- Scott
- (voice)
- …
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThe plot point about Kukulkan actually being an alien life form was inspired by the Erich von Däniken book Chariots of the Gods, especially claims like Indian sites in Peru having actually been created by aliens as methods of communication.
- GoofsCaptain Kirk continuously mispronounces the name "Kukulkan" as "Kuklakan."
- Quotes
Dr. McCoy: There's a line from Shakespeare...
Captain Kirk: Yes, Bones, I remember it: "How sharper than a serpent's tooth it is to have a thankless child."
Mr. Spock: Indeed, Captain.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Drawn to the Final Frontier (2006)
Featured review
Powerful point for diversity
All evidence indicates that humans have an instinctual desire to create gods. Many of these creations, such as the Greek gods, are based on humans with greater powers, yet still captive to human emotions. However, there are some that are not augmented humans.
Some of the gods of the Natives of Central and South America were not derived from humans, many of them were essentially of animal form. One specific example is Kukulkan, worshiped by the Mayas and depicted as a feathered serpent. Another origin theory for the human development of gods is that they were space travelers that landed on Earth and interacted with humans.
This episode uses a combination of the space traveling god along with the Mayan god Kukulkan. The Enterprise encounters a spaceship that has the shape of a serpent and it is recognized as Kukulkan by Native American bridge crew member Walking Bear. Kirk, Dr. McCoy, Scotty, and Walking Bear are transported onto the ship into what appears to be an ancient Mayan village. They are told that this is a test of their reasoning skills. It also becomes clear that the creature expects to be once again worshipped as a god.
The Enterprise crew members solve the puzzle while Spock is able to break the containment field holding the Enterprise. This combination overwhelms Kukulkan and it is forced to release the Enterprise and drop the pretense of godhood.
A Native American appearing on the bridge and being essential to the survival of the Enterprise is a powerful point in favor of diversity. Featuring a "god" that is not based on Greek-Roman mythology is another powerful point in favor of diversity. Finally, the "god" of the story has a non-human form, a cultural fact that is sorely neglected in western education.
helpful•10
- cashbacher
- May 5, 2020
Details
- Runtime23 minutes
- Color
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