Yesteryear (Star Trek: The Animated Series)
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"Yesteryear" is the second episode of the first season of the animated science fiction television series Star Trek. It first aired in the NBC Saturday morning lineup on September 15, 1973, and was written by veteran Star Trek writer D. C. Fontana.[note 1] "Yesteryear" marked the return of actor Mark Lenard to the role of Spock's father, Sarek.
In this episode, Enterprise First Officer Spock must travel in time to his childhood and keep his younger self from dying and being replaced by an Andorian on his ship.
Plot
On stardate 5373.4, Captain Kirk and Spock return from a time-traveling research project they have been conducting with the use of the Guardian of Forever and Starfleet historians. When they emerge from the portal, they discover that no one on board the Federation starship Enterprise recognizes Spock. Kirk and Spock are further surprised to see that an Andorian officer, Commander Thelin, has replaced Spock as first officer.
In the new timeline, history has recorded that Spock died at age 7 undergoing the Kahs-wan ordeal on Vulcan. However, Spock remembers that when he took the Kahs-wan, his life was saved by Selek - an adult relative - when a desert creature with poisonous claws called a la matya had attacked them. While Kirk and Spock were in the portal, the Guardian and historians had run a scan of recent Vulcan history. The pair quickly realize that as they were observing the birth of Orion at the time, Spock could not have been in two places at once to save himself as a child. Spock must go back through the time gate to his childhood, and save the life of the child he was. For his part, Thelin is supportive of Spock's efforts despite its consequences on his own existence and the officers respectfully wish each other long and prosperous lives in whatever circumstances the hopefully repaired timeline would put them in.
At first, this proceeds smoothly: Spock assumes the identity of Selek, a distant cousin of Sarek, and is welcomed into the home of Sarek and Amanda Grayson.[note 2] "Selek" journeys into the desert to find his younger self, and saves the boy. However, I Chaya - Spock's pet sehlat - has been gravely wounded and "Selek" sends the younger Spock back to fetch a Healer. Spock returns with the Healer who tends to I Chaya and informs Selek and Spock that there is nothing he can do. Young Spock is offered a choice: either I Chaya can be treated with medicines (but will live in obvious pain) or his pet can be allowed to die with dignity. Young Spock chooses the latter, and I Chaya dies peacefully. By making this choice, Spock has thus chosen the Vulcan way of life - logic and emotional control - and his elder self, successful in repairing history, returns to the restored present day, but not before teaching his younger self how to perform the Vulcan nerve pinch.
Broadcast
According to the DVD text commentary for this episode, Los Angeles-area stations aired this episode first, instead of "Beyond the Farthest Star" (the actual premiere episode elsewhere) because of favoritism allegations lodged by political opponents of George Takei, who was running for public office at the time. Instead of having to offer "equal time" to Takei's challengers, NBC stations in the L.A. area decided to air "Yesteryear" first, since it did not have any scenes with Hikaru Sulu (Takei's character) in it.[1]
Canonicity
- Several concepts that first appeared in The Animated Series episode "Yesteryear", including the Forge and the city of ShiKahr, were later included in the Enterprise three-part story that started with "The Forge".[2]
- In the 2009 film Star Trek, young Spock is bullied by three fellow Vulcan students in the same manner as is seen happening in this episode.
Notes
- ^ This story was expanded into a novelette by science-fiction author Alan Dean Foster as part of the collection, Star Trek Log One (1974) (ISBN 0-345-24014-6).
- ^ Spock's mother, Amanda Grayson, portrayed live on screen by Jane Wyatt, is voiced here by Majel Barrett.
See also
- "Journey to Babel" - an Original Series episode where Spock's parents, Sarek and Amanda, first appeared.
References
- ^ Text Commentary, "Yesteryear" as written by Michael and Denise Okuda, Star Trek: The Animated Series, Paramount Home Entertainment, 2006
- ^ "The script even owes itself in no small measure to the animated episode "Yesteryear" written by D.C. Fontana—when Spock goes back in time to meet himself as a child—and that is where the term "Forge" is first used. [...] Among other things, the Earth embassy is located in the city of Shi'Khar, which in "Yesteryear" is identified as Spock's hometown." Production Report: "The Forge" Begins Three-Part Vulcan Saga article at the official Star Trek website. URL retrieved 16 June 2007.