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"Amok Time" was the 34th episode produced of Star Trek: The Original Series and debuted as show's second season opener on 15 September 1967. The story was written by Theodore Sturgeon and directed by Joseph PevneyMA. It was novelized in Star Trek 3 by James Blish and adapted as the last of 12 fotonovels in 1978.

Description[]

Once Loyal Friends…
Now Mortal Enemies
A wild frenzy suddenly overtakes the dispassionate Spock, crushing his Vulcan self control and pushing him to the brink of madness.
And Kirk is forced to face his closest friend in mortal combat. A savage battle from which only one can emerge alive to tell the fantastic story of... Amok Time.

Summary[]

McCoy notices that Spock is growing restless and has stopped eating. He also is becoming extremely irritable, throwing Nurse Christine Chapel out of his quarters and physically flinging the Vulcan plomeek soup she has specially prepared for him. After this outburst, he demands a leave of absence on his home planet Vulcan. Kirk is baffled by Spock's behavior, but orders the Enterprise to Vulcan. However, a priority message forces him to change course back to Altair VI in order to be on time for the new President's coronation. As soon as he leaves the bridge, Spock orders the course changed back to Vulcan.

Kirk orders Spock to sickbay, where Bones examines him and finds that if he is not brought to Vulcan within eight days, Spock will die due to extreme stress produced by chemicals being pumped through his body. When Kirk confronts him, Spock says he cannot tell the cause of his problem because it is a deeply personal affair. Kirk eventually cajoles Spock into revealing that his problem is "Vulcan biology," which Kirk correctly concludes means Vulcan reproduction.

Spock explains to them that Vulcans are married as children with the understanding that they will fulfill this commitment when they become adults. Spock has reached this time, the "pon farr," and if he doesn't get to Vulcan immediately to mate with his bride, T'Pring, he will die. Kirk jeopardizes his career by disobeying a direct order to the contrary from Starfleet, and proceeds with all possible speed to Vulcan. As Spock's friends, Kirk and McCoy are invited to witness the marriage ritual — the "koon-ut-kal-if-fee." The master of ceremonies is T'Pau, the only person ever to turn down a seat in the Federation Council.

Trouble starts when T'Pring announces she would rather marry Stonn, a full Vulcan. T'Pring invokes her right to have Spock fight for her. However, she chooses Kirk as her champion. Fearing Spock is too weak to fight Stonn, Kirk agrees. It is only then he is informed that it is to be a fight to the death.

The fight ensues and Spock quickly demonstrates physical superiority. McCoy objects to T'Pau that Kirk isn't used to the Vulcan atmosphere and climate. He asks to inject the captain with a tri-ox compound to compensate. T'Pau agrees and Kirk is given the injection.

During the fight, Spock apparently kills Kirk and McCoy accompanies the captain's body back to the Enterprise. Spock, his mating urges curbed by the knowledge that Kirk, his friend and captain, is dead by his own hand, relinquishes T'Pring to Stonn, but not before demanding to know why T'Pring chose Kirk for her champion; in a dazzling display of flawless logic, T'Pring explains that, as Spock's name became near-legendary among their people, she quickly grew disenchanted with the idea of becoming the mate of such fame and instead fell in love with Stonn. Since she could only divorce him through the challenge, and she didn't want to risk losing Stonn, she chose Kirk, knowing that he would not accept her as his mate should he win, and if Spock didn't release her for daring to challenge, his anticipated years of absence pursuing his Starfleet career would leave her alone to pursue an affair with Stonn. He solemnly returns to the starship. There he finds Kirk alive and well, having been injected not with tri-ox, but with a neuroparalyzer which simulates death. Here, he is overjoyed to find Kirk alive, betraying his emotion with a big smile. Kirk is let off the hook for disobeying orders when Starfleet retroactively grants permission to divert to Vulcan at T'Pau's request.

Episode log entries[]

Captain's log, stardate 3372.7.
On course, on schedule, bound for Altair VI via Vulcan. First Officer Spock seems to be under stress. He has requested and been granted shore leave. Ship's surgeon McCoy has him under medical surveillance.

Fotonovel log entries[]

Captain's log, stardate 3372.7.
The Enterprise is one of three Federation starships scheduled to attend the inauguration ceremonies of the new president of the Altair system. Our mission: a diplomatic show of Federation force and friendship.
Captain's log, stardate 3372.8.
On course, on schedule, bound for Altair VI via Vulcan. First Officer Spock seems to be under stress. He has requested and been granted shore leave. Ship's surgeon McCoy has him under medical surveillance.
Captain's log, supplemental entry.
In accordance with a signal from Admiral Komack, we have altered our course to head directly for Altair VI, precluding our stopover on Vulcan.
Captain's log, stardate 3375.5.
In orbit about Vulcan, Dr. McCoy and I have been honored by Mr. Spock's request that we stand by him at his nuptial ceremony.

References[]

Characters[]

Episode characters[]

Christine ChapelPavel ChekovKaren GreeneBill HadleyJames T. KirkJames KomackRyan LeslieLeonard McCoyMontgomery ScottSpockStonnHikaru SuluT'PauT'PringNyota Uhura

Novelization characters[]

Christine ChapelPavel ChekovJames T. KirkLeonard McCoySpockStonnHikaru SuluT'PauT'PringNyota Uhura
Referenced only
God

Starships and vehicles[]

USS Enterprise (Constitution-class heavy cruiser)
Referenced only
USS Endeavour (Constitution-class) • USS Excalibur (Constitution-class)

Locations[]

VulcanAltair VIEarth

Races and cultures[]

HumanVulcan

States and organizations[]

Starship CommandFederation Council

Other references[]

ahn woonbirdbeecudgeleelKah-if-feeKah-if-farrKlee-etKlee-fahknifeKoon-ut-kal-if-feeKroykahlirpamalletOrientalneural paralyzerpon farrplomik soupsalmonstonehengewar axwhip

Appendices[]

Related media[]

Adaptations[]

Video releases[]

Images[]

Adaptation images[]

Episode images[]

Publicity photos[]

Timeline[]

published order
Previous episode:
Who Mourns for Adonais?
TOS episode produced Next episode:
The Doomsday Machine
Previous episode:
Operation -- Annihilate!
TOS episode aired Next episode:
Who Mourns for Adonais?
Previous story:
Friday's Child
Star Trek 3
Blish3
Next story:
last story
chronological order
Previous Adventure:
Who Mourns for Adonais?
Pocket Next Adventure:
The Centre Cannot Hold
Previous Adventure:
Who Mourns for Adonais?
Voyages of the
USS Enterprise (NCC-1701)
(2264 to 2270)
Next Adventure:
Sonnet from the Vulcan: Omicron Ceti Three


Translations[]
1971
Japanese : 狂気の季節, translated by Tetsu Ito. (Hayakawa Bunko)
1972
German : Spock läuft Amok, translated by Hans Maeter. (Williams)
1973
Turkish : Uzayda Aşk, translated by Reha Pinar. (Altın Kitaplar)
1976
Dutch : Tijd van Amok, translated by Jan Koesen. (Luitingh)
1978
Italian : Tempo di uccidere, translated by Giuseppe Scarpa. (Arnoldo Mondadori Editore)
1991
Czech : Čas amoku, translated by Jan Pavlík. (Práce & Bonus Press)

External links[]

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