The Magicks of Megas-Tu

"The Magicks of Megas-Tu" was the eighth episode of Star Trek: The Animated Series, in the show's first season, first aired on 27 October 1973. The episode was written by Larry Brody, directed by Hal Sutherland and novelized in Log Three by Alan Dean Foster.

Summary[edit | edit source]

The USS Enterprise travels to the center of the galaxy. Here they discover magic and befriend Lucien. The people of Megas-Tu attempt to punish the crew for Humanity's past. Spock convinces the locals that the United Federation of Planets is filled with peaceful people. The crew is released along with their new friend.

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Log entries[edit | edit source]

Episode log entries[edit | edit source]

Captain's log, stardate 1254.4.: For years scientists have theorized that if our galaxy was created from a great explosion then the center of the galaxy might still be creating new matter. The Enterprise is now on a science mission to investigate. It's an awesome thought that we may actually witness matter being created.

Captain's log, supplemental.: In this incredible universe it appears to be part of the natural laws that belief is as potent a force as energy and matter are in our own.

Novelization log entries[edit | edit source]

Captain's log, stardate 5524.5.: For many years scientist have theorized that the galaxy was created by a great central explosion. If this was so, attendant new theories postulate that the galactic center may still be creating new matter. The Enterprise has the honor of being the first ship to attempt to penetrate to the heart of the galaxy. We will try to ascertain the truth or falsity of this and numerous other spatial hypotheses.

References[edit | edit source]

Characters[edit | edit source]

Episode characters[edit | edit source]

Arex Na Eth • Asmodeus • Christine Chapel • James T. Kirk • Lucien • Leonard McCoy • Montgomery Scott • Spock • Hikaru Sulu • Nyota Uhura • unnamed Megans • unnamed USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) personnel

Referenced only: Lucifer • Rhadamanthus

Novelization characters[edit | edit source]

Arex Na Eth • Asmodeus • Frank Gabler • Jacobs • James T. Kirk • Lucien • Leonard McCoy • Montgomery Scott • Spock • Hikaru Sulu • Nyota Uhura • unnamed Megans

Referenced only: Baal • Lucifer • Rhadamanthus

Starships and vehicles[edit | edit source]

USS Enterprise (Constitution-class heavy cruiser)

Locations[edit | edit source]

Science and classification[edit | edit source]

Technology and weapons[edit | edit source]

artificial gravity • artificial gravity compensator • battery • charting scanners • chronometer • computer • deflector • gravity detector • intercom • library computer • life support system • medical tricorder • megasphere • microwelder • phaser bank • sensor • starship • subspace radio • telescope • viewscreen • warp engine

Materials and substances[edit | edit source]

antimatter • atmosphere • blood • gas • hydrogen • love potion • matter • oxygen

Astronomical objects[edit | edit source]

binary star • blue giant • blue star • cepheid variable • G class star • matter-energy whirlwind • nebula • negative black hole • neutron star • nonspace • red dwarf • star cluster • trinary star • universe • white star

States and organizations[edit | edit source]

Starfleet • United Federation of Planets

Ranks and titles[edit | edit source]

advisor • captain • chief engineer • chief medical officer • commander • commanding officer • communications officer • doctor • engineer • Federation Starfleet ranks • Federation Starfleet ranks (2260s) • first officer • generalist • lieutenant • lieutenant commander • helmsman • medical practitioner • navigator • officer • scientist • science officer • second officer • specialist • technician • weapons officer

Other references[edit | edit source]

1691 • 17th century • air • alcohol • alert status (yellow alert) • anatomy • apple • astronomy • astrophysics • Bacchanais • beaming • Big Bang • Bones • boot • captain's log • captain's log, USS Enterprise, 2268 • century • checkers • chemistry • chicken • city • clothing • creation point • Denebian spider • desert • devil • drawing • electromagnetism • elf • emergency power • Federation members • film • five-year mission • galaxy • General Order 1 • goat • government • gravity • gumbo • helm • homeworld • hood (clothing) • horn • hour • humanoid • hurricane • jumpsuit • jungle • kilometer • language • lifeform • lightning • log entry • logic • love philter • magic • matter • memory • microtape • mystic symbol • mythology • nation-state • ocean • orbit • pants • planet • punchcard • quadrant • races and cultures • radiation • rank • Salem witch trials • satyr • sorcerer-contractor • space • soup • stable • star • star system • stardate • Starfleet uniform • Starfleet uniform (2260s) • stocks • supernatural • technology • tennis • tentacle • Third Law of Motion • time • title • toast • tree • tunic • uniform • universe • Vulcan chess • warp speed • weapon • witch • year

Chronology[edit | edit source]

years prior to 2269: Lucien visits Earth. (prior to episode/novelization)
13th century
1691
stardate 1254.4/5524.5, 2269 (2260s chronology, 2264–2270 Enterprise voyages): Enterprise travels to Megas-Tu.

Appendices[edit | edit source]

Related media[edit | edit source]

Salem was also featured in:

VOY novel: Cybersong

Origins of Christian figures were considered in:

TOS novel: Devil World
TOS movie: Star Trek V: The Final Frontier
NF novel: Being Human

The Great Barrier later featured in:

TOS movie: Star Trek V: The Final Frontier

Witches/wizards were referenced/seen in:

TOS episodes: "Catspaw", "Requiem for Methuselah"

Humanity on trial was also featured in:

TNG episode & novelization: Encounter at Farpoint
TNG episode & novelization: All Good Things...

Background[edit | edit source]

The stardate of 1254 is the lowest denominated number used as a stardate in an episode, preceding the earliest canon stardate of 1312 for TOS episode: "Where No Man Has Gone Before". This episode does not likely take place prior to that episode, however, based on the crew having newer uniforms and holding higher ranks and different positions than they did in that era. This is an early example of how, in canon, stardates are not sequential. Log Three revised the episode's date to a more plausible 5524, since the novelization contained sequential interludes between episodes.
In the novelization, during Spock's attempt to move a Vulcan chess piece with magic, he said, "for every action, let there be an equal and opposite reaction." He was stating Isaac Newton's Third Law of Motion, a scientific principle.

Images[edit | edit source]

Episode images[edit | edit source]

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Novelization images[edit | edit source]