The Time Trap

"The Time Trap" was the 12th episode of Star Trek: The Animated Series in the show's first season, aired during the week of 24 November 1973. The episode was written by Joyce Perry^MA, directed by Hal Sutherland^MA and novelized in Log Four by Alan Dean Foster.

Description

VHS teaser: The USS Enterprise pursues a Klingon vessel into an area of the galaxy known as the Delta Triangle — and both ships disappear in to a sector where time stands still.

Summary

Log entries

Captain's log, stardate 52[67].2.: We have just entered the Delta Triangle, a vast, uninhabited sector of our galaxy in which a high number of mysterious disappearances of starships have been recorded since ancient times. The Enterprise has been assigned the mission of surveying this area, and if possible, determining the cause of these disappearances.

Captain's log, supplemental. First Officer Spock recording.: We appear to be in an alternate universe. Position, undetermined. Captain Kirk has been transported from the ship by an unknown power. His present location also is undetermined.

Captain's log, stardate 5267.6.: We are in the final stages preparatory to making our escape from Elysia. We must make our escape by tomorrow, or our dilithium crystals will be too depleted and we will be trapped here forever.

References

Characters

Locations

Episode locations

Delta Triangle • Elysia
Referenced only: Orion

Novelization locations

Delta Triangle • Elysia
Referenced only: Earth (China) • Mount Olympus • Omega Cyna • Orion • Terratin • Verdantin

Races and cultures

Andorian • Berikazin • Cygnian • Gorn • Human (Scottish) • Klingon • Kzinti • Orion • Phylosian • Romulan • Tallerine • Tellarite • Edosian or Triexian • Vulcan • unnamed races and cultures

States and organizations

Elysian Council • Federation • Klingon Imperial Headquarters • Starfleet Academy • Starfleet Command

Science and technology

astrogation computer • astrophysics • chronometer • cloaking device • combination tool • commander • computer • deflector shield • detector • dilithium storage tank • disposal niche • disruptor • engine • intercom • library computer • life support • main computer • microcircuit • microtape • navigation beacon • phaser • phaser welder • physics • S-2 graf unit • scanner • sensor • spectrograph • subspace radio • transporter • turbolift • viewscreen • warp drive

Materials and substances

cell • ceramic-metal alloy • dilithium • gemstone • haggis • metal • ozone • plastic • wood

Units of measurement

century • day • decade • hour • kuvit • minute • second • sector • warp factor (warp six • warp seven • warp eight) • year

Ranks and titles

captain • chief engineer • crewmember • doctor • engineer • Federation Starfleet ranks (2260s) • first officer • gunner • helmsman • lieutenant • lieutenant commander • miner • navigator • professor • rank • science officer • second engineer • security guard • senior officer • speaker • Starfleet ranks • technician • warrior

Other references

alert status (battle stations • red alert • yellow alert) • alternate universe • assignment patch • atmosphere • banner • brain • bridge • briefing room • captain's log, USS Enterprise, 2269 • cat • communications • computer room • confederation • constellation • coordinates • dancing • diplomacy • drum • electricity • elephant • engineering • eye • f'korr • galaxy • god • government • graveyard • gravity • handshake • hull • immortality • Kalusian sand serpent • khaba dej' • library • log entry • logic • malachite tree viper • mammal • museum • music • nation-state • nightmare • peace • pocket universe • poker • psychokinesis • quarters • rabbit • races and cultures • space • space-time • starbase • Starfleet uniform • Starfleet uniform (2265-2270) • telepathy • tentacle • time • treaty • universe • war

Appendices

Background

Images of the various lost ships in Elysia, including the SS Bonaventure, were chosen from more than 100 rejected ship designs developed by storyboard artist Bob Kline for the insectoid pod ship seen in "Beyond the Farthest Star". (TAS reference: The Official Guide to The Animated Series, Bob Kline Interview, part 1 and part 2 at the Saturday Morning Trek podcast)
At least two classes of starship seen in Elysia also appeared in orbit of the Vedala asteroid in "The Jihad", suggesting those might be Nasat, Skorr, or Vedala vessels.
The felinoid councilor was identified as a Kzin in drafts of the script and storyboard artwork. It may have been an early design concept for the species, or a representation of a female Kzin, as it differed strikingly from the privateers seen in "The Slaver Weapon".
The Gorn and Klingon members of the Elysian Council were identified as Glind and Kelthos in SCE eBook: Where Time Stands Still, a sequel in which the USS da Vinci visited Elysia.
Commander Kuri was depicted using the same character designs as those for Commander Koloth in "More Tribbles, More Troubles".
The first draft script dated August 26, 1973 focused less on Elysia and more on the Klingons:
- Neither the Klothos, Enterprise or Kuri's ships fired weapons at the beginning of the story, noting instead that the Organian Peace Treaty was in effect and that the Delta Triangle was within a disputed sector.
- Kuri held the rank of admiral. He was known to Kirk, heavy-set, and covered with medals.
- The Elysian Council included a Zeon, an Ekosan and an M-113 creature.
- Kaz planted a bomb early in the story which Scott defused.
- Kaz and a technician in life support belts retrieved equipment from the IKS Klyx, a dead Klingon cargo ship trapped in Elysia for a decade. For this theft, the Klothos would be frozen for a century.
- Kirk broke up a fight between Bell and other crewmen with Klingons lost near a restricted area. Bell spoke the lines given to Frank Gabler in the aired episode.
- Kaz and three Klingon technicians sabotaged the Enterprise's sensor systems, then got sealed in and knocked unconscious when a fire broke out. Kirk tossed Kaz across Kor's dining room table in anger, demanding no more sabotage attempts.
- Kirk opened a bottle of champagne on the bridge after escaping Elysia.

Novelization

Alan Dean Foster seated the Elysian Council members in a different order than they appeared in the aired episode, and its composition was slightly different. He included Berikazin and Tallerine representatives, along with an Edoan, while not mentioning an Andorian or Tellarite, and clarified that three of the representatives were from races unknown to the Federation. Gorn was spelled Gorin.
When describing Elysia, Leonard McCoy mentioned the fable of an elephant graveyard, and was surprised when Spock got the reference. This was a trope of fiction, seen in stories such as Walt Disney's The Lion King. (Elephant Graveyard article at All the Tropes)
Spock mentioned that his mother enjoyed reading Earth fantasy novels and that he read the books as well. Their shared interest was also brought up in "Once Upon a Planet".
Devna danced sensuously to impressionistic music during the party, a performance that was only hinted at in the episode.
Kaz started a fight with McCoy as a distraction for Kali, whereas an unidentified male Klingon did it in the episode. In each case, it was instigated by saying Kali was "my woman". Set one year later, TOS novel: The Tears of the Singers revealed that Kali would marry Kor.
Kor reported to the Klingon High Command that he'd successfully destroyed the Enterprise, having been too far away to see that the sabotage attempt failed, whereas in the episode he realized it immediately and instead took credit for their mutual escape.

Timeline

published order
Previous episode: The Magicks of Megas-Tu	TAS episode produced	Next episode: The Slaver Weapon
Previous episode: Mudd's Passion	TAS episode aired	Next episode: The Terratin Incident
Previous story: The Terratin Incident	Log Four	Next story: More Tribbles, More Troubles
chronological order
Previous Adventure: The Terratin Incident	Memory Beta Chronology	Next Adventure: Where Time Stands Still (backstory)
Previous Adventure: The Terratin Incident	Pocket	Next Adventure: Where Time Stands Still (backstory)