A Private Little War

Last updated
"A Private Little War"
Star Trek: The Original Series episode
Episode no.Season 2
Episode 19
Directed by Marc Daniels
Story by Jud Crucis
Teleplay by Gene Roddenberry
Featured music Gerald Fried
Cinematography by Jerry Finnerman
Production code045
Original air dateFebruary 2, 1968 (1968-02-02)
Guest appearances
Episode chronology
← Previous
"The Immunity Syndrome"		Next →
"Return to Tomorrow"
Star Trek: The Original Series season 2
List of episodes

"A Private Little War" is the nineteenth episode of the second season of the American science fiction television series Star Trek . Written by Gene Roddenberry, based on a story by Don Ingalls (under the pseudonym Jud Crucis), and directed by Marc Daniels, [1] it was first broadcast on February 2, 1968.

Contents

In the episode, the crew of the Enterprise discovers Klingon interference in the development of a formerly peaceful planet and joins them in what becomes an arms race.

Plot

The Federation starship USS Enterprise orbits the planet Neural, a primitive world that Captain Kirk has visited before. On the planet, Kirk and First Officer Spock notice a group of villagers apparently preparing an ambush. Kirk is surprised to see them with firearms, and their quarry seems to be a group of Hill People, one of whom, Tyree, Kirk recognizes. Forbidden to use phasers, Kirk throws a rock toward the villagers, causing one of their guns to go off. A chase ensues and Spock is shot.

Once back aboard the Enterprise, Spock is taken to sickbay. Sensors detect a Klingon vessel in orbit around the planet, and Kirk suspects the Klingons of having supplied the firearms to the villagers.

Kirk returns with McCoy, both in native dress, to investigate. The two are attacked by an indigenous creature called a Mugato, [note 1] which bites Kirk with its venomous fangs before McCoy can kill it with his phaser. McCoy is unable to call for help, as the Enterprise has left orbit to avoid detection by the Klingons.

A friendly group of Hill People arrive and take Kirk and McCoy to their camp, where Kirk discovers that his friend Tyree is now their leader. Tyree is married to Nona, a Kahn-ut-tu woman who can cure the mugato bite. Nona has been urging Tyree to acquire firearms for their tribe.

On hearing of Kirk's arrival, Nona enters the cave and spies McCoy using his phaser to heat rocks. Nona is intrigued and quizzes Tyree about the mysterious guests. She then proceeds to treat Kirk, pressing a mahko root into his injury with her hand which was cut with a knife just before the ritual began. At the conclusion of the ritual she claims that Kirk is now hers, and Tyree explains that, according to legend, he will be unable to refuse her anything as a result of the treatment. The injuries to Kirk and her hand are shown to be completely healed.

When Kirk recovers, he asks Tyree about the villagers' weapons. Tyree says he saw them for the first time a year ago and believed the villagers were making them. Kirk and McCoy decide to reconnoiter the village that night. Once there, they locate a forge in which they find a chrome steel drill and virtually carbon-free iron, evidence of outsiders' involvement. Soon a Klingon appears with the village leader, who discuss the manufacture of improved weapons. Kirk and McCoy surprise and overpower them, taking a flintlock weapon and escaping with Tyree's help.

The next day, Kirk shows the Hill People how to use the weapon, but Tyree refuses to handle it. McCoy protests, but Kirk counters that both warring parties must be put on an equal footing if both are to survive.

Nona tries to seduce Kirk with the help of local herbs. A mugato attacks Nona and Kirk disintegrates it with his phaser. Nona then knocks Kirk unconscious, flees with the phaser, and coming upon a group of villagers, offers them the weapon. Not believing her story, they assault her. When Kirk, McCoy, and Tyree appear, the villagers believe she has led them into a trap, and kill her. The two groups fight and the villagers run away.

Tyree now demands more "fire stick" weapons to avenge his wife's death. Kirk reluctantly orders Scott to manufacture and beam down a hundred flintlocks for the tribesmen. Scott questions the unusual order, and Kirk answers, "A hundred ... Serpents for the Garden of Eden."

Production and reception

This episode has been analyzed as an allegory for the United States' involvement in the Vietnam War, in both the 1997 book, Inside Star Trek: The Real Story, [2] and a 2016 The New Yorker article. [3]

Don Ingalls' first draft of the script had specific references to the Vietnam War, such as Mongolian-type clothes and a character described as a "Ho Chi Minh" type. Other early ideas included Kirk's friendship with Tyree developing completely during Kirk's second visit to the planet and a personal conflict between Kirk and Krell the Klingon. [4] Eugene Myers and Torie Atkinson of Tor.com argue that the episode is sexist in its presentation of Nona, and that the episode, in trying too hard to be an allegory for the war in Vietnam, fails to find a peaceful, Star Trek, solution to the problem. [5]

The episode credit title shows "Gumato" as this was the creature's original name.

In 2017, Den of Geek ranked Mugato the 43rd best aliens of the Star Trek franchise. [6]

In 2017, Inverse recommended "A Private Little War" as "essential watching" for Star Trek: Discovery . [7]

In 2018, Collider ranked this episode the 14th best original series episode. [8]

In September 2021 the Mugato is featured in 'Mugato, Gumato', the fourth episode of the second season of Star Trek: Lower Decks .

Notes

  1. ↑ A horned white-furred gorilla-like creature, pronounced "mu-GAHT-u".

The Mugato was originally named The Gumato and is shown as such in episode credit

Related Research Articles

The Star Trek fictional universe contains a variety of weapons, ranging from missiles to melee. The Star Trek franchise consists mainly of several multi-season television shows and a dozen movies, as well as various video games and inspired merchandise. Many aspects of the Star Trek universe impact modern popular culture, especially its fictitious terminology and the concept of weaponry on spacecraft. The franchise has had a widespread influence on its audiences from the late 20th to early 21st century. Notably, Star Trek's science fiction concepts have been studied by real scientists; NASA described it in relation to the real world as "entertaining combination of real science, imaginary science gathered from lots of earlier stories, and stuff the writers make up week-by-week to give each new episode novelty." For example, NASA noted that the Star Trek "phasers" were a fictional extrapolation of real-life lasers, and compared them to real-life microwave based weapons that have a stunning effect.

<i>Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country</i> 1991 film directed by Nicholas Meyer

Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country is a 1991 American science fiction film directed by Nicholas Meyer, who directed the second Star Trek film, The Wrath of Khan. It is the sixth feature film based on the 1966–1969 Star Trek television series. Taking place after the events of Star Trek V: The Final Frontier, it is the final film featuring the entire main cast of the original television series. The destruction of the Klingon moon Praxis leads the Klingon Empire to pursue peace with their longtime adversary, the Federation; the crew of the Federation starship USS Enterprise must race against unseen conspirators with a militaristic agenda.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Trouble with Tribbles</span> 15th episode of the 2nd season of Star Trek: The Original Series

"The Trouble with Tribbles" is the fifteenth episode of the second season of the American science fiction television series Star Trek. Written by David Gerrold and directed by Joseph Pevney, it was first broadcast on December 29, 1967. In this comic episode, the starship Enterprise visits a space station that soon becomes overwhelmed by rapidly reproducing small furry creatures called "tribbles."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Christine Chapel</span> Star Trek character

Christine Chapel is a fictional character who appears in all three seasons of the American science fiction television series Star Trek: The Original Series, as well as Star Trek: The Animated Series and the films Star Trek: The Motion Picture and Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home. Portrayed by Majel Barrett, she was the ship's nurse on board the Starfleet starship USS Enterprise. A younger version of Chapel appears in the 2022 series Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, portrayed by Jess Bush.

"More Tribbles, More Troubles" is the fifth episode of the first season of the animated American science fiction television series Star Trek. It first aired in the NBC Saturday morning lineup on October 6, 1973, and was written by David Gerrold as a sequel to his Original Series episode "The Trouble with Tribbles". It features actor Stanley Adams reprising his role of trader Cyrano Jones, and the return of the fuzzy, rapidly reproducing creatures called tribbles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Devil in the Dark</span> 25th episode of the 1st season of Star Trek: The Original Series

"The Devil in the Dark" is the twenty-fifth episode of the first season of the American science fiction television series Star Trek. Written by Gene L. Coon and directed by Joseph Pevney, the episode first aired on March 9, 1967.

"Friday's Child" is the eleventh episode of the second season of the American science fiction television series Star Trek. Written by D.C. Fontana and directed by Joseph Pevney, it was first broadcast December 1, 1967.

"Wolf in the Fold" is the fourteenth episode of the second season of the American science fiction television series Star Trek. Written by Robert Bloch and directed by Joseph Pevney, it was first broadcast on December 22, 1967.

"The Apple" is the fifth episode of the second season of the American science fiction television series Star Trek. Written by Max Ehrlich and directed by Joseph Pevney, it was first broadcast on October 13, 1967.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Gamesters of Triskelion</span> 16th episode of the 2nd season of Star Trek: The Original Series

"The Gamesters of Triskelion" is the sixteenth episode of the second season of the American science fiction television series Star Trek. Written by Margaret Armen and directed by Gene Nelson, it was first broadcast January 5, 1968.

"Return to Tomorrow" is the twentieth episode of the second season of the American science fiction television series Star Trek. Written by John T. Dugan and directed by Ralph Senensky, it was first broadcast February 9, 1968.

"Elaan of Troyius" is the thirteenth episode of the third season of the American science fiction television series Star Trek. Written and directed by John Meredyth Lucas, it was first broadcast on December 20, 1968.

"The Enterprise Incident" is the second episode of the third season of the American science fiction television series Star Trek. Written by D. C. Fontana and directed by John Meredyth Lucas, it was first broadcast September 27, 1968.

"Day of the Dove" is the seventh episode of the third season of the American science fiction television series Star Trek. Written by Jerome Bixby and directed by Marvin Chomsky, it was first broadcast November 1, 1968.

"The Alternative Factor" is the twenty-seventh episode of the first season of the American science fiction television series Star Trek. Written by Don Ingalls and directed by Gerd Oswald, it first aired on March 30, 1967.

<i>Spock Must Die!</i> 1970 novel by James Blish

Spock Must Die! is an American science fiction novel written by James Blish, published February 1970 by Bantam Books. It was the first original novel based on the Star Trek television series intended for adult readers. It was preceded by a tie-in comic book line published by Gold Key and the novel Mission to Horatius by Mack Reynolds, all intended for younger readers.

<i>The Ashes of Eden</i>

The Ashes of Eden is a Star Trek novel co-written by William Shatner, Judith Reeves-Stevens, and Garfield Reeves-Stevens as part of the "Shatnerverse" series of novels. This is Shatner's first Trek collaboration.

<i>Sarek</i> (novel) Novel by Ann C. Crispin

Star Trek: Sarek is a novel by A. C. Crispin, set in the fictional Star Trek universe. It is set shortly after the motion picture Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country. Ambassador Sarek of Vulcan discovers evidence of a complicated plot to cripple the United Federation of Planets; he must work to find out who is behind it while also coming to terms with the death of his human wife, Amanda Grayson. A secondary storyline follows the adventures of Peter Kirk, nephew of James T. Kirk, who inadvertently becomes caught up in the enemy's schemes.

<i>Yesterdays Son</i> 1983 science fiction book by Ann C. Crispin

Yesterday's Son is a science fiction novel by American writer A. C. Crispin set in the fictional Star Trek Universe. It describes the events surrounding Spock's discovery that he has a son. Yesterday's Son and its sequel, Time for Yesterday, make up A. C. Crispin's "Yesterday Saga".

The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to Star Trek:

References

  1. ↑ Myers, Eugene; Atkinson, Torie (2010-05-13). "Star Trek Re-Watch: "A Private Little War"". Tor.com. Retrieved 2019-07-24.
  2. ↑ Solow, Herbert; Justman, Robert (June 1997). Inside Star Trek The Real Story. Simon & Schuster. pp.  356. ISBN   0-671-00974-5.
  3. ↑ Saadia, Manu (2016-09-08). "The Enduring Lessons of "Star Trek"". The New Yorker. ISSN   0028-792X . Retrieved 2019-07-24.
  4. ↑ Allan Asherman (1989). The Star Trek Compendium. Titan Books. p. 90. ISBN   1-85286-221-1.
  5. ↑ Myers, Eugene; Atkinson, Torie (13 May 2010). "Star Trek Re-Watch: "A Private Little War"". Tor.com. Retrieved 20 December 2021.
  6. ↑ "Star Trek: The 50 Best Alien Races". Den of Geek. 2017-10-12. Retrieved 2021-03-01.
  7. ↑ Plante, Corey (21 September 2017). "5 Essential 'Star Trek' Episodes to Binge Before 'Discovery'". Inverse. Retrieved 2019-07-23.
  8. ↑ Lesnick, Silas (2018-08-14). "The 20 Best Episodes of 'Star Trek: The Original Series'". Collider. Retrieved 2019-07-04.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.