Errand of Mercy

Did You Know?

• The 1988 song "What's on Your Mind (Pure Energy)" by Information Society samples Leonard Nimoy's voice from this episode.
• The same sample was used in the 2018 song "Dame Tu Cosita" by El Chombo and Cutty Ranks.
• Kor returned in the Star Trek: The Animated Series episode "The Time Trap" voiced by James Doohan.

Plot

The Federation and the Klingon Empire had broken off talks, so the Enterprise was dispatched to Organia, a neutral world sitting right on the Klingon border, to keep the Klingons from grabbing it for its strategic value. On approach, the Enterprise came under attack and destroyed a Klingon ship. When Kirk and Spock beamed down, they found a simple, peaceful village with no advanced technology. Kirk tried to convince Ayelborne, the local council leader, to let the Federation help them resist the coming Klingon occupation, but the Organians flatly refused to use violence. A Klingon fleet then entered orbit, and Kirk ordered the Enterprise to leave, stranding himself and Spock on the planet.

Ayelborne gave them disguises to avoid detection as the Klingons took over without a fight, putting their senior officer, Kor, in charge as military governor. Kor had Spock interrogated with a mind sifter to check if he was a spy, but Spock’s mental control held up. Kor then made Kirk the civilian liaison between the Organians and the occupation force. That night, trying to stir the locals into action, Kirk and Spock blew up a munitions depot outside town. Ayelborne promptly told Kor who they really were, then he and the council somehow freed the two officers just before the Klingons could torture them for information. Confused by the council’s mixed signals, Kirk and Spock watched as Kor ordered the execution of two hundred Organians, yet the council showed no concern.

As both Federation and Klingon fleets moved into position for a battle in the system, Kirk and Spock stormed the Klingon headquarters, hoping to spark a rebellion. They captured Kor and braced for a final fight. At that moment, the Organians revealed themselves as immensely powerful, non-corporeal beings. They instantly neutralized both sides and forced them to agree to a ceasefire, predicting that the two powers would eventually cooperate.

Production

Story editor D.C. Fontana thought the Romulans were more interesting than the Klingons, but the Klingons were chosen as regular adversaries because they did not need special make-up like pointed ears. The Klingons' dark-skinned, mustachioed look was John Colicos's idea, and make-up artist Fred Phillips agreed on a "Genghis Khan" appearance. Gene L. Coon's script described the Klingons as simply "oriental. Hard-faced." A view of a citadel at the beginning of Act One uses stock footage of the Citadelle Laferrière in Haiti, which was more cost-effective than the originally planned matte painting.

Reception

Zack Handlen of The A.V. Club rated the episode a B+, calling it "fun" but pointing out several logical inconsistencies. Hollywood.com considered it one of the finest Star Trek installments centered on the Klingons, highlighting how the warlike Klingons mistook the Organians for simple peasants. The same outlet ranked this episode 25th out of 79 in the original series. A 2018 CBR review of fictional Star Trek aliens praised the Organians as a formidable species, especially the council member Trefayne. In 2016, SyFy placed John Colicos's portrayal of Klingon leader Kor as the 13th best guest star on the original series; Colicos later returned to the role on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. A 2018 Den of Geek binge-watching guide recommended the episode as essential to the franchise's foundations.