"Amok Time" is an episode of Star Trek: The Original Series. It is episode #34, and first broadcast on September 15, 1967. It was repeated April 26, 1968. This was the first episode of the second season, and the first to air after the series moved to Friday nights at 8:30pm. It was written by science fiction author Theodore Sturgeon, and directed by Joseph Pevney. The starship Enterprise as it appeared on Star Trek Star Trek is a culturally significant science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry in the 1960s. ... September 15 is the 258th day of the year (259th in leap years). ... 1967 was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... April 26 is the 116th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (117th in leap years). ... 1968 was a leap year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1968 calendar). ... Friday is the day of the week between Thursday and Saturday. ... Theodore Sturgeon (February 26, 1918 Staten Island, New York - May 8, 1985) was an American science fiction author. ...

Quick Overview: Mr. Spock returns to his homeworld for a brutal Vulcan marriage ritual. Mr. ... Vulcans are a humanoid alien race in the fictional Star Trek universe who reside on the planet Vulcan and are noted for their attempt to live by reason and logic. ...

Spock battles Kirk to the death, for the love of his Vulcan mate in Amok Time.

On stardate 3372.7, Mr. Spock, first officer of the starship USS Enterprise, requests an abrupt leave of absence to his home planet of Vulcan after displaying several days of irrational behavior. Dr. McCoy witnesses one of Spock's outbursts, including the throwing of a bowl of Vulcan Plomeek soup specially prepared for him by Nurse Chapel, and agrees Spock needs some "time off". Image from Star Trek: The Original Series episode Amok Time © 1967 Paramount Pictures, produced by Gene Roddenberry. ... Stardate is the dating convention used in the fictional Star Trek universe. ... This article is about the vehicle for interstellar travel. ... The starship Enterprise (NX-01). ... Vulcans are a humanoid species in the fictional Star Trek universe who reside on the planet Vulcan and are noted for their attempt to live by reason and logic. ... Leonard Horatio McCoy, M.D., nicknamed Bones, is a fictional character in the fictional Star Trek universe, played by the late DeForest Kelley. ... Christine Chapel is a fictional character in the Star Trek universe, played by Majel Barrett, the wife of Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry. ...

Captain Kirk is baffled by the strange behavior, but honors Spock's request and diverts the Enterprise to Vulcan. Soon however, Kirk receives a priority signal with orders to proceed to Altair VI to represent the Federation at a coronation ceremony for the planet's new monarch. Kirk tells Spock his leave will have to be delayed. As soon as Kirk leaves the bridge, Spock orders a course change back to Vulcan. James Tiberius Kirk, a fictional character in the Star Trek television series, was the captain of the Starship Enterprise (NCC-1701 and NCC-1701-A). ... In the fictional Star Trek universe, the United Federation of Planets is a federation of more than 150 member planets and thousands of colonies, based in the Alpha and Beta Quadrants of the Milky Way galaxy. ...

When Kirk discovers Spock's violation of a direct order, he has him confined to sickbay for a full examination. Once there, Dr. McCoy discovers Spock's blood chemistry is extremely active and has the presence of unknown hormones. If the condition persists, Spock may die in eight days from the physical and psychological stress. Spock does not wish to discuss what is currently affecting him, but Kirk demands an explanation. A sick bay is a nautical term for the location in a ship that is used for medical purposes[1]. Categories: Stub ...

Seemingly embarrassed, Spock informs that his condition is called Pon farr, a very personal biological syndrome that all Vulcan males painfully endure every seven years of their adult life. During this time they must seek out a Vulcan mate. Spock compares his need to return to Vulcan to the need for eel birds of Regulus to return every eleven years to the caverns where they hatched, and also to salmon of Earth who must return to the stream where they were born in order to spawn. Kirk gets the idea that it is essentially Spock's mating season. Pon farr is a condition in the fictional Star Trek universe that induces the desire to mate in an adult Vulcan. ... The Chinook or King Salmon is the largest salmon in North America and can grow up to 58 long and 126 pounds. ... Earth, also known as the Earth, Terra, and (mostly in the 19th century) Tellus, is the third planet outward from the Sun. ...

Kirk contacts Admiral Komack at Starfleet Command Sector 9, and requests permission to divert to Vulcan. The Admiral denies permission, but Kirk ignores the order, arguing there are already three other starships attending the Altair VI ceremony. In the meantime Spock has another outburst, where he smashes a display screen when Lt. Uhura tries to contact him. Spock seems to calm down once he learns Kirk is doing what he can. Admiral Komack, the first Starfleet Admiral to appear in Star Trek Admiral Komack is a character of the Star Trek universe who holds the distinction of being the first Admiral to ever appear in a Star Trek production. ... Starfleet Command In the Star Trek fictional universe, Starfleet is the defense, research, diplomacy, and exploration force of the United Federation of Planets. ... This article is about the vehicle for interstellar travel. ... Commander Uhura is a character from the fictional Star Trek universe and was played by Nichelle Nichols on Star Trek: The Original Series and the first six Star Trek movies. ...

The Enterprise finally arrives at Vulcan, and Spock invites Kirk and Dr. McCoy to accompany him to the surface. Once there, Kirk comments on Vulcan's extremely harsh environment and its thinner than Earth's atmosphere.

Spock explains to them that Vulcans are married as children with the understanding that they will fulfill this commitment when they become adults. His bride T'Pring, who was betrothed to him at the age of 7, awaits him. He must enter Kunat kalifee, the Vulcan marriage ceremony. TPring is a fictional character in the Star Trek: TOS universe. ... The kunat kalifee (Vulcan term, roughly translated as marriage or challenge) is a ritual which all Vulcan couples must endure at their marriage ceremony. ...

T'Pau, a highly respected member of Vulcan society, and best known as the only person to ever turn down a seat in the Federation Council, will conduct the ceremony. Kirk is let off the hook for disobeying orders when Starfleet retroactively grants permission to divert to Vulcan at the T'Pau's request. TPau as a young woman as played by Kara Zediker in Star Trek: Enterprise. ... In the fictional Star Trek universe, the United Federation of Planets is a federation of more than 150 member planets and thousands of colonies, based in the Alpha and Beta Quadrants of the Milky Way galaxy. ...

T'Pring announces that she would rather marry Stonn, a pure-blooded Vulcan, and evokes her customary right to a physical challenge between Spock and Stonn. But instead, she picks Kirk to be her challenger to fight Spock. After learning that another champion will be chosen if Kirk declines the challenge, Kirk accepts battle with Spock, but he doesn't realize that the fight is to the death.

The duel pains Spock, but both accept the challenge. Regardless of Spock's condition, he displays superior strength and agility. Kirk on the other hand is weakened by Vulcan's thinner atmosphere and must struggle harder against Spock's strength. McCoy objects to the combat telling T'Pau that Kirk is seriously disadvantaged, and suggests he inject Kirk with a tri-ox compound to compensate. T'Pau allows the injection, but McCoy actually injects the Captain with a neuroparalyzer drug that will simulate death. The combat continues and Spock slams Kirk down, to which the Captain simply drops "dead". McCoy pronounces the Captain dead and has his body quickly beamed back to the Enterprise.

With the battle over, Spock now realizes his urge to marry T'Pring cost the life of his Captain. He gives up his claim on her and sadly returns to the ship. Upon his arrival however, he finds his Captain alive and well and exerts a overjoyed smile (unusual for a normally emotionless Vulcan). McCoy and Kirk then explain their ruse to Spock, and Spock explains T'Pring knew Kirk would have a disadvantage and chose him to guarantee her marriage to Stonn, and that is a woman he doesn't wish to marry.

Trivia

• T'Pau would be referenced in an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation by way of a starship bearing her name. She would appear on the holodeck in the Star Trek: Voyager episode "Darkling". The character herself would appear decades later in the Star Trek: Enterprise episodes "Awakening" and "Kir'Shara". Since these episodes take place more than a century before "Amok Time" the character is portrayed as a young woman, and by a different actress (Kara Zediker).

• This episode marks the first time that a Starfleet Admiral appears in a Star Trek production. The Admiral in the episode was known as "Admiral Komack".

The title as it appeared in most episodes opening credits. ... The starship Voyager (NCC-74656), an Intrepid-class starship. ... The starship Enterprise (NX-01) Star Trek: Enterprise is a science fiction television series set in the Star Trek universe. ... Kara Zediker Kara Zediker is an American actress. ... Admiral is a word from the Arabic term Amir-al-bahr (Lord of the bay). ... Admiral Komack, the first Starfleet Admiral to appear in Star Trek Admiral Komack is a character of the Star Trek universe who holds the distinction of being the first Admiral to ever appear in a Star Trek production. ...

External Links

• Amok Time article at Memory Alpha, a Star Trek wiki