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Aug. 2nd, 2012 12:14 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
dolariStar Trek: Phase II
"Kitumba, Part 1"
by John Meredith Lucas
Synopsis: The Enterprise speeds into the heart of the Klingon Empire to prevent the power behind the throne from launching a war that will destroy both the Klingons and the Federations, by trying to convince the emperor that there's more to life than fighting for honor.
The Good: This episode is just awesome all around. The Enterprise is sent to he Klingon Homeworld (in this script, called "The Sacred Planet" to attempt to convince their Emperor (the "Kitumba") to stop a war that his Warlord is planning. The Empire in Phase II isn't so much different than the Post ST:TMP Klingons, with only a few major differences. Klingons aren't a race, they're a title used by the Warriors. The Technos are the scientists and Subjects are the common folk (who actually live in, what the Klingon factions believe as, decadence). The Kitumba is their head of state, but mostly a figurehead. The Warlord makes the decisions and the then the Kitumba gives him the go ahead. If Kirk can convince the Kitumba to say no to the upcoming war, both states would remain aloof enemies, but they'll both survive. I had no problem envisioning the Klingons here as our new Klingons. And in fact, I had to fight to not see Ksia (the Klingon who enlists the aid of the Federation to stop the war) as Martok, the Kitumba as Duras' son, and the Warlord as Gowron.
Kirk is totally back in form in this episode, much of it spent by holding his own against Klingon customs. He refuses to prostate to the Kitumba, but, instead, bows. He fends off the emperor's bodyguards by using his judo chops and trips (which so impresses them and the Kitumba, the bodyguards ask him to do it again so they can try and figure out how he's doing it). When negotiations get tough, he kidnaps the Kitumba to his ship, not only so he can deal with them directly, but also so the Klingons won't fire on the ship. He goes through a little bit of Elaan of Troyus style "educate the savage" as well, although he doesn't get through very well.
With a lot of guest characters in this episode, it's Ksia, the Klingon who sets himself up as a traitor to his people in order to get the aid of the Federation AND sneaks them into Klingon territory, who is amazingly well done. He's playing a very Martok type character, where he's a Klingon Warrior burdened with the extra duty of diplomacy. He's obviously unhappy dealing with the enemy, and considers the Federation the enemy, no matter how much the crew tries to show him that they're accepting him as an ally on this mission. He knows how deep down the rabbit hole he is (he refuses to step on the Klingon homeworld, as he feels he is no longer worthy of that honor). In the end, he dispatches his duties, and himself...and much to the horror of the Enterprise crew, the Klingon's consider his honor restored because of his suicide.
Don't Mince Words Bones, What Do You Really Think: Holy wow. AWESOME.
The Bad: There's some opening and unecessary Cloak and Dagger at the beginning, that simply doesn't matter. Kirk, McCoy and a transporter technician report to the transporter room after being told there's a radiation emergency...but it all appears unecessary as once Ksia beams up, everyone just accepts him as there, and he has full run of the ship.
The Ugly:
INT. BRIDGE - CLOSE SHOT - KITUMBA, KIRK, XON AT VIEWSCREEN
The Kitumba is watching, his eyes half on the screen, half on Ilia, who stands near him, providing an obvious distraction. And Ilia seems more than willing to distract him.
KIRK
Lieutenant, Ilia.
ILIA
Yes, Captain.
KIRK
It is necessary that we get the
Kitumba on our side, but we
don't wan't too PERSONAL a
foreign entanglement.
ILIA
(sighs)
Sorry, Captina. I wasn't
thinking.
The New Kids: I'm noticing a theme here. Decker is, again, underused, being used to just reconfirm or re-explain to the audience. Kirk is still doing all the dirty work, leaving Decker as kind of a cruise control for the ship. "I'm going to go down to the planet and scout around and be all dashing. If I'm not back, self destruct the ship." "You got it!" Ilia, again, is also underused. In the last episode, she was the "sensual counselor" there to help Kirk get over Elsa (Let me caress your face and let Mama Ilia make it all better). This time, she's around for one reason - to be a distraction for the girl crazy Emperor of the Klingon Empire, the Kitumba. Not that she does it on purpose...she's just there to be told "stop that." Granted, the series bible referred to Deltans as a race that just exudes sensuality and uses sex as casually as we use handshakes, but yikes...I'm guessing she was actually going to be on the prowl in some of these episodes. Other than that, there's been almost no character development for these two in the four episodes I've read so far (I'll do a review of the pilot, In Thy Image and The Child, which I've had for a while, sometime later), but then, that's just four of the 13 scripts
Xon, though, gets to be awesome. While also being given the short shrift at the beginning, he has a separate subplot all of his own where he beams down to the "Sacred Planet" disguised as a Klingon, and doesn't just neck pinch a Klingon, but uses it to basically force him to help Xon. Appearantly, it's not just a knock out thing...that thing HURTS.
Favorite lines in the script:
KITUMBA
You are either an extremely
brave man or a stupid one. And
you don't seem stupid. Ksia
would never have picked a stupid
man.
KIRK
Ksia killed himself. To us,
that's stupid.
KITUMBA
That's a strange thought.
KIRK
We believe every life is
sacred.
KITUMBA
Every life must end. What's
important is that it end with
honor.
-=-
(After another Klingon requests suicide and it is granted)
KIRK
That is another soldier lost to
you. He did not die with honor.
He died a coward, running away
from his humiliation instead of
living to learn the technique
that could have made him a master
of a new defense.
KSIA
You aliens have a way of looking
at life that is...astonishing.
TARU
It is disgusting.
"Kitumba, Part 1"
by John Meredith Lucas
Synopsis: The Enterprise speeds into the heart of the Klingon Empire to prevent the power behind the throne from launching a war that will destroy both the Klingons and the Federations, by trying to convince the emperor that there's more to life than fighting for honor.
The Good: This episode is just awesome all around. The Enterprise is sent to he Klingon Homeworld (in this script, called "The Sacred Planet" to attempt to convince their Emperor (the "Kitumba") to stop a war that his Warlord is planning. The Empire in Phase II isn't so much different than the Post ST:TMP Klingons, with only a few major differences. Klingons aren't a race, they're a title used by the Warriors. The Technos are the scientists and Subjects are the common folk (who actually live in, what the Klingon factions believe as, decadence). The Kitumba is their head of state, but mostly a figurehead. The Warlord makes the decisions and the then the Kitumba gives him the go ahead. If Kirk can convince the Kitumba to say no to the upcoming war, both states would remain aloof enemies, but they'll both survive. I had no problem envisioning the Klingons here as our new Klingons. And in fact, I had to fight to not see Ksia (the Klingon who enlists the aid of the Federation to stop the war) as Martok, the Kitumba as Duras' son, and the Warlord as Gowron.
Kirk is totally back in form in this episode, much of it spent by holding his own against Klingon customs. He refuses to prostate to the Kitumba, but, instead, bows. He fends off the emperor's bodyguards by using his judo chops and trips (which so impresses them and the Kitumba, the bodyguards ask him to do it again so they can try and figure out how he's doing it). When negotiations get tough, he kidnaps the Kitumba to his ship, not only so he can deal with them directly, but also so the Klingons won't fire on the ship. He goes through a little bit of Elaan of Troyus style "educate the savage" as well, although he doesn't get through very well.
With a lot of guest characters in this episode, it's Ksia, the Klingon who sets himself up as a traitor to his people in order to get the aid of the Federation AND sneaks them into Klingon territory, who is amazingly well done. He's playing a very Martok type character, where he's a Klingon Warrior burdened with the extra duty of diplomacy. He's obviously unhappy dealing with the enemy, and considers the Federation the enemy, no matter how much the crew tries to show him that they're accepting him as an ally on this mission. He knows how deep down the rabbit hole he is (he refuses to step on the Klingon homeworld, as he feels he is no longer worthy of that honor). In the end, he dispatches his duties, and himself...and much to the horror of the Enterprise crew, the Klingon's consider his honor restored because of his suicide.
Don't Mince Words Bones, What Do You Really Think: Holy wow. AWESOME.
The Bad: There's some opening and unecessary Cloak and Dagger at the beginning, that simply doesn't matter. Kirk, McCoy and a transporter technician report to the transporter room after being told there's a radiation emergency...but it all appears unecessary as once Ksia beams up, everyone just accepts him as there, and he has full run of the ship.
The Ugly:
INT. BRIDGE - CLOSE SHOT - KITUMBA, KIRK, XON AT VIEWSCREEN
The Kitumba is watching, his eyes half on the screen, half on Ilia, who stands near him, providing an obvious distraction. And Ilia seems more than willing to distract him.
KIRK
Lieutenant, Ilia.
ILIA
Yes, Captain.
KIRK
It is necessary that we get the
Kitumba on our side, but we
don't wan't too PERSONAL a
foreign entanglement.
ILIA
(sighs)
Sorry, Captina. I wasn't
thinking.
The New Kids: I'm noticing a theme here. Decker is, again, underused, being used to just reconfirm or re-explain to the audience. Kirk is still doing all the dirty work, leaving Decker as kind of a cruise control for the ship. "I'm going to go down to the planet and scout around and be all dashing. If I'm not back, self destruct the ship." "You got it!" Ilia, again, is also underused. In the last episode, she was the "sensual counselor" there to help Kirk get over Elsa (Let me caress your face and let Mama Ilia make it all better). This time, she's around for one reason - to be a distraction for the girl crazy Emperor of the Klingon Empire, the Kitumba. Not that she does it on purpose...she's just there to be told "stop that." Granted, the series bible referred to Deltans as a race that just exudes sensuality and uses sex as casually as we use handshakes, but yikes...I'm guessing she was actually going to be on the prowl in some of these episodes. Other than that, there's been almost no character development for these two in the four episodes I've read so far (I'll do a review of the pilot, In Thy Image and The Child, which I've had for a while, sometime later), but then, that's just four of the 13 scripts
Xon, though, gets to be awesome. While also being given the short shrift at the beginning, he has a separate subplot all of his own where he beams down to the "Sacred Planet" disguised as a Klingon, and doesn't just neck pinch a Klingon, but uses it to basically force him to help Xon. Appearantly, it's not just a knock out thing...that thing HURTS.
Favorite lines in the script:
KITUMBA
You are either an extremely
brave man or a stupid one. And
you don't seem stupid. Ksia
would never have picked a stupid
man.
KIRK
Ksia killed himself. To us,
that's stupid.
KITUMBA
That's a strange thought.
KIRK
We believe every life is
sacred.
KITUMBA
Every life must end. What's
important is that it end with
honor.
-=-
(After another Klingon requests suicide and it is granted)
KIRK
That is another soldier lost to
you. He did not die with honor.
He died a coward, running away
from his humiliation instead of
living to learn the technique
that could have made him a master
of a new defense.
KSIA
You aliens have a way of looking
at life that is...astonishing.
TARU
It is disgusting.
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Date: 2012-08-02 08:10 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-08-02 09:19 pm (UTC)