STAR TREK: THE ORIGINAL SERIES
Season 3, Episode 4

And The Children Shall Lead

Series: Original Series - (1966-1969)
Season: 3
Episode #: 4
Production #: 60043-60
Original Airdate: 10/11/1968

Writer(s): Edward J. Lasko
Director(s): Marvin Chomsky

Guest Stars
Craig Hundley as Tommy Starnes
James Wellman as Professor Starnes
Melvin Belli as Gorgan
Majel Barrett as Nurse Christine Chapel
Pamelyn Ferdin as Mary
Caesar Belli as Steve
Mark Robert Brown as Don
Brian Tochi as Ray
Louie Elias as the 1st Technician
Jay Jones as the 2nd Technician

Uncredited Guest Stars
Paul Baxley as Lt. Freeman
William Blackburn as Lt. Hadley
Frank da Vinci as Lt. Vinci
Dick Dial as a Security Guard
Roger Holloway as Ensign Roger Lemli
Jeannie Malone as a Bridge Yeoman
Eddie Paskey as Lt. Leslie

Stardate: 5029.5

Synopsis

When the U.S.S. Enterprise finds that all the adults in the Starnes Expedition to Triacus have killed themselves, they beam to the planet's surface to investigate. The children, however, are alive and well and strangely oblivious to their parents' fates.

[ Complete Screencap Index ]

They are beamed aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise while Kirk searches for an answer to the strange occurrences. The children summon their "friendly angel" Gorgan, who tells them to take the U.S.S. Enterprise to a planet he can control. By garbling Kirk's words and deceiving Spock, the children are able to take control of the starship. Finally, seeing Kirk's anxiety at the loss of his ship, Spock realizes that something is wrong and helps the Captain regain control.

Kirk shows the children tricorder tapes of their parents ... and their graves, demonstrating to them that Gorgan is not a "friendly angel" but an evil force. The loss of his believers renders Gorgan impotent and he fades into oblivion.

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