Star Trek: The Animated Series
"The Magicks of Megas-Tu"
Air date: 10/27/1973
Written by Larry Brody
Directed by Hal Sutherland
Review by Jamahl Epsicokhan
Wow. I didn't realize for all these years there was an episode of Star Trek documenting the entry into the center of the galaxy that was somehow even worse than Star Trek V. An episode that refers to the center of the galaxy as the "creation point" where the Big Bang (not referred to by name) happened. Where that "creation point" is apparently still — even to this very day in the 23rd century — creating things all these billions of years after the explosion. And where that creation point is a place of MAGIC.
Am I supposed to regard this as bad science fiction, bad Star Trek, or a bad cartoon? Maybe all three?
After arriving at the fireworks show that is the center of the galaxy, where the rules of physics and reality don't apply, and being sucked into the deep-space equivalent of a hurricane, the power goes out and the life support fails and everyone starts to suffocate. The ship is rescued by Lucien, a TOS-style superbeing who explains that the rules of reality are different here, and that he can control them in a way that resembles magic.
Lucien is a horned mischievous sort from the planet of Megas-Tu, and he brings Kirk/Spock/McCoy to his fantasy world of colorful acid trips and, well, MAGIC.
Furthermore, we learn, Lucien, and the other Megasans (Megans?), centuries ago visited Earth, where they served as advisers to humans. But eventually they revealed their MAGICAL powers to the uncivilized humans of the time and were burned as witches at Salem. Now, the other Megans want their retribution on Lucien and humanity, so they put the Enterprise crew on trial (in a re-creation of Salem where everyone is in the pillory). The question is: Has humanity improved since Salem? Certainly the framing of this question would improve by the time Q asked it.
Meanwhile, Spock discovers you can believe MAGIC into being and change reality at will. In fact, anyone can be a Megan. But not everyone (or anyone) can make this story make sense or seem like it wasn't the product of mass psychedelics.
Oh, yeah. Lucien has another name he sometimes goes by: Lucifer. Boom, roasted. ABRACADEVIL.
It should be noted that TAS's failures are definitely not for lack of storytelling ambition. Indeed, this is a pretty batshit crazy swing for the fences. But that doesn't make the execution any less ponderous or the narrative any less of a raving lunatic's mess. This is TOS-style history-raiding quasi-literate gibberish at its most patience-straining. Ponderous is the least of what I expected here, given the gregarious personality of Lucien. For an episode so pretentious and disjointed, it's surprisingly little fun.
Previous episode: The Infinite Vulcan
Next episode: Once Upon a Planet
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6 comments on this post
Fri, May 26, 2023, 7:56pm (UTC -5)
Sun, May 28, 2023, 9:32pm (UTC -5)
Tue, May 30, 2023, 8:20am (UTC -5)
Lucien's role in relation to the other Megans isn't totally clear -- is he supposed to be an evil or anomalous element? He certainly didn't have any evil intentions and may have been condemned forever had Kirk not shown enough compassion. But he is meant to look like a devil...
The problem with a 24-min. show is that resolution must be pat and Kirk convincing Asmodeus with the ship's records happens too quickly. But there are some good elements, including of the sci-fi kind here. The story didn't feel that interesting or realistic by Trek standards.
Wonder why they made the stardate such that this episode takes place before TOS, while every other TAS episode thus far takes place around the time of TOS S3. The Salem witch trials was an interesting reference point in history -- used as this was when the Megans visited Earth and were condemned as witches, warlocks presumably.
2*
Sat, Jun 3, 2023, 4:59pm (UTC -5)
Mon, Jun 12, 2023, 10:18pm (UTC -5)
Fri, Aug 25, 2023, 2:02am (UTC -5)
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