In "Is There in Truth No Beauty?", the Enterprise is tasked with transporting an ambassador from a race who is perceived as so ugly, that just the sight of one by human eyes will cause instant madness. The Medusan ambassador Kollos is accompanies by a telepathic human aide named Miranda, who claims that her life of training on Vulcan allows her to see him without insanity ensuing.
A scientist aboard happens to be a scorned lover of Miranda's. In a fit of jealousy, he attempts to murder Kollos, predictably causing him to go mad. He takes over control of the engines and shoots the Enterprise out of the galaxy into a disorientating patch of space. Only Kollos's ultra-intelligent mind can bring the Enterprise back.
But he needs control of the bridge, something that is obviously infeasible. Spock must attempt a mindmeld with Kollos, merging the two men into Spock's body. Miranda feels a special connection to Kollos and attempts to stop this from happening. But Spock wins out and the two merge and help the Enterprise reenter the galaxy. Miranda sabotages Spock out of jealousy, trying to make him go mad. A now sick Spock needs a mindmeld with Miranda. Kirk is able to convince her to do it and everyone ends up back to normal. Kollos and Miranda are now linked.
This episode's plot is extremely clunky. I really enjoy the idea behind it but the execution is poor. The premise that something is so ugly it causes insta-madness is a bit laughable, so I prefer to accept that it has something to do with patterns of light like one user recommended. If we can look past this, there's something to this episode. Unfortunately it becomes extremely muddled in the middle. We also sit around having a philosophical conversation that really isn't all that deep or meaningful.
It's also aggravating how all the officers aboard the Enterprise fawn over Miranda like she's an Orion female or something. She shows little in this episode to make me buy into her character.
As it often happens in Season 3, this episode's plot is a significant issue.
A scientist aboard happens to be a scorned lover of Miranda's. In a fit of jealousy, he attempts to murder Kollos, predictably causing him to go mad. He takes over control of the engines and shoots the Enterprise out of the galaxy into a disorientating patch of space. Only Kollos's ultra-intelligent mind can bring the Enterprise back.
But he needs control of the bridge, something that is obviously infeasible. Spock must attempt a mindmeld with Kollos, merging the two men into Spock's body. Miranda feels a special connection to Kollos and attempts to stop this from happening. But Spock wins out and the two merge and help the Enterprise reenter the galaxy. Miranda sabotages Spock out of jealousy, trying to make him go mad. A now sick Spock needs a mindmeld with Miranda. Kirk is able to convince her to do it and everyone ends up back to normal. Kollos and Miranda are now linked.
This episode's plot is extremely clunky. I really enjoy the idea behind it but the execution is poor. The premise that something is so ugly it causes insta-madness is a bit laughable, so I prefer to accept that it has something to do with patterns of light like one user recommended. If we can look past this, there's something to this episode. Unfortunately it becomes extremely muddled in the middle. We also sit around having a philosophical conversation that really isn't all that deep or meaningful.
It's also aggravating how all the officers aboard the Enterprise fawn over Miranda like she's an Orion female or something. She shows little in this episode to make me buy into her character.
As it often happens in Season 3, this episode's plot is a significant issue.