History Recap / StarTrekS2E6TheDoomsdayMachine

* ScienceMarchesOn: The air pressure aboard the ''Constellation'' is measured in Pounds per Square Inch. kPa (kilopasquel) is currently the preferred measure of pressure.

* TearJerker: Kirk begs Decker not to do what he's doing, but it falls on deaf ears.

* WhatMightHaveBeen: Scriptwriter Norman Spinrad originally envisioned Robert Ryan as playing Matt Decker. Ryan was unavailable, so William Windom was cast.

* AwesomeMusic: The music that plays when Kirk faces off against the machine sounds like the ''Film/{{Jaws}}'' theme doing a counterpoint to a more heroic musical sting. The music was re-used in the episode "Obsession".

* PureIsNotGood: The machine is made of pure neutronium. Whatever that is, it isn't good!

* WeaponOfMassDestruction: The eponymous Doomsday Machine.

Decker isn't taking SurvivorGuilt very well and takes command of the ''Enterprise'' upon learning that Spock would rather take logical steps than press forward and destroy the planet killer at all costs. Decker recklessly endagers the crew in his attempts to destroy the thing that killed his own crew. When Kirk finds out about this, he is not amused to say the least. He manages to talk Decker into giving command back to Spock and reporting to sick bay. Decker graciously returns command to the Vulcan, but doesn't go to sick bay as ordered. Instead, he steals a shuttlecraft, intending to shove it down the machine's gullet- with himself inside.

* [[DeadLittleSister Dead Little Starship]]: Decker takes the destruction of the crew of the ''Constellation'' very personal.

* SenselessSacrifice: Decker really didn't need to sacrifice himself to the machine.

* AwesomeMusic: The music that plays when Kirk faces off against the machine sounds like the ''{{Jaws}}'' theme doing a counterpoint to a more heroic musical sting. The music was re-used in the episode "Obsession".

The ''Enterprise'' is investigating the destruction of several planetary systems when they come across the crippled starship, the U.S.S ''Constellation''. The only person on board is Commodore Matthew Decker, the ship's captain. Through the disturbed captain's rantings and the pre-recorded CaptainsLog, Kirk and co. deduce that after the ship was severely damaged, the entire crew was beamed down to a local planet, the captain taking the duty of going down with the ship after seeing to his crew's safety. However, a planet destroying weapon constructed long ago by a long dead race destroys the very planet where the captain thought his crew would be safe, leaving him alive and grieving. While Kirk, Scotty and a small repair crew stay on board the ''Constellation'', Decker is beamed back with [=McCoy=].

Decker isn't taking SurvivorGuilt very well and takes command of the ''Enterprise'' upon learning that Spock would rather take logical steps than press forward and destroy the planet killer at all costs. Decker recklessly endagers the crew in his attempts to destroy the thing that killed his crew. When Kirk finds out about this, he is not amused to say the least. He manages to talk Decker into giving command back to Spock and report to sick bay. Decker graciously returns command to the Vulcan, but doesn't go to sick bay as commanded. Instead, he steals a shuttlecraft, intent to shove it down the machine's gullet- with himself inside.

They are unable to save Decker. He doesn't want to be saved. However, Kirk believes he had the right idea to destroy the device. He just needs something bigger than a shuttlecraft. Hmmm...this junked up starship that no one's using just might do....

* FirstNameBasis: Kirk used "Decker" when telling him to give command back to Spock. He switches to "Matt" when begging him not to kamikaze the Doomsday Machine.

Decker isn't taking SurvivorGuilt [[{{Understatement}} very well]] and takes command of the ''Enterprise'' upon learning that Spock would rather take logical steps than press forward and destroy the planet killer at all costs. Decker recklessly endagers the crew in his attempts to destroy the thing that killed his crew. When Kirk finds out about this, he is not amused to say the least. He manages to talk Decker into giving command back to Spock and report to sick bay. Decker graciously returns command to the Vulcan, but doesn't go to sick bay as commanded. Instead, he steals a shuttlecraft, intent to shove it down the machine's gullet- with himself inside.

* AwesomeMusic: The music that plays when Kirk faces off against the machine sounds like the {{Jaws}} theme doing a counterpoint to a more heroic musical sting. The music was re-used in the episode "Obsession".

* AwesomeMusic: The music that plays when Kirk faces off against the machine sounds like the {{Jaws}} theme doing a counterpoint to a more heroic musical sting.

* CatastrophicCountdown: Kirk as 30 seconds to get off the ''Constellation''.

Decker isn't taking survivor's guilt very well and takes command of the ''Enterprise'' upon learning that Spock would rather take logical steps than press forward and destroy the planet killer at all costs. Decker recklessly endagers the crew in his attempts to destroy the thing that killed his crew. When Kirk finds out about this, he is not amused to say the least. He manages to talk Decker into giving command back to Spock and report to sick bay. Decker graciously returns command to the Vulcan, but doesn't go to sick bay as commanded. Instead, he steals a shuttlecraft, intent to shove it down the machine's gullet- with himself inside.

* TearJerker: Kirk begs Decker not to do what he's doing, but it falls on deaf ears.

The ''Enterprise'' is investigating the destruction of several planetary systems when they come across the crippled starship, the U.S.S ''Constellation''. The only person on board is Commodore Matthew Decker, the ship's captain. Through the disturbed captain's rantings and the pre-recorded logs, Kirk and co. deduce that after the ship was severely damaged, the entire crew was beamed down to a local planet, the captain taking the duty of going down with the ship after seeing to his crew's safety. However, a planet destroying weapon constructed long ago by a long dead race destroys the very planet where the captain thought his crew would be safe, leaving him alive and grieving. While Kirk, Scotty and a small repair crew stay on board the ''Constellation'', Decker is beamed back with [=McCoy=].

* BeardOfSorrow: It's probably been a few days since the destruction of the crew of the ''Constellation'', as Decker has grown some hefty stubble. His unkept appearance makes him stand out among the clean and neat members of the ''Enterprise'' crew.

* Tearjerker: Kirk begs Decker not to do what he's doing, but it falls on deaf ears.

* MusicOfAwesome: The music that plays when Kirk faces off against the machine sounds like the {{Jaws}} theme doing a counterpoint to a more heroic musical sting.

They are unable to save Decker. He doesn't want to be saved. However, Kirk believes he had the right idea to destroy the device. He just needs something bigger than a shuttlecraft. Hmmm...this junked up starship that no one's using just might do....