History Recap / StarTrekS1E3WhereNoManHasGoneBefore

The ''USS Enterprise'', near the edge of the known galaxy, encounters an old-style ship recorder from the ''SS Valiant,'' a ship that disappeared 200 years ago in the same mission to penetrate the "galactic barrier" as the ''Enterprise.'' Spock interprets the recorder's message which indicates that the captain of the ''Valiant'' ordered a self-destruct on the ship after trying to access information on humans with extrasensory perception (ESP). The ''Enterprise's'' newly-arrived psychiatrist, Elizabeth Dehner, comments on the abilities of humans with high ESP ratings - abilities which don't normally go beyond mild precognition. Forewarned, the crew prepare to encounter a magnetic storm at the edge of the galaxy.

The ''Enterprise'' is crippled by a mysterious electric field, damaging its engines, killing nine crewmen and shocking both Dehner and Lieutenant Commander Gary Mitchell. Mitchell is taken to the infirmary where he has developed [[GlowingEyesOfDoom strange silver eyes.]] Being an old Academy friend of Kirk, the captain personally attends to Mitchell only to find that he has been speed-reading through the ship's library at the blink of an eye. Kirk and Spock consult the ship's records to find that Dehner and Mitchell scored the highest ESP ratings. Mitchell slowly begins to develop strange powers such as reading minds, telekinetic skills and clairvoyance. While Dehner is taken in by Mitchell's transformation, Spock recognizes that Mitchell is becoming colder, more ruthless and will develop powers beyond their imagination. Spock recommends that the ''Enterprise'' head to the planet Delta Vega where a lithium-cracking station could help repair the ship's engines. Bereft of humans, Mitchell could be marooned there. Either that or execute him. Kirk, torn between his old friend and what he has become, struggles with the decision.

Mitchell becomes more confident with his abilities as the ''Enterprise'' reach Delta Vega, commenting that he could read Kirk and Spock's minds, knowing what they have planned. Nevertheless, they succeed in incapacitating him for a moment and bringing him to Delta Vega, keeping him in a forcefield cell. Kirk continues to struggle with what to do with Mitchell, even as he becomes stronger while Dehner continues to speak of the possibilities of a new form of human. While the ''Enterprise'' is repaired, Mitchell escapes and kills [[RedShirt Lieutenant Kelso]] and incapacitates Kirk and Spock. He takes Dehner with her to the hills of Delta Vega, revealing that she too has developed the silver eyes, and therefore will have the same abilities.

Kirk is woken by the chief medical officer and goes after the pair. Mitchell demonstrates his powers to Dehner by creating a garden from nothing and remarks on what the two of them could do. He senses Kirk approaching and sends Dehner to meet him. Kirk and Dehner have an argument on what Mitchell has become. Dehner tries to defend Mitchell but Kirk appeals to the psychiatrist in her. Mitchell himself appears and easily brings Kirk down. Dehner sees how Mitchell has become inhuman and attacks him with her own powers. He retaliates and deals her a blow, but not before his power is sapped and Kirk attacks. A fistfight ensues and ends with Mitchell buried in the grave he had prepared for Kirk. Dehner shows remorse for her actions in her dying breath as she passes, leaving Kirk alone to return to the Enterprise.

* BridgeBunnies: Yeoman Jones...well, Smith, actually. Mitchell seems to know her well enough, as they're HoldingHands as tension mounts as the Enterprise approaches the barrier.

* ExplosiveInstrumentation: This being only the ([[Recap/StarTrekS1E0TheCage second]]) pilot episode of Star Trek, it marks the series debut of this much-worn trope, as the Enterprise's flight through the great barrier causes every single console on the bridge to start sparking or going up in flames. Justified somewhat on this occasion by the unknown properties of the barrier frying most of the ship's systems.

* InMediasRes: As in "The Cage", we open on the ''Enterprise'' already on assignment, with its current mission in progress, and the Captain already in command. Every subsequent live action series until ''Series/StarTrekPicard'' would open with the lead character being assigned a new position on a new vessel or station.

* PrematurelyMarkedGrave: Commander Gary Mitchell has gained tremendous psionic powers, threatening the Enterprise and its crew. When Captain Kirk tracks him down and confronts him, Mitchell causes a grave [[InstantGravestone and a headstone]] to appear. The headstone has Kirk's name and the stardates of his birth and (anticipated) death.

* ScifiWritersHaveNoSenseOfScale: The Enterprise goes out to explore the very edge of the galaxy, and its main engines are damaged, but it's okay because there's a planet a few light-days away with a mining station where they can make repairs. In cosmic terms, this is like driving out into the uncharted wilderness and breaking down right outside a gas station. (A light-day is approximately the diameter of the solar system; even in the denser parts of the galaxy, far in from the edge, stars are typically light-''years'' apart.) Then again, that "Delta-Vega" (obviously NOT about the star Vega, 23 light-years from Earth, "in the neighborhood" in the Star Trek frame of reference, and certainly NOT at the Galaxy's "edge") is visited VERY infrequently, and no personnel man the mining station, indicates its very remoteness. Somehow, the automated machinery can reliably maintain itself.

* KirkSummation: Directed at Dehner rather than Mitchell, who has pretty much gone off the deep end. Kirk reminds the doctor that for all his vaunted powers, Mitchell is still human, subject to human frailties.

** Kirk's tombstone gives his middle initial as "R" rather than "T." One of the novels explains this as an inside joke from Kirk and Gary's time together at the academy: Kirk once boasted to a girl that "Racquetball was his middle name" despite never having played.

* BridgeBunnies: Yeomen Jones...well Smith actually. Mitchell seems to know her well enough as they're HoldingHands as tension mounts as the Enterprise approaches the barrier.

* CostumeEvolution: The uniforms are largely recycled from those used in "The Cage," [[EarlyInstallmentWeirdness before the more iconic uniforms were used]]. The men have a turtleneck and the women seem to have an ascot-type collar. The color coding gave command a greenish yellow, operations a reddish-tan and sciences were blue.

* DrunkOnTheDarkSide: Initially Mitchell doesn't seem all that different, but as his power grows he becomes more aloof and arrogant. It's debatable if this trope, SuperpoweredEvilSide, or both are at play. The first time Mitchell loses his abilities, he seems to react as though he's waking up from a dream, unsure of what's been happening around him, giving the impression he's not actually in control of his actions. Then again, he quickly becomes much less like the Gary Mitchell we were introduced to as his powers grow.

** Initially there was no 'Space the final frontier' narration. This has been 'corrected' in the remastered version.

** It is never indicated whether Spock or Gary Mitchell is the First Officer. Neither is identified as such and both of them behave in a manner very peculiar to a NumberTwo. (In "The Cage", Spock had been the ship's third-in-command behind Pike and Number One.) Allegedly the script explicitly names Spock as the First Officer and of course he is for the ''rest'' of the series, so many viewers assume the same to be the case here.

** Kirk's tombstone gives his middle initial as "R" rather than "T." One of the novels explains this as an inside joke from Kirk and Gary's time together at the academy. Kirk once boasted to a girl that "Racquetball was his middle name" despite never have played.

** They clearly hadn't come up with Vulcans having telepathy yet. Spock is utterly unaffected by the phenomenon changing Mitchell and Dehner, and no suggestion of him using his telepathic powers to resolve the situation in any way. It's quite jarring considering how important Spock's telepathy is in later episodes and films. [[note]]Of course this could be explained as being due to some Vulcan ability.[[/note]]

* FaceRevealingTurn: Mitchell has apparently only suffered minor injuries...until he shows his UhOhEyes.

* FreudianTrio: Even before Bones arrives on the series we have this dynamic -- [[TheSpock Spock coldly arguing for Gary's termination]] while [[TheMcCoy Dehner]] emotionally pleads that Gary's ESP powers are harmless, and JustThinkOfThePotential of a human with such abilities.

Kirk is woken by the chief medical officer and goes after the pair. Mitchell demonstrates his powers to Dehner by creating a garden from nothing and remarks on what the two of them could do. He senses Kirk approaching and sends Dehner to meet him. Kirk and Dehner have an argument on what Mitchell has become. Dehner tries to defend Mitchell but Kirk appeals to the psychiatrist in her to recognize what Mitchell has become. Mitchell himself appears and easily brings Kirk down. Dehner sees how Mitchell has become inhuman and attacks him with her own powers. He retaliates and deals her a blow but not before his power is sapped and Kirk attacks. A fistfight ensues and ends with Mitchell buried in the grave he had prepared for Kirk. Dehner shows remorse for her actions in her dying breath as she passes, leaving Kirk alone to return to the Enterprise.

** It is never indicated whether Spock or Gary Mitchell is the First Officer. Neither is identified as such and both of them behave in a manner very peculiar to a NumberTwo. (On "The Cage", Spock had been the ship's third-in-command behind Pike and Number One.) Allegedly the script explicitly names Spock as the First Officer and of course he is for the ''rest'' of the series, so many viewers assume the same to be the case here.

* IceQueen: Dehner, but only from Mitchell's perspective. It's implied that she's putting up this front because of his reputation as TheCasanova.

* ScifiWritersHaveNoSenseOfScale: The Enterprise goes out to explore the very edge of the galaxy, and its main engines are damaged, but it's okay because there's a planet a few light-days away with a mining station where they can make repairs. In cosmic terms, this is like driving out into the uncharted wilderness and breaking down right outside a gas station. (A light-day is approximately the diameter of the solar system; even in the denser parts of the galaxy, far in from the edge, stars are typically light-''years'' apart.)

** The make-up on Spock is noticeably different from the rest of the show, giving him a somewhat comical appearance if you're comparing it to his "normal" look. He also wears command yellow rather than science blue. Scotty also wears a yellow command shirt.

** Spock mentions that "one of [his] ancestors married a human female", which seems an odd way of putting it in retrospect, since it was established early on that his mother is human.

** Mitchell is established as Kirk's best friend since their Academy days. This characterization would later be given to Bones and Mitchell will never be spoken of again in future episodes.
** It is unclear whether Spock or Gary Mitchell is the First Officer as neither is identified as such and both of them behave in a manner very peculiar to a NumberTwo. (On "The Cage", Spock had been the ship's third-in-command behind Pike and Number One.) Allegedly the script explicitly names Spock as the First Officer and of course he is for the ''rest'' of the series, so many viewers assume the same to be the case here.

** Spock mentions that "one of [his] ancestors married a human female", which seems an odd way of putting it in retrospect, since it was established only an episode or two later that it was his father who married his mother.

** They clearly hadn't come up with Vulcans having telepathy yet. Spock is utterly unaffected by the phenomenon changing Mitchell and Dehner, and no suggestion of him using his telepathic powers to resolve the situation in any way. It's quite jarring considering how important Spock's telepathy is in later episodes and films.

* CostumeEvolution: The uniforms are largely recycled from what was used on "The Cage," [[EarlyInstallmentWeirdness before the more iconic uniforms came in]]. The men have a turtleneck and the women seem to have an ascot-type collar. The color coding gave command a greenish yellow, operations a reddish-tan and sciences were blue.

Kirk, Scotty, and Sulu were introduced here, along with Spock as we know him (he was in "The Cage", but [[EarlyInstallmentWeirdness with some different personality traits]]). [=McCoy=] and Uhura were introduced in the first regular episode, [[Recap/StarTrekS1E1TheManTrap "The Man Trap"]], along with Yeoman Rand, while Chekov didn't show up until season two (though ''Film/StarTrekIITheWrathOfKhan'' implied that he was somewhere on the ''Enterprise'' as early as [[Recap/StarTrekS1E22SpaceSeed "Space Seed"]]).

** Mitchell is established as Kirk's best friend since their Academy days. This characterization would later be given to Bones and Mitchell will never be spoke of again in future episodes.

** Kirk's tombstone gives his middle initial as "R" rather than "T." One of the novels explains this as an inside joke from Kirk and Gary's time together at the academy. Kirk once humblebragged to a girl that "Racquetball was his middle name" despite never have played.

* FreezeFrameBonus: As Kirk and Spock are reviewing Mitchell's ESP record, it mentions an incident on Deneb IV where Mitchell held a psychic conversation with one of the natives. Later, Kirk and Mitchell mention the same incident, but Gary mentioning ''less'' after-effects, "except for the eyes."

** The ship needs ''lithium'' crystals to re-energize the ship, rather than ''di''lithium. This was changed early, similar to the weapons changing from lasers to phasers, to attempt an aversion of ScienceMarchesOn. Lithium is a known substance with known properties, dilithium [[{{Unobtanium}} is not.]]

The second pilot for the Original Series, produced after NBC rejected [[Recap/StarTrekS1E0TheCage "The Cage"]].

** The music soundtrack makes heavy use of eerie electronic elements that sound like they were borrowed from ''Film/ForbiddenPlanet''. The series proper would avoid "space music" in favor of conventional sounding (albeit memorable) orchestral elements in their composition.

** Spock punches Gary while trying to restrain him rather than using the Nerve Pinch.

Kirk is woken by the chief medical officer and goes after the pair. Mitchell demonstrates his powers to Dehner by creating a garden from nothing and remarks on what the two of them could do. He senses Kirk approaching and sends Dehner to meet him. Kirk and Dehner have an argument on what Mitchell has become. Dehner tries to defend Mitchell but Kirk appeals to the psychiatrist in her to recognize what Mitchell has become. Mitchell himself appears and easily brings Kirk down. Dehner sees how Mitchell has become inhuman and attacks him with her own powers. He retaliates and deals her a blow but not before his power is sapped and Kirk attacks. A rather lame fistfight ensues and ends with Mitchell buried in the grave he had prepared for Kirk. Dehner shows remorse for her actions in her dying breath as she passes, leaving Kirk alone to return to the Enterprise.

* EarlyInstallmentWeirdness: Given that this was the second pilot(but aired as the third episode), it really shows, from the less-detailed uniforms (and no red shirts!) to the lack of notable characters like Uhura and Bones despite both being on the previous two episodes.

* WhatMeasureIsANonHuman: PlayedStraight with the psychic Gary Mitchell, in a case of EarlyInstallmentWeirdness. Even before Gary has actually done anything threatening, Kirk and Spock are ready to kill him because he ''might'' be a serious threat if his powers keep growing.

* DrunkOnTheDarkSide: Initially Mitchell doesn't seem all that different, but as his power grows he becomes more aloof and arrogant. It's debatable if this trope, SuperpoweredEvilSide, or both are at play. The few times Mitchell loses his abilities, he seems to react as though he's waking up from a dream, unsure of what's been happening around him, giving the impression he's not actually in control of his actions. Then again, he quickly becomes much less like the Gary Mitchell we were introduced to as his powers grow.

Mitchell becomes more confident with his abilities as the ''Enterprise'' reach Delta Vega, commenting that he could read Kirk and Spock's minds, knowing what they have planned. Nevertheless, they succeed in incapacitating him for a moment and bringing him to Delta Vega, keeping him in a forcefield cell. Kirk continues to struggle with what to do with Mitchell, even as he becomes stronger while Dehner continues to speak of the possibilities of a new form of human. While the ''Enterprise'' is repaired, Mitchell escapes and kills [[RedShirt an engineer]] and incapacitates Kirk and Spock. He takes Dehner with her to the hills of Delta Vega, revealing that she too has developed the silver eyes, and therefore will have the same abilities.