History Recap / StarTrekS3E9TheTholianWeb

Everyone beams aboard the ''Defiant'' each wearing a HazmatSuit. It looks like [[EverybodysDeadDave Everybody's Dead, Jim]]. Seems like the captain of the ''Defiant'' was strangled to death by a disgruntled RedShirt, who [[TogetherInDeath is also dead.]] What's more, this entire ship including the dead crew members are starting to dissolve. And the transporter is on the fritz! Scotty manages to mend it up but says he can take only three at a time. Kirk bravely insists on being the last to beam aboard. Unfortunately, they can't get a fix on him. As Chekov observes, the ''Defiant'' disappeared and took the captain with her.

Shortly thereafter, aliens called the Tholians demand that the ''Enterprise'' go away. The now in command Spock insists that they will not leave until Kirk is rescued. The Tholians respond by opening fire. Spock, against Bones' suggestion, fires back. The Tholians decide to trap the crew there forever, and then reveal that this is a part of space where people tend to go insane.

Chekov and other crew members lose their minds. Kirk is declared dead after attempts to save him have failed. Everyone is going bonkers one by one. Bones is even nastier to Spock than usual, and to make matters worse, the Tholians are building the eponymous web in space using their jetstreams so they can't leave.

[[caption-width-right:320:Oh, well that's just ''great.'']]

Everyone is staring intently at the view screen. It seems a ship known as the ''Defiant'' has gone missing. And it's a good thing everyone was staring so intently at the view screen. Everyone can see the faintly green glowing ship, but it's not picking up on any sensor readings. [[CatchPhrase "Fascinating!"]] says Spock. Kirk decides Chekov, Bones, Spock and himself will beam over and check it out. But first, a wardrobe change! Everyone beams aboard the ''Defiant'' each wearing a chunky-funky HazmatSuit. It looks like [[EverybodysDeadDave Everybody's Dead, Jim]]. Seems like the captain of the ''Defiant'' was strangled to death by a disgruntled RedShirt, who [[TogetherInDeath is also dead.]] What's more, this entire ship including the dead crew members are starting to dissolve faster than [[Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration Denise Crosby's]] career. And wouldn't you know it? The transporter is on the fritz! Scotty manages to mend it up with bubblegum and Scotch tape but says he can take only three at a time. Kirk bravely insists on being the last to beam aboard. Unfortunately, they can't get a fix on him. As Chekov observes, the "''Defiant'' just wanished"--uh--vanished. And took the captain with her.

Shortly thereafter, aliens called the Tholians demand that the ''Enterprise'' get to steppin'. The now in command Spock insists that they will not leave until Kirk is rescued. The Tholians respond by opening fire. Spock, against Bones' suggestion, fires back. Fine, the Tholians decide. You don't want to leave our space? Then you'll just stay here FOREVER! Oh, and did we mention this is a part of space where people tend to go insane?

Chekov and other crew members go Cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs. Kirk is declared dead after attempts to save him have failed. Everyone is going bonkers one by one. Bones is even nastier to Spock than usual. How could things get worse?

Oh yeah, the Tholians are building the eponymous web in space using their jetstreams so they can't leave.

* BlatantLies: Spock and Bones flatly deny ever looking at Kirk's VideoWill. Tape? What tape, Captain? Kirk doesn't seem to believe them, but plays along.
* BlingOfWar: Kirk's medal from [[Recap/StarTrekS1E24ThisSideOfParadise ''This Side of Paradise'']] makes another appearance.

* ConflictBall: [=McCoy=] is exceptionally critical of Spock this episode, even by his usual standards. He says that Spock's first responsibility is to safeguard the crew, implying that they should not be trying to save Captain Kirk (but doubtless if they had left the area when they were able to, he would have raged about Spock abandoning the captain and having no human feelings). At least some of this is due to the madness-inducing effects of the "interphasic space" ''Enterprise'' is currently inhabiting.
* DeadManWriting: Kirk's taped message, though [[LikeYouWouldReallyDoIt he doesn't actually die.]]
* DoctorsOrders: Bones says "That's a medical order, Captain", when he insists on making a toast with Spock with the antidote.

* GhostShip: the ''Defiant''.

* LoafingInFullCostume: Averted. We finally get to see Uhura in civvies! She wears a very fetching red kaftan-inspired dress and is about to accessorize with a gold necklace when she starts having chest pains.

* SendInTheSearchTeam: How the whole mess started.

-->'''Spock:''' The renowned Tholian punctuality.[[note]]Nimoy came up with that line spontaneously and they [[ThrowItIn Threw It In.]] Theodore Sturgeon observed that the actors were so deeply into it that they would "speak their own lines," ad libbing in character.[[/note]]

-->'''Spock:''' Renowned Tholian punctuality.

* AbsenteeActor: A very Kirk-lite episode. Which is quite unusual, as Creator/WilliamShatner insisted throughout the show's run on having the most lines in every script.

* MenAreTheExpendableGender: ZigZagged. Initially, all of the dead ''Defiant'' crew we see are men, playing this trope straight. However the corpse of a woman can be seen in one of the compartments.