History Recap / StarTrekTheAnimatedSeriesS1E14TheSlaverWeapon

* SwissArmyWeapon: The Slaver Weapon has many settings, with only one or two useful as offensive weapons, the others being more utility functions, to the disappointment of the Kzinti. However, Sulu hypothosizes that this weapon was not a common combat soldier's weapon, but rather like a multipurpose device for an alien counterpart to ''Franchise/JamesBond''.

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* TelepathicSpacemen: Some Kzinti are telepathic.

* DolledUpInstallment: As mentioned above, it's "The Soft Weapon" relocated from Literature/KnownSpace to the Trekverse.

* {{Precursors}}: The Slavers, who existed and died a billion years ago, leaving behind stasis boxes and one supremely powerful weapon, but no user manual.

* SelfDestructMechanism: Having been placed in stasis during a war, the Slaver Weapon is reactivated by unfamiliar aliens who don't have the correct passwords. It's sentient enough to conclude that it's been captured by the enemy and self-destructs, [[TakingYouWithMe taking the Kzinti with them]].
* SwissArmyWeapon: The Slaver Weapon has many settings, with only one or two useful as offensive weapons, the others being more utility functions, to the disappointment of the Kzinti. However, Sulu hypothosizes that this weapon was not a common combat soldier's weapon, but rather like a multipurpose device for an alien counterpart to ''Franchise/JamesBond''.

* FantasticRacism: The Kzinti hate vegetarians, and their telepaths get a case of the screaming oojahs having to read their minds. Apparently thinking about even eating veggies makes them miserable.

* GreatOffscreenWar: The Federation and the Kzinti have had four wars since they first met. The furballs are on the losing side, given according to their treaties they're not even allowed guns.

* HiddenWeapons: To a degree, although the Enterprise crew notices that other than the laser, there are no other settings particularly useful as a weapon except for the total conversion beam.

* OutgrownSuchSillySuperstitions: Spock mentions some Kzinti have the belief that ancient weapons are haunted. Uhura has a good laugh at the idea the events they just went through won't help.
* PlotArmor: The Slaver Weapon blows itself up, taking all the Kzinti with it, leaving a massive crater and a huge hole in their ship, but Spock, Sulu and Uhura are all unharmed.

* ProudWarriorRaceGuy: The Kzinti. Spock banks on it when he escapes, knowing Chuft-Captain won't phone home for backup to deal with a pacifist vegetarian kicking his behind, [[ThisIsSomethingHesGotToDoHimself not without killing Spock first]].
* SeriesContinuityError: Sulu claims humans and Kzinti have been fighting wars for the last two hundred years... which would be one hundred years before mankind even got off Earth, even according to early Star Trek's spotty chronology.
* SelfDestructMechanism: Having been placed in stasis during a war, the Slaver Weapon is reactivated by unfamiliar aliens who don't have the correct passwords. It's sentient enough to conclude that this means it's been captured by the enemy and self destructs, [[TakingYouWithMe taking the Kzinti with them]].

A re-skin of Creator/LarryNiven's short story ''The Soft Weapon'', with Sulu and Uhura standing in for the Papeandrous and Spock for Nessus. The part of the Kzinti is played by... the Kzinti, who join the Trekverse because why not? As in the original story, the Kzinti capture the protagonists and confiscate the mysterious ancient artifact, set about trying to find out its secrets, and discover that the shape-shifting device has the devastating power to convert matter directly to energy. However, when the leader of the Kzinti, Chuft-Captain, tries to get the weapon to reveal the energy-converting setting again after it has been switched into intelligent-computer mode, the weapon, which was intended to be used by a special agent in a particularly merciless war, naturally concludes that it has fallen into enemy hands and instead configures itself for self-destruct. The Enterprise trio survive, the Kzinti are rather less fortunate.

* AscendedExtra: Because they were borrowed from Larry Niven (who loaned them to this episode as a lark), the Kzinti never appeared again in a ''Star Trek'' film or television episode due to licensing restrictions. However, they were still authorized to appear in the ''TableTopGame/StarFleetBattles'' gaming universe. They are one of the major interstellar races and an ally of the Federation (though more of convenience and political expediency than actual friendship like the Gorns), although, here, they do have their own warships, but spend most of their time fighting against the Klingons and the Lyrans. ''[[VideoGame/StarTrekOnline Star Trek Online]]'' also has an [[{{Expy}} expy]] of the Kzinti in the form of the Ferasan race, mentioned to be an offshoot of Caitians who allied with the Klingon Empire (and who's females are fully sentient). ''Series/StarTrekPicard'' would later formally introduce them into canon, with Riker mentioning some trouble with them. [[note]]Of course, this also begs the question of the [[Literature/KnownSpace Slavers']] canonicity in the Trek universe, as [[{{Precursors}} their existence]] would have a huge impact on the official history of the galaxy.[[/note]]

* CatFolk: The Kzinti

* AscendedExtra: Because they were borrowed from Larry Niven (who loaned them to this episode as a lark), the Kzinti never appeared again in a ''Star Trek'' film or television episode due to licensing restrictions. However, they were still authorized to appear in the ''TableTopGame/StarFleetBattles'' gaming universe. They are one of the major interstellar races and an ally of the Federation (though more of convenience and political expediency than actual friendship like the Gorns), although, here, they do have their own warships, but spend most of their time fighting against the Klingons and the Lyrans. ''[[VideoGame/StarTrekOnline Star Trek Online]]'' also has an [[{{Expy}} expy]] of the Kzinti in the form of the Ferasan race, mentioned to be an offshoot of Caitians who allied with the Klingon Empire (and who's females are fully sentient). ''Series/StarTrekPicard'' would later formally introduce them into canon, with Riker mentioning some trouble with them. [[note]]Of course, this also begs the question of the Slavers' canonicity in the Trek universe, as their existence would have a huge impact on the official history of the galaxy.[[/note]]

* AscendedExtra: Because they were borrowed from Larry Niven (who loaned them to this episode as a lark), the Kzinti never appeared again in a ''Star Trek'' film or television episode due to licensing restrictions. However, they were still authorized to appear in the ''TableTopGame/StarFleetBattles'' gaming universe. They are one of the major interstellar races and an ally of the Federation (though more of convenience and political expediency than actual friendship like the Gorns), although, here, they do have their own warships, but spend most of their time fighting against the Klingons and the Lyrans. ''[[VideoGame/StarTrekOnline Star Trek Online]]'' also has an [[{{Expy}} expy]] of the Kzinti in the form of the Ferasan race, mentioned to be an offshoot of Caitians who allied with the Klingon Empire (and who's females are fully sentient). ''Series/StarTrekPicard'' would later formally introduce them into canon, with Riker mentioning some trouble with them.

* AscendedExtra: Because they were borrowed from Larry Niven (who loaned them to this episode as a lark), the Kzinti never appeared again in a ''Star Trek'' film or television episode due to licensing restrictions. However, they were still authorized to appear in the ''TableTopGame/StarFleetBattles'' gaming universe. They are one of the major interstellar races and an ally of the Federation (though more of convenience and political expediency than actual friendship like the Gorns), although, here, they do have their own warships, but spend most of their time fighting against the Klingons and the Lyrans. ''[[VideoGame/StarTrekOnline Star Trek Online]]'' also has an [[{{Expy}} expy]] of the Kzinti in the form of the Ferasan race, mentioned to be an offshoot of Caitians who allied with the Klingon Empire (and who's females are fully sentient).

* AscendedExtra: Because they were borrowed from Larry Niven (who loaned them to this episode as a lark), the Kzinti never appeared again in a ''Star Trek'' film or television episode due to licensing restrictions. However, they were still authorized to appear in the ''TableTopGame/StarFleetBattles'' gaming universe. They are one of the major interstellar races and an ally of the Federation (though more of convenience and political expediency than actual friendship like the Gorns), although, here, they do have their own warships, but spend most of their time fighting against the Klingons and the Lyrans.

* HiddenWeapons: To a degree, although the Enterprise crew notices that [[spoiler: other than the laser, there are no other settings particularly useful as a weapon except for the total conversion beam]]

* SelfDestructWeapon: The Slaver Weapon is sentient enough to assess its situation

* ProudWarriorRaceGuy: The Kzinti. Spock banks on it when he escapes, knowing Chuft-Captain won't phone home for backup to deal with a pacifist vegetarian kicking his behind.

* FalseFlagOperation: The Kzinti claim to be pirates, but are operating on their government's behalf to maintain plausible deniability.

* SwissArmyWeapon: The Slaver Weapon has many settings, with only one or two useful as offensive weapons, the others being more utility functions, to the disappointment of the Kzinti. However, Sulu hypothosizes that this weapon was not a common combat soldier's weapon, but rather like a multipurpose device for an alien ''JamesBond''.

* SwissArmyWeapon: The Slaver Weapon has many settings, with only one or two useful as offensive weapons, the others being more utility functions, to the disappointment of the Kzinti. However, Sulu hypothosizes that this weapon was not a common combat soldier's weapon, but rather like a multipurpose device for an alien SecretAgent.

* SeriesContinuityError: Sulu claims humans and Kzinti have been fighting wars for the last two hundred years... which would be one hundred years before mankind even got off Earth, even according to early Star Trek's spotty chronology.

This is the only episode of the animated series in which any characters are killed onscreen, and the only episode of the Original Series era (besides original pilot "The Cage") in which James Kirk does not appear.

This is the only episode of the animated series in which any characters are killed onscreen.

A re-skin of Creator/LarryNiven's short story ''The Soft Weapon'', with Sulu and Uhura standing in for the Papeandrous and Spock for Nessus. The part of the Kzinti is played by... the Kzinti, who join the Trekverse because why not? As in the original story, the Kzinti capture the protagonists and confiscate the mysterious ancient artifact, set about trying to find out its secrets, and discover that the shape-shifting device has the devastating power to convert matter directly to energy. However, when the leader of the Kzinti, Chuft-Captain, tries to get the weapon to reveal the energy-converting setting again after it has been switched into intelligent-computer mode, the weapon, which was intended to be used by a special agent in a particularly merciless war, naturally concludes that it has fallen into enemy hands and instead configures itself for self-destruct. The Enterprise trio survive, the Kzinti are rather less fortunate.

Uhura, Sulu, and Spock go on a mission to retrieve an extremely powerful weapon.