The Way to Eden (Episode)

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The Way to Eden

"The Way to Eden" (TOS 75)

Series	Star Trek
Season	3
Episode	20
Production Number	75
Release Date	21 Feb 1969
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Stardate 5832.3: A charismatic leader and his followers hijack the Enterprise in their search for "Eden."

Captain Kirk sights a stolen spaceship, the Aurora, and orders pursuit. The strain of the chase overheats the Aurora's engines, and everyone aboard is beamed to the Enterprise just before the Aurora explodes. The guests are a group of young idealists seeking to begin a new life on the mythical planet Eden. Their leader is a brilliant engineer, Dr. Sevrin, who is also quite insane — as well as a carrier of synthococcus novae, a disease deadly to those not immunized against it. Sevrin seeks to gain control of the Enterprise and find Eden. Among his followers are Irina Galliulin, a young woman who was once involved with Ensign Chekov, as well as the son of a Catullan ambassador to the Federation. The latter's presence results in Kirk receiving instructions to handle the group gently and to allow them freedom of movement aboard the Enterprise.

While Sevrin is placed in protective confinement, Spock begins a search for Eden — which he surprisingly discovers. Once the Enterprise is in orbit, Sevrin's followers arrange for his escape, and before they leave, the mad engineer rigs an ultrasonic device that nearly kills Kirk and several crewmembers. Stealing a shuttlecraft, the group flees to the planet below. Kirk and a landing party follow, only to discover that Eden's soil and vegetation are highly toxic: one young man is already dead. The others agree to leave, save for Dr. Sevrin, who commits suicide by eating a nearby piece of fruit.

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