Synopsis: While engaged in star mapping the Enterprise encounters an alien object.
I have been anxious to re-watch “The Corbomite Maneuver” since reading one of Leonard Nimoy’s autobiographies, I Am Spock, in which he writes about being taken aside by the director of this episode, Joseph Sargent, and being given a perspective as to how to deliver the line “fascinating.” Nimoy explains that Sargent told him to “be cool and curious, a scientist” (1995, p. 45). It was during the speaking of this word in “The Corbomite Maneuver” that Nimoy says the character of Mr. Spock came into his own. He goes on further to say that William Shatner had the character of Captain James T. Kirk from day one, but finding Spock was more of a discovery process for him (1995).
That aside, the plot of “The Corbomite Maneuver” is basically a poker game. After the first object the Enterprise comes in contact with, a space buoy, threatens it with radiation, Kirk has it destroyed. Thinking he won this round. Kirk has to figure out the next move, whether to up the ante by continuing on, or by folding and leaving the vicinity. Kirk gambles and plays on, as “the mission of the Enterprise is to seek out and contact alien life.” The Enterprise is then confronted by a much larger ship, which is bent on destructing the Enterprise because it attacked the space buoy and invaded the space of the First Federation. Spock mentions to Kirk, that if this were a chess game, there is no possible winning move; and shortly thereafter Kirk realizes that what is needed is a poker-style bluff. Kirk then contacts the First Federation vessel, the Fesarius, to tell them that the Enterprise carries Corbomite, a substance that has led to the destruction of all vessels that have tried to destroy her. This of course is a flat out lie.
This bluff, this lie, is not a rational ploy of Logos, instead it is a brilliant human mercurial insight. When there is no logical way to win, sometimes the only option is intuition – a way to feel through to an answer. The rational and irrational elements of the psyche working in sync to survive. As it turns out, Balok, the imposing figure aboard the Fesarius was a bluff as well. The actual captain of the vessel, appears as human child-like in size and refers to the Balok “puppet” as his alter ego, saying that in Earth culture the puppet can be compared to Mr. Hyde, and he would be Dr. Jekyll.
In previous posts I wrote about the difference between what Carl (C. G.) Jung would consider a psychological narrative and a visionary one (1950/1978). This unexpected game of poker is indeed a visionary episode.
References:
Jung, C. G. (1978). Psychology and literature (R. F. C. Hull, Trans.). In H. Read et al. (Series Eds.), The collected works of C. G. Jung (Vol. 15, 2nd ed.). 84-105. Princeton University Press. (Original work published 1950)
Nimoy, L. (1995). I Am Spock. Hyperion.
Original post created 14 January 2021
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