Synopsis: The Enterprise encounters a paradisial planet run by a computer.
“The Apple” in many ways is very much the same story as “The Return of the Archons.” The Enterprise is sent to a planet, in this case Gamma Trianguli VI, because something has piqued the interest of the Federation, here strange readings picked up by an earlier scout ship. Also, upon reaching the planet, Captain James T. Kirk encounters an almost perfect yet stagnant civilization that is run by a computer and decides that he must destroy the computer in order for normal humanoid development to take place.
Similarly, in “Return of the Archons” the Enterprise is sent to Beta III to investigate the disappearance of the Federation ship Archon that disappeared near there a century earlier. They find a planet of peaceful inhabitants, except for a twelve-hour festival – in which young citizens are required to commit acts of rape, arson, battery, and basically violently pillage the town. Since their culture has not progressed for centuries Kirk decides that he must destroy Landru, the computer-generated entity controlling the society.
In both these episodes Kirk asks as a disruptive force to the static orderly civilization – letting it get in touch with more natural emotions – both positive and negative. This, in depth psychological terms would be the equivalent of a psychopomp, bridging the conscious ego and the unconscious. In both episodes, the planetary powers fight back against Kirk by endangering the Enterprise; much as the ego will protect itself from unwanted intrusions from the unconscious. And in both stories, Kirk and the suppressed urges just waiting to be let out in the inhabitants of the planet, are victorious in defeating the forces that have held them down for so long. That this is equated with being thrown out of the Garden of Eden is quite apt – here Kirk the snake – the psychopomp figure, brings to the Feeders of Vaal a bite of the apple, fruit of the tree of knowledge. Self-knowledge in this case.
Original post created 10 February 2021
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