1.2 — “Yesteryear”

1.2 — “Yesteryear”

Plot: During a routine mission through time, using the time vortex guarded by the Guardian of Forever, the time stream is changed. Now the Enterprise crew no longer recognizes Spock. To correct the disturbance, Spock must travel back in time to his childhood on the planet Vulcan, meet with his parents, and guide his younger self through a coming-of-age ritual with life or death consequences for both Spock and his mother.

Thoughts: This episode is written by Dorothy Fontana (writing as D.C. Fontana), script editor for about half of TOS and for the full run of the Animated Series. Although the callback at the beginning is to Harlan Ellison’s “The City on the Edge of Forever,” “Yesteryear” has even more connections to Fontana’s second-season TOS episode, “Journey to Babel,” where Trek audiences were first introduced to Spock’s parents (and, incidentally, to Andorians). This is the second appearance of Sarek and Amanda in the Trek universe. I love this episode.

This episode proves (unlike the premiere) that it is possible to do sensitive, character-driven stories in the animated format. It plays to the strengths of animation by showing us gorgeous scenes of the planet Vulcan (the Guardian doesn’t look too bad either). “Yesteryear” provides the fullest depiction of Vulcan to ever appear in Star Trek–even in the film series they couldn’t afford to duplicate such extensive coverage.

“Yesteryear” seems very important for the development of Spock. The text commentary on my DVD claims that this is the first time Spock openly acknowledges that all Vulcans have emotions. He’s certainly reached a new plateau of emotional maturity. Do you remember “Jim, when I feel friendship for you, I am ashamed?” (From TOS 1.4, “The Naked Time.”) The Spock in this episode has great tenderness for I-Chaya, and is able to find quiet acceptance of the limitations of his childhood and the difficult journey faced by his younger self. After watching the whole Trek series to this point, I believe Spock, and Leonard Nimoy, has fully earned this transformation. I wonder what effect, if any, his parting request to Sarek will have (or has had) on the time stream?

The Andorian, Thelin, is depicted with great dignity. I want to know more about him, and his story. That’s a sign of good writing, and good production. Even if the Andorians are supposed to be light blue (a mistake made by the animation house).

“Yesteryear” has special nostalgia for me, because as a child I had a Viewmaster reel of this episode. Some images and lines from “Yesteryear” have therefor been burned in my memory like few things associated with Star Trek. When “Yesteryear” first aired on television, I was 29 days old. It’s nice to find out that something like this cool still holds up.

5 out of 5 sehlats.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yesteryear_(Star_Trek:_The_Animated_Series)