The Time Trap


"The Time Trap" is the twelfth episode of the first season of the American animated science fiction television series . It first aired in the NBC Saturday morning lineup on November 24, 1973, and was written by American actress and screenwriter Joyce Perry.
In this episode, Captain Kirk must cooperate with distrusted Klingons to escape a "Sargasso Sea" of dead starships.

Plot

On stardate 5267.2, while exploring the Delta Triangle, where many starships have disappeared, the Federation starship Enterprise is attacked by several Klingon vessels. During the battle they are caught in an ion storm. The Enterprise and one Klingon battlecruiser are drawn into a spacetime vortex and end up in a timeless dimension in what could only be called a graveyard for space vessels. Captain Kirk and his crew are shocked to find "that the descendants of the crews of these various vessels are still alive" and have formed a government, calling themselves 'The Elysian Council.'
The crew discovers that the timewarp will gradually disintegrate the Enterprises dilithium crystals. Their only means of escape is to link their ship with the Klingons' and their commander Kor and try to power themselves out of the vortex.

Commentary

While the 'Bermuda Triangle of space' theme was somewhat fanciful, "the resulting cooperation between the Klingons and the Enterprise is adeptly done." The depiction of a number of existing Federation races representing the lost "Andorians, Tellarites, Vulcans, Orions and even the plant creatures from 'The Infinite Vulcan' is a nice touch." However, an overreliance of voice work on Nichelle Nichols and James Doohan, rather than John Colicos as the Klingon Kor, is less effective. There is a positive message delivered here with Kirk and his crew working peacefully with the Klingons until the latter "predictably attempt to sabotage the Enterprise."

Reception

In 2017, Tor.com rated this episode 5 out 10, noting Nichelle Nichols voices three characters and appearance of Klingon characters and spacecraft.