Review of "The Slaver Weapon," episode 14 of Star Trek, the animated series

Review of

The Slaver Weapon, episode 14 of Star Trek, the animated series


Four out of five stars

Powerful ancient technology up for grabs

 Spock, Sulu and Uhura are on a shuttle craft containing a precious cargo. It is a box from the long-dead race known as the slavers. Several other boxes have been discovered and they have contained many things, from being empty to incredible technology that the Federation has adapted. In the opening, it is mentioned that one of the boxes contained a device that was modified to provide the artificial gravity tools used in spaceships.

 When the box starts glowing, it is a signal that there is another slaver box nearby. Unable to pass up a chance to acquire another slaver box, Spock orders the shuttle craft landed near the source of the signal. Once there, they are captured by the Kzinti, a catlike species that is a sworn enemy of the Federation. They also have a slaver box, but it is empty, so they used it as a lure to attract any ship that would be carrying a slaver box.

 The Kzinti open the box and there are some artifacts, including some kind of device with several settings that changes shape when the setting is changed. One setting is a basic laser, but another fires a beam that creates a nuclear explosion. At that point, the three Enterprise officers understand that they cannot allow the Kzinti to keep the weapon, for they could use the knowledge to defeat the Federation.

 The battle is one of wits as well as the exploitation of the prejudices of the Kzinti. It is a challenge, for the Kzinti are physically superior to humans and Vulcans. At one point, Spock says that the odds of him winning a one-on-one battle between the Kzinti captain and himself are 16 to 1 against. It is a fight cleverly carried out and one where the outcome is the complete defeat of the Kzinti. It is interesting to note that the voices of all the Kzinti were done by James Doohan.