Review of "Yesteryear," episode 2 of the Star Trek Animated Series

 Review of

Yesteryear, episode 2 of the Star Trek Animated Series

Four out of five stars

Uses a bad plot device

 While “City on the Edge of Forever” is one of my favorite episodes of the Star Trek original series, the use of the Guardian in subsequent stories is not. The sheer power that the use of the time-traveling device would give to the user would mean that it would be necessary to have all use forbidden. For even the smallest modification to the past could have massive changes in the future. That premise was of course evident in “City on the Edge of Forever.”

 Having stated that, this episode is very good, for it gives the viewer a look back into the childhood of Spock on Vulcan. When Captain Kirk and Spock return from a trip back in time, Doctor McCoy does not recognize Spock. No one else recognizes him and the Enterprise has a different first officer.

 Upon investigation, Spock and Kirk learn that Spock’s life has dramatically changed. It turns out that the older Spock had saved the life of the younger Spock and since the older Spock was elsewhere when the event took place, he could not save the younger Spock. Therefore, the older Spock must use the Guardian to go back to the proper time and “repair” the damage.

 This is our first look back into the boyhood of Spock, the difficulties of being of mixed-species on Vulcan as well as his home life and his best friend pet. A large bearlike creature with long fangs. Young Spock is able to relate well to the old Spock that is posing as a cousin. The look into the life of Spock makes this an exceptional episode despite the somewhat absurd premise.