Elaan of Troyius

The exotic France Nuyen as the angry bride, Elaan, is displayed beauteously. Coiling, raven locks and searing, jet-black eyes engage with Cleopatra styling to hold our attention, and one wonders what snake-like moves she will utilize to gain her way. Elaan is captivating to her subjects, but her magical tears must flow to tempt our powerful Captain Kirk. After Kirk uncovers the psychology behind Elaan's temper, I ceased the wish for her quick drop into the dilithium chamber. Running opposite to Trek's usual choice for a beauty, Elaan is dark and petite, with a thicker accent slightly reminiscent of latter Gen's Counselor Troi. Trek reminded viewers that fulfilling duty is inevitable in order to be honorable. I felt the loss incurred in more than one of the characters' hearts at the finale. Kirk and Elaan will engender a range of memorable emotions.

Over the course of the series run Captain James T. Kirk has had a few romantic entanglements. But nothing like France Nuyen as the Elaan who is going quite unwillingly to another planet in a state arranged marriage. It's an obligation of royalty, but not one that the hot blooded and quite spoiled princess wants to make.

Watching this episode I was wondering if Daphne Zuniga borrowed some of France Nuyen's character for playing Princess Vespa in Spaceballs. As a Druish princess she had enough of the character, but not the powers.

The women of Nuyen's planet do a little crying and if their tears touch the man they want, those men are hooked. To get what she wants Nuyen pouts and sobs on William Shatner's shoulder and that's it. He's got a bit of problem paying attention to duty.

But duty does call when the Klingons start interfering.

An interesting and one of the better episodes of the last season.

...a super-babe. Make no mistake, this episode is a showcase for the exotic and ethereal beauty of Eurasian actress France Nuyen as Elaan. The storyline is secondary to the display of her charms and their predictable effect on perpetually-aroused James Kirk. Skimpy costumes and form-fitting gowns accentuate Nuyen's lithe, but femininely muscular build. Her vaguely French accent adds to her allure. Kirk can't help but fall prey to her feminine charms, with near-catastrophic results.

That's not to say it's a bad story. The acting, especially by Nuyen, is first-rate. It's a fun twist on the "Taming Of The Shrew" theme, and when Elaan comes around at the end one feels a sense of completion as well as a lingering sense of desolation. She has to go on with her slated "role" as consort to the enemy society's ruler for the sake of peace between their people. But I have a feeling the bridegroom-in-waiting has more of a treat in store for him than he might otherwise have anticipated.

Probably one of the better Season 3 episodes, which were generally lacking in pace and punch compared to seasons 1 and 2.

I honestly can't understand why people never cared for this episode. It's always been one of my favorites since I was a kid. It had everything: space battles, romance, Klingons, etc. Granted, it's not as good as The Doomsday Machine or Balance of Terror or Amok Time, but it's certainly not as bad an episode as The Way to Eden or Plato's Stepchildren. The acting seemed pretty solid, especially between Kirk and Elaan. Granted, the costumes looked pretty cheap (they said the guards were wearing "placemats"), and the rear wide-shots of Kirk and the navigator's position showed someone other than Chekov, but to me those were the only negative things about "Elaan of Troyius".

While many of the scripts from the 3rd Season were mediocre and, in some cases, awful, this one maintained a level equal to the better stories of the first two seasons. A couple of things stand out. The battle sequence near the end, incorporating music that was never heard before or after, is tightly done with some good touches. Note Sulu's smile of admiration as Kirk announces the strategy to "pivot at Warp 2". Sulu's no dummy; he knows a great strategy when he hears one. Also, watch for the momentary glance to the left and right by Kirk after they engage warp power to the shields. He's alone, he's in command, and his next words will result in the crew's survival or death. This brief moment is utterly consistent with Kirk's character. He has voiced a fear of failure in the "critical moment" to McCoy in past conversations. This golden moment reveals his vulnerability and fear, but it's gone quickly, and he recovers to give the order. An outstanding moment in the Star Trek universe. Finally, the long-anticipated appearance of a Klingon ship was revealed for the first time. This original brilliant design by Jeffries remains the basis for Klingon ships to this day. You saw it here first. That, at the very least, makes this a notable episode.