A Look at The Squire of Gothos (Star Trek)

[@andrewklang809]

"I object to you. I object to intellect without discipline. I ojbect to power without constructive purpose." I always loved this quote. Such a calm dressing-down that's hard to argue against, even fifty years later.

[@johnbockelie3899]

Trelane's parents were really his cell guards from the Q continuum .

[@johnbockelie3899]

"Ahhh, two women, .....score for me kirk!!!." Trelane knows how to live it big.

[@wilhelmw3455]

Some well known ex politicians come to mind.

[@daveroche6522]

Spock: "I object..........", Kirk: "F**k you" - THUMP!

[@DrCruel]

I would have thought Leonard Nimoy would have approved of Joe Biden's son.

[@marshallhuffer4713]

John de Lancie, who played Q has speculated that Gene Roddenberry either consciously or subconsciously thought of Trelane when he created Q.

[@MerelyAFan]

I think Trelane works as a counterpoint to Kirk in a different way than Q was to Picard. The latter advanced being served as the intelligent judge (masked as the mischievous trickster) to test the intellectual Picard, with situations engineered to see if humanity could step forward as evolved beings and step outside the boundaries of what they know. The Squire of Gothos is almost the inverse, a powerful being in many ways as a reminder of humanity's worst excesses in the past and as a childish contrast to the adult maturity of the Captain he's facing off against. Trelane certainly plays a being a military figure but without the understanding of consequences and a shallow inference of the Earth concepts he admires so much. Kirk as a real officer certainly has a regard for things of humanity's past, can indulge in vices, and is capable of being violent if there are no options left, but he has an appreciation and genuine cognizance of the more peaceful world of the Federation/Starfleet he lives in. He' has awareness of his flaws and can recognize his excesses at critical times. If anything Trelane at times feels like the caricatured pop culture parody of Kirk at times; an impulsive, over the top, adolescent that does whatever he wants.

[@Avenger85438]

Well said.

[@redpillfreedom6692]

"Trelane at times feels like the caricatured pop culture parody of Kirk at times; an impulsive, over the top, adolescent that does whatever he wants." So Chris Pine Kirk, basically.

[@DrCruel]

_" ...an impulsive, over the top, adolescent that does whatever he wants... "_ Kirk? I don't think so. Sounds more like Hunter Biden or one of the junior Kennedys.

[@XX-sp3tt]

Trelane is Zap Brannigan with the power of a god.

[@TheHelper-l9m]

God, original poster. You sure thought a lot about this didn't you?

[@lilbits1053]

Oh man, Q-Squared was one of my favourite books as a kid

[@eddstarr2185]

As a 10 year old in 1967, The Squire of Gothos didn't strike me as anything special. That all changed when I was able to join the online community and hear from other Trek fans. Apparently William Campbell as Trelane made quite an impression! In hindsight, I can see an early "Q"-like presence in Trelane. I now enjoy this episode much more today than I did on first viewing more than 50 years ago. That scene with Trelane in Kirk's face, "dead, dead, dead!", I just Love It! 😂

[@MatthewCaunsfield]

This is more of a fun romp but CharlieX really explores the consequences of such powers. I like them both! 👍

[@NotSomeone68]

Generic comment to increase engagement statistics.

[@kevinramsey417]

I don't know, there's something suspiciously Klingon about Trelane.

[@scockery]

Enjoys conquest, blood sports and his honor is easily offended.

[@trazyntheinfinite9895]

@@scockery i think you have Kolothially missed the point....

[@scockery]

@@trazyntheinfinite9895 That was deliberate.

[@johnbockelie3899]

Well, think about it, staring at a view screen hours on end , you would need hot black coffee, served by a hot yeoman.

[@johnbockelie3899]

The second living Salt vampire was hunted by Trelane. Prof.Crater got the first one on the " Man trap".

[@daveroche6522]

"There's no Trelane here - just a very naughty boy". 5:38 "Phasers and Ammo" - brilliant. WHY didn't we think of that? Nice one, SFD.

[@benives254]

I had to watch a YT vid of Shatner's 'Lucy in the sky' before this vid. It's the law.

[@kevinramsey417]

His version of Pulp's Common People is legitimately awesome. Shat's famous cadence just works with it.

[@johnbockelie3899]

"You will hang from the neck , Captain until you are dead, dead, dead !!". " That will do me fine."

[@stevena488]

Quite a surprising amount of TOS is "We've JUST met a space species that's more powerful than we can comprehend and it's going to destroy us!!!.... And here comes it's parents to apologise for messing with the crew. Mistakes were made. G'bye!!"

[@janehrahan5116]

Name 2 others where it's the parents. I'll admit "crew finds false God". Is dime a dozen but the method is always unique

[@moonpawooe7134]

Liberace gives an outstanding performance in the squire of gothos

[@brianarbenz1329]

I figured for years that was him. I wasn't that into the episode, so it was not something I cared about.

[@janbeam8743]

William Campbell played Trelane

[@fromthecheapseats7126]

@@janbeam8743Of course he has “camp” in his name.

[@ImaginaryTerrie3]

At least Trelane didn't make them reenact his fan fiction.

[@stuartwald2395]

Or repeat "nucwear wessels".

[@mikejankowski6321]

Double "Yes" on that.

[@riogrande5761]

I've been re-watching (for the umpteenth time) the re-mastered original series and as it happens watched The Squire of Gothos last night. I've heard there are comparisons between Trelane and Q from TNG but I guess he could have been an infant Q. He needed a machine to do some of his tricks which I wouldn't think an adult Q would need.

[@Robizoid]

Trilane was good for a few laughs and he never really did hurt anyone so perhaps maybe after a year or so with his parents doing whatever they do you can just go back to being a fun mischievous little boy!

[@bradwolf07]

"Sorry Kirk, we didn't realize our witttle boy was so much more powerful than you. Whoops, sorry about that." Dafaq? Silly Powerful Beings Still, I enjoyed this one. This proto Q was interesting.

[@noahbawdy3395]

One of my favorite episodes of the original series. A lot of people think Trelane was a Q, hard to argue with that except all members of the Q Continuum call themselves Q.

[@RLucas3000]

He’s a little boy Q, probably age 5 or 6 in human years, assuming a secret identity, playing with his ‘toy soldiers’, I’m picturing the sitcom now: Q Know Best. Or maybe: Leave It To Q.

[@jdzencelowcz]

Good ta have ya back, boss!!!

[@lynngreen7978]

*Someone* had to have hunted the Salt Vampires to extinction...

[@madliberal7710]

They made a cameo comeback in Star Trek: Lower Decks.

[@DrewLSsix]

We can assume they are wearing the forcefield suits seen in TAS.

[@fredrikcarlstedt393]

Kirk sure always gets his hands on the prettiest Yeomens. Trelane for his part sure is a very naughty little god- being. Tallyho now, fellow chaps and chums !

[@northernbohemianrealist]

10/10 just for Bill Campbell being able to trade overacting methods with Bill Shatner. It could have been 11/10 if they had found a way to include Jack Lord.

[@jaysonraphaelmurdock8812]

Or Adam West.

[@ZipplyZane]

Trelane is able to move his planet where he wants, so maybe he moved in a lot closer.

[@boobah5643]

At the time they suggest that, they don't know that Trelane can move the planet. The character is objectively wrong; the only question is whether or not the author is, too.

[@Mecharnie_Dobbs]

Star trek TOS is set in the 23rd century. 900 years earlier, was the 14th century. They had knights in armour since the 11th. What didn't they have? Castles? Stained glass windows? A bronze bust of a guy in a bicorn hat? (I should have Googled more of those things before I commented)

[@gallendugall8913]

I too study humans as a hobby. Skews nicely with my other hobby, decoupage.

[@Mikethemerciless11]

William Campbell is so great in this.

[@ShamrockParticle]

"Harry Sullivan on Halloween" 🤣👍

[@rayvenkman2087]

Kirk: “Harry Sullivan is an imbecile!”

[@jaysonraphaelmurdock8812]

"You may be a doctor but I'm THE doctor."

[@fredrick9920]

Trelane could have dressed the whole crew for a party.

[@bradfordbarrettluckotheIrish]

Well done…Well played!

[@JeffHogge-ht4xg]

I LIKE this episode! I really can't tell if you do...or NOT? Mother always said: "If you can't say anything good, don't say anything at all.

[@tperk]

You got to admit Trelane moving a whole planet to block the Enterprise exit was a boss passive aggressive move. There's nothing wrong with being passive aggressive as long as you are making a point.😅

[@apocalypsator6]

The Squire's telescopes or whatever he used saw the Earth as it was 600 years ago. The Enterprise, Kirk and humans who could be there confused him so he captured them.

[@sandal_thong8631]

Thirty years ago I bought 26 episodes of Star Trek on VHS (no more than one a week) because they weren't being shown on the TV stations of my college town, and "The Squire of Gothos" wasn't one of them. Indeed, it's painful to see this actor return in "The Trouble with Tribbles," probably my only complaint of what is one of the best 3 episodes. Maybe pick an episode with a space battle in it, next time for "A Look at...". Those were some of my favorites: "Journey to Babel," "Balance of Terror," "The Ultimate Computer," "Elaan of Troyius" and "The Doomsday Machine." The original "Arena" didn't show the enemy ship, nor did "Errand of Mercy" and I'd forgotten there was a battle in "The Deadly Years" or I would have bought that instead of "Dagger of the Mind."

[@holden3]

The big swinging sticks 😂

[@grzegorzskowyra9964]

Hood to have You back 😊

[@myriadmediamusings]

I know that Trek EU can be whatever the hell it wants to be, but I was disappointed that in the TOS/TNG/DS9/Voyager comic crossover, Trelane was treated as a separate omnipotent being from Q and its continum.

[@jaysonraphaelmurdock8812]

Well space is enormous so I guess it makes sense. I'd rather have Trelane as a Q myself.

[@madliberal7710]

The Parents of "The Squire", Charlie X, and my favorites The Organians. I would love to see Q face any or all of them. All these characters played by excellent career guest stars especially Ereborn from Errand of Mercy.

[@RLucas3000]

Don’t forget the Metrons from Arena. All people usually remember is the Gorn.

[@Texasjim2007]

Its possible all of them in fact were Q or rather aspects of Q much like the Hindu concept of all gods being avatars of the Universal Divinity. Much of the Q mythos tends to suggest that sort of an interpretation of the Q Continuum.

[@chrisw207]

Hope you had a good needed rest Chuck.

[@mikebell2112]

Are you challenging me up a duel?! If you've got the courage!

[@headrockbeats]

Chuck, have you considered playing and reviewing "Star Trek: 25th Anniversary", "Judgment Rites" and/or "A Final Unity"? Judgment Rites even has a Trelane episode in it - with the original actor, no less!

[@hansakkerman2611]

Such fond memories. Out of the trio, McCoy getting stunned and or vaporised first, was quite amusing. He even comments on it, complaining why everyone seems to have it in for him.

[@meteosurreal]

5:15 Ngai!

[@KairuHakubi]

Maybe the writer was confused about the show's setting, but I'd also believe the writer OR the character was just off about what time period this dude's mimicking. History's confusing, there's so MUCH of it.

[@planescaped]

History: 2/10 too long and too much talking.

[@Redrally]

@@planescaped Too many damn dates and it's never easy to follow

[@JosephDavies]

And there's even more of it in the future!

[@KairuHakubi]

@@JosephDavies UGH. pass. is there an opt-out or something..

[@robertodell9193]

The time period forStar Trek hadn't been decided on when this episode was filmed.

[@badman3000]

No unlike unto an amoeba award.

[@brokensoul8390]

All this time we thought he was a powerful superbeing! Yet he was just a child...

[@MinscFromBaldursGate92]

The Beyonder meets Liberaci.

[@jaysonraphaelmurdock8812]

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@YourCapyFrenBigly_3DPipes1999]

I'm probably the only person still alive who didn't see that ending coming, but I didn't. Guess it just never occupy to me he was in actuality an alien child playing with his "toys" Lol

[@Antares007]

For years, I thought he was Liberace. 😁

[@markomlikotic6673]

The Mandela effect!!! I thought so too!!!🤣😂🤣

[@hifijohn]

someone shrunk trelanes harpsichord,harpsichords were much longer and didn't have pedals and were never that brown color.

[@michaele1788]

Leonard McCoy KNOWZ ME

[@jamesbeemer7855]

🤔 hmm , good job . You see a pretty good picture of what’s going on . Um , but this series took place in the sixties and seventies , and at the time , this is a reflection of our culture history in the United States . Gene was pretty good at that . As a matter of fact , that was how gene Roddenberry got his ideas for story lines ! But in Star Trek style . This narrator , and who ever wrote this narration didn’t take that into account . But now YOU know .

[@jwt6577]

Nothing's as bad as Detroit.

[@DeconvertedMan]

They can take off there masks?! This really *IS* the future! .... ha.

[@Cdr2002]

Woaaaah this episode is where they got the idea of the USS Discovery from? Cool!

[@rmod42]

Hussah!

[@aaronatherton7431]

I'm surprised you never compared Trilany to an ill informed Liberachi.

[@aaronatherton7431]

Teen texting!

[@MrChupacabra555]

Its funny, but at this very moment I'm watching "History of the Sitcom" on CNN, and this episode has among its content how gay characters were represented in sitcoms of old. I'm sure I'm not the only one who detected a hint of 'Stereotypical Gayness' from the character of Trelane (along the lines of 'Uncle Arthur' in "Bewitched"), although I'm not sure if the actor who portrayed him was gay without googling (don't have the time at this moment, although I may edit this comment afterwards).

[@Robovski]

Meh, Treeline is a foppish brat. You want to say that's a gay portrayal, you do you.

[@MrChupacabra555]

@@Robovski Well, others have said it better than me about how characters, past and present, are certainly 'coded' gay, if not blatantly 'Out of the Closet': kzbin.info/www/bejne/gWaQZ4iOfNKYfaM

[@HilaryPea]

-I just noticed that once on the planet, McCoy's utility belt is practically up to elbows. The wrinkled shirt doesn't help. It's looks weird. Even more weird with the fact that the hems of their pants are cut so high. It looks like it's Dress like Steve Urkel day. -I've never seen all the episoes of TOS before. So, I'm going this now. And watching SF commentary as I go along. When I saw the episode, even I noticed that they should be wearing more than just gas masks considering how toxic the air was descibed. I'm glad I'm not the only one to notice. But, I would have commented on it, even if it was missed, here. -I think "twerp" works. When he heard that there were women among the crew, he acted like a teenage boy who learned he could invites girls to his birthday party. Then, at the end of the episode, he argued with his parents like he was young enough to still be playing with action figures. I suspect his human equivilent age would be between 10 and 14 years old! Old enough to be fascinated by girls, but young enough to whine and throw a temper tantrum when he didn't get his way. -OMG, the look on Uhura's face and the speed and manner in which she snatches her hand back when being referred to as a conquest had me cracking up. -I do have to make one observation: I don't know if it was put on with Trelane's magic or if it were Uhura, herself, but she seemed very happy to learn she could, temporarily, play the harpsichord. Of course, a person passionate about using musical instruments might find such a silverlining in a situation where they are forced to do stuff. At least she was forced to do something he might normally enjoy. It is a small silverlining, but one nonetheless. And one hopes that being forced to do something she loves (or has always wanted to do) will not ruin her enjoyment of it in the future due to being forced to do it in the present. -I think it was an excellent idea to have a hide-and-seek game to distract Trelane. The terms were Kirk would play the game if the Enterprise were set free. Trelane agreed. Great. But, Kirk agreed to start the game before the Enterprise was set free. I know Trelane didn't exactly give him a choice about when the game was being started. But, Kirk was given permission to communicate with the bridge so that he could tell them to flee. Only Kirk started doing that AFTER he went into hiding. Rather than do it, then start the game by running off to hide. He kept saying that Enterprise was supposed to be free. But, he didn't say something like, "Wait. You said I could set them free before the game started and they are not free." Yes, Trelane was a bratty young teen, but I think he might have paused long enough to respond or argue with Kirk. He did when Kirk put his foot down previously. I think if Kirk stopped running long enough to talk to Trelane, as a parent would (as he did earlier), there was a good chance that it would have gotten Trelane's attention. It was just something I noticed while watching. Consistency and using your parental/authoritative voice. -Ah, but the Old West was described as ancient and it's time gap was about the same. -I think William Campbell did an excellent job at playing a powerful, but spoiled boy in his tweens to early teens. Excitement, embarassment (which parents get involved), indignation, whininess, and curiosity. Even that thing that boys have about abusing animals because they think the response the animals give is hilarious. Not every adult could play a child convincingly. He did.

[@PhflyDan1]

LooooooL

[@jaysonraphaelmurdock8812]

Nice thumbnail pic.

[@NotSomeone68]

Generic comment to increase engagement statistics.

[@bobdam4478]

this would have been much more entertaining if there were no attempts at comedy that kept falling flat..

[@bedtimesd.1247]

This is pathetic! Trelane must be a Q because of the similarities? What about the similarities with the Organians or the rock like creatures of Excalbia. and then there are the Prophets of Bajor. There are a number of beings throughout the Trek universe that could be seen as Q. I look at them as cheap knock-offs of God with human flaws.