The Encounter (The Lost Episode) - Twilight-Tober Zone

[@ChannelAwesome]

8:13 *Historical correction: the actual number of American citizens placed in domestic internment camps is closer to 120,000. Not “millions” as was mistakenly said. Apologies for the inaccurate information.

[@sweeney60]

I feel like this is a great discussion piece. Should be taught to film and history students. It doesn’t hold up but there’s a lot to learn and discuss here.

[@Elephant2024]

It is an episode that needs to be discussed from the two protagonists perspectives. Both of these characters are clearly damaged souls. We are all shaped by our experiences throughout our lifetime. Good and bad alike.

[@ExplorerDS6789]

I kinda feel bad for laughing as Takei cries "banzai" and jumps out the window, it's just so abrupt and unexpected.

[@lainiwakura1776]

I mean, it came out of nowhere and him yelling "banzai!" for no reason doesn't help.

[@nickkurtz512]

Oh I thought he was yelling ‘Fenton’!

[@ExplorerDS6789]

@@nickkurtz512 Nope, it was "banzai", which translates to "ten thousand years".

[@marksmorphs]

@@ExplorerDS6789 reminds me of the ending to that episode he talked about a couple days ago where he added the 3 Stooges music into the ending because it was so comical. I was half expecting something similar here because it just felt so goofy.

[@ExplorerDS6789]

@@marksmorphs Guess he didn't want to add levity to such a controversial episode.

[@Crazyredemu]

I think both should have been descendants of war vets, so it wasn't even vengeance against victims or aggressors but how rage is passed down through generations

[@gshaz7]

that's definately what I took from it anyway...like it's always there but what separates us from animals or monsters are our choices.

[@whitleypedia]

They could have talked about atrocities by Japanese soldiers instead of Pearl Harbor

[@szaporta]

​@@whitleypedia Agreed. Nanking would like a word.

[@nidohime6233]

Same

[@wakeangel2001]

23 years after 9/11 we're talking about an episode of TZ that took place 23 years after Pearl Harbor...

[@donaldporr9682]

People want to hold onto the past. This is a good episode

[@LocalHeretic-ck1kd]

Thats crazy man.

[@jeremytung1632]

23 years oh wow! that means we can start making jokes.

[@gshaz7]

during spooky season too! Oooooooh!

[@tremorsfan]

And the cornerstone of The Pentagon was laid on September 11 1941 60 years to the day.

[@Hapasan808]

As a Japanese-American, I've heard a lot of stories from relatives and in the community of Americans of Japanese descent returning from War in Europe only to be treated with hostility upon returning home. The surprising thing is that they were still extremely patriotic and loved being an American. These guys were extremely tough.

[@ogredad55]

@Hapasan808 That is disgusting! Regardless of their ancestry, they ALL should have been honored as heroes. I feel very bad for them. God Bless America!

[@trinaq]

Having mostly seen him as Sulu, watching George Takei give a strong, compassioned performance as Arthur really fills me with emotion. Having spent three years of his childhood in Japanese American relocation camps, he was definitely speaking from experience.

[@najhoant]

His graphic novel about it, "They Called Us Enemy", is a really good read

[@unclefranklin4575]

It's depressing to see that Takai turned into the exact kind of person who would think internment camps are a great idea

[@Rynn21]

@@unclefranklin4575 Oh? I know nothing about the actor.

[@TheNotverysocial]

@@najhoant I own this.

[@najhoant]

@@Rynn21 Not sure what that’s about; he’s anti-Trump and has expressed support for Kamala Harris

[@shenloken2]

A similar concept of two opposing forces isolated with each other was used in Kong: Skull Island. American pilot Hank Marlow and Japanese pilot Gunpei Ikari shoot each other down and are prepared to fight each other on foot. Only when Kong shows up do they realize they’re in an environment much more perilous than the war and reconcile their differences. Marlow also keeps Ikari’s katana when Ikari is eventually killed. Not as a trophy but as a memento of how they went from enemies to brothers trying to stay alive in the hellacious place. Ikari was killed defending Marlow in a Skullcrawler attack and his katana is the only thing left for Marlow to honor the sacrifice of his fallen comrade.

[@wjzav1971]

I also love the dialogue Marlow has when meeting Americans after a long time "By the way, did we win the war?" "Which one?" "Figures...."

[@jtilton5]

2 others I can think of are "Hell in the Pacific" starring Lee Marvin and Toshiro Mifune, and for a Sci-Fi twist on the idea, "Enemy Mine" starring Dennis Quade and Louis Gossett Jr.

[@benderbendingrodriguez420]

John C Riley was by far the best character in that movie & loved his relationship with Ikari. Enemies to blood Brothers. The ending where he finally returns home too see his wife & son for the first time.. and gets his hot dog, beer and baseball game.. gets me everytime

[@wjzav1971]

@@benderbendingrodriguez420 This is head-canon but I like to imagine that he went to Japan, visited Ikari's family to return his sword and give them closure about his death.

[@benderbendingrodriguez420]

@@wjzav1971 that would've been a nice seen too! Maybe that's in bonus material out there somehwere?

[@RRyleM]

I agree with Walter on the story. If you really wanted to mirror the experiences for the two characters, it would have been compelling to see Takei’s character feel guilt for something of his own. (Unwarranted suggestion coming up) Don’t know if the censors would’ve allowed this but if Arthur witnessed a death of his father in a prison camp at the hands of an internee or a guard and years later he saw them again and he killed him in a rage, that would have added the historic element and tragedy. And the ending could’ve had Arthur visibly shaken and looking to the door to see it ominously open

[@miketaterparker]

My thoughts exactly! And, perhaps, reverse the twist about Arthur's father. Have him being branded a traitor by the US military and thrown into the camps with his family, when, in reality, he was warning the military about the approaching zeros.

[@trinaq]

@@RRyleM Yes, I like your interpretation better than canon, to be honest. It would have added more tragedy to the twist, and make Arthur's guilt seem more plausible.

[@Crow_Smith]

@@miketaterparker I love this idea since it fits the story. Might be a good way to remake the episode if they ever trying to do more Twilight Zone things in the future. I had a similar thought but a different angle. Maybe they both have hatred, but for Arthur it was "My father was a hero for warning the American military ... and they still threw us in a camp, treated us like we were the enemy" - and that after he kills the man - even accidentally - he blames his hatred he never let go of. The same hatred the other man held. And now he too is cursed to have that sword and never be able to get rid of it. That'd be a better ending, I think, to show what harboring hatred does to us.

[@Slayerzilla54]

I think Arthur's Father being 1 of the Japanese Pilots that attacked Pearl Harbor would have been a much better and more impactful reveal.

[@garretdrake2347]

yeah, I always thought it'd be better if his parents had gotten divorced, Arthur and his mother moving to the states while his father had stayed in Japan and became a soldier. they could have even had Arthur's father be the man Fenton killed.

[@nigel_saxon]

“They opened fire and blew my shins off. Last thing I remember, I beat ‘em all to death with a big piece of Fatty.” - Cotton Hill

[@shyguyry2033]

Fiddy Men

[@Vanghool87]

I thought the sharks took Fatty?

[@ivanakum61]

Killed fiddy men I believe

[@popper03244]

The Banzai was totally unexpected and kinda comical

[@trinaq]

@@popper03244 Agreed, it adds unintentional hilarity to an otherwise somber scene.

[@blackpawnbeats]

Meme moment

[@beauwalker9820]

Same, while unintentionally funny, it's still saddening to see these two characters driven mad.

[@anubusx]

It was lol.

[@davidpumpkinsjr.5108]

I understand why this episode is so controversial, but you have to admit that George Takei and Neville Brand both deliver incredible performances, not surprising considering that they are both very good actors.

[@feathero3]

"Hey want to come up for a beer?" "I really shouldn't, but ok." *Moments later they're in a fight to the death* That escalated pretty quickly.

[@Oppeldeldoc1]

I'm glad about the "balanced" way you describe it at 10:00. When it comes to earlier entertainment, I get so tired of hearing about something, "This aged like milk!" or "This could NEVER be made NOW!"

[@kenhollis6197]

I know, those comments are so tiresome.

[@claytonrios1]

Oh my! It's the episode with George Takei!

[@MegaMr46]

King Kai: Seriously, how do people keep calling this number?

[@nickkurtz512]

I’m sorry A REAL lost Twilight Zone episode?! Ok you got my interest

[@oddbird5825]

I didn’t like this episode not because of the message or the acting. To me, I hate Arthur’s description of what his father did to be a spy. It was implied that his father was running about around on the ground during the bombing of Pearl Harbor pointing out the targets to planes. WHO does that and how did pilot see who a person on the ground was!? 🤦🏼‍♂️

[@EternalKHFan0]

7:18 Hmm... Literally, 討仇の釼 would roughly mean "Sword of Conquering Enemy", so close enough, I guess?

[@TheLadySilverMoon]

There is a graphic novel called "They Called Us Enemy" that depicts George Takei and his family's time in internment camp, it's really good.

[@nyarlathotep616]

@@TheLadySilverMoon read that in rehab. It was good. Killed a few hours I’m unfortunately a fast reader

[@fredrikcarlstedt393]

The Wrath of Mr Sulu ! Oh, my !

[@OldMusicFan83]

I believe Neville Brand was a PTSD’d WW2 veteran, so a lot of his anguish was genuine. Famously, Rod Serling was as well.

[@richewilson6394]

Having them trapped in there and then having the door open shows that it was their common views that were keeping them trapped and when they were both gone and it opened the door to new possibilities.

[@anubusx]

I found it really funny when Arthur jumped out the window shouting banzai.

[@weareallbronies9031]

*walter preparing for the video* "welp...i guess there's no getting around this."

[@DeltaDemon1]

In ST:TNG there's a line that O'Brian uses about his racism (I'll paraphrase): "I don't hate you, I hate what I became because of you"...Very good line.

[@nathanbarth6393]

I feel that way about some people

[@Serahpin]

Miles Edward O'Brien is the GOAT.

[@eggmannega6895]

I actually starting watching "Passage of the Lady Anne" thinking it was the episode for the day.

[@trinaq]

George Takei was the fourth future "Star Trek" star to appear on the Zone, after William Shatner, James Doohan and Leonard Nimoy. He'd get his big break just two years later.

[@MegaMr46]

Live long and prosper 🖖

[@HBarnill]

Twilight Zone and Star Trek share a similar DNA. Serling and Roddenberry were good friends.

[@lainiwakura1776]

Thanks for telling us something that was already in the video.

[@HBarnill]

@@lainiwakura1776 Some people don't actually watch the video first. They just go straight to the comments.

[@wjzav1971]

Apparently, George Takei was quite relieved when he got to play a non-stereotypical Japanese man on Star Trek. Then that episode came up where the crew went crazy and the script says that Takei should run around with a Katana and he was like "How about we don't" and it was changed to a rapier

[@drewo.127]

I love seeing all the people in the comment genuinely brainstorming ideas for possible rewrites of the story! So interesting and awesome to see!

[@UrSammich]

I think this episode works well once you also consider Takei's background. Takei was a interment camp victim and struggled to get by like many Asian Americans at the time. When you consider his past and the affect it had on him, all that emotion comes to the for front in his performance. What we see is a man who is stricken with the choices made by the government to protect him, only to instead make it worse. I think this is a rare TZ episode that is best to watch for the historical aspect.

[@Thatonegirl989]

We’ve all been waiting for this one

[@Nostripe361]

I’d say have Arthur lie about his father be that while he says he tried to help at pearl harbor that he really was a Japanese soldier in ww2 and Arthur immigrated to the us after the war rather than being born here. Maybe if you want extra drama his father was a hardcore believer in Japan imperialism and he still deals with emotional scars of his father trying to educate him in the ways of being a Proper Japanese man

[@donjezza10]

I feel like this story would've worked better as a written story, because it would've allowed a better understanding of how the characters were thinking and what was causing them to make certain decisions.

[@goldenfiberwheat238]

The way he jumps out the window is so funny. It reminds me of when that other guy does it in the Mandela effect episode

[@anubusx]

Mandela Effect episode?

[@anubusx]

What episode is that?

[@goldenfiberwheat238]

@ when the guy wakes up and his wife doesn’t recognize him

[@gaminggoof1542]

7:35 😂 it’d be a lot more sad if he didn’t yell “BONSAI!!” Also his face is so recognizable, I could tell it was him. I was a bit surprised by his voice though. I thought he always had that deep soothing one.

[@sameaston9587]

It sounds like bonsai, but Author actually said banzai. During WWII, it was used as an expression to glorify the emperor of Japan.

[@lainiwakura1776]

banzai* Bonsai is a type of plant.

[@pkmntrainermark8881]

​@@sameaston9587 Author

[@sinisterwombat3128]

10000 years

[@grkpektis]

I didn't know about this episode or the controversy, it's very interesting and sad at the same time

[@KyleRobots]

I remember seeing this one year when it was FINALLY re-released on a New Years Twilight Zone marathon on Sci-fi and that ending did throw me. I did feel like it should have been they thought he was a traitor and was betrayed, seeding the anger in Toshiro. You know, anger Takei could relate to. He gets discovered after the vet gets run through, and jumps out the window.

[@Akira625]

I had never even heard of this episode until SyFy started airing it a few years ago. I looked it up online, and I understood why it hadn't been shown on TV since it first aired.

[@ponygon777]

I saw this episode last New Years and I was surprised how good George Takei was in The Encounter. After years of seeing him in campy roles, it was shocking to see him in such a dark role.

[@TrentPruitt1997]

I missed the original post for the commercials, hoping you guys see this one. Sorry if it’s a lot. PLEASE SEE THIS GUYS!! I’ve been trying for the last couple of years and I’m finally hoping this third time will be the charm! There are a few I definitely want Critic to see (Axe Chocolate Guy for sure). But look through it and hopefully pick out some great ones. 1. Eggo Waffles (Eggoman) 2. Dell Discovery (2009) 3. Popsicle Zone (many different ones to find) 4. Pop Tarts Crazy Good! 5. Lionel Coin Bank (wanna see Critic’s reaction to the “melody”) 6. Moon Shoes 7. Dell Lollipop 8. Bazooka Bubble Gum (bazooka, zooka) 9. Quizno’s commercials with weird ass rats? (We love these subs!) - yes, these were real 10. Subway 5 dollar foot long song 11. Shamwow 12. Zoosk Dating - Mountaintop 13. Fushigi “Magic” Ball 14. Spaghetti O’s - 2004 O-O-O’s (sounds like a pop punk song) 15. OnStar commercials with Batman (surprisingly one of the best depictions of the character) 16. Six Flags Guy 2004 17. Chef Boyardee Rolling Can 18. Education connection song 19. Axe Chocolate Guy (critic’s reaction should be priceless) 20. Free Credit Report songs (there’s a few of them) 21. Orbit brush ups 22. Hillshire farm, go meat! 23. Seinfeld and Superman (Patrick Warburton) 24. Geico caveman (airport) 25. Reese’s Puffs rap 26. The Skittles Touch - guy at desk 27. Spider-Man - Dr. Pepper 2002 28. Spider-Man 2 - Dr. Pepper 2004 29. Spider-Man 2 - Cheez Itz 30. Revenge of the Sith Burger King 2005 31. Daniel Craig Heineken (2012) 32. Spider-Man 2 TV Game 33. Spider-Man 2002 Game (Best Buy) 34. HP Printer Baby 35. Vonage phone service 36. Zoo Pals 37. Wii would like to play 38. Nestle Wonder Ball

[@jlev1028]

You do realize they're November releases, right?

[@TrentPruitt1997]

@@jlev1028 I know but I missed the community post for the suggestions the other day.

[@miss-tessbess]

​@@TrentPruitt1997Dude, just go to their channel and look at their community posts. It's not hard to find

[@RichterRacc]

Banned from TV? I definitely saw this on Tv.

[@F4m1LyGuy10]

If you did, it wasn't until 2016. "The ban seemingly ended on Jan. 3, 2016, when Syfy showed "The Encounter" as part of its New Year's Day Twilight Zone marathon"

[@gshaz7]

@@F4m1LyGuy10 that's when I first saw it, and i love(d) it. I watch the nye marathons every year since i first found them there as a young kid lol.

[@christophertheriault3308]

I also absolutely saw this on TV prior to 2016

[@HurQlez]

Here is how I think Arthur could have his sin: Arthur’s father being a spy was the lie. Arthur believed that and distanced himself from his father despite his father saying it wasn’t true. But when he found out it was a nasty lie spread by someone he knew, maybe his father’s navy comrade who was racist, Arthur beat him to death. Blaming him for missing out time with father who offed himself years ago and he can never get that time back. And he wouldn’t jump out the window after stabbing the guy here because he didn’t want to repeat his father’s similar end.

[@julieporter7805]

A very powerful bottle episode. 5:06-That's pretty relevant to today to say the least. They could just as easily have said Arthur was sent to an internment camp as a child and killed a guard or his father was a Japanese pilot (or ignoring Takei's age say he was) and it would have had the same impact. Interestingly enough, it gives you some idea of the wide age gap between Takei and his Star Trek colleagues that he lived in an internment camp as a child around the same time that many of his costars were fighting in WWII. I believe he, Walter Koenig, and Nichelle Nichols were the young kids of the group.

[@fistofbuuda]

I have a slightly different interpretation of the ending, it seems to me that the Japanese character is taking with him and sacrificing himself to permanently bury a cursed sword. Ultimately redeeming himself and removing the evil from existence.

[@Myself-yf5do]

Now that you've done Disneycember, Dreamworksuary, Bat May, and this, you should do Nickuly/Aprilodeon.

[@Thoralmir]

Reminds me of the Muramasa swords, which were said to imbue their wielders with a supernatural bloodlust.

[@briang9581]

What are the chances that a perfect vessel for the sword's purpose would ever walk through the door? It is far more likely that an unsuitable vessel would enter the home and the sword would make use of who was available. By the time that Arthur kamikazed himself out the window he was no longer the person he had previously been. His body, mind and ultimately his soul had been taken by the spirit of vengeance (no, not a ghost rider) that had been embedded in the sword. Who's to say when Arthur's mind was first overwritten. Could it be that the "secret" he revealed was nothing more than a false memory, a manipulation to confuse Arthur and enrage Fenton.

[@railroader1719]

Yeah Arthur's sin is really weak compared to Fenton's. To hone in on more of what George Takei experienced in real life as a victim of the Japanese Internment camps, perhaps Arthur could have also been a victim and one night, while he was out past curfew, a guard fell from his post in front of Arthur, with Arthur being the only person to see or hear it. And rather than run to get the Guard some help, he allowed him to die from his injuries as revenge for the atrocities his family had been put through, with his rage and guilt continuing to this day. This at the very least, makes Arthur's decision to jump out the window more fitting, as he's now taking himself out the same way the guard from his past did. You could even add a hidden connection, where the Guard is Fenton's brother, thus fueling Fenton's racism as he could have suspected foul play in his brother's death. Thus fueling Arthur and Fenton's animosity for each other.

[@ianr.navahuber2195]

7:48 the main point of contention 9:02 considering what the episode said about arthur having a short fuse, maybe say he got into a fight with a racist hat kept harassing him, to the point of physically attack him, and accidentally killed him during a fight when he responded back. even if it was in self defense, it would be a better mirror situation or alternatively, maybe make it clear that arthur's father WASN'T a traitor, but the fear and paranoia of the people make them throw baseless accusations against his father, and Arthur, with no way to disprove it, simply believed it after having it drilled into his head. (took that idea from tv tropes's page on this episode)

[@raymondwatt9773]

I honestly never really cared for this one. I mean Imperial Japan was a regime every bit as evil as Nazi Germany and I felt there was too much moral equivalency.

[@jordanhunter3375]

5 more days....

[@SRS1969]

I originally saw this episode on late night TV in 1985, so I call BS on this being completely banned.

[@mrodriguez16ks]

I saw it on Sci fi channel during its twilight zone marathons

[@SirSmoldham]

It wasn't banned forever. I remember a VHS release where this was pointed out. After all, the show originally aired decades before the '80's, so there was time for more enlightened minds to recognize errors of the past.

[@ShawnRavenfire]

I first saw it screened at a Star Trek convention hosted by George Takei.

[@robertbryant4669]

When I first saw this episode, I got the impression that the sword itself was altering Arthur's memory, as the spirit of its previous owner was clearly trying to use him as a vessel for revenge.

[@CaptainCJ97]

What a episode, that banzai was nuts

[@anubusx]

I found it funny.

[@theshenpartei]

There should really be be a crossover between Star Trek and twilight zone since some of the cast of enterprise were on the show

[@LearndingLife]

Be freed of hate or come to an end by the sword it carries. 😢

[@EmnM2010]

My dad remembers the one time he saw this episode and being profoundly affected by the themes of racism and humanity. Which I find interesting, because Mulan had similar effect on me at about the same age. The idea of foreign people we've been conditioned to stereotype and even vilify having regular lives to live really opened both our hearts to these groups. It changed how we interact with everyone around us, and how we teach others in turn.

[@greenricee]

Thank you for making these videos

[@antdude]

George Takei! "Oh my!"

[@LilyBannel]

It's a shame that such great acting is in this episode. With a different script this could've been great. What if it was like the episode where the German sicko wanted to relive his memories of the concentration camp? Have Arthur be a victim of the interment camp and Fenton be a snitch who told the government where to find him. The sword being a sick trophy of his loyalty to America. Then when Arthur visits years later, he recognizes the sword and the episode remains the same except for the bonzai frenistration. I don't know much media that covered that.

[@Danimal843]

Totally understand why it was banned for a while but definitely an underrated socioculturally entertaining episode that sadly remains prescient today in many aspects Glad you effectively noted the overt and especially subtle aspects that aren't so evident to everyone However, I respectfully disagree with your interpretation and most of the alternatives you presented. Despite the historical fiction aspect and inaccuracy, it works better the way it was written over what you proposed as alternatives to the characters bc that's what makes it what it was meant to be It was impactful, prescient and made people feel something and gave intelligent topics for individuals and overall society to think about Yea, it was heavy topically but that's what it was intended to do and made it so impactful regardless of any individuals subjective interpretation

[@YukiteruAmano92]

Not millions. That's inaccurate. Millions went to the Nazi deathcamps but the States only interned a little more than 100,000 of their own citizens and a few thousand more sent from Latin America. Not to downplay the moral wrongness of this chapter in your history, >100,000 people deprived of their liberty on the basis of nothing more than their race is >100,000 too many, only to say that the claim that the States interned 'millions' of their own citizens is inaccurate. The 160,000 or so Japanese Statesers living on Hawaii during that period were (to the best of my understanding) not interned, due to the fact that Hawaii, not yet being a state, spent the entire war under martial law and, so, the entire territory was able to function like one big prison/military base.

[@Nasser851000]

This episode must be pretty special if it's lost 😉

[@shainewhite2781]

Not only lost, it was controversial taking place years after WWII had ended and that Americans were being bigots towards Asians coming to the United States as citizens.

[@UnderdogPlays_]

Not banned I saw it on Pluto TV 2 weeks ago

[@lowrider993]

Could've sworn you did this one already

[@historylover]

I like this one. I do think that the dad being a Pearl Harbor traitor is, for lack of a better word, stupid, because is was known even in 1964 that there were no Japanese traitors working in Pearl Harbor in 1941. Maybe make his Dad be one of the pilots that attacked Pearl Harbor. That would have been something that he would have felt guilty about. But you watch this one for the acting.

[@shadowjudge921]

A very dark, but also, imo, very relevant episode.

[@DeltaDemon1]

I've seen this episode a half dozen times. I remember very little from it except that I liked it.

[@HBarnill]

Oh, my.

[@thestrangah9690]

i SWEAR i remember seeing this on scifi before it was syfy

[@tenzhitihsien888]

As I understand it, Takei actually spent time in a US internment camp during WW2. If he didn't have a problem with making it, perhaps he felt that the way it confronted societal problems was more important than that bit of background some found so problematic; or perhaps he was just really desperate for an acting paycheck.

[@JOSH-lw2jv]

It's such a shame that after William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, James Doohan & George Takei; the other stars of *"STAR TREK":* DeForest Kelley, Walter Koenig & Nichelle Nichols never made an appearance in *"THE TWILIGHT ZONE".*

[@Rylie405]

Next year maybe you could do one horror/thriller movie a week. One of my personal favorites is Cape Fear might be a good character analysis

[@FluffyAbsol]

What is weird about this episode.. The beer cans are often held upside down.

[@madhopster1]

Beer cans at that time didn’t have pull tabs, so they used can openers and it wouldn’t matter if it was the top or bottom of the can that was punctured.

[@Ladykat1808]

​@madhopster1 learn something new everyday, thank you 😊

[@Gojiro7]

Hey Walter you surprised me on this one, every time theres been a unpleasant element in a TZ episode Walters let that bias him, but he seemed to let that slide by on this one and accept it as a key element to what makes it an emotionally powerful episode that.....honestly im very on the fence on if banning it was the right call for the time since it was tackling the ugliness of racism....and it was banned for being about racism

[@lifewithlee6298]

I saw sulu had came to say ) oh my 😅)

[@HarleyLuna31]

Tf ?? That sword came back always like the behelit from berserk😂

[@mitroben1976]

This episode just tried to do too much with too many themes and ideas. In doing so, it was too convoluted and accomplished nothing.

[@alexstockwell4349]

I feel like it would be more accurate to have Arthur commit seppuku, but that would be really hard to show on TV in 1964.

[@DDeFFacto]

I assumed the final banzai was referencing how some soldiers and civilians would jump from cliffs in Okinawa while shouting "Tennnouheika banzai" (Hail the emperor!)

[@LordGreystoke]

I liked Sulu jumping out of the window. It was dramatic. If he had just walked out of the house, it would have been less dramatic. The door opening up at the end makes for great symbolism and Serling's remark about living with guilt is the cherry on the cake. Yeah, it's too bad the writer injected some fiction about a Japanese american being a trader to his country. That should have been corrected. But all in all, this is a great, classic episode of the TZ!

[@scottyoshihara2458]

I find it interesting that this was controversial. Also messed up fact George Takei was interned in a camp and later if I can recall a higher security camp called Tule Lake,where tanks roamed around the parameter because of the loyalty surveys that the US gave to Japanese Americans. He wrote a kids book about his time there.

[@PopeSixtusVI]

This was The Lighthouse before The Lighthouse.

[@thEannoyingE]

I can understand why this was banned, I mean think about it, a Japanese veteran that had involvement with Pearl Harbor. You have to remember that WWII was only 19 years earlier. The war was still fresh in people’s minds at the time.

[@aidanhever3369]

Remember the Jersey Devil episode of The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest in which Jonny, Hadji, and Dr. Quest encountered two families who are descendants of the Redcoats and Minutemen of the American Revolutionary War ? Well, I wish the story of this episode was something like this.

[@Stonecutter334]

This episode was never banned. I saw in syndication as a kid in the 70’s.

[@goldenfiberwheat238]

8:52 localized entirely within your attic

[@majinsole8554]

That ending kamikaze…OOF. ~_~

[@janealber1436]

So basically it's history for painting itself.Like time and a loop consistently without ending and without a beginning

[@deathstrokeclanrules8562]

Final Five More To Go. Haven't been this excited since the end of Bat May.

[@maverickay5807]

Dang, never been so early

[@nidohime6233]

I think the story would have been better if it was more about the cycle of war and hate, where both men have lost both of their friends or even their fathers in the war and blaming the other from murdering their love ones, the sword representing that supposed vengeance they feel they have to fullfill, even if it doesn't makes sense anymore. I wonder if the japanese guy confesing his father was a traitor was actually allucinating from the katana's curse. At least curse swords is a very common thing in japanese media.

[@wellsbradley23]

This episode is not anymore offensive than some others. It should be viewed and enjoyed like the rest.

[@hankdewild9720]

I think this could have been a great episode if Fenton wasn't so awful but clearly still not over the war and doesn't trust anybody Japanese very much. Then both characters are shown with an opportunity to kill the other Fenton while Takamori is helpless and Takamori while Fenton's back is turned similar to the sins they confess both deciding not to do so. After discussion they come to the conclusion that the sins of Takamori's father don't reflect him and that Fenton was acting under the orders and regrets doing so and should move on as he can't change the past. After this Takamori sees the door open by itself showing a way out from the sins of his father and Fenton sees the sword disintegrate right in front of his eyes and will finally be able to move on from the war that ended many years ago.

[@Wolf_Dominic]

Issues aside, I’ve always thought this was a pretty amazing episode.

[@angrytheclown801]

They should have had Arthur's father not be a traitor but died trying to save soldiers with Arthur not knowing if it was Japanese pilots or friendly fire that got him and Athur's family got tossed in a camp to fuel his rage. That would have been better

[@SteelGnat]

I think a good re acting of this is a Japanese American meets the WW2 veteran who both survive pearl harbor and was in the battle of Okinawa where he had to shoot doen kamikaze pilots losing several of his friends who probabaly where assigned on his unit with him and this could be a critic of general trauma and wraith since they grewup with and experience that bias that effects their mind like a curse

[@NoahFineburgh]

I also have the radio drama with Stacy Keach. But the line readings aren’t as good as the original episodes. This was no loss when I final saw it on the DVD set.

[@drixg555]

Was that sword a Muramasa? That would explain the cursed effect....

[@kilroywashere513]

I have seen this on syfy channel once, and it was the first time I have ever seen, for what Walter said in this video as to why💁🏻‍♂.

[@Ladykat1808]

Domo arigato Mr Roboto