TrekWeb.com - ENT Goes Back to Babel in Potential Blend of Two Classic Episodes: "Babel One" (SPOILERS)

ENT Goes Back to Babel in Potential Blend of Two Classic Episodes: "Babel One" (SPOILERS)

By Steve Krutzler / 00:43, 24 October 2004 / Enterprise

STAR TREK: ENTERPRISE is about to get a heavy dose of ST:TOS. With stories involving the Eugenics Wars, 'Arik Soong', a Vulcan Civil War, and the creator of the transporter already coming up, the series plans a huge homage to the original series in the episode "Babel One." TrekWeb has obtained some early plot information on the episode, which seems to contain elements reminiscient of two classic episodes: "Journey to Babel" and "Balance of Terror."

The episode picks up as Enterprise hosts a Tellarite delegation to a conference on behalf of Starfleet and an organization called the United Earth Council, presumeably on the planet Babel One. Lead by Ambassador 'Gral', 'Archer' quickly impresses his guest with customary byplay, and a reception is held for the Tellarite party. Similar to "Journey to Babel," a large spread of alien foods plays backdrop to underlying tensions between the human crew and the visitors. When the Tellarites insist on the room's temperature being pushed up to uncomfortable levels, 'Trip' is near his last nerve.

Archer's patience is thinning too, as Gral openly questions whether humans can be trusted to mediate a dispute between the Tellarites and the Andorians, who Gral points out were integral in saving Earth from the Xindi. Archer assures Gral of Earth's neutral interest in resolving the dispute and Gral, for the moment, is satisfied.

But soon the ship comes across an Andorian debris field and 'Shran' suggests that the Tellarites are responsible. When Archer confronts Gral with sensor data, the rotund ambassador is defiant and insists Andorian ships are more powerful than Tellarites'. MACOs start guarding the Tellarites' quarters, convincing Gral and his party that the humans have sided with their Andorian adversaries.

Another twist lies, however, as the villains from "Balance of Terror" are waiting in the wings. A Romulan Commander 'Valdore' rushes to make repairs to his damaged ship, the "pride" of the Romulan fleet (just as in the classic TOS episode starring Mark Lenard as the Romulan Commander). If they can't mount an acceptable defense, Valore will have to self-destruct his vessel to prevent its capture. He soon learns, however, that Trip and Reed (who somehow have made it aboard the Romulan ship) are sabotaging the vessel. Meanwhile, back on Enterprise, Shran himself has shown up to raise the tensions (and stakes) even further.

This information is preliminary and subject to change. Until confirmed as always, cum grano salis. "Babel One" will air in 2005.

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RE: There's such a thing as going too far ... | Report this post to moderator
By: Steve Krutzler (Odo's file, contact) @ 13:09:17 on Oct 24, 2004

Well considering the first three seasons had very little to do with the prequel-nature of the show (the Andorians being the biggest example), I don't think it's overambitious to construct the show's possibly last season very heavily around these ideas. The point is that ENT is a prequel. If it was a sequel to TNG, then you'd have a good point. But a prequel by its very nature is supposed to tie in to the later series. It's like saying the STAR WARS prequels shouldn't be wasting time with characters like Obi Wan, Anankin, Palpatine, C3PO etc. If they wanted to do a show entirely original, well, they shouldn't have done a prequel. DS9 is the perfect example. Completely original idea within the Trekverse, occasional appearance/tie-in with other series or Trek chronology, but otherwise completely self-sufficient in terms of stories and plot. VOY and TNG also fit this model of course, but DS9 was certainly the most different.

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It's a rip-off. / We're stepped on, and cheated! / We're flat, stone-cold lied to / But we're not defeated / No!

Halen. "The Dream is Over."

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RE: There's such a thing as going too far ... by egyptianguy @ 14:16:15 on Oct 24

RE: There's such a thing as going too far ... | Report this post to moderator By: Steve Krutzler (Odo's file, contact) @ 13:09:17 on Oct 24, 2004

RE: There's such a thing as going too far ... | Report this post to moderator
By: Steve Krutzler (Odo's file, contact) @ 13:09:17 on Oct 24, 2004