Whom Gods Destroy 

Kirk and Spock are taken prisoners by a former starship captain named Garth, who now resides at, and has taken over, a high security asylum for the criminally insane.

Director:

Herb Wallerstein

Writers:

Gene Roddenberry (created by), Lee Erwin (teleplay by)

Stars:

William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley

Cast

Episode complete credited cast:
William Shatner	...	Capt. Kirk
Leonard Nimoy	...	Mr. Spock
DeForest Kelley	...	Dr. McCoy
Steve Ihnat	...	Garth
Yvonne Craig	...	Marta
James Doohan	...	Scott
George Takei	...	Sulu
Nichelle Nichols	...	Uhura
Dick Geary	...	Andorian (as Richard Geary)
Gary Downey	...	Tellarite
Keye Luke	...	Cory

Storyline

The Enterprise travels to the planet Elba II, home of the last asylum for the criminally insane, to deliver a serum that should cure all of its remaining inmates. Kirk and Spock beam down to the planet's surface where all seems in order, but they soon find the inmates now run the asylum, led by Garth (at one time a starship Captain, whose exploits were required reading at the Academy). Garth, who's learned how to shape-shift, can take on the appearance of anyone, including Kirk or Spock. In the process of learning this ability, he lost his sanity. Garth plans to pose as the Captain, beam up to the Enterprise and take over the ship, but Kirk has a roadblock set up to overcome.

---

Plot Keywords:

colony | handshake | exoplanet | governor | half human half alien | 

---

Genres:

Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi

---

Certificate:

TV-PG

Did You Know?

Trivia

Garth's costume is that of Galactic High Commissioner Ferris from Star Trek: The Original Series: The Galileo Seven (1967).

---

Goofs

As Spock approaches the control room, Garth sees him on the monitor and says, "This could be amusing", but it's clearly Leonard Nimoy's voice.

---

Quotes

Capt. Kirk: They were humanitarians and statesmen, and they had a dream, a dream that became a reality and spread throughout the stars, a dream that made Mr. Spock and me brothers.
Garth: Mr. Spock, do you consider Capt. Kirk and yourself brothers?
Mr. Spock: Capt. Kirk speaks somewhat figuratively and with undue emotion; however, what he says is logical, and I do, in fact, agree with it.

---

Alternate Versions

Special Enhanced version Digitally Remastered with new exterior shots and remade opening theme song

---

Connections

Referenced in Buffy the Vampire Slayer: The Replacement (2000)

---

Soundtracks

Theme
Music credited to Alexander Courage, although it strongly resembles the main title music for 'Hollow Triumph (1948)' by Sol Kaplan
Sung by Loulie Jean Norman

User Reviews

Loony Bin #2

This is the second episode where bad things are happening in an asylum. Obviously, thing have not changed much in about 400 years. They're still locking people up. The patients are abused. Every kind of malady is treated the same way. In this one, a man named Garth, a former starship captain has gained control of the facility, driving the iconic administrator out. Garth is monumentally cruel. He is a total narcissist, caring only for himself and using the other patients for his own purposes. This pretty much forces Kirk and Spock to deal with a totally irrational man. They must decide life and death situations concerning the other patients and bear the cruelty of Garth. The end is a bit anticlimactic and pulls some of Garth's responsibility off the table. It's hard to see his villainy when it is revealed that he is not responsible for his mental illness.

Details

Official Sites:

handitv Official Facebook

Country:

USA

Language:

Greek English

Release Date:

3 January 1969 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Paramount Studios - 5555 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Television, Norway Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

51 min

Sound Mix:

Mono Dolby Digital (re-mastered version) DTS (re-mastered version)

Color:

Color Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

4:3