The Ambergris Element 

While the Enterprise investigates a water-world, Captain Kirk and Commander Spock go missing. They've been abducted by the world's inhabitants and altered into water-breathers as well.

Director:

Hal Sutherland

Writers:

Gene Roddenberry (created by), Margaret Armen

Stars:

William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley

Cast

Episode complete credited cast:
William Shatner	...	Capt. Kirk (voice)
Leonard Nimoy	...	Mr. Spock (voice)
DeForest Kelley	...	Dr. McCoy (voice)
George Takei	...	Sulu (voice) (credit only)
Nichelle Nichols	...	Uhura (voice) (credit only)
Majel Barrett	...	Rila / Aquan Females (voice)
James Doohan	...	Scott / Lt. Arex / Clayton / Cadmar / Domar / Aquan male (voice)

Storyline

The Enterprise investigates conditions on planet Argo, currently a water world whose previous dry world history matches events about to befall a nearly identical Federation planet. Kirk and Spock encounter the native sea-dwelling Aquans, who save the pair from drowning by transforming them into water-breathers but otherwise want nothing to do with them. Kirk and Spock seek to reverse their transformations before a devastating earthquake strikes, which requires the capture of a sea monster.

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Plot Keywords:

underwater city | underwater civilization | ruins | medical device | alien lieutenant | 

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Genres:

Animation | Action | Adventure | Family | Sci-Fi

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Certificate:

TV-PG

Did You Know?

Trivia

Since the small boat or "scouter gig" used in the search for Kirk and Spock obviously has no flight capability, it had to have been beamed down. This confirms that "Enterprise" has the cargo transporter shown in Franz Joseph's "Enterprise" blueprints.

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Goofs

After Kirk's mutated hands are shown to heal, they are again mutated in a later scene.

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Quotes

Captain James T. Kirk: I can't command a ship from inside an aquarium.

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Connections

Featured in Drawn to the Final Frontier (2006)

User Reviews

Aquamen....

The Enterprise visits a planet almost completely waterlogged. Apparently, long ago, it had large continents but they were pulled into the sea by volcanic activity and the planet is apparently without life. However, the sensors are wrong and there is at least a giant thingie that attacks the aqua-shuttle. In this attack, Kirk and Spock are lost. However, when they are discovered days later, the pair can no longer breath air but are like aqua-men! How did this happen? Some young Aquans decided to save these air-breathers- --and the older Aquans are unhappy as they all know that air- breathers suck! But, the crew of Enterprise manages to impress them with their niceness and the Aquans help them learn how to restore the Captain and his First Officer.

Once again, we have a horribly animated show with a reasonably entertaining episode, though this one seems more likely to appeal to children than most of the episodes. Not bad...but really ugly when it comes to the animation.

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

1 December 1973 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Filmation Associates, Norway Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

25 min

Color:

Color Color (technicolor)