"The Paradise Syndrome" Trivia Quiz

Answer: Honeysuckle

The landing party has beamed down for a brief survey of the area. They are taken in by the beauty and tranquility of the surrounding area. Dr. McCoy smells honeysuckle in the air and Captain Kirk swears he also smells orange blossom. They come across an obelisk-like structure with strange symbols carved in it but they don't have enough time to study it further.

They observe a humanoid tribe that resembles Native American Indians. Kirk takes a moment to ponder what it would be like to live a simple life in paradise. Dream on, Captain Kirk!

Answer: They have very little time left to prevent an asteroid from destroying the planet before it is too late.

The Enterprise's mission is to deflect an asteroid that is on a collision course with the planet. Time is running out and the asteroid must be deflected before it gets too close to the planet. Kirk decides to take another look at the obelisk before beaming back to the ship. Spock and McCoy are not with him when a door on the obelisk suddenly opens and he falls inside. Since the ship's sensors are unable to pick up the Captain's reading from within the obelisk, the crew is unable to find him. Spock says they'll come back to look for the Captain after they've deflected the asteroid. With only 30 minutes left to rendezvous with the asteroid, it probably wasn't a good idea to beam down to have a look around in the first place.

Answer: His phaser and communicator.

When Kirk fell into the obelisk, he was hit by some sort of energy bolt that gives him amnesia. Although his memory is gone, some things seem familiar. He finds his phaser and communicator on the floor. He should know what they are but he can't seem to remember.

Answer: He saves a boy's life.

When some tribal women observe Kirk coming out of the obelisk (which the tribe refers to as the temple), they believe he may be a god. Some members of the tribe are not yet convinced Kirk is really a god. At this moment, other tribal members rush in with a boy who has drowned in a river.

When the tribe's Medicine Chief declares the boy will "move no more", Kirk steps in and gives the boy mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, saving his life. As only a god can breathe life into a person, Kirk must therefore be a god.

Answer: Kirok

Now that the tribe has established Kirk to be their god, they must know what to call him. Without his memory intact, Kirk can only manage to mutter "Kir, Kir..." in an unsuccessful attempt to remember his name. The tribal chief takes this to mean his name must be Kirok. Kirok assumes the role of Medicine Chief, also known as Healer, stealing the title from Salish.

He is given the Healer's headband that contains a symbol of the temple. Salish's blood begins to boil.

Answer: Two months

The Enterprise throws all its power into trying to deflect the asteroid but is ultimately unsuccessful. In doing so, the warp engines are shot and they have to hobble back to the planet on impulse power. At that speed it will take two months, or 59.223 days according to Spock.

As great a ship as the Enterprise is, it certainly breaks down a lot! All Scotty can do is weep over his battered engines. To make matters worse, the asteroid will be only four hours behind them the whole way back. Meanwhile on the planet, tribal tradition states the priestess Miramanee must join with the tribe's healer. Salish had dibs on Miramanee first so he is not too keen on this idea now that Kirok is the healer. Time for Kirok to get busy!

Answer: Make the blue flame come out of the temple.

Now that Kirok and Miramanee have joined, they waste no time in getting to know one another and she tells him she is carrying his baby. Kirk has found the peaceful life in paradise he had dreamed about. But soon the sky darkens and it seems the end is near. Tribal legend has it that a god will come to open the temple and save them by making the blue flame come out.

In reality, the temple is an asteroid deflector. Only a god would know how to operate it and Kirok is that god. Well, Kirok is no god obviously.

He is the very mortal Captain Kirk and he does not know how to open it. The tribe now sees Kirok as a false god and begins to stone him. Miramanee rushes to help Kirok but is stoned as well.

Answer: The Preservers

On the way back to the planet, Spock has deciphered the strange symbols carved into the obelisk. They are musical notes representing a kind of alphabet. He is now able to read the symbols and determines the obelisk is an asteroid deflector created by a super race known as The Preservers, who travel the galaxy saving civilizations from extinction and planting their seed.

This explains why there are so many similar humanoid species spread across the galaxy. Is there an asteroid deflector somewhere on Earth? Bruce Willis could have used it that one time.

Answer: Using a communicator, he says "Kirk to Enterprise".

Upon beaming down to the planet, Spock and McCoy save Kirk from the tribe's attack but Miramanee has been mortally wounded. At least Kirk won't be on the hook for child support now. Spock uses the Vulcan Mind Fusion technique to restore Kirk's memory and informs him of the musical meaning behind the symbols.

They agree a certain tonal sequence must be used to open the obelisk door. Kirk remembers what he did that opened the door the first time. Using Spock's communicator, he speaks the familiar phrase "Kirk to Enterprise" and the obelisk door opens. What are the odds? By the way, Spock's technique certainly looks like what has been commonly referred to as the Mind Meld in previous episodes, but here he calls it the Mind Fusion.

Answer: "Just push the right button".

Inside the obelisk, they have very little time to figure out how to operate the asteroid deflector. Kirk warns Spock about the energy beam that erased his memory. As Spock rambles on about the symbols indicating how the buttons need to be pushed in the proper sequence, Kirk grows impatient and blurts out "Spock, just push the right button". Spock does indeed push the right button and a blue energy beam shoots from the top of the obelisk successfully diverting the asteroid's course so that it will not collide with the planet.