"Is There In Truth No Beauty?" Quiz

Answer: That person would go totally insane.

The Enterprise's mission is to transport Medusan Ambassador Kollos back to his home world. We learn the Medusans are an advanced race of beings that are formless. So utterly hideously is their appearance that even the slightest glimpse of them will drive a human totally insane. Kollos is accompanied by Laurence Marvick who beams aboard ahead of the Ambassador and warns Captain Kirk to vacate the transporter room before the Ambassador's arrival. Mr. Marvick happens to be one of the designers of the Enterprise.

Answer: He wears a special visor.

Vulcans have a greater tolerance to the appearance of Medusans, but Kirk worries about Spock's human half. With the help of a special visor, Vulcans can look upon a Medusan without going nuts.

Answer: Share a true mind meld with the Ambassador

Ambassador Kollos beams aboard with his human interpreter Dr. Miranda Jones. Since the Ambassador has no form and is extremely dangerous to humans, he is encased in a box for this journey. Spock needs to affix a special clamp to the box in order to carry the Ambassador to his quarters. Handles on the box would have been a good idea. Jones explains she was born telepathic and studied on Vulcan. Spock turned down the job Jones now has as interpreter for Kollos. Jones aspires to achieve a true mind meld with Kollos and is jealous of Spock's record of joining with many other species.

She thinks he wants her job.

Answer: Dr. McCoy

Upon arriving at the Ambassador's quarters, Jones informs Spock that Kollos requires rest as he finds the process of transportation a bit unsettling. Spock understands and says the ship's surgeon often has the same complaint about using the transporter. This one should be easy for anyone who is a fan of this show as McCoy has mentioned this numerous times.

Answer: Someone is thinking of murder.

While the senior staff welcomes Jones aboard during a formal dinner, she still has it out for Spock and continues to imply he wants to steal her job. They debate the relationship of beauty and ugliness verses good and evil. Kirk mentions the last remaining prejudice to overcome is to not be repelled by ugliness. Jones suddenly senses someone is thinking of murder but the feeling passes before she can learn more. Bones makes a pass at Miranda but she shoots him down. Nice kilt, Scotty.

Answer: He takes control of the warp engines and sends the ship beyond known space.

At the end of the dinner, Scotty offers to hand over the wheel of the Enterprise to Marvick and share a bottle of Scotch. No need to worry about getting a DUI in space! Marvick declines and heads over to Miranda's room looking for romance. He has the "hots" for her but she is basically a cold fish and spurns him. Now she realizes it was Marvick planning to murder Kollos as he thinks her job is keeping her from feeling the same towards him. Marvick tries to kill Kollos but not before Kollos pops open his box and Marvick goes completely bananas at the sight of the Medusan. Marvick heads over to engineering where Scotty hands over the wheel and Marvick takes the Enterprise beyond the limits of the galaxy into uncharted space.

Answer: A madman

After years of crazy folks taking over engineering, it's about time Kirk posted some security at the door or at least locked it. Marvick's interference with the warp engines has sent the ship through the energy barrier at the edge of the galaxy into a void in uncharted space. With no known points of reference, the crew does not know how to navigate back to their own space. Chekov quips "A madman got us into this, only a madman can get us out".

Answer: They are really good at interstellar navigation.

The Medusans are masters at interstellar navigation and Spock must mind meld with Kollos to in order to steer the Enterprise back to known space. Knowing Jones would never allow this, Kirk tries to woo her in the ship's botanical garden in order to keep her mind occupied so she will not pick up on Spock's intentions. Time for some smooth "Kirk moves"!

Answer: She is blind

Kirk also fails to seduce Jones and she confronts Spock regarding his intention to join minds with Kollos. McCoy spills the beans about Jones being blind. The others are surprised to learn this as she does not seem to be visually impaired. This is because she wears a highly sophisticated sensor web as clothing which allows her to "see" her surroundings better than if she had actual sight. Spock goes through with the mind meld and successfully brings the Enterprise back to our galaxy.

He forgets to wear the visor upon breaking the mind meld and subsequently goes insane and tosses the bridge crew around like toy soldiers.

Answer: "Peace and long life"

The only hope of saving Spock from his madness is if Jones can reach deep into the depths of his mind and restore his sanity. The Captain doesn't think she is trying hard enough and gives her a good old fashioned "Kirk tongue lashing". She is ultimately successful in saving Spock and everyone is happy. No hard feelings. Before she leaves, Jones flips the Vulcan hand salute and says "Peace and long life". Having spent so many years abroad on Vulcan, one would think she would just say "Live long and prosper" like everyone else.