In this episode of Trekking Through Compliance, we consider the episode The Lights of Zetar, which aired on January 31, 1969, and occurred on Star Date 5725.3.
On its way to the Memory Alpha planetoid, the storehouse of all the Federation’s cultural history and scientific knowledge, sensors detect a strange storm. The storm travels at a speed of Warp 2.6, indicating that it cannot be a natural phenomenon. The storm heads right for the Enterprise, penetrating the shield and attacking different brain centers of different crew members. Lt. Mira Romaine, aboard to oversee the transmission of data newly gathered by the Enterprise to Memory Alpha, seems the hardest hit.
The storm then heads for shieldless Memory Alpha, killing all aboard and burning out the central memory core. Mira beamed and warned everyone to return to the Enterprise because the storm was returning. Scans from the Enterprise confirm this, and the landing party returns to the ship.
To rid Mira of the alien influence before the aliens attack again, Kirk rushes her to a gravity/pressure chamber. The aliens attack too soon, however, and Mira becomes completely possessed. Speaking through Mira, the aliens identify themselves as the last survivors of the planet Zetar. They have had to discard their bodies and have been searching for a millennium for one such as Mira’s in which they can live out their lives. Before Mira’s consciousness can be wholly subjugated, Scotty puts her in the pressure chamber. Here, the aliens are killed, and Mira is freed.
Commentary
The episode follows the Enterprise crew as they encounter a mysterious storm that endangers them and the Memory Alpha Planetoid. The episode receives criticism for its perceived sexism but also includes a defense that views it as a poignant love story. Tom Fox uses this episode as a framework to discuss the importance of enhancing pattern recognition in compliance through collaboration, sharing insights on how cross-functional teamwork can improve the identification and mitigation of compliance risks.
Key Highlights
- Episode Summary: The Lights of Zatar
- Critical Reception and Controversy
- Compliance Insights: Enhancing Pattern Recognition
- 11:17 Conclusion and Next Episode Preview
Resources
Excruciatingly Detailed Plot Summary by Eric W. Weisstein
