In this episode of Trekking Through Compliance, we consider Where No Man Had Gone Before, which aired on September 22, 1966, Star Date 1312.4
Story
This is the first Star Trek episode made (not counting the pilot episode, The Cage), although it was not the first to air. It differs from subsequent episodes in that there is no “Space, the final frontier” voice-over during the theme song at the beginning.
The Enterprise discovers a 200-year-old ship recorder from the SS Valiant near the galaxy’s edge. Shortly after, the Enterprise passes through an unknown phenomenon that causes major damage and knocks out navigators Gary Mitchell and Dr. Elizabeth Dehner (both of whom have high ESP ratings). When Gary recovers, he begins to acquire telepathic and telekinetic powers. Kirk, alarmed at the prospect of having his ship taken over by an increasingly powerful and tyrannical Mitchell, is convinced by Spock to maroon Mitchell at the lithium cracking plant of Delta Vega. Dr. Piper has no explanation for what is happening. Gary kills Lee Kelso and escapes from his imprisonment. Kirk follows him and can destroy him with the help of Dr. Dehner, who is also beginning to acquire the power but kills herself in the process.
Commentary
We take a deep dive into compliance lessons drawn from the episode’s plot, emphasizing the importance of root cause analysis, risk management, adaptability, ethical leadership, monitoring, and controls, balancing innovation with safety, effective team communication, and understanding human behavior in the context of compliance. These lessons are crucial for building and maintaining effective organizational compliance programs.
Key Highlights
- Plot Summary of Where No Man Has Gone Before
- Key Compliance Takeaways
Resources
Excruciatingly Detailed Plot Summary by Eric W. Weisstein
