A Captain and a King

Today’s ramble is kinda the best of both worlds in that I am taking a look at a beginning and an ending. Starting with the ending, it’s not really an ending since I found out there are more issues, but I have reached the end of the Once & Future first story arc. Duncan and Gran are fighting for their lives, and with King Arthur against them, I’m not sure they’ll make it out of the Otherworld too easily. One the other side of things, I’m at the beginning of the original Star Trek series as I take a glance at The Cage. Rewatching this episode brings back a lot of feelings from when I’ve watched it in the past, and as usual, I’m happy when I watch Star Trek. So yeah…I’d say best of both worlds for today.

Cagey Illusionists

Star Trek: Pilot – The Cage

Not aired on television until 1988, The Cage was the original pilot of one of my most beloved TV series of all time. The cast seems strange after the faces we became familiar with over the years, but the ideas are fairly similar. The U.S.S. Enterprise investigates a distress signal, a landing party is deployed, trouble follows, but the crew is able to work their way through to a positive resolution of the problem…it’s pretty straight forward.

The network executives indicated that the show was too “cerebral” and “slow,” and perhaps for the 1960s, that was true. Hmm, actually, looking back at most of the stuff I’ve seen from the 60s, this episode wasn’t cerebral or slow, but in any case, the execs ordered a new pilot.

In my mind, this episode was great! A dashing starship captain in Pike, an elf (we learn later he’s Vulcan) on the bridge in Spock, a female first officer, a bunch of illusionist aliens, and a beautiful princess for the captain to save. What’s not to like?

Ok, maybe when Vina turns into a green-skinned dancer we later learn is an Orion slave girl or when one of the Talosians transforms into an ape creature, there’s a bit of WTF, but I think that’s all part of the plan. With this being a pilot episode, there would be plenty of time to explain the different references when the show was picked up (as we learned later on, about the Orions).

In any case, my first impressions when I went back to watch this episode were sheer joy. I forgot the doctor brewed up martinis so he and the captain could unwind, and I forgot the references to previous missions they discussed. The whole Spock yelling throughout the episode and his displays of emotion were actually a bit endearing since I’m so accustomed to his stiff upper lipped logic. And the whole concept that these mind-reading aliens couldn’t comprehend the animalistic thoughts of humans when they were filled with hate was still great as I loved the line Pike delivers about testing his theory on the Talosian’s head.

Anyway, I think I’ve rambled on enough about the episode for now. On to something else…

An Arthurian Confrontation

Once & Future #6 is the culmination of the first story arc of the series I’ve come to really enjoy. We’ve got all our players – King Arthur, Galahad, Percival, Gran, and Elaine and things have reached a turning point.

Gran has shot herself (to force a desired action), and Duncan and Rose need to do something, or else she’ll die. With Excalibur in hand, Duncan heads to the Otherworld to grab the magical scabbard from Arthur to heal his grandmother.

Cool fight scenes and melting landscapes fill this issue as the reality of who and what Arthur is battle with the modern-day realities of England.

As I finish off this first arc, I’m definitely gonna have to re-read this from the start now that I know a bit more about what’s going on. Gillen, Mora, and Bonvillain have done a masterful job in crafting a believable world and a compelling story that I can’t get enough of. I’m so happy to find out this is not a limited series but will be continuing.

It’s a Wrap

With these two rambles, not even the China Flu will get me down. I’m too excited and pleased to have good television and comics and most importantly, good stories to pass the time and distract from the dire situation the real world has thrown at all of us.

Hopefully, you’ve all found things that make you happy during this difficult time, and certainly, I hope you all are staying healthy and enjoying the posts during Blapril.

Ramble 2020.01.45 | A Captain and a King