Xon and the Star Trek That Never Was

X is for Xon!

Today I have been making my way through File Magazines' "The Star Trek That Never Was" from 1985. It holds an interesting collection of planned episodes and characters from what was going to Star Trek: Phase II, with Xon (a young full Vulcan) replacing Spock, and with Decker and Ilia on board.

I got this book on a dusty old shelf behind strange romance novels!

I have always been fascinated by Xon, from what I have been able to find out about him - I wish I could have seen his character in action.

Xon is quite young, only 22 - extremely young for a Vulcan - and is a genius, personally selected by the Vulcan Academy of Science as their representative on the Enterprise. Xon realizes that part of the reason why Spock did so well was his ability to better comprehend the crew's emotions due to his human half. Because of this, he tries to copy human emotions (without actually experiencing them) so that he can better understand humanity. Xon is also a much stronger telepath than Spock, and is able to easily link with Ilia.

Full profile... I wish it had happened.

The image used for the above profile is not that of Xon, but of Sonak in The Motion Picture. Xon was to be played by David Gautreaux:

The first episode draft, "In Thy Image", was eventually adapted into the Motion Picture and involves Ilia being used as a probe and V'Ger (spelled Vejur in the article), Xon, and Decker. There are many differences - Ilia and Decker resume duty aboard the enterprise, and Xon is Science officer throughout. Kirk beams down to earth with the probe and it is amazed at the beauty of it. But through Ilia "Vejur" begins to like Kirk, and when the time comes to destroy earth it decides that the biological units have a reason to live, and that it cannot learn from them.

Ilia materializes naked in Kirk's shower...

Not the most unique story.

The pictures that accompany the episode's overview don't have much to do with "In Thy Image" specifically - the first is from the Motion Picture with Ilia, and the second is Kirk with Nomad (it is suggested that the episode would have been too similar to "The Changeling").

Still, I would have loved to see Xon in action!

Star Fleet Medical Reference Manual - History

I have posted scans from the Star Fleet Medical Reference manual before, focusing mainly on Vulcan physiology. Lately, however, I have noticed an expanding interest in the manual around the internet. So here I am, revisiting the reference manual - studying the history of medicine.

I had posted the cover of the reference manual here, but it also came with a loose cover within the protective case:

Inside, we find that the Medical Advisor for this manual is none other than Leonard McCoy, M.D.  That automatically makes this the best book in the entire world. It makes me glad that I found it before my friend did, who was right beside me looking on the same dusty shelf.

Below are some pages with the history of medicine, not limited to Earth. It is very interesting to see the different planets' timelines - how advanced Vulcan was, for instance, when Earth was still in the middle ages. Some of the highlights (in Earth years - click images to enlarge):

4200 BC - Great Plague on Vulcan, thousands die of the skag maug.

2750 BC - Kohl, Klingon god - patron of medicine.

1900 BC - Sikar, founder of the Vulcan School of Medicine.

Around 480 AD - Kassaba fever destroys entire populations of Rigel IV

Around 1000 AD - Zora experiments with body chemistry of tribes on Tiburon

1348-1350 AD - "Black Death", bubonic plague kills one-third of Europe.

Around 1530 AD - T'Laan of Vulcan discovers an artificial blood plasma. (It wasn't even until 1628 that William Harvey discovered the circulation of the blood on Earth)

According to this timeline, Louis Pasteur developed "pasteurizer and rabies vaccine" in around 1820. He was only born in 1822, and the first pasteurization tests took place in 1962.  He started working on a rabies vaccination in the 1880s...

Around 1960 AD - Birth of Stavos Keniculus, first cloned human. (Also spelled Stavos Keniclius. Dr McCoy had mentioned in TAS that the scientist would be around 250 years old, which means he would have been born in around 2019, as the episode took place in 2268.)

1992 AD - Eugenic "supermen" revealed to public. (Eugenics wars begin)

Around 2000 AD - "Green Death", Vegan choriomeningitis ravages Vega IX.

2002 AD - Nomad Probe launched to search for extraterrestrial life.

2005 AD - Cygnian Plague Vaccine developed by Zilzu of Tellar.

Around 2020 AD - Cancer-inhibiting plant compound discovered on Ganymede.

Around 2015 AD - Life on Lavinius V is destroyed by the flying parasites. (Other sources say 2060 and 2067)

2042 AD - Ka'hat plague spreads throughout the Klingonii worlds.

2046 AD - Sessek of Vulcan studies alien physiologies.

Around 2175 AD - Radioactive pollutants on scalos cause drastic mutation.

Around 2190 AD - Life on Theta Cygni is destroyed by the flying parasites. (Theta Cygni XII)

Around 2550 AD - Life on Ingraham B is destroyed by the flying parasites.

2267 AD - Silicon-base life discovered on Janus VI. (Horta!)

They should teach these things in school - if a Canadian can get a Master's degree in the Beatles, then I should be able to get one in Star Trek.

Trek or Treat - 1977 (Part 1)

There are some pretty strange books out there, books that make no sense and rely on strange humor. This book definitely falls into that category - I only got it because it pertained to Star Trek, had amazing pictures, and cost one dollar at the convention. It was poking out from underneath a Worf doll.

The book: Trek or Treat, by Terry Flanagan and Eleanor Ehrhardt.

Snarky Spock? Quite strange.

I only scanned about half of the pages - these are only my favorites.

First we have a wonderful shot of the "Vulcan death grip" as invented by Spock in "The Enterprise Incident" (one of my favorite episodes... then again, aren't they all?)

I said... no peeking!

We then move on to a picture of Kirk from "The Empath" where he was captured, hung by chains, and tortured - Something strange fan-girls everywhere will never forget.

But hey, it gave Kirk an opportunity to be shirtless, so why not? We all know he loved to show off his chest.

Would you believe... I used to be a 99-pound weakling?

Next we have a grumpy-looking Kirk (again from "The Enterprise Incident"). Poor Kirk, having to seem all crazy... having a temper tantrum.

I do so have a sense of humor!

Now I know these things are supposed to be funny, and it isn't logical for me to feel this way, but i actually feel very protective about Spock's character. I don't like to see him made out to be unintelligent, or "clutsy/goofy" like below:

Gee, I didn't know it was loaded!

Next we have another shot from "The Empath" where "Gem" (so named by McCoy) is healing Kirk. Her hands always had a strange effect on me - they are just so perfect. Smooth. Flawless.

And poor dying/reviving Kirk's face...

There, there Captain - It's only a tetanus shot!

One of the pages I actually enjoyed and thought made sense was a shot from I, Mudd (another one of my favorites... insert Liars Paradox!) where the crew was doing everything in their power to appear illogical. It worked. We all laughed. The day was save.

PS. Jack Black would make an amazing Harry Mudd if the need ever rose.

Okay, together now: "Tea for two and two for tea"

Next we have another one for crazy fan-girls everywhere - and a weepy Kirk.

Love means never having to say you're sorry.

Moving on... NOMAD! Remember when Spock mind-melded with Nomad in "The Changeling" and almost went insane? Of course you do. I actually quite enjoyed nomad, it didn't mean to cause any harm, merely to sterilize. It was it's function.

But I digress. Putting an amusing spin on things:

Nomad: Sometimes I think you only love me for your body.

Another one of my favorite episodes is "Journey to Babel" where we first meet Spock's parents, Sarek and Amanda. I love how the two compliment each other even though they are Vulcan and Human - they are the perfect couple in every way. I always imagine Spock growing up with his mother saying and doing the most human things, and this fits right in:

Get a haircut, Son!

Even without posting all of the scans, I can't possible fit all of them into one post. Therefore, this is part one of two. If you liked these, check back in a couple of days for part two!