I Never Felt As Badly For Captain Kirk As When He Was Replaced In This Star Trek: The Original Series Episode

Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner) is usually an indomitable hero in Star Trek: The Original Series, but I always feel bad for him in this season 2 episode. As Captain of the USS Enterprise, Kirk leads a historic five-year mission of galactic exploration. Kirk's legend is of glamorous journeys, making First Contact with numerous aliens, thrilling battles with Star Trek enemies like the Klingons and the Gorn, and lusty romances with all manner of women Kirk meets in our space.

In Star Trek: The Original Series season 2, episode 24, "The Ultimate Computer," Captain Kirk is laid low and treated cruelly by Starfleet. When brilliant inventor Dr. Richard Daystrom (William Marshall) comes aboard the Starship Enterprise to test his M-5 Multitronic computer, Captain Kirk must step aside while an A.I. takes command of his ship. Even Spock (Leonard Nimoy) is fascinated by the M-5 and its potential. Of course, the M-5 experiment goes horribly awry, but the disrespect Starfleet heaps on Kirk beforehand is appalling.

Captain Kirk Was Never Treated Worse By Starfleet Than In This Star Trek Season 3 Episode

Calling Kirk "Captain Dunsel" Was A Low Blow

KIrk is called Captain Dunsel

As Captain of the Enterprise, James T. Kirk is typically held in high regard by Starfleet, but not in Star Trek: The Original Series season 2, episode 24, "The Ultimate Computer." Commodore Wesley (Barry Russo) seems overly enamored with the M-5's capabilities and dismissive of Kirk's competence. Naturally, Kirk worries that the M-5's automation could replace a human starship captain. When the M-5 sees early success, Kirk's fears seem to be realized. Worse, Wesley calls Kirk "Captain Dunsel," meaning a part that has no useful purpose. The hurt on Kirk's face says it all.

The M-5 does raise a point when it comes to landing party selection, as it chooses personnel based on necessity. Captain Kirk picks people based on the fact that Star Trek is a television show, and certain characters are needed for dramatic purposes, even if it's illogical from a military standpoint.

Captain Kirk is redeemed when the M-5 is proven to be capable of tragic error because it lacks humanity and sound judgment. Meanwhile, Dr. Richard Daystrom is revealed to be emotionally unbalanced as he tries to assert his genius, and his flaws bled into the M-5's programming. Kirk's importance as a starship captain is reaffirmed, and the M-5 experiment is a dismal failure that costs unnecessary lives.

Yet even though Kirk ends up being right, his reputation is dragged through the mud, and he endures insults from his superior officer. I can't help but feel bad for Captain Kirk because he didn't deserve this treatment.

Kirk Has Had Low Points In His Starfleet Career As Captain

Captain Kirk Was Even Court-Martialed

The way Starfleet treats Captain Kirk in "The Ultimate Computer" is a slap in the face, and it stands out even among the low points in Kirk's career. While Captain Kirk triumphs in every episode of Star Trek: The Original Series, he has suffered indignities. Kirk has been court-martialed, kidnapped, he's been forced to fight for his life, the USS Enterprise gets hijacked, and Kirk has even had his mind swapped with Dr. Janice Lester (Sandra Smith) in Star Trek: The Original Series season 3's finale, "Turnabout Intruder."

Some of Kirk's greatest tragedies occur in the Star Trek movies. Kirk watches Spock die in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, and he's powerless to stop the murder of his son, David Marcus (Merritt Butrick), in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock. Of course, Kirk dies in Star Trek Generations. Yet the way Captain Kirk is mocked by Starfleet in Star Trek's "The Ultimate Computer" remains particularly galling, especially considering how Kirk selflessly saves the day yet again.

Kirk Proved A Point In Star Trek Season 3 But Starfleet Keeps Making The Same Mistake

Starfleet Can't Trust A.I. (Besides Data)

Captain Kirk proved that a machine, no matter how advanced, cannot replace human intuition, courage, and compassion in Star Trek's "The Ultimate Computer," yet Starfleet repeats its mistake with the M-5. In Star Trek: Lower Decks, a corrupt Admirals attempt to create an A.I. Texas Class starship armada ends in tragedy when the USS Aledo becomes a murderous machine. A decade before Star Trek: The Original Series, Starfleet's threat assessment A.I., Control, tries to wipe out organic life in the galaxy in Star Trek: Discovery season 2.

Kirk overcomes undeserved insults to save Starfleet from its own folly.

Lt. Commander Data (Brent Spiner) in Star Trek: The Next Generation is a rare example of an A.I. who emulates the best aspects of humanity. Meanwhile, Data's older android brother, Lore (Brent Spiner), is another malevolent machine. Starfleet regularly forgets the point Captain Kirk proved in Star Trek: The Original Series' "The Ultimate Computer," even after Kirk overcomes undeserved insults to save Starfleet from its own folly.