The Empath story

tos3x08 · 1968-12-06

While visiting a doomed planet, the landing party is subject to torturous experiments to test an empathic race.

23 total · 5 choice · 11 major · 7 minor

ThemeLevelMotivation
choosing who dies and who lives choice the aliens could save one but only one race, also McCoy and Spock about dying or insanity
compassion choice Gem :: Gem was a bundle of compassion toward others
compassion vs. self-preservation choice Gem :: Gem
the calculus of human life choice Vians deciding which civilization to save from supernova based on which they valued the most
the ethics of valuing human lives choice the aliens could save one but only one race, also McCoy and Spock about dying or insanity
alien overseers major Vian :: Vians of Minarans
civilization vs. savagery major were Vians civilized for trying to save the Minarans or savages for torturing people?
cruelty major Thann, Lal (Vian) :: Vians to captives
healing ability major Gem healed Kirk and McCoy's wounds using her empathic powers.
human vs. captivity major Kirk, Spock, McCoy :: landing party held captive by Vians