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Kodos the Executioner was responsible for the deaths of 4,000 people: could he possibly be on board the Enterprise, posing as a Shakespearean actor? When Kirk discovers the possibility that his old nemesis Kodos might still be alive, he sets off on a confusing adventure to right the wrongs of the past! Clay joins me to discuss “The Conscience of the King” and Shakespeare, recording the captain’s log, and throwing phasers down the garbage chute!
The Wikipedia plot summary for “The Conscience of the King”:
The USS Enterprise is called to Planet Q by Dr. Thomas Leighton, a friend of Captain Kirk‘s, ostensibly to investigate a possible new synthetic food source. Leighton’s true motivation, however, is his suspicion that Anton Karidian, the leader of a Shakespearean acting troupe currently on the planet, is in fact Kodos “the Executioner,” former governor of the Earth colony of Tarsus IV. Kodos seized power when the food supply of the colony was nearly destroyed and the people faced starvation. He ordered that half the population be put to death to solve the food crisis, to which both Leighton and Kirk were eyewitnesses. A supply ship arrived earlier than scheduled, but too late to prevent the massacre. Kodos was pursued. A burned body was found and the case closed. Kirk insists Kodos cannot still be alive, and declines Leighton’s request that he meet Karidian and his troupe at a party at Leighton’s home. However, upon returning to the ship he researches Kodos and Karidian and finds considerable circumstantial evidence supporting Leighton’s suspicion: there is no record of Karidian’s existence prior to Kodos’s disappearance, and photos confirm a close physical resemblance. Kirk goes to the party. Karidian does not appear, but Kirk meets his daughter Lenore, also a member of the troupe, and they hit it off. During a walk outside the two discover Leighton dead.
Kirk arranges for the Enterprise to ferry the acting troupe to its next destination. He transfers Lt. Kevin Riley to Engineering, after discovering that he too was a witness to the Tarsus IV massacre. These actions arouse the curiosity of First Officer Spock, who, after an investigation of his own, learns the history of the massacre, Kirk and Riley’s connection to it, and that seven of nine witnesses to the massacre have died, in each case when Karidian’s acting troupe was somewhere nearby. He discusses the matter with Dr. McCoy.
Riley is poisoned, and a phaser is set on overload and left in Kirk’s quarters. Kirk confronts Karidian with his suspicions. Karidian does not admit to being Kodos, but argues in defense of Kodos’ actions and when prompted to read the ordering of the massacre, does so with barely a glance at the transcript. A computer analysis of his voice results in a near-perfect match with Kodos, but Kirk still hesitates to accuse Karidian.
Lt. Riley, recovering in sickbay, overhears Dr. McCoy’s log entry and learns that Karidian is suspected of being Kodos. Riley heads for the ship’s theater where the Karidian troupe is performing Hamlet, and sneaks backstage, phaser in hand, to exact revenge for the death of his family. Kirk discovers him before he can act and persuades him to surrender the weapon. Karidian, overhearing, is disturbed. Lenore tries to assuage him by revealing that she has been killing off all the witnesses to his crimes. This devastates Karidian, who is tormented by guilt over his actions as governor. Kirk, overhearing this conversation, moves to arrest them both. Lenore snatches a phaser from a security guard and aims at Kirk. Karidian jumps into the line of fire, is hit, and dies. Lenore breaks down and begs her father to wake up and continue his performance. Later, on the bridge, McCoy reports that she’ll get the best of care. Having gone completely insane, she thinks her father is still alive and giving performances to cheering crowds.
You can find “The Conscience of the King”, and every other episode of the show, at ThePenskyPodcast.com and you can follow me on Twitter at @ThatPenskyFile!