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Over the last several decades, Star Trek has become one of the more profitable franchises with a cult following across the globe. However, the Star Trek universe had a bumpy start. Star Trek: The Original Series ran for three seasons from 1966 to 1969 on NBC and was canceled due to low ratings and other production issues.
However, the syndication of the show after the cancellation brought in worldwide recognition, which resulted in several movies and spinoff shows. The last movie with The Original Series cast, Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, in 1991, became the finale that the show did not get.
The Original Series ended with Season 3, episode 24, titled ‘Turnabout Intruder.’ In the episode, the USS Enterprise will face an unforeseen problem when they answer a distress call from an archaeological expedition. After the episode, the series was cancelled without any conclusive ending, leaving viewers disappointed. With The Undiscovered Country, Star Trek bid farewell to Captain James T. Kirk (played by William Shatner) and the Enterprise crew.
How did Star Trek: The Original Series end?
The last episode in Star Trek: The Original Series, titled ‘Turnabout Intruder’, aired in 1969. In the episode, the USS Enterprise will get a distress call from the planet Camus II. One of the survivors, Dr. Arthur Coleman (played by Harry Landers), informs the crew that the other survivor, Dr. Janice Lester (played by Sandra Smith), has taken ill.
Captain Kirk and Lester were in Starfleet Academy together and had an intimate relationship long ago. She tells him that she did not become a captain in Starfleet due to sexism. She traps Kirk using a machine of life-entity transfer and switches bodies with him.
It is learned that both Lester and Coleman have conspired to kill the expedition’s personnel on the planet. Meanwhile, Spock (played by Leonard Nimoy) gets increasingly suspicious of Kirk. When ‘Lester’ is conscious, she asks for help, but ‘Kirk’ discredits her. When Spock tries to help ‘Lester,' ‘Kirk’ accuses Spock of wanting to take command of the ship and puts him on trial.
The crew starts turning against ‘Kirk’ because of his odd outbursts. Suddenly, when ‘Kirk’ takes his chair, an image of ‘Lester’ appears. Coleman shares that ‘Lester’ must die to avoid it from happening again. Their bodies return to their original selves, and Lester breaks down, unable to fulfill her wish of commanding a ship. Coleman takes Lester to the sickbay to help her and the Enterprise continue their galactic journey.
How Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country gave the perfect finale for The Original Series?
In the movie Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, the Klingon Empire is in shambles as the Klingon moon of Praxis is destroyed, resulting in ecological disaster. Klingons appeal for peace with the Federation, and the Enterprise is assigned to carry out the negotiations. Captain Kirk is not on board with the idea, as Klingons had killed his son (in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock). However, he reluctantly agrees.
Things take a drastic turn when it appears as if the Enterprise is firing torpedoes at the Klingon ship. Two men in Starfleet uniforms enter the Klingon ship and wound the Klingon Chancellor, who later dies despite Doctor Leonard McCoy’s (played by DeForest Kelley) help. Kirk and McCoy are arrested for his assassination.
The two, who are sentenced to life imprisonment by the Klingon court, manage to escape with some unexpected help. While investigating the case, the crew finds that the person responsible for the assassination was Lieutenant Valeris (played by Kim Cattrall). She is a Vulcan Starfleet officer and Spock’s protégé. Through mind-meld, Spock learns that the Federation, Klingons, and Romulans were involved in the events, as they wanted to stop the peace talks. The Enterprise crew will make it in time to stop the assassination of the Federation President.
After returning back to the ship, the crew is informed about Starfleet’s request to return to Earth for the ship to be decommissioned. However, Captain Kirk and his crew decide to go on one last quest. Kirk will sign off with his last log entry as Captain of the Enterprise,
"Captain's log, stardate 9529.1. This is the final cruise of the starship Enterprise under my command. This ship and her history will shortly become the care of another crew. To them and their posterity will we commit our future. They will continue the voyages we have begun and journey to all the undiscovered countries, boldly going where no man – where no one – has gone before."
As the credits roll, the signatures of the actors appear in the stars. Completing their mission finally.
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