A resource of The Worlds of David Darling The Man Trap
Star Trek Original series, season 1, episode 1
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Plot summary
The crew of the Enterprise deliver supplies to archeologists Dr. Robert Crater and his wife Nancy, who are the only inhabitants of planet M-113. Dr. McCoy and Nancy were lovers five years previously. McCoy is amazed that Nancy doesn't appear to have aged, but she looks middle-aged to Kirk and youthful to Crewman Darnell. Kirk is surprised when Crater asks only for salt tablets and that he and his wife be left alone. Meanwhile, Darnell is drawn to the vivacious, young-looking Nancy and is later found dead. On board the Enterprise, McCoy's autopsy reveals that all of the salt was drained from Darnell's body. Kirk discovers that Nancy is the last of an alien race capable of mind control: the creature craves salt and killed Crater's wife for it. Crater continued to give the creature salt in return for companionship. Meanwhile, the creature adopts the form of another crewman and beams aboard the Enterprise. It attacks members of the crew but makes an error when it attacks Spock and cannot stomach his body salts. Exposed, the creature appears to McCoy as Nancy to seek protection. Kirk and Spock arrive in time to convince McCoy of the truth. McCoy is forced to shoot the creature with hier phaser, which only then reveals its natural self.
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