The Corbomite Maneuver showcases Star Trek's optimism and first-contact themes

Collider calls 'The Corbomite Maneuver' one of Captain Kirk's greatest Star Trek episodes, centering on a life-or-death encounter between the USS Enterprise and an alien named Balok.

After the Enterprise destroys a mysterious space cube that turns out to be Balok's probe, Balok warns the crew they will face destruction in ten minutes. Captain Kirk bluffs that the ship carries a material called 'corbomite' that will destroy Balok if he attacks; the gambit delays the threat, and after freeing the crew from one of Balok's pilot vessels Kirk offers assistance. Kirk and his boarding party then meet the real Balok, described as friendly and childlike (Clint Howard), and learn Balok staged the incident as a test by his people of the First Federation to determine the Enterprise's intentions. As Kirk tells Spock, rather than play chess with Balok he opts for poker, and he later argues, "There's no such thing as the unknown, only things temporarily hidden, temporarily not understood."

Kirk would face similar moral dilemmas in other classic adventures such as 'Arena' and Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, where he again seeks diplomatic or merciful solutions. The episode's themes of hope, optimism and peaceful first contact continue to define the show and, the outlet notes, still resonate with fans over 59 years since it originally aired on NBC.

Key Topics

Culture, James T. Kirk, Uss Enterprise, Balok, Clint Howard