Ep 7. The Infinite Vulcan

In Star Trek: The Animated Series season 1 episode 7, titled "The Infinite Vulcan," the crew of the USS Enterprise is tasked with investigating the disappearance of a research team on the planet Phylos. Upon arrival on the planet, they discover that the team had been working on a project to create a new race of superhumans, using the DNA of a long-dead philosopher named Stavos Keniclius.

The team's leader, a scientist named Dr. Korby, had stumbled upon the secret of immortality and used it to create a clone of Keniclius, who he believed was the key to creating a utopian society. However, the clone had grown far beyond his expectations and had taken control, turning Phylos into a dictatorship where only those who agreed with his vision were allowed to live.

The Enterprise crew, with the help of a reluctant Dwarf captain and a group of inhabitants that opposes the clone's regime, struggles to stop Keniclius from spreading his scientific dictatorship throughout the galaxy. But even as they come close to defeating him, they are forced to confront the fact that the clone's ideas may hold some truth, and that the utopian society Dr. Korby envisioned might be closer than they ever imagined.

"The Infinite Vulcan" is an episode that deals with themes of power, control, and the limitations of science. It explores the idea that even the noblest of intentions can lead to disastrous consequences when taken too far, and that the desire for immortality can lead to a loss of humanity. It also touches on the question of what is truly valuable in life, and whether being alive forever is worth sacrificing the things that make life worth living.

The episode's pacing is brisk but tense, with several action-packed sequences and a number of thought-provoking moments. The animation is primitive by modern standards, but it is still effective in conveying the emotional weight of the story. The voice acting is solid across the board, with William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, and DeForest Kelley reprising their roles as Kirk, Spock, and McCoy, respectively.

Overall, "The Infinite Vulcan" is a solid episode of Star Trek: The Animated Series that explores some of the franchise's most enduring themes. It is a thought-provoking, action-packed adventure that will appeal to fans of the original series and newcomers alike.