The Pirates of Orion
| "The Pirates of Orion" | |
|---|---|
| Star Trek: The Animated Series episode | |
| Episode no. | Season 2 Episode 1 |
| Directed by | Bill Reed |
| Written by | Howard Weinstein |
| Production code | 22020 |
| Original air date | September 7, 1974 |
"The Pirates of Orion" is the first episode of the second season of the American animated science fiction television series Star Trek: The Animated Series, the 17th episode overall. It first aired on NBC on September 7, 1974. It was directed by Bill Reed, and written by Howard Weinstein. The episode was Weinstein's first professional sale at the age of 19.
Set in the 23rd century, the series follows the adventures of Captain James T. Kirk (voiced by William Shatner) and the crew of the Starfleet starship Enterprise. In this episode, Kirk and the Enterprise must contend with pirates who have stolen a load of cargo that includes medicine crucial to save a dying Spock (voiced by Leonard Nimoy).
The story was developed from Weinstein out of a Star Trek-based short story he had previously published in a school science fiction publication. After it failed to be read on the first submission, it was resubmitted and purchased by the production team. The episode featured the first appearance of male members of the Orion species in the Star Trek franchise; male Orions would not appear in a live action episode until 2004. Critical reception to the episode was mixed, and it has been released in several forms of home media, including VHS, LaserDisc and DVD.
On stardate 6334.1, the Federation starship Enterprise is on its way to planet Deneb 5 when the Vulcan First Officer, Spock (voiced by Leonard Nimoy), contracts the disease choriocytosis and is diagnosed by Chief Medical Officer Leonard McCoy (voiced by DeForest Kelley) with having only days to live. The Starfleet freighter SS Huron is to rendezvous with the Enterprise and deliver medicine direly needed for the cure, when it is attacked by Orion pirates who steal its cargo, which turns out to be primarily a sizable load of dilithium crystals.
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