“Balance of Terror” is primarily notable for one thing: the introduction of Romulans. But there is much more to the episode, including: the duel between the Romulan ship and the Enterprise; the battle of wills between Kirk and the Romulan commander (played convincingly by Mark Lenard); and a few subplots including bigotry and pacifism. The primary problem, however, is that the episode provides no rationale (plausible or otherwise) for the conflict. As a result, much of the impact of the episode is diminished.

The episode is about how Kirk and the Enterprise respond to a series of attacks against Federation outposts along the neutral zone with the Romulan Star Empire. We get some brief backstory, about how Earth and the Romulans had a war involving nuclear weapons. During that war, neither side actually saw one another. But over a century of peace has passed without event. And suddenly the Romulans are back. We think.

Much of the first half of the episode is dedicated to trying to find out, for certain, who was responsible for the destruction of the Federation outposts. It certainly makes sense to assume that the Romulans are likely suspects, but Kirk wants to be sure (this is a nice thematic connection back to “The Conscience of the King”). As it turns out, the Romulans are indeed responsible, but all along, the question is: why? Why now? For what purpose are the Romulans not merely testing Federation defenses – but actually obliterating outposts in a clear act of war? There is no real answer offered by the episode and without such an explanation, much of the “respect” we’re supposed to feel toward the Romulans – particularly toward the Romulan commander – becomes muddled.

There is also an interesting commentary on how we tend to see our enemies, and more importantly anything related to our enemies, with hatred and bias. This is symbolized by the way Lt. Stiles acts towards his superior officer, Spock, shortly after the Enterprise gets its first look at the Romulans – who look like Vulcans. Ultimately, Spock will save the life of Lt. Stiles and begin changing the Lieutenant’s point of view. For a subplot, this was a particularly effective part of the episode.

The majority of the episode centers on the battle between the Enterprise and the Romulan ship. And certainly there are plenty of moments to enjoy as both Kirk and the Romulan Commander try to outsmart and out maneuver the other. In many respects, their battle of wits foreshadows the epic battle of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. But with its much smaller budget, and limited effects, the space battle often feels a bit disjointed and confusing. Fortunately, the battle itself isn’t intended to the focus – it’s the actions and reactions of the two captains.

And here the episode gets its most traction. When the Enterprise does finally defeat the Romulan ship, the commanders words to Kirk about the potential for respect and friendship – had the two but lived in a different era – certainly seemed genuine. But once again, without a plausible reason for the Romulan commander’s actions to begin with, his sincerity is seriously undermined.

“Balance of Terror” gets a lot of credit for the battle of wits between Kirk and the Romulan commander, as well as its subplot about our prejudices. But the execution of the story is lacking, primarily in terms of plausibility. The dated space battle can be forgiven, but it still is a distraction. On the whole, this is a classic, yet flawed episode.

Filed under: Original Series