TOS - Ellison Screenplay v. Final Script - Analysis.

 

Ellison Screenplay	Star Trek Episode
Prologue:  We open with  Star Trek crewman  “Beckwith” (B/W) selling an illegal drug  to another crewmember   Under the drug’s influence the crewman almost destroys the Enterprise’s Engines. He’s ordered off the Bridge by Spock. Distraught, he tells B/W he will see Kirk and confess. B/W kills him, and beams down to the nearby planet.  Kirk and a search party go after him.	Prologue: The Enterprise is buckling under “Waves of Time” from the nearby Planet. McCoy comes to the Bridge to treat an injured man, and accidently injects himself. The drug that makes him paranoid and violent. He transports down after knocking out the Transporter chief. . Kirk and a search party go after him.
Act One Kirk follows B/W’s tracks to a plateau.  Upon reaching the top, they see a shimmering City. The 9 feet tall “Guardians of History” greet them. They explain they are the keepers of time, and show Kirk Earth history. When 1930 Chicago come in view, B/W breaks from cover, fights off Spock, and disappears into the time vortex.  The Guardians state the time flow has been disrupted and disappear. Kirk and the others beam back to the Enterprise.	Act One Kirk and the search party land on the planet.  They find the Time Portal machine called “The Guardian” which shows them Earth History.  Spock says he’s been an idiot and starts to record it.  McCoy jumps out of the bushes and runs into the Time portal.    Uhura tries to call the Enterprise and gets dead air. Time has changed and the Enterprise no longer exists.
Act two: Back on the Enterprise, Kirk and party find the Transporter Room filled with “Space Renegades”.  Its, no longer the USS Enterprise but a Pirate ship! A fight ensues and Kirk gains control of the Transporter room.  Kirk and Spock discuss what to do.  Kirk orders Rand to hold the Transporter Room indefinitely while he & Spock beam back to the planet,	This scene is deleted.  The Enterprise doesn’t exist.
Kirk and Spock meet with The Guardians.  They tell Kirk time has been altered and the world he knew no longer exists.  After much discussion, The Guardians allow Kirk/Spock to follow B/W to Chicago 1930. They speak in parables. They say (1) B/W must be brought back. (2) B/W saved what must die. (3)  Blue and sun are the Key.	Act two: Kirk tells Scottie to wait and when he thinks he’s waited long enough, everyone must jump through and try to find McCoy. Using his Tricorder Spock determines when McCoy jumped through, and Kirk and Spock follow..  Kirk and Spock have already gone back in Time.
Spock and Kirk materialize on  a 1930 Chicago City Street.  A xenophobic speaker is ranting against foreigners taking American jobs. He points to Spock and Kirk and the howling mob chases them, screaming threats and insults.  Spock lays into them sending men flying, Kirk destroys a Lamppost with his Phaser, cowing the crowd and Kirk/Spock to escape into a nearby tenement basement.	Spock and Kirk materialize in Chicago 1930.  Kirk decides they need to blend in, and wait for McCoy.  He steals some clothes, which brings a Policeman. Kirk tries explains the stolen clothes and Spock ears  by saying Spock  was caught in a “Mechanical Rice picker” When Police tries to arrest them, Spock gives him the “Vulcan neck pinch”  Kirk and Spock run for it, and duck into a empty basement
In the Empy basement, Spock yells the Earth is full of Barbarians. Kirk defends it. Kirk suggests Spock disguise his appearance. Spock is disgusted, and tells Kirk to locate a ring that he can put through his nose. A  Building Janitor appears, and gives Kirk/Spock a job sweeping up, in exchange for room and board.   Spock and Kirk sweep up the basement and then run the Tricorder which confirms that the time focal point “Blue, Sun, and Key” is nearby. The Tricorder buns out. Kirk wants Spock to fix it. Spock states they will be difficult given the transistor hasn’t been invented yet.	In the empty basement, Kirk chaffs Spock for enjoying his predicament. They change into regular clothes. Edith Keeler appears, and asks Kirk/Spock what they’re doing. She gives them a Job to sweep up at the Mission.  After sweeping, Spock says he needs the Enterprise data banks to get the exact time McCoy will arrive. Kirk orders him to work with what he has. Spock agrees to create a means of viewing the Tricorder’s history despite working with “stone knives and bearskins”.
We have a flashback to the Enterprise Transporter Room where Rand is fighting to keep the Pirates from entering. Back in the basement, the Janitor offers Spock (now assumed to be Chinese) a job at Restaurant Kitchen.	Deleted Scene
We see Spock  in the Kitchen.  The Cook tries to cheat him out of his wages, but Spock strong-arms him into coughing up the money.  Spock starts to walk home. He stop to watch a revival meeting and  sees Edith Keeler in a blue cape with a Gold sunburst clasp.  He realizes that she is the Key focal point.	In the Mission dining room, Kirk hears Keeler give a speech about how the future will be better and man will travel into space, so there is hope.  Later, Spock says they need to “Borrow” Jeweler’s tools for his work. They steal them, and Keeler confronts them.  Kirk says they will return them in the Morning. Keeler agrees to take no action if Kirk takes her out to Dinner
Act Three: Spock and Kirk decide Keeler is the focal point and to keep her under surveillance.  They take an apartment next to hers.. Spock wonders if he can live with Kirk and since it might be a “Ghetto”  Later, they peer at her Apartment from a nearby roof, Spock accuses Kirk of  “going native”	Kirk and Keeler go for a walk and Kirk tells her “Let me Help” will replace “I love you” as the 3 most important words.  He and Keeler look at the stars and are on the verge of a kiss.
Kirk introduces himself to Keeler, saying he just moved in. They go for walk, and Keeler talks about her charity work
Later, we see Kirk and Keeler in her apartment.  Kirk says he’s tired form new job running a steam shovel.  Keeler notes that Kirk doesn’t fit in and Kirk says he’s from Iowa. Kirk quotes a poet he says will become famous throughout the universe “ Men become strangers when night falls…”	Later, Kirk returns to the Apartment and provides Spock with food and precocious metals. Spock runs the tricorder history and finds that Keeler will either be killed in an auto accident or meet with FDR in 1936. Kirk wonders if McCoy changes history by killing her or saving her.
Spock confronts Kirk and says he getting too close to Keeler. Kirk says he’s been on the move since his youth and never has met a woman like Keeler.  Spock says he understands he’s a Vulcan not a neuter.  Kirk’s continues to praise Keeler and suggests bringing her back with them. Spock then says he’s fixed the tri-corder and Keeler must die.  Kirk doesn’t believe it, and asks why?  Spock conjectures that she may help Hitler win WW2 or give birth to a dictator.  Kirk labels that insane. Spock reiterates that she must die.	.Scene Deleted
Kirk and Keeler are walking down the street.  Keeler goes down some stairs and falls. Kirk has refused to stop her fall.  But she’s not dead, merely bruised.	Act three Later, Kirk and Keeler goes down the Mission steps and almost falls. Kirk saves her. Spock sees it and reminds Kirk that Keeler must die pock runs the Tricorder for Kirk. They see that Keeler has started a peace movement that allows Nazi Germany to get the A-bomb and win World War II.  McCoy has changed history by saving Keeler. Kirk is upset and wonders if there is some mistake. Spock says no.  He reminds Kirk that “Edith Keeler must die”.
Next day, Spock and kirk are on the street and see B/W materialize across the street.  Both charge after him, but B/W kicks Spock in the stomach and runs away.	Scene Deleted
We see Kirk go into Keeler’s charity kitchen and demand she go home for her own safety.  Keeler tells Kirk she loves him.  Kirk demands she trust him and go to her apartment.  Spock appears out of nowhere with a half-hidden phaser Keeler leaves, and Spock reminds Kirk that Rand and the others are fighting for their lives in the Transporter room. Kirk says  he can’t let Keeler die. .  Kirk then realizes Spock’s phaser is  meant for Keeler, since B/W must be brought back alive.	Scene Deleted.
Act Four:  Kirk meets Trooper, a legless man who sells pencils/apples with a sign “I fought at Verdun”. Kirk gives him $2 for any information on B/W.  Trooper is amazed that Kirk trusts him and gives him the $ in advance	Act Four: McCoy lands in Chicago and confronts a Homeless man. McCoy falls unconscious and the homeless man kills himself with a phaser.  Later, in their Apartment Kirk has agreed that Keeler must die. Kirk says he loves Keeler. Spock responds that Keeler must die..
Later, Kirk is in Keeler’s apartment. She wonders if he is going away, he says he might. He tells Keeler he loves her. Spock barges in and says Trooper has found B/W.  The three men go up a dark alley.  Suddenly, a garbage can crashes down on Spock.  Trooper sees B/W about to shoot Kirk, saves Kirk down & takes the phaser blast. Spock knocks the phaser out of B/W’s hand, and B/W runs away. Spock wonders why Trooper sacrificed himself for Kirk.  Kirk wonders too, and asks what was Verdun.	McCoy talks to Keeler and believes she’s an illusion. When he gets better, McCoy starts to help around the Mission and barely misses seeing Spock several times.
Edith is speaking to the crowd preaching that great things are in the future. Spock tells Kirk her ideas are years ahead of her time.  Keeler starts to cross the street.  B/W with comes out of nearby building.  Kirk, Spock and B/W instantly realize that Keeler will be hit by a Truck coming round the corner. Beckwith runs to save her, Kirk refuses to stop him.  Finally Spock tackles BW.  Keeler is hit by the Truck.  Kirk is distraught. Dissolve	Keeler goes out with Kirk, and they discuss going to the movies. Keeler says “McCoy” doesn’t know who Clark Gable is either. Kirk runs back to the Mission, sees McCoy. Spock/McCoy/Kirk greet each other. Keeler walks across the street, Kirk stops McCoy from saving her. Keeler is hit by a truck. McCoy ask Kirk if he knows what he did, and Spock says “Yes, he knows”.
Back at the Guardians   They tell Kirk time has resumed its shape and is back to normal.  Beckwith twists away from Spock and runs back into the time machine. We see B/W with in agony, he’s in the middle of a Super nova,  He dies an agonizing death over and over again.	Deleted
Epilogue:  Spock and Kirk in his cabin aboard the Enterprise.  Spock can’t understand why evil B/W was willing to risk his life to save Keeler. Kirk says even the most evil have some good in them. Maybe the human race deserves another chance. Spock says “no woman was ever loved as much, because no woman was ever offered the Universe for love”  THE END	Epilogue Back at the Guardian:  McCoy, Kirk and Spock return and Scotty tells them they just left a second ago.  The Guardian tells them everything as returns to normal.   Uhura is back in contact with the EnterpriseThe Guardian asks Kirk if he wants to go on further adventures in time, and Kirk looks pained as says”  Lets get the Hell out of Here”.