10 Star Trek Questions That Always Confused You

8. Why Didn't The Enterprise Just Send A Shuttle To Save Sulu?

Star Trek The Enemy Within Dog
CBS

This is the one entry on this list that will discuss a purely behind-the-scenes reason, as there is a seperate list for that. In the first season episode of The Original Series, The Enemy Within, Sulu is stranded on a planet where the temperature is dropping rapidly. If he remains there for much longer, he will surely die. However, they can't use the transporter to bring him up, as it's created an evil clone of Kirk.

Not only is a shuttle not sent to save him, but it is never even discussed as an option. There is a simple reason for this - they didn't have a shuttle to work with yet.

While the Enterprise had been designed by Matt Jefferies to have a shuttle bay, Desilu studios were not about to commission building a shuttle on the off-chance that it would be used in the show. Therefore, when it came to this episode, using the shuttle simply wasn't an option. Thankfully, Gene Roddenberry found a way around this several episodes later. He specifically wrote scenes based on a shuttle so that the prop department would have to build at least the shell of one - adding an excellent element to the show, and condemning poor Sulu to always having been forgotten on that damn planet.

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Seán is the host and head writer/presenter for TrekCulture, as well as a writer/presenter on WhoCulture and WhatCulture Horror. He has authored two novels, dozens of short stories, and hundreds of articles for WhatCulture. He holds a Master of Arts in Creative Writing from University College Dublin. As part of his work with TrekCulture, Seán has been invited to participate in collaborations with Roddenberry Entertainment, as well as contributing to several Star Trek community projects. An avid fan of Star Trek, Doctor Who, and the horror genre at large, Seán's expertise has helped develop these channels to the successes they are today. As host of the Ups & Downs series on TrekCulture, Seán has become internationally recognised for his positive yet critically informed approach to reviewing every episode of modern Star Trek, ensuring he is one of the go-to voices in the Trek community. Favourite Quote to describe himself: "I'm serious about what I do, just not always about the way that I do it"