"Star Trek: Phase II Episode 5: Blood and Fire Part 2" Is Something, But It's Not "Star Trek"

Tender moments abound.

It’s been a long time since we talked about the fan-based project, Star Trek: Phase II. Last year around this time they released “Blood and Fire Part 1” with Captain James T. Kirk (James Cawley) still piloting the USS Enterprise, but now with his nephew, Ensign Peter Kirk (Bobby Rice) on board, and behaving just as recklessly as his famous uncle. He’s also having a rather torrid relationship with Lt. Alex Freeman (Evan Fowler).

If you need a refresher on the plot of Part 1, you can read it here. And you can watch and download both episodes here.

From this point on, we’re in *****spoiler***** territory.

In essence, we start with Peter Kirk and Alex on a ship, the USS Copernicus, infected with blood worms, the AIDS metaphor. These blood worms are so deadly, all known species in the galaxy flee any systems in which they exist. There is no cure, and they feed on humanoid blood.

The Copernicus, however, was there trying to find a cure, or at least a way to control the blood worms. The mission was led by Dr. Yar, mother of Tasha, from the Next Generation series. You know this because they say it, and they recycled the actress, Denise Crosby.

No makeup, shapeless jumpsuit - at least the Yar spirit is there.

Once the away team that Peter Kirk elbowed his way on to gets reunited with the surviving Copernicus crew, they discover a cure for blood worms, if they can just survive long enough to use it. Complicating matters is Klingon Captain Kargh, who wants to destroy both ships, but instead is talked into passively viewing the rescue operation as dinner theater.

The cure involves beaming the away team and the survivors over two by two, and replacing their blood completely. Unfortunately, there’s an odd number of people, and Lt. Freeman sends his boyfriend ahead, unconscious, with a tender kiss. He tries the cure himself, but doesn’t make it. Yay! We finally get gay characters on Star Trek, and we kill one!

A noble suicide for the gay. The more things change...

One thing they don’t skimp on is Peter Kirk’s grief – he positively wails at the death of his lover as his uncle initially provides only cold comfort. In a series of heavy scenes, Capt. Kirk admits his family is the crew of the Enterprise, and Peter laments the only family he had was Alex who is now dead.

After a wild bioterrorism subplot we find out that Star Fleet wasn’t trying to cure blood worms, but utilize them as weapons. But a moment of insight gives them the true cure, Dr. Yar sacrifices herself to right her wrong, and the evil blood worms turn into a sparkly space butterfly that flies around the ships, getting the Kirks to hold each other and all is right with the galaxy.

Really? Didn't we already do sparkly space butterflies in Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century?

Don’t get me wrong – this is an amazing product for a fan production. It just didn’t strike the right emotional tone to feel like Star Trek. Star Trek doesn’t do romance, at least not like this. Swashbuckling style is what it does well. And the sexual-ish moment in Part One felt like Trek. But that kiss goodbye? Not so much.

And I can’t recall a family moment like the Kirks had, even between Picard and Wesley Crusher. This was more of a Lifetime movie set on the Enterprise. And as Lifetime movies go, it was pretty good. But it wasn't Star Trek. Heck, I know the red shirt was a Kirk and had to live, but killing the blue shirt instead? You don't twist a trope like that.

What did the fanboys think of it? Last time it was pretty harsh. This time, the forums seem to have quite a few gay men in them, who appreciate the story. As for the review? It’s pretty much the opposite of what I said. Don’t worry, I’m used to it.