See "The Cage" for details of adventures of Pike and crew on Talos 4.

Stardate: 3012.4 - 3013.1 - 13.13.2

Original airdate: 11/17/1966 & 11/24/1966

Writer: Gene Roddenberry

Director: Marc Daniels

Guest stars:

Jeffrey Hunter          Captain Christopher Pike, former Captain of the Enterprise, now an invalid due to delta ray exposure. Kirk met him when promoted to fleet Captin, took over the Enterprise from him. Spock served 11 years, 4 months, 5 days with him on the Enterprise. He is now being kept alive mechanically, a battery driven heart, confined to a wheel chair. His only physical abilities are to flash one for 'yes', two for 'no', move forwards and backwards, a little.

Susan Oliver            Veena

Malachi Throne          Comondor Jose I. Mendez-commander of Starbase 11.
 
Julie Parrish           Miss Piper, assistant to commodor Mendez on Starbase 11. (mentions a mutual friend to Kirk, Helen Johannsen)
 
Hagan Beggs             Lt. Hanson, Helmsman
Peter Duryea            Tyler
Meg Wylie               The Keeper
John Hoyt               Dr. Boyce
Majel Barrett           Number One

   Chief Humbolt, computer center  tech on Starbase 11.

Crew appearances"
Kirk, Spock, McCoy
Uhura
Scotty
Majel Barret voice of the computer

Starbase 11: Modern complex appears to be orbiting a planet like Saturn.

Story

Spock hijacks the Enterprise and risks death to help his former Captain, Christopher Pike who has been paralyzed and disfigured in a horrible accident. Spock sets a course for Talos IV, knowing that any contact with this forbidden planet will automatically bring a death penalty! What could motivate him to do such a thing? Kirk, forced to convict his First Officer - and best friend - wonders if Spock could have gone mad!

In his defense, Spock uses the illusionary powers of Talosians to recall Captain Pike's original visit to Talos IV, almost 13 years ago. It was a surrealistic planet of mind games and mysticism inhabited by eerie telepathic creatures. Kirk is both stunned and amazed as he learns the story of Captain Pike's kidnapping and mental torture at the hands of the Talosians, and how even a young Spock and the original Enterprise crew could not save him! In the tension-filled climax, Kirk must decide to uphold Federation law ... or do what he knows is morally just! (copied off the net)

Talos 4- six days away from Strbase 11 at maximum warp.
There are no practical benefits to man, the one forbidden world in all the galaxy. the reason: becasue humans would learn of their powers of illusion "and distroy itself, too".

Factoids:

Spock uses the neck pinch on Chief Humbolt to get acess to Starbase 11 computers.

Vulcans are incabable of telling a lie (but Spock is half vulcan)

General Order 7-no ship under any circumstances is to go to Talos 4. The penelty? Death. The Enterprise is the only ship ever to have gone there.

Class F shuttle craft- vessel Kirk and Mendez chase the Enterprise in.

Quotes:
"Ms. Piper, a Vulcan can no sooner be disloyal  than he can exist without breathing. That goes for his present commander as well as his past." Kirk to Ms. Piper.
----------------
"Agitated himself into a coma." McCoy to Kirk about Pike (I have always wondered about this. Agitation is the direct opposite of coma.)
----------------
"Oh,@#$%@!, drat!" Scotty's only line. But it's a good one.
----------------
"Captain. Jim, please. Dont stop me. dont let him stop me. It's your career and Capt. Pike's life" Spock to Kirk.
----------------
At the end of "The Cage", Veena is given the illusion that Capt. Pike stayed with her on Talos 4 instead of left for the ship. At the end of "The Menagerie", Pike, still a prisoner in his own body, has the illusion of health and youth and walks into the underground with beautiful Veena. Its the same scene, different meaning.
See also The Cage