NEWS              GENERAL    TOS    TAS    TNG    DS9    VOY    ENT    DSC    PIC    LOW    PRO    SNW    ACADEMY    MOVIES    GAMING    
Mar 30, 2025 - [HOME] Nacelle Reveals Wave 2 STAR TREK Action Figure Lineup
Mar 30, 2025 - [PRO] PRODIGY Season 2 Screencaps: "Touch of Grey"
Mar 30, 2025 - [PRO] PRODIGY Season 2 Screencaps: "Brink"
Mar 29, 2025 - [HOME] Master Replicas, Hiya Toys Launch New STAR TREK Preorders
Mar 29, 2025 - [LOW] LOWER DECKS Season 5 on Blu-ray: Review & Giveaway
Mar 28, 2025 - [TOS] Wand Company Tricorder Replica Pricing, Fulfillment Plan Revealed
Mar 27, 2025 - [DSC] DISCOVERY Season 5 Screencaps: "Life, Itself"
Mar 24, 2025 - [TOS] TOS Season 2 Screencaps: Remastered Visual Effects
Mar 23, 2025 - [HOME] IDW Unveils Three STAR TREK Comic Miniseries for 2025
Mar 23, 2025 - [TOS] Master Replicas Offers Full-Sized Original Enterprise Plaque
Mar 21, 2025 - [PRO] PRODIGY 214 Blu-ray Screencaps: "Ascension, Part I"
Mar 21, 2025 - [PRO] PRODIGY 215 Blu-ray Screencaps: "Ascension, Part II"
Mar 19, 2025 - [DS9] Video Update: "DS9" Interviews & Behind-the-Scenes
Mar 18, 2025 - [LOW] LOWER DECKS S4 Screencaps: "The Inner Fight"
Mar 17, 2025 - [DSC] DISCOVERY Season 5 Screencaps: "Lagrange Point"
Mar 16, 2025 - [HOME] WeeklyTrek: STRANGE NEW WORLDS Starts Season 4 Filming
Mar 15, 2025 - [TOS] TOS Season 1 Screencaps: Remastered Visual Effects
Mar 14, 2025 - [TOS] Master Replicas Recreates Original STAR TREK Coffee Cup
Mar 14, 2025 - [HOME] Fundraiser Success - Thanks to You!
Mar 14, 2025 - [DS9] "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" Episode Trailers — Season 7
Mar 13, 2025 - [PRO] PRODIGY 213 Blu-ray Screencaps: "Cracked Mirror"
Mar 13, 2025 - [PRO] PRODIGY 212 Blu-ray Screencaps: "A Tribble Called Quest"
Mar 11, 2025 - [DS9] CherryTree Debuts DS9-Inspired Raktajino Mug Replica
Mar 09, 2025 - [HOME] REVIEW: Fanhome's Stargazer and Farragut Models, Plus: Subscriptions Reopen March 10!
Mar 08, 2025 - [LOW] LOWER DECKS S4 Screencaps: "Caves"
Mar 08, 2025 - [DSC] DISCOVERY Season 5 Screencaps: "Labryinths"
Mar 07, 2025 - [DS9] "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" Episode Trailers — 'Final Chapter'
Mar 06, 2025 - [SNW] STRANGE NEW WORLDS Season 3 Character Portraits Arrive!
Mar 05, 2025 - [HOME] INTERVIEW: Brian Volk-Weiss on Nacelle's New TREK Action Figures
Mar 04, 2025 - [HOME] Nacelle Launches Preorders for New STAR TREK Action Figures
Episode Synopsis

  TOS NEWS
  TOS EPISODE GUIDE



  BLU-RAY
  S1 SCREENCAPS
  S2 SCREENCAPS
  S3 SCREENCAPS
  S1 REMASTERED FX
  S2 REMASTERED FX
  S3 REMASTERED FX
  BONUS FEATURES
  OPENING CREDITS
  RODDENBERRY VAULT

  OTHER CONTENT
  BEHIND THE SCENES
  ENTERPRISE MODEL
  PUBLICITY PHOTOS
  TOS SET TOUR EXHIBIT
  VHS COVER ARCHIVE

TREKCORE > TOS > EPISODES > THE DEVIL IN THE DARK > Synopsis

OFFICIAL SYNOPSIS


The U.S.S. Enterprise arrives to investigate reports of an unknown monster deep in the mining tunnels of Janus VI. The being is apparently destroying machinery and killing the miners, and has the ability to burrow through solid rock. Janus VI is a source for the rare mineral, pergium.

Soon after the landing party arrives on the planet's surface, a reactor pump is stolen and the colony is in jeopardy from fluctuating life support functions. However, this convinces Spock that they are dealing, not with a mindless monster, but with an intelligent lifeform.

Kirk and Spock, along with members of the ship's security team, enter the mines to find the creature. They discover a large, rock-like creature that burrows easily through the stone walls, as a mole might burrow through dirt. Wounded in a phaser blast, the bulky creature manages to escape through the stone wall.

They continue pursuit and eventually Kirk is trapped by the creature. When it doesn't attack, Spock attempts a Vulcan mind meld with the entity and discovers that it is, in fact, an intelligent being. A native of the planet, the creature is normally peaceful, and called a Horta. It doesn't mind sharing the planet with the miners, but when the men broke into the Horta's hatchery and unknowingly destroyed many of her eggs, it attacked to protect its remaining unborn children.

With Spock acting as interpreter, the miners explain that they thought the eggs were some king of silicon nodules and that no hostility had been meant.

McCoy treats the silicon-based creature with a trowel and patch material, and heals it. An alliance is formed between the Horta and the miners; the young, newly-hatched Hortas will mine the pergium at a far faster rate than the humans could and the miners will be extremely rich. Kirk retrieves the missing reactor and the landing party leaves the inhabitants of Janus VI living in peaceful co-existence.


BACK TO EPISODES HOME, BACK TO THE DEVIL IN THE DARK HOME, Quick Section Links: Behind the Scenes, Caption Log, Credits, Guests Characters, Quotes, Screencaps, Synopsis, Trivia

 

TrekCore.com is not endorsed, sponsored or affiliated with Paramount, CBS Studios, Paramount Pictures, or the Star Trek franchise.
All STAR TREK images, trademarks and logos are owned by CBS Studios Inc. and/or Paramount Pictures.
All original TrekCore.com content (c) 2025 Trapezoid Media, LLC. - Terms & Conditions