In this episode of Trekking Through Compliance we look at the episode “Turnabout Intruder,” which aired on June 3, 1969, stardate 5298.5.

After receiving a distress call from a research group on Camus II that is exploring the ruins of a lost civilization, the Enterprise rushes to help. All members of the group appear to be dead, with the exception of the leader Dr. Janice Lester and the medical officer Dr. Arthur Coleman. According to Dr. Coleman, Lester is Show more +

In this episode of Trekking Through Compliance we look at the episode “Turnabout Intruder,” which aired on June 3, 1969, stardate 5298.5.

After receiving a distress call from a research group on Camus II that is exploring the ruins of a lost civilization, the Enterprise rushes to help. All of the group members appear to be dead, with the exception of the leader, Dr. Janice Lester, and the medical officer, Dr. Arthur Coleman. According to Dr. Coleman, Lester is suffering from an unknown type of radiation poisoning.

However, when the rest of the Enterprise landing party comes to the aid of a dying member of the science party, leaving Kirk and Lester alone, she activates an alien device she discovered and switches bodies with Kirk. Lester complains to Kirk about the pain of being a woman, due to jealousy and paranoia. Lester, as Kirk, orders everyone to be beamed around and takes over Kirk’s role.

Lester as Kirk fires Bones as chief medical officer and appoints Dr. Coleman, a former starship doctor who was found incompetent by the Starfleet Surgeon General, in his place. Dr. Coleman attempts to sedate Kirk (in Dr. Lester’s body) to prevent her from interacting with the crew, but she escapes to sickbay to speak with Bones and Spock. However, McCoy has also ordered a physical for Lester as Kirk. He knocks Kirk as Lester unconscious and orders her placed in isolation and incommunicado.

Suspecting something is wrong, Spock speaks with (the honest) Kirk in solitary confinement. At Kirk’s request, Spock examines Vulcan’s mind and finds out the truth. Lester as Kirk and security personnel stop Spock as he tries to escape with the honest Kirk. This leads to a court martial of Spock. Spock calls Kirk (in Lester’s body) to the witness stand and testifies that Kirk’s mind is in her body.

Meanwhile, Sulu and Chekov refuse to obey Lester’s orders as Kirk, and Kirk and Lester experience a temporary reversal of their minds. To prevent a reversal, Coleman, as Kirk, informs Lester that Lester must be killed. However, Coleman arrives too late to carry out the task, and Kirk and Lester’s minds return to their respective bodies.

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In this episode, Dr. Janice Lester swaps bodies with Captain Kirk to take control of the Enterprise, leading to ethical and leadership dilemmas. Key lessons on compliance and leadership include the importance of empathy, accountability, ethical decision-making, building trust, and the dangers of unchecked power. The episode highlights continuity issues in the Star Trek universe and offers insight into leadership from a compliance perspective.

Key Highlights

1. Story Summary: Turnabout Intruder

2. Interesting facts and continuity problems

3. Compliance Leadership Lessons from Turnabout Intruder

4. Final thoughts and upcoming series

resources

Excruciatingly detailed plot summary by Eric W. Weisstein

MissionLogPodcast.com | https://www.missionlogpodcast.com/turnabout-intruder/

Memory Alpha | https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Portal:Main Show less –