- "It is the failure of the human race. They are quick to do battle... and quick to destroy. That is why they are inferior."
- ―Enik
| "The Stranger" | |
|---|---|
| Series Land of the Lost Season 1, Episode 6 | |
| |
| Air date | October 12th, 1974 |
| Writers | Walter Koenig |
| Director | Bob Lally |
| Producers | Albert J. Tenzer; Dennis Steinmetz; Sid Krofft; Marty Krofft |
| Starring | Wesley; Kathy Coleman; Spencer Milligan |
| Episode guide | |
| Previous "Tag Team" |
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'"The Stranger" is the sixth episode of season one of the children's television series Land of the Lost. Directed by Bob Lally and written by Star Trek actor Walter Koenig, the episode first aired on NBC on Saturday, October 12th, 1974. This episode introduces the character of Enik, an Altrusian who, like the Marsahlls, finds himself stranded in the Land of the Lost. When the Marshalls discover that Enik may hold the key to returning home, they try to enlist his aid, but Enik is determined to save himself and his race - at all costs.
Synopsis[]
The Sleestaks attack!
Rick Marshall leads Will and Holly into a marshland to forage for new types of food. Both of the children are in an uncharacteristically foul mood and begin fighting with one another. Rick tells them to calm down and stresses caution about finding fruit that might be poisonous.
Will spots a small temple building partially obscured by moss and vines. Holly and he head towards it, not realizing that the Sleestaks are stealthily tracking them. The enter the dark doorway and it leads them into a room with many bright and sparkling crystals. Will and Holly continue to bicker with one another and the force of their aggression actually repels them away from one another. Before they have time to examine this inexplicable phenomenon, Rick Marshall enters the chamber. He breaks the two up, but the Sleestaks enter the room and the Marshalls flee down another corridor. Rick grapples with one of them while the kids get away. They run into another chamber, also filled with glowing rocks and a strange, translucent crystal set inside a pyramid lattice. The Sleestaks surround them, but Rick picks up the crystal and waves it in front of them. Something about the crystal frightens the Sleestaks and they recoil.
Suddenly, another being appears in the chamber. His appearance is similar to that of the Sleestaks, but he is shorter with golden brown scales and a red and orange tunic. Unlike the Sleestaks however, this being can speak. With a wave of his hand, he wards the Sleestaks off and they retreat back into their tunnels.
After the Sleestaks leave, the being introduces himself as Enik, the Altrusian. Enik tells the Marshalls that he is a descendent of the Sleestaks and that he originates from the future of this world. He explains that the crystal/pyramid that Rick holds is in his hand is called a Mageti, a tool for traveling through the universe. It is his intention to use the Mageti to return to this own era. The Marshalls realize that this instrument could also be used to return them to their own world, but Enik is not willing to part with it. Enik further explains that he is a telepath and the Mageti serves as a telepathic amplifier that responds to aggressive thoughts, which is how Will and Holly were able to push each other away with the power of their minds. Will's anger gets the better of him and tries to telekinetically force Enik to let them use the Mageti so they can return home. Enik tries to explain that while the Mageti possesses the ability to do so, it cannot be done without programming it with the proper spatial coordinates. Will thinks Enik is lying and continues to repel him telepathically. His aggressive energy causes the Mageti to overload and it burns out. Hope is not lost however. Around Enik's neck is a pendant containing a smaller crystal, which serves as a companion piece to the Mageti. With an external power source, it could function as a Mageti. Will tells him that there are other crystals in the Lost City that they might be able to use to power the Mageti.
The Marshalls and Enik leave the caverns and trek through the jungle back to the Lost City. The Sleestaks follow them and open fire with their crossbows. Enik tries to calm them down, but the Sleestaks continue to pursue them. As they run, they come upon Big Alice, who is in the middle of devouring the remains of another dinosaur. Rick baits the Sleestaks into following him closer to Alice. One of their crossbow bolts strikes the dinosaur in the leg and it stops eating to go and chase after them. Rick and the others use this opportunity to affect and escape and return to the Lost City.
When they reach the Lost City, Enik is shocked to see the temple ruins. He realizes now that he has made a grave error. When he went through the time vortex, he did not go back in time as he had believed, but forward. He now realizes that his people destroyed themselves through war and ultimately de-evolved into the modern day Sleestaks. He says, "The Sleestak are not my ancestors. They are the barbaric descendants of a people who could no longer keep their anger in check and eventually destroyed my past."
They enter the temple and go into a chamber containing many glowing rocks and crystals. Enik thanks them for their help, but the Marshalls still want him to help them return home. He reminds them that the external rocks will only provide limited power for the new Mageti and that there is not enough to compute the coordinates for their world. He must use the Mageti to go back to his own time so that he can warn his people of the ultimate fate of the Altrusian race.
Will flies into a rage and snatches the pendant from Enik's hands. Rick tries to pry it away from him, but Will refuses to give in. Enik calls upon his telepathic abilities to make the Marshall's envision their greatest fears. Each of them begins cowering in terror. Enik eventually cancels the effect and Rick tries to appeal to Enik's sense of logic. He tells him that when he returns to his people, he must know that it is not the absence of hate that will prevent them from destroying themselves, but the presence of compassion. Enik is humbled and apologizes to Rick, Will and Holly. Will hands Enik the pendant.
A group of Sleestaks enter the chamber and lumber towards them. Enik instructs the Marshalls to take up two light crystals from the floor and place them together. The jewels generate a force field that repels the Sleestaks. While the Marshalls are busy with the Sleestaks, Enik empowers his pendant and opens the dimensional doorway. He enters the portal and disappears. Will and Holly leave the temple. Rick looks back towards the glowing doorway and says quietly to the empty room, "Good luck, Enik."
Cast[]
Principal Cast[]
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Wesley | Will Marshall |
| Kathy Coleman | Holly Marshall |
| Spencer Milligan | Rick Marshall |
Guest Stars[]
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Walker Edmiston | Enik |
| David Greenwood | Sleestak |
| William Laimbeer | Sleestak |
| John Lambert | Sleestak |
Notes & Trivia[]
- Writer Walter Koenig is better known for playing the role of Pavel Chekov in the Star Trek film and television franchise.
- Plotwise, this episode is more intellectually complex than most other episodes considering it's target demographic.
- Actor Walker Edmiston also played the role of Jefferson Davis Collie in the fourth episode of season one, "Downstream".
- Enik appears next in episode eleven, "The Search".
- It is revealed that Enik's race, the Altrusians, are the keepers of the time portals through which all travel is accomplished. They created the Mageti to locate and repair the doorways so that their journeys through time and space could be undertaken safely.
- According to Enik, Altrusians are incapable of lying.
- Enik also appears to have some familiarity with humans, though there is no indication provided in this episode of how or when he would have encountered other human beings.
- The scene with Big Alice eating is used as one of the end-credits scenes in the series.
- This episode reveals that Holly's greatest fear is eternally falling into a black pit.