The Paradise Syndrome ( episode ) Kirk loses his memory and joins the descendants of a tribe of Native Americans . Summary . Teaser . Kirk , Spock , and McCoy beam down into an idyllic location next to a lake on the planet Amerind , reminiscent of the American Pacific Coast . Kirk remarks on the " duplication " of the planet ' s evolution as compared to Earth , while McCoy notes the beauty of the flora . They come upon an obelisk of an elongated pyramid al shape , covered with unknown alien symbols . Spock notes that the obelisk is " an alien metal of some kind , an alloy resistant to probe . " Even the age is beyond the tricorder ' s ability to date . Spock examines the symbols but can offer no insight into their meaning . He speculates that to build such a monument would require a civilization equal to or beyond the Federation ' s ability . McCoy brands the planet " an enigma . " The trio only has thirty minutes to explore the surface before leaving the planet . They return to the lake and look across at a village which houses an indigenous , Native American - like tribe that is " a mixture of Navajo , Mohican , and Delaware " characteristics , according to Spock . Kirk feels it is similar to discovering a mythic lost society like Atlantis or Shangri - La . McCoy suggests contacting the natives to warn them , but is discouraged by Spock . An asteroid is on a direct course towards the planet . The thirty minute restriction on exploration was to allow them to return to the ship in time to make the journey to a deflection point . As the time on the planet draws to a close , they return to the obelisk . On the way , Kirk remarks on the simplicity of life for the natives . McCoy diagnoses him with Tahiti Syndrome . Before the landing party returns to the , Kirk climbs up onto the platform at the base of the pyramidal obelisk and flips open his communicator . A trap door slides open and drops Kirk into a chamber . He falls down some stairs and begins to pull himself up , accidentally leaning onto a control panel . As he regains his footing , energy tendrils strike out from the panel , immobilizing him and finally leaving him slumped across the controls . Act One . Spock and McCoy attempt to scan the interior of the obelisk but have no success . They are unable to discover how to open the trap door . McCoy berates Spock for suggesting abandoning the search for the time being . Spock explains the danger of delay in reaching the deflection point . If they fail to get to the deflection point in time , it would become impossible to divert the asteroid , and everyone on the planet including Kirk would be killed . The two return to the " Enterprise " . Kirk regains consciousness and attempts to remember where he is or how he got into the chamber . He staggers about , looking over his phaser and communicator , disoriented , admonishing himself to " try to remember " . He ascends the stairs and the trap door opens to let him out . As he looks around , two of the natives arrive at the obelisk carrying baskets of fruit and bread . Presumably they are delivering them as sacrifices to the obelisk or to what they believe lives within . At the sight of Kirk emerging from the obelisk , both kneel and cover their faces with their hands . One , the priestess , rises and climbs up on the platform with Kirk , saying " " we are your people , we ' ve been waiting for you to come to us . " " Back on the " Enterprise " , Montgomery Scott warns from engineering that the ship is being pushed too hard . Spock urges Scotty to keep the engines at warp nine in order to reach the deflection point in time . Scott warns that " " [ they are ] moving further into the danger range all the time . " " On the planet , Kirk is brought before the tribe ' s elder , Goro and medicine man Salish . Kirk still remembers nothing of the asteroid danger or of his own history . The medicine man , Salish , insists that he prove himself . The elder explains to Kirk that their legends prophesy that one will come " who can rouse the temple spirit and make the sky grow quiet " . Kirk does not know whether this describes him or not . As they are speaking , a young boy who had been caught in fish nets and had drowned was brought in . Salish examines him and states that " " there is no sound in the boy , there is no life in the eyes , he will move no more . " " As he moves off , defeated , Kirk moves in and tries CPR on the boy . Within a few moments , the boy is breathing again . While Kirk insists that it ' s simply a very old technique that " goes way back . . . " although he can ' t remember more about it , the elders acclaim Kirk , saying that only a god can give breath to the dead . Salish ' s medicine badge is taken from his forehead by the priestess , Miramanee , and placed on Kirk . All bow to Kirk , covering their faces . As Salish rises , his face twists in shame and anger . The " Enterprise " has reached the deflection point , and Sulu prepares to target the asteroid . Spock asks Scotty for full power to the deflector s . Scotty provides it , worrying that the circuits will blow under the strain after such a stressful journey to the deflection point . Spock orders Scotty to bypass the relays . As they activate the deflectors , the power flickers . Scotty reports that the dilithium crystal circuits are failing and must be replaced but Spock has him hold off on doing so for the moment . The deflectors start to move the asteroid , but the power drops and the asteroid has only moved 0 . 0013 degrees . Spock moves the ship into the path of the asteroid . They will retreat in front of it until the power is strong enough to destroy the asteroid . McCoy worries that the power might not be enough and that they will be crippled in the way of their own destruction . Spock reminds him that they will still have impulse engines and will be able to get out of the way . McCoy counters with " " Jim won ' t be able to get out of the way . " " For Spock , this is a calculated risk that must be taken . Act Two . Miramanee and Salish meet by the lake . Salish reminds Miramanee that she should be working on their ritual cloak . Miramanee tells him there will no longer be a ritual as the priestess and medicine man always marry and he is no longer the medicine man . Miramanee attempts to reassure Salish that any other woman in the village would be honored to have him , but Salish bitterly tells her that he will have no other . They part tearfully . Kirk works in one of the shelters and Miramanee brings him clothing to replace his Starfleet uniform . He asks her about the gods of the obelisk , known to them as the temple . She is surprised as she believes he knows everything . He convinces her to tell what she knows . Miramanee tells him that the gods brought them there long ago and appointed a medicine man to keep the secret of the temple and to use it " when the sky darkens " . The secret is passed from one medicine man to another . Salish ' s father , who was medicine man before him , died before he could pass on the secret . The elder joins them and asks Kirk his name so they may honor him . Kirk manages to remember " Ki . . . Ku . . . " . With that , Goro , the elder guesses his name to be " Kirok . " The elder knows that Kirk is displeased about something . Kirk assures him that he is happy and has never felt so peaceful before . He only doubts his ability to help them . Miramanee touches him tenderly and tells him that " here there is much time " . Under Spock ' s instruction , Ensign Chekov scans for the asteroid ' s weakest point from the science station . After determining it is almost dead center , Spock instructs Sulu to lock all phaser s there to split the asteroid . The engine room scrambles to keep up with the phaser bombardment . However , this effects no damage to the asteroid . Miramanee wakes Kirk and tells him their ritual cloak is finished . Kirk doesn ' t understand until she explains the traditional joining between the priestess and medicine man . She takes his confusion as a sign that there is another . Kirk reassures her that " " there is no one else in my mind or in my heart . " " He tells her to name the joining day . Miramanee chooses the very next day . Scotty reports to Spock that the " Enterprise " s warp drive is non - functional and can only be repaired at a starbase . McCoy orders Spock to rest . Spock ignores him and signals Chekov to place them on course back to the planet . They will continue under impulse drive the 59 . 223 days back to the planet , trailed by the asteroid with only a four - hour gap . McCoy is disturbed by Spock ' s lack of attention to his rant . He notices that Spock is intently studying the tricorder images of the obelisk . Spock tells him that it is " another calculated Vulcan risk . " Miramanee dresses for the joining in her lodging while the elder paints Kirk ' s face on the platform of the obelisk . He tells Kirk that he will return to the village first to tell the priestess that Kirk will follow . Kirk walks back to the village feeling content and lucky . Salish jumps out and threatens Kirk . He pulls a knife and cuts Kirk ' s palm in their struggle . Salish is shocked and elated that Kirk cannot be a god as one would not bleed . Act Three . They fight and Kirk disables Salish . Salish tells him to kill him , saying , " " I will not rest until I prove to my people that you are no god . " " Kirk leaves him and continues back to the village . Kirk dons the ritual cloak and Miramanee joins him under it to complete the ceremony . Spock continues to try to decipher the symbols . He has gone without much rest or food for 58 days . McCoy diagnoses him with exhaustion . He reminds Spock that he made a command decision and it isn ' t his fault that the asteroid wasn ' t deflected . He also tells him Kirk probably would have undertaken the same course of action . Spock goes and lies down but returns to his work as soon as McCoy leaves . A shirtless Kirk and Miramanee frolic together in the woods near the lake , kissing and laughing together . Kirk tells her that he is " so happy " . Unfortunately , he is plagued by bad dreams . He dreams vaguely of the " Enterprise " and her crew . Miramanee tries to take his mind off " the strange lodge which moves through the sky " by showing him a gift . She brings out a swaddling board and tells him that she bears his child . Kirk is delighted . Back in camp , Kirk shows Miramanee how he plans to set up an irrigation system to double the food production . She praises him for his invention of the lamp and his knowledge of food preservation , that will protect the people in time of famine . As they talk , a storm brews outside . Miramanee is frightened but is comforted by Kirk ' s presence . She looks outside and tells him that he must go to the temple " and make the blue flame come out " . Kirk is confronted by the fact that he does not know how to get into the temple or how to stop the storm . Salish and the elder arrive and urge him to go to the temple . Kirk suggests going to the caves , but Salish berates him . The elder demands that he " rouse the temple spirit " . Kirk begrudgingly goes off to the obelisk and asks them to take care of Miramanee . Kirk stands in front of the obelisk and pushes and beats at the exterior to no avail . He begins calling out to the obelisk but the only apparent response is stronger winds and Salish smiling at Kirk ' s failure . Act Four . McCoy returns to Spock ' s quarters and sees that he is still working at his computer , trying to decode the language of the temple . Spock tells McCoy that the symbols are not words , but music . Spock has been working them out on his Vulcan harp . He has discovered that the people who made the obelisks are called The Preservers . They moved humanoid species in danger of extinction , placing them around throughout the galaxy in hospitable areas in order to save them . For McCoy , this answers the question of why there are so many similar humanoid species scattered throughout the galaxy . They speculate that the obelisk is an asteroid deflector that has been inoperative for quite some time . Kirk ' s inability to make the obelisk work was noted by Salish who has brought the villagers to the temple to kill Kirk by stoning him . Miramanee tries to stop them , but Salish stops her . They struggle and he tells her to " " go , go die with your false god . " " Kirk and Miramanee are both stoned by the villagers , and Miramanee receives a hard blow to her abdomen . As this happens , Spock and McCoy beam down and this frightens off the villagers . Both Kirk and Miramanee have been knocked unconscious by the stones . They revive Kirk , but he does not remember Spock or McCoy . He calls out for his wife but , unlike him , she has not recovered as quickly . Spock speaks with her and figures out some of the missing pieces . Nurse Chapel joins the team with an emergency surgical kit and she and McCoy tend to Kirk . Sulu calls to report the time to impact . Discovering they are dangerously short on time , Spock performs a Vulcan mind fusion on Kirk to restore his memory . Spock breaks the meld , and McCoy asks what is wrong . Spock replies " " His mind . . . he is . . . an extremely dynamic individual . " " Kirk rises and says , " " It worked . " " Once again himself , Kirk looks to his wife . Spock interrupts and asks him about the interior of the obelisk . Kirk says that it is filled with equipment , and Spock explains that it is a deflector device . Kirk and Spock work to try to re - enter the interior . Kirk re - opens his communicator and the trap door opens . Kirk kisses Miramanee and asks McCoy to help her . Spock and Kirk go down into the monument and try to discover how to work the controls . Spock manipulates what he believes to be the correct controls and a blue beams emits from the obelisk and successfully pushes off the asteroid away from Amerind . Kirk goes to the shelter where McCoy has laid Miramanee . He asks about her condition and McCoy tells him that her internal injuries are fatal . After McCoy leaves the two of them alone together , Kirk tells Miramanee that the planet has been saved . Miramanee does not realize she is dying or Kirk ' s real identity and speaks hopefully to Kirk about how she will give him a happy life with many children , when she is recovered . Kirk holds her and confirms his love for her , kissing her just before she dies . Memorable quotes . " " Kirk to " Enterprise . . . " " " That Vulcan won ' t be satisfied ' til these panels are a puddle of lead ! " " " " My bairns . My poor bairns . " " " " The sooner our happiness together begins , the longer it will last . " " " " Well , Spock , you took your calculated risk in your calculated Vulcan way , and you lost ! You lost for us , you lost for that planet , and you lost for Jim . " " " " Behold ! a god who bleeds ! " " " " And as for the pressure , that green ice water you call blood – " " " " My physical condition is not important , Doctor . That obelisk is . " " " " Well , what do you wait for , god ? Your robes ? " " " " I bear your child . " " " " I am Kirok ! ! " " " " His mind . He is an extremely dynamic individual . " " " " Each kiss is as the first . " " " " All I can tell you is that I ' m happy and peaceful here . I ' m not sure , but I think I ' ve never felt that way before . " " " " And I ' ll love you , Miramanee . Always . " " Links and references . References . alphabet ; American s ; Amerind ; Amerind insect ; asteroid ; Atlantis ; " Bones " ; crater ; deflector ; deflector beam ; Delaware ; dilithium crystal circuit ; Earth ; emergency surgical kit ; fishnet ; handmaiden ; irrigation ; joining day ; Kirok ; lacing ; lamp ; lead ; Luna ; maiden ; meadow ; medicine badge ; meteor ; Milky Way Galaxy ; Mohican ; Navajo ; obelisk ; phaser ; Preservers ; puddle ; ritual cloak ; Scots language ; Shangri - La ; stoning ; Tahiti Syndrome ; tricorder ; Vulcan s ; Vulcan language ; Vulcan mind meld ; Vulcan Offshoots