Notes on 'Yesteryear'
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| Title: | Notes on 'Yesteryear' |
| Creator: | D.C. Fontana |
| Date(s): | 1974 |
| Medium: | |
| Fandom: | Star Trek: The Animated Series |
| Topic: | |
| External Links: | |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
Notes on 'Yesteryear is a 1974 essay by D.C. Fontana.
The topic is Star Trek: The Animated Series, a show that Gene Roddenberry, David Gerrold, and D.C. Fontana HEAVILY promoted in fan publications. See for more on that topic.
The essay was printed in Quartet Plus One.
Fontana ended the essay with a snippy statement that addressed authorial intent: "I would like to say in closing that I will not entertain long (or short) discussions — verbal or written — about "Yesteryear". The work stands as is, and it is my last word on Vulcan."
Some Topics Discussed
- Fontana's script for the episode "Yesteryear," a story about Spock as a young boy on Vulcan and his pet sehlat, I-Chaya
- how Star Trek: The Animated Series was not "a kiddie show"
- taking advantage of animation to show things that couldn't be done with real actors and sets
- Fontana's basing sehlats after one of her cats, and references to fan Alicia Austin's drawings of the animal
- pronunciations of Vulcan words and how the child (specifically named by Fontana) who voiced young Spock said it wrong
- Fontana's world-building and the planet Vulcan
- how artists messed up Vulcan and added a moon
- the relationship between Spock and his father, Sarek, and references to the popular episode, "Journal to Babel"
From the Essay
I'm sure when it was announced that my STAR TREK animation script, "Yesteryear", was about Spock as a boy and included his sehlat, a lot of fans thought I had sold out to a kiddy show. Now that the episode has been on the air, I hope that notion has been disabused.
Why did I write this particular story? I was mindful of Gene Roddenberry's rule that writers must take advantage of the enormous range animation gave us, in terms of "sets" .and aliens. Any story located on Vulcan that came up on the original show faced two problems. First, all outdoor location sites still looked like Earth — Southern California, at that. Second, sets built on the stage suffered from the slightly artificial look all such sets suffer — and we could afford only one major set of this kind. Thus, scope was also limited. Animation, however, would allow
us to show the planet Vulcan any way I saw fit. Although it had been established in "Amok Time" that most of the planet was desert, I wanted to depict other aspects of Vulcan.
Sarek's career encompassed those of a scientist and an ambassador, and he served in either capacity as his government felt he would be of most value to his people. Reasonably, he would maintain his residence in a city, probably the capitol. Therefore, I created ShiKahr as the foremost city of Vulcan. I had visualized this city before in an early draft of "Journey to Babel".
(I had wanted to show a Vulcan city in the teaser when Sarek and Amanda meet Spock. Again, the cost of doing a "matte", or painting, of the city was prohibitive.) I still saw the city the same way I had in 1967. Buildings would be of various geometric forms which contrasted and complimented each other. A wide strip of parkland would surround the city to help protect against the encroaching desert. Within the city, there would be trees and flowers, fountains and sculptures. It would be orderly, but would have a beauty of composition and color.
People have asked about that huge orb in the sky in the long shot of the Vulcan city. Frankly, it was an error on the part of the animation house. The problem lies in the fact that, once past story board, no one — no artist — ever refers to the script or descriptions. The script specified no moon. However, a preliminary drawing of the long shot of ShiKahr included the huge orb in the sky. Both Gene Roddenberry and I noted "NO MOON!" on the sketch when it came to us for approval. Someone didn't get the word, and the final print shows that satellite in the Vulcan sky. (Incidentally, I did not see the film until it was telecast.) We have had to say this is a sister planet.
First, proper pronunciation of his name is "Ee-chi-ah". This was spelled out phonetically in the script and recorded correctly when the STAR TREK regulars recorded the script. However, Billy Simpson, the boy playing Young Spock, recorded separately. He was incorrectly informed the name was pronounced "Eye-chi-ah" and recorded his lines that way. Rather than call him back to re-record at extra expense, the regular cast changed the name in pick-up lines at the next recording session.
The name—always, forever, and correctly — is "Ee-chi-ah". The other pronunciations is awkward, "lumpy", lacking smoothness, and unpleasant to the ear. In short, it is not Vulcan.
The conflict between father and son established in "Journey to Babel" is shown in its beginnings. Clearly, Young Spock is caught in the push-pull of his heritage, imposed disciplines, and the personal influence of his parents. Between them, they confuse him. Amanda cannot help her own human reactions and emotions, though she respects and honors Vulcan disciplines and philosophy. Sarek expects more of his son because Spock is half human and because Spock is his son. He wants to see Spock be the Vulcan his ancient and honored family would have pride in.
Sarek knows the stresses Young Spock is experiencing, but he feels Spock must overcome them to survive as a Vulcan. Therefore, he is more demanding of his son than he might have been were Spock pure Vulcan. On the other hand, he is absolutely sure Spock will not fail. This is a tremendous burden to place on any seven-year-old, even a Vulcan child whose discipline, training, and mental capacity are greater than a human child's. At the end of the story, Spock asks Sarek to understand his son, which Sarek promises to try to do. The breach between father and son depicted in "Journey to Babel" is not a result of Sarek breaking his promise, but rather a result of Sarek's being unable to totally understand Spock. Because both were strong willed and have absolute opinions on how Spock's life should unfold, their alienation was unavoidable. One of the points I had wanted to be implicit in "Babel" was that both Spock and Sarek were right — as their convictions applied to themselves — and wrong — as their convictions applied to each other.
As to who and what I-Chaya would be as a character, I decided he would be closely patterned on my large cat, Bobby McGee. While Bobby is not old and fat, he has the same affection, snuggle- ability, the fastest claws in the West, and complete disregard for orders. "One word from me, and he does exactly as he pleases." The statement fits both Bobby McGee and I-Chaya. A sehlat had been described in a brief line in "Babel" — that is, "On Vulcan, the teddy bears are alive and have six-inch fangs."
Alicia Austin came up with several variations on what a sehlat looks like. Her more recent drawings are somewhat catlike. The early ones are more bear-like. I chose one of the early ones as a model — with modifications. I-Chaya has a different kind of tail, different shape of face,
the broken fang. Despite the fact he is old and fat and clearly a pet, he is also able to rouse his spirit and courage in his fight to protect Young Spock. My written description of a sehlat in the "Yesteryear" script includes something to this effect: "Make one wrong move, and a sehlat will rip your arm off. However, Vulcans don’t make wrong moves. That would be illogical."
Finally, there are three points made in the story that are the heart of what I wanted to say.
First, the conflict between father and son has its roots in their inability to fully communicate and understand each other. While a Vulcan might never admit it publicly, there is a basis of love between Spock and Sarek. Sarek wants to see Spock become a traditional Vulcan because he loves his son. If Spock can prove his mettle, he will be accepted. His way will be easier. Spock wants to be a "true Vulcan" because he loves his father and wants to please him. Spock decides the Vulcan way is best for him— but Sarek's way will not necessarily be best for Spock, which causes their break later in life.
Second, I-Chaya's death was absolutely necessary to the story. Part of Spock's training had to do with the facing of responsibilities and realities. One of the great weaknesses of children's programming on television, especially in animation, is the presentation of total non reality. Things do die — plants, pets, people. Is there anyone who, as a child, has not suffered the loss of a pet? In deciding that I-Chaya should die with peace and dignity rather than in pain and suffering. Young Spock accepted reality and responsibility.
Third, there is a continuity of friendship and concern between Kirk and Spock, binding this adventure into the total STAR TREK concept. It is Spock's problem, one only he can solve, yet Kirk helps in every way he can. He is worried for his friend; he is standing by when Spock returns. While all others have ceased to know Spock due to the change in time lines, Kirk and his friendship for Spock remain. Without such ties to the original STAR TREK concept, "Yesteryear" would merely have been an interesting adventure that had no real relationship to the overall show— a dramatic diversion, but not consistent with series continuity.