Phase II Writers/Directors Guide

[Falconer]

I’ve got a copy of this. Most of it is a word-for-word duplicate of the TOS Writers/Directors Guide, with the full Vulcan “Xon” in place of “Spock”. It also obviously includes a writeup of the new characters Lieutenant Xon (Science Officer), Commander Will Decker (First Officer), and Lieutenant Ilea (Navigator). Their writeups come right after Kirk, and before McCoy, Scott, Uhura, Sulu, Chekov (now Head of Security), and Chapel. All of the original cast is promoted by one grade, except Kirk who “refused an Admiral’s star”. I guess Commodore sounds lame? They could at least have made him a Fleet Captain and just called him “Captain Kirk” as shorthand. And Chapel is now a doctor.

It seems that the idea was to focus on Kirk and the new, young characters. That makes sense, but it would have been a pity to sideline the old cast. I would take a cue from Chekov’s absence from TAS, and make him a frequent guest star, commanding his own ship, instead of demoting him to a glorified Red Shirt. When you stick too many characters on the ship, they end up just becoming part of the scenery. That’s what happened in TMP. Compare to how memorable Chekov was in TWoK, or Sulu in TUC, possibly even Uhura in TSfS.

Actually, what they did in TWoK was perfect: combine Xon and Ilea into Saavik, pay whatever it takes to get Nimoy back on the set, and put Chekov on another ship. Also forget the whole Will Decker as romantic lead idea, and give that role back to Kirk. (Hey, he still pulled it off in TVH, though arguably that was mainly the girl pulling it off.)

But, I digress. If you have any questions about the Phase II Writers/Directors Guide, ask and I shall try to give you an answer! Regards.

[Falconer]

                          LIEUTENANT ILIA

ILIA (pronounced "Ill-ee-ah") is a young female of Planet 114-Delta
V, which ahs recently joined the Federation. The Deltan race is
much older than humans, with brains much more finely evolved in
areas of art and mathematics. These abilities
make her a superb navigator and her artistic abilities are evident
in her sure, flowing precision at this task.

Her face is breathtakingly beautiful. But like all Deltans, she is
completely hairless except for the eyes. Her smooth, slender bare
head has the almost sensual quality of delicately contoured nudity,
always hidden before in other women. It gives her a striking,
almost "Egyptian" look, particularly when wearing a Deltan jewel-
band head ornament.

Ilia's intelligence level is second only to the Science Officer and
she has also the esper abilities common on her planet. Unlike the
mind-meld of Vulcans, it simply is the ability to sense images in
other minds. Never words or emotions, only images . . . shapes,
sizes, textures. On her planet, sexual foreplay consists largely of
lovers placing images in each other's minds.

Just as Vulcans have a problem with emotions, Ilia has a problem
which accompanies her aboard the starship. On 114-Delta V, almost
everything in life is sex-oriented-it is a part of every
friendship, every social engagement, every profession. It is simply
the normal way to relate with others there. Since constant sex is
not the pattern of humans and others aboard this starship, Ilia has
totally repressed this emotion drive and social pattern.

I thought I would type up the description of Ilia, as I found it intriguing.  Not surprisingly, these details are only barely hinted at in TMP!  Although, if Phase II had happened instead, I don’t doubt they would have treaded with care there, too.

[finarvyn]

The Ilea write-up is interesting. Any other significant changes between the TOS guide and the P-II one?

[Falconer]

There are also writeups for Xon and Decker, but that is basically the only major difference. “Mr. Spock” is replaced with “Xon” throughout.