Star Trek (The Animated Series) Screenshots


On April 11, 2002, I was finally able to view my very first Animated Trek episode. Already having listened to the audio versions of the episodes, I chose The Ambergris Element, as it intrigued me the most. Although this episode is not very popular amongst those very few who know of TAS, in my opinion it is one of the most entertaining and enjoyable episodes of the Animated Series.


Episode Summary

The Enterprise is on assignment to visit planet Argo, a water world where the landmasses sank into the oceans due to seismic disturbances. While exploring in the new aquashuttle, the landing party (consisting of Captain Kirk, Spock, Doctor McCoy, and Lieutenant Clayton) is attacked by an unknown creature, later called a sur-snake. Doctor McCoy and Lieutenant Clayton manage to escape from the giant marine monster, but Captain Kirk and Spock are rendered unconscious and carried off by the creature.

Five days later, McCoy and Scotty find the two missing officers in shallow waters, but their bodies have been mutated to water-breathing, fishlike forms. For two days, McCoy tries to find the antidote and fails. Kirk and Spock transport down to the planet (wearing water-breather gear for beam-down) and explore Argo's ocean, searching for whatever or whoever mutated them. They find the Aquans, a race of water-breathing people that are fearful of air-breathers. They capture the two officers and bring them before their Tribunes (the leaders), who reveal that Aquan scientists saved their lives by mutation via "sergo-op;" the same way the Aquans voluntarily became water-breathers. While they are away, Scotty and McCoy learn that a sea quake is due in four hours. When Scotty tries to find Captain Kirk, the Aquans see it as betrayal and banish the Starfleet officers to a small island, tied down in a net. Reila, a young Aquan Tribune, finds Scotty and leads him to his commanding officers.

Once freed, Kirk and Spock convince Reila to take them to find the Ancient Records, which will give them the key to reverse mutation. They discover that the antitoxin is made from the venom of the Argo sur-snake, and Kirk and Spock must once again get Reila and her friends to help them. They capture a sur-snake and take a sample of its venom, and then beam up to the Enterprise. McCoy finds the formula, but he doesn't know the exact dosage, so Kirk tells him to guess and consents to being first. Kirk comes perilously close to death by over-mutation, but he survives and is reverted back to human form. Spock is transformed, and then they both report to the bridge and divert the upcoming sea quake, saving the Aquans. The sea quake, concentrated at an unpopulated area of the planet, caused the land to rise up again. Some young Aquans decide to go back to being air-breathers and rebuild the cities of the Surface-Builders. Kirk and Spock leave Argo behind, as well as a race that has finally come to terms with itself.


Okay, that was unnecessarily long...but anyhow, that's not the point. After watching this episode (5 times, might I add), I decided to get some screenshots from relevant parts of the episode. The result was 100 pictures EXACTLY, making sort of a "picture novel" of The Ambergris Element. After consideration, I have put these 100 pictures up on this site for your viewing pleasure, in chronological order. WARNING: Some of these pictures will be blurred. This is NOT my fault. During some underwater scenes, the images would wave around and blur, as if they were really underwater. I got the clearest shot from each scene in which this happens, but even so I could not get rid of all the blurring. Please don't blame it on me.

Also, in most of the pictures, there is a little logo in the bottom right corner. I can't get rid of it, but that's what I get for taking screenshots off a TV channel for little kids. (Why the TV people thought this was a kid's show is beyond me...)


Star Trek The Ambergris Element

Scotty launches the aquashuttle. The aquashuttle in Argo's oceans.

Clayton, Spock, McCoy, and Kirk in the aquashuttle Clayton and Kirk at the controls.

The sur-snake attacks! The stunned sur-snake.

Clayton and Kirk watch as the sur-snake awakens. Kirk to Enterprise...emergency!

We've lost contact, Captain! The sur-snake drags off the mangled aquashuttle containing Kirk and Spock.

Clayton and McCoy escape. Captain's Log...Captain Kirk and First Officer Spock have been missing for almost five days...

There's nothing. There's just nothing. Scotty and McCoy find the wrecked aquashuttle.

Kirk and Spock are found. McCoy scans Kirk and Spock.

They can't live in the air anymore! Spock and Kirk, confined to a tank in Sickbay.

Kirk and Spock in the tank. We're stumped, Jim. The horomone seems to be the major factor in your mutations, but we can't identify it...

Are you sure the mutation wasn't somehow caused naturally? The substance was infused into your bodies at key structural points. It had to be done by injection.

That implies that there are intelligent lifeforms on Argo. I will be of little use to the ship if I am confined to a tank in Sickbay. I must accompany the Captain [to Argo].

We'll make contact as soon as possible. Kirk and Spock give last-minute instructions to Scotty before removing their water helmets.

Kirk and Spock swim through Argo's ocean. Kirk and Spock swimming.

Go away, air-breathers! You're not wanted here! Kirk and Spock watch the Aquans flee.

Kirk and Spock follow the Aquans to their city. Kirk and Spock at the edges of the Aquan city.

It is quite possible that they find us grotesque and ugly, and many beings fear creatures different from themselves. Kirk and Spock seek a way to sneak into the city undetected.

Kirk and Spock are captured by Aquans. The two officers are brought before the Aquan Tribunes.

Kirk and Spock listen to the leader, Dolmar, speak of air-breather spies. We have expected spies for a long time...

Reila convinces Dolmar to take the mesh off of the two officers. Your scientists induced these mutations?

Kirk and Spock know they are in trouble. Scotty learns of the sea quake, due in four hours.

McCoy asks Scotty to try and find Spock and Kirk quickly. Kirk and Spock on land, suffocating.

Reila fails to remove the mesh, and asks what she can do to help. Go to the big island...find assistance party...

After freeing Kirk and Spock, Scotty prepares to take a swim. Scotty drifts down to the sea floor to talk with Kirk, Spock, and Reila.

Reila, this is my chief engineering officer, Mr. Scott. Scotty, this is Tribune Reila; an Aquan. Spock and Kirk discuss ways to obtain the Ancient Records of the Surface-Builders.

Kirk, Reila, Spock, and Scotty feel the tremors of the sea quake beginning. Reila leads Kirk and Spock to the Ancient Ruins.

Kirk and Spock find the sunken city. The two officers search for the Knowledge Records.

Spock finds the sealed containers that hold the knowledge for reverse mutation. The sur-snake reappears and attacks!

The sur-snake gives chase. Kirk and Spock escape, but barely.

The Enterprise, still in orbit above Argo. McCoy translates the material in the scrolls.

The substance in your bloodstreams is similar to the ambergris of Earth-whales... McCoy discovers how to reverse mutation with an antitoxin.

What's the composition of the antitoxin, Bones? It's made from the venom of the Argo sur-snake...

Kirk and Spock recruit Reila and Nefro to help them capture the sur-snake. The sur-snake sleeping on the ocean floor.

Kirk, Spock, and the Aquans carry a large net to capture the sur-snake. Kirk prepares to get a sample of sur-snake venom.

Kirk and Spock collect the venom. We must leave, now!

The sur-snake is left behind, angry but unharmed. Kirk, Spock, and the Aquans swim away from the sur-snake, out of danger.

The Enterprise. We're not sure of the exact dosage, but experiments on fish show that too large of an infusion causes overmutation which cannot be reversed by any means...

I've decreased the dosage by three-quarters, Jim, but we can't be sure. Kirk volunteers to be first.

Spock and Nurse Chapel watch McCoy inject Kirk with the antitoxin. Kirk begins to transform back.

Kirk continues to transform. McCoy monitors Kirk's vital signs, concerned by the fluctuations.

Spock and Nurse Chapel watch Kirk transforming. Kirk cries out in pain and collapses.

Something's happening to his metabolism! It's 10 times normal speed! The webbing between Kirk's fingers fades and vanishes.

Scotty watches from outside the tank. McCoy injects Kirk with more of the antitoxin.

Kirk begins to mutate further, growing scales and even getting a dorsal fin! Kirk's fins vanish...

Kirk's scales disappear, and he tries to take a breath. How do you feel, Jim?

A little dizzy...otherwise normal. Kirk brings Reila and Dolmar onboard the Enterprise.

Reila and Dolmar are amazed by the impressive display of technology. Kirk gives the order to fire phasers at an unpopulated area of the planet, diverting the sea quake and saving the Aquans.

The Enterprise orbits a now-peaceful Argo. Spock reports that the diverted sea quake caused the landmasses to rise out of the sea again.

Kirk, Reila, Dolmar, and Spock stand on the shore of a new continent. Spock, Kirk, and the Aquans gaze upon the ruins of a city, soon to be rebuilt by young Aquans who chose to become air-breathers once more.