Air date: May 1, 1964
The story is about the meeting of an American World War II veteran named Fenton (Neville Brand) and a young Japanese-American named Arthur Takamori (George Takei). Arthur comes to Fenton's house looking for work, on a tip from a neighbor. Fenton is gruff yet cordial, offering Takamori a beer up in his cluttered attic. Takamori is intent on work rather than conversation, but reluctantly agrees to Fenton's offer. In conversation, Arthur states that he changed his name from Taro and Fenton politely responds.
Fenton coincidentally finds an old samurai sword which he says he got off a Japanese soldier whom he killed during the war twenty years earlier. Fenton asks about the inscription on the sword; Takamori claims to not be able to read Japanese. But when Fenton leaves briefly to fetch more beer, Takamori takes hold of the sword and says in an astonished way "I'm going to kill him. I'm going to kill him." Takamori hides the sword. Fenton comes back and notes its absence, but doesn't accuse Takamori; rather he acts confused at its misplacement.
They reveal more and more about themselves, Fenton admitting that he knows the inscription on the sword ("The sword will avenge me"), and challenges Takamori to admit that he can read Japanese. Takamori grows more uneasy and more confrontational. They have brief heated exchanges which then subside and reemerge again. Takamori moves to leave, but Fenton refuses to let him, insisting they drink another beer.
Fenton appears to suffer from a post traumatic flashback. They briefly assume an adversarial posture, Takamori challenging Fenton with the sword. This too subsides and, on account of some rare insight, Takamori makes the accusation that Fenton killed the Japanese soldier only after the soldier surrendered and disarmed. Fenton challenges the accusation, but then admits to it: "All right, so what if I did? So what if I did?" Takamori tries to leave but the door is mysteriously shut and won't open. Fenton can't open it either, despite claiming that the door doesn't have a lock.
In agitation, Takamori describes his experience as a small child at Pearl Harbor, claiming his father was a construction foreman who helped build the harbor. Takamori claims that he watched from afar as the planes bombed the harbor and his father with it, stating his father tried to alert sailors to the attack. Exasperated, he then admits that this was a fabricated story and that his father was a traitor who helped the Japanese attack by providing information. Seeing Takamori's guilt, Fenton has pity for him and tries to offer some comfort. The sword, however, appears to be dictating the course of the conversation and soon Takamori accuses Fenton of being a murderer, for killing an unarmed man.
Fenton offers a speech in his own defense about following orders: "You can't hold a man responsible for following orders, can you? ... In the Pacific, we were told you guys weren't even human - you were some kind of ape. And that we shouldn't worry about burning you out of your caves. Now all of a sudden, you're fine people - highly cultured - and it's propaganda about your lousy transistor radios."
In a sudden depression, Fenton soon admits that he is unhappy with himself and what he has done, his wife is leaving him, he's been fired from his construction job, and that he has pulled Takamori into conversation because he does not want to be left alone. But Takamori is under the control of the sword. Fenton, fully aware of Takamori's silent building rage, replies "If that's what you're here for, all right then. Kill me."
Fenton quickly reverts into a depressed confessional tone, stating "I'm not afraid of dying as much as living." But his anger again resumes. "I've got a box full of decorations over there. Decorations! First you're an ape and now, all of a sudden, you're some kind of highly-cultured people. I've been pushed and pulled this way and that way until I hate everybody! You dirty little Jap!"
Takamori, still with the sword in hand, is seized by former Marine Fenton. Fenton overpowers him and the sword is dropped, wedging into the table supports, pointing upwards. Going down to the floor to retrieve it, Fenton is then impaled on the sword when Takamori pulls at his feet. He looks at Takamori fatefully and dies. Takamori is consumed and, taking the sword in a combative gesture, shrieks "Banzai!" as he runs and jumps out the window, presumably to his death.
Moments later, the attic door slowly opens on its own.
The Entropeter:
- The Alcoholic: As Fenton admits, "I guess I drink too much". Apparently his drinking problem has gotten so bad itβs cost him his job and likely his marriage.
- Artistic License β History: In reality, there were no Japanese-American traitors at Pearl Harbo (of course, this was a common conspiracy at the time, and may have been a baseless accusation leveled against his father, and Arthur, with no way to disprove it, simply believed it after having it drilled into his head).
- Bottle Episode: The entire episode takes place in one location and has just two characters.
- Chromosome Casting: This episode does not feature any women.
- Clingy MacGuffin: Fenton tells Arthur that he took the samurai sword from a Japanese officer whom he was forced to kill on Okinawa in order to save his own life. He claims that it keeps turning up in spite of his numerous attempts to get rid of it over the years. It bears the inscription "The sword will avenge me." As soon as he picks it up, Arthur experiences a strange sensation and says "I'm going to kill him. I'm going to kill him. Why?" Arthur later appears to be under the supernatural influence of the sword and attacks Fenton with it. From this experience, Arthur realizes that Fenton killed the Japanese officer and took the sword after he had already surrendered. The former owner of the sword eventually has his vengeance when Fenton falls on it and is impaled.
- Dated History: The episode depicts Japanese-American traitors helping with the attack on Pearl Harbor, which was commonly believed at the time but has since been dismissed as a racist conspiracy theory.
- Impaled with Extreme Prejudice: When Arthur attempts to kill Fenton with the samurai sword for the second time, Fenton manages to subdue him and knock the sword out of his hand. He then bends down to pick it up and is impaled when Arthur pulls at his feet.
- Jerkass: Any time Fenton starts to become even a little bit likable or sympathetic, he says something racist, sexist or just plain boorish. However, he might have a Freudian Excuse (see Shell-Shocked Veteran).
- Just Following Orders: Fenton pulls this on Takamori during part of his dialogue.
- "Just Joking" Justification: Fenton repeatedly becomes overbearing or outright threatening, but every time Arthur reacts defensively, he acts surprised, and insists he didn't mean anything by it.
- Laser-Guided Karma: Arthur's father helped the Japanese to attack Pearl Harbor only to be one of those killed in the bombing.
- Maybe Magic, Maybe Mundane: The Door in Fenton's attic mysteriously closes and doesn't open until the end of the episode where both characters are dead, at which point it opens on its own. Was it locked? What was holding it shut? Ghosts? Sentience? God? The episode doesn't say.
- Minimalist Cast: With only two characters, it's almost as minimalist as you can get.
- Shell-Shocked Veteran: Much of Fenton's behavior in this episode could be blamed on PTSD and war flashbacks, even his drinking problem. He may be a jerk, but he also saw heavy action in one of the cruellest theaters of war in recent history. His insulting demeanour towards a Japanese-American is bigoted, but also can be explained as a reaction to someone of the same ethnicity as the frankly brutal enemy he fought against only 20 years ago.
- World Limited to the Plot: The entire episode takes place inside Fenton's attic. At first, Arthur is kept there by Fenton's insistence. Finally, he tries to leave anyway, but is prevented by apparently supernatural intervention.
