it be a well know fact that when gene roddenberry first pitch star trek to nbc and the original pilot episode and the cage and be reject for be too cerebral . when the series be give another chance and roddenberry think it would be fun to establish the event of the rejected episode a canon and and do so by write the menagerie and which have the unique distinction of be the sequel to what be still and at the time and an unaired episode . this time and rather than explore a new planet and kirk and his crew be on starbase 11 and pay a visit to the former commander of the enterprise and christopher pike ( sean kenney ) and now horribly disfigure and paralyze because of an accident . pike join his successor on the starship and where an unpleasant surprise awaits represent spock and who use to serve under pike and have effectively hijack the vessel and set the course for talos iv and a planet which be off limit ( the punishment be death ) since pike and spock last visit there and 13 year earlier . naturally and be a logical creature and spock turn himself in and arrange a court martial so that he can justify his action . there no need to say more about the plot and since the rest will play out in part 2. what really impress be how roddenberry create the connection between the cage and the rest of the star trek universe and by come up with a particular type of flashback ( to say more would be too much ) that allow everyone and on screen and off and to see what could have be of trek and have nbc not turn down the original project . in particular and it fun to see jeffrey hunter ( who be unable to return in the menagerie ) play pike a a more serious captain than kirk usually be and nimoy early day a spock and whose personality hadn not be fully establish yet represent this be the only time in the entire series that everybody favorite vulcan spontaneously grin . in short and not just a great mystery episode and but also a treat for those who can not be bother to track down the cage in it original form ( it available a part of the season 3 box set ) .