"The Deadly Years" is the twelfth episode of the second season of the American science fiction television series Star Trek.
The station seems completely deserted, until Ensign Chekov discovers the body of a man who apparently has died of old age, and panics.
[1] With Spock also afflicted, Stocker assumes command,[2] and orders a direct course to Starbase 10, ignoring warnings that this will take the ship through the Romulan neutral zone.
Mr. Spock and Dr. Wallace, assisted by Nurse Chapel, begin work on an adrenaline-based compound to test on the landing party.
Stocker, having no field command experience and paralyzed with indecision, considers surrendering, but is reminded that Romulans do not take prisoners.
Kirk bluffs the Romulans by sending a message to Starfleet Command, deliberately using the broken code, warning that Enterprise will self-destruct using the "corbomite device", which will also destroy any nearby ships.
"[3] Critic Darren Mooney notes that the aging in the episode focuses on the negative, physical process, and none of the grace and enjoyment of life's accomplishments.
Club gave the episode a "B−" rating, noting the focus on the physical aspects of aging, saying, "Nobody learns a valuable lesson about how getting old is just a natural part of life.