Production
The episode was originally developed from a premise for the cancelled Star Trek: Phase II, although it underwent significant changes. It first appeared in a memo dated August 16, 1977 as part of a status update for the cancelled series. The only other episode of Phase II to be redeveloped for The Next Generation was "The Child" from season two.
In the original version, the Enterprise visits Naterra and meets the planet's leader, Zxolar, who is concerned that Captain Kirk is an alien called Komether who is due to return within twenty days to destroy their world. Zxolar suddenly collapses and Doctor McCoy tries to help him but an energy surrounds the doctor's head and he runs at a wall and disappears. The landing party search for McCoy but to no avail and Zxolar is beamed to the Enterprise. Doctor Chapel attempts to help him but the energy appears around her and she passes out. Xon and Kirk discuss the energy and realise it wants Zxolar to die as it has attacked anyone who helps him. The pair beam back down the planet to investigate the palace they met Zxolar in and discover an archive which shows them the original agreement made by six philosophers, including a much younger Zxolar, and Komether a thousand years earlier. They note one of the philosophers is Zxolar and the Komether is the energy being which attacked the two doctors. As in the later version used on Star Trek: The Next Generation, the agreement was that the being would correct the pollution of the planet in return for ownership of the planet a thousand years later. Xon and Kirk decide to move Zxolan to a life support table and ask for other volunteers at it is apparent that Komether will attack them as they attempt to save him. Scotty, Sulu and Chekov all volunteer as well, and the alien disables each of them as they move Zxolar. It is only because of Xon's strength as he is being attacked that they manage to attach Zxolar to a life support machine and his life signs immediately improve. Zxolar tells Kirk about the contract, who retrieves it from the planet's surface and challenges it. Komethar appears and agrees to a trial with the Enterprise's computer acting as an impartial judge. Kirk realises that Komethar was created by the six philosphers and so as the last remaining, Zxolar is in control of it. Zxolar manages to defeat the creature using his will and releases the stunned crewmen. He finds that McCoy was trapped in the wall itself and releases him too, the Enterprise departing shortly thereafter.
The story was once again brought up during a story pitch for season three of Next Generation, and it was modified by several staff writers. Michael Piller made several changes, including making the devil character female. Marta DuBois was cast as Ardra, after Stella Stevens and Adrienne Barbeau were also considered. Paul Lambert had previously appeared in the episode "When the Bough Breaks" as a member of the Aldean race. This episode illustrates Arthur C. Clarke's Third Law: "any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic."
Read more about this topic: Devil's Due (Star Trek: The Next Generation)
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—Philip Dormer Stanhope, 4th Earl Chesterfield (1694–1773)