Parents, this is a great Scouts episode for kids which also pays homage to a classic character.
“Discover, grow, and boldly go” is the mission for young students JR, Roo, and Sprocket in each episode of the animated adventures aimed at preschoolers known as Star Trek: Scouts. And in the latest installment, the kids are introduced to a Horta, a popular alien that made its first appearance in the Star Trek: The Original Series episode, “The Devil in the Dark.”
In episode 10 of Scouts’ adventures (watch above), Roo introduces an adorable Horta to the redshirt-clad JR and her blue-haired Vulcan classmate, Sprocket. “It’s a cool rock creature that eats other rocks!” Roo exclaims much to the delight of her companions. However, even in a show aimed at young children, a villain emerges to try and capture the Horta for her own evil purposes. Enter the kitty cat character, Shadowtrix.
Shadowtrix is obsessed with the Horta because it doesn't just eat rocks. No, after it has gobbled them up, it spits out diamonds. Now, what happens next is a regular occurrence on Scouts. In each episode of the “Asteroid Blasters” series, the three kids must fend off different kinds of asteroids which are hurling toward their school. For instance, JR, Roo, and Sprocket have faced off and defeated a number of destructive forces, including a bubblegum asteroid and even a bar-of-soap meteor in previous installments.
This time around, Shadowtrix attacks the talented trio with a Gorgonite asteroid. “Gorgonite!” Sprocket shouts. “That’s one of the hardest rocks in the universe!” The Gorgonite asteroid easily smashes its way through JR, Roo, and Sprocket’s first two long-range counter measures: a metal baseball bat and a stellar sledgehammer. They don't have any effect, though, so the Gorgonite continues racing toward Earth.
However, it’s the cute and adorable Horta who ends up saving the day after communicating its desire to help with Roo. The Horta is then energized into the kids’ deflector canon and shot into space where it grows in size and devours the dangerous Gorgonite asteroid!
As a lifelong Star Trek fan, it’s wonderful to see the franchise boldly going in a direction it has never taken before. By creating these fun, brightly colored, problem-solving shorts (under four minutes each), it gives young kids a chance to be indoctrinated into the world of Trek at a young age. Adding the Horta to this particular episode, just added to the enjoyment for this particular Trekkie.
I can’t recommend Scouts enough for parents who are looking for something new to introduce their children to. And while a new episode didn’t drop this particular Saturday (Dec. 13), Nick Jr. did release another fun compilation adventure for preschoolers to enjoy: 30 minutes of the kids battling their weekly foes, the asteroids.
Have you watched Star Trek: Scouts with your children yet? If so, share your thoughts and comments with us on the Redshirts Always Die Facebook and X pages. And look for new episodes and additional compilations every Saturday on the Blaze and the Monster Machines YouTube channel.
Live long and prosper, Trekkies!