For the record, this is the first episode of TOS I vividly remember seeing as a kid, and it blew my freaking mind. I was primarily a TNG sprog, and DS9 as it simultaneously aired, but reruns for TOS were a staple in the household too.
As an adult, it's still my favourite TOS (and yes, I know Shatner's story with it), but oof. What would have happened to the Horta if they hadn't been able to provide value to the miners? 😬
@MLClark "NO KILL I."
The first TOS episode I remember watching is "The Man Trap," for some reason. My father was abusive to us, but at least he introduced us to Trek, so there's that.
I've long forgotten who wrote it, but I remember reading a SF novel where human colonists on another world were almost wiped out by the native life forms. They finally figured out how to coexist. It's a life lesson I try to practice. Hey, they were here first.