prokopetz:

Concept: one of those sci-fi stories where the away team beams down to meet with a group of reclusive, seemingly primitive aliens, and unwittingly violates some microscopic taboo – stepping on a flower, say – in the process, obliging them to perform some arduous trial to avoid a fate worse than death…

… except when they finally pull it off, after many death-defying exploits and stirring motivational speeches, all of the observing aliens burst out laughing.

Later, the alien leader explains that both the taboo and the trial were completely made up, and they’ve just been messing with them the entire time.

(To show there’s no hard feelings, the away team are sent back with ridiculous hats specially made to commemorate their pointless achievement.)