#[ I have been and always shall be yours ]

[spockandstars]

I was thinking about how Spock is intentionally paralleled with Sydney Carton from A Tale of Two Cities in The Wrath of Khan, and now I am unwell!

At the beginning of the movie, Spock famously gives Kirk A Tale of Two Cities as a birthday present. This book was specifically included for its themes of sacrifice and resurrection, which obviously mirror Spock’s decision to give up his life to save the crew. Notably, Kirk’s final lines reference the famous closing of the novel.

Kirk: It is a far, far better thing I do than I have ever done before... a far better resting in place I go to than I have ever known...

Carol: is that a poem?

Kirk: Something Spock was trying to tell me. On my birthday.

So what’s the importance of this line? The famous “far better thing” quote is from the book’s ending when Carton has just sacrificed himself for his beloved Lucie, giving himself up to be executed in place of her husband so that she may find happiness. (Live long and prosper, anyone?)

Interestingly, both Spock and Carton are emotionally repressed characters, and anguish over the depth of their love for the people who uniquely see them for who they are — in this case, Jim and Lucie. While I’d argue that Spock is more at peace with himself and his feelings for Jim after the events of the first movie, the point still stands that Jim is the one to truly understand him in a world that labels him as a cold and calculating being.

I believe that this is what Kirk’s line calling Spock’s soul “the most human I have ever encountered,” is supposed to represent. (Even though I agree with the criticism that it could have been worded better!) Similarly, Lucie is the one to recognize Carton’s inner nature in spite of his aloof facade, begging “I would ask you to believe that [Carton] has a heart he very, very seldom reveals, and that there are deep wounds in it.” (Book 2, Chapter 20.)

When Carton finally admits his love to Lucie, it’s hard not to see the resemblance to Spock’s dilemma in the first movie. You know, that time when Spock, in his heartbreak over something related to Jim (that were not given an explanation for), cries out “Jim! Good-bye my . . . my t’hy’la. This is the last time I will permit myself to think of you or even your name again!” before attempting to purge himself of all feelings in an ancient ritual, and failing because the Vulcan priestess can totally sense that he’s still thinking about Kirk. (Yup, that totally straight time!)

Well, Carton is in a similarly agonizing predicament, because he can’t get his feelings for Lucie to go away. He tells her, “I break down before the knowledge of what I want to say to you” and “I have had the weakness, and have still the weakness, to wish you to know with what a sudden mastery you kindled me, heap of ashes that I am, into fire—a fire, however, inseparable in its nature from myself, quickening nothing, lighting nothing, doing no service, idly burning away.” (Book 2, Chapter 13)

He also expresses that he could never separate his love for her from himself, saying that “Within myself, I shall always be, towards you, what I am now.” (Book 2, Chapter 13) Yeah, I know the fact this mirrors Spock’s famous “I have been and always shall be yours” is probably a coincidence, but I’ll be damned if I don’t mention it.

Finally, Carton expresses his love for her in his willingness to sacrifice himself for her sake: “For you, and for any dear to you, I would do anything. If my career were of that better kind that there was any opportunity or capacity of sacrifice in it, I would embrace any sacrifice for you and for those dear to you… there is a man who would give his life, to keep a life you love beside you!” (Book 2, Chapter 13.) Of course, Carton’s story ends when he sacrifices himself for her, fulfilling this promise. Hmm, now who else does that sound like?

This is definitely not a perfect parallel: Spock doesn’t start out as a lazy alcoholic, although there is an argument to be made that Carton’s low self-worth reflects Spock’s before he went on his conversion therapy fueled journey of self discovery. Additionally, I wouldn’t say that Spock’s love for Kirk is unrequited like Carton’s for Lucie, (as evidenced by many things, but I’ll primarily point to the events of The Motion Picture and The Search for Spock), but you could potentially cast Carol in the role of Darnay, Lucie’s husband.

The most important thing to glean from this is that Spock was very deliberately set up to be the Carton figure, which is interesting given that Carton’s actions are driven by his willingness to do anything to see his beloved be happy and prosper.

[penguinsomething]

The wrath of khan has broken me

[themaninyourcomputer]

I had to watch a Ted Ed video explaining radiation in chemistry earlier today, needless to say, I did not expect to get "I have been and always shall be your friend"-ed at 9 a.m. on a Monday.

[spirk-trek]

Daring Attempt Fanzine #7 | Shellie Whild & Tere Ann Roderick, 1987 + scenes from Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982)

Sad Song by Tere Roderick

I watched a friend die today...

It was an easy death -- As deaths go. He just seemed to slip further and further from me Until I could not feel him "there" anymore. It was not an heroic death, No glory... Only the silence of an unshed tear. Now I sit staring into the brandy... I do not drink... did not drink... before... Or so I told him. Now the amber fluid is all I have. I watched a friend die today. My soul went with him.

[sometimeswritingsometimesdying]

call 911 there's been a gay on gay crime

[homosexula]

the original series was really like "kirk and spock will stand 6 inches apart maximum while having a conversation with 5 different layers of romantic sexual and emotional subtext without Actually saying anything while also gazing at each other with the softest shiniest most romantic eyes possible but neither of them will ever actually admit to anything in a hundred years" and then the original movies were like "at least once per movie spock will come out of nowhere and directly say the most romantic shit you ever heard in your life but then everyone will act like it never happened"

[purplecyborgnewt]

[thegroundhogdidit]

someone: kirk and spock were just friends but some people just don't want to hear it...

me, who just watched the wrath of khan AND the search for spock within a week, vibrating at intense speeds: are you sure

[orangexmachina]

I want what they have

[spockandstars]

We don’t talk enough about how iconic it is that Spock’s damsel in distress fit is literally just his funeral robes… Sleeping Beauty could only dream of this level of serve

[foxssleeplessness]

No one does love like Captain James Thiberius Kirk and Commander First/Science Officer S'chn T'gai Spock anymore.

[mukuberry]

yumeyume 0909 is killing me a lil actually

[crescentfool]

beaming everyone on the dashh with good brain day vibes!!! i hope that you all can remember to extend self-compassion to yourself whenever you're feeling down about something 💙

[purplecyborgnewt]

[icewindandboringhorror]

recent things

[lususnatura]

🎤 🎤 🎤

a song that i associate with my muse meme!

AHH, hey, ramone!! thank you for sending in this prompt :D since you sent in three of the mic's, i shall now be treating you to three songs that make me think of blamore when i hear them / that i associate with it. an explanation of why i chose them will be in the tags <3

hozier - who we are.

icehouse - crazy.

depeche mode - personal jesus.