#HOWEVER the decision to have Spock CLEARLY crying at Kirk’s bedside…

[lichqueenlibrarian]

Jim!

[calliethetrekkie]

Triumvirate Prompts: Day 9

#9. Favorite TOS Moment

I was going to save this for a later prompt, but I can probably think up something else for it. So we are going with an obvious one, but a good/feelsy one nonetheless. It's from The Empath. You all probably know what moment I'm talking about.

Our boys and the title empath are in a baaaad spot. Kirk just got tortured and because we clearly have to kick the poor guy while he's down, he's presented with his worst nightmare: deciding which of his two best friends he gets to send for an even worst torture session. If he sends McCoy, he'll die. If he sends Spock, he'll be driven to insanity. Spock and McCoy bicker over sacrificing themselves cause they're as bad as Jim before Kirk cuts them off as it's his decision. It's clear that Kirk is in pain and distressed. So McCoy, being the doctor that he is, hypos him to spare him of any further agony. A notiont hat Spock actually agrees with.

That leaves Spock in charge, however. Which means that by default, he gets to choose himself to go with the Vians. McCoy goes quiet and steps away as Spock tries to finish his work on the Vians device to give Kirk and McCoy the chance to escape. But he made one very, very critical miscalculation: McCoy is a stubborn ass who is NOT going to let anyone else suffer if he can help it. So Spock gets hypo-ed and McCoy allows the Vians to take him, knowing full well that he's likely never going to see his friends again alive.

I've talked about this moment before. How McCoy chose to do this with absolutely zero hesitation. I guess it's not surprising since this is the same guy who, when Khan held him by the throat with a scalpel in hand, didn't so much as flinch. But still... this is a man who knows full well that by doing this, he is going to die. It ain't gonna be a quick death, he's seen what condition Kirk was in, and it's going to be far, FAR worst. It's going to be a slow, painful, lonely death...

And he does not care.

All that mattered is that Kirk and Spock, the two people who mean the world to him, are safe. He even takes the time before leaving to tell Gem that his friends will take care of her because that's the kind of guy he is. He's about to die, and he'd rather reassure a young girl that she'll be okay. Even when finally taken and chained up, he just tells the Vians to get on with it already. Again, not so much as a flinch. His friends are safe. Gem is safe. That is all that matters. It shows a scary lack of self-preservation, but Dear God it shows why McCoy is such an amazing character.

it's not even going into Kirk and Spock throwing out their chance at escape to get to McCoy. How they see their dear doctor dying, helpless to do anything. Kirk is in deep denial, and watching Bones in pain is killing him. Seriously, when Spock tells him he's dying, I swear Kirk looked like he wanted to cry. Spock is more controlled, but barely. Seriously, when McCoy uses what may very well have been his last words to compliment his bedside manner? And Spock's face at those words? Your heart will break.

Obviously I was going to use this for the favorite McCoy moment, but as I tried to think of other moments for this one, it was clear to me that it had to go here. The Empath in general is an amazing episode showing the Triumvirate's love and care for each other. How far they're each willing to go to protect the other two and others relying on them, such as Gem. McCoy of course gets the biggest moment with his sacrifice, and Kirk and Spock's reactions are pure pain. But it shows just how much McCoy means to them and how much they mean to McCoy. Had it been either Jim or Spock in McCoy's place, it would have similar results. It's one of those scenes that makes you see how strong their bond is, and I love it~!