#but that is simply how spock is ❤️

[curator-on-ao3]

Rewatching s1 ep10 & look how easy it is for Pike to be honest with and open up to Una compared to literally anyone else on the show. He's even mentioned their names to her and she's remembered all their names. Honesty flows between them like a clear river. Forming the very depth and foundation of their relationship. With Una, he simply just is.

Also even though he discusses *that* future and his apprehensions with Spock (& I love their friendship/paternal-familial relationship), Una is the only one who plunges right into the depths of his darkness and brings him back with hope, a sliver of optimism. She pushes him to at least try. For his own sake.

And look how desperate, how vulnerable and how craving of what Una offers him, that look in his eyes. Tears of fear, anxiety, grief and craving for the emotional intimacy and support (to be far away from the loneliness he suffers bearing the burden of his future).

When they plumb into the depths of darkness, the other is right there to offer themself up in whatever capacity the firmer wants from them. Be it Pike when Una almost resigns or when she's in captivity/trial and here.

👆👆👆

All of this, y’all. All of this is true.

Love this analysis, @acuriousmindsblog! ❤️

[walkingstackofbooks]

TOS rewatch - Conscience of the King

Jim is SO certain that Kodos is dead, isn't he? Or at least, in utter denial that he could be anything else. Ohhhhh.

Gosh, the complete CONTROL he's maintaining as he looks up the information, only stroking his hands anxiously.

"Stop." I spoke too soon - he can't allow the computer to continue to say about the massacre. MY HEART IS ALREADY TOO MUCH.

Jim's description of Tom as "with a very long memory". How much of this has Jim blocked out of *his* memory? He appears to have no recognition of Kodos, which I've never really thought about too much before, but how deep is that memory buried?

(Alternatively - and I have no idea if this would track at all with any other episodes - but aphantasic Kirk?)

The way he smiles at Lenore definitely would add to his reputation if it wasn't obviously a ploy to get to the bottom of this.

I've never thought about the fact that Lenore IS Lady Macbeth, either, killing Kodos' "rivals" for him so that his future is clear. I really feel like I ought to have 😅

OH, and SHE'S like the cat who's got the cream when he suggests they leave, because it's like he's handing himself straight to her - far easier than I imagine she'd have thought it would be to trap a Starship Captain!

"At the party you were such a brash young man" He's more than ten years your senior, Lenore. You've been playing Lady Macbeth too much.

Why did she let him take her so close to her murder? Did she just not realise what direction they had come in until it was too late and then was trying to distract him with a kiss once she realised? I guess she is not exactly a professional with this...

Oh, Jim. It always strikes me how Tom is an actual friend to him, still - he clearly knows Martha, and she knows him.

Jim delighting even at this time in making Spock confused about knowing about the pick-up 🤣❤️

Oh, he has really played her so well, even without knowing that *she's* behind the killing - she totally believes he's just a charming captain who has quite fallen for her charm.... Although I guess he's the same, thinking that she's just Kodos' innocent daughter who's fallen for *his* charm.

And again, his startled-ness at Kevin Riley. I guess there's technically no *reason* why he should have known the other survivors who had seen Kodos? With 4000 survivors, I guess it could have been quite random which ones of them saw Kodos.

Okay, with his orders to Spock to send Kevin back to engineering, Jim has definitely entered "fight" mode, and as tactical as he can be he's not thinking with his whole brain here.

"Did it ever occur to you that he simply might like the girl?" "It occurred. I dismissed it." "You would." I don't know what this is but Bones, Spock, I love you.

SPOCK'S SIGH. THAT WAS A FULL ON GRUMPY HUFF. Oh he is SO worried 💔💔💔

I'm guessing Bones isn't worried only because he hasn't been snapped at by Kirk.

Bones really feels like he's trying to avoid this conversation here - either hecan guess the conclusion Spock's coming to and doesn't want to hear it, or he already knows and is trying to protect himself privacy.

Spock reaches out for Leonard's arm! "Over 4000 people" and he has to reach out to TOUCH Bones. SPOCK 💔💔💔

Oh yeah, I think Bones totally knew already about Tarsus. He didn't know the Karidian connection, definitely, and he maybe didn't know about Riley, but I really think he knew about Jim. He barely reacts to Spock saying Jim's name, already steeling himself not to give away that he knew.

Oh, Riley. "Someone talk to me!" Ohhh, bless.

"Something to reassure me I'm not the only living thing next in the universe." He's so melodramatic I love him XD

The disinfectant into the milk is so jarring!

The way you think he might not drink the milk but then he does! Aghhh. The drama!

Spock needing to physically protect Jim by making him completely informed Vs Bones needing to emotionally protect Jim by letting him have a little longer in ignorance.

Bones backing Spock up - "he's doing his job!"

Spock and Jim telling each other to get out and go! And Spock of course coming back after doing orders.

Well that did seem like a murder attempt for sure.

Kodos barely reacting. I guess he knows the name James Kirk, knows this might have been coming.

The fact that Kodos barely looks at the paper but still keeps up the charade afterwards. Argues with Jim about Kodos' motives but pretends Kodos is another man. And it shouldn't work too dissuade Jim yet it does because Jim has to be *surer* then sure, he can have no room for doubt 💔💔

Seriously, Bones, recording your medical log with such sensitive information out in the open like that?!

I guess being raised by a secretive af Shakespeare actor probably screws up your childhood a whole lot. This Lenore and Karidian scene is so chilling.

Her insistence in finishing the play. Her quoting of Shakespeare over her father's body. It's like Shakespeare was the more real world to her.

How long does it take him to process that Kodos saved his life and died for him. Because fucking hell that is a HELL of a lot.

[nebulouscoffee]

Hey! I'm really sorry that life has been so rough lately, I'm keeping you in my thoughts 🙏 here are some things I'd love to hear your thoughts about, & feel free to make it as long & detailed as you want! 1/your favourite piece of Bajoran worldbuilding (from the show or from a fic you've read or from your own headcanons - you decide!); 2/your favourite type of alien clothing on any star trek (or single favourite alien outfit) & why you like it; 3/what your concept for Ben & Kasidy's child is: who they are, who they grow up to be, etc.; & finally, 4/your opinions about the clock Ben builds in "Dramatis personae". Here you go! Take care <3

... this is so incredibly sweet, thank you😭😭 I really truly appreciate it, as well as all of these Very interesting questions❤️❤️

Ahhh it's hard to pick, I love so much about Bajoran worldbuilding! First of all the non-linearity of their religion is SO COOL & mind-blowing to think about, & I really love the way it- by its very nature- allows you to re-contextualise so much of the show's lore. Like- is Joseph Sisko written into ancient Bajoran prophecies thanks to his non-linear affair with a Prophet?? Do those prophecies inform or influence traditional archetypes of love in Bajoran culture?? Did Kira grow up learning about an archetype of corporeal love based entirely on Joseph Sisko, the father of an alien man who would decades later become her boss??? I don't know!! But I can write fic about it!!! (And then not post it!!!🙈😂) I do headcanon that dominant Bajoran cultures all have strong archetypical figures, it just makes sense to me given their caste system & that "three brothers" story Kira tells Ben & just how much emphasis they as people place on roles and duty and their place in the world (and on their world). I also love the recurring theme that they greatly value (and like, listen to) their planet. They talk about Bajor like it's a living organism, one big ecosystem they are all a part of, and whenever there are floods, famines, earthquakes, etc, they pay attention, as if its a bug in the immune system- such an interesting contrast to Cardassia, where they plundered their own resources & then came for others. There's this whole collective spiritual (rather than strictly political or social) connectivity that I find very fascinating- something about Kira thinking of herself as simply an empty "vessel" to the powers that safeguard her planet & connect her to her fellow Bajorans. It makes me wonder about their large diaspora, & the sort of pain Bajorans like Ro may carry around over that forced separation. Oh, and that they have Fire Caves. Like those Fire Caves were really just hanging around the whole time huh. Also that Proper hasperat is apparently supposed to be made with a brine so strong your eyes water. So that's five things!

2. Garak's Watermelon Suit.

3.

Lol jk. Garak does have some fire 'fits tho (that red and black tunic with the embroidery? A Look🙌) Anyway,

2. I also think Lenara's purple formal dress was really pretty! And most of Quark's outfits are killer tbh. The detail!

Kira's dress from 'Fascination' was fun- and I like both Winn Adami costumes a lot, the vedek robes with the opera house hat & also the golden kai robes. Again, there's a lot of cool details (esp with that elliptical Bajoran symbol & patterned fabric which the 90s quality completely nukes.) Oh, and speaking of hats- all of Guinan's hats are iconic, and Jadzia's Klingon wedding dress was pretty cool too. Basically I am terrible at choosing things; I just now remembered Spock's Goth Chic robe from TMP and that reminded me SNW has been doing some really cool things with T'Pring's wardrobe-

3. The siskasidy baby!!! I have named this baby so many different things in post-canon fics lol, everything from Jennifer to Sarah to Jadzia ("Jazzy", or "Jazz" for short- I think this is my favourite, given how Avery Brooks seems to be irl about jazz.) I don't think I have any real headcanons about who they grow up to be (I'd love to hear any ideas you may have!) but I did come to terms with Ben missing out on their first year(s?) by imagining he sort of spiritually shares consciousness with several Bajorans over that time period (very much consensually, like this is an experience that allows these Bajorans to walk with the Prophets for a time & also enriches Ben's- and the Prophets'- understanding of Bajoran life) and these Bajorans befriend Kasidy & look out for her and the baby <3

4. Lmaooo I have SO many feelings about this clock. Like WHY did he build a CLOCK. *frantic strings across conspiracy board* I know, I know, the writers were probably just going for something random at the time, it was, at heart, a goofysilly s1 episode that easily could've been on TNG or VOY- but it really does become sort of mind-blowing when you consider it in the grander scheme of Ben's arc. Plus- they kept it in his office throughout the series!! They put it in JAKE'S HOME in the alternate 'Visitor' timeline!! I do think that episode implies their weird behaviours also came from somewhere within them (that's how I like to explain Kira Your-taste-in-men-frightens-me Nerys flirting with Weird Aliens Odo & Dax anyway😂), so I like to think Ben just has this deep ponderance of time & temporality just like. Sitting within him somewhere. The clock was actually from an ancient Gamma Quadrant civilisation whose memories possessed them all, but I still feel like that last shot where Ben sets off the timepiece he (for some reason) built from scratch and lets it tick was Symbolic somehow. Like- this man is part-Prophet!! He was conceived non-linearly his birth was arranged he was always meant to discover the Celestial Temple aka the path to- you guessed it- the Gamma Quadrant!! Something something Events Set In Motion

[muirmarie]

⚠️🖍️🤔🤡❤️!

⚠️Which wip your most likely to finish or update next?

I'm tentatively planning on:

touch-starved (that was supposed to be day 2 of mcspirk month lmao BUT the denied food one ate my life and that didn't happen)

plato's stepchildren au for the 12th (an unpleasant fic all around)

vulnerability for my bingo card (it's the operation annihilate au where spock doesn't have two eyelids and mccoy basically breaks science by working himself into a wreck for three weeks until he cures spock)

the couple's counseling one for the 26th

we'll see how i do on those, haha!!!! as long as they're REASONABLE lengths (glares at myself in the mirror) i might make it, although there's a good chance the plato one will be late simply because. i have to get that car in ffxiv. i hafta. but it's still planned in that order)

🖍Post Any sentence from your wip

I'm posting more than a sentence and counting this as WIP Wednesday as well <3 (this is from touch-starved and it's all comfort no hurt this time!!!!!)

_

“Come on in,” McCoy says flatly. “Make yourself at home.”

“Don't mind if I do,” Kirk says brightly, and he immediately pulls off his boots and sets them down by the door. McCoy is staring at him as if he's taken leave of his senses, but Kirk just moves over towards McCoy's desk. “I'd like a drink,” he says. “You want a drink? You still have that bottle of Romulan ale?”

McCoy turns and looks at Spock in utter disbelief, and then looks back at Kirk.

Spock, after some internal debate, removes his boots as well.

“Jim, what's going on?” McCoy says, dropping his crossed arms in favor of a running a hand through his hair, leaving it somehow even messier.

“What, I can't drop by and see my best friend? You were gone for a month, Bones, I missed you. Didn't you miss me?”

“This feels more like an ambush than a social call,” McCoy says, and turns back in time to see Spock neatly lining his boots up next to Kirk's. It seems to leave him speechless for a moment, but Kirk doesn't let that slow him down.

<33333

[turbolift]

dyslexic spock canon

[curator-on-ao3]

Hi! How's you? Lord's Grace, I'm fine.

Just wanted to ask, what are the standout moments from both the seasons about, for, in, about Pike and Una? Ones that you remember or half-remember but they feel like they're the defining moments about them, or reveal something about them or just moments where they're together and we simply enjoy them, moments you'd love to write more fics about.

:') Lord Bless! Have a lovely more lovely even more lovely day

I’m glad you’re doing well. ❤️ Thank you for asking — this was fun to consider!

I understand the boundaries of your question, but I’m gonna color outside the lines a little bit to say that it starts for me in The Cage when Pike is so considerate of Number One’s feelings that he apologizes for the reasonable choice not to put her on the landing party. Then, on Talos IV, they work together so cleanly, handling the same equipment and picking up on each other’s ideas and plans. Yes, the episode kicks off the ship in the obvious way of revealing that Number One fantasizes about Pike. Yet the episode also makes clear why — a closeness and camaraderie that’s evident from the start. (And at the end. Colt asking who would have been Eve and Number One shutting Colt down, then Boyce pressing the question and Pike shutting Boyce down. Meanwhile there’s me ignoring the Lilith story to shout: “Her name is literally ‘Number One,’ y’all. Who else would be Eve?”)

Then we get to Discovery and she appears before him in a shimmer of transporter beam and the camaraderie, the understanding, the care for each other — it’s all still there. He teases her about her food and drink order. She teases him right back. She knows his orders before he gives them. He trusts her completely. It’s so lovely and comfortable and real-feeling.

There’s more in the Short Treks (Number One freaking out when Spock notes her “most careful study of the captain,” etc.), but let’s get to the heart of your question.

Strange New Worlds took the care, the camaraderie, the understanding, and deepened all that even more, made it so Chris has never served on a non-redacted ship without her, made it so they’ve known each other most of their lives, made it so we see them talk about life and duty and journeys whether in his quarters or the ready room, it doesn’t matter because the comfort they have with each other transcends location. Both times she even mentions resigning, he says absolutely not. Twice, he holds her service record in his hands and rushes off to do what he can to save her from a dangerous situation. And, as we all know, Mr. “He Views Resorting to Force as an Admission of Failure” (per Number One in Q&A) gets violent when Starfleet arrests her and is about take her away from him.

So, in terms of truly answering your question (finally), I love how, in the premiere, the second Chris walks in to rescue Una from Kiley 279 that she starts teasing him, he instantly teases back, and she knew damn well that he would come and rescue her even though he wasn’t technically on duty. I also love little things like how when he’s helping her get around despite her injured leg that there’s no self-consciousness in touching (even in underboob territory) because they’ve served together in close proximity for ages so why would they be self-conscious?

Which takes us to Children of the Comet and more talking and domesticity (yes, I can fully believe that dishwashers are a lost technology since that means I can watch them do dishes together) and sharing hard truths in his quarters. There are layers at the dinner party, stories and him teasing her in front of other people for everyone to be able to laugh together … and her deep care for his feelings when he’s not laughing at all.

Clearly, I could keep going for season one:

Ghosts of Illyria when he subtly checks in on her feelings at the beginning, then she’s so worried about him on the surface, and finally his stalwart support for her in the ready room.

Memento Mori when he asks how she’s doing — and the way he asks in the midst of a crisis with softness in his voice.

Serene Squall with the casual intimacy of her helping him put on his gear, then their history together and understanding via the Alpha Braga IV reminisce.

Quality of Mercy when she chases after him even though he put her in charge of the meeting, then his reaction to her being missing in the future, him trying to figure out what happened to her, him standing by the command chair when he finally sees her again, and, of course, as mentioned before, his reaction to her being taken away.

And I could keep going for season two:

Ad Astra Per Aspera, like, all of it but especially when he speaks of the loss it would be to him if she left, the fact that he’s an adult who suffered from asthma as a child yet he risks asphyxiation to help her, the picture of them both that she keeps in her quarters, everything about The Hug™️, and so much more.

Charades with the There Was Only One Couch scene and, earlier, the “🎶 first contact get down, get down, first contact get down” look on the bridge.

Those Old Scientists having them both like the communicator better than a commbadge — and getting how Pike and Una visually check in which each other so much than even their cartoons do it.

Subspace Rhapsody letting them kiss (I always say I will send a bouquet of flowers to the editor who put that in the show).

Under the Cloak of War showing him listening to her and trusting her where her talents exceed his.

I’m leaving things out that I’ll remember as soon as I hit post.

There are vibes and glances. There is body language. (🎶 There were moments of gold/ And there were flashes of light/ There were things I'd never do again/ But then they'd always seemed right.) There’s a certain groundedness that lets me believe these two truly know each other.

And, for all of that, I am grateful.

Fun fact: This is my first post in which I hit the image limit and couldn’t add more. Even after I combined some. Whoo-hoo! Also, I apologize for not sourcing the gifs. I had them saved and Tumblr gif search is a nightmare.

Edit: I remembered one of the many things I’m sure I’m leaving out: their conversation in The Broken Circle. The mutual concern, the lived-in feeling of their talk, the vibe that this was far from their first conversation since everything went down. I loved it all.

[spirkedbaguette]

But that is one issue that we fans have, that the stars don't: We watched Trek again and again and know almost every detail by heart and that's why inconsistencies rub us the wrong way.

Don't get me wrong, I don't have ANY problem with anyone else enjoying the new Trek movies. In fact I'm happy they brought new people into fandom and they're probably the one reason we get new Trek shows and I'm very thankful for that. But that doesn't stop me from hating them on the context level.

First of all, they used time travel to create a parallel universe. But that's not how time travel works in Trek. It has been established that every time travel has effects on the timeline it is coming from. That's the whole reason for some episodes. So, just saying (off-screen for that matter) 'Oh, no no, this doesn't damage the prime timeline. Why? We have no idea, but we just say so' was... Well, an amateur move. So still lacking proper explanation, some fans (including me) still feel they have erased all of existing Trek except ENT and nowadays Picard. This could have easily been prevented by just having Spock explain on screen how the addition of red matter opened a rift in the universes that he hadn't forseen and how he therefore screwed up more than anticipated. But they didn't do that, and then got pissed off when fans pointed that out. That just hurts, because it was a mistake that could have easily been avoided.

Then off to Kirk. Well, he's a jackass in every iteration, so not much of a problem here. Except that it ignores that Prime Kirk also had a traumatic background. Seeing three thousand people being murdered and almost starving to death isn't easy either. So... It feels like they're playing 'which trauma is "worth" more'. But... That's the least of my problems.

And off to Spuhura. The greatest issue I have here is that creating Spuhura BEFORE the destruction of Vulcan makes Spock a cheating arsehole. He is engaged, for heaven's sake. And they knew that fans know that. So again, they could have found an explanation how this doesn't make him a despicable swine, but they didn't. They didn't care that they hurt the character, making him something that would use a trigger warning, because cheating fiancés are a trauma for some. They could've just said that T'Pring rejected Spock, that their brains weren't compatible. Another issue that would have been SO EASY to avoid. They just didn't think for one second that this would be an issue.

So... I guess my main problem (and maybe those of others as well) isn't so much the movies themselves. It's how they simply didn't think about the issues of consistency that could SO EASILY have not been an issue at all, had they just paid attention to the details.

(Okay, and that the movies don't have any of the rather utopian, hopeful, pacifist, anti-capitalistic tones that are the core of Trek, doesn't help either, but... That's not the zeitgeist and with core Trek stories they wouldn't have gotten an audience, so that's forgivable.)

But in the end... Well, what matters most is that other people enjoy those movies and that those people (you ❤️) give new life to Trek and... I guess in the end that's worth all the pain that the new movies (or mainly 2009) caused.

I haven’t been in the star trek fandom for very long (I’ve only just started binging the series in the last couple months), so it’s been pretty surprising to find out just how negative the perception of the reboot movies are.

this isn’t coming from the perspective of someone who grew up with the series, so it hit different for me than it might for people with a different relationship to TOS, but I thought it was genuinely clever and Respectful with how it was handled.

To quote leonard nimoy: “Well the alternative timeline gives them license to escape from canon concerns. I can’t see people saying ‘they shouldn’t do that because…’ or ‘that doesn’t tie in to such and such’ because it is a different time and place. Am I right about that?” [Link]

the entire Premise is that the original series happened as it was presented in TOS, but an event late in Spock’s life caused the creation of a parallel universe in which everyone’s lives were significantly altered through two key changes to the timeline. this gives them the freedom to Both revel in fanservice And explore different facets of the characters and their relationships. 

the destruction of vulcan Vastly impacts the characters and the plot moving forward, and its a detail that a lot of people take issue with. but the emotional impact of sarek admitting Directly to spock that there is value in his humanity, that his feelings Aren’t wrong, that sarek married amanda because he Loved her cannot be understated. you can read all of these things into sarek as he was in the original series, but he Never had an open conversation about these things with spock. this creates a Believable and Rewarding change in their relationship, where we get to see a different facet of them Because of the changes made. and that’s exactly the appeal. showing us pieces of these characters that we never got in TOS that are nevertheless undeniably Them.

everyone is Different yes, but they’re also fundamentally the same people at their core and that matters.

kirk’s personality obviously takes the biggest change, with him experiencing trauma at a young age, losing his father, and having an implied abusive father figure after that point. he has a harsher personality in reaction to harsher conditions, he’s spikier and harder to love. but he’s also still fundamentally a Good person whose willing to risk everything to help people. he still has what made kirk prime a good captain and a good friend.

I’m not gonna say that it’s the most nuanced story in the world, but it explores a version of kirk that was born from even Less fortunate circumstances than kirk prime, exploring a kirk brimming with potential who learned to bite back after he was kicked down. exploring those themes of trauma and loss, of insecurity and growth, and coming to the conclusion that Fundamentally He Is Capable Of Good isn’t a Bad thing. you don’t have to like it, but his growth into a better person is The Point. they deepened his flaws (all of which were present in a less exaggerated form in TOS) To Show That Growth.

and then of course there’s his relationship with spock.

people are totally justified in not liking that they had a rough start to their relationship, I usually don’t like to see that kind of thing in reboots or hollywood adaptations either, but the way people talk about it is just unfair.

Yes kirk and spock and bones have a very strong relationship in TOS, they also already know each other by the time the show starts. to look at them having to learn to get to know and trust each other when they first meet and say that it’s Bad because they were already full on ride or die for each other in the og series is silly. TOS kirk and spock had to meet and fall in love with each other too, it didn’t just happen over night kings.

secondly, the entire point of the first movie is that Even With reality itself being altered to pull them apart they are fundamentally compatible people that are Bound to each other. they meet each other on bad terms because of circumstances outside of their control, and yet they’re still pulled into each other’s orbit and find the other slotting into place next to them as if they always belonged. one of the first things that spock prime says in the movie is “I am and always will be your friend,” spock and jim are Meant for each other and the movie goes out of its way to explain that. which is what makes it so Weird to see people complaining about how they don’t like each other.

it’s a Different relationship, but it’s absolutely no less steeped in yearning or queer subtext. 

speaking of queer subtext ! some people are Very unhappy with spock’s relationship with uhura.

first thing I wanna say is that making the argument that they’re doing anything that the original series hasn’t done is just, completely untrue. kirk has fallen in love with more girls in the og series than he knew what to do with, leonard nimoy was a heartthrob in his time (and he deserves it, awooga) and spock reflects that ! Spock usually turns the women who come onto him down (or when he doesn’t it’s because a plant has literally altered his mind), but there are exceptions to even that. all of three of the main boys have plenty of romance subplots, it happens. if that takes the possibility of them being queer off the table for you (which it shouldn’t, m-spec people exist) then I’m sorry to say that TOS is not exempt.

now, I can understand why Specifically This Relationship could rub people the wrong way or being disappointed that they didn’t outright depict kirk and spock as having a relationship (if not in the first movie then in the following ones after they’ve gotten to know each other), but even in that context the way I’ve seen people talk about it comes off as insensitive.

no, the relationship did not come out of nowhere. they considered having spock and uhura date each other in the original show (and you can see signs of this in the earlier episodes, where uhura very obviously flirts with him and they spend time together in their down time) before they decided against it, and spock was originally going to kiss uhura until shatner insisted that he wanted to do it (because it was the first interracial kiss on tv). [Link 1, Link 2, Link 3]

nichelle nichols was asked about this exact thing (spock and uhura’s relationship in the movie), you can read the interview in full here [Link] but I’d like to highlight this paragraph in particular:

“Now, go back to my participation in Star Trek as Uhura and Leonard (Nimoy) as Spock. There was always a connection between Uhura and Spock. It was the early 60’s, so you couldn’t do what you can do now, but if you will remember, Uhura related to Spock. When she saw the captain lost in space out there in her mirror, it was Spock who consoled her when she went screaming out of her room. When Spock needed an expert to help save the ship, you remember that Uhura put something together and related back to him the famous words, “I don’t know if I can do this. I’m afraid.” And Uhura was the only one who could do a spoof on Spock. Remember the song (in “Charlie X”)? Those were the hints, as far as I’m concerned.”

the film makers looked at the fact there were Hints for uhura and spock, that they were Interested in exploring an interracial couple for the first time (both before and immediately after interracial couples won the right to legally get married) but Couldn’t because of the circumstances of the times and decided to Make that depiction. you don’t have to Like their relationship just because of that fact, but it’s Incredibly reductive to play down it’s significance as just a No Homo cop out. explicitly queer relationships are not the only progressive or culturally important relationships in fiction.

moreover, if you can’t imagine polyamory in the communist utopian future that’s on you.

moreover, this perception that this was a soulless cash grab is just, unfounded.

leonard nimoy returned to the role as spock for the first time in 16 years (since 1991) and this was Entirely because of the respect they had for nimoy, spock as a character, and the franchise as a whole. 

Lets look at some quotes from nimoy in interviews regarding the film:

Leonard Nimoy: When I first read the script (…) I immediately contacted J.J. and said “I think it is terrific…I think you guys have done a wonderful job. There is still work to be done, but it is very clear that you and your writers know what you are doing and you know how to do this movie and know what it should be about….and I am very interested.” Then as time went by we worked things out with Paramount, but the most important things were J.J. and the script. (…) I am very pleased about that and I am very comfortable with where this is going. I think the writers have done a terrific job. They have a real sense of the characters and the heart of Star Trek and what it is really all about.

(…)

TrekMovie.com: Now in the case of the new movie you have been retired from acting for years. What was it about this one that made you want to act again and go through the make up again? What was it that made you say ‘I really want to do this?’

Leonard Nimoy: You are right, this is a special situation. First it is Star Trek and so I have to pay attention. I owe that to Star Trek. Second place is that it is J.J. Abrams who I think very highly of, he is a very talented guy. Then came the script and it was very clear that I could make a contribution here. The Spock character that I am playing, the original Spock character, is essential and important to the script. So on the basis of those three elements it was easy to make the decision. So those three things: Star Trek, J.J. Abrams, and an interesting Spock role.

[Link]

Praising the cast playing younger versions of characters from the original 1960s TV series, he [Leonard Nimoy] said: “Let me take the opportunity to say this. Everybody at this table [the cast] are very, very talented and intelligent people.”

“They found their own way to bring that talent and intelligence to this movie, and I think it shows. (…)  When Karl Urban introduced himself as Leonard McCoy and shook hands with Chris Pine, I burst into tears. That performance of his is so moving, so touching and so powerful as Doctor McCoy, that I think D. Kelley would be smiling, and maybe in tears as well.”

“The makers of this film reawakened the passion in me that I had when we made the original film and series. I was put back in touch with what I cared about and liked about Star Trek, and why I enjoyed being involved with Star Trek. So, it was an easy way to come on home.”

“[In this Star Trek] they said things and showed me things, and demonstrated the sensibility that I felt very comfortable with, and I think that shows in the movie. I like it.”

[Link 1, Link 2]

again, you don’t have to like it just because leonard nimoy did, you don’t have to Agree. but the idea that nobody working on the film Cared is provably false. near everyone working on the project was already a fan of the series or were excited to be involved and did their homework. it’s genuinely a Miracle just how much of a labor of love this was, and in my opinion you can feel that through the movie itself. I’d highly recommend looking into interviews and behind the scenes details about the movies. they had a respect not just for the source material, but for leonard nimoy as a person.

there’s definitely more I Could say about this, but it’s 4 am now so I’m gonna shelve it jklfdsa

that said! it’s Fine to not like the movie, not everything is going to be suited to everyone’s taste, but the specific criticisms I’ve seen feel very off base