#edith keeler must die

[mykindsofmadness]

Missing my girl (Edith Keeler)

[leehallfae]

your random blorbo who happens to die is not doomed by the narrative. edith keeler is doomed by the narrative.

[anewstartrekfan]

I am going to manifest Kotaro Nakagawa scoring a Star Trek thing

Song: Encounter, Code geass lelouch of the resurrection ost

[thegeminisage]

there's no third option. much like janeway you CANNOT cop out of this one. google him if you haven't seen it idc

[curator-on-ao3]

Again, cool response to the last question, so I'll let you pick from these options:

And there are things I have fan-fixed in my head to the point that I have to remind myself that the fix-it isn’t part of the actual canon: favourite one of these?

Or

Your/a favourite part of actual canon. Like, maybe something little but it's just so lovely and fitting to you and you're just happy that it exists?

I’ve been a little down on Trek lately, so I’m going to type as fast as I can to brain-dump, in show order, the first things that pop into my mind that I absolutely love in Trek canon:

Kirk calling Nomad his son, the doctor

Christine Chapel’s snark to Roger Korby about schtupping the androids

Mark Leonard’s performance in Balance of Terror

the Horta (a great mama)

“Edith Keeler must die.”

Captain John Christopher, United States Air Force. Serial number 4857932.

Tribbles

the lesson of The Cloud Minders that we must have empathy and listen to others when they tell us about their lived experience in an environment unlike our own

the cheap-ass animation of TAS

Q

Bynars and Minuet

Beverly Crusher’s frustration in Arsenal of Freedom (and the episode’s Good Ship Lollipop joke)

Picard shooting the other version of himself in Time Squared (to clarify: out of respect for those times when we have to stop ourselves from getting caught in loops/doing stupid stuff and we summon up the courage to break a bad cycle and move forward)

K'Ehleyr

Picard out-lawyering the Sheliak

Rachel Garrett; Yar and Castillo

Lal (but I can’t watch the end anymore, it hurts too much)

the Shakespeare and “Set a course for Betazed. Warp 9.” comedy in Ménage a Troi

Best of Both Worlds, I and II (Shelby inclusive)

every conference table discussion in all of TNG

Beverly’s jump in Remember Me (such a damn good episode)

the reveal in Future Imperfect (which one? all of them)

The Dancing Doctor tap dancing with Data

Darmok. And Jalad. At Tenagra.

Ro Laren

Troi saying, “You could have easily been right” to Ro in Disaster

Hugh, Third of Five

the fact that The Next Phase has so many plotholes and they’re forgivable because the episode is so fun and great

Scotty on the holodeck version of the TOS bridge and Picard joining him

Rascals!

Deanna’s “Ancient West” outfit

the Jefferies tube music and make out session in Lessons

Attached. Oh, my heart.

the Enterprise with three nacelles … and that absolutely perfect last shot of the series

“You exist here.”

Sisko’s casual, everyday affection for Jake

“Old Man”

Rejoined. Lenara Khan. The love. That kiss. The emotional stakes. All of it.

the three Ferengi hitting their own heads to try to fix their universal translators so the 20th century Earth military people mimic the movement to try to communicate

every second of Trials and Tribble-ations including Sisko working overtime to stop fuckmaster Dax, tossing the tribbles, Sisko meeting Kirk, “We do not discuss it with outsiders,” and so much more

Kira blaming Bashir for putting the baby inside her when … you know … behind the scenes

The Sons of Mogh helping with the harvest in Children of Time

Far Beyond the Stars — some of the best if not the best science fiction I have ever seen

the monster fakeout (and kindness) in The Sound of Her Voice, even though the end makes me cry

“Computer, erase that entire personal log.”

Solok

Sisko and Kassidy discussing their comfort levels about a simulation in which the reality was segregation

Janeway waterfalling off the sofa to be closer to Mark on the screen

“Warp particles!”

the lizard babies

the two Janeways in Deadlock

Remember (a painfully good Holocaust episode that doesn’t get enough credit and, yes, I know the path the script took and I’m glad it ended up as a B’Elanna episode)

“I don't know what I'm seeking.” “Then I believe you are ready to begin.”

“The child you spoke of, the girl. Her favorite color was red.” Also, Tuvok’s meditation lamp in the window for Kes.

hot damn, Counterpoint, yaaas

everything in Relativity

“The Yankees, in six games.”

Janeway going after Seven in The Voyager Conspiracy

“This is Lieutenant Reginald Barclay at Starfleet Command.” “It's good to hear your voice, Lieutenant. We've been waiting a long time for this moment.” “The feeling is mutual. Unfortunately, the micro-wormhole is collapsing. We have only a few moments.” “Understood. We are transmitting our ship's logs, crew reports, and navigational records to you now.” “Acknowledged. And we're sending you data on some new hyper-subspace technology. We're hoping eventually to use it to keep in regular contact, and we're including some recommended modifications for your comm system.” “We'll implement them as soon as possible.” “There's someone else here who would also like to say something.” “This is Admiral Paris.” “Hello, sir.” “How are your people holding up?” “Very well. They're an exemplary crew, your son included.” “Tell him, tell him I miss him. And I'm proud of him.” “He heard you, Admiral.” “The wormhole is collapsing.” “I want you all to know we're doing everything we can to bring you home.” “We appreciate it, sir. Keep a docking bay open for us.”

“Nice hair.” (Live Fast and Prosper)

Janeway and Jaffen in Workforce

the spot-on legal concerns of Author, Author

“Set a course. For home.”

(Nothing from Enterprise or Prodigy only because I haven’t watched enough of Enterprise or any of Prodigy)

Burnham and Georgiou forming the delta with their footsteps

the CGI on only the shields protecting Burnham from space

“Are we in session? Because I didn't know you were practicing again. Because if I have your undivided attention for fifty minutes, I can think of a whole bunch of other things we could be doing.”

“That's as depressing a trait as I've ever heard.” “I don't give a damn … I still don't give a damn.”

Cornwell beaming in, phaser aimed, taking command of Discovery

Cornwell phasering the fortune cookies

Cornwell’s voice breaking: “So my Gabriel is dead.”

Detmer’s little bounce when Emperor-as-Captain Georgiou takes command

Pike beaming aboard and instantly being all like MOJAVE to prove to the audience he’s the guy from The Cage

New Eden. Everything. Oh my God (pun intended). The visuals. Owo’s backstory. Pollard patching Pike up after he’s shot. The light at the end. Oh my God, yes. That episode. Yes.

Number freaking One beaming aboard and having her lunch briefing with Pike (Chris and Una’s decades-long friendship wasn’t canon yet, but it shows here so beautifully)

Gabrielle Burnham

“In case the shit hit the fan.”

Michael Burnham on truth serum

Book

Laira Rillak, everyone!

Q&A

season 1 Raffi Musiker

Fleet Admiral and Commander-in-Chief Kirsten Clancy

“You owe me a ship, Picard.”

“You need a feather in your hat.”

Riker greeting Picard

Hugh greeting Picard

the separate trio of Raffi, Clancy, and Deanna all telling Picard he’s shit

Rios singing in Spanish

President Annika Hansen

everybody finding each other in the Confederation Universe

Liam Shaw — a character with incredible highs and lows

Majel Barrett as the computer voice when the crew gets to the Enterprise D

“Somehow I figured you might.”

everything in Ghosts of Illyria

Spock and La’an’s mind meld

Spock and T’Pring in Spock Amok

“You cannot resign. The loss to Enterprise would be unimaginable. To me.”

“If you’re going to steal a starship, do it correctly.”

Neera Ketoul

La’an normalizing needing to eat all the time as a teenager (especially important for girls to hear)

Pike and Una visually checking in with each other so often that it’s in their cartoon versions (that whole episode, actually, including, “Riker!”)

That’s scrolling through episode titles and jotting down stuff I love off the top of my head, fam.✨

Thank you so much for this ask, anon! ❤️ I needed this positive energy in my life.

[dougielombax]

I think cocktails need to be given more unhinged sounding names.

“According to the recipe book, this one is called The Ruination of Mankind.”

“Yeah this is a gin based cocktail, it’s called Edith Keeler Must Die.”

“I’ve prepared a specialty consisting of triple sec and vermouth. I like to call it The Final Insult.”

And so on.

You get the idea.

[je-brille-dans-la-nuit]

Watching TOS: Jim Kirk's Terrible, Horrible, No-Good, Very Bad Week

Can't a guy catch a break?

The city on the edge of forever - YEESS

Love a time travel with an ethics dilemma intertwined in a personal one!!!

Jim manipulating Spock in the most blatant way possible, basically saying "Excuse me. I sometimes expect too much of you." like come on! and Spock still taking the bait

The clothes, the living together, Spock building his diy computer and being bitchy about it all the while

The music everytime Jim talks with Edith is SO MUCH

The ending is very fucking horrible, oh Jim 😭😭😭

This episode delivers!

GUARDIAN: As correct as possible for you. Your science knowledge is obviously primitive. SPOCK: Really. KIRK: Annoyed, Spock?

I'm snickering

You? At his side like you've always been and always will be

Gifted insight indeed!!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh my heart

Captain. Even when he doesn't say it, he does.

I'm WEAK

KIRK: Spock, I believe I'm in love with Edith Keeler. SPOCK: Jim, Edith Keeler must die.

Why is he so dramatic over a woman he met a week ago i can'ttttt + everytime Spock calls him Jim it's something awful 😭

Side note: in the episode McCoy says he's "a surgeon, not a psychiatrist". But in Court Martial he's said to be "an expert in space psychology". I realize psychiatry =/= psychology, but ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

.

Operation - Annihilate!

I liked the episode but the ending left me very frustrated.

Look, when you decide to kill part of your main character's family, you're saying the stakes are HIGH in this episode. And for the most part, we see just that.

Shatner and Nimoy's acting is very very good I love it

I love Jim like that, I can totally buy the limited show of emotion at his brother and sister-in-law's death bc that's his thing, we've seen him do it: he stays focused, he's all tense but still efficient, in control. Even when Bones has to remind him,

KIRK: Help them. I don't care what it takes or costs. You've got to help them. MCCOY: Jim, aren't you forgetting something? There are over a million colonists on that planet down there, just as much your responsibility. They need your help, too.

That was good! That was high stakes both for Jim and his mission as captain!

Spock being attacked and in danger of dying adding to the urgency of the situation, yeah, that's great

Looove Spock in this, "Pain is a thing of the mind" and all that!!

"I am a Vulcan, I am a Vulcan. there is no pain." OH SPOCK

"I need you Spock, but we can't take any chances." Oh Jim

MCCOY: Captain, I understand your concern. Your affection for Spock, the fact that your nephew is the last survivor of your brother's family. KIRK: No, no, Bones. There's more than two lives at stake here. I cannot let it spread beyond this colony, even if it means destroying a million people down there.

The way Jim, Spock and Bones look at one another when Spock decides to sacrifice himself (well Jim had decided to sacrifice him anw) - when he gets out and Jim grabs him -

SOMEONE HUG JIM FOR THE LOVE OF GOD

And then... Jim ready to SNAP it was so dramatic and funny when he goes BoOones

Now to the thing I liked the least:

In the last minutes, Jim is so relieved to have Spock back, the banter is fun but... No word of his nephew?? I suppose he's healed but why is there 0 talk or emotional scene about it? Why is the emotion only about Spock?

Why did they choose to end this episode in such a light-hearted way? There's no emotional pay-off to Jim's family being decimated! It is driving me crazy!! You'd think it was a pretty important plot point!!

[swimmingwolf59]

12 Days of Spones - Baking

I’m glad I managed to finish this in time lol! This is the first part of a much longer 5+1 fic I’m working on (and was working on for this event but failed to finish completely lol). It references the star trek cookbook – I downloaded it recently, and I’ve enjoyed reading the little descriptions for each dish just as much as I’ve enjoyed making them. With all the little spock and bones tidbits, it was hard not to make a fic revolving around it lol! I hope y’all enjoy!!

Thank you so much to @fuckyeahspones for hosting the 12dos event!!!! It’s been so much fun!

-

McCoy lays in bed, vainly trying to rest.

M’Benga has already cleared him as cordrazine-free, but had suggested that McCoy take the rest of the night off to recover from any lingering effects. While McCoy had agreed with his professional opinion, he can’t sleep. He just keeps seeing Edith Keeler, run over by that truck over and over and over again.

He knows now why it had to happen, but he just can’t accept it. He’d watched her get run over, had failed to save her despite only being a few meters away from her. And even though saving her would’ve apparently destroyed the timeline, it’s hard for McCoy to face loss in such an abstract fashion.

The fact is that Edith Keeler died, and he failed to prevent it.

His door chime rings, and McCoy gets up immediately. Even if it’s just M’Benga, checking to make sure he really is resting, it’s a relief to have an excuse to stop trying.

When he keys open the doors, he’s surprised to see Spock standing there, holding a tray with something wrapped in aluminum foil on top of it. McCoy eyes the tray in confusion, but steps back to let him in anyway. “Mister Spock! Come on in.”

“Thank you, Doctor.” Spock seems almost hesitant to come into the room, but he does eventually. He notices the messy blankets on the bed and says, “Am I disturbing your rest?”

“No, I couldn’t sleep anyway.” McCoy crosses his arms. “Actually, it’s a relief you’re here so I don’t have to keep lying there watching Edith Keeler die in front of me over and over again.”

Spock averts his eyes. Though he had been the one to logically declare that her death was necessary, he doesn’t seem all that happy about it either. “And the cordrazine?”

“Totally gone. Thank God.” McCoy bounces on his toes once and eyes the tray again. “So? What’s that you’ve got with you?”

“…It is Vulcan custom to give someone food after they have survived a deadly illness, to help with their recovery,” Spock says stiltedly. “Thus, I made you something.”

McCoy blinks, something warm spreading through his stomach. He’s unreasonably touched by the gesture, and by what it appears to mean – that Spock was worried about him. He peers at the dish, but can’t tell what it is from the shape of it. “You made this? That must have taken a lot of work, you didn’t have to—”

“It is also tradition,” Spock cuts over him, “to eat the proffered meal together. Is that acceptable?”

McCoy smiles. “Yes, Spock. Yes it is.”

He sets up a foldable table in the middle of the living area while Spock pulls over McCoy’s two desk chairs. This isn’t the first time they’ve shared a meal together in one of their quarters, but it is the first time either of them have made the meal from scratch.

“Did you ask Jim if he wants to join us?” McCoy asks quietly as he and Spock set out plates and utensils. He’d tried to talk to him earlier, but Kirk had been holed up in his quarters and unwilling to see him or even answer his calls.

Spock dips his head. “I did, but he didn’t wish to see me.”

McCoy nods. “I got the same treatment. We’ll just have to go see him when he’s ready.”

“Indeed.”

When they’re all set up, Spock gestures at McCoy to sit, so he does. He watches Spock remove the foil, and then just blinks down at the dessert. He opens his mouth, closes it, and then opens it again. His heart feels lodged somewhere in his throat and his pulse has kicked up, but surely he has to be wrong… “Spock…isn’t this the Vulcan wedding cake?”

It’s dead silent for a moment.

Then Spock almost looks offended. “Of course not, Doctor. This is Ha Rageel, a Vulcan carrot loaf.”

“…So in other words, an almost identical dish,” McCoy insists, and then begins to laugh.

“It is completely unrelated,” Spock says firmly. “While they do contain many of the same ingredients, Tufeen Hushani is incredibly complex to make, while the Ha Rageel—”

“Alright, alright, I get it,” McCoy interrupts, smiling so wide it hurts his cheeks. “I’m just saying, you might want to think twice before bringing a non-Vulcan a dish that looks awfully similar to the wedding cake.”

He’s rewarded with the faint splatter of a green blush across Spock’s cheeks. “I did not think that most humans would even know of the Tufeen Hushani.”

“I was invited to my coworker’s wedding when I was stationed on Rigel Prime, and they served it there,” McCoy says as he hands Spock a knife to cut into the Ha Rageel. “She was Vulcan but her wife was Andorian—which was still quite a big deal, as you can imagine—so the wedding was Andorian, but the food was Vulcan.”

“I see,” Spock says, handing McCoy a plate with a piece of the loaf on top of it. While the consistency of it is rather thick, the center looks moist, and the scent is heavenly. “That explains why you were invited, then.”

McCoy looks at him questioningly, so Spock elaborates, “At traditional Vulcan weddings, only the partner’s closest friends and family are allowed to attend.”

“Ah.” McCoy smiles. “I can see why they didn’t have a Vulcan wedding, then. Can you imagine the mess the two wives’ families would’ve caused if they were invited? They were already upset that their daughters were marrying someone from the other species.”

Spock shakes his head. “One would think that, after 106 years, they would have learned to put their prejudices behind them.”

“It’s illogical, wouldn’t you say, Spock?” McCoy says, grinning when Spock gives him a look.  

Spock serves himself a slice of the Ha Rageel, and then they both settle in to eat. McCoy takes a bite and has to prevent himself from moaning aloud – the loaf is unbelievably good. It’s as moist as it looked, and the taste is sweet with a slight kick to it from the cinnamon and nutmeg.

“Spock, this is delicious!” he exclaims. “You’re very skilled at baking.”

Spock dips his head. “Thank you, Doctor. I am pleased that you enjoy it.”

“Maybe I should get sick more often,” McCoy jokes, “so you’ll bring me more baked goods.”

Spock raises an eyebrow. “Remember that I said a deadly illness, Doctor. I would recommend against that course of action.”

McCoy chuckles, and Spock continues, “I would be willing to bake for you again regardless of if you are ill or not.”

McCoy blinks, taken aback, and then smiles. “I’d enjoy that, Spock. And I’ll have to make you some of my recipes, too!”

“I would be honored to try them.”

They chat as they finish the loaf—making sure to leave some extra to bring to Jim later—arguing about time travel and alternate universes and a plethora of other things much more ridiculous. McCoy has always enjoyed having meals with Spock, and spending time with him in general, as his company is never dull.

When they bid each other good night, McCoy finds that he does feel a lot better, and he no longer has any trouble sleeping.

The Ha Rageel must work, after all.

[boogershirt]

im gonna cosplay spock with jim’s flannel from city on the edge of forever... would it be tacky to put a paper that says “edith keeler must die” on my back or add to the bit?

[trekkingthroughthestargate]

I love that we, and Kirk, have the chance to fall in love with Edith Keeler before learning that she must either live or die.

It makes what follows all the more painful.

[gadawg-404]

“Jim , Edith Keeler must die.”

STAR TREK: THE ORIGINAL SERIES (1966–1969) S01E028 | The City on the Edge of Forever

[coolmoviemanmike]

I just watched FreakyLinks 1x03 "Subject: Edith Keeler Must Die"

[deaddennis]

i have a trekkie co worker and he suggested that the new aos movie could ‘re do’ mirror, mirror OR edith keeler must die and yes, i’d be down for either of those BUT i’d like chris pine to explain the rules of fizzbin

[transxfiles]

retract my last statement. bc i just realized that edith keeler must die by arigon starr probably technically counts as a part of this subgenre. but we still need more of it all. yknow.

not enough weird time travel music. 2082 by they might be giants and bug hunter's 30 plan are really carrying the subgenre rn. everyone else better step tf up.

[popspocket]

Wishful thinking

[these-are-the-voyages]

I know everyone knows it’s phenomenal. But look. This episode will never fail to freaking kill me.

Spock works on reinventing a computer from scratch while Kirk goes shopping.

when Kirk returns from the shopping, Spock demands a solid block of platinum and Kirk lectures him on their budget, and quite proudly lists his groceries.

Edith knows thinks they’re an item, being a progressive sort of lady.

“Captain… even when he doesn’t say it, he does.”

And McCoy is absolutely insane and shouting and grabbing and examining the craniums of people in the streets — but he’s still wondering about what the hospital might look like, and what sends him into unconsciousness is the thought of the pain necessary for healing.

Edith’s way of dealing with the paranoid McCoy — “there’s a cot in the back room. They won’t find you there.” Woman’s a social worker to the core, huh.

Everything McCoy says upon waking up on said cot is gold.

It’s easy to joke about “I think I’m in love with Edith Keeler/ Edith Keeler must die” but for God’s sake. I have a whole other post coming about that, though.

The amount of anachronisms is delightful, between Clark Gable and the army cap and the hilariously plastic combination lock.

And the way they hug in the doorway.