#ill do the more shippy version of this once ive gone through more episodes

[calliecat93]

It's been pretty interesting watching Spock and McCoy so far during this rewatch. I'm on The Naked Time now, so it's been around five episodes (McCoy's not in the Gary episode, so no point in counting it). Thus far, they've usually interacted at least one per episode, but those scenes are fairly short. They're usually shown interacting with Kirk moreso than anyone else. So when it comes to analyzing their relationship and development, there isn't a lot to comb through compared to later on. But that doesn't mean that there isn't anything at all.

So far they aren't really arguing much. McCoy's made a few jokes about Spock's differing physiology, but not in a malicious or racist way that I think some like to make it out as. You can see the humor he has in his demeanor whenever he does. Heck, he genuinely said he'd love to teach Spock poker without any hint of sarcasm or grumpiness. If anything, we have Spock emphasizing how he's delighted that he differs from humans, both physiologically and mentally. He's just as capable of dishing it out as he is able to take it. I mean, watch him in Mudd's Women and how annoyed/amused he is with the men's gaping and him outright saying at the end that the whole ordeal was 'a 'most annoying emotional episode'. I mean, he's not wrong, but still... anyway! You get a feel of how things are going to develop with them, but we're in that early development stage, so things are still being figured out. They don't really like nor dislike each other yet... but probably find each other annoying to deal with XD

The only episode so far where the two have had a serious argument is The Enemy Within, and I think it's pretty interesting when you look at it. They have two major scenes. The first time is when they've caught Bad Kirk and Spock breaks down how without it, the Good Kirk is losing his ability to command. He says it in such a blunt, almost tactless way that comes across as him talking about a science experiment than Kirk's current ordeal. Which he himself points out, so he's not blind to it not to mention that it's his job to point these things out to the captain as his first officer and Kirk outright told him to speak up if he saw him slip. But it can still come across as Spock being an insensitive asshole questioning his commanding officer and exacerbating his current struggle, and that's clearly how McCoy took it. He gets mad because Spock is talking like Kirk is some kind of subject to be analyzed and questioning his command at the same time. You do NOT do that around Leonard McCoy. That being said, after a bit and when Kirk talk to him about how he's struggling, McCoy admits that Spock was right, but actually eases and comforts Kirk and lets him process his fears and self-doubt. This is why he's the one who handles these kinds of situations regarding Kirk, not Spock. That's going to be important for episodes such as Consciousness of the King and Obsession, so we'll put a pin in that.

The other argument is over whether to allow Kirk to go through the transporter or not after seeing that the merge could kill him. Spock says yes, reasoning that it had to be shock and that Kirk, having the intelligence to control the fear, will be fine and in any case the landing party can't hold out much longer. While Spock isn't wrong, they haven't done an autopsy yet and thus can't pinpoint a cause of death. Thus, he is asking for Kirk to risk his life essentially because he said so and is therefore right. McCoy gets pissed off about this. It's only a theory and if it's wrong, what then? Kirk dies, and the landing party can't be beamed up, meaning they're dead anyway. Now of course a large part of it is McCoy unwilling to risk his best friend's life, even if that means the life of Sulu and several other officers, which is pretty damn cruel when you think about it. Mind you, IDT he's thought about that either, but inadvertently or not he's favoring Kirk's life over the crewmens, and that goes against Spock's job as first officer.

The whole thing is fueled by who Spock and McCoy are as people and their respective duties. McCoy sees Spock expositng and theorizing regarding the captain in a way that makes him come off like a real prick. Spock sees McCoy being overly emotional and having needless doubts in a cut and dry scenario, and the longer he goes on, the longer other lives are at stake. Neither one are necessarily wrong, either. They're both perfectly valid view-points, but they're both too stubborn to concede, and this is why we need Kirk around to be the wrangler.

In short, they're stubborn idiots who suck at communicating, and it ain't gonna get much better.

That's as far as they go in terms of notable interactions, but there are some other little moments worth looking at. One moment is also earlier in The Enemy Within where the interaction was off-screen, but it's still worth mentioning. After encountering the Bad Kirk and getting startled by his aggression, McCoy is understandably concerned. Maybe he thinks that he did something to upset the captain. Maybe there's something else going on that he’s not sure about but weary of further potentially angering Kirk. Who does he turn to? Spock. He asks him to go check on Kirk and while he likely thinks that McCoy is making a big deal out of nothing (furthered by him encountering the Good Kirk who legit didn't do anything) he does still go and do just that. Whatever they might feel towards one another, Spock and McCoy do take things regarding Jim very seriously. McCoy trusts Spock enough to reach out to him about his concerns and that Spock will look into it. Which again we'll stick a pin in for now.

It also should be noted how in The Man Trap, Spock realizes that the McCoy that they're with in the conference room isn't the real McCoy. Sure the fake McCoy's demeanor is more withdrawn, but with everything with Nancy it would be expected, which is likely why Kirk didn't pick up on it (well that and him in hardcore Captain Mode, but still). Otherwise, there's nothing screaming 'this isn't McCoy'. Spock though? He picks up on it. IDK how long they would have known each other at this point, but he knows how lively McCoy normally is. A man who is driven by emotion and never afraid to say what he thinks no matter who it was, whether you want to hear it or not. However he felt, he'd be putting some kind of fire into his words. It doesn't even react when Spock points out his 'reckless reasoning' where otherwise McCoy would have at least had some kind of remark to make back. Spock knows this. He is not used to that. Any of it. This isn't the same man that argued back at him when he was unwilling to risk Kirk's life on a 'theory' just a short time ago. He already knew the doctor enough to be certain of that. It got him a gash on the head for his troubles, but still.

So in this early point of the series, there may not be too much Spock/McCoy stuff going on, but what is there says a lot. Things are very much developing between them, but thus far they may have the occasional serious debate, but otherwise they treat each other civilly. If anything, it kind of feels like McCoy is trying to reach out to Spock and be on friendly terms with him. Being a snarky shit is the default way he goes about it clearly. Spock will very much emphasize how he's glad to differ so much from humans, but there's no trace of malice or anything behind it either. It's still early, they don't quite get each other yet and are prone to misgivings. I think the more that they do start to interact, the more they become willing to speak up either for or against each other and have more of the banter we're used to. Which also means that they'll become more comfortable around each other and have a genuine friendship and romantic feelings grow. We're in the 'getting to know each other' phase of the relationship, essentially. They're testing the waters, and it won't be much longer before they get rocked.

I also standby my belief that Spock has bubbling feelings for McCoy already and was totally jealous in Mudd's Women when he sees him gaping at the Mudd women. Not to mention the way he's listening to Kirk and McCoy talk about the women's attraction, when you'd think he'd dismiss it and focus on his work. He already has it bad and doesn't know it and has no idea why he keeps looking at this illogical, irksome, overly-emotional human.