#is there in truth no beauty

[skybson]

My Top 25 Costumes from Star Trek : The Original Series

21. Lt. Commander Montgomery Scott's Dress Uniform

[trek-tracks]

Gee, I wonder why Bones doesn't tell you sensitive and private medical information, Jim

[cressida-jayoungr]

One Dress a Day Challenge

August: Fantasy & Sci-Fi

Star Trek (s3e5, "Is There in Truth No Beauty?") / Diana Muldaur as Miranda Jones

In this episode, it appears the costumer has cleverly saved money and given the character's costumes a unifying look by using the same beaded net overdress with three different underlayers. In her first and final appearances, the underdress is made of green and blue printed fabric with cap sleeves coming to little points over the shoulder. Next is a sleeveless blue dress with a gathered neck; it is similar to the green dress from Mission Impossible that I featured recently, and this may not be a coincidence, as the relevant episodes of both shows aired in 1968. The final underdress is black with long sleeves.

Since each of the underdresses complements different colors in the beaded net layer, it really looks different every time!

ETA: I've been reminded that the overdress is actually a sensory net, as the character is blind. I admit I had forgotten that detail about its functionality. That's what I get for not taking the time to do a full rewatch when taking screencaps!

[lichqueenlibrarian]

I am literally ill over this

[starberry-cupcake]

all knowing body-less alien in spock's body left me sobbing and nodding at the screen in an existential heap

also spock: *in danger* bones: jim, maybe you should calm down jim: I'll be calm jim: *loses it* jim: bones, turns out I'm not calm

spoiler: he was ok

[borgcast]

Spock- "And Uhura, whose name means freedom. She walks in beauty, like the night." McCoy- "That's not Spock." S- "Are you surprised to find that I've read Byron, Doctor?" M- "That's Spock!"

[discoonthegrass]

Space Seed: While on patrol in deep space, Captain Kirk and his crew find and revive a genetically-engineered world conqueror and his compatriots from Earth's Twentieth Century.

Is There in Truth No Beauty?: Lovely telepath Miranda is aide to Ambassador Kollos, in a box to stop insanity when humans see Medusans. She rejects Larry, a designer of Enterprise, and senses murderous intent nearby.

Feel free to reblog in order to help this poll reach the most people! Remember to vote on the other polls in this round, listed here!

[favvn]

Metamorphosis + Is There In Truth No Beauty

These scenes act almost like a conversation, a rumination on the unity that can occur from love, but also an observation of the limitations and separations that occur due to the physical form of lovers. And how amazing is it that Kirk offers the first speech, understanding the unity offered by love but also the myriad of reasons why love cannot be had (just look at his previous relationships, his duty to the ship and crew comes above all else, even his own desires for rest and love). Meanwhile Spock offers a later addition, a reflection on how human beings are innately lonely if they have no telepathic abilities to overcome the limitations of the physical form as a mind link/meld is the ultimate experience of unity between two beings. (Further rambling under the cut, although it isn't entirely Spirk-focused, sorry. Still, what are the odds the two create a conversation like this, across seasons.)

Kirk's speech to the Companion is meant to reinforce that separation and disparity/discontinuity between two different beings (one an alien, one a human). He wants the Companion to give up her love for Cochrane in despair because Cochrane has made it clear that he does not love the Companion now that he can hear her speak and know the depths of her care for him. He--Cochrane--cannot overcome the differences between his being and the Companion's being, and goes so far as to call the suggestion of their becoming a couple despite their differences "indecent" with his words to Kirk ("Is this what the future holds? Men who have no notion of decency or morality?")

(They literally did not have to cut to Kirk looking down after Cochrane's words, but they did. Behold, your man of no decency or morals because he understands and accepts love in all its many forms and species!)

Kirk's speech to the Companion has also been understood within the fandom (especially on here) to act as a parallel between himself and Spock. After all, Cochrane and Kirk are both human men who desire freedom and risk, the ability to choose and struggle for life. The Companion and Spock are aliens who act differently and hold different abilities from humans, who both find themselves saying "illogical" in response to something they cannot accept. (In my opinion, this is where the parallel ends as Kirk and Spock have been working together as captain and first officer, have grown to call each other friends during the course of the 5 Year Mission, Starfleet and its risks were an explicit choice the two made on their own long before they met, Spock has the ability to meld with Kirk which is recognized as the total unity of two beings into one, etc. but this is tangent/soapbox moment lol.)

While Kirk may be choosing his words in order to get a specific reaction from the Companion, Kirk's speech also centers around the idea of unity that can be found with love versus the many things that can prevent love and create separation instead. Because the Companion is so different from Cochrane both in physical form and desires, love cannot truly be shared between them according to this speech. Cochrane wants off the asteroid and back into the unknowns of space while the Companion wishes to have Cochrane's company if not his love returned for the rest of time as she cannot leave the asteroid without dying. Of course, what Kirk says in his speech is not truly the case as the Companion does love Cochrane despite their differences and their lack of a shared language (she has been in Cochrane's mind and has felt his thoughts, not unlike the Vulcan mind-meld/link). Cochrane himself says he is fond of the Companion and does not wish to bring harm to it before he learns that the Companion is female and loves him beyond care and affection. Then his attitude changes entirely because he assumes he is no more than a pet or a toy rather than an equal to the Companion. Again, a separation of identity.

Cochrane may originally reject the Companion's love when she is an alien, but he immediately returns her affections after the Companion and Commissioner Nancy Hedford merge together as one to become a human. (Ah, the fickle nature of men. Companion-Ms. Hedford, are you sure you want him?) Of course, The Companion-Hedford gives Cochrane the option to leave regardless of her new form. She does choose to sacrifice both herself and her happiness for Cochrane in the end, living up to Kirk's initial words that "love sometimes expresses itself in sacrifice." Cochrane chooses to stay after finally getting what he had been wanting for 150 years--the chance to leave and explore space again--once he learns and realizes the extent of her sacrifice for him, and he decides that sharing what remains of their lives together on the same asteroid with added hardships is worth missing the possibilities of space and exploration. They are united both by sharing the same physical form, the same communication abilities, and the same desire for one another. Anything that could have been a point of separation is now gone.

Whereas Spock-Kollos' speech is an observation of how human beings are truly alone in the limitations of their bodies. In Is There In Truth No Beauty, Spock, after entering into a mind link (or mind meld as the series also calls it) with Ambassador Kollos, remarks on how lonely human existence is. It is a doubly poignant observation coming from the two united characters. Kollos is a Medusan, an alien that is essentially as formless as the Companion, and has been kept apart and separate within a box throughout the episode owing to the madness that arises if a human were to see him, so naturally this is a wonder to behold--to be accepted wholly and without restraint by another being and to be able to communicate by word, to actively create connection with others rather than wait for a select few to initiate any sort of communication. No wonder he did not wish to end the meld immediately. Yet Kollos recognizes how his form enables him to be able to achieve a deeper unity of being more than a human who is limited to the confines of the physical body.

To also have Spock as Kollos' mouthpiece if not himself saying these words*... Spock who has been described in terms of half throughout the series--half-Vulcan, half-human, separate parts, not ever a whole, not ever full--it only heightens the impact of these words. Just as he once remarked about no longer belonging in This Side of Paradise after Kirk broke through the spores' influence on him, these words also recall that sorrow of separation after experiencing the security and wholeness, the unity, of belonging that is achieved through the meld. This is not to say that Spock is not his own, complete person--he absolutely is--but by his very nature he is caught between worlds and identities and this in-between fuels his internal conflict. Yet his very existence paradoxically speaks to unity, both as a hybrid and as a Vulcan capable of performing mind links/melds.

Of course, this speech has its own target much as the previous speech, the telepathic yet blind Dr. Miranda Jones who has rejected the love of a fellow human for the solitude and peace offered by working with the Medusans, at least on the surface. In truth, she desires the same unity of a mind link with Kollos but has been unable to do so despite her studies on Vulcan. This conversation is Kollos' attempt to reach her, to name her loneliness for what it is and offer a way beyond it. Much like how Metamorphosis ends with Cochrane united with the Companion-Hedford, Is There In Truth No Beauty also ends with Kollos and Dr. Jones united in a mind link.

To bring this back to Spirk, perhaps the pattern to keep in mind is that unity is still possible despite the things that separate them, be they the principles or duties they live by or the differences in their biology. As sorrowful as this conversation may be, the mind link offers a way past separation as seen with Kollos and Dr. Jones. Love offers the way past separation as Kirk's own speech states: "You haven't the slightest knowledge of love, the total union of two people."

*As is implied by the nature of a mind link/meld. It is said to be the merging of two beings into one new being born of that unity. As they say, they are neither just Kollos nor just Spock as they once were before the meld.

[startrektospolls]

Please reblog so others can participate

Find a link to the other polls here

Episodes that won so hard they automatically get to go to the finale under the cut:

The Enterprise Incident: here and here

[dig-jules]

Consider: Spock doesn't regain his sight after the events of Operation: Annihilate! but he receives sensor-equipped robes that operate like Dr. Jones' so he can continue his duties aboard the Enterprise.

[t0ast-ghost]

(Is There In Truth No Beauty?) S3 EP5 which sounds like a beautiful name. I think the truth can be beautiful…

Okay okay I’m going:

- Kirk absolutely GOING OFF on the Medusans “so utterly hideous” calm DOWN

- Dr. Jones sounds familiar (feel like I’ve heard her before)

- “I [Spock] was unable to accept. My life is here.” So are your boyfriends. Coincidence? I think not

- HEAVY FLASHING LIGHTS THIS EPISODE (be careful showing this to photosensitive friends)

- Kirk immediately flirting. So little do we get to see him out of soldier mode. This smile is what the great poets (fic writers) were talking about

- “Why isn’t it dangerous for you to be with Kollos. Spock I can understand, nothing makes an impression on him.” “Why, thank you, Captain.” “You’re very welcome, Mr Spock.” Never said he couldn’t flirt with two people in a single sitting

- “Yes, it’s very interesting. I might even say fascinating.” STOP FLIRTING

- MIRANDA BEAT DOCTOR MCCOY AT HIS OWN FUCKING GAME. Get owned McCoy. (I love McCoy but she was so right)

- Boyfriends alone in the conference room. Oops Spock left

- I think Miranda would have one of those bug catchers as a kid and a nice floppy sun hat with a drawstring. (She’s too curious about stuff and I relate to that so I think she would catch little bugs and look at them under a microscope)

- love when they have to lie down to fix something (thinking about those boots)

- McCoy is extra McCoy this episode (like his posture and face or smt)

- You know what moment it is…

- Kirk listening to how Dr. Jones perceives having a human relationship, he can’t not be relating this to how Spock feels

- “Ugly. What is ugly?” Yeah!!!

- ‘Miranda you can’t stop Spock.’ ‘He’s in danger.’ Kirk immediately lets her go

- They’re really shape here

- Spock smiling Spock smiling Spock smiling

- “James Kirk, captain and friend for many years. And Leonard McCoy… (laughs) also a long acquaintance. And Uhura, whose name means freedom. ‘She walks in beauty like the night.’” Imagine being McCoy and watching Spock laugh inches from your face

- HE HELD MIRANDA’S HAND… that’s really touching, I’m kinda liking Kollos and Jones

- SPOCK GETTING TO SHOW HIS EMOTIONS TO THE BRIDGE CREW… he looks so happily at Chekov

- “You are so alone.” Spock’s pining after McCoy and Kirk is overflowing into what Kollos experiences (self note: fic potential?)

- “Spock! Don’t look! Cover your eyes!” Okay I laughed at that line delivery

- I needed to take a break at this point because I started laughing really hard at this (you can kinda hear it at the end of the video)

- Then I paused the episode here

- If anyone can find that post with Kirk where it says smt like, ‘POV you’re a small bird he’s releasing back into to wild’ please link it

- I love how every time McCoy goes to attack he just runs at Spock and gets pushed back with a fist

- Her fit is giving drama teacher

- They had fun with cameras on this one

- I really like Miranda Jones

Masterpost

Episode written by Jean Lisette Aroeste

[skybson]

My Top 25 Costumes from Star Trek : The Original Series

18. Dr. Miranda Jones' Sensor Web Dress

[cat-hesarose]

Watching star trek tos because it's all I can do. Sometimes all you can do is drink vodka lemon and watch star trek.

[lichqueenlibrarian]

If I had a nickel for every time Spock connected with an alien intelligence and risked his own sanity, I’d have…so many nickels

[sshbpodcast]

Episode 31: Enterprise Security Is Still Shockingly Lax

TOS: "And the Children Shall Lead" and "Is There in Truth No Beauty?"

Considering how late it is in the series, I don't think they're ever going to learn. It's still free access to all guests and no locked doors anywhere, and what does it get us? First up is the shrillest takeover of the Enterprise yet in "And the Children Shall Lead," followed by YET ANOTHER jaunt beyond the galactic barrier in "Is There in Truth No Beauty?"

Also this week: Ames has a hat, Caitlin has Britishisms, and everyone's got a jones for Jones.

Timestamps: synopses: 2:04; And the Children Shall Lead: 14:26; Is There In Truth No Beauty?: 39:15

[borgcast]

Following on from Spock's Brain, we get Nimoy lumbered with another 'interesting' look for Is There In Truth No Beauty, which Anne-Marie and Peter are covering for BorgcasTOS 3.07, recording tonight.