#to kirk paradise means struggling

[lenievi]

KARIDIAN: Here you stand, the perfect symbol of our technical society. Mechanised, electronicised, and not very human. You've done away with humanity, the striving of man to achieve greatness through his own resources. KIRK: We've armed man with tools. The striving for greatness continues.

*

KIRK: But they've rejected all that and all that this technology provides. And they seek the primitive. SPOCK: There are many who are uncomfortable with what we have created. It is almost a biological rebellion. A profound revulsion against the planned communities, the programming, the sterilised, artfully balanced atmospheres. They hunger for an Eden where spring comes. KIRK: All do. The cave is deep in our memory. 

I like that this kind of validates my hc that Kirk is using Starfleet to escape the society that is on Earth - the mechanized, sterilized society, the so called “paradise”. He’s still doing it within the system but as a frontier’s captain he has the means to take things into his own hands, using his command judgement to make a difference. He can still march to the sound of the drums and deep down, wishing for better tomorrows. And while he has the Enterprise and computers as his tools, he does strive for greatness through his own resources - struggling, crawling, moving forward through his pain - believing not in the system itself, but believing in himself and his people.

[je-brille-dans-la-nuit]

Watching Star Trek TOS and loving it! Sex pollen!!

The Return of the Archons

Jim Spock shenanigans shenanigans it was ok enough.

Gotta say I'm all for criticism of organized religion

.

Space Seed

So I met Khan (not the Benedict Cumberbatch whitewashed version)! The episode was good, lots of good dialogue, a solid plot and an uncertain ending (kofkof uncertain for them).

The toxic masculinity vibes were off the charts though:

First, I'm not commenting on McGivers instantly falling for the hyper masculine guy, accepting his abusive behaviour and choosing to stay with him; because if I do, I'll get mad. But you know, it's terrible and I hate it.

Then the admiration for Khan, "the best and most dangerous of the tyrants" expressed by Scotty, Bones and Jim. Sigh. Of course it's all three of them, the only one out being Spock ("Illogical"). We're supposed to take away that it's because he doesn't feel the human/manly appeal of courage, ambition, greatness or whatever. Honestly not even IC? (sorry but I don't want to picture Jim and Bones as real life fans of Napoleon lmao they are the worst)

SPOCK: Gentlemen, this romanticism about a ruthless dictator is KIRK: Mister Spock, we humans have a streak of barbarism in us. Appalling, but there, nevertheless. SCOTT: There were no massacres under his rule. SPOCK: And as little freedom. MCCOY: No wars until he was attacked. SPOCK: Gentlemen.

You tell them Spock!

MCCOY: Well, either choke me or cut my throat. Make up your mind.

Instant classic

MCCOY: Well, there aren't any regulations against romance, Jim.

Duly noted!

Jim thinking he and the bridge crew were dying and recommending commendations in his log? Him being in the decompression chamber being murdered? I was on the verge of tears then

jsbfjhe i'm sorry i can't take it seriously this shot is so funny

SPOCK: Surprised to see you Captain, though pleased. JIM: I'm a little pleased myself

they're so dumb (lovingly)

SPOCK: It would be interesting, Captain, to return to that world in a hundred years and to learn what crop has sprung from the seed you planted today. KIRK: Yes, Mister Spock, it would indeed.

.

A Taste of Armageddon

Wow the plot's heavy but powerful. The whole episode is dark but hopeful ending! (plus pissed off Jim is v sexy)

Death, destruction, disease, horror. That's what war is all about, Anan. That's what makes it a thing to be avoided. You've made it neat and painless. So neat and painless, you've had no reason to stop it. And you've had it for five hundred years. 

I've given you back the horrors of war. 

Ending a 500-year war is just one of many things Captain Kirk does!

And of course:

SPOCK: Captain, you almost make me believe in luck. KIRK: Why, Mister Spock, you almost make me believe in miracles.

I love them ._.

.

This Side of Paradise

OMG OMG IT'S HAPPENING THIS IS NOT A DRILL!! SEX POLLEN!!!

The perfect mix of fun and tension in this episode! Loved it!

Jim's confusion at Spock is everything. When he says "Spock" - clears his throat - "Mr Spock"

Jim being his dramaqueen self "In effect, I am marooned here."

Jim's immunity is his sense of duty what a goody two-shoes (affectionate)

The idea that anger/strong emotion is necessary ties up nicely to The Enemy within

Then the scene... You know which one... Did I have to pause because Jim was being so mean to Spock it was a bit much to watch? maybe!!

SPOCK: You did that to me deliberately. KIRK: Believe me, Mister Spock, it was painful in more ways than one.

My heart!

SPOCK: Captain. Striking a fellow officer is a court martial offence. KIRK: Well, if we're both in the Brig, who's going to build the subsonic transmitter? SPOCK: That is quite logical, Captain.

Sooo dumb <3

The scene between Layla and Spock was lovely too!

MCCOY: Well, that's the second time man's been thrown out of paradise. KIRK: No, no, Bones. This time we walked out on our own. Maybe we weren't meant for paradise. Maybe we were meant to fight our way through. Struggle, claw our way up, scratch for every inch of the way. 

This after the reference to Milton two eps ago! Yes! Yes to all of this!!!

[trekkingthroughthestargate]

McCoy: Well, that's the second time man's been thrown out of paradise.

Kirk: No, no, Bones. This time we walked out on our own. Maybe we weren't meant for paradise. Maybe we were meant to fight our way through. Struggle, claw our way up, scratch for every inch of the way. Maybe we can't stroll to the music of the lute. We must march to the sound of drums.

Spock: Poetry, Captain. Non-regulation.

Kirk: We haven't heard much from you about Omicron Ceti Three, Mister Spock.

Spock: I have little to say about it, Captain, except that for the first time in my life I was happy.

---

This might legitimately thee most beautiful ending of any episode of Star Trek ever made. The dialogue, as per usual from Dorothy Fontana, is exquisitely written, and it's performed perfectly by all three.

But I find it especially interesting that Ralph Seninsky chose to cut to Spock while Kirk is talking about how "we must march to the sound of drums", because while it's a philosophy that Kirk wholeheartedly agrees with, this episode seems to show that it's one that Spock has taken onto himself - his self-made purgatory. To Kirk, marching to the sound of drums is the only way to find true happiness. To Spock, marching to the sound of drums is the life that he has chosen, and for it he must sacrifice happiness.

But I also find it additionally interesting, as Spock plays a Vulcan harp/lyre/lute. It's almost as if Kirk's poetical philosophizing is speaking directly to various parts of who Spock is as a person. Perhaps he cannot stroll to the music of the lute, but that does not mean he cannot embrace that music all while marching to the beat of the drum.

Like I said earlier, I feel like Spock genuinely did grow after this episode because he does seem to embrace an appreciation for beauty after this more than he had before, and this is the final moment showing that. In his own way, Kirk is telling Spock that he does not have to give up the former in order to achieve the latter. And in his own way, in response, Spock gently denies that.

And it's heartbreaking, and beautiful, and amazing in every way

[calliecat93]

Okay, I know that the Spones content in Bread and Circuses has been talked about before, so I’m likely adding nothing new. But heck with it, I’m talking about it anyways cause it’s just too good not to!

The episode has Spock and McCoy somewhat saltier towards each other than usual. From the second the episode resumes after the opening credits, they’re snarking at each other almost immediately. It goes on for so long that we have the guest character outright ask Kirk if they’re enemies, and even he isn’t for sure. It’s almost like one of the writers anticipated the fact that some would legit think that the two genuinely hated each other, and decided to ask the question. For the most part, their banter is mutual and they’re clearly trying to rouse a reaction from the other.Even when at gunpoint, McCoy just HAS to snap at Spock for “[being] so blasted honest?’. Spock’s raised brow to me almost came across like ‘really doctor? must you be like this now?”. It’s got some amusing stuff, like the banter in the beginning and McCoy of all being being the one to suggest illogic regarding sun worshipers has Spock giving some utterly hilarious facial expressions. But still, the banter goes enough that event he audience has to ask: are these two truly enemies.

The rest of their scenes answer the question.

During the gladiator fight, McCoy’s still so pissed off that even fighting to the death won’t stop him from yelling at Spock when he asks if he needs help. Stress and you know… trying not to die is a factor, but still. But since McCoy’s a doctor, not a warrior he’s about to be killed… until Spock takes out his own opponent and nerve punches McCoy’s before he can be harmed. Doing this breaks the rules and Kirk chooses to take what would be their death sentence upon himself. Spock acted on pure instinct in that instant. Or even more bluntly, it was an emotional response. He interfered because he didn’t want McCoy to die, and he was the only one in a positon to save him. He even seems pretty started that he did so. But because of i, now Kirk is going to die in their places and neither he nor McCoy can do anything about it. He outright pulls at the cell bars, according to McCoy, fifteen times. Logically it’s pretty clear that it’s not working.

With this, McCoy’s now cooled down enough that he legitimately tries to thank Spock for saving him. It’s awkward, neither one are very good at having heart-to-hearts with each other. Spock pretty much acts like it’s the usual banter and kind of condescendingly before telling him to get to the point, which causes McCoy to just snap it out at him. Spock tries to go into the usual ‘I’m a logical Vulcan’ spiel, saying quote:

Spock: Oh, yes. You humans have that emotional need to express gratitude. You're welcome, I believe, is the correct response. However, Doctor, you must remember I am entirely motivated by logic. The loss of our ship's surgeon, whatever I think of his skill, would mean a reduction in the efficiency of the Enterprise and therefore-.

Which is what finally gets McCoy pissed off enough to directly confront him about it. Why? Because he knows that Spock’s spitballing here. He’s trying to deny his emotional responses, despite having demonstrated it at least twice with McCoy right there for both of them. Saving McCoy despite knowing the consequences of doing so was an emotional response. Trying to escape the cell due to Jim’s life being in danger despite all efforts failing is an emotional response. He tries to say it’s just due to professionalism, but at this point there’s been enough episodes that the audience knows that that’s not true. McCoy absolutely knows it. He knows how Spock tends to keep his emotions suppressed and deny that he even has them, even though he very clearly does. It is a factor that has continuously frustrated McCoy. He’d never force Spock to be outwardly emotional, Plato’s Stepchildren made that VERY clear. But when it DOES happen and Spock tries to act otherwise? And after having dealt with this for nearly two years now? Yeah, McCoy decides that he’s had it as he grabs Spock, turns him around so that they’re making clear eye-contact, and makes his opinion VERY clear.

McCoy: Do you know why you're not afraid to die, Spock? You're more afraid of living. Each day you stay alive is just one more day you might slip and let your human half peek out. That's it, isn't it? Insecurity. Why, you wouldn't know what to do with a genuine, warm, decent feeling.

Which… he’s not entirely wrong. Even during this, Spock turns away from him like he doesn’t want to talk about it. But McCoy’s right. Spock’s been at war with his Vulcan and human halves for his entire life. He chose to suppress the human half, and it peaking out does concern him. He isn’t able to settle two sides, hence why he’s always insistent about being a logical, unfeelign Vulcan. Now we all know that Vulcans DO feel things. Very strongly in fact, hence why they suppress it to begin with. But I do think it’s safe to say that Spock is afraid of expressing or even talking about his emotions. Whenever he does, he needs to get his grip back on the Vulcan side as quickly as possible. Even though he knows that McCoy knows otherwise. McCoy is pretty damn good at picking up on Spock’s emotional state and Spock knows it. And I think to at least an extent, he knows that McCoy’s correct. McCoy might be being too harsh admittedly, but the point is there. Spock is afraid of letting his human half slip out and the constant struggle of keeping it in check.

I think this is what makes their relationship so important. McCoy’s really the only person who can provoke Spock like this. Sure Kirk can normally reach out to Spock, but he’s not as likely to directly confront Spock and be blunt about it the same way that McCoy can. Spock’s also really the only person who’s ever been able to provoke McCoy and get him think past his own perspective the way that he does. It’s vitriolic in many ways. Like I said, it’s hard for them to really be civil with each other most of the time. Even here when McCoy did try to start off as civil when he tried thanking Spock, it ultimately devolved into another argument. Even McCoy expressed that he isn’t sure why it’s always like this when he says “ I know we've had our disagreements. Maybe they're jokes. I don't know.” But I do think that the episode demonstrates the answer to the queation of if they’re enemies. The short answer is no. The long answer is that they have a very complicated relationship that on a surface level, comes across as hatred. It gets to the point where even they aren’t fully sure. But the truth is they do care about each other greatly. They understand each other a great deal. They’re the only ones who can reach out to the other. The way that they show it is unorthodox sure, but it’s how it works for them.

And even when they are particularly heated, it always ends with them coming down from it and finding a point of unity. In this case, there is absolutely one thing that they can agree on.

Spock: Really, Doctor?

McCoy: I know. I'm worried about Jim, too.

While their concern for Jim is true, I think McCoy brought used that more as a way to bring them both back down after the exchange. Jim and his well-being is very much the one thing that they can agree on. I serves as a calming down point for them n this particular instant. After this while they don’t have anymore direct interactions, they seem to be on good terms and even enter the Bridge together at the end. They still have their heated moments in later episodes such as The Paradise Syndrome and The Tholian Web. But I think that for those who really do think that Spock and McCoy hate each other, I’d say watch this episode again and give their interactios a closer look. Especially the prison scene. Because it shows that for all their banter, for all their differences, there is a strong connection that is very much uniquely them.

[thebad---catholic]

My problems with AOS

Well here I am, 10 years late with an opinion no one asked for, but I have to write this down and throw into the void so that I can be at peace. I’ve been salty about this film franchise for a very long time now. This will mostly focus on Star Trek (2009) with the other two movies sprinkled in.

1. Starfleet

Honestly where do I even begin? In TOS, Starfleet was modeled after the navy (idk how accurately, but Roddenberry was in the air force so I’m assuming he’d know how all that works). You can get a feel for the chain of command, and everything feels natural with character ages and things like that. There’s a procedure for everything.

AOS Starfleet feels more like a high school club than an interplanetary exploration organization. Jim is supposed to be twenty-five when he gets the rank of captain- after he was almost expelled for cheating. He has no idea how to operate or run a starship. TOS Kirk moved through the ranks of Starfleet and was promoted on merit and leadership skills- he worked for his position.

Why was Jim the only person who knew what was happening when Nero showed up? Was there any requirements to joining to Starfleet other than get on the shuttle? Why did the linguist not know the difference between Vulcan and Romulan when they’re the linguist? How did Pike bypass the chain of command to appoint Jim Kirk as First Officer which was an obvious show of favoritism to someone was about to be thrown out of the academy? Why the fuck was he allowed to keep the title of captain? What the fuck?

Speaking of Jim.

2. Jim Kirk’s Character

I...don’t like Jim’s character in this film. It’s not terrible for a younger version of Kirk, but like I said though, there’s no reason Kirk should be this young. And in this one he’s just kinda a douche.

We know from TOS that Kirk gets around, but he genuinely cares for his exes, and in general respects women. He uses sex appeal as a strategy, but more than anything this comes off as a subversion of the femme fatal trope bc Kirk is a man. In the movie, he’s just a standard action movie protag who has lots of sex just because.

The scene when the Orion woman says she loves him and he replied “that’s so weird” is just...so weird? Like I can’t imagine Kirk doing anything in that situation than backing off and explaining that he doesn’t feel the same way. The scene continues with him hiding under the bed when Uhura walks in. Watching how the camera angle makes Jim out to be a voyeur made me uncomfortable then and it still does. It could be explained that Jim is trying to figure out Uhura’s identity or that he’s listening in and people look at who they’re listening to but like...she was in her underwear. You shouldn’t look at people while they’re getting undressed, especially when they don’t even know you’re there? Is that a hot take? Apparently.

In TOS there’s this really nice scene in This Side of Paradise(S1E24) where the whole crew is high (again) and has abandoned ship, leaving Kirk to tend to things. We see Jim move around the ship with a little clip pad and make the proper checks. This is a captain who knows his stuff. That is the Kirk we should have seen if we’re going to see Jim become captain.

AOS kirk goes through a standard “stop being an asshole” arc commonplace for male protagonists, but this happens well past the point he should stop being an asshole. Either the AOS series should’ve been a prequel with Jim becoming captain at the end of the trilogy, or he should’ve been older with a completely different arc- maybe coming to terms with his rank? Imposter syndrome? Learning to trust his crew and building trust with them? Building a friendship with Spock and McCoy? There’s a lot to work with here.

3. Spock and Uhura’s relationship

Why. Like why. For what. Por Que.

I like giving Uhura a bigger role, I don’t like making her a love interest to do that.

It doesn’t make sense for either of their characters. Lieutenant Nyota Uhura, linguist expert who handles all transmissions to and from the enterprise- an icon of black women’s representation is now demoted to Spock’s nagging girlfriend. This bothers me more than a little bit.

It manages to make even less sense for Spock. A hallmark of Spock’s character is his duality. He struggles to combat his emotions and the human half of him. His repeating character arc in TOS is coming to terms with humanity while upholding the Vulcan way of life. Having him in an established romantic relationship before this arc is supposed to happen just makes for a boring romantic subplot about a relationship that shouldn’t happen and that I don’t care about.

TOS Vulcan culture is kinda shitty. Explicitly patriarchal and stuff, and also kinda racist against humans. The source of Spock’s inner conflict is not himself but a society that views him as lesser for being half human. However, one thing that I can certainly understand from a “logical” (logic in quotations bc racism and sexism is fucking stupid) people is ritualized arranged marriages. It just...makes sense to me that Vulcans would simply have their mates chosen for them and then marry that person and be done with it. Neat. Logical. Conformity.

This makes Spock and Uhura’s relationship even stranger. Why would Spock go so against conformity that he dates someone before he truly comes to terms with himself? Even if they throw out ponfarr and arranged marriage, it still doesn’t work but now it especially doesn’t work.

My personal theory is that Spock and Uhura’s relationship was established purely to make shippers shut up. It’s no secret Spirk is the most popular ship from TOS. I have no doubt they knew this while writing the movie. So to quietly wrap a no homo on Spock and Kirk’s friendship, they use Uhura as a prop to do so.

The teacher/student dynamic should only be relegated to fan fiction and the throwaway line about oral sensitivity makes me cringe. Every. Time.

4. McCoy

Karl Urbans performance is easily my favorite part of this movie. He captures DeForrest Kelley so well it hurts. He made Leonard Nimoy cry. His chemistry with Pine made McKirk go from the most underrated triumvirate ship in TOS to rival Spirks popularity in AOS. His scenes with Zachary Quinto are just *chefs kiss*.

So why doesn’t he have more of a role? The triumvirate is missing a third.

In particular, there’s a scene where Uhura, Kirk, and Spock make their way down to a planet to talk to a Klingon. I can’t remember which movie it was or why, but Spock and Uhura were bickering and Kirk remarks “can we do this later?”

The line was funny. It would’ve been golden if it was McCoy and not Uhura.

A fantastic performance by an underutilized character in a movie where that character should’ve been at the forefront.

5. Representation

I am skeptical of any movie that advertises diversity. Nonetheless, it made me happy to know Sulu was going to be gay. This is Star Trek after all, known for its diversity and large LGBT fan base, and an homage to George Takai who’s a gay man irl. So whatever.

The fact that I wasn’t expecting much says a lot about the current state of LGBT rep in media but this blink-and-you-miss-it shit is really starting to get to me.

I mean he jus- he doesn’t even give his husband a KISS. Like why.

6. Destroying Vulcan

WHY. Oh god why.

This isn’t Star Wars, JJ. We don’t do that here.

Imploding Vulcan was the most god awful shock value bullshit plot device I’ve ever seen in a movie and it was done entirely to make Spock sad. Besides the gaping plot hole of “why did Nero go back in time to destroy Vulcan when he could’ve just saved Romulus” I’m just grasping to find a purpose for this particular event. New fans don’t care at all about Vulcan while I was enraged that they would do Amanda that dirty.

It’s not just that they did that, it’s more that they did it like that. Vulcan’s destruction should’ve caused a federation wide meltdown as the biggest catastrophe in the entire franchise. If they were gonna make the stakes so pointlessly high, they should’ve treated the destruction of Vulcan exactly how they would treat the destruction of earth. There a million ways to treat that event with more gravity and million better plot lines that don’t involve G E N O C I D E

7. Miscellaneous petty bullshit because I’m a baby

-lower the fucking stakes Jesus Christ

-Don’t like the set. It’s bright and white and boring and gives me a headache. You don’t need a remake of the old set but like have fun ya know? Shit looks like an Apple store.

-Christine and I are the same in that we are both soft and are thirsty for Spock. Imagine my surprise to learn she wasn’t fucking there. Same with Janice but I’m more pressed about Christine. I don’t even remember the name of that blonde doctor lady who is Not Christine but i didn’t want her.

-The costumes in AOS look boring but still don’t feel like a uniform either. I deadass think Chris Pines outfit in the SNL skit looked better than the actual movie (minor adjustments needed)

-I didn’t notice this at first but someone pointed out that women’s uniforms don’t signify rank and now I can’t not see it. I don’t...think this movie treats women good? Or McCoy? Or just people who deserve better?

-Lens Flare

-I get why they did it but I don’t like that they misquoted the opening theme to say “no one” instead of “no man”. I probably wouldn’t have even notice except they gave the line to Uhura. Comes off as just a touch too “yay feminism” which is really rich coming from that treated Uhura like an object to be looked at when she wasn’t too busy being Spock’s emotional support gf, and completely cut two women from the main cast.

8. Conclusions

If I could describe these movies in one word it’d be generic. Which sucks because Star Trek far from generic.

They’re fun to watch but not think about. It was nice that I got to see a Star Trek movie in theaters. I just wish it as the same Trek I saw on TV.

[kinetic-elaboration]

November 18: 1x24 This Side of Paradise

Today’s ep: the first, but not the last, instance of Spock’s inner hippie coming out.

Also another ep where Spock is wrong, again. “Absolutely zero chance of survival,” he says, minutes before they find survivors.

I see Spock just volunteered himself for the landing party.

Kirk is such a romantic. “Ah, there’s nothing sadder than a dream that’s died...”

Omicron Ceti III... that reminds me of something... could it be Futuruma?

(It is Futurama.)

“He’s alive, Jim.”

Sulu asking the important questions: is it possible they’re not alive? I mean given some of the ship’s prior adventures, it’s a valid possibility.

Ah-ha, Spock’s old... “friend.” Another hussy he’s cheating on T’Pring with. I guess he’s into blondes.

Kirk is so suspicious. He knows a romantic interlude when he sees it.

This settlement would be very popular today. Simplicity. Gardening. Happiness.

“I wouldn’t know what was right or wrong with a farm if it were two feet away from me,” Sulu says, while sitting right next to the danger plant. I love Sulu. He has such an easy, good-natured humor about him that I really don’t think is appreciated enough.

Spock’s still a Vulcanian, I see.

So he knew Leila 6 years ago... Only six? What was he doing on Earth then?

“It is said he has no feelings to give.” People love to gossip about Spock.

Kirk giving Bones the disk like “Ta-da, friend, I have anticipated your needs!”

I want to know how Bones broke two ribs. Barroom brawl?

“I missed you.” / “Logically, you should be dead.” Wow, what a romantic.

I think it’s interesting that he related his lack of emotions to being a scientist, not a Vulcan. He did that in the Naked Time, too, drawing on his identity as an officer when the space disease made him feel weepy.

Even though Leila is also a scientist.

“We’re vegetarians.” Lol Spock will fit right in.

I find it interesting that Starfleet has the authority to evict these people from the planet.

“It gives life, peace, love”--that doesn’t sound suspicious at all. Is it a drug?

Spock getting hit in the face with the spores is HILARIOUS.

She’s so surprised that suddenly feeling emotions hurts him--duh, he’s not human, so it’s different for him!

So is this Spock’s “inner face”? Ready to declare his love all at once?

“Would you like to use a butterfly net on him, Jim?”

I can’t believe Jim was halfway through his sentence when he was suddenly like “Where’s Spock?”

Spock’s seen a dragon? I bet he liked that.

I really like this romantic theme music.

This is absolutely the attitude adolescent Spock took with Sarek. “I don’t think so Sir.”

“I thought you said you might like him if he mellowed a little.” First, I love when Kirk and McCoy do this like ‘you said this’ ‘no I didn’t...’ thing. And second, they talk about Spock in their off time! 

“The frequency is open but he doesn’t answer.” Leaving Jim on read I see.

Jim does not like this weird Spock, swinging from the tree limbs.

Lol Spock wants to “straighten out” Jim. That raging bisexual? Unlikely.

Spock is under arrest: the charges, silliness while on duty.

I love the creepy music they play over the plants. The music + the look of the plants is very invasion of the body snatchers. They just look alien.

Interesting that Jim is (partially?) immune.

I love when Bones gets really Southern. You can tell he really worked on toning down that accent, but this is his true self.

Oh no, Uhura took out communications, now it’s unfixable.

Plant on the bridge!!! So creepy.

Captain’s log: I’ve been bested by spores.

Spock is very interested in this “mint julep.” He knows what it is! It’s a drink! (He definitely had to ask.)

So the plants are, in fact, aliens. Traveling to space to reach this planet that they like very much.

“It’s a true Eden, Jim. There’s belonging... and love.” The two things Spock wants most!!

“I don’t know what I can offer against paradise.”

I can’t believe that after that long, sad soliloquy, Kirk gets hit in the face with spores lol. It’s just a funny visual!

Kirk’s little suitcase. Full of shirts. All the essentials.

And then... a random medal? I guess it’s there to show that even spored, Kirk still cares about his accomplishments and still has pride in them. Personality-wise, he just doesn’t seem as susceptible.

The getting-over-the-spores thing is a little...weak. Like I guess he just cares so much about the ship he can’t abandon it? The thought makes him angry and that kills the spores? A little weird.

And of course, he goes straight to Spock as the first person he wants to save, eve though that involves poking him to anger, which is risky. “Aroused, his great physical strength could kill.” Interesting choice of words lol.

“My mother was a teacher.” Spock doesn’t like mean references to his mom.

Also I guess this is the ep that canonically establishes Sarek as an ambassador.

Kirk has to work really hard and say a lot of very mean stuff to get Spock angry. (Unlike AOS Spock who just hears the words ‘your mom’ and is ready to throw hands.) (In his defense, she did just die.)

Also omg his parents are still alive! Stop talking about them as if they were dead!

“I don’t belong anymore.” Yes you do bb! On the Enterprise!

“Well if we’re both in the brig, who’s going to build the subsonic transmitter?” Impeccable logic. I feel like Spock set him up for that one on purpose.

“Enterprise” in McCoy’s thick Southern drawl.

I like that Spock changed back into his uniform first.

Jim is definitely jealous of Leila.

This Spock and Leila conversation... Really makes me curious to see Spock attempt a romantic relationship.

Saying “that man on the Bridge” is so much more dramatic than just saying “the Captain.” Like... so much more!!

“You couldn’t pronounce it” lol. I’m so glad this scene exists to make it clear that he has a last or family name and also that we will NEVER know it. I completely reject that dumbass fanon name, you know the one. It’s pronounceable! That means it’s wrong!

Hilarious that that’s the note they end on.

I guess Leila was over the spores there for a bit. But I still don’t really have a firm grasp on what her actual personality is. Everyone else’s seemed to change a lot while under the influence.

I feel like they kind of did start a 500 person brawl.

Glad Bones got his mint julep!

“Would you like to see how fast I can put you in the hospital?” I think you already put him in the burn unit!

I can’t believe he throws the mint julep away when the spores go away. Does he not actually like them?

This episode is very judgmental lol. Also, I know they’re humans, but it doesn’t seem in the spirit of the Prime Directive either.

What my mom calls Kirk’s Puritan work/strife values. True. He’s a Midwesterner but he’s a little Puritan too clearly. “Maybe we were meant to struggle” says the man who lives in a post-scarcity utopia.

I kind of feel like Spock DOES want to stroll to a lute.

And of course this whole “poetry” interlude is itself incredibly Dramatic.

“For the first time in my life, I was happy.” What?? No, stop being such a drama queen. Wasn’t seeing a dragon cool? Meeting Jim??

I don't know if I think the concept of just being happy and gardening to survive is so bad tbh. Like... I guess a part of me (the Puritan part?) does rebel at the idea of just being....blank and placid all the time, and never striving for anything. But like that was really the worst the spores did. There's no real explanation as to why it's bad, other than, well, it makes you not so ambitious. I'm very torn about the moral of the story.

Still overall, a very good ep. A good Spock ep--lots to think about re: his characterization, when I’m more awake. A very good Kirk ep, too.

Next is The Devil in the Dark. YET ANOTHER absolute classic. Season 1 really just keeps going at 100mph.

[ebaeschnbliah]

A  STUDY  IN  KHAN

"Khan Noonien Singh is the most dangerous adversary the Enterprise ever faced. He is brilliant, ruthless, and he will not hesitate to kill every single one of you."  (Spock Prime, Into Darkness)

Khan Noonien Singh is the product of a 20th-century selective breeding programme, designed to create perfect humans. That makes him into an extremely intelligent and dangerous person, who possesses physical strength and analytical capabilities considerably superior to ordinary humans. 

At the height of his power Khan was absolute ruler of more than one-quarter of the Earth. Other genetic superhumans like him simultaneously took control of other countries as well. Eventually people combined their efforts to force them from power in a series of struggles that became known as the Eugenics Wars. Most of the war lords were defeated and their territories recaptured. Khan escaped the wars along with 84 followers by taking controll of an interplanetary sleeper ship. The Botany Bay was set on a course outbound from Earth's solar system, with no apparent destination in mind. 

More Khan below the cut ….

Khan Noonien Singh in portrait

Khan (Ricardo Montalbán) in Star Trek TOS  ‘Space Seed’  (1967)

Khan (Ricardo Montalbán) in Star Trek ‘The Wrath of Khan’  (1982)

Khan (Benedict Cumberbatch) in Star Trek ‘Into Darkness’  (2013)

A tiger has awoken ... how Khan enters the stage of the story ….

In the 23rd century, almost three hundred years after the above mentioned events, Captain Kirk and the crew of the USS Enterprise encounters a spacecraft floating in deep space ... the Botany Bay. 

On board they find the cargo of 84 humans enclosed in stastis units. Twelve of the vessels had failed during the voyage out from Earth but 72 of them are still working and the people inside alive. The investigation of the Botany Bay activates Khan's stasis unit to revive him – but the ancient mechanism falters. To save Khan’s life, Captain Kirk decides to take the man on board the Enterprise.

Khan’s people and the end of a story …..

Khan takes advantage of Kirk's hospitality. With the help of ship’s historian Lieutenant Marla McGivers, who falls in love with Khan, the man is able to revive his people on board the Botany Bay. But the following attempt to take over the Enterprise fails. Kirk holds a hearing to decide the fate of Khan and his people and he grants them the opportunity to colonize the dangerous but habitable world of Ceti Alpha V. Marla McGivers is given the choice of facing court martial or joining the colony. She decides to follow Khan into the new life. Khan takes up Kirk's challenge to "tame a world", citing Milton’s Lucifer from Paradise Lost:

"It is better to Rule in Hell, than Serve in Heaven"  

Only six months later ….

The neighbouring planet Ceti Alpha VI explodes. The disastrous incident shifts the orbit of Ceti Alpha V, destroyes its ecosystem and causes a massive ecological devastation. Only Khan's ingenuity and the meager shelter of the cargo containers keep his people alive while most of the indigenous life perishes. Over time, Khan loses twenty of his people, including his beloved wife, due to the horrible living conditions. And it is Kirk and his challenge to ‘tame a world’, whom Khan blames for the disaster and the death of his wife. 

"I shall leave you as you left me. As you left her. Marooned for all eternity at the center of a dead planet. Buried alive... buried alive."  

Eighteen long years will go by before Khan finally gets the opportunity to fulfill his desire for vengeance.

"He tasks me! He tasks me, and I shall have him! I'll chase him 'round the moons of Nibia and 'round the Antares maelstrom and 'round Perdition's FLAMES before I give him up."  

(Khan, citing Ahab from Melville’s Moby Dick) 

That quote describes precisely Khan’s intentions and his deepest desire. His mind is bent on revenge, his wrath aimed at Kirk. He is prepared and wiling to do everything in his power, not only to run Kirk down … Khan wants to hurt him as much as possible, to see him suffer like he did. Khan literally walks over the cold corpses of people Kirk feels responsible for. 

The final battle in the Mutara Nebula leaves Khan’s ship crippled and adrift with his crew either dying or already dead. Driven by his unquenchable wrath, Khan activates his last weapon, hoping to take Kirk and the Enterprise along with him into oblivion.

Alternatively in a parallel universe .....

On his search for weapons useful in a potential war against the Klingon Empire, Admiral Marcus, head of Starfleet, encounters a spacecraft floating in deep space ... the Botany Bay. 

Unlike Captain Kirk and the crew of the Enterprise in the parallel universe, this man is very well aware of the meaning of his discovery. Despite knowing Khan’s history, Marcus activates his stasis unit to revive him. The Admiral intends to use Khan’s superior intellect and his special abilities to develop - secretely - advanced weapons and ships for Starfleet. Marcus forces Khan into working with him by threatening to kill his people (72), who are still inside their cryotubes. Khan tries to smuggle his crew away, hidden inside newly developed torpedoes, but he is discovered and forced to leave them behind. Assuming that Marcus has killed his entire crew, Khan starts an one-man-quest for vengeance against the Admiral and Starfleet. 

It turns out that Admiral Marcus has already develped an elaborate and devious plan to push both, Starfleet and the Klingon Empire, into a war against each other. He orders Captain Kirk to take out the fugitive terrorist Khan at Qo’noS, the Klingon homeworld, and supplies the Enterprise with 72 brand new torpedoes for the task. To achieve his goal, Marcus is even willing to sacrifice the Enterprise and her entire crew. 

When Khan learns that his people are alive and on board the Enterprise, still inside the torpedoes, he joins forces with Captain Kirk to overpower Admiral Marcus. Then Khan kills Marcus and uses Kirk as leverage to get his crew back. The moment the torpedoes are on board his ship, Khan intends to eliminate the Enterprise but instead his own ship is hit by the massive explosion of 72 torpedoes. Assuming his entire crew has finally perished, a furious Khan is bent on revenge and targets his ship on a suicide run at Starfleet Headquarters. He survives the crash but is then persued, knocked out and arrested by Spock and Uhura. 

Khan is placed back in stasis inside his cryotube. Together with his crew he lies frozen in a darkened room. Maybe he never found out that his people are still alive because they had been taken out of the torpedoes before the tranfer to his ship and the explosion happened.

If anyone has the audacity to revive Khan once more, it can be reasonably assumed that he will turn absolutely monstrous …. :)

(In that case … will Khan’s wrath be aimed at Spock and Uhura instead of Kirk, who was ‘dead’ at the time and neither involved in Spock’s ‘torpedo-trick’ nor in Khan’s recapture?)

January, 2019

Sources:  Wikipedia   Memory Alpha

[janeykath318]

Delirious (Bones x Reader)

Bones/Reader (For Atari’s Birthday Challenge)  “Dammit! I’m a doctor, not nature-loving bear-bait!!”

Leonard McCoy was really disgruntled about this away mission, which had turned into a camping trip, due to the long journey to the native’s secluded village. The alien guide was leading the way, talking with Uhura and Jim, while you and the doctor trudged on behind. You giggled to yourself as he continued ranting about disease and danger and predators. It was funny how such a fearless man, who’d run into a firefight to save injured crew, could freak out over a few days in the wild. “I don’t think there are any bears on this planet, Doctor,” you informed him, strolling along happily. You were having the time if your life on this gorgeous place and couldn’t believe he was so sour about it, but then Dr. McCoy was sour about everything, which was a shame, because he was incredibly handsome. He frowned at you. “Well, surely they have some sort of carnivorous animal life? It’s too much to hope that we’re completely safe out here.” It’s almost as if he was looking for reasons to gripe, you thought, shaking your head. “Not around here, doc, sorry to disappoint you. It’s mostly birds, rodents, and insects in this area. If we’d have landed on the other side of the continent, well, that would be a different story. Luckily, the Captain listens to his science officers when it comes to dangerous flora and fauna.” He snorted. “You haven’t been here long, have you?” “Four months. Why?” “Jim isn’t exactly known for his cautious streak. I could tell you plenty of stories–like the time he he got captured by a sentient vine that was holding him upside down, dangling in the air. Sulu had to hit the thing with laughing gas to get it to let go of the captain.” You laughed out loud and the captain turned and looked back at you. “What’s up, Lieutenant? Bones telling bad jokes again?” “No, he’s telling me juicy stories about you, actually,” you replied. “Don’t worry. It’s nothing too incriminating.” Kirk shot McCoy a betrayed look. “And here I thought you were my friend, Bones.” “Well, Jimmy, I was just reminding the Lieutenant here of some of your more…..hair-brained away missions to pass the time.” The captain sighed. “You have to bring up my wild and irresponsible past?” “Yep!” The doctor replied cheerfully. “It’s not completely in the past, either.” You thought their banter was hilarious, but hid your grin, lest Jim think you were ganging up on him. More trudging and crazy stories later, a large black bird swooped overhead, letting out a loud “CAWW!!” You stared at it in wonder. It was like a crow, but three times larger. “Bad omen,” Leonard muttered. “Something’s going to go terribly wrong soon, I can feel it.” “Why Doctor, I thought you were a man of science who didn’t hold to superstition!!” You reminded him. “It’s just a bird!” “I’m not superstitious, but I am a little stitious,” he said, eying the low-flying bird with great suspicion. “Is that even a word?” You asked in disbelief. “It is now. Big black birds mean either something bad has already happened or will happen. The thing’s the size of a vulture almost.” You shook your head as the doctor strolled on, muttering things about the treacherous nature of unknown planets. You looked apprehensively at the gathering clouds in the sky and hoped he wouldn’t turn out to be right. About a mile later, the guide led Jim off the trail under a thick stand of trees with leaves the size of your head. “She says we should take shelter from the rain. There’s a cave back in here we can take cover in.” With another look of trepidation, the doctor followed you through the trees. Your eyes were wide as you took in the foreign plant life that you’d never seen before. Giant ferns and ivy grew everywhere and there were huge clusters of flowers that looked like hydrangeas were dotted about the forest. You had your tricorder out in a second, analyzing as much as you could as you followed along. Leonard saw how your eyes were shining with excitement as you explored, clearly in your element, and he softened a bit, knowing what a scientific paradise this place probably was to you. “Keep up, Bones, lieutenant!!” Jim called back and you realized you’d lagged quite a ways behind in your engrossing study of the plants. “Sorry,” you called and tucked your tricorder away reluctantly, striding forward quickly to catch up to the other three. In a few minutes, everyone was huddled inside the shallow cave, watching sheets of rain pour off the overhang as the storm swept through. “Wow, what a downpour,” The captain observed. “Yes, it is,” you said. “Rather refreshing. I haven’t seen real rain in a long time.” “This your first away mission?” He asked. “Yes, sir,” you replied. You shifted your leg slightly to better balance your weight against the waist high boulder you leaned on and felt a sudden stabbing pain in your thigh. Whirling around, you saw a long speckled body gliding away into the darkness. “Lieutenant, what’s wrong? You’re white as a sheet,” Kirk asked urgently. “I think a snake bit me,” you said faintly. “What? Where?!” The doctor was instantly alert and moving to your side. “Here,” you said, pointing to the back of your leg just above the knee. “It was on that rock. It crawled away really quickly. I didn’t recognize the species.” Already, your leg was throbbing and cold fear shot through you as you thought of the poison working through you. “Try to describe it to me,” Uhura put in worriedly. “I can ask Teelith if she knows what it is and if it’s poisonous.” “It is poisonous,” the doctor confirmed. “I’m going to give you a hypo to try to counter it until we know what’s going on. Keep still.” Numbly, you nodded as the hypo was delivered. “From what I could see, the snake was tan with black and gray spots. He was pretty cranky about getting his nap disturbed, I guess.” “I should say so,” Jim said. “I’ll keep a sharp eye out in case he comes back. Bones, how’s it look?” “Not great, Jim. We need to get an antivenin soon.” Uhura was explaining the snake to the guide, and you saw her eyes grow wide with alarm. “She says it’s the Speckled Cave Snake and they’re very dangerous. They have a treatment, but we must get her to the capitol before the day is over.” Your frightened eyes met Leonard’s. “It’s going to kill me, isn’t it?” You whispered. Your leg was very tingly and starting to go numb. He swallowed hard and looked you square in the eyes. “Not if I can help it, Y/N. We’ll get you there in good time. Won’t we Jim?” “We sure will. Everybody Break out your rain gear and get ready to move out,” the captain ordered. “We’re going to get her to help, weather or no weather.” Without further ado, he took off his pack and began rummaging through it for the standard poncho. You shrugged your own pack off, but the doctor quickly took it in hand to get out your gear, seeing you struggling to twist around. “Stay still,” he gently ordered. “I’ll get it.” “I don’t know if I can walk fast enough.” You admitted as you stuck your head through the hole and began to fasten the front and back together at your side. “That’s okay, Y/N, Jim and I can give you a lift–if you’re okay with that,” he amended. With you? Very okay, you thought. Dr. McCoy was the subject of many of your friends dreams and up until this mission, you’d always rolled your eyes at their pining. Now that you’d met him and worked with him, well, you definitely understood the appeal. His pessimism and grumpiness was clearly not an indication of him genuinely being unpleasant, but mostly an ongoing mild protest against space. According to rumors, he’d joined Starfleet just to get away from a nasty ex-wife who’d cleaned him out and made his existence a living hell. You didn’t understand how someone could possibly do that to Leonard, but obviously you didn’t know the whole story. Ponchos in place, you found yourself being lifted into Leonard’s arms as the five of you prepared to continued the trek to the native city. “Hmmm,” you murmured. “Nice biceps.” “You flatter me, Lieutenant” Leonard replied, looking down at you with a gentle smile. “You comfortable?” “As much as I can be,” you told him. “Where’s my backpack?” “Uhura’s got it.” He told you. Thus reassured, you nodded at Jim, who was waiting for the Okay to move. Out into the rain you went, pulling your hood over your face as much as possible to keep from getting to much rain on your face. Luckily, the rain did not last the whole four hour trip, but you weren’t sure you would. You felt worse and worse as the hours dragged by, the numbness joined by a fever that made the rest of your body ache. Leonard was occasionally spelled by Jim when his arms grew tired, but not for very long periods. “Hurts, Len,” you mumbled. “So hot.” “I see,” he said, looking very concerned. “Try to hang in there, sweetheart, we’re almost there. Teelith says it’s just a few kilometers, now.” “Good,” you whispered and closed your eyes. Right now you just wanted to sleep and wake up better. You were drifting in and out of consciousness when a voice said “there it is! Look, Y/N, there’s the city.” You pried your eyes open a slit, but you couldn’t make anything out–it was all blurry. It appeared Jim was carrying you, since the sleeve was yellow, rather than blue. “I’ll take your word for it. Can’t see much right now.” You whispered. “Bones, she says she can’t see.” Jim told the CMO. We’ve got to get her in there as soon as possible or we’re gonna lose her!“ You were transferred back to the doctor’s hold for the last leg of the journey and you smiled deliriously. "Y'know, doc, If I don’t die, I was gonna ask you out.” “Oh?” The doctor asked pleasantly, one eyebrow going up, though you couldn’t see it in your state. “Yep. You’re totally cute, and really smart, and completely sexy,” you rambled on. “Even your grumpiness is adorable and did I mention the dimples?” “Now, now, Y/N, you’re gonna make me blush. You’re the cute one, you know.” “You think I’m cute?” You said, head lolling around to try to see him. “Sure do, darlin’.” Even in your fevered misery, a happy feeling went through you. Unfortunately, you passed out again before you could say anything else. When you woke up, you were in a very soft kind of bed and feeling much better, if very tired. The room was a soothing blue color, but strangely circular. “Hey, sleeping beauty,” came a voice beside you. There sat Leonard, a relieved grin exposing his dimples–the dimples you rambled on about to his face. “Welcome back.” Trying not to blush, you nodded. “Am I going to make it?” You asked. “Sure are.” He told you, giving your hand a squeeze. “We made it in the nick of time. You’re going to be here a couple more days, though, because your body is worn out. Speckled Cave Snakes are no joke.” “Thanks for hauling my sorry ass around,” you sighed. “Please tell me I didn’t hit on you when I was out of it.” The smug grin that spread over his face confirmed your fears and you covered your eyes with your hand. “Alright, I won’t tell you. But if you ever get a hankering to ask me out when you’re not out of your head, well, I won’t say no. You’re a great scientist and a charming person.” Your blush grew deeper as he continued in a teasing tone: “Didn’t I tell you the crow was a bad sign?” Epilogue: Four Years Later You wriggled in your husband’s arms, trying to get untangled from his long limbs curled around you. Leonard McCoy would deny it until the day he died, but he was a big cuddle bug and getting free was tricky. “Len, honey, can you let me out? Need to get up.” A grunt was the response, followed by “I’m not letting you go. It’s too early to get up.” One eye was partially open and he squinted at you blearily. You couldn’t help but chuckle at his cute scruff, wild bedhead, and growly protests as you continued your attempts to rise from the bed. “I’m afraid I do have to get up, darling,” you told him, with a kiss on his jaw. “Baby on the bladder makes things very urgent, you know.” He smiled sleepily and finally moved his leg and arm so you could heave your eight months pregnant belly out of bed. “You’re beautiful, darlin,” he called after you. “If you say so,” you returned, making a beeline for the bathroom, cringing at the sight of yourself in the mirror. That very eventful away mission had been the catalyst for a budding relationship between you and Leonard that resulted in marriage 18 months ago. Now, there was a little McCoy due in a few weeks and two very excited parents to be. The Enterprise was in refit for a year, so the pregnancy wouldn’t happen in space, a great relief to your worrywart husband. When you emerged from the bathroom, Leonard was sitting up, rubbing sleep out of his eyes and looking too cute to resist, so you walked over and sat down beside him, leaning into his warm chest. “How’s our little peanut doing this morning?” He asked, giving you a sweet, lingering kiss. “Feeling feisty,” you said, guiding his hand to the spot you could feel little kicks. “Pretty soon we’ll have another little blue shirt scientist in the family.” “Probably, but he or she isn’t going anywhere near any caves on strange planets if I can help it,” Len said firmly. “No more snakes." 

Tags: @atari-writes

@thewaithfuckingannoyme

@outside-the-government @yourtropegirl

@wonders-of-the-enterprise

@medicatemedrmccoy

[ashroadtrek-blog]

The City on the Edge of Forever

Air Date: April 6th, 1967

Writer: Harlan Ellison

Director: Joseph Pevney

WOW! This is easily the best episode of the original series so far, and maybe one of the best episodes of Star Trek I’ve ever seen. I didn’t remember much about this episode, and I expected it to be one of those overrated meme episodes like TNG’s Darmok. Having given it its due, I instead found it to be appropriately rated as one of the best episodes of Star Trek ever filmed. 

Cordruzine: a miracle drug of the future that can restore a critically injured man. Sulu had a console explode in his face, yet just 2 drops of cordruzine and he’s happy as a clam in its ideal natural environment. But if you accidentally stab yourself with a full dose, well...

400 drops will send you into psychosis. 

I know McCoy is a fast and loose old hardass, but he really shouldn’t have been so careless with that hypospray when the ship had clearly been experiencing space-turbulence. 

The Enterprise is investigating unusual phenomena around another desert planet covered in ruins; par for the course, nothing unusual. We witness another carelessly incompetent transporter chief whose back is to the door while a security alert is ongoing - not only that, but he’s locked the transporter onto the anomaly. Is it part of his job, or was he screwing around? Considering our experience with past incompetent chiefs, I’m more incline to believe it’s a bit of both - not that it’s important to the episode at all, just an observation that transporter chiefs are usually subjected to getting their asses kicked or otherwise fooled into allowing the conflict of the week to escalate. 

Ahem.

When Kirk, Spock, Scotty, Uhura, and some redshirts (none of whom die) beam down to find McCoy, they discover ruins that Spock says are 10,000 centuries old - which means 1 million, and why he didn’t just say that I can only guess because 10,000 centuries sounds more impressive than 1 million years. Somehow.

The Guardian of Forever is whatever - it’s a plot device, it’s the fourth method of time travel presented so far (matter/antimatter intermix in The Naked Time, flying too close to a black home and slingshot around the sun in Tomorrow is Yesterday), and it has an obnoxious habit of speaking in god-talk: I am that I am and all that crap. Bones jumps in, and Kirk and Spock follow - notably, Kirk wants to save his friend by using it to go back in time before the incident that drove Bones to madness. Unfortunately, the Guardian won’t slow down; perhaps its creators perceived time differently, or just had faster reflexes. 

Kirk and Spock jump to the 30s, but like Nero in 2009, came up before their target. They get into some shenanigans at first, then get a job paying $1.50 per day - or $21.64 per day, adjusting for inflation - that’s for 10 hours of work. No wonder they called it the great depression. 

No Taco Bell, medical marijuana, netflix, or Xbox here.

Kirk isn’t having this hobo’s foul mouth, and while I expected Edith Keeler to thump a Bible (having been in these situations before myself), her message was one of optimistic secularism that touted the future benefits of social welfare and technology. Optimistic, but a bit delusional; here we are 50 years later and things only seem worse...still, I can’t help but admire the woman; there she is, clearly high-born and educated but working alone in the slums surrounded by down and out workmen, trying to help people out thanks to pie-in-the-sky ideals of basic human rights and cooperation. We need more Edith Keelers and less twitter comedians in our own time. 

“Out there, around that star...someone will tweet a topical commentary on contemporary events that will be favorited and retweeted by billions...and trigger billions more...it will be dripping with sarcasm and double entendres with feigned ignorance to how inflammatory it is...those who denounce it will be labeled contrarians and enemies of the twit’s preferred brand of pop-philosophy...”

Spock spends his time building some sort of computer that can tap into temporal wifi (or something) while Kirk woos Edith. They break basically every aspect of the Prime Directive short of handing her a working warp drive, but it’s partly because she’s a smart woman who catches on to them pretty quickly. She’s one of those Fox Mulder types who want to believe.

Spock faces Kirk with the grim fact that Edith Keeler must die to prevent the Nazis from winning - she’s so damned good at what she does she convinces FDR to go with pacifism, so either Pearl Harbor never happened or FDR did everything he could to appease Japan. 

Back to you, Bones

You know the rest: Bones comes back, and I guess the cordruzine madness wears off because he appears fairly lucid after a couple days...until he runs into Kirk, and Kirk runs into him to save the timeline instead of Edith Keeler. 

The event destroys Kirk. He’s positively devastated, and I think this is Shatner’s best acting so far because he really emotes it well. 

The episode ends with a shot of the Guardian instead of on the bridge as usual. Bones doesn’t make a pithy comment to Kirk, no joke at Spock’s expense. The episode is too serious for that. Kirk has saved his friend, but at great personal cost to himself. 

I think a weaker (or later) version of this episode would see the crew saving Edith, only to go back to a future where the Enterprise is crewed by Nazis, then go back to make sure Edith dies. I think that’s a TNG version of the episode, and I think Picard would apologize before throwing her in front of a bus himself - it would be Riker who struggles with the decision. Other captains I think would shove Edith in front of the bus would be Lorca; Sisko would find a way around it, or like I expect Janeway and Archer to do, would stand by and let it happen. 

Kirk did his duty, he restored the timeline...it was an enormous act of self sacrifice that only someone like Kirk would have the balls to go through with. It is a profoundly sad ending, but one that is necessary. Truly, this was Kirk’s Kobayashi Maru. 

So Harlan Ellison, a renowned sci-fi author of the time, was credited with the story, but his original draft involved drug-dealing on the Enterprise and the villain of the film trapped in a recursive time loop in a star going supernova. That’s a fun story, but it’s too much for Star Trek. 

Over the course of 11 months from first outline by Ellison to filming, various other writers put their touch on it; Stephen W. Carabatsos (from Court Martial and the next episode, Operation: Annihilate!), Gene L. Coon (The Devil in the Dark, Errand of Mercy), Dorothy Fontana (Charlie X, Tomorrow is Yesterday, This Side of Paradise), and Gene Roddenberry himself all participated in rewrites and redrafts for various reasons you can look up on Memory Alpha. 

Another piece of trivia I’d like to share is that this episode has been cited as a favorite by William Shatner, Eugene (Rod) Roddenberry, and Gene Roddenberry himself. It’s not hard to see why. 

Rating: 5/5

Rewatch? Every time

The City on the Edge of Forever is easily the best TOS episode I’ve seen so far, and probably the best TOS episode - and likely one of the best episodes of Star Trek. 

[trekkin-bubblegum]

Grab an angel by the wings Spock X Reader

This is my first ever fic I really hope you enjoy and if you have any tips please let me know and if you don’t like it also let me know (but no hate please) xxx

anak rembulan: a name for a species I made up might be a real thing but I don’t know.

Myantar: also made up means like a heaven/promise land/paradise

Warnings: little bit gross at the start but that’s it

Word count: 1099

 Unknown POV

“sir, she still won’t talk”

“Drive another nail through her arm”

“Yes sir”

The voices were faint almost too hard to detect, I tried to sit up but the chains held me down I cried as I saw the figure of a Klingon come through the door holding a harsh pointed nail…I didn’t feel it as he shoved it through my skin but somehow, I still screamed.

“You have no power over me”

“You sure about that? besides freedom is a burden, you should be glad I took it from you”

He said tugging the nail out of my arm. His eyes were cold and lifeless as he stared at me.

“You have no idea who I do you?”

“even if I did, what would it matter, you still gave me a nice change of scenery”

“this is a prison cell”

“I was being sarcastic”

Then, moving to my wings and tugging out a handful of feathers and leaving with them, black market angel feathers were very lucrative due to their healing properties so I was put through torture after torture so I would enchant the feathers to give them the healing powers…not that the Klingons were interested in this they just wanted the cash, so here I was in this cell on a Klingons war bird wait for my freedom.

 Kirk POV

“We need to get in there, command orders they have an Anak Rembulan, on that ship” I said as Sulu intercepted the Klingon war bird in non-federation space “Mr Spock and I will beam over with two security officers, medics will standby in the transporter room” I told everyone “Mr Scott you have the con”

“Aye, sir”.

 Unknown POV

A warm light surrounded me like a transporter beam I knew it wasn’t…then again why was I now being rushed down corridors lying on a plank of some kind why were no more nails in my arms, where was Myantar the promise land of my people? Did it die with them? I was I the only one? The questions circle in my subconsciousness as a foggy haze took over my mind and soul.

 I woke like the dead had arisen, now distant thoughts clouded my mind, too far away to grasp but not so far, I still couldn’t have comprehended them.

 “Morning sunshine” English words broke through my thoughts,

“Jim give the girl a chance she has been unconscious for six weeks”

“Yeah, I am aware of how much time has, I am the Captain of this ship”

“Trust me I know”

“besides the poor girl nearly bled to death, and- “

“Jim, chill it was a bit of blood not nuclear waste

I went to speak, trying to break up their argument, but my voice came out as a barely legible whisper

“what’s that you're saying darlin?” I gave up attempting to speak, there was no point.

 Resting my head my eyes gravitated towards a tall stark looking Vulcan, I was instantly sparked by his presence the strong powerful nature he gave off made me gravitate towards him.

 For the weeks that followed I tried to avoid that Vulcan first officer, for I could not stop thinking about him, it felt wrong my race was dead I was now the only one, I should be in mourning for those who I had lost. I should also be distracting myself so as not to let my unemotional exterior break, maybe that’s why the Vulcan and I were so compatible, we are so different yet so similar, if I break in front of him I could lose everything, my dignity, my strength or my love. I must stay strong no one can know of my true feelings, Vulcans are a most honourable and respected race, I should not, I must not poison that through my strange ideas.

I was out of sick bay but that didn’t change much I was free to go around the ship but every time I walked down the corridors there would be whispers of “you think they are as soft as it’s said” … “I heard they have healing powers beyond any type of medicine known in the galaxy”

 Why am I the special one? The only person I could truly be with is Spock but he just pushes me away.

 Then I feel it a hand it strokes my left wing, and I scream whipping around knocking people out of the way with my wings, all I see when I turn is the destruction I left by my wings I cry out and sob…a pair of strong arms attach around me, it’s a security guard I kick and cry and scream…it’s being with the Klingons all over again “please let her go…she didn’t mean it, I’ll take her to her quarters…just let her go” it was Spock, trying to help me, hesitant the guard let’s go of me and I’m led swiftly to my quarters.

“(Y/n), (Y/n) look at me” I raised my head slowly and my eyes met Spock’s I wrapped my arms around his torso and he froze and whimpered, pulling away from my embrace, “please you have to stay away from me for your love, your love hurts me”

Unsure what to make of my action, I looked down at my feet slightly embarrassed “I didn’t mean to hurt those people or you” feeling his gaze softening he placed his fingers on my face in a Vulcan mind meld and he showed me his childhood, being bullied by the other Vulcan children, his father saying he was “so human” after he was born, tears poured from my eyes, I had never known so much sadness but he could hide it so well, but then again that was the Vulcan way. Like him, I had kept myself shielded from my real feelings and now by knowing that I could connect with someone, I opened my mind and my hard-unemotional barrier broke under the pressure of hurt, loss and everything in-between. I had had a happy life but it was fought with struggle and pain, there was simply no more words for what I felt, Spock shut his eyes and felt what I felt and knew what I knew, The ecstasies, the miseries, the broken rules, the desperate chances, the glorious failures, the glorious victories. All of these things he has never known simply because the word love hasn’t been written into his book. It was painful for him but he did not care as he placed his arms around me and stroked my wings, life would be better now for he was my king and I his Queen. 

[esperata]

Turn and Believe

You keep your heart locked out where shadows begin And I pace 'round the walls crying over again: "Please open the gate, love, and let me come in!" When will you turn and believe me?

Spock: The logical thing for you to have done was to have left me behind.

McCoy: Mr. Spock, remind me to tell you that I'm sick and tired of your logic.

Spock: That is a most illogical attitude. It is more rational to sacrifice one life than six.

McCoy: I'm not talking about rationality.

Spock: You might be wise to start.

McCoy: Life and death are seldom logical.

Spock: But attaining a desired goal always is.

I've seen you as lonely as the stars where we fly. Yet you never admit you're as lonely as I, Or that words from my heart are not always a lie. When will you turn and believe me?

McCoy: Well, that's the second time man's been thrown out of paradise.

Kirk: No, no, Bones. This time we walked out on our own. Maybe we weren't meant for paradise. Maybe we were meant to fight our way through. Struggle, claw our way up, scratch for every inch of the way. Maybe we can't stroll to the music of the lute. We must march to the sound of drums.

Spock: Poetry, Captain. Non-regulation.

Kirk: We haven't heard much from you about Omicron Ceti Three, Mister Spock.

Spock: I have little to say about it, Captain, except that for the first time in my life I was happy.

 I know that I've nothing to gain on this ride, But I've gone beyond hope and I've gone beyond pride. All I expect is to stand by your side. When will you turn and believe me?

Spock: Would you beam down to the planet's surface and stand with me? There is a brief ceremony.

Kirk: Is it permitted?

Spock: It is my right. By tradition, the male is accompanied by his closest friends.

Kirk: Thank you, Mr. Spock.

Spock: I also request Dr. McCoy accompany me.

McCoy: I shall be honored, sir.

 Our worlds are as different as truth from a dream, As our blood that mismatches in scarlet and green. But still you're the best thing that I've ever seen. When will you turn and believe me?

Amanda: You're going to use it on yourself. A transfusion from you to your father. 

Spock: It would seem the only answer. 

McCoy: It could damage you internally. It could kill you. I'm sorry, Spock. I can't sanction it. 

Amanda: And I refuse to permit it. I won't risk both of you. 

Spock: Then you automatically condemn Sarek to death. And you, Doctor, have no logical alternative either. If you do not operate, Sarek will die. You now have the means to perform the operation. I am volunteering myself as the blood donor. I'll be at my station until you require me.

When will you turn and believe what I offer you? I can't stop loving for all you deny. Not all the stars can undo that reality. When will you turn and believe me?

Spock: “Remember…”

[lenievi]

Thank you for telling me your views!

I think what perhaps might cause a little bit of misunderstanding is that I only talk about the original series, and there’s nothing in the original series to suggest that it’s a post-scarcity society. They have money/credits.

“people on earth can pursue labor or leisure at their discretion.”

I think I missed this part in the series, but it doesn’t really matter, because I personally see Earth as just a concept. Even if on Earth people could pursue leisure at their discretion, episodes like This Side of Paradise give a different message. Them not doing anything, not accomplishing anything, was seen as a waste of time. Despite them being 100% healthy and happy.

Long story short, maybe I just have a different view of Kirk, and even if Earth is some sort of good utopia, Kirk himself is against those ideas, he’s against wasting time (I would see many fans being dissatisfied with Kirk in This Side of Paradise, actually, exactly because he criticized a life without work and accomplishments), he needs to evolve, he wants the humanity to evolve, and that sometimes includes suffering. 

But in my experience a lot of people in the fandom already see TOS society and humanity as something perfect and without flaws (and then they’re like how come bigots still exist?) - so it was mostly about this, how does it work to have Kirk on one side who is struggling and trying every day to be good, to do good, to become better VS their idea that the people in the 23rd century should already be like that. Because Kirk doesn’t fit that idealized fanon idea of Starfleet and Earth. Then again, fanon Kirk didn’t meet canon Kirk for a while either imho

As for your spoilers. Have you seen Strange New Worlds? They adapted that story there, but if you didn’t, I don’t want to spoil it for you, so I won’t even say anything concerning Kirk.

just to make it clear, I don’t disagree with you on how we see Kirk. I feel we mostly have the same reading of him as a character (at least I think so), even from our previous discussions. I just have a feeling that because I’ve only watched TOS (and SNW and Disco mostly agree with my TOS views), I have a different idea about the Trek universe as a whole than someone who is familiar with TNG. (plus, as someone who grew up in a post-socialist regime country, I do side with Kirk in episodes like the apple or return of the archons, because they have strong anti-socialism (of that time) vibes) so that might also skew my view on things...)

Thank you again for telling me what you personally mean when you say Utopian. I’m sure a lot of people do as well, so I’ll keep that in mind in the future. I’m probably not making sense lol (I probably just have a problem with “socialist utopia” as a concept and prefer to not use it lol)

Keep reading

[benikoumori]

The Fate of the Phoenix 56

CHAPTER XXIX   OMNE found himself materializing on solid ground—the transporter feedback-adjust saw to that.   There only difficulty was that the solid ground was a narrow ledge over an abyss. It was a cave ledge—of some different rock, swept viciously by crackling Vortex forces and crumbling under his weight. Kirk teetered half over the edge and Omne grabbed him instinctively.   But Omne’s own legs were crumbling under him. They were not quite as useless as he had made them out to be at the last, but they would not take his weight—and Kirk’s. Omne crashed to his knees.   The ledge gave under their weight and they went down. Kirk crashed against the wall and went limp. From somewhere Omne’s hand found a hold. The force nearly took his arm off.   It was an impossible hold on a fingertip-wide ledge.   Omne held on.   In some manner he raised Kirk to his shoulder and found a grip with the other hand.   Omne hung there by his fingertips and laughed.   He was well-pleased. That had been the one insuperable danger. A one-way drop into an abyss. Even so it would merely have been death.   Ultimately Omne worked his way along the ledge until it widened. He managed to heave Kirk up onto it and himself up after, and then he crawled. He dragged himself with the strength of his arms and reached back to haul the Human along.   By the time he reached a solid tunnel his legs were leaden and searing, but not quite useless.   When he saw daylight he hauled himself to his feet and lifted the unconscious Human up into his arms.   Omne could not walk properly, but he would see a new world on his feet   Omne stepped out into the sun.   The world lay before him.   It was not the barren, blasted world of its Vortex twin.   This was a living world, a lush and fatal paradise.   Even from this height Omne could see mountain, forest, jungle, beach—and everywhere the game trails and signs of exotic wildlife and the large predators which would prey on it.   Omne nodded. He had gambled again and again won. It was the world his studies had led him to hypothesize, improbable as it was. And therefore somewhere here, if he lived through the predators, would be the plant he needed.   Perhaps it was the sun or the taste of fresh air.   Kirk’s eyelids flickered and then opened.   He looked up into Omne’s face with a slight frown of puzzlement   He looked out and saw the expanse of blue-green and red-gold world.   “The other side of the Vortex,” Omne said.   Kirk looked up, puzzled. “Vortex? Who are you?” Kirk said.   Omne looked down at him in astonishment. “You do not know me?” It was the one thing he had not expected.   Kirk grimaced, indicating his position. “It would seem that I should. Why are you carrying me?”   Omne nodded. “What is your name?.”   The Human began to look alarmed. He fought it down, but the shock stayed just under the surface of his face. “I—don’t knew,” he said with effort   “All right,” Omne said quietly. “It is not important. You hit your head. The amnesia is almost certainly momentary. Don’t trouble yourself. I will take care of it”   He moved toward the edge of the ledge, where a short rubble slope led to level ground.   “But who are you?” Kirk said, making a move to get down. “Why are you taking care of me?”   Omne shook his head. “That also does not matter now. Be still.”   He skidded them down the slope on his still-wooden legs, but kept his feet to reach the jungle floor.   He found shade under a tree and a bed of cool blue moss.   He put the Human down on it and sank down beside him to explore the head injury.   Kirk seemed to sense the skill in the hands and submitted to the examination without protest. There was a severe bruise and some smaller ones, perhaps from the earlier fall.   “Grip my hand,” Omne said, “hard. Now with your other hand.” The grips were firm, even-handed. Omne ran the other simple tests for neurological damage. He found no clear signs of severe or fatal damage, although they might develop later. There were signs of shock, probably both physical and emotional.   At those levels of memory which had been blocked Kirk would know that he had been sent off to a world from which he could expect no return—with the man who was his most dangerous enemy.   In truth it had always been their single swords which were crossed: the true son of moral certainty, and the black wolf born on the day when certainty, and a world very like this one, died.   “What is your name?” Kirk said. “Doctor—?   Omne looked at the world again and into the now-innocent eyes of the son of certainty. The answer came unbidden to Omne’s lips. “You have been known to call me Omnedon.”   Kirk’s eyes flickered with a spark of interest, seemed to reach for some memory. “My lord?” He looked puzzled. “Is that right? I seem to have some memory of saying that. Was it to you?”   “You have said it to me,” Omne said.   Kirk struggled to sit up and Omne gave him a hand. For a moment Kirk looked down at the hand, then up into Omne’s face. “I do not know you, and yet I feel that you are my benefactor. I owe you my life, do I not?”   Omne nodded. “A few of your lives.”   “Then I am right. Thank you, my lord Omnedon.”   “You are welcome.” Omne rose on one knee and looked down at the Human and smiled at him almost gently. “Take great care,” he said softly. “If memory serves you better than you wish me to know, and you still play the game of galactic confrontation—do not try it. If this is a ploy, you will pay the price.”   “Ploy?” Kirk said in a tone of puzzlement as Omne rose to stand over him. “Confrontation? How would I need a ploy? If you are my benefactor, are you not my friend?”   “No,” Omne said.   Kirk struggled up to his knees. “What then?”   “Your enemy.” After a moment Omne added. “And here, your Ahn’var.”   “What?”   Omne reached down and raised the Human to his feet. “An ancient word from a certain world. It is not necessary for you to understand, if you do not. The simplest meaning is that I require your obedience. Whether you are this new innocent with no yesterday, or my old enemy with no tomorrow, in this world my word must be law. That will be the price of your life.”   Omne turned and directed the Human’s eyes to the presence only Omne had sensed gathering in the tree above them. It opened its mouth, and its breath was flame.   Kirk’s eyes picked out the fire-python’s natural camouflage—with difficulty—and understood that the creature had arrived without alerting any sense Kirk owned… while Omne had always known.   Omne guided Kirk slowly, quietly out from under the tree.   “Urn,” Kirk said, “is that the local serpent?”   “The official local variety,” Omne said. “Welcome to Eden.”   Kirk grimaced. “That snake must be a hundred feet long. What are the local apples like?”   Omne chuckled. “We are about to find out.” He touched his waist. “The Other perhaps contemplated this When he took our survival belts. This time it is bare hands and knowledge.” His glance indicated: against the jungle. “Chiefly mine.” Omne said. “Come.”   Kirk looked at bun and for a moment Omne thought that he saw the starship Captain flare up in the Human’s eyes. But then the man looked up at the dangerous dragon-snake. “I didn’t see it,” Kirk said. After a moment he bowed his head slightly.   The slight bow of the head somehow reached Omne more than he liked to know.   It was the acknowledgment he had wanted from this man and the others on the day of the Phoenix, when he had come back from death—something more even than recognition of what he was; a kind of sanction, tribute, honor.   They had refused it. Stonily. And properly.   And for that he had wanted to destroy them.   Now this innocent looked at him with the look which Omne had wanted to see on that face: simple tribute to what Omne, after all, was.   Omne inclined his head stiffly in acceptance—and then set the feeling savagely aside.   “Come.”   Omne turned and the man who had been James T. Kirk followed him into the jungle. CHAPTER XXIX は固い地盤が実現している事に気づいた -- トランスポーターのフィードバック調整によってもものだろう。 ただ困難な事があるとすればその固い大地が深い淵にある狭い岩棚であることだった。 それは洞窟棚だった -- 多少異なる岩ではあったが彼の体重の下で砕けたものがVortex forceに上皮をさらわれていた。 カークがぐらつき端から半ば身を乗り出したのを咄嗟にオムネが掴んだ。 だがオムネ自身の脚が彼の下で崩れた。 それはすっかり駄目というわけではなかったが支えきれなかったのだ、彼の体重も -- カークも。 オムネが膝をついた。 彼らの体重の下で岩棚が崩れていった。 カークは壁にぶつかりぐったりとしてしまった。 オムネの手がホールドを探し当てた。 Force が彼の腕を払いかけた。 指先幅のホールドでは不可能だった。 オムネはつかまった。 どうにかカークを肩に担ぎ上げもう一方の手で掴める場所も探し当てた。 指先でぶら下がったオムネは笑った。 彼は満足だった。 それほどに打ち勝つ事のできない危険だった。 唯一の方法といえば奈落への落下だ。 それが単なる死であるのだとしても。 ついにオムネはそれが広がるまで長い岩棚を伝って行った。 何とかカークを上へ上げた後に自身も登り彼は這い始めた。 彼は腕の力だけで我が身を引きずっては腕を伸ばし人間を引き寄せた。 堅牢なトンネルに到達する頃には、彼の脚は焼けた鉛の様になっており完全に役に立たないという事はなくなっていた。 彼が日光に気づいた時に、彼は自分の脚で立ち意識の無い人間を腕に抱いていた。 オムネはきちんと歩く事はできなかった、だが新しい世界を自分の脚で立ち見ていた。 太陽の中にオムネは踏み出した。 彼の前に世界が広がった。 それは荒れ果てても枯れてもいないVortex とは対をなす世界だった。 これは生きて瑞々しい死の楽園だった。 この高さからでさえオムネは山を、森林を、ジャングルを、ビーチを見ることができた -- エキゾチックな野性動物達とそれを餌とする捕食者たちの印である至るところにある獣道も。 オムネは頷いた。 世界を研究した彼のたてた仮説は起こりそうもないことだった。 ここもそれに従っているのだ、もし彼が捕食者を掻い潜り生きていく為には必要となる物がある。 恐らくそれは太陽と新鮮な空気の味がするだろう。 カークの瞼が細かく震え、そして開いた。 オムネの顔を見上げた彼は僅かな当惑に眉をしかめた。 彼はブルーグリーンとレッドゴールドの世界を見渡した。 ”もう一方のVortex だ ” オムネが言った。 カークは途方に暮れた様に視線を上げた。 ”Vortex? 貴方は誰ですか? ” カークが言った。 オムネは驚いて彼を見下ろした。 ”私がわからないのか? ” それは彼が予想もしていなかったことだった。 カークが彼の状況を示す様に顔をしかめた。 ”どうやらそのようです。 何故私は貴方に運ばれているのですか? ” オムネが頷いた。 ”君の名前は? ” 人間は不安を感じ始めた様子だった。 彼はなんとかそれを抑え込もうとしていたがその顔の直ぐしたに衝撃は留まっていた。 ”私は -- わからない ” 彼は何とかそう言った。 ”大丈夫だ ” オムネが静かに言った。 ”それは重要な事ではない。 君は頭を打った。 記憶喪失はほぼ間違いなく瞬間的なものだ。 君が悩む事ではない。 私に任せなさい ” 彼は平坦な大地へと繋がる短いスロープとなっている岩棚の端へと近づいた。 ”貴方は誰ですか? ” どうにか降りようとしなが��カークが言った。 ”何故貴方が私の世話を? ” オムネが頭を振った。 ”それも今は重要ではない。 じっとしていなさい ” 彼は未だ木の様な脚でスロープを滑る様にして降り、ジャングル域へと転ばずに到達した。 彼は木陰にある青の苔のベッドを見つけた。 それに人間を降ろし脇へ腰を下ろした彼は頭の傷を調べ始めた。 カークはその手の技量を感じたらしく、抗議することもなく診察を受け入れた。 恐らく落下初期に出来たものだろう酷い痣と幾つかの小さな打ち身があった。 ”私の手を握って ” オムネが言った、”きつく ” もう片方の手も ” 握りはどちらもしっかりとしていた。 オムネは神経へのダメージをはかる為に他にも簡単なテストを行った。 致命的なダメージも酷いと言えるものもはっきりと現れているものはなかった、後々あらわれるかも知れないのだが。 ショック症状はあったがそれは恐らく肉体と感情によるものだった。 戻る事を見込めない世界へ送られたとカークが悟る事を記憶野がブロックしているのだろう -- 共にあるのが彼の最も危険な敵であるということを。 彼らは常に彼らの剣一本で渡り合ってきたのだ。 モラルの息子として、世界という物は死に酷似していると確信した日に生まれた黒い狼として。 ”貴方の名前は? ” カークが言った。 ”ドクターですか -- ?" 再び世界を見るオムネを見つめる眼には今、純粋な確信があった。 答えは知らぬ間にオムネの唇にきていた。 ”私の事はOmnedon と知っておけばいい ” 何かの記憶と結び付いたらしくカークの眼に興味が弾けた。 ”My lord? " 彼は困惑している様子だった。 ”あっていますか? そう言っていたような記憶があるのですが。 それは貴方の事ですか? ” ”君は私にそう言っていた ” オムネが言った。 何とか起き上がろうとしたカークにオムネが手を貸した。 その手を一瞬見下ろしたカークがオムネの顔を見上げた。 ”私は貴方の事をしりません、ですが私は貴方が私の命の恩人であったように感じています。 貴方は私の命の恩人なのでしょうか? ” オムネが頷いた。 ”幾度かはそうだな ” ”私は正しかった。 ありがとうございます、my lord Omnedon " ”気にする事はない ” 片膝をついて起き上がったオムネが微笑んで人間を見下ろした、優しいとさえ言える顔で。 ”細心の注意を払う事だ ” 彼はそっと言った。 ”もし記憶が戻ったとしてもそれを私に悟られないように願いなさい、君はまだ銀河の対立ゲームをしているのだから -- 試す様な事はしないことだ。 もしこれが策略ならば君は償いをすることになる ” ”策略? ” 立ち上がり彼を注視するオムネにカークは困惑の口調で言った。 ”対立? 私には策略が必要だったのですか? 貴方は私の命の恩人で、友人ではないのですか? ” ”そうだ ” オムネが言った。 カークは何とか膝立ちになった。 ”では何ですか? ” ”君の敵だ ” 暫くしてオムネは付け加えた。 ”ここでは君の Ahn'var だ ” ”何ですか? ” オムネが手を伸ばし人間を立ち上がらせた。 ”ある世界の古い言葉だ。 理解する必要もないし、君には理解できんだろう。 単純に言えば私は君の服従を必要とするということだ。 昨日を持たない無垢な君だろうと明日のない私の古い敵であろうと、この世界では私の言葉が法だ。 償いは君の生命となる ” オムネが振り向き人間の眼をオムネが感じていた彼らの頭上の木にある存在へと向けさせた。 それは口を開け、炎の息を吐いていた。 カークの眼が自然に擬態した火炎蛇に気づいた -- 辛うじて -- そして理解した、生き物はカーク自身にいかなる警告も引き起こさず現れたのだと... オムネにはずっとわかっていたのにだ。 オムネがゆっくりとカークを導き静かに木の下から連れ出した。 ”あの ” カークが言った、”あれは在来の蛇なのですか? ” ”まさしく在来種だ ” オムネが言った。 ”ようこそエデンへ ” カークが顔をしかめた。 ”あの蛇は100フィートはありました。 在来のリンゴとはどういった物なのでしょうか? ” オムネが静かに笑った。 ”それを探すんだ ” 彼は腰に触れた。 ”もうひとりはこれを考慮に入れていたな。 私たちのサバイバルベルトを取り上げた時に。 今回は素手と知識だな ” 彼は一瞥した。 ジャングルを。 ”まずは私の物だな ” オムネが言った。 ”行くぞ ” カークが煙を見上げたその一瞬、オムネは人間の眼に宇宙船の船長が燃え上がった様に思った。 だが男が見上げたのは危険なドラゴンスネークだった。 ”私には見えませんでした ” カークが言った。 少しして彼は僅かに頭を下げお辞儀をした。 その僅かなお辞儀がオムネには彼が好ましいと思っていた以上に響いた。 それはPhoenix のあの日、この男と他の者に彼が望んだ承認だった、彼が死から復した時に -- 彼���何であるかを認める以上のものを。 認可であり、賛辞であり、栄誉を。 それを彼らは拒否したのだ。 冷ややかに。 厳密に。 その為に彼は彼らの破壊を望んだ。 今彼に向けられる純粋な視線はオムネが見たいと望んだ顔をしていた。 オムネというものへの純粋な賛辞を。 オムネがそれを受け入れ厳粛に頭を傾けた -- その時残忍な感覚は脇へ置かれた。 ”行くぞ ” 振り向いたオムネをジェームズ T. カークであった男が追いジャングルへと入って行った。

[ethanalter]

4 Things That 'Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2' Owes to 'Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan'

Chris Pratt and Kurt Russell in ‘Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2’ (Credit: Marvel Studios)

Warning: This post contains spoilers for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2.

Just like its predecessor, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 gleefully mashes up of some of director James Gunn‘s favorite sci-fi films and TV shows. A close look at the film, which opened to an out-of-this-world $145 million gross, reveals shout-outs to the cult space opera Farscape, as well as A Wrinkle in Time, Dune, Star Wars, and Stargate. But the movie that arguably boasts the strongest connection to Vol. 2 is another second chapter in a franchise about a close-knit crew patrolling the edge of the galaxy’s final frontier: Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. Celebrating its 35th anniversary this year, Wrath of Khan has long since been enshrined among the gold standard of sequels, right up there with The Godfather Part 2, The Empire Strikes Back, and Toy Story 2. And Gunn owes several of his Vol. 2  storytelling cues to the bold choices that co-writer/director Nicholas Meyer and the rest of the Khan creative crew made three decades ago. Here are four key ways that the crews of the Enterprise and the Milano overlap.

Daddy’s Home

Merritt Butrick and William Shatner in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (Credit: Everett/Paramount)

Peter Quill (Chris Pratt)’s daddy issues take center stage in Vol. 2, as he meets the father he never knew, Ego (Kurt Russell), and says goodbye to the dad who raised him, Yondu (Michael Rooker). Wrath of Khan also depicts the first meeting between a long-separated father and son: James T. Kirk (William Shatner) and David Marcus (Merritt Butrick), the result of the Enterprise captain’s brief dalliance with scientist Carol Marcus (Bibi Besch).

Chris Pratt and Kurt Russell in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (Credit: Marvel Studios)

Like Peter, David was kept in the dark about who his real father was, but he also didn’t have to endure the trauma of losing Mom at a young age. That makes him more a little more skeptical of Kirk than Quill is of Ego — poor Star-Lord just wants to be somebody’s child again. (For the record, David also doesn’t have to kill his father because he’s planning to remake the galaxy in his image.) While they travel somewhat different emotional routes, both sons end up in the same destination: acceptance and affection for a roguish father figure: for David, it’s the guy who bested the Kobayashi Maru, and for Peter, it’s the guy who is totally blue.

Remaking Eden

The Genesis Device in terraforming mode (Credit: Paramount)

The McGuffin at the heart of Wrath of Khan is named the Genesis Device — essentially a giant eco-bomb that, once dropped, can terraform a desolate planet within minutes, transforming it into a lush green world. Carol and David have been refining Genesis for years with only the noblest intentions at heart. But then Khan comes along and blows those intentions up by threatening to detonate the device in a place where it can wipe out existing life as well.

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Gamora (Zoe Saldana) stands on the “Living Planet” in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (Credit: Marvel Studios)

As the personification of a living planet, Ego’s grand plan splits the difference between Khan and Carol. He wants to remake every planet into the Eden-like paradise that his own celestial body resembles. But doing that potentially involves wiping out the life forms that already exist on those other worlds — including Earth. On the one hand, Ego’s involvement would mean a quick, easy solution to our many environmental problems. The only problem is that no one would be around to appreciate the new, improved Earth.

Why So Serious?

Kirstie Alley and Leonard Nimoy in The Wrath of Khan (Credit: Paramount)

Both Wrath of Khan and Vol. 2 introduce a new female face into the existing crew. The aging Enterprise bridge team is joined by young Vulcan Starfleet recruit, Lieutenant Saavik (future Cheers star Kirstie Alley), while the Guardians add Ego’s helper Mantis (Pom Klementieff, in a breakout performance) to their ranks after her boss’s demise. As an empath, Mantis is more in touch with her (and other peoples’) emotions than the logic-minded Saavik. But both women are united by the fact that they’re outsiders to the group’s established dynamic and sense of humor. Saavik, for example, struggles to understand the humor in the fact that Kirk mastered the unwinnable Kobayashi Maru test by cheating — something that makes the always wry “Bones” McCoy chuckle.

Pom Klementieff as Mantis (Photo: Marvel Studios)

Meanwhile, Mantis fails to see the comedy in exposing the unspoken love between Peter and Gamora, even as Drax laughs uproariously. We desperately want to see these two women headline the galaxy’s first anti-comedy tour.

Funeral for a Friend

Kirk and Spock bid farewell in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (Photo: Everett/Paramount)

When it comes to instantly quotable lines from ’80s sequels, we’ll see your, “I am your father” and raise you with, “I have been and always shall be your friend.” Spock’s dying words at the end of Wrath of Khan provide the perfect ending to the Star Trek franchise’s most popular character, and established a storytelling precedent that countless other blockbuster sequels have employed since. There’s no question that Gunn had Spock on the brain when he chose to make Yondu’s death the emotional climax of Vol. 2, complete with a fireworks-accompanied space funeral.

Michael Rooker’s Yondu meets a poignant end in Vol. 2. (Credit: Marvel Studios)

Of course, the Vulcan quickly returned to live long and prosper through four additional sequels, plus two chapters of the rebooted film franchise. (Spock was laid to rest, for good this time, in last summer’s Star Trek: Beyond.) And Michael Rooker, at least, seems to believe that his Ravager alter ego isn’t gone for good. “Think about that whole sequence,” the actor tells Yahoo Movies. “Your whole concept of the ‘D word’ will be totally opened up.'”

Read more from Yahoo Movies:

How Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 Hints at Marvel’s Infinity War Future

HowGuardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 Makes Star-Lord a ‘Dude in Distress’ — and Why That’s a Good Thing

‘Guardians of the Galaxy‘ Star Chris Pratt on Infinity War, Peter Quill’s Daddy Issues and Those ‘Nerdy’ Snack Videos

[kinetic-elaboration]

November 8: 1x22 Space Seed

I’m really tired right now for some reason... I mean it’s definitely the hour a normal person would start to feel sleepy (or already be asleep) but not me lol. I probably didn’t pay enough attention to this episode, which is a shame because it’s a good one, but I tried.

That’s a weird opening shot, from the back of the bridge. It makes the space look really small.

Uhura reading Morse Code!

“An emotional Earth weakness of mine”

I can’t believe Kirk and Spock are having a nerd competition.

The 1990s!

“Or an old earth ship being used by aliens”--this is such a cool idea!! That should have been a story line at some point.

I love when they find old space stuff.

Great shot of the two ships together--the Enterprise is so beautiful!

“The records from that era are fragmentary.”

Kirk hearing Spock and Bones banter: “uh this is great and all but we have stuff to do.”

Kirk hates that there’s a historian on board like ugh, useless historian.

Bones and his hatred of transporters again. “This gadget.”

“You’re an old-fashioned boy, McCoy.”

Scotty’s nerding out about the old ship.

2018!! They had to use cryo sleep before 2018! We were supposed to have warp by now, I’m so cheated.

I can’t believe no one knows what the Botany Bay is a reference too; don’t you know your history at all, nerds?

Then they just push a random button and wake some guy up!

McGivers isn’t paying the slightest bit of attention. This is probably why Kirk doesn’t like her.

Guess the casting department in 2012 didn’t get the part about “Northern India.” Must have thought they said “whitest part of England.”

And after all that work, traveling all that time and space, he’s almost killed by some dust.

McGivers is really distracted by his hotness I guess.

When Kirk needs to think, he goes to stand by Spock. Who happens to be bending over whatever.

Finally someone remembers the Botany Bay!

Earth was on the verge of a dark age...that’s actually pretty true.

Spock is wrong about a lot of things today.

Kirk’s not even mad or frustrated by Spock’s whole ‘I have no emotions, I don’t know what irritation is” thing. He just loves him so much and accepts this about him completely.

“I’m good but I’m not that good.” Oh Bones, yes you are.

Kirk sharing his opinions on men with McGivers. Yet again the gender dynamics in this show are... a thing. But I’m zeroing in on bi!Kirk anyway lol.

“A fair psychologist? Bones, come on--I’d be great.”

“Well either choke me or cute my throat, but make up your mind.” McCoy is the BEST. So brave.

Kirk isn’t fooled at all by this “I’m tired” crap. Tired? I thought you were a superman.

I find Khan fairly annoying but I do admit he has a certain gravitas...

The events of 1993... only 90′s kids would understand.

I feel like Kirk’s hand is sitting all the way over there just begging to be held by Spock.

So the 80-90 escapees weren’t even everybody?? How many supermen did they create?

McGivers is an interesting character but she makes me really uncomfortable.

Khan did a really bad job styling her hair lol. He just pulled out a few strands of her hair and then said he was done. Also I don’t know what she’s talking about, that hairstyle is not “comfortable.” (A man wrote this.)

Lol where did Khan find those clothes?

Spock comes to formal dinner, ready to start shit.

Ironic that Spock is so against the idea of a singular ruler for all of Earth when every last person on his planet follows the same quasi-religion/philosophy.

“You have a tendency to express ideas in military terms, Mr. Khan.”

This scene with McGivers and Khan has more intrigue and tension than ALL of STID. He makes STID!Khan look like a little boy. That version was always declaring his strength, but this one just projects strength. The way he manipulates McGivers is so succinct and so creepy and so effective.

Absolute ruler from 1992-1996.

It’s weird how so much of this episode seemed to be allegedly built on this “who is this person” mystery but like....did anyone ever NOT guess he was one of the strongmen they keep referring to?

Spock does not like the romanticization of dictators.

Kirk is so strong, too, though. His demeanor is really powerful. Another mistake of STID was pitting such a young Kirk against Khan. There’s no interest in that.

“They’ve thrown away their own worthless vessel.” Someone’s angry that the Enterprise got stolen from him--again.

Plus side, he gets to dramatically give commendations while struggling for air.

This fool trying to give Uhura orders lmao nice try.

This is such a classic super-villain error: “oh I am so confident he must be dead, I’m not even going to check.”

McGivers wants to play both sides.

I can’t believe that for all that, Khan was defeated by a bit of plastic.

“I’ve regained control of the Enterprise, nbd, now time for the actual hard stuff.”

Of course Kirk has not only read Milton, he IMMEDIATELY know exactly what part of Paradise Lost Khan is referring to.

The ending of this ep is, of course, classic... Truly wild. I mean weirdly I remember it as like a compromise, kinda, like Kirk shows mercy at the same time as he exiles Khan to a barely habitable planet, but actually in the context of just this ep--kinda seems like Khan got what he wanted. Like he didn’t get a population to control, but he was set free on a planet all his own to conquer so...

I mean obviously it went badly but still.

Weirdly, I remembered some stuff wrong about this ep. I thought that the Botany Bay criminals were exiled on purpose, probably because of the name of the ship, but the ep implies that actually they escaped and went off on their own, on purpose. What with the “unaccounted for” language and Khan as the leader.

Also, I remembered criticizing STID for stating that the other criminals were Khan’s friends, even as close as family, when really what I remembered from Space Seed was that all the supermen were out for themselves. But he does go through the effort of waking them and so on. That said, I don’t think they’re friends. I think the others are useful to Khan, and he’ll keep them around as long as they’re useful and deferential to him. I think he wouldn’t hesitate to kill any of them if they stepped out of line.

Anyway. I am so exhausted right now. I wish I’d been more... into and aware of this ep tbh. Next up is A Taste of Armageddon, which I remember being a very good ep.