3x21 "Requiem for Methuselah" thoughts
No thoughts process this time; there are a lot of head canon I feel should be put into proper tl;dr instead of just incomprehensible squealing capslock. I don't claim this to be a meta, only my interpretation of what happened in the episode.
Despite what most people say about this episode, I find it to be an enjoyable angst ride, and I had fun interpreting what Spock was thinking throughout the whole Kirk/Rayna fest. And I was spoiled silly before watching already (I knew that Kirk fell in love with an android, that said android couldn't take it and "blew up", and I'd replayed the "forget" scene so many times I've already known McCoy's speech verbatim) so no disappointment at least - I had no expectations to hold up `_`
About Kirk's quite impromptu romance with Rayna, I totally buy the idea that Kirk was really frustrated about his relationship with Spock at that moment and was desperate to find an outlet for his affections, and he found it in Rayna. First of all, he was going against his own rule of "going slow" in a relationship like how it's shown in Charlie X and with Edith Keeler, and immediately lavished attention upon this gal, obvious in the dance. And if you ignore the fact that the 3rd season faced a lot of problems and declination in quality, in-universe wise, this season shows incredibly little flirty K/S scenes. They are undeniably very important to each other at this stage, as Whom God Destroys had them admitting they're "brothers". But romantically Kirk was not satisfied, and like some had said he had "given up" with the way Spock was still so unresponsive after so long (yes he did change, but the changes were quite really gradual). So it's easy to understand how a person like Kirk can fall so hard for Rayna only after a few hours.
At first I was quite indecisive about this, but then I noticed a little tidbit that brought me over. In the dance between Kirk and Rayna, there was this part where Kirk touched her face for a long moment. Rayna, being an android, was keeping her face completely straight, quite emotionless even. And then, Kirk smiles. A pretty wide smile at that too. A few seconds later we can even see him grinning his head off. I may be looking too much into this, but if the above theory is true, then it's totally possible that this is a moment where Rayna most reminds him of Spock with her straight face and pretty unresponsive actions.
If you go with this, then it also makes the part where Kirk broke down that much more tragic: Kirk thought he could finally find someone else other than Spock, and said person was destroyed exactly because of emotionalism. Rayna was like a female, android version of Spock with her intellect and lack of feelings, and with her dying it was like Kirk got his final confirmation that Spock would've been overwhelmed too had he made his move. It was a lose-lose situation either way for Kirk ;_;.
As for Spock, from what I've seen the "forget" scene is what people mostly focused on and fangirled over, and I agree it's a brilliant scene. But I think the whole episode actually built up to that particular moment. Throughout the whole episode I see Spock as thinking about Kirk's wellbeing first and foremost. He intentionally stopped McCoy from going to find Kirk when the ryetalin disappeared, knowing Kirk and Rayna were having their moment, even though time was running out for the Enterprise and the antidote disappearing is not exactly something you can take lightly. And then there was the part when Spock stopped Kirk from going into the android lab. Lord this is my second most favorite scene. It's obvious that Spock knows Rayna is an android, or at least heavily doubted so (he admitted later on, and I think if he had been scanning Flint then why not Rayna too? Kirk gave that order before she appeared after all). Spock definitely has an inkling of what was in there, and he didn't want Kirk to know for fear of him hurting. It's totally, utterly illogical, and yet absolutely something that love would drive a man to. And, God, "There may be dangers within" is the lamest excuse I've ever seen, complete with short pause before "dangers". And I think McCoy took notice of that fact too with the way he eyed Spock afterwards, which I feel may even be a factor leading to his speech at the end. I really think this scene doesn't receive the attention it deserves, since combined with the "forget" scene the impact is just that much greater.
I also find it fascinating that every time Kirk truly falls in love, there seem to be this wall between Kirk and Spock (as opposed to Spock/McCoy or Kirk/McCoy). In this ep Kirk even seemed to deliberately distanced himself from Spock. For example when Kirk said he'd go to the lab to find a way to reverse the irillium's effect on the ryetalin (don't be surprised, I copied themfrom the script). Until now I still can't understand why Spock, the science officer, got to stay behind and played watch while the Captain went in and messed with the lab, unless Kirk just wanted an excuse to get away from Spock :|. The statement itself is quite rude and abrupt too, he looked like he disregarded Spock's puzzlement about the music sheets completely. And when Spock came to rescue him, he only said "Thank you Mr Spock" without breaking a smile of even looking at him, like he was annoyed or something. OTL.
There are also some interesting coincidences too, like how Spock claimed to experiencing envy (OMGWTF HE ADMIT TO HAVING EMOTIONS) almost simultaneously with Rayna getting her first emotions - excitement. And in the dance scene, I admit I giggled at how the camera kept switching between Kirk/Rayna - Flint - Spock, when Flint has been established as being jealous. And the shots with Spock seemed sort of longer than necessary too....
I definitely have read too much into this, but I guess I was in the right position and mood to enjoy the episode: I've been fed with facts and headcanon before watching, and I was /really/ feeling like I could need some angst yesterday, so I absorbed the story like a sponge to water. And, of course, Spock playing piano and Spock playing the white knight in shining armor to Kirk are always bonuses <3
Oh, and, since I was busying interpreting K/S thoughts, I almost didn't register the part where the old guy was revealed to be Da Vinci, Brahms, Methuselah and a bunch of other famous guys. I guess it's all for the better - now that I think about it, it's quite ridiculous OTL.
ETA: I just realized I spent surprisingly little amount of time on the "forget" scene. Don't get me wrong - it's absolutely brilliant and I love it to bits, it even brought me to tears (like I said, with all the build-up throughout the whole ep, the impact of the final scene was that much greater). But there're like tons of metas on that one already, so :"/.
Despite what most people say about this episode, I find it to be an enjoyable angst ride, and I had fun interpreting what Spock was thinking throughout the whole Kirk/Rayna fest. And I was spoiled silly before watching already (I knew that Kirk fell in love with an android, that said android couldn't take it and "blew up", and I'd replayed the "forget" scene so many times I've already known McCoy's speech verbatim) so no disappointment at least - I had no expectations to hold up `_`
About Kirk's quite impromptu romance with Rayna, I totally buy the idea that Kirk was really frustrated about his relationship with Spock at that moment and was desperate to find an outlet for his affections, and he found it in Rayna. First of all, he was going against his own rule of "going slow" in a relationship like how it's shown in Charlie X and with Edith Keeler, and immediately lavished attention upon this gal, obvious in the dance. And if you ignore the fact that the 3rd season faced a lot of problems and declination in quality, in-universe wise, this season shows incredibly little flirty K/S scenes. They are undeniably very important to each other at this stage, as Whom God Destroys had them admitting they're "brothers". But romantically Kirk was not satisfied, and like some had said he had "given up" with the way Spock was still so unresponsive after so long (yes he did change, but the changes were quite really gradual). So it's easy to understand how a person like Kirk can fall so hard for Rayna only after a few hours.
At first I was quite indecisive about this, but then I noticed a little tidbit that brought me over. In the dance between Kirk and Rayna, there was this part where Kirk touched her face for a long moment. Rayna, being an android, was keeping her face completely straight, quite emotionless even. And then, Kirk smiles. A pretty wide smile at that too. A few seconds later we can even see him grinning his head off. I may be looking too much into this, but if the above theory is true, then it's totally possible that this is a moment where Rayna most reminds him of Spock with her straight face and pretty unresponsive actions.
If you go with this, then it also makes the part where Kirk broke down that much more tragic: Kirk thought he could finally find someone else other than Spock, and said person was destroyed exactly because of emotionalism. Rayna was like a female, android version of Spock with her intellect and lack of feelings, and with her dying it was like Kirk got his final confirmation that Spock would've been overwhelmed too had he made his move. It was a lose-lose situation either way for Kirk ;_;.
As for Spock, from what I've seen the "forget" scene is what people mostly focused on and fangirled over, and I agree it's a brilliant scene. But I think the whole episode actually built up to that particular moment. Throughout the whole episode I see Spock as thinking about Kirk's wellbeing first and foremost. He intentionally stopped McCoy from going to find Kirk when the ryetalin disappeared, knowing Kirk and Rayna were having their moment, even though time was running out for the Enterprise and the antidote disappearing is not exactly something you can take lightly. And then there was the part when Spock stopped Kirk from going into the android lab. Lord this is my second most favorite scene. It's obvious that Spock knows Rayna is an android, or at least heavily doubted so (he admitted later on, and I think if he had been scanning Flint then why not Rayna too? Kirk gave that order before she appeared after all). Spock definitely has an inkling of what was in there, and he didn't want Kirk to know for fear of him hurting. It's totally, utterly illogical, and yet absolutely something that love would drive a man to. And, God, "There may be dangers within" is the lamest excuse I've ever seen, complete with short pause before "dangers". And I think McCoy took notice of that fact too with the way he eyed Spock afterwards, which I feel may even be a factor leading to his speech at the end. I really think this scene doesn't receive the attention it deserves, since combined with the "forget" scene the impact is just that much greater.
I also find it fascinating that every time Kirk truly falls in love, there seem to be this wall between Kirk and Spock (as opposed to Spock/McCoy or Kirk/McCoy). In this ep Kirk even seemed to deliberately distanced himself from Spock. For example when Kirk said he'd go to the lab to find a way to reverse the irillium's effect on the ryetalin (don't be surprised, I copied themfrom the script). Until now I still can't understand why Spock, the science officer, got to stay behind and played watch while the Captain went in and messed with the lab, unless Kirk just wanted an excuse to get away from Spock :|. The statement itself is quite rude and abrupt too, he looked like he disregarded Spock's puzzlement about the music sheets completely. And when Spock came to rescue him, he only said "Thank you Mr Spock" without breaking a smile of even looking at him, like he was annoyed or something. OTL.
There are also some interesting coincidences too, like how Spock claimed to experiencing envy (OMGWTF HE ADMIT TO HAVING EMOTIONS) almost simultaneously with Rayna getting her first emotions - excitement. And in the dance scene, I admit I giggled at how the camera kept switching between Kirk/Rayna - Flint - Spock, when Flint has been established as being jealous. And the shots with Spock seemed sort of longer than necessary too....
I definitely have read too much into this, but I guess I was in the right position and mood to enjoy the episode: I've been fed with facts and headcanon before watching, and I was /really/ feeling like I could need some angst yesterday, so I absorbed the story like a sponge to water. And, of course, Spock playing piano and Spock playing the white knight in shining armor to Kirk are always bonuses <3
Oh, and, since I was busying interpreting K/S thoughts, I almost didn't register the part where the old guy was revealed to be Da Vinci, Brahms, Methuselah and a bunch of other famous guys. I guess it's all for the better - now that I think about it, it's quite ridiculous OTL.
ETA: I just realized I spent surprisingly little amount of time on the "forget" scene. Don't get me wrong - it's absolutely brilliant and I love it to bits, it even brought me to tears (like I said, with all the build-up throughout the whole ep, the impact of the final scene was that much greater). But there're like tons of metas on that one already, so :"/.