ST books and STXII thoughts
I picked up a lot of books last week as I've said before, but not surprising to anyone, I started on the ST books. I had to put down the novelization for Search for Spock after a couple of chapters, though. I don't know what it is, but I didn't much enjoy the author's style and the extra scenes put in that were different than the movie didn't interest me. I may try the Voyage Home novelization, however, because I heard it was good. Also, my sister saw the cover of my copy of the TMP novel as I was shelving my borrowed library books and she said, "oh great, they're being transported by a rainbow now." And then I corrected her by saying 'beamed' and we had a good laugh.
There is one book I want to talk about a little. It's called Best of the Best of Trek, a collection of articles and essays about our favorite show, and I'm sure a couple of you might have read this as well. Now the articles I've read so far range from good to bad, but there was one that got me thinking. The article was about love being the central theme in Star Trek. Now, while I agree there is a lot of love in Star Trek (even if you are nuts and think Kirk and Spock are just really good friends), I didn't like how he took some events and classified them as 'love' moments. For example, he took Kirk letting Edith die and said it meant that Kirk loves the millions of people more than just one life. Did any of you get that? What about the theme of 'needs of the many' and 'sacrificing for the greater good?' Also, he completely doesn't mention Amok Time (HELLO, Kirk disobeyed orders to help Spock) and he, get this, says that in Charlie X, the biggest love shown was from the Thasians, the people who gave Charlie his powers and then took him away. Huh? That's why the end of the episode made you feel bad for Charlie, because he was being taken away by beings who couldn't feel, and you're telling me this was them showing love? Eh?
But there were two points that were good. One was from he Naked Time when we first learn of Kirk's apparent love of the ship. The author says that it's not actually the ship Kirk loves; it's being captain of the ship. This I agree with and it isn't really mind-blowing. I just like that the metaphor was acknowledged. Plus it gets annoying when people literally write that Kirk loves a hunk of metal. Substitute 'ship' with 'command' and you have Kirk in a nutshell.
Now there was one point did blow my mind, because I wouldn't have made this connection. He compared the events of two episodes; The Tholian Web and Journey to Babylon. In both episodes, he says, Spock has temporary command and is responsible for the ship. In The Tholian Web, Spock risks the ship in order to get Kirk back, even when it is illogical to do so. Yet in Journey to Babylon, he refuses to give up his duty in order to help save his father's life and must be tricked by Kirk and McCoy to do so. My mind? Blown. It doesn't mean Spock hates his father, but it does mean that the big difference is that Spock is bound to his duty, unless Kirk is in danger, because Spock has given his loyalty to Kirk first. Don't you just love that? For Spock, loyalty is not just words or actions or duty. Loyalty to Spock is giving all of yourself, sacrificing for something else. He gives his loyalty in part to Starfleet, which is a big reason why he sacrifices himself in Wrath of Khan, but Spock puts Kirk above even THAT loyalty because of the countless times he will disobey orders or even risk the entire ship to help Kirk. I'd say he puts Kirk above his own family, and once again this isn't an insult, but just how Spock rolls. After all, one puts their spouse above their parents, right? :P But really, Sarek is family, but him and Spock haven't spoken in years and Kirk is Kirk. You can bet your ass that if it was Kirk who somehow needed a blood transfusion from Spock during that crisis, Spock would be in sickbay running the blood transfusion machine himself. How. The fuck. Do people. Not see it?
Then there's STXII. I've talked somewhat about my own expectations and fears and such for the next movie, so I won't rehash that, except to say that I don't fully trust the writers yet. They have one good movie, but it has its flaws and we all know it. The one thing I'm grateful for is that they focused on Kirk and Spock, and I hope they don't abandon that focus (in fact, please to be adding in more McCoy, writers), like they decided after this movie 'okay, we got them being friends n' stuff, now we can tell the stories of everyone and have them occasionally say lines to each other.'
Why I'm really bringing up the next movie? I just want to share a completely personal, completely illogical thing I want in the next movie. I'm about 99% sure they will never do it, and there are both good and bad reasons why they wouldn't, which I won't go into. What is it that they would most likely never do, but I want them to anyway? Kirk Prime comes back and he reunites with Spock Prime. Humor me a bit more before you balk at my suggestion. First of all, STXI had red matter, so don't tell me they couldn't come up with a way to get Kirk Prime back. As I told someone else, the Nexus Kirk was lost in has no concept of time or space, so the new Enterprise crew ends up there and rescues Kirk Prime. Furthermore, you talk about publicity and earning money. What person who even has just a slight interest in Star Trek wouldn't jump at the chance to see Shatner and Nimoy as Kirk and Spock again? It was big enough when Nimoy did it, but with the HUGE new fanbase, it will be even more monetarily logical.
And let's drop all practical talks and let's talk OTP. Guys, Spock Prime has been without Kirk for nearly a century, and they'd be together again. You have no idea how much I want this. I just imagine poor Spock Prime, in a reality not his own, with this tragic past. HE NEEDS LOVE, DAMN IT. And seriously, let yourself imagine them seeing each other again, Spock Prime smiling (points to her icon), Kirk Prime being all Kirk and warm and affectionate, looking at Spock the way he always looks at him...GAH! I would cry. I would cry and clap and I'd pass out from the emotions. It would be the single most amazing fandom moment ever. I doubt anything could top that, except flat-out having actual K/S. That's just way too much to wish for, but getting that reunion is the biggest thing a slasher can ask for and conceivably get,/i>.
All right, fangirling over. Let's face it, I'd be tickled pink just to see Kirk and Spock play chess in the next movie, so my argument is almost invalid, lol.
There is one book I want to talk about a little. It's called Best of the Best of Trek, a collection of articles and essays about our favorite show, and I'm sure a couple of you might have read this as well. Now the articles I've read so far range from good to bad, but there was one that got me thinking. The article was about love being the central theme in Star Trek. Now, while I agree there is a lot of love in Star Trek (even if you are nuts and think Kirk and Spock are just really good friends), I didn't like how he took some events and classified them as 'love' moments. For example, he took Kirk letting Edith die and said it meant that Kirk loves the millions of people more than just one life. Did any of you get that? What about the theme of 'needs of the many' and 'sacrificing for the greater good?' Also, he completely doesn't mention Amok Time (HELLO, Kirk disobeyed orders to help Spock) and he, get this, says that in Charlie X, the biggest love shown was from the Thasians, the people who gave Charlie his powers and then took him away. Huh? That's why the end of the episode made you feel bad for Charlie, because he was being taken away by beings who couldn't feel, and you're telling me this was them showing love? Eh?
But there were two points that were good. One was from he Naked Time when we first learn of Kirk's apparent love of the ship. The author says that it's not actually the ship Kirk loves; it's being captain of the ship. This I agree with and it isn't really mind-blowing. I just like that the metaphor was acknowledged. Plus it gets annoying when people literally write that Kirk loves a hunk of metal. Substitute 'ship' with 'command' and you have Kirk in a nutshell.
Now there was one point did blow my mind, because I wouldn't have made this connection. He compared the events of two episodes; The Tholian Web and Journey to Babylon. In both episodes, he says, Spock has temporary command and is responsible for the ship. In The Tholian Web, Spock risks the ship in order to get Kirk back, even when it is illogical to do so. Yet in Journey to Babylon, he refuses to give up his duty in order to help save his father's life and must be tricked by Kirk and McCoy to do so. My mind? Blown. It doesn't mean Spock hates his father, but it does mean that the big difference is that Spock is bound to his duty, unless Kirk is in danger, because Spock has given his loyalty to Kirk first. Don't you just love that? For Spock, loyalty is not just words or actions or duty. Loyalty to Spock is giving all of yourself, sacrificing for something else. He gives his loyalty in part to Starfleet, which is a big reason why he sacrifices himself in Wrath of Khan, but Spock puts Kirk above even THAT loyalty because of the countless times he will disobey orders or even risk the entire ship to help Kirk. I'd say he puts Kirk above his own family, and once again this isn't an insult, but just how Spock rolls. After all, one puts their spouse above their parents, right? :P But really, Sarek is family, but him and Spock haven't spoken in years and Kirk is Kirk. You can bet your ass that if it was Kirk who somehow needed a blood transfusion from Spock during that crisis, Spock would be in sickbay running the blood transfusion machine himself. How. The fuck. Do people. Not see it?
Then there's STXII. I've talked somewhat about my own expectations and fears and such for the next movie, so I won't rehash that, except to say that I don't fully trust the writers yet. They have one good movie, but it has its flaws and we all know it. The one thing I'm grateful for is that they focused on Kirk and Spock, and I hope they don't abandon that focus (in fact, please to be adding in more McCoy, writers), like they decided after this movie 'okay, we got them being friends n' stuff, now we can tell the stories of everyone and have them occasionally say lines to each other.'
Why I'm really bringing up the next movie? I just want to share a completely personal, completely illogical thing I want in the next movie. I'm about 99% sure they will never do it, and there are both good and bad reasons why they wouldn't, which I won't go into. What is it that they would most likely never do, but I want them to anyway? Kirk Prime comes back and he reunites with Spock Prime. Humor me a bit more before you balk at my suggestion. First of all, STXI had red matter, so don't tell me they couldn't come up with a way to get Kirk Prime back. As I told someone else, the Nexus Kirk was lost in has no concept of time or space, so the new Enterprise crew ends up there and rescues Kirk Prime. Furthermore, you talk about publicity and earning money. What person who even has just a slight interest in Star Trek wouldn't jump at the chance to see Shatner and Nimoy as Kirk and Spock again? It was big enough when Nimoy did it, but with the HUGE new fanbase, it will be even more monetarily logical.
And let's drop all practical talks and let's talk OTP. Guys, Spock Prime has been without Kirk for nearly a century, and they'd be together again. You have no idea how much I want this. I just imagine poor Spock Prime, in a reality not his own, with this tragic past. HE NEEDS LOVE, DAMN IT. And seriously, let yourself imagine them seeing each other again, Spock Prime smiling (points to her icon), Kirk Prime being all Kirk and warm and affectionate, looking at Spock the way he always looks at him...GAH! I would cry. I would cry and clap and I'd pass out from the emotions. It would be the single most amazing fandom moment ever. I doubt anything could top that, except flat-out having actual K/S. That's just way too much to wish for, but getting that reunion is the biggest thing a slasher can ask for and conceivably get,/i>.
All right, fangirling over. Let's face it, I'd be tickled pink just to see Kirk and Spock play chess in the next movie, so my argument is almost invalid, lol.