Kirk/Spock/McCoy - Star Trek The Original Series
I'm using the free-for-all week to post my K/S/Mc essay, which evolved while writing my K/Mc essay - enjoy :)
Title: More than the Sum of Its Parts
Author: Acidqueen aka syredronning
Fandom: Star Trek - The Original Series
Pairing: Kirk/Spock/McCoy
Spoilers: For many TOS episodes and movies as well as for some online and zine stories.
Disclaimer: Although I sampled voices of other fans, this essay is written from my POV and shows my idea how I perceive the triad. Your mileage may vary :)
I'm using a lot of quotes. I also include some references to the actors as to show how the characters were influenced by them, but that's not to imply RPS.
More than the Sum of Its Parts - Kirk/Spock/McCoy
Well of course Kirk, Spock and McCoy belong together!! I think that in all of the fandoms they are the three MOST likely to get together as a threesome. [..] I think in a lot of threesome fic there is one character that kind of acts as the 'glue' of the relationship. At least for me. I guess in K/S/Mc you don't really need one because I can see any of the three possible pairings working - K/S, K/Mc, S/Mc. -- nikita79
(From the episode "Charlie X")
The Parts
The three leading characters in a nutshell, as cited from a website:
Captain Kirk: To be the captain of a starship means that you are responsible for the lives of over 400 crewmembers. This kind of responsibility takes a great man. James T. Kirk is the perfect man for the job. As Roddenberry put it: "A colorful and complex personality, he is capable of action and decision which can verge on the heroic -- and at the same time, lives a continual battle with self-doubt and the loneliness of command." He is emotionally driven, and a great contrast to the next character in the trinity.
Mr. Spock: Spock is from the planet Vulcan. It is a planet that was nearly destroyed by it's passionate ancestors over 2,000 years ago. Because of this, the Vulcan people turned to logic and turned away from emotion. They do have emotion, but it is deeply suppressed. Spock is biologically half Human, but has embraced his Vulcan side more than his Human side. He is highly intelligent, and is considered the best science officer in the fleet. Logic drives his decisions, but there is an internal conflict with his Human side.
Dr. McCoy: Leonard McCoy is perhaps the most Human of the three. Although a cynic on the surface, McCoy is a deeply compassionate man. He is the Enterprise's chief medical officer, and often doubles as psychiatrist. He is almost the exact opposite of Spock, whom he has many playful arguments with. Dr. McCoy is a southern man, and subscribes to the "old south" way of doctoring. His southern accent is apparent when under stress.
-- http://www.frizbay.com/ Nov 14/2004
The Interaction of the Parts
Kirk/Spock
Much has been said and written about them - if you need the big picture, take a look at Killa's wonderful K/S ship manifesto for argumentation and links. Kirk and Spock are the main slash pairing in TOS, even the one where the word SLASH originated from. This has led to an overwhelming amount of K/S fiction in TOS. But thanks to the internet, there are more pairings visible now.
Spock/McCoy
I think the surface quarreling [between Spock and McCoy] is the fun of testing each other's ideas. Very often, people who are very deeply affectionate with each other have a surface fight going all the time. I have dear friends who I would never in a thousand years refer to in any way other than 'you ugly bastard'. - Roddenberry in Star Trek Lives, 1975
The position of adversaries, opponents in logic and emotion but still friends who care for each other makes this pairing easy to see for some people. And even fans of a straighter McCoy get along with Spock, probably because his alieness puts him out of the traditional inter-human "gay" pattern.
There exist many online stories with S/Mc, some of the best written by Marcy aka Kelthammer and by Ainzfern. You can find most of online S/Mc linked in the SpockMcCoyDen, as well as episode tidbits and argumentation. Since this pairing has no ship manifesto so far, I want to give here the five strongest TOS scenes where the friendship and caring between Spock and McCoy is especially visible - for me at least:
Miri - Spock and McCoy work together on the medical problem. When McCoy injects himself with the probable medicine and faints, Spock finds him, is very worried, and holds his hand unusually long and tenderly.
Friday's Child - Spock looks very irritated by the behavior of Eleen, the pregnant wife of a tribe leader. McCoy delivers the child and later places it into Spock's arms. Spock doesn't know what to make of it.
Mirror Mirror - McCoy sees it has his duty to save the Mirror-Spock, telling Kirk, "He is very much like our own Mr. Spock, isn't he?" Then Mirror Spock forces a mind-meld on him.
By Any Other Name - Lots of S/Mc interaction, while Kirk is busy seducing the chick of the week.
All Our Yesterdays - While there is conflict between Spock and McCoy, it has a lot of interaction between them. McCoy seems to be jealous, but not because he wants Zarabeth…
Kirk/McCoy
I've written lengthily about this pairing in my own K/Mc essay. In my opinion, if it weren't for Spock, this would be the main slash pairing of TOS. But as it is, Kirk/McCoy has become the rarest pairing, not the least because of their quite complex interaction, which is lingering between "tenderness and awkwardness". (I also have the theory that there is less intersection between McCoy and Kirk fans than there is between McCoy and Spock fans, but I don't have any numbers to prove it.)
The Whole Triumvirate
A triumvirate is a group of three people who work together, especially when they are in charge of something; a formal word. -- Collins English Dictionary
The Background
Whenever trek fans discuss the original series, the triumvirate or triad of Kirk-Spock-McCoy is usually in the center right next to Kirk-Spock. There are diverging stories as to the "how and why". As far as I can see, Roddenberry didn't start with the idea of Kirk-Spock being two parts of the whole or - later - Kirk-Spock-McCoy as the ideal, well-balanced person. There was chemistry between all three actors right from the start.
And just the same, McCoy became part of the essential glue of Star Trek. Citations from the TOS Season 2 DVD Special: Kirk-Spock-McCoy - Startrek's Greatest Trio:
DeForest Kelley was not top-ranked in billing in the first season. His credit moved up to opening credits at the second season. But as we worked with those characters, we realized that we needed McCoy more to balance the group. Also, it was a matter of just bringing the human level to the problem, with Spock being the outsider commenting from an alien point of view and Kirk being the man of action at all times, and of course the leader. --
[…] We saw how the relationship between all three was vital to the stories. It became a thing where, as we went along, we found the relationships and the one between Spock and McCoy was a lot of fun. There were taunts and little insults that were fun. They added to the characters and they sparked the scripts, they gave spice to the scripts. So we developed that; as long as it worked, we said, "Let's use it". -- Dorothy Fontana,
The Interpretations
You can find lots of articles about the triumvirate as long as you don't look for slash but for general TOS discussion. Pick what you like best :)
The psychoanalytical POV
Star Trek's central trio of Kirk, Spock and McCoy perhaps accidentally formed a metaphor for human nature; Spock the cool, unemotional 'Superego', McCoy the emotional 'Id' and Kirk the ruling Ego mediating between them. -- http://www.totaldvd.net/features/genre/200204Trek.php
The relationship between Kirk, Spock, and McCoy is the cornerstone of TOS. They are called archetypes, though perhaps the ancient Rhetoric terms fit best: logos (logical Spock), ethos (ethical Kirk), and pathos (emotional McCoy.) The qualities clash and combine to make for fascinating viewing. -- http://www.akindofmagic.ca/spock/trinity.html
Roddenberry's POV
Kirk, Spock McCoy triad to be the dramatic embodiment of the parts of one person: logic, emotion, and the balance between them [pragmatism]. You cannot have an internal monolog on the screen, so that is a way of personifying it, getting it out where it can be seen - that internal debate which we all have within. -- Roddenberry
The History Buff POV
The heroic male triad that matured through the original three-season run, an animated series, professional novels, and seven feature films reflects an earlier soldiers' tri-partnership, namely the core Arthurian relationship of Arthur, Lancelot, and Gawain.[…]
http://www.popthought.com/display_column.asp?DAID=504
A Look at Episodes
Right from the start with "Where no man has gone before", there is a great atmosphere between Kirk and Spock. Then, in "Corbomite Maneuver", McCoy gets added to the mix, who is on friendly terms with Kirk. The interaction between Spock and McCoy evolves from a rather relaxed start towards more griping as the writers used the natural interaction between the two characters for caustic debates and battles with words. But Spock and McCoy quickly unite if they need to save their captain. And for all the moments where McCoy criticizes Spock; if anyone else does the same - including Kirk - McCoy is the first one to defend Spock.
Metamorphosis (31)
This episode is a lot about tolerance of other life forms and love forms, and as such important for the whole TOS concept. Kirk, Spock, McCoy and the female Commissioner Hedford are forced to land on a forgotten planet, where they meet Cochrane. They find out that the Companion, a life form based on energy, wanted to arrange some company for the stranded man. Cochrane is shocked to learn that the Companion is female and loves him - an alien!
COCHRANE
Is this what the future holds, men who have no notion of decency or morality? Maybe I'm 150 years out of style, but I'm not going to be fodder for any inhuman monster."
The Enterprise people, however, are surprised about his "totally parochial attitude", as Spock calls it. For them, love between an alien life form and humans (or Vulcans?!) would be something normal, obviously. For me the ultimate episode to show that homophobia would have no place in a Trek universe.
Bread and Circuses (43)
Most interesting is the good work between Spock and Bones, which wants to ask the question of just which of their personal feelings their acerbic banter arises from. -- Jammer's Review http://www.st-hypertext.com/tos/tos-2rev.html
This episode is full of interesting interaction between McCoy and Spock, with some great lines, like:
FLAVIUS
Are they enemies, Captain?
KIRK
I'm not sure they're sure
Later, in a cell without Kirk, Spock checks the bars over and over, anything but a controlled Vulcan. McCoy, who wants to thank him for saving his life in the arena, gets annoyed about Spock's impolite retort.
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.
SPOCK
Really, Doctor? (long silence)
McCOY (calming down)
I know. I'm worried about Jim, too.
One cannot help wondering who's worrying more about whom…
The Immunity Syndrome (48)
When the Enterprise gets swallowed by a gigantic cell in space, Kirk has to decide whether to send Spock or McCoy on a possibly deadly mission. He chooses Spock, because the Vulcan's physiology and strength is his plus, in comparison to McCoy's medical knowledge. There is a great good-bye scene between Spock and McCoy.
SPOCK
…] employ one of your own superstitions. Wish me luck.
(Without getting an answer, Spock finally leaves for the shuttle. The door closes.)
McCOY (whispers into the silent lift)
Good luck, Spock.
McCoy looks very concerned here, and you can feel his regret about not having been able to tell those words right into Spock's face.
Later, Kirk and McCoy are on the bridge, united in their worries about Spock. In the end, they rescue him in the last minute. There is another very telling scene for the Spock-McCoy relationship:
SPOCK
Captain, I recommend you abandon the attempt. Do not risk the ship further on my behalf.
MCCOY
Shut up, Spock! We're rescuing you.
SPOCK
Why, thank you, Captain McCoy.
The Omega Glory (54)
That odd CPR both McCoy and Kirk give Spock was interesting. Wish they could have shown more, and not have so much of it be off-camera. -- catalenarama
Although this episode is beyond the most criticized, it actually has some great scenes in it. Kirk, Spock and McCoy have to fight the mentally ill ex-Starfleet Captain Tracy who actively works against them in the end. Lots of hurt/comfort. Ignore the silly parts of the plotline when watching ;)
The Empath (63)
When the already tortured Kirk is forced to make a decision if he should order Spock or McCoy into a possibly deadly lab rat test situation, McCoy takes his choice (and then Spock's) away and sacrifices himself for his friends. Only in the last minute he can be healed by the empath they had called Gem.
Part of the debated third season, this episode is so "open" that every shipper within the K, S, Mc angle can pick it is as proof for his own preferred pairing. It has a strong K/S/Mc edge to it with lots of hurt/comfort elements, and as such is the birth hour of several fan fictions centered on McCoy or the triangle of friends / lovers, like in the story Acknowledgement by Vanasati or the zine story "Heart of the Beast" in "Shades of Grey 2".
The Tholian Web (64)
Kirk gets lost in space and time…and Spock and McCoy have to deal with the situation. There is a great scene when they watch a tape that Kirk has left for them.
Bones, Spock...since you are playing this tape, we will assume that I am dead, that the tactical situation is critical, and both of you are locked in mortal combat.
It means, Spock, that you have control of the ship and are probably making the most difficult decisions of your career. I can offer only one small piece of advice, for whatever it's worth--
Use every scrap of knowledge and logic you have to save the ship. But temper your judgment with intuitive insight. I believe you have those qualities, but if you can't find them in yourself,
seek out McCoy. Ask his advice. And if you find it sound, take it.
Bones, you've heard what I've just told Spock. Help him if you can, but remember, he is the captain. His decisions must be followed without question. You might find that he is capable of human insight and human error. They are most difficult to defend, but you will find that he is deserving of the same loyalty and confidence each of you have given me.
Take care.
-- Kirk's "testament" in "The Tholian Web"
In another telling scene, McCoy loses again control for a moment, but instantly calms down. Spock's answer to his apology is, "I understand, Doctor. I'm sure the captain would simply have said, 'Forget it, Bones'." It is Spock's way to connect with McCoy on the human level, even if he still needs the workaround with Kirk. It shows again - their strength lies in their united differences.
A Look at the Movies
Personally, while I see the friendship all over the TOS episodes, I think the movies are the right canon ground for the sexual triad. At that time, there are also no more interfering women around:
Although we learn of Kirk's old relationship with Carol Marcus in ST II, there is nothing between them anymore. Gillian Taylor in ST IV is nothing more than a gimmick and Kirk's flirting the necessary means to get to the whales. Kirk is also maturing from his "All I love is my ship" syndrome. Spock begins to accept his human feelings in TMP, but is without any female love interest in all the movies (besides some weird vibes with Valeris). McCoy is also without any women far and wide, but at Kirk's side all of the movie time.
The katra transfer between Spock and McCoy in ST II prepares the ground for several K/S/Mc fictions (see below). There is also a very touching scene between McCoy and the still unconscious Spock onboard of the Enterprise, where McCoy says that he's not sure if he could bear losing Spock again.
By The Final Frontier, Kirk, Spock, and McCoy realize they are mistaken in assuming they don't have families. They have each other! The three don't separate for a moment in this story, whether confronting evil godlike beings or camping out in Yosemite National Park. Their relationship remains dynamic - their ideals, views, and personalities still conflicting - but their acceptance of and affection for one another holds them together, whatever the universe throws at them. The Holy Trinity indeed. -- http://www.akindofmagic.ca/spock/trinity.html
Especially the ending of ST V with a campy scene with bonfire and marshmallows is a classic, inviting K/S/Mc ideas.
In ST VI, there is a lot of Kirk-McCoy interaction, as well as some strong scenes with all three. When Spock and Kirk face Valeris in sickbay, McCoy comes around a dark corner - he had been waiting with them. And the end of the movie, Spock asks McCoy to help him doing surgery on a torpedo. One has to wonder where McCoy got his sudden technical skills from…
The Fan Fiction
Saying that you're a fan of K/S/Mc gets you all kind of weird gazes. Especially from the two biggest groups, the K/S fans and the S/Mc fans. Many S/Mc fans are not keen of Kirk in the mixture, and they expect that K/S/Mc will always be K/S+Mc.
I have a stubborn streak in me about McCoy. I didn't want to pair him with anyone I figured would take advantage of him (either knowingly or unknowingly.) I started writing slash because of how appealing he was, but I paired him first with my own character, not Kirk or Spock. I couldn't see either of them with him for a long time (years). Later, I could slash Spock with McCoy, but only after the katra thing and a less innocent, more mature side of Spock emerged. […] I wanted McCoy to have someone of his own and not have to share or be a lesser partner. This is probably why I have read virtually no trio-slash. I just kinda assume that Kirk and Spock will be the main pairing and McCoy will get leftovers. -- K.V.Wylie
The K/S fans, on the other side, usually see K/S as canon and cannot imagine McCoy to participate. Many also just don't see McCoy in a sexual way, or have issues with McCoy's personality. As a result, there are many threesome stories that have a kind of main pairing.
Permutation of a Theme I - Kirk/Spock+McCoy
I wasn't a McCoy fan to begin with, but after I'd seen all three actors at Cons, I found him far the most appealing. Nimoy had a very protective aura to try and guard his privacy, Shatner a big glitzy I AM A STAR one that kept you just as far away. Kelley had no barrier at all that I could discern. He was just the sweetest guy in person, very kind and respectful of the audience. Wonderful at handling any little uncomfortable bit. He wasn't dark and dangerous sexy at all, but very cuddly, put him in your pocket and take him home sexy. So I ended up writing some threesome slash because of how appealing he was. -- G.F., threesome writer of the 80's, in personal mail
K/S+Mc fiction often tends toward "pity sex" for McCoy because he is hurt or depressed, something McCoy fans aren't that eager to read for obvious reasons, especially if McCoy is written as non-functional, disturbed alcoholic (makes one wonder how long a person like him would be friend with K/S and hold the position of CMO onboard of the Starfleet's flagship). But not every hurt/comfort story is a pity sex story, and the interpretation is very personal.
The biggest zine source for threesome stories is the "Shades of Grey" series of five zines from Asidozines, where K/S/Mc stories are the most prominent group. In the rare K/S zine "Cosmic Collected", there is also a very good K/S+Mc story, including two great art pieces.
There are several stories that start from ST II/III, e.g. the online stories Silent Companion and Choices.
An unusual story is "T'hy'li" in "Shades of Grey 5", because it is one of the few that shows a fully developed and thought-through polyamorous relationship with a primary partner (Kirk) and a secondary partner (McCoy) to Spock. Such a relationship is not everyone's cup of tea, but uneven doesn't necessarily mean imbalanced, and McCoy gets along very well with this construction here. It is a K/S, S/Mc triangle setting with very little connection between Kirk and McCoy.
Permutation of a Theme II - Spock/McCoy+Kirk
S/Mc+K is often based on the movies ST II/III, where McCoy carries Spock's Katra - something that can be read as an intimate super-mindmeld. E.g., the threesome zine "In Triplicate" (available from Asidozines) starts here, but develops into K/S+S/Mc afterwards.
But there are also other settings. Karmen Ghia's After the Rescue series that starts with S/Mc after the episode "Galileo Seven", and Kirk is introduced into their relationship much later. It's quite a saga with many original characters too.
The Prayer of St. Francis by Lyrastar is a S/Mc story with a strong K/Mc, K/S angle in it, as both men have feelings for Kirk, but Kirk is keeping apart from them. It ends with Spock's death in ST II, which leaves the future development open for the mind of an inventive reader.
The degree of K/Mc interaction largely varies; often, it is more of a K/S, S/Mc triangle with the K/Mc angle the weakest connection.
Permutation of a Theme III - Kirk/McCoy+Spock
What prompted me to start writing K/Mc was seeing the body language in many of the eps and realizing that even though Kirk and Spock were obviously falling in love with each other, Kirk and McCoy often acted like an old married couple. This could just as well be explained by a long-standing friendship of course. But it was more fun to write them as lovers. But as I said in the preface to one of the stories, Spock just wouldn't stay out of the picture, so eventually they had to all get together.--Liz
There is actually only one series that starts with Kirk/McCoy and then adds Spock to the mixture (after ST IV), and this is the wonderful Trinity series by Liz. This comes very close to my own preferred vision of the three; but I was converted by this writer, so I'm strongly biased :)
Permutation of a Theme IV - Kirk/Spock/McCoy
Personally, I prefer threesome stories where they get together at the same time, forming a true K/S/Mc triangle with a strong connection between all three characters and doing all three characters justice. Such zine stories are for example "Shades of Grey" in "Shades of Grey 4" and the funnier story "Ramasq City Stud"in "Shades of Grey 5".
One of the best online stories - in my opinion - is T'Thrill's book-size series Under the Sun (especially part 1-3)
‘No turning back,’ they had agreed. There would be no turning back. Whatever may come, they would face it together. It had to be. They completed each other. -- excerpt from T'Thrill's "Under the Sun Series", Part 2 "Life is but a Dream")
If you want to have fun, try Ho ho ho by jonk or read the Dr. Birch series of Scarlet.
While there is little true K/S/Mc fiction around, there are some great stories for K&S&Mc to be found in the GEN area of trek. Those often show more of the emotional glue between the three than the slash stories do, e.g. the story The Greatest Gift by Valerie Piacentini. You can also look out for GEN zines - I especially recommend "The Third Wheel" by C.R.F. in "Interphase 4, and the complete "Interphase 3" zine for lots of McCoy.
For me…
…the triad is the most beautiful way to ship my favorite TOS characters all at once. I've written some K/S and much S/Mc and K/Mc, but good, i.e. well-balanced K/S/Mc remains the culmination of TOS fan fiction for me. It's like having the cake and eating it and having extra cream and cherries on top. It's the hottest and most intensive thing I can imagine.
Conclusion
Canon says they stick together through thick and thin. They share minds, juggle katras and roast marshmallows together. They work together over three decades, each of them ready to sacrifice his life or career for the other two, if needed. I say, they belong together. So let's give them the satisfaction and happiness they all deserve :)
Almost the "real thing" ;) -- Nimoy, Kelley and Shatner 1995 at a convention
Where to Find More
http://www.syredronning.de/kirk_mccoy.html#ksmclinks - my hub of everything concerning K/S/Mc (and K/Mc)
Here you can find:
- links to all available online stories
- zine information and recs
- episode tidbits and plot bunnies
- pairing discussion
Unfortunately, the few existing K/S/Mc art pieces were published in zines and I'm not allowed to distribute them. Two wonderful pieces can be found in "Shades of Grey 5" (unfortunately coming with a pity sex story), and another two great pieces can be found in "Cosmic Collected" accompanying the threesome story "Between Friends".
Thanks for reading! :)
***
Title: More than the Sum of Its Parts
Author: Acidqueen aka syredronning
Fandom: Star Trek - The Original Series
Pairing: Kirk/Spock/McCoy
Spoilers: For many TOS episodes and movies as well as for some online and zine stories.
Disclaimer: Although I sampled voices of other fans, this essay is written from my POV and shows my idea how I perceive the triad. Your mileage may vary :)
I'm using a lot of quotes. I also include some references to the actors as to show how the characters were influenced by them, but that's not to imply RPS.
More than the Sum of Its Parts - Kirk/Spock/McCoy
Well of course Kirk, Spock and McCoy belong together!! I think that in all of the fandoms they are the three MOST likely to get together as a threesome. [..] I think in a lot of threesome fic there is one character that kind of acts as the 'glue' of the relationship. At least for me. I guess in K/S/Mc you don't really need one because I can see any of the three possible pairings working - K/S, K/Mc, S/Mc. -- nikita79
(From the episode "Charlie X")
The Parts
The three leading characters in a nutshell, as cited from a website:
Captain Kirk: To be the captain of a starship means that you are responsible for the lives of over 400 crewmembers. This kind of responsibility takes a great man. James T. Kirk is the perfect man for the job. As Roddenberry put it: "A colorful and complex personality, he is capable of action and decision which can verge on the heroic -- and at the same time, lives a continual battle with self-doubt and the loneliness of command." He is emotionally driven, and a great contrast to the next character in the trinity.
Mr. Spock: Spock is from the planet Vulcan. It is a planet that was nearly destroyed by it's passionate ancestors over 2,000 years ago. Because of this, the Vulcan people turned to logic and turned away from emotion. They do have emotion, but it is deeply suppressed. Spock is biologically half Human, but has embraced his Vulcan side more than his Human side. He is highly intelligent, and is considered the best science officer in the fleet. Logic drives his decisions, but there is an internal conflict with his Human side.
Dr. McCoy: Leonard McCoy is perhaps the most Human of the three. Although a cynic on the surface, McCoy is a deeply compassionate man. He is the Enterprise's chief medical officer, and often doubles as psychiatrist. He is almost the exact opposite of Spock, whom he has many playful arguments with. Dr. McCoy is a southern man, and subscribes to the "old south" way of doctoring. His southern accent is apparent when under stress.
-- http://www.frizbay.com/ Nov 14/2004
The Interaction of the Parts
Kirk/Spock
Much has been said and written about them - if you need the big picture, take a look at Killa's wonderful K/S ship manifesto for argumentation and links. Kirk and Spock are the main slash pairing in TOS, even the one where the word SLASH originated from. This has led to an overwhelming amount of K/S fiction in TOS. But thanks to the internet, there are more pairings visible now.
Spock/McCoy
I think the surface quarreling [between Spock and McCoy] is the fun of testing each other's ideas. Very often, people who are very deeply affectionate with each other have a surface fight going all the time. I have dear friends who I would never in a thousand years refer to in any way other than 'you ugly bastard'. - Roddenberry in Star Trek Lives, 1975
The position of adversaries, opponents in logic and emotion but still friends who care for each other makes this pairing easy to see for some people. And even fans of a straighter McCoy get along with Spock, probably because his alieness puts him out of the traditional inter-human "gay" pattern.
There exist many online stories with S/Mc, some of the best written by Marcy aka Kelthammer and by Ainzfern. You can find most of online S/Mc linked in the SpockMcCoyDen, as well as episode tidbits and argumentation. Since this pairing has no ship manifesto so far, I want to give here the five strongest TOS scenes where the friendship and caring between Spock and McCoy is especially visible - for me at least:
Miri - Spock and McCoy work together on the medical problem. When McCoy injects himself with the probable medicine and faints, Spock finds him, is very worried, and holds his hand unusually long and tenderly.
Friday's Child - Spock looks very irritated by the behavior of Eleen, the pregnant wife of a tribe leader. McCoy delivers the child and later places it into Spock's arms. Spock doesn't know what to make of it.
Mirror Mirror - McCoy sees it has his duty to save the Mirror-Spock, telling Kirk, "He is very much like our own Mr. Spock, isn't he?" Then Mirror Spock forces a mind-meld on him.
By Any Other Name - Lots of S/Mc interaction, while Kirk is busy seducing the chick of the week.
All Our Yesterdays - While there is conflict between Spock and McCoy, it has a lot of interaction between them. McCoy seems to be jealous, but not because he wants Zarabeth…
Kirk/McCoy
I've written lengthily about this pairing in my own K/Mc essay. In my opinion, if it weren't for Spock, this would be the main slash pairing of TOS. But as it is, Kirk/McCoy has become the rarest pairing, not the least because of their quite complex interaction, which is lingering between "tenderness and awkwardness". (I also have the theory that there is less intersection between McCoy and Kirk fans than there is between McCoy and Spock fans, but I don't have any numbers to prove it.)
The Whole Triumvirate
A triumvirate is a group of three people who work together, especially when they are in charge of something; a formal word. -- Collins English Dictionary
The Background
Whenever trek fans discuss the original series, the triumvirate or triad of Kirk-Spock-McCoy is usually in the center right next to Kirk-Spock. There are diverging stories as to the "how and why". As far as I can see, Roddenberry didn't start with the idea of Kirk-Spock being two parts of the whole or - later - Kirk-Spock-McCoy as the ideal, well-balanced person. There was chemistry between all three actors right from the start.
And just the same, McCoy became part of the essential glue of Star Trek. Citations from the TOS Season 2 DVD Special: Kirk-Spock-McCoy - Startrek's Greatest Trio:
DeForest Kelley was not top-ranked in billing in the first season. His credit moved up to opening credits at the second season. But as we worked with those characters, we realized that we needed McCoy more to balance the group. Also, it was a matter of just bringing the human level to the problem, with Spock being the outsider commenting from an alien point of view and Kirk being the man of action at all times, and of course the leader. --
[…] We saw how the relationship between all three was vital to the stories. It became a thing where, as we went along, we found the relationships and the one between Spock and McCoy was a lot of fun. There were taunts and little insults that were fun. They added to the characters and they sparked the scripts, they gave spice to the scripts. So we developed that; as long as it worked, we said, "Let's use it". -- Dorothy Fontana,
The Interpretations
You can find lots of articles about the triumvirate as long as you don't look for slash but for general TOS discussion. Pick what you like best :)
The psychoanalytical POV
Star Trek's central trio of Kirk, Spock and McCoy perhaps accidentally formed a metaphor for human nature; Spock the cool, unemotional 'Superego', McCoy the emotional 'Id' and Kirk the ruling Ego mediating between them. -- http://www.totaldvd.net/features/genre/200204Trek.php
The relationship between Kirk, Spock, and McCoy is the cornerstone of TOS. They are called archetypes, though perhaps the ancient Rhetoric terms fit best: logos (logical Spock), ethos (ethical Kirk), and pathos (emotional McCoy.) The qualities clash and combine to make for fascinating viewing. -- http://www.akindofmagic.ca/spock/trinity.html
Roddenberry's POV
Kirk, Spock McCoy triad to be the dramatic embodiment of the parts of one person: logic, emotion, and the balance between them [pragmatism]. You cannot have an internal monolog on the screen, so that is a way of personifying it, getting it out where it can be seen - that internal debate which we all have within. -- Roddenberry
The History Buff POV
The heroic male triad that matured through the original three-season run, an animated series, professional novels, and seven feature films reflects an earlier soldiers' tri-partnership, namely the core Arthurian relationship of Arthur, Lancelot, and Gawain.[…]
http://www.popthought.com/display_column.asp?DAID=504
A Look at Episodes
Right from the start with "Where no man has gone before", there is a great atmosphere between Kirk and Spock. Then, in "Corbomite Maneuver", McCoy gets added to the mix, who is on friendly terms with Kirk. The interaction between Spock and McCoy evolves from a rather relaxed start towards more griping as the writers used the natural interaction between the two characters for caustic debates and battles with words. But Spock and McCoy quickly unite if they need to save their captain. And for all the moments where McCoy criticizes Spock; if anyone else does the same - including Kirk - McCoy is the first one to defend Spock.
Metamorphosis (31)
This episode is a lot about tolerance of other life forms and love forms, and as such important for the whole TOS concept. Kirk, Spock, McCoy and the female Commissioner Hedford are forced to land on a forgotten planet, where they meet Cochrane. They find out that the Companion, a life form based on energy, wanted to arrange some company for the stranded man. Cochrane is shocked to learn that the Companion is female and loves him - an alien!
COCHRANE
Is this what the future holds, men who have no notion of decency or morality? Maybe I'm 150 years out of style, but I'm not going to be fodder for any inhuman monster."
The Enterprise people, however, are surprised about his "totally parochial attitude", as Spock calls it. For them, love between an alien life form and humans (or Vulcans?!) would be something normal, obviously. For me the ultimate episode to show that homophobia would have no place in a Trek universe.
Bread and Circuses (43)
Most interesting is the good work between Spock and Bones, which wants to ask the question of just which of their personal feelings their acerbic banter arises from. -- Jammer's Review http://www.st-hypertext.com/tos/tos-2rev.html
This episode is full of interesting interaction between McCoy and Spock, with some great lines, like:
FLAVIUS
Are they enemies, Captain?
KIRK
I'm not sure they're sure
Later, in a cell without Kirk, Spock checks the bars over and over, anything but a controlled Vulcan. McCoy, who wants to thank him for saving his life in the arena, gets annoyed about Spock's impolite retort.
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.
SPOCK
Really, Doctor? (long silence)
McCOY (calming down)
I know. I'm worried about Jim, too.
One cannot help wondering who's worrying more about whom…
The Immunity Syndrome (48)
When the Enterprise gets swallowed by a gigantic cell in space, Kirk has to decide whether to send Spock or McCoy on a possibly deadly mission. He chooses Spock, because the Vulcan's physiology and strength is his plus, in comparison to McCoy's medical knowledge. There is a great good-bye scene between Spock and McCoy.
SPOCK
…] employ one of your own superstitions. Wish me luck.
(Without getting an answer, Spock finally leaves for the shuttle. The door closes.)
McCOY (whispers into the silent lift)
Good luck, Spock.
McCoy looks very concerned here, and you can feel his regret about not having been able to tell those words right into Spock's face.
Later, Kirk and McCoy are on the bridge, united in their worries about Spock. In the end, they rescue him in the last minute. There is another very telling scene for the Spock-McCoy relationship:
SPOCK
Captain, I recommend you abandon the attempt. Do not risk the ship further on my behalf.
MCCOY
Shut up, Spock! We're rescuing you.
SPOCK
Why, thank you, Captain McCoy.
The Omega Glory (54)
That odd CPR both McCoy and Kirk give Spock was interesting. Wish they could have shown more, and not have so much of it be off-camera. -- catalenarama
Although this episode is beyond the most criticized, it actually has some great scenes in it. Kirk, Spock and McCoy have to fight the mentally ill ex-Starfleet Captain Tracy who actively works against them in the end. Lots of hurt/comfort. Ignore the silly parts of the plotline when watching ;)
The Empath (63)
When the already tortured Kirk is forced to make a decision if he should order Spock or McCoy into a possibly deadly lab rat test situation, McCoy takes his choice (and then Spock's) away and sacrifices himself for his friends. Only in the last minute he can be healed by the empath they had called Gem.
Part of the debated third season, this episode is so "open" that every shipper within the K, S, Mc angle can pick it is as proof for his own preferred pairing. It has a strong K/S/Mc edge to it with lots of hurt/comfort elements, and as such is the birth hour of several fan fictions centered on McCoy or the triangle of friends / lovers, like in the story Acknowledgement by Vanasati or the zine story "Heart of the Beast" in "Shades of Grey 2".
The Tholian Web (64)
Kirk gets lost in space and time…and Spock and McCoy have to deal with the situation. There is a great scene when they watch a tape that Kirk has left for them.
Bones, Spock...since you are playing this tape, we will assume that I am dead, that the tactical situation is critical, and both of you are locked in mortal combat.
It means, Spock, that you have control of the ship and are probably making the most difficult decisions of your career. I can offer only one small piece of advice, for whatever it's worth--
Use every scrap of knowledge and logic you have to save the ship. But temper your judgment with intuitive insight. I believe you have those qualities, but if you can't find them in yourself,
seek out McCoy. Ask his advice. And if you find it sound, take it.
Bones, you've heard what I've just told Spock. Help him if you can, but remember, he is the captain. His decisions must be followed without question. You might find that he is capable of human insight and human error. They are most difficult to defend, but you will find that he is deserving of the same loyalty and confidence each of you have given me.
Take care.
-- Kirk's "testament" in "The Tholian Web"
In another telling scene, McCoy loses again control for a moment, but instantly calms down. Spock's answer to his apology is, "I understand, Doctor. I'm sure the captain would simply have said, 'Forget it, Bones'." It is Spock's way to connect with McCoy on the human level, even if he still needs the workaround with Kirk. It shows again - their strength lies in their united differences.
A Look at the Movies
Personally, while I see the friendship all over the TOS episodes, I think the movies are the right canon ground for the sexual triad. At that time, there are also no more interfering women around:
Although we learn of Kirk's old relationship with Carol Marcus in ST II, there is nothing between them anymore. Gillian Taylor in ST IV is nothing more than a gimmick and Kirk's flirting the necessary means to get to the whales. Kirk is also maturing from his "All I love is my ship" syndrome. Spock begins to accept his human feelings in TMP, but is without any female love interest in all the movies (besides some weird vibes with Valeris). McCoy is also without any women far and wide, but at Kirk's side all of the movie time.
The katra transfer between Spock and McCoy in ST II prepares the ground for several K/S/Mc fictions (see below). There is also a very touching scene between McCoy and the still unconscious Spock onboard of the Enterprise, where McCoy says that he's not sure if he could bear losing Spock again.
By The Final Frontier, Kirk, Spock, and McCoy realize they are mistaken in assuming they don't have families. They have each other! The three don't separate for a moment in this story, whether confronting evil godlike beings or camping out in Yosemite National Park. Their relationship remains dynamic - their ideals, views, and personalities still conflicting - but their acceptance of and affection for one another holds them together, whatever the universe throws at them. The Holy Trinity indeed. -- http://www.akindofmagic.ca/spock/trinity.html
Especially the ending of ST V with a campy scene with bonfire and marshmallows is a classic, inviting K/S/Mc ideas.
In ST VI, there is a lot of Kirk-McCoy interaction, as well as some strong scenes with all three. When Spock and Kirk face Valeris in sickbay, McCoy comes around a dark corner - he had been waiting with them. And the end of the movie, Spock asks McCoy to help him doing surgery on a torpedo. One has to wonder where McCoy got his sudden technical skills from…
The Fan Fiction
Saying that you're a fan of K/S/Mc gets you all kind of weird gazes. Especially from the two biggest groups, the K/S fans and the S/Mc fans. Many S/Mc fans are not keen of Kirk in the mixture, and they expect that K/S/Mc will always be K/S+Mc.
I have a stubborn streak in me about McCoy. I didn't want to pair him with anyone I figured would take advantage of him (either knowingly or unknowingly.) I started writing slash because of how appealing he was, but I paired him first with my own character, not Kirk or Spock. I couldn't see either of them with him for a long time (years). Later, I could slash Spock with McCoy, but only after the katra thing and a less innocent, more mature side of Spock emerged. […] I wanted McCoy to have someone of his own and not have to share or be a lesser partner. This is probably why I have read virtually no trio-slash. I just kinda assume that Kirk and Spock will be the main pairing and McCoy will get leftovers. -- K.V.Wylie
The K/S fans, on the other side, usually see K/S as canon and cannot imagine McCoy to participate. Many also just don't see McCoy in a sexual way, or have issues with McCoy's personality. As a result, there are many threesome stories that have a kind of main pairing.
Permutation of a Theme I - Kirk/Spock+McCoy
I wasn't a McCoy fan to begin with, but after I'd seen all three actors at Cons, I found him far the most appealing. Nimoy had a very protective aura to try and guard his privacy, Shatner a big glitzy I AM A STAR one that kept you just as far away. Kelley had no barrier at all that I could discern. He was just the sweetest guy in person, very kind and respectful of the audience. Wonderful at handling any little uncomfortable bit. He wasn't dark and dangerous sexy at all, but very cuddly, put him in your pocket and take him home sexy. So I ended up writing some threesome slash because of how appealing he was. -- G.F., threesome writer of the 80's, in personal mail
K/S+Mc fiction often tends toward "pity sex" for McCoy because he is hurt or depressed, something McCoy fans aren't that eager to read for obvious reasons, especially if McCoy is written as non-functional, disturbed alcoholic (makes one wonder how long a person like him would be friend with K/S and hold the position of CMO onboard of the Starfleet's flagship). But not every hurt/comfort story is a pity sex story, and the interpretation is very personal.
The biggest zine source for threesome stories is the "Shades of Grey" series of five zines from Asidozines, where K/S/Mc stories are the most prominent group. In the rare K/S zine "Cosmic Collected", there is also a very good K/S+Mc story, including two great art pieces.
There are several stories that start from ST II/III, e.g. the online stories Silent Companion and Choices.
An unusual story is "T'hy'li" in "Shades of Grey 5", because it is one of the few that shows a fully developed and thought-through polyamorous relationship with a primary partner (Kirk) and a secondary partner (McCoy) to Spock. Such a relationship is not everyone's cup of tea, but uneven doesn't necessarily mean imbalanced, and McCoy gets along very well with this construction here. It is a K/S, S/Mc triangle setting with very little connection between Kirk and McCoy.
Permutation of a Theme II - Spock/McCoy+Kirk
S/Mc+K is often based on the movies ST II/III, where McCoy carries Spock's Katra - something that can be read as an intimate super-mindmeld. E.g., the threesome zine "In Triplicate" (available from Asidozines) starts here, but develops into K/S+S/Mc afterwards.
But there are also other settings. Karmen Ghia's After the Rescue series that starts with S/Mc after the episode "Galileo Seven", and Kirk is introduced into their relationship much later. It's quite a saga with many original characters too.
The Prayer of St. Francis by Lyrastar is a S/Mc story with a strong K/Mc, K/S angle in it, as both men have feelings for Kirk, but Kirk is keeping apart from them. It ends with Spock's death in ST II, which leaves the future development open for the mind of an inventive reader.
The degree of K/Mc interaction largely varies; often, it is more of a K/S, S/Mc triangle with the K/Mc angle the weakest connection.
Permutation of a Theme III - Kirk/McCoy+Spock
What prompted me to start writing K/Mc was seeing the body language in many of the eps and realizing that even though Kirk and Spock were obviously falling in love with each other, Kirk and McCoy often acted like an old married couple. This could just as well be explained by a long-standing friendship of course. But it was more fun to write them as lovers. But as I said in the preface to one of the stories, Spock just wouldn't stay out of the picture, so eventually they had to all get together.--Liz
There is actually only one series that starts with Kirk/McCoy and then adds Spock to the mixture (after ST IV), and this is the wonderful Trinity series by Liz. This comes very close to my own preferred vision of the three; but I was converted by this writer, so I'm strongly biased :)
Permutation of a Theme IV - Kirk/Spock/McCoy
Personally, I prefer threesome stories where they get together at the same time, forming a true K/S/Mc triangle with a strong connection between all three characters and doing all three characters justice. Such zine stories are for example "Shades of Grey" in "Shades of Grey 4" and the funnier story "Ramasq City Stud"in "Shades of Grey 5".
One of the best online stories - in my opinion - is T'Thrill's book-size series Under the Sun (especially part 1-3)
‘No turning back,’ they had agreed. There would be no turning back. Whatever may come, they would face it together. It had to be. They completed each other. -- excerpt from T'Thrill's "Under the Sun Series", Part 2 "Life is but a Dream")
If you want to have fun, try Ho ho ho by jonk or read the Dr. Birch series of Scarlet.
While there is little true K/S/Mc fiction around, there are some great stories for K&S&Mc to be found in the GEN area of trek. Those often show more of the emotional glue between the three than the slash stories do, e.g. the story The Greatest Gift by Valerie Piacentini. You can also look out for GEN zines - I especially recommend "The Third Wheel" by C.R.F. in "Interphase 4, and the complete "Interphase 3" zine for lots of McCoy.
For me…
…the triad is the most beautiful way to ship my favorite TOS characters all at once. I've written some K/S and much S/Mc and K/Mc, but good, i.e. well-balanced K/S/Mc remains the culmination of TOS fan fiction for me. It's like having the cake and eating it and having extra cream and cherries on top. It's the hottest and most intensive thing I can imagine.
Conclusion
Canon says they stick together through thick and thin. They share minds, juggle katras and roast marshmallows together. They work together over three decades, each of them ready to sacrifice his life or career for the other two, if needed. I say, they belong together. So let's give them the satisfaction and happiness they all deserve :)
Almost the "real thing" ;) -- Nimoy, Kelley and Shatner 1995 at a convention
Where to Find More
http://www.syredronning.de/kirk_mccoy.html#ksmclinks - my hub of everything concerning K/S/Mc (and K/Mc)
Here you can find:
- links to all available online stories
- zine information and recs
- episode tidbits and plot bunnies
- pairing discussion
Unfortunately, the few existing K/S/Mc art pieces were published in zines and I'm not allowed to distribute them. Two wonderful pieces can be found in "Shades of Grey 5" (unfortunately coming with a pity sex story), and another two great pieces can be found in "Cosmic Collected" accompanying the threesome story "Between Friends".
Thanks for reading! :)
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