"I have been and always shall be...your friend"

[starryeyedmagic]

2 weeks ago I had never seen one single episode/film of any version of Star Trek. Ever. The only thing I knew about it was that it involved characters named Kirk and Spock who were apparently similar to the ambiguously gay duo. And someone named Scotty beamed people up.
Oh! I also knew that LaVar Burton from Reading Rainbow was in TNG and played a guy who sported swanky 3D glasses (because he was possibly blind?)

2 weeks ago I lost my Star Trek virginity. This started with my watching the top 10 eps of TOS (top 10 according to various Trekkies all over the interwebs) and possibly 2 of the original films.
...Somehow that ended up turning into me watching approximately 30 episodes of TOS and ALL 6 ORIGINAL FILMS. TV is on summer hiatus so there's nothing else on! And I haven't been going out a ton after work due to my current lack of finances. That is my defense.

BUT DO YOU GUYS EVEN KNOW HOW MUCH INFORMATION THAT IS?! ALL WITHIN A 2 WEEK SPAN?! MY BRAIN IS ABOUT TO EXPLODE!
It is kind of like Alan Tudyk in the season finale of Dollhouse. Or in the s1 finale of Doctor Who when Rose was GLOWING.

IT IS TOO MUCH!
It made seeing the new film kind of a strange experience. I basically experienced it like I was a Trekkie. BECAUSE I REMEMBER EVERYTHING! I remember everything like it was yesterday. Because it literally was. lol.
Of course, this will not last. I am not really a Trekkie (despite what this entry may suggest). Next month if you ask me about something ST related I'll probably just be like, "umm...I think Sylar has pointy ears? Or something?"

SO THIS ENTRY IS MY NERD EXPLOSION! BE PREPARED! THIS ENDS IN A HUGE NERD EJACULATION!





THE CHARACTERS

Captain Fine



+ First of all, GUUUUUUH
+ I really enjoy Chris' voice. He has that wraspy Jack Nicholson/Christian Slater thing goin' on.
+ I loooooved the slightly new direction they took the character in. Well, actually it wasn't new at all. It was perfectly in character.
Here is Hitler freaking over Kirk in the movie and I just want to be like "CHILL 'DOLF, THIS HAS ALWAYS BEEN HIS CHARACTER! ALL THEY DID WAS UP THE HOTNESS FACTOR!"
+ For example, that test that Kirk cheats on? Star Trek II begins with Kirstie Alley (lolol) taking the test and when she eventually fails Kirk is like:

Kirk: No worries. Only 1 person in the history of Starfleet has ever passed this test. And that was me!
Spock: Yea, because you cheated. lol.
Kirk: Nah, I just don't believe in 'No Win' situations.

(At the end of II Kirk does finally realize the meaning of a 'no win' situation which is why it is brought up at all...but I'll talk about that later).

+ BUT YEA, IT WAS SO AMAZING TO ACTUALLY SEE HIM CHEAT ON THE TEST HE TALKED ABOUT (multiple times) IN ST II!



+ OVERALL REBOOT!KIRK = DEFINITE UPGRADE



um...it was kind of a large UPGRADE

The Logical One



+ HE IS THE HBIC, true story
+ When I saw the trailers(after watching TOS) I was a little worried as to why Spock seemed so emotional. But the way they did it was kind of perfect. The only things in TOS/original films that he ever showed any outward emotion about was 1) his bromance with Kirk and 2) His mom.
There was this one episode where the whole crew was on drugs (LOL OH THE HILARITY WAS ENDLESS) and therefore Spock no longer had control over his emotions:

Spock: *SOBS UNCONTROLLABLY* I NEVER TOLD MY MOM THAT I LOVE HER! I LOVE HER SO MUCH AND SHE DOESN'T KNOW! *SOB* HOW CAN SHE LIVE ON A PLANET FULL OF PEOPLE THAT HIDE THEIR EMOTIONS?! HOW CAN SHE STAND IT! I LOVE HER! *SOB*

(None of my quotes are exact, lol. While on drugs he also talks about how much he loves Kirk too and how he feels ashamed about it...but I'll get to that later.)

Point being, the one thing that could get him to cry or get him to actually "feel" enough to beat Kirk up would definitely be his mom.



+ But really...VULCAN IMPLODED?! AMANDA DIED?! WTF?! THAT IS MADNESS! I kept expecting them to go back in time and FIX IT!
I mean, I get that it's AU but those are major changes. Watching your mother die right in front of you and losing your entire world would definitely change a person. No one can say "Spock in TOS wouldn't do that" because who the heck knows what ZQ!Spock will do now. He's a different person. The same is true of Kirk since he lost his dad, but in way more low-key way because that wasn't really his fault. Also, he never knew his dad so it's slightly less of a loss.

+ I am also generally quite sad about this turn of events because the Vulcans were always my favs. Not just because of Spock, but because they're generally awesome. I mean, they're usually at least moderately attractive, they have cool pointy ears, they're INSANELY INTELLIGENT (way smarter than humans), and they feel more intensely than pretty much every other race in history. That's why they don't show it. Because a long time ago when they were just open with their feelings they all ended up killing each other almost to the point of extinction.
So I guess the few remaining Vulcans were like "We srsly have to calm our shits or there won't be any of us left!" And then they used their SUPER INTELLIGENCE to train themselves to keep it all in. Which ultimately is really unhealthy, but I suppose it is a better alternative than extinction. I just find them all incredibly fascinating and psychologically complex.
But Spock himself is a bit different because he's half human. So he doesn't have the same amount of ~Vulcan powers~ to keep all emotion in 100% of the time. I mean, he does a decent enough job, but he'd probably slip easier than the others...which is why the other Vulcans look at his being half human as a "disability".

I just love stories about people who keep things inside. It's like a kink of mine or something.

"I'm a Doctor, not a..."



+ BONES!!!!! He is almost tied with Spock for my favorite.
+ He was SO dead on I can't even tell you. It was perfect. His accent, the way he stood and the way he moved, the lines they gave him...everything. IT WAS ALMOST CREEPY HOW MUCH HE WAS CHANNELING ORIGINAL!BONES. Sure, ZQ looks a lot like Nimoy and everything, but his take on Spock wasn't half as close to the original as Karl's take on Bones.



MCCOY ROLLS HIS EYES ALL THE TIME IN THE ORIGINAL! (mostly at Spock, heh)

Nyota Uhura aka The Fierce One



+ I loved how intelligent and ambitious she was. She just seemed really strong and kick ass. She knew what she wanted (to be on the Enterprise/Spock) and she went after it.
+ Her character was probably the biggest upgrade because she actually had a pretty big role in this.
+ Although, I must admit that she always had a way bigger part in the films than in the show. I mean, she was actually an official part of the team (not that she wasn't in TOS, but she didn't really say anything that wasn't directly related to 'communications' issues most of the time).
But in the movies she seemed like an actual character with a personality and everything. Her role was definitely equal to Scotty/Sulu/Chekov.
TBH, I really wouldn't want her to have a bigger/more important role than McCoy (she kind of does in the new film...)

It's just that the original series had such an OT3 vibe to it. It wasn't like McCoy was just Kirk's friend and Uhura was just Spock's "friend".

Spock had as strong of a relationship with McCoy as Kirk did(in fact I kind of liked Spock/McCoy's friendship a little bit more than Kirk/McCoy's). They were very much a trio.
And yes, I'm excited for Uhura to be a part of that but...I feel like it's still important to keep the idea of the trio somewhat intact.

ETA: In saying that, if the OT3 changed to an OT4 (with Uhura equally as important to Bones, not more) that would be kind of wonderful.

Mostly, I want to see Uhura be awesome all on her own and not be solely defined by her relationship with Spock (so far so good with that, so I'm hopeful that it will stay that way).

"Do they have sandwiches in the future?!"



+ SIMON PEGG IS AWESOME. True story.
+ This is probably the 2nd biggest upgrade! I mean, the character was very similar, but just more on the side of actually hilarious rather than lamely hilarious.
+ I was actually getting kind of worried on my first viewing. I was wondering when he would show up! He's only in the last half hour! :O
+ Also, this is a really interesting thing to remember:

SCENE FROM STAR TREK IV: THE VOYAGE HOME
McCoy: You realize that by giving him the formula you're altering the future.
Scotty: Why? How do we know he didn't invent the thing?

SCOTTY GIVES FUTURE FORMULAS TO PEOPLE OF THE PAST TOO! (They're in the 1980s in IV BTW)



+ Oh and I take back what I said before, his little alien dude pal was my actual favorite character (SORRY QUINTO!)



HE NEEDS TO BE IN THE SEQUEL! He was so sad when Scotty left! aw!



SCOTTY > ALL (except the alien dude!)

Sulu



+ I <3 John Cho
+ Sulu was totally kick ass in this movie. Jim kind of failed on their mission and Sulu totally saved his ass.
+ AND HE USED A SWORD! That's like his thing! In the episode that I mentioned above where the whole crew is high, Sulu carries around a sword and tries to duel with everyone because fencing was his secret passion or something.



SEE?!

The ADORABLE one Chekov



+ He's so cute, he kills me. I love how jumpy and excited he is.
+ And I ship him/Sulu because of the mere fact that they sit next to each other, ha!
+ Was original!Chekov less than 5 feet tall? It kind of seemed like that...
+ I think my fav original!Chekov moment is when him and Uhura were on the streets of San Fransisco in the 1980s in Star Trek IV asking people where the "NUCLEAR WESSLES" were, ha!



heee!



aw, he's so proud of himself!

THE RELATIONSHIPS

Kirk/McCoy



+ This was perfect! It reminded me of their relationship in the TOS/films almost exactly.
+ I must say that I am a tiny bit surprised at how popular this ship is now. I mean, it's totally awesome...I'm just surprised. BUT YAY! I multi-ship McCoy 6 ways to Sunday. (Well really just Kirk/McCoy and Spock/McCoy)
+ I guess Kirk/McCoy is so prevalent because in this film the Kirk/Spock relationship isn't quite up to the epic status it's usually in during all of the other ST films.
And Kirk/Bones seem more comfortable with each other. heh, very comfortable indeed. ;)



+ I don't remember a point in TOS when they mentioned where Bones got his nickname so this was a pretty cute addition.



+ HEH, this was perfect too. He's always begrudgingly helping Kirk.

Spock/McCoy



+ HEH, EYE BROW RAISE ON SPOCK HERE! ;)
+ OMG MORE OF THIS WAS NEEDED! I hope the next film really develops this relationship. Spock/Bones scenes are one of my favorite things about TOS/movies. Bones hates him, lol. I mean, he loves him to death and they're like brothers, but oh god, Spock pisses him off all the time and it is the most amusing thing in the world!



McCoy: ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR VULCAN MIND?!

SEE? LIKE THAT! HEH! I'm pretty sure McCoy has literally said that...multiple times in the past(or AU!future I guess?)

+ What I really loved was when they were discussing the possibility of time travel. THEY USED ALMOST WORD FOR WORD THE SAME DIALOGUE THAT WAS USED IN STAR TREK IV!

In that film Spock was trying to convince McCoy that it would be logical to go back in time to the 1980s to 'Free Willy'.
LMAO I AM NOT EVEN KIDDING! STAR TREK IV IS ALL ABOUT SAVING THE WHALES! IT IS HILARIOUSLY AWESOME!

Spock/Uhura



+ Ok, this is possibly the most AU thing about this movie (along with imploding Vulcan) but it was ADORABLE. Beyond adorable. I definitely re-watched their scenes a bunch of times for the cuteness.
BUUUUUT...it makes me nervous. There are about a million ways they can screw this up.

SHE CAN IN NO WAY EVER BE MORE IMPORTANT TO SPOCK THAN KIRK. EVER.
And I don't mean that in a Kirk/Spock "are gay and should be together sexually" way because I really don't think that's true in canon (fanon is a different story though, heh).

But ultimately Kirk/Spock are soulmates in a way. Like, in general I don't even believe in the concept of soul mates...but damn, those original movies....they beat you over the head with this idea. Repeatedly. Nothing is emphasized as strongly. Nothing. And again, I'm mostly just talking about the movies more than the show here (although it is emphasized from time to time there too, just in a less SRS BSNS way. The biggest fault of the movies in general is that they are too SRS BSNS about everything. LOL EXCEPT FOR THE ONE ABOUT THE WHALES, HENCE IT'S AWESOMENESS!)



+ But yes, this section is about Spock/Uhura and how adorable they are.
+ I like the "we're both REALLY smart" connection they have. And I'd love to read fics about him being her teacher and how they originally happened.
+ It's amazing that in this Universe he has opened himself up to another person enough to be in a real relationship. Although, it's not like he didn't have any relationships at all in TOS. I particularly remember him having hand sex(heh) with a Romulan woman. lol ironic!



SEE HE WAS PIMPIN'! YOU KNOW HE TAPPED THAT PINK SPARKLY ASS!

+ But ultimately, no matter how Spock/Uhura plays out...they can't end up together.
Because NONE of the crew can end up with anyone. I know, it's AU but I really think that's one of the things that makes Star Trek what it is.
None of the crew members on the Enterprise had families. They were each other's family. And Spock/Kirk/Bones were at the core of that.
Not everyone has to get married and have bbs and be all stereotypical like that. The crew weren't unhappy with their life choices, in fact they were VERY happy. They all dated, Kirk even had a son at one point. But at the end of the day their home was...each other. And that's the way it should be. I think that idea is extremely essential to the whole point of the series.

It's kind of like...could Barney Stinson technically get married and be all 'Ted' like in an AU? Maybe. But it wouldn't really be HIMYM if that happened, would it?

IN 30 YEARS KIRK & SPOCK & MCCOY (the bachelors) NEED TO BE SITTING AROUND A CAMPFIRE TOASTING MARSHMALLOWS AND SINGING 'ROW ROW ROW YOUR BOAT', DAMNIT!
(LMAO THAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED IN STAR TREK V, I'M NOT EVEN KIDDING, IT WAS HILARIOUS)

Actually...now that I think about it, it would be even more awesome if Uhura went camping with them too (but as an individual, not as Spock's gf)!



+ This gif cracks me up!

+ Basically they have to walk a very fine line with this.
+ I guess Spock & Uhura could become so invested in their careers that it would cause them to drift apart (career/"Kirk" in Spock's case though).
I feel like Spock would always put Kirk first almost subconsciously. Not in a sexual/gay way, just in a "he's my brother/he's my person/he's my other half" kind of way. And the things that he does with Kirk really define his career as well.

And with Uhura...she's ambitious, and her career is really important to her. Sure, Spock is too, but while he's off gallivanting and bromancing about with Kirk (for the sake of the ship, ha) I can see her becoming more and more invested in Starfleet.

It would give a lot of depth to the Spock/Uhura relationship if the very thing that drew them to each other (intelligence/ambition) was the very thing that broke them apart. But they would never truly be apart. Because they are both a part of the "Enterprise family" and will always have a special connection to each other.

In this way Kirk can still be the one that "defines" Spock (as Spock Prime said)and the idea that Spock found his purpose in life through his friendship with Kirk (which is basically the whole point of the entire original movie series) is still respected.

Spock can really grow as a person from his relationship with Uhura. He can learn how to open himself up to someone and learn that he is capable of giving in to certain feelings. So even though he takes something huge from this relationship, it's still not the one that makes him who he is (that always has been and always shall be Kirk).

And this scenario would really strengthen Uhura's character as well. Their break up won't be just be because she feels like she's coming in second in his life, but also that he's coming in second in her life too. They love each other, but other things (and people) would just take precedence over that. The audience won't feel bad for either of them because they'll realize it's the only logical (ha) solution for both characters.

So, you've got both a really romantic modern day love story about how people choose their own ways to be happy (which can sometimes be outside of what's "normal"). And you've also got a great respect for what is at the heart of the original series.

+ Some people are afraid of a Kirk/Uhura/Spock love triangle. I think this would only work if it was used mainly to bring Kirk & Spock closer together somehow. Uhura deserves more than to be in the middle of a love triangle anyway.
+ If Spock/Uhura stay together that might also work, but their relationship would have to be very much just "in the background" with far more emphasis given to the Kirk/Spock friendship. In all honestly, I think the Spock/Uhura bond would seem even stronger if they went with the break-up scenario I described above. It might cheapen their relationship if they're together but Spock's relationship with Kirk seems more important (even though it should). I think I'd want more for Spock/Uhura than that.

+ But no matter what happens, Kirk hast to come first with Spock. Always. I don't think I can budge on that one.

Kirk/Spock aka THE MOST EPIC BROMANCE IN THE HISTORY OF EVER

*TAKES A DEEP BREATH DUE TO THE EPIC NATURE OF THIS SECTION*



+ The first time Spock saw Kirk...
+ heh. I LOVE IT! I love stories where the characters just don't know. They have no idea. It's...wow.



+ The first time Kirk saw Spock...
+ Ok, this was a really intense moment. But everyone who didn't see Star Trek II didn't really get it.
In XI (and in II actually) Kirk says that he doesn't believe in "no win" situations. But at the end of II Kirk finally comes face to face with a real "no win" situation.

The ship is in trouble. Spock sacrifices himself and saves everyone. Yes, he literally DIES (lol except he gets brought back to life in III obviously because how else would Spock Prime live to be 150?). But it's still sad when it happens. There's a funeral for him and everything.

(THIS IS AN EXACT TRANSCIPT, BTW)
SCENE FROM STAR TREK II: THE WRATH OF KHAN
(Spock is in a glass chamber in the engine room. He is slowly dying. Kirk rushes down to find him. He had no idea what was going on until Bones called him and said he had to come down ASAP).

(Kirk goes up to the glass chamber and places his hand on it. There are tears in his eyes. Spock turns around and falls a little bit. He places his hand on Kirk's even though they're still separated through glass.)
Kirk: Spock!
Spock: Jim? Out of danger?
Kirk: Yes.
Spock: Don't grieve, Admiral. It is logical. The needs of the many outweigh...
Kirk: ...the needs of the few.
Spock: ...or the one! I never took the Kobayashi Maru test...until now. What do you think of my solution? (struggles and falls a bit more)
Kirk: ...Spock?
Spock: I have been...and always shall be...your friend. Live long and prosper.
Kirk: No!

(SPOCK DIES! DURING THIS WHOLE SCENE THEIR HANDS ARE ON EACH OTHER THROUGH THE GLASS AND THEY ARE BOTH IN TEARS!
HAHA IT IS SO HILARIOUSLY SLASHY)

Yes, in XI Spock did say that Kirk should know about "no win" situations because of his father. But Kirk never really got to know his father, so the impact wouldn't be as great as...losing his best friend was/will be/could have been in an AU.
Knowing that Kirk really learns the concept of the "no win" situation in an AU because Spock literally dies for him gives this scene another level of complexity and intensity.



+ GUH, LOOK AT HOW INTENSE THEY ARE WHEN THEY GAZE AT EACH OTHER
+ I absolutely love the way that Kirk looks at him at the end. I love how Spock Prime was responsible for bringing them together by informing them that they're M2B!
Kirk just really looks like the guy who will say this/did say this in an AU:

SCENE FROM STAR TREK III: THE SEARCH FOR SPOCK

(Spock is alive again and everything is relatively ok. But to save him Kirk had to steal the Enterprise [and eventually lose it] and his son was murdered.)

Sarek: Kirk, I thank you. What you have done is...
Kirk: What I have done is what I had to do.
Sarek: But at what cost? Your ship, your son...
Kirk: If I hadn't tried the cost would have been my soul.

(BECAUSE THEY CAN NOT LIVE WITH OUT EACH OTHER, DUH SOULMATES)



I love this moment because they've both been declared captain and first officer. Thus, assigned together...which marks the start of their bromance.



Kirk: I'll cover ya!
Spock: Are you certain?
Kirk: Yea, I gotcha!

One of my favorite parts of the entire movie is the end which shows just how good they are together. I love the two of them just standing side by side like that. It's how it's meant to be.



Seriously, they complete each other. For realz!



Kirk: How do you know my name?
Spock Prime: I have been and always shall be...your friend

+ OH MY HEART! I WAS NOT EXPECTING HIM TO SAY THAT. Spock says that to Kirk at least 5 times in the original movies. It's like "their thing".

I got a bit teary almost instantly here, ngl...Ok, a lot teary. Maybe I kind of missed most of the scene the first time around because my heart kind of...stopped at those words. HAHAHA I AM SO SAD.
+ Honestly, when I first saw this I thought that Spock was just living as an outcast because Kirk and McCoy were dead(due to their human-ness) and he's all alone now.
I am quite glad that wasn't the case though.
+ BUT STILL! Spock is apx. 150 here, yes? I would assume that Kirk/Bones only lived to be 100 at the most (even by future standards who would even want to stretch out life beyond that?)
So that would mean Spock has been without his "family" for the past 50 years.

And then there's Kirk. 25 years old and exactly how he remembers him (except hotter somehow, lol) and he's standing right in front of him. DAMN, THAT IS ONE INTENSELY EMOTIONAL GUT PUNCH!

+ And the mind meld? Holy crap! They do that to each other all the time in TOS/movies but this was the first time ever for GQ!Kirk. I love how deeply Kirk feels his emotions. It would be impossible for him to not see present day GQ!Spock in a new light.

+ As they part I love the look on Kirk's face. It's like he "gets it". And by "it" I mean their epicness....and Spock as a person in general. I heard people speculate that Kirk might have seen a bit of their history in TOS/the movies through the mind meld. If that were true I can't even imagine what he'd be thinking afterward!
Kirk: LOL WHY AM I KIND OF GAY IN THE AU?

I kid, I kid...sort of.



Spock: Why did you send Kirk aboard when you alone could have explained the truth?
Spock Prime: It's because you needed each other. I could not deprive you of the revelation of all that you could accomplish together. Of a friendship, that will define you both, in ways that you can not yet realize.

I think the friendship really defined Spock here:

SCENE FROM STAR TREK I: THE MOTION PICTURE

(In the beginning of the movie Spock is looking for his "purpose" in life. It's about 8 years after The Enterprise journey. He decides Kolinahr will give him purpose [this means completely purging yourself of all emotion...HE MENTIONS THIS IN XI AND ASKS HIS MOM NOT TO BE OFFENDED IF HE CHOOSES IT].
During the ceremony he "senses" that Kirk is in pain. He's able to sense this because Spock views Kirk as his "t'hy'la" and there might be some telepathy involved with that. This is legit! T'hy'la is like some Vulcan soulmate thing where someone is your brother/BFF/lover/other half...I had to look it up! lol! It's like "You're more than my friend. You are my soul...but not necessarily sexually. Or some shit like that."
So the Vulcans stop the ceremony and are basically like "GTFO YOUR HUMAN HEART LIES ELSEWHERE"
So he returns to the Enterprise and Kirk is all happy to see him. And then there's this evil computer called V'ger that is trying to blow shit up. Spock has to mind meld with it to see what it wants and ends up in the sick bay. And he has discovered that he and V'ger are very much alike.)

Spock: V'ger has knowledge that spans this universe. And yet, with all of it's pure logic, V'ger is baran. Cold! No mystery. No beauty. I should have...known...
Kirk: Known? Known what? Spock? What should you have known? What should you have known?
Spock: Jim! (puts his hand on Kirk's arm and then they grab hands) This...(grips their hands together) simple feeling is beyond V'ger's comprehension
(Kirk places his other hand on their hands)
Spock: No meaning, no hope...Jim! No answers. It's asking questions. Is this all that I am? Is there nothing more?

(The evil computer needs love and so does Spock. He finds his purpose in life through the emotion he feels for Kirk...however you want to interpret that.)

That was basically Spock's culmination from the beginning of S1 of TOS where he said:
Spock: WHEN I FEEL FRIENDSHIP FOR YOU, I FEEL ASHAMED!

So, basically his bromance with Kirk changed him and made him who is, hence the advice that he gives his GQ!self at the end.

IN CONCLUSION...





SOMEONE POSTED THESE GIFS NEXT TO EACH OTHER ON ONTD LAST NIGHT AND I HAVE BEEN LAUGHING FOR 24 HOURS STRAIGHT. SERIOUSLY. *DIES*

I TOLD YOU THERE WAS A HUGE NERD EJACULATION AT THE END!

SCREENCAPS BY stormfronticons
Coloring by me
GIFs from all over the place (I mostly found them in random ontd_startrek entries.)
If you made any of the GIFs and you'd like credit just let me know and I'll edit this post! :)

Overall, I am SO glad that I acquired so much Trek knowledge. Because it was kind of necessary. I'm especially glad I watched the movies (almost more-so than the show)!
I know JJ Abrams and everyone likes to pretend that you didn't need to know anything. But they're all LYING. Watching a bit of the show (and the movies) is SO SO SO IMPORTANT. I can not stress that enough.