What did Kirk mean at the end of "The Enemy Within"?

[Corylea]

I just watched this episode again last night, and I'd love to hear other people's thoughts on the exchange that Kirk and Spock have towards the end of the episode.

Both Kirks are on the transporter pad, and Spock is at the controls, with McCoy standing nearby. They're about to use the transporter to try to reintegrate Kirk, but they don't know if it will work.

Kirk: Mr. Spock.
Spock: Captain?
Kirk: If this doesn't work...
Spock: Understood, Captain.

Huh? Well, *I* don't understand! WHAT is understood? I mean, I could think of a half a dozen possibilities:

1. If this doesn't work, it was nice working with you.

2. If this doesn't work, take care of my ship.

3. If this doesn't work, remember that you're the one who talked me into this.

4. If this doesn't work, don't feel guilty for being the one who talked me into this.

5. If this doesn't work, don't let McCoy lambaste you too badly for talking me into this.

6. If this doesn't work, do your best to save the landing party on the planet.


If this doesn't work, WHAT?!

What do YOU think Kirk meant?

 

[Christopher]

I think it's pretty straightforward. The previous time they tried it, with the dog creature, it died. There was a whole lengthy debate about whether Kirk would die too, with Spock insisting that his intellect would save him. So it was already clearly established that if it didn't work, Kirk would be dead. Which would mean that Spock would have to take command as acting captain, and as the first officer, he must have already been aware of his duties should that come to pass -- hence "Understood, Captain."

 

[Metryq]

I guess that all depends on whether or not you're one of the "K&S" fans.

 

[Timo]

...If the fusion fails, Spock has to choose between two Kirks, and choose wisely?

I wonder if he says "understood" to all Kirks.

Timo Saloniemi

 

[Corylea]

I think it's pretty straightforward. The previous time they tried it, with the dog creature, it died. There was a whole lengthy debate about whether Kirk would die too, with Spock insisting that his intellect would save him. So it was already clearly established that if it didn't work, Kirk would be dead. Which would mean that Spock would have to take command as acting captain, and as the first officer, he must have already been aware of his duties should that come to pass -- hence "Understood, Captain."

You think the end of that sentence was, "If this doesn't work, I'll be dead"? That was so obvious that it never occurred to me that Kirk would feel the need to mention it. That's why I came up with a bunch of things Kirk could mean, all of which presuppose that Kirk is dead.

I sort of lean towards a combination of #1, #2, and #6, myself -- "If this doesn't work, it was nice working with you. Take good care of my ship, and do something about that landing party!"

...If the fusion fails, Spock has to choose between two Kirks, and choose wisely?

The example of the dog-thing suggests that the two Kirks WILL combine into one; the main question is whether Kirk can survive the process.

I think the lesson of the episode is that neither Kirk, alone, is an adequate captain; it takes both of them to have Kirk's compassion and strength of will. So I guess it's lucky that the likely failure state is that both Kirks are dead. Hoo-boy. Never quite thought of it that way before, so thanks for your comment!

 

[Christopher]

^No, I meant it's clearly "If this doesn't work, you're in command of the Enterprise," with all that entails. Which includes #2 and #6 implicitly. The point is, this is a commanding officer giving his final instructions to his second-in-command before facing possible death. It's not just a sentimental sendoff or a platitude, because these are officers existing in a framework of orders and duties.

 

[Corylea]

^No, I meant it's clearly "If this doesn't work, you're in command of the Enterprise," with all that entails. Which includes #2 and #6 implicitly. The point is, this is a commanding officer giving his final instructions to his second-in-command before facing possible death. It's not just a sentimental sendoff or a platitude, because these are officers existing in a framework of orders and duties.

Spock already knows this -- and so do we -- so I don't see why Kirk would feel the need to mention it. But I guess Kirk's not playing with a full deck at the moment....

Thanks for your thoughts. I feel slightly more resolved.

 

[T'Girl]

I guess that all depends on whether or not you're one of the "K&S" fans.

Does put a lot more meaning into the simply sentence.

Kirk: If this doesn't work ... we'll never see each other again.
Spock: Understood T'hy'la.

 

[Christopher]

Spock already knows this -- and so do we -- so I don't see why Kirk would feel the need to mention it.

But he didn't, in fact, mention it. That's the whole impetus for this thread.

It's not about "feeling the need," though. As I said, these are officers, not civilians. They have duties and formulas they need to follow. If anything, Kirk probably should have given a clearer final order, regardless of whether Spock already knew it, because it would need to be on the record.

But then, as you say, he wasn't really functioning well at that moment. So Spock kind of had to fill in the gap.

 

[Green Shirt]

I guess that all depends on whether or not you're one of the "K&S" fans.

Not.

 

[The Old Mixer]

Shouldn't that be "K/S"? "Ampersand fiction" just doesn't have the same ring....

 

[Green Shirt]

Shouldn't that be "K/S"? "Ampersand fiction" just doesn't have the same ring....

K&S could give K&G clothing stores a run for the money.

 

[Corylea]

Shouldn't that be "K/S"? "Ampersand fiction" just doesn't have the same ring....

On most of the fan fiction sites I've been to, the slash is used to represent a romantic relationship, and the ampersand is used to represent a friendship. So on fan fiction sites, "K/S" means that the story features a romantic relationship between the two, whereas "K & S" means that the story features a friendship.

I prefer them as friends, but if other people want to see them as lovers, that's fine with me; Star Trek fandom is big enough for all of us.

Now, about the actual episode, please....

 

[urbandefault]

Kirk meant, "If this doesn't work, then you've murdered me you green blooded hobgoblin!"

Really, does everything have to be spelled out? I always took it to mean, "Take care of my ship, and get those people to safety."

 

[Melakon]

Spock already knows this -- and so do we -- so I don't see why Kirk would feel the need to mention it.

This was only the fifth episode to air in its original network run, I think. Audiences then didn't have the luxury of looking back 48 years later and automatically sensing what we know about the characters now, they were still relative unknowns in personality. So sometimes the show did have to be a bit more on the nose about things.

 

[urbandefault]

All kidding aside, it's called drama.

 

[Corylea]

This was only the fifth episode to air in its original network run, I think. Audiences then didn't have the luxury of looking back 48 years later and automatically sensing what we know about the characters now, they were still relative unknowns in personality. So sometimes the show did have to be a bit more on the nose about things.

Good point!

 

[The Old Mixer]

Now this was the willy-nilly half of Kirk who fretted over every decision...so wanting to state the obvious seems in character.

It's not that different from the tape that Kirk left for Spock and McCoy in "The Tholian Web"...which I always felt should have been unnecessary...Spock and McCoy should have been able to get to the same place without it.

 

[Commishsleer]

It's not that different from the tape that Kirk left for Spock and McCoy in "The Tholian Web"...which I always felt should have been unnecessary...Spock and McCoy should have been able to get to the same place without it.

While I agree, I think it was a great scene for Spock. The only time in the episode where they showed how deeply Spock was affected by Kirk's 'death'. Everywhere else Spock had to be strong in front of the crew.

In this scene I just wanted to scream at McCoy cant't you give Spock a break for once, can't you see he's hurting?

As for what did Kirk mean in "The Enemy Within", I think Kirk was acknowledging that he might die and that he didn't blame Spock or anyone, thanks for everything and look after the ship. That's all.

 

[Marsden]

At least he didn't say, "It's been fun."





I think the reason Spock said, "Understood" is because it was all 6 plus probably one or two more that we didn't list. Spock and Kirk worked well together.

That's one thing I've always favored Kirk over the other captains, at least the ones I've watched, that a really formal typer person like Spock can call him Jim and it's not forced or strange in any way. Every other time, imo, someone tried to address their captain by their name it sounded so forced and just goofy. Kirk's officers really would follow him to the gates of hell, they were his friends as well as his underlings and he didn't lord over them. All the senior officers called him by his first name, Jim, and even when the junior officers say Captain, they seem to say it with a possesiveness like it's more than just a rank.

Sorry for my indulgence, I really love this show.