In truth is there no beauty?

[CorporalCaptain]

Interestingly, the idea that Kollos would drive humans mad because he's "ugly" is only introduced in the dinner scene, by McCoy - in a bit of banter that Kirk launched by speaking of beauty.

No. From the very beginning of the episode:

Captain's log, stardate 5630.7. We have been assigned to convey the Medusans' ambassador to the Federation back to their home planet. While the thoughts of the Medusans are the most sublime in the galaxy, their physical appearance is exactly the opposite. They have evolved into a race of beings who are formless, so utterly hideous that the sight of a Medusan brings total madness to any human who sees one.

Hideous means ugly to look at.

 

[Timo]

That's exactly what I mean: it's not that Medusans look literally hideous, it's that they are figuratively hideous creatures because they make humans mad. "Hideous = conceptually disgusting" is a perfectly valid meaning for the word, too.

(The "seeing" bit isn't literal, either, but merely means that when humans come to contact with them, madness ensues.)

Timo Saloniemi

 

[CorporalCaptain]

McCoy just paraphrased what Kirk said at the very beginning. You seem to be misreading the Captain's log. If the intention was to say what you are suggesting, then the log would have been phrased differently, for example as, "... so utterly hideous since the sight of a Medusan brings total madness to any human who sees one."

 

[Timo]

You seem to be misreading the Captain's log.

Yes, very deliberately so. I'm just trying to keep it within grammatically allowed limits, and that doesn't really seem to be a problem.

Timo Saloniemi

 

[CorporalCaptain]

You seem to be misreading the Captain's log.

Yes, very deliberately so.

At least we cleared that up.

 

[kirkfan]

There are a few things that could put me off my food for a while. A likely some that could keep me awake, but complete madness seems to be pushing it.

 

[Marsden]

Think about how some epileptic seizures are triggered by flashing lights. Mayve something about the Medusan appearance triggers some sort of short-circuit in most humanoid brains and makes them go cuckoo.

I think that must be right, otherwise why would a visor make any difference?

I thought humans couldn't look at medusans EVEN with the protective visor.

Dr. Jones disproves this by wearing the visor, but claims it's because of training or something, not mentioning THE BIG SECRET in the story.

You mean that she's blind.

Here's your promotion, Captian Obvious.

I thought you supposed to use spoilers for these kind of statements

Well, you can know something in theory which is both more useful in some cases and less harmful that knowing it in practice. Maybe by analyzing the brains of the victim you can infer the kind of stimuli that they were subjected to that put them in that state. As for the test subjects, well. I wonder how they test hazmat suits, for example.

Good point!

"My eyes! The googles do nothing!"

Now for something completely different:


What is beauty and uglyness?

When Kirk says "utterly hideous" he isn't talking about asking them for a date. He's talking about their effect on humanoids, which is hideous. Btw, one of the definintions of hideous is extremely unpleasant. Being driven insane because of the various light frequencies short circuiting the processes of your brain sounds extremely unpleasant. I think it's a fair use of the term.

Then Bones starts with the ugly. It's because Bones wants to introduce Miranda to Little Bones. How would you mention your competition, build them up or tear them down? Whatever works.

But I don't think they are using the word ugly like that person is unattractive.
And too much Beauty can seem to make people crazy, too. The persuit of it in others and themselves, the desire to control it.

 

[kirkfan]

You mean Bones wanted to bone Miranda?

 

[Marsden]

You mean Bones wanted to bone Miranda?

That is my assessment.


Dr. Boner McJoy, indeed.

 

[kirkfan]

You mean Bones wanted to bone Miranda?

That is my assessment.


Dr. Boner McJoy, indeed.

Still, he was far behind Kirk in that matter.