ST and The Wizard of Oz

[Biggshow]

So, I've often told people how much TOS had this great storytelling concept, especially with a show that sometimes took on big issues; that is The Man of Action (Kirk) cannot act until he first listens to his Head (Spock) and his Heart (McCoy). Now I've thought of another way in which TOS taps into some basic mythology (especially 20th C. mythology).

It occurs to me that Kirk, Spock and McCoy could also be versions of the Lion, the Tin Man and the Scarecrow. The Dorothy (Humanity) in this story is us.

Or maybe I've stayed up to late once again.

 

[boognish]

So is Spock the Tin man because he has no heart or the Scarecrow after he gets his oatmeal brains from the wizard?

 

[erastus25]

Spock is clearly the scarecrow. Look no further than Spock's Brain for proof.

 

[THE_FETT]

Kirk ... the Lion

Mother pussbucket, are you calling Kirk cowardly?!

 

[Kryton]

Kirk is clearly either Dorothy or Toto, dammit!

 

[boognish]

If Kirk is Dorothy then Rand must be Toto.

 

[Newspaper Taxi]

What is the Enterprise, when looking through this lens? Is it the Yellow Brick Road or could it also be Dorothy?

Also, who is The Wizard?

 

[Kryton]

The Enterprise is the cyclone and the Wizard is Admiral Nogura. I'm not sure who Aunt Em and Uncle Henry are, let alone Hunk, Zeke, or Hickory!

Let alone Professor Marvello or Elvira Gulch! It's a work in progress!

 

[Kagan]

Biggshow, you are making plenty of sense...it's the rest of these posters who need sleep.

Kirk = Lion
Spock = Tin Man
McCoy = Scarecrow
Makes sense to me.

Kirk is always afraid of "losing control" or not making the right decision at the right time. Yes, he is slick about it when he pulls it off, but he is quite desperate about it while he's doing it.

Spock and McCoy are the antitheses of one another, yet they both desire what the other has. That's what makes them indispensable friends to each other and Kirk. Spock has logic, but knows he needs to add compassion. McCoy has compassion, but knows he needs to add logic. They also get what they want. In Empath, McCoy's logic leads him to do the compassionate thing. In the Wrath of Khan, Spock's compassion leads him to do the logical thing. Did I say that right....or do I need some more sleep?

 

[Sir Rhosis]

Who represents the Lollipop Guild. . . Lollipop Guild. . . Lollipop Guild?

Sir Rhosis

 

[Outpost4]

^ Alexander, of course.

Does this make Harvey Mudd the Wicked Witch? With that bulk, he'd never get off the ground on a broom.

Toto, I don't think we're in Iowa anymore.

 

[Biggshow]

Kirk ... the Lion

Mother pussbucket, are you calling Kirk cowardly?!

No, no, because we all know "Oz didn't give nothin' to the Tin Man that he didn't, didn't already have".

But, yeah, Kagan's analysis is right, too.

And if I really stretch this metaphor, the Earth is Kansas, the galaxy is Oz, Starfleet Command is the Wizard, the Enterprise is the Yellow Brick Road but Warp Drive is the tornado.

The Wicked Witch is probably Q but that takes us out of TOS.

Actually, the more I think about it (and, for God's sake, someone tell me why I am), the Wizard is probably Roddenberry.

 

[Ronald Held]

Some of you have way too much time on your hands.

 

[Sir Rhosis]

^^^Only some?

 

[Therin of Andor]

Some of you have way too much time on your hands.

Way back in 1979, a friend compared TMP's climatic "saucer walk to see V'ger" to "The Wizard of Oz". Ilia Probe was Dorothy, Kirk seeking knowledge (brain) was Scarecrow, Spock seeking a human heart was Tim Woodsman, and Decker seeking courage to challenge Kirk was Lion. And McCoy - he just tagged along, nipping at Spock's heels, so he was Toto.

 

[Outpost4]

Kirk: Toto, too?
Scotty: Aye, Toto, too.

 

[Ronald Held]

Would you prefer many of us posting here have Way too much time on their hands or too much TOS on the brain?

 

[Hofner]

Who represents the Lollipop Guild. . . Lollipop Guild. . . Lollipop Guild?

Sir Rhosis

Balok of course. Look at his frickin' ship!

Robert

 

[Kryton]

Mmmmmmm....big licky Fesarius vessel.

 

[Tralah]

What are the tribbles, munchkins?