Was Spock considering suicide at the end of "Amok Time?"

[Jayson1]

I watched the episode again, today and the ending made me think of this question. At the end after it looks like Spock has killed Kirk, T'Paul tells Spock to "Live Long and Prosper" which it replies he will do neither. Since the Federation doesn't have a death penalty, except for Talo's then why would he not live long. even if the prospering thing wasn't possible.

Do you think he was considering, ending his life over guilt? It's hard to imagine but maybe I could see him standing trial, since he would feel that would be the proper legal thing to happen but once found guilty then maybe he would kill himself.

Jason

 

[Tenacity]

the Federation doesn't have a death penalty, except for Talo's

Talos is the only death penalty on (imo) Starfleet's books.

The Federation, and separately it's many members, could have numerous offenses that result in the death penalty.

MUDD:
Do know what the penalty for fraud is on Deneb Five?
SPOCK:
The guilty party has his choice,
death by electrocution,
death by gas,
death by phaser,
death by hanging.

Some Star Trek books have the Deneb star system as a Federation member.

 

[diankra]

TOS is inconsistent about execution. IIRC, Janet/Kirk threatens it as a penalty for mutiny in Turnabout Intruder, and while the canon version is that this is an impersonation give-away (Kirk would know it's not legal), that's not how it's presented in episode.

NB: that's not an episode I tend to rewatch, so my memory might be inaccurate. Or based on the Blish book, which would be based on a script that was changed before shooting.

 

[Tenacity]

On the matter of Spock killing himself. If Spock were personally inclined to self murder, wouldn't he have done so early in the episode?

A very controlled person, he was unable to control himself, he found what was happening to himself to be intensely embarrassing. He was hiding, shouting, throwing things, giving orders he didn't remember.

If there was to be a suicide, why not then?

 

[Jayson1]

On the matter of Spock killing himself. If Spock were personally inclined to self murder, wouldn't he have done so early in the episode?

A very controlled person, he was unable to control himself, he found what was happening to himself to be intensely embarrassing. He was hiding, shouting, throwing things, giving orders he didn't remember.

If there was to be a suicide, why not then?

I don't think he was expecting T'Prinn and Stonn to come up with their scheme. I suspect he might have thought he would just have sex and then go back to the Enterprise. I wonder what they would have done if KIrk and McCoy hadn't beamed down with him. Would he have had to fight one of the random extra's in the background.

Jason

 

[Refuge]

(Voyager explored the idea of suicide/euthanasia. In giving Quinn asylum ("Death Wish") Janeway effectively opened the door).

I don't think Spock would kill himself.

 

[johnnybear]

I've never thought of Spock's words to T'Pau to mean that, but hey it's another way of interpreting them so maybe, maybe! But more than likely he is saying that he will never again enjoy reading a text on ancient Vulcan writings or playing three dimensional chess with a mad computer bent on universal domination! Earlier on though McCoy told Kirk that if Spock didn't get back to Vulcan within a week he'd be dead anyway due to the levels of stress being pumped into his body!
JB

 

[Forbin]

No, suicide would not be logical. But his conscience would require him to submit to any arrest, trial, penalty or punishment decreed.

 

[Herbert]

I watched the episode again, today and the ending made me think of this question. At the end after it looks like Spock has killed Kirk, T'Paul tells Spock to "Live Long and Prosper" which it replies he will do neither.

I never interpreted that line to mean he would attempt suicide.

 

[johnnybear]

No, he does begin to tell McCoy later on that he will submit to Federation justice after killing his Captain and offer no defense before Big Jim turns up and prevents him from making any further embarrassment to himself!
JB

 

[Phaser Two]

I love that line and Nimoy's delivery. I always assumed he meant that he would lose the will to live in prison.

 

[captainkirk]

I believe it's in The Ultimate Computer that Kirk says that the penalty for murder is death.

 

[Jayson1]

I love that line and Nimoy's delivery. I always assumed he meant that he would lose the will to live in prison.

That was always my take as well or that the show still hadn't decided if the Death Penalty was still an thing or not and for this episode it was. The suicide thing is just something that came to me as a possibility. Maybe Spock's human half driving him to do something that his Vulcan logic would normally not agree with. Not just because KIrk is dead but because it was done by him.

Jason

 

[JcarlA]

Admiral Cornwell states to L'Rel that Starfleet / Federation has no death penalty, (and this is apparently prime timeline and post the discovery of Talos 4.

 

[Nyotarules]

^The franchise being its normally contradictory self

 

[Steven P Bastien]

I agree with others that Spock would not kill himself in this situation. Logically, he would pay for the consequences and then move on with his life in some nobler pursuit later.

I think we should remember that he is half human and not immune to laying a guilt trip on the big boss lady.

 

[Phaser Two]

Admiral Cornwell states to L'Rel that Starfleet / Federation has no death penalty, (and this is apparently prime timeline and post the discovery of Talos 4.

Must . . . resist . . . standard . . . frustrations . . .

 

[The Wormhole]

I believe it's in The Ultimate Computer that Kirk says that the penalty for murder is death.

And The Menagerie says that violation of General Order 7 is "the only death penalty still on the books."

 

[Poltargyst]

I don't believe it ever entered the writers' heads that Spock was contemplating suicide.

But I have a question: Vulcans and many other species have longer life spans than humans. So are they given longer sentences in prison than humans? Like go by percent of average life expectancy or something?

 

[FormerLurker]

I wonder what they would have done if KIrk and McCoy hadn't beamed down with him. Would he have had to fight one of the random extra's in the background.

STONN: NO! It was to be me! We agreed!