What do you think about people "Shipping" Kirk and Spock?

[fireproof78]

You and I are polar opposites

Well, fiction for me is about characters. If I'm watching a story I'm focusing on the characters in the story.

Outside the story, I can enjoy exploring fictional ship designs. I've done it and enjoy cross section views. But, that's not my main reason to watch.

Mileage will vary.

 

[Airin]

there's a bit of a look between Spock and Uhura during the musical bit of Charlie X. Oh there was absolutely something going on there.

Yeah but then the same could be said about Kirk/Spock or other pairings. Whenever there are certain "looks" or special closeness between two characters, some people are going to interpret that as romantic or sexual tension, pretty much as what happens in real life when you see two persons who are "really, really close". In my opinion, the case for Spock/Uhura in TOS is very weak, but Uhura/Scotty in TFF is obvious. And yet others don't see it that way, and interpret the scene in TFF as just a case of two good friends who fell under the influence of Sybok (and thus had no real romantic relationship). So...

EDIT: Then the showrunners sometimes make the most contradictory decisions, like making Spock/Uhura a thing in the Kelvin films, based on the flimsy evidence of a single look. And on the other hand, making Sulu (who did in fact have a crush on Uhura in the series), suddenly gay. Despite George Takei himself saying that it went against the character's concept. That makes zero sense for me.

 

[Maurice]

As for the need for more platonic friendships in media, I don't understand what the problem is. 99% of relationships between men in media are depicted as strictly platonic. One would almost get the impression that no man has ever had sex with another man, if we were to judge by media alone. So I don't understand this fear of platonic friendships being somehow endangered by slash or something...

What "fear"?

And yet others don't see it that way, and interpret the scene in TFF as just a case of two good friends who fell under the influence of Sybok (and thus had no real romantic relationship). So...

And ignoring that the romance was implied before Sybok showed up, and Scotty never fell under his sway.

 

[Airin]

What "fear"?

Whenever someone brings up the subject of slash, you have a bunch of people complaining that "two men can be close without it being sexual!". And it's like, dude, nobody is denying that. That's just the standard assumption. The question is why every time two men are close it can NEVER EVER be sexual.

And ignoring that the romance was implied before Sybok showed up, and Scotty never fell under his sway.

Nichelle Nichols herself denied that there was anything romantic there. And iirc, Doohan also said they were just friends.

 

[Maurice]

Uhura gets right up against Scotty and strokes his face in their first scene together in TFF. Most people don't do that with friends. Whatever the actors said, that ain't what I see on screen.

You can disagree with my point about "shipping" "Spirk", but the topic here is what people think about it. That's what I think about it.

 

[Airin]

Uhura gets right up against Scotty and strokes his face in their first scene together in TFF. Most people don't do that with friends. Whatever the actors said, that ain't what I see on screen.

Yes. And? I already said their relationship seems obviously romantic to me. Not sure who you're trying to convince here...

You can disagree with my point about "shipping" "Spirk", but the topic here is what people think about it. That's what I think about it.

Opinions are one thing. Making wide assumptions about how everyone who ships k/s automatically devaluates friendship or is incapable of seeing beyond sex, is another. For starters you don't know ALL the k/s fans and the way they see the Kirk/Spock friendship to make such a statement. And just because someone ships two characters doesn't mean they ship everyone with everyone and can't recognize platonic relationships.

 

[F. King Daniel]

I never saw it, and upon learning about the huge random following they had in the 70's, complete with conventions where people dressed as giant, green, double-ridged penises, I was quite taken aback.

It's harmless fun for those into it, and I'd LOVE to see the Internet melt down if it ever became canon a la Garak/Bashir.

 

[BillJ]

Honestly, never really saw it. Honestly, never really cared. It is people harmlessly fantasizing. We all need our outlets.

 

[JonnyQuest037]

I've never liked the K/S / Spirk thing because to my mind it trivializes intense platonic relationships of the sort that people in the service can develop for each other. It also perpetuates the idea that you can't intensely love someone unless you're schtupping them, which is untrue.

Yeah, I've seen it with pretty much any ongoing fiction that depicts close platonic friendships. Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson and Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes are two other examples. There's always the implication of "Well, they're so close, there simply must be more to it."

It's also inappropriate given their working relationship.

Yep. Which is also why TOS Captain Kirk isn't the womanizer that some people insist he was. Some folks insist that Kirk was sexing up every woman under his command, which the series never shows.

 

[Airin]

Yeah, I've seen it with pretty much any ongoing fiction that depicts close platonic friendships. Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson and Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes are two other examples. There's always the implication of "Well, they're so close, there simply must be more to it."

Well, this is the treatment that almost any single man/woman team receives in media, isn't it? If you see a film where a man and woman are getting along quite well, and defeating the bad guys together, be certain that by the end of the movie they're together romantically. It's like a man and woman can't be friendly or just smile at each other, without the writers inserting romance in there.
So why should this make a difference?

Yep. Which is also why TOS Captain Kirk isn't the womanizer that some people insist he was. Some folks insist that Kirk was sexing up every woman under his command, which the series never shows.

At the end of "Mirror Mirror" Kirk was obviously going to make a pass at his subordinate Marlena. And at the end of "The Immunity Syndrome" he ogles a yeoman, while saying he needs some relaxation (the intention being obvious). Also in "Balance of Terror" a crewman was going to marry his subordinate. So again, why should this make a difference?

 

[Nerys Myk]

So again, why should this make a difference?

He's the Captain.

 

[BillJ]

He's the Captain.

I can’t remember the name of the TNG episode that shows why a captain shouldn’t be involved with a member of their crew.

 

[Kor]

Well Kirk describes Spock as a brother, so that's how I've always thought of their personal connection.

I can’t remember the name of the TNG episode that shows why a captain shouldn’t be involved with a member of their crew.

Perhaps "Lessons," the piano episode.

Kor

 

[Poltargyst]

The question is why every time two men are close it can NEVER EVER be sexual.

It can be. And when it is, they actually show us that.

 

[JonnyQuest037]

At the end of "Mirror Mirror" Kirk was obviously going to make a pass at his subordinate Marlena.

"Obvious" is a matter of interpretation. We see him walk up to her and start to chat with her. We have absolutely no idea what Kirk said to Marlena as the closing credits started to roll, especially since Marlena was never seen again in canon.

And at the end of "The Immunity Syndrome" he ogles a yeoman, while saying he needs some relaxation (the intention being obvious).

So ogling someone automatically means he slept with them?

 

[SurfingtheInterweb]

I personally think they are close friends but its all up to ur own interpretation of their interactions. Honestly, I don't find them an interesting couple but I respect the hell out of it.
If I was to pair up members of TOS, it would be Spock and Bones for sure, not Kirk. More interesting dynamic.

 

[Airin]

It can be. And when it is, they actually show us that.

No. In a 60's show they certainly don't. Censorship is a thing. As well as bias and prejudices from showrunners (aka "why you're much more likely to see a man/woman couple, or even a woman/woman couple, canonized, while potential man/man couples get swept under the rug").

 

[Airin]

He's the Captain.

Never in the whole of TOS was stated that a Captain couldn't be involved with anyone in the crew. That's fanon, not canon. Robert April was married to his medical officer. And the character of Rand was designed to show sexual tension with the Captain. If Rand hadn't disappeared so early, be sure that we would have had romance between her and Kirk. In fact, the original script of "Shore Leave" showed precisely that; there was no Ruth and no Tonia Barrows.

 

[Airin]

If I was to pair up members of TOS, it would be Spock and Bones for sure, not Kirk. More interesting dynamic

Absolutely. Kirk and Spock seem way too formal with each other, even a bit distant. Spock and Bones were an old married couple.

 

[NCC-73515]

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