I personally think that they are just good friends and that the term Th'y'la (which is usually the main basis other than their close relationship) is being perceived in the way that it can only mean romantically (lover), even though there are other terms like Brother and Friend. I think that their relationship is very close and mutually respected but just not to the point of romance.
What do you think about people "Shipping" Kirk and Spock?
- Thread starter ILoveVoyager
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I think what they have is purely sexual.
For me they've always been close friends. Space brothers.
I think slash fiction probably played a part in keeping Trek alive until the movies and if that's what people are into then that's their business. But I also think we need to see proper friendships on screen, and Kirk, Spock and McCoy have an iconic friendship.
I think slash fiction probably played a part in keeping Trek alive until the movies and if that's what people are into then that's their business. But I also think we need to see proper friendships on screen, and Kirk, Spock and McCoy have an iconic friendship.
I bet they loved "The Enterprise Incident."
Nah. I mean, it's all fiction, and if that's how a person views the relationship and it works for them, then that's fine too. However, I don't see it and I never have.
Tegan and Nyssa on Doctor Who, on the other hand...
Tegan and Nyssa on Doctor Who, on the other hand...
People can have whatever they want in their headcanon, but in continuity there is no evidence whatsoever that Kirk and Spock were sexually or romantically attracted to each other, and I'm not a great fan of people trying to insert gay relationships into friendships that weren't meant to be that. It should be okay to show people of the same sex having love for each other without it being romantic or sexual. If Kirk and Spock were meant to be gay, we would know that.
I don't believe Frodo and Sam are gay either.
I don't believe Frodo and Sam are gay either.
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They're best friends, and that's it.
I get the need to see yourself reflected in fictional characters, but no, I don't see any evidence that Kirk and Spock are gay or bi or that either one has romantic feelings for the other.
My best friend died about five years back, and we knew each other for about 25 years before he passed. Not a week goes by that I don't think of him at some point. I was best man at his wedding. We shared a lot in our lives, both good and bad. The last few years of his life, we'd tell each other "I love you" at the end of our phone calls. If I could've traded my life for his, I would've done it unhesitatingly.
But no, despite our closeness, nothing romantic or sexual ever happened between us. Because men can have extremely close heterosexual friendships.
I get the need to see yourself reflected in fictional characters, but no, I don't see any evidence that Kirk and Spock are gay or bi or that either one has romantic feelings for the other.
My best friend died about five years back, and we knew each other for about 25 years before he passed. Not a week goes by that I don't think of him at some point. I was best man at his wedding. We shared a lot in our lives, both good and bad. The last few years of his life, we'd tell each other "I love you" at the end of our phone calls. If I could've traded my life for his, I would've done it unhesitatingly.
But no, despite our closeness, nothing romantic or sexual ever happened between us. Because men can have extremely close heterosexual friendships.
Never been a die-hard rabid Kirk/Spock shipper but I appreciate the pairing very much still (especially since it gave slash fic its name, I gotta respect my writing elders) and I always love to look at the old Kirk/Spock fanzines that existed back in the day. So yeah, I can see the pairing.
Just friends. Nothing more. I do find it funny how some insist they are or should be. Similarly there was a lot of anticipation a few years ago with some fans about making kirk bisexual. Never has been evidence for that either but people were lobbying for it and still are. It would be a major recon and I believe it would weaken the franchise. Not sure why new star trek characters can't fit the bill for this.
They're lovers, even Roddenberry made a reference to Spirk in the TMP novelization. And I see plenty of ways Shatner plays moments between himself and Nimoy in TOS and the films that hint at it, whether Shatner admits it or not.
Does that affect any of the stories or mark the end of the fictional world if any of that's true? Hardly.
Does that affect any of the stories or mark the end of the fictional world if any of that's true? Hardly.
Of all the things I care about the least in fiction it's vehicle design.
Character sex lives are a close second. People can think what they want. People have fantasized about Spock forever.
Character sex lives are a close second. People can think what they want. People have fantasized about Spock forever.
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.
It's also inappropriate given their working relationship.
I say this as a gay man.
It's also inappropriate given their working relationship.
I say this as a gay man.
Idk, I think Kirk/Spock fic doesn't hurt anyone. I could easily write a fic in which they're just co-workers and I could easily write one in which they're lovers because their relationship can be interpreted in so many ways. They're one of those pairings where either way makes complete sense and you don't have to jump through a zillion hoops to achieve your writing aim.
In general I think shipping Kirk/Spock (or any other pairing) is fine unless it becomes rabid and/or people start to yell at each other about their headcanons - ship wars are among the most annoying things a fandom can produce.
In general I think shipping Kirk/Spock (or any other pairing) is fine unless it becomes rabid and/or people start to yell at each other about their headcanons - ship wars are among the most annoying things a fandom can produce.
Kirk was married to his ship. I think Kirk and Spock were written as having a very strong friendship, but it didn't seem to have a romantic tone to it. If there was some mutual infatuation they would have gotten over it to get their jobs done. Anyone going on a five year mission would have had to prepare themselves for the fact that a LTR on a mission like that would be a bad idea.
But I can also see how it can be seen that way.
But I can also see how it can be seen that way.
There are some interactions that could be read that way. But in my opinion they don't have more chemistry than Spock/McCoy or Kirk/McCoy. Don't know why the fandom focused almost exclusively on Kirk/Spock in particular...
So there is no hard proof of it being romantical, neither hard proof of it being not. It falls in the category of "maybe?". Similarly, I see zero evidence for Spock having feelings for Uhura or Chapel in TOS, and yet the Kelvinverse and SNW decided to follow that route. Because those were also "maybes".
As for the need for more platonic friendships in media, I don't get what's the problem. 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...
So there is no hard proof of it being romantical, neither hard proof of it being not. It falls in the category of "maybe?". Similarly, I see zero evidence for Spock having feelings for Uhura or Chapel in TOS, and yet the Kelvinverse and SNW decided to follow that route. Because those were also "maybes".
As for the need for more platonic friendships in media, I don't get what's the problem. 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...
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.
He thinks it's Spock massaging him, then is disappointed it's not, immediately tells her to stop, they look at each other, and as Spock turns away, he totally looks at his ass.
I didn't remember that scene at all...that's pretty funny (and wildly misogynistic, but hey, it's TOS.) Nevertheless, I'm pretty certain that scene was meant just for laughs, not that there was something going on with Kirk & Spock.
Well, it was the basis for the Spock/Uhura romance in the Abrams films.
You and I are polar opposites.
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