Fantastic writing guys!!! Keep it up!!!

There is a reason so many individuals re-watched the movie over and over again; and there is a reason that the new movie brought in so many new fans; and it aint because of the Kirk and Spock friendship. The Spock and Uhura relationship did that! When individuals are this upset by Spock and Uhura’s ten minutes of interaction…there is something else that is really ugly at play here. How ten minutes of interaction between two characters can mess up an entire movie speaks volumes for the individuals that posture that position.

The more things change; the more they stay the same!

Keep doing what you’re doing!

Before I start this rant (rant=argumentation which will yield no results but is done for self-catharsis) I wish to emphasize two things:
1) I am by no accounts an obsessive “trekkie.”I do not own merchandise or speak Kingonese. I do not know all the TOS episodes by heart. I HAVE watched TOS series, however, and thoroughly enjoyed it because of its emotional impact, dramatic arc and unique characters.
2) I am not a gay fanfiction fan. I do not argue from a biased viewpoint. Therefore, if anyone actually does read this post, it would not be valid to call my arguments tainted by an intentionally queer-tinted outlook.

And now to the point: Why are we – at least those of us who understand the basic precipice of star trek – so very repulsed by Spock / Uhura – notwithstanding the obvious lack of chemistry?

Answer: because it is emotional and intellectual stagnation.

Good pieces of drama are successful largely because of their emotional core. In this manner, TOS had a very genuine core: Kirk, Spock – and to a lesser extent – McCoy’s friendship. IT WAS AN EXCELLENT DRAMATIC PROPELLER. The 2009 movie, trying to “break free” from the restraints of the past and the danger of re-hashing old formulas, tried to find a new emotional core. And guess what it is? Yup, that’s right! …It’s still the relationship between Kirk and Spock. Only now, it’s being plagued by a completely misplaced romantic sub-plot, completely purposeless in dramatic necessity and – most importantly, EMOTIONALLY STAGNANT.

Now, I wish to emphasize this very, very much: I am in no way advocating that there are homoerotic implications in any star trek relationships. I am not a supporter of seeing gay relationships where they don’t necessarily exist. I do, however, wish to point out the irrefutable truth about TOS and every subsequent movie that featured Kirk and Spock: in all those movies, Spock was an intriguing character exactly BECAUSE he was emotionally unavailable to a provocative extent. Spock was undergoing a transformation, aided by Kirk and co. – and vice versa – which was a major emotional core of the movie. THIS DRAMATIC DEVICE PROVED EFFECTIVE ENOUGH TO GENERATE MORE THAN 6 SEQUELS, FEATURING THE SAME CHARACTERS IN SIMILAR SITUATIONS.

Now, in the new movie, the writers attempt to rid themselves of this huge Kirk-Spock dynamic, which they obviously feel has become a yolk. They want to attract more fans – not only hardcore trekkers – but girls in their teens, sensitive females interested in romance flicks…etc. And so they consider the option of a token romance for a protagonist; and since Kirk would be much too conspicuous because already undergoing a “character transformation” in this movie, what is the next natural selection? Mr. Spock, of course.

Ok, so we need a redeemer woman for Mr. Spock. Who’s a random female we can use, who is nearby? In fact, who is the only female character in the original cast…? YES! Cue random and completely unprovoked/unjustified romance with Uhura – “because she’s there”!! Does it matter if it’s not Uhura, but some other woman? Of course not; observe Spock’s interactions with her and you will notice she has been robbed of all personality traits and become an utterly unremarkable, totally replaceable “female character template”…who has no real discerning traits except for uninspired “hard-to-get” attitudes.

I find two things very ironic about these choices the writers have made. If they believe that, by inserting this badly conceived romantic eye-candy into the script – regardless of those excuses they give us about “inter-racial kissing”, which is complete fluff – they have somehow managed to reveal things about Spock’s character, they should reconsider. Perhaps they have not realized it, but the director himself, as well as the actors, are still focusing on the Kirk-Spock-McCoy dynamic, in spite of everything else. Observe the early montage scenes; watch how the editing is laid out: young kirk –> young spock –> brawling kirk –> brash spock. Later on, when everyone is on the Enterprise, the editing is still alternating between Kirk, Spock, McCoy. The actors’ performances are geared to respond to this dynamic, because they can find chemistry to latch emotion to. On the contrary, there is absolutely zero chemistry between Spock and Uhura – or Spock and any other woman. In fact…THAT IS THE WHOLE POINT. Being in an alternate timeline does not recalibrate a person’s character: the CHARACTER SPOCK would never have instituted a relationship with Uhura in the Academy to begin with – which ostensibly took place before the alleged “Vulcan destruction” emotional outburst.

The second ironic thing is that, by instituting this horribly implausible “love story” they have not only depreciated the brilliant work they have done everywhere else in the script…they have blocked their own dramatic potency! Sure the Spock/Uhura will continue into the sequel(s) – it’s too late to change it now, what with having gone to such pains to make this daring choice. No, the great irony is that this “strategically placed” romance was actually less profitable than they thought: since there was no chemistry or emotional motivation, a large amount of new spectators were left indifferent about it. On the contrary, people who had seen star trek before were very agitated by it. Those long-standing fans will probably go and watch the next sequel too, but they will not consider it to be at the same dramatic caliber as it could be. Result: you gain minimal new fans while alienating thousands – not just people who liked TOS, but people who didn’t find in this movie a really exciting “emotional core”!

And the final irony, ladies and gentlemen, is this: since the writers wanted a token romance in the plot, the ideals and values of TOS would have ultimately been better served if they had simply given Kirk a love interest – it would have been less disruptive to the narrative and damaging to the overall character arcs. Counter-intuitive though it may seem, what with Kirk already undergoing emotional stress, it would have been more plausible and emotionally compelling to watch him struggle with romance – if you ABSOLUTELY MUST have romance, that is. After all, Kirk is notoriously promiscuous and sensual. No harm done – fans would have expected him to be rid of this trivial love interest in the next movie, and the emotionally exciting “trek” of friendship and adventure would simply continue.

But now, by having Spock engage in a full-fledged, emotionally compromising romance, this script violates even the most basic of Aristoteleian laws: probability trumps possibility in all good plot-making!!!! It doesn’t matter if it’s theoretically possible for Spock to have an affair – which it isn’t. What is most important is that it is IMPROBABLE for it to happen. By showing him kissing(!?) Uhura (!!) IN PUBLIC(!!!!), they have made this entire relationship IMPLAUSIBLE and therefore, have revealed it to the keen observer for what it really is: a production hoax to sneak some ‘chick-flickness’ in the movie, so that teenage girls warm up to the franchise, too.

The reason why this new “relationship” presents such a fundamental shift of the movie’s emotional core is why so many people dislike it or wish to purge it. I assure you all, unfortunately, it will not be purged. Rather, it will most probably be digressed and expanded on. Prepare to see love interests for Kirk in the next movie as well, which, along with Spock’s Uhura, will turn one of the most effective adventure sci-fi stories into a conventional ‘action-packed romance!”

i hope what I’m saying will not come true, but I know it will, unfortunately. Prepare to watch a lot more of Spock and Uhura (!!???!!!) getting it on (!) and talking about how they started dating (!) Finally, at times of annoyance, remind yourself of this: what can we REALLY expect from an industry that came up with Transformers 2, for God’s sake? It couldn’t have possibly gotten better than this. We should be grateful they didn’t make a full-fledged make-out scene.

Despite the reputation of the group itself, the next Star Trek should have this. I personally don’t care who it is- not specific ‘pairing’ or anything, seriously. That doesn’t matter, and I’m not even saying that it should go all brokeback on us and stop being the amazing sci fi action movie it is- far from it.

I mean, Star Trek broke down social walls in its day. Now it’s skipped over the gay rights issue and went to the interspecies relationship one… I mean, there’s nothing wrong with the Spock and Uhura thing at all, I’m not arguing for or against that. But really, to get into gay rights, to have a hero in an action movie have a homosexual relationship or affection? That would do allot of good. Through the years, it’s always been about the next generation being better and more accepting then the last. I mean, people laugh, but it honest to god would be a good thing, to have a well-respected action hero be gay. It could be Sulu simply as a reference to the amazing Takai, it could be Kirk and Spock as a reference to the infamous slash, hell, it could be freaking Scotty and whoever. Or Uhura.

And seriously- if you guys are actually reading this at all, look at the amount of people who signed that petition. In this day and age, I honestly think the movie would sell the same amount of tickets, if only because the amount of people who came to see the movie purely because of their devotion to gay rights would be equal if not greater to the amount of people who would not go because of their own homophobic beliefs.

Having said that, I can’t wait to see how the canon is next interpreted! The ideas being thrown around are great, and it’s clear that there will be some Trek mythos involved in the Enterprise’s next mission.

Dare I list some personal wants?

- The Guardian of Forever is a great device for any time-travel related storyline, though two back-to-back timeline stories would be hard to handle.

- The Gorn is ripe for re-imagining.

- Where are all the Klingons?

- I fear the coincidences inherent, but J.J. did such a great job with the Smoke Monster on Lost, and as the greatest Futurama episode, “Where No Fan Has Gone Before” tells us, many narratives of TOS deal with “energy beings”. What kind of new threat can be found and what parables can be tied to the real world through it?

- Last thought: Reaching the edge of the galaxy was the subject of one or two tense and exciting classic Trek.

736- Hateya – AMEN AND AMEN.

Spock & Uhura: Genius

You guys really read fan fiction? Honestly?

“There is NOTHING wrong with having Spock have a best friend (and a bondmate), at the same time. As long as the relationship is treated with respect and regulated to beautiful subtlety (please no love triangle); I’m all for it!”

Yes… THIS!

Love triangle. Ugh. No. Uhura has made her choice. I do not even desire Uhura in the BIG THREE TRIANGLE. I don’t want her and Spock on either side of Kirk. No. Uhura and Kirk on either side of Spock could be fun… in fan fiction.

Seriously, it’s always interesting to talk to those who are concerned about this Spock and Kirk friendship. It’s somewhat startling how we perceive things so differently.

I always contend that Spock could have a mate and a best friend with little or no issue. The THREE-WAY friendship could still exists. I do not champion Uhura replacing McCoy as one half of Kirk’s sounding board. Do.Not.Want. This absolutely does not suit her current personality.

I also do not wish to see Uhura playing chess with Spock. I’d rather she practice Kendo with Sulu or spend time doing something ultra brainy with Chekov or hanging out with Scotty listening to the engines or creating new types of weapons to back up the phasers and torpedoes.

Nonetheless, the movie did provide us with a change in the friendship dynamic and that wasn’t Uhura’s fault (although inexplicably she has been blamed for this). It happened because another character changed…

Spock and McCoy are fine. They are almost exactly as we remember them and frankly I loved it. The “stallion” discussion was perfect. Karl Urban gave me the chills when he channeled DeForest Kelley.

So if Uhura didn’t muck this up for old fans, then who did? In the TOS, Kirk had the advantage of Spock’s logic and McCoy’s blatant emotionalism. He could draw the best from these two opposing personalities and make decisions that stemmed from his understanding of their arguments.

In the new film though, McCoy is more or less Kirk’s babysitter. Kirk… Kirk… in the movie is beyond extreme. For the most part, he’s as bad as he wants to be. The movie commentary even addressed this issue.

It was probably JJ who said that with the new Spock and Kirk friendship both men were free to be who they *are.* They would balance each other out. Later on, after Spock, Kirk and Pike returned, someone said that everyone was reunited. I presumed they meant Kirk with McCoy and Spock with Uhura. All’s well in the universe.

Therefore, McCoy’s role (at that moment) might have changed, but it wasn’t because Uhura is with Spock, but rather because KIRK was so wildly different with his rebel attitude.

Rock on Uhura/Spock!!!