How I Think My Dad Low Key Shipped Spirk
(Platonically or Otherwise)
Warning: Spoilers for Star Trek (2009)
For context, my (late) dad is a huge Trekkie. We're talking about watching it as it aired and revisiting it whenever possible. He watched all available Star Trek content from back then, TOS, TNG, all the movies, etc.
Then Star Trek (2009) came out. Say what you want about AOS, what it did was bring me into the fandom and made Star Trek another thing I could bond with my dad.
Now, 5 years after his death (he passed in 2020), I'd always revisit Spirk when I miss him or just want a dash of oh my gosh they're both geniuses but so dumb or like, mutual pining soulmates because AOS is great for that.
So. Back on topic. Here I was, on AO3, looking for tasty Spirk fanfics over 30K long when I had this epiphany.
Did my dad low key shipped Spirk?
Back when we watched Star Trek (2009) for the first time, during the Kobayashi Maru and Kirk's academic hearing scenes, my dad's comment was something along the lines of;
"You know, in the series, Spock praised Kirk for that. It's when he acknowledged Kirk's ingenuity."
I was 13 at the time and a baby fujoshi in the making so... Pardon my denseness.
After, when we were on the bridge, where Kirk argued about how the "lightning storm" was the same as the day the U.S.S Kelvin was attacked and Spock had to agree with Kirk's logic...
My dad, while smirking; "There we go... "
Thinking about it now, it was kinda like he just enjoyed when everything is starting to right itself (with Spock having to agree with Kirk).
Then, of course, we were on Delta Vega. My dad actually was a bit sombre and so touched at seeing Leonard Nimoy. When we got the line; "I have been, and always shall be, your friend."
My dad was all; "There's no Kirk without Spock, and no Spock without Kirk."
Not in those exact words but like, his sentiments were that they are who they are because of each other. Then, of course we had the beautiful, sooo shippy dialogues between Kirk and Spock Prime;
"You're coming back in time, changing history, it's cheating."
"A trick I learned from an old friend."
My dad was full on grinning. Especially, since at this point, our crew is complete.
Then, of course, we're at the confrontation scene and my dad was: "That's such a Kirk thing to do."
I didn't get it at the time and some of you might disagree, but I'm on my dad's side with this.
The moment Kirk was in the captain's chair, he was so excited. Like he was expecting something good to happen. And, when we got to this point;
"I would cite regulation, but I know you will simply ignore it."
"See, we are getting to know each other."
He had such a proud, happy smile. Then, we got to the kiss and he was totally blindsided. Literally heard his "Huh." Yes. The period was how I remembered it.
When we got right back to it, and were treated with the scenes in The Jellyfish, the red matter implosion, Spock meeting Spock Prime and last, but not least, when Spock is right by Kirk's side on the Enterprise...
I remembered seeing my dad's happiness as he saw them together, building their trust and starting their adventures together with the crew.
At this point, when we get to the closing narrative by Spock Prime;
"Space, the final frontier. These are the voyages of the starship Enterprise. Her ongoing mission: to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new lifeforms and new civilizations, to boldly go where no one has gone before."
He let out such a satisfied sigh. He was so happy.
To be honest, I don't know if he shipped them shipped them, you know?
He did believe in soul bonds. Soulmates, platonic or otherwise, and how all souls knew one another once, some closer than the other, that might resonate with each other when they met.
To me, that's what Spirk is. Of course, my preference is on the romantic side and for my dad? Who knows.
But I know, to him, Star Trek is about the crew and above all else, nothing is truer than the bond between Kirk and Spock.
Now, is there a point to this rant? Well. I'm about to jump into the Spirk rabbit hole (again) this weekend while browsing through AO3 and Tumblr when I had this epiphany.
I had to just let it out! ଘ(੭ ᐛ )━☆ﾟ.*･｡ﾟ
From a casual Spirk fan to all who love this fandom...
P. S. I feel like this one is the most appropriate one. And goddammit, I miss my dad so much! Gonna go read fanfics now. Terra, signing off.
