01/26 Star Trek TOS S2
wuaaaaaaaahhhhhhhHHH this episode was...haha I dunno as a anthro major I was having complex feelings of “oh yeah that contemporarily emerging cultural-analysis trend -- lesser biased but still fledging deconstruction about othering other cultures and the understandings of the so-called custom in the 60s” and “OMG SPIRK IS SO FCKING RIO I JUST CANT”
I also noticed that both in this episode when Spock farewells T’Pau, and in the film ST Beyond where Spock 2.0 confronts the Vulcan science ministry board or whatever authority, the LLAP thing is presented in an unorthodox way: Spock’s reaction to the LLAP blessing from T’Pau is “neither” as he won’t live long nor prosper bc he killed a starfleet officer and his friend. In Beyond, Spock 2.0 is basically saying fuck you when he used LLAP to the bureau. Ofc in these days, at least for me before I started watching TOS and maybe for many new or non-hardcore audience, LLAP has been the iconic slogan of ST. Yet, when I finally dived into the ST world and saw all these scenes where ppl say LLAP, I realized, oh, so it’s not that simple. The whole discourse of using LLAP isn’t just patent and unvarying. (Unlike the commensurably famous May the force be with you in SW, where the salutation’s meaning and the related scenes convey roughly similar wishes. Sure each scene has nuances, but it’s generally for blessings and good wishes.) Whereas in ST, at least in these two scenes, the audience are given a chance to rethink about the whole discourse about using LLAP. It might not be a huge thing. Could be inadvertent. The production team just threw out all these scenes unconsciously, and the scenes themselves indicating all potentials and possibilities. But it does seem one of many ways to make the show more intellectually savory. Again, I might be over-reading into this -- not sure if its scriptwriters’ original or major intention, but the fact that I am writing this paragraph and such just didn’t occur to me when I was watching SW is a simple piece of evidence that at least there is a difference to me. I will pay more attention to this in future episodes. If it’s nah, then so be it. lol
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The theme of this episode is “friend”. YESSSSSSSS
Kirk: I own him my life a dozen times over. Isn’t that worth a career? He’s my friend.
Spock: Kirk is my closet friend. (Also: Kirk and Doctor McCoy are not outworlders. They are my friends.)
ofc the scene below doesn’t came right after these two separate quotes, but I just found it quizzically proper to put it here. Just put it here.
The omniscient doctor KNOWS.
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this, a great triangular composition:
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EVERY time they touched the other’s hand (so far mostly it’s just Kirk grabbing or unthinkingly brushed Spock’s hand or arm...lol) my heart just clinched 😲
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THE SMILE
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This family land is glamorous. And Spock, coming from the prestigious Vulcanian clan who own it, divulges not a single bit. Very logical.
Spock to Stonn: you may later realize having is not as satisfying as wanting
Woahhhhhat dude why do you frustrate a young Vulcan man’s heart when it’s not necessary? lololololol and somehow it sounds a bit kinky given the context and his relation with Kirk. sorry but not sorry okay im a bit sorry