#unification

[harrykim]

The Wrath of Khan / The Search For Spock / Unification | ID in ALT

[jim-bones-spock]

[frogayyyy]

Return to Tomorrow (deleted scene), 1968 // 765874 Unification, 2024

Together, forever. I hope someday, with someone, you'll find out what that is...

[egonkula]

they undoomed my yaoi what the fuck

[nerdicorntheshipper]

Will be thinking about this forever gang

[old-type-40]

I just wanted to talk about how Unification was a great follow up to the other Rodenberry archive short film Regeneration which came out a year and a half ago. In Regeneration, we saw Spock visiting Kirk's grave on Veridian III and picking up Kirk's insignia from atop the grave where Picard left it after burying him.

Unification implies that the events of the photo novel Strange New Worlds are canon in that Gary Mitchell became a powerful non-corporeal being after his death on Delta Vega. Mitchell initially wants revenge on Kirk but Kirk eventually gets him to realize that he can set aside human desires and flaws. Mitchell sets out to travel the universe. And in Unification, Mitchell finds out about Kirk's death, sees Spock mourning at Kirk's grave, and Kirk's remains in storage at Daystrom Station.

So Mitchell brings Kirk back, has his insignia returned to him, and gives Kirk and Spock one last sunset to share together. And that's beautiful.

There's been so much focus on just the Spirk moment that I didn't want the rest of it to be overlooked and under appreciated.

[pavel-chekov-appreciator]

My interpretation of Unification is that when Kirk died, because he and Spock are literally one soul/Katra in two bodies, he can’t pass on without his other half.

So he’s being sent to fetch the missing piece of himself-but he doesn’t know right away that the missing piece is Spock. Just that there’s something missing he has to find first. That’s why we get that scene with the three different versions of himself. He doesn’t know quite what he’s looking for yet, so he’s first looking inward.

And yes, obviously it’s TOS Kirk and Movie Kirk because those are the Iconic Looks for the character, but also, within the story itself? I think he’s specifically seeing the two times in his life he lost Spock-right at the end of their first five year mission when Spock resigned, and then after Spock died in TWOK. Those are the two times in his life he had felt like a piece of himself went missing, and when he realizes that, Kirk immediately understands what he’s meant to do.

His missing piece is Spock.

[tprings-hair]

I'm going to say something about the new unification short film that I haven't seen anyone here say yet.

I love the handholding scene. massively impactful. I love the echo of "this simple feeling" from the motion picture and the genesis reference and the idea that spock did not die alone or among strangers. it's just so satisfying after all this time to know that even shatner knew it was wrong and needed to be approached with more compassion for nimoy and the fans who loved these characters and knew they should be together at the end, whatever that looked like.

but you know what really got me?

this minute or so. kirk confronting his old selves. because that's obviously original series kirk right there in the gold uniform.

and the other? THAT'S HIM!!

(I'm linking it this way because you apparently can't add more than one video to a post and I need it here for demonstration.)

so we have present kirk walking down a dark hallway. at the end is spock, but at the end is also spock's death. how can he step forward and face that? what happened to the way he used to think about death?

yellow shirt is TOS kirk, who had always found a way around the problem and never (if the movies are to be believed) had to face death straight on. he's looking forward with confidence. there's no way spock is dying. there's a way out of this somehow, if only he can find it.

TOS kirk looks back the way he came, because he believes he can go back. he can always go back. the series always resets to the same characters who can be depended on to take similar actions, because that's what a serial is, and that's who he is. things have taken their toll on him, but he knows he can take the hit and keep moving.

but he stops when he's faces with WOK kirk. the one in the red dress uniform, who has lost spock and knows what it is to live without him. who has faced death in a way he had never had to before, because the constraints of the series never allowed it. he has been changed because of it.

TOS kirk sees that, and does that sort of posturing that he always does in front of someone who's threatening him. but WOK kirk isn't threatening him. he's just living through something TOS kirk hasn't had to face yet. it's him staring his past self in the face and telling him, kindly and firmly, you know nothing about how it will feel. you will never be the same without him.

and TOS kirk looks back again, and there's a present kirk, wearing his generations uniform. this is kirk having turned that grief to a desperate search for the most important person in his life, and emerged with spock by his side. he's not the same, but he's made it through. of course TOS kirk would look to that.

and as our kirk looks at these people he used to be, they vanish in front of him. he remembers the way he used to think about losing spock. the fear, the grief, the hope. there's no hope left. when he reaches the end, spock will be there, and it will be their last time together.

but he puts the pin back on, and reminds himself of his duty not just to a fellow officer, but to a friend, to the most important person in his life, and to himself. spock should not be alone, and he never got to say goodbye properly before. doing it now is the least he can do.

that's his ultimate responsibility in that moment: being there for spock. that's been his ultimate responsibility from the beginning. and this is shatner acknowledging that they deserved an ending that fit that truth.

[sevnofnines]

Where would you estimate we belong, Miss Keeler? You? At [Kirk's] side, as if you've always been there and always will.

[xenwrites]

No!!!! You don't understand!!!

Jim Touched him!!

He touched him!

He touched Spock!!!

Spock held Jim's hand as he was dying!!! He could transfer his Katra!!!

So Jim could house his soul! So they could be together forever!!!!

Don't touch me!!!!!

[redraspberryleaf]

[chazchaschad]

THEY FINALLY MADE IT!!!!

Extra below:

[talk-nerdy-to-me-thyla]

I can't believe the Roddenberry archive posted their own fix it fic im-

[frogayyyy]

the way young kirk starts to run to spock to try and save him but is stopped by wrath of khan kirk. who's been there. he knows what it's like to not be able to save spock. he says "no. not you." and looks behind him to post-death kirk. spock doesn't need to be saved, he needs someone to go with him.

[palpablestupor]

They made it :)