#yo I did not realize just how spones-y this episode is until I rewatched it holy smokes

[ichayalovesyou]

(Re)Discovering A Strange New Spock: “Miri” (1x08)

Previous: What Are Little Girls Made Of?

Next: Dagger of The Mind

A meta anthology where I re-examine TOS, especially Spock, in light of the new information Discovery & Strange New Worlds has revealed about him to us.

Onto the Analysis!

No Appetite For Green Blood

“Being a red blooded human obviously has its disadvantages.”

Yet another testament to Spock’s utter distaste for Humans and rejection of the humanity within himself. I know you’d probably HATE to hear this Mr. Spock but you sound just like your father! Also, point of advice spock, maybe don’t tease the CMO whose tryna save everyone’s lives atm!

That being said his Vulcan blood is both saving his life, and could isolate him here on this foreign world. Doomed to live much, much longer than those around him. Almost a microcosm of his senior years… oof. So he gets to be a little flippant and infodump about microscopes a bit, as a treat.

Our Boys In The Only Blue I Respect (Science!)

On a slightly lighter note! This is the first time Spock & Bones have had to work together in a vacuum where there are no other science division members as a buffer. They are the only people on this planet capable of getting the job done.

Not only that we finally see them with the same priority, and agreeing with each other on something other than keeping Jim safe. It is the fact that the communicators are, in the grand scheme, more important than finding Janice. None of them can save her if they’re all dead. On this much, Bones and Spock agree, and remind Jim of that reality.

Almost Losing Bones (Do I Have A SECOND Friend?! Ugh! Annoying!)

They’ve stopped outright disliking each other, they’ve learned to trust each other, they’ve started teasing, they both realized Jim needs both of them. Now Spock is realizing he cares about and respects this curmudgeonly Doctor a lot more than he had anticipated.

Spock doesn’t want McCoy needlessly risking his life when Jim could get back to them in time. When Bones recklessly injects himself with the possible cure, and realizes something is wrong, the person he cries out to in panic is Spock. Possibly because McCoy instinctively knows, if anybody is gonna save him from himself, it’s gonna be him.

Then what does Spock do after checking McCoy’s vitals after he finds him?! He takes Bones hands and doesn’t let go, not even when Jim returns. The significance of touching hands in Vulcan culture brings further potency to this. Was this an instinctive, sentimental human gesture from a living man to a dying one. Or, was it subtle, deliberate Vulcan mental contact?

There’s a lot more adventures to be had in SNW, but as far as we know. This is may be the first time Spock has been in telepathic contact with someone who is unconscious and he believes is dying. I can’t help but be reminded of when AOS Spock stayed and melded with Pike as he died in Into Darkness.

On the same subject, I’ve talked about the ways Kirk reminds Spock of Chris (and Michael). I think, especially in this moment of reckless self-sacrifice, Bones reminds Spock of him too. Not only of Chris, but of Hemmer, who sacrificed himself as well, abrasive and grumpy on the surface but with an incredibly gentle soul underneath.

How much he gleaned of this truth from touch telepathy or from the immediate emotional pressure of Bones possibly dying is of course, ambiguous. Another aspect of this is for the first time since they’ve met, Bones was right! He was crazy and brash and almost died needlessly but Spock’s guilty of that too, just not today!

Spock is visibly relieved that it turns out he wasn’t dying after all, not only that but to his disbelief, correct in his risk. Jim is even present for most of the undeniable proof that Spock does care for Dr. McCoy.

I assume not wanting to ruin the progress or betray Spock’s trust Kirk might’ve kept his mouth shut. Just like he waits for Spock & Bones to concede to each other than oust the fact one confided to him that he agreed with the other in private.

Bones doesn’t know how much Spock cares yet, and won’t for a while. Spock may know that Bones cares thanks to the events of the episode. They’ll both know they care about each other eventually, but won’t admit it for a looong time. Jim knows they care about each other, but knows they’ll have to figure that part out for themselves.

The triumvirate continues to solidify as their adventures continue. Bones and Spock’s relationship in particular, crossed a threshold in this episode.