" He'll live out the remainder of a normal life span..."

[DonIago]

#citationneeded

 

[MAGolding]

But should Kirk need that kind of intervention to get over the loss of a woman he knew for...what, a week, tops (seriously, I don't recall the timespan of the episode)? Is this really any worse than many other situations we see him deal with in TOS?

I quote from a previous post:

Possibly because Flint secretly gave Kirk a love potion so Kirk would teach Rayna about love and then Flint could take her from Kirk..

Or maybe:

QUOTE="Henoch, post: 12966168, member: 77209"]My earlier take on it was that Rayna has pheromone emitters which were set too high. Kirk's reaction was biochemical and beyond his control. Spock was not chemically compatible, and McCoy was separated too far from the action. Maybe Flint was also affected and didn't realize it. Flint almost achieved success; bring on Rayna 18.

[/QUOTE]

Meh. I still feel the ending implies that Kirk's feelings for Edith Keeler, among others, must have somehow been less substantive, since he didn't seem to need any help in those cases.

It also arguably weakens Kirk as a character if one relationship (and how long were they even on the planet?) compromises Kirk that badly.

Also, IIRC, Kirk didn't ask for that kind of help, which makes it a bit of a consent issue.

We didn't see how Kirk reacted to Edith's death over the next hours, days, weeks, or months after beaming up to the ship. It is possible that Edith's death was so devastating to Kirk that his friends Spock and McCoy were really worried about how he would react to Rayna's deactivation. And possibly Spock had thought and planned about what he could do for Kirk if another such situation arose.

It is possible that "City on the Edge of Forever: and "Requiem for Methuselah" happen in alternate universes, which would mean that the losses of Edith and Rayna were equally devastating to Kirk in different alternate universes and so could not be compared by the characters because they only experienced one of those adventures in each alternate universe.

Or possibly Krk fell in love with Rayna much faster and was affected much more strongly by losing her because Flint secretly gave Kirk a love potion and/or Rayna was built to emit love pheromones to make humans males love her. So Kirk's feelings for Rayna could have had a much stronger biochemical basis and her loss could have been much more devastating to Kirk.

 

[DonIago]

I'll take "Things that would have made the episode better" for $200, Alex.

 

[Commishsleer]

My recollection of seeing the episode for the first time was why was Kirk that interested in Rayna? To me she was too unsophisticated (unworldly) At first I thought he was stringing Flint along doing whatever he said to just get the stuff he needed. Even if he was wasting time plating billiards while his crew was slowly dying.
McCoy and Spock just following Kirk's lead.
I don't understand why people thing Kirk and Rayna were a good match She said she was smart but all she did was flounce around.
And I know people fall in love with people who others think are unsuited but in four hours??? Some FF I've read explain Kirk's devastation in this episode by explaining it was a cumulative effect of previous episodes. Losing his brother, Miramanee, Elaan, etc.

As to Spock changing Kirk's memories. The intention wasn't meant to make Spock seem like some kind of monster. The opposite in fact.
Looking at it now it seems a terrible violation but it was intended as an act of love.

 

[Ronald Held]

If Flint were manipulation Kirk to fall in love with Rayna, it would be easier to accept.

 

[MAGolding]

If Flint were manipulation Kirk to fall in love with Rayna, it would be easier to accept.

Flint certainly hoped Kirk would activate Rayna's ability to fall in love, and obviously Kirk falling in love with Rayna would help with that. So did Flint just hope for the best or secretly give Kirk a love potion or some "Klingon aphrodisiacs" (see post # 62)?

 

[Timewalker]

"There can be only one."

It looks like Flint was the winner.

I like to think the last ones will be Duncan, Methos, Amanda, and I'd un-kill Hugh FitzCairn just because I liked that character so much. They'd all meet at Joe's and decide to hell with the Game and just not bother trying to decide whether or not to continue until there's only one.

Comparing Flint's backstory with Methos', I'm sure Methos is older. I tend to think of this TOS episode as an accidental sequel to the "Highlander" TV series that came along 30 years later.

In fact, there are some fanzines around in which Richie survives (in the series he's killed) and eventually joins Starfleet. There's no mention of leaving Earth making him revert to being mortal.

Right! I viewed it as more of something to help Kirk cope, not a mindwipe. And I feel that Spock only does it because McCoy suggests it, and Spock deems the doctor's suggestion wise and kind. It's frankly a beautiful moment.

The idea of it being beautiful for me is tainted since I read the parody version of this episode in one of the Best of Trek books: "Requiem for a Hack". Spock's concern with making Kirk forget is a bit more... mercenary. "Forget... that fiver I owe you."

They have ship's historians for that, instead of the second in command/science officer.

By that time they probably realized that their last two were complete ditzes, so they opted to have Spock take on that job.

 

[Kor]

Ship's historians tend to become infatuated with the individuals they are studying.
What ever happened to professional detachment?

Kor

 

[Henoch]

Ship's historians tend to become infatuated with the individuals they are studying.
What ever happened to professional detachment?

Kor

I believe that course was taught at Starfleet Academy by John Gill.

 

[MAGolding]

I believe that course was taught at Starfleet Academy by John Gill.

 

[johnnybear]

Gregory Widen must have grown up loving this episode!
JB