#and seeing the attitudes some of them have esp in fandom spaces makes it so clear sjaknejwbr this is going to be more | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

inchidentally · 3 months

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tricky asks time! a lot have built up so I'm definitely going to have to do a multiparter - remember to bl 'wank adjacent' to not see these posts <3

I'm putting these two together bc the first one is to do with a super creepy anon who has a very loud and fully parasocial "our relationship" attitude toward Lily and Oscar and ironically thought that me saying that I engage in rpf for fun on a website that requires multiple hoops to get through to even scroll one page of someone's blog. and the second is the side of fandom who have developed a certain idea of "perfect relationships" based solely on the woman remaining largely unknown and the man a major public figure.

okay, so. full disclosure: I don't have a great view of heterosexual relationships when it comes to what they do to women and what they take from women. I'm not automatically down on any of them and as always I'm like, other people's choices are fully their own and my opinions are irrelevant as far as they're concerned!

it's pretty obvious from me repeating over and over but first and foremost !! I am aggressively against internalized misogyny in fandom spaces, and esp toward the women who date or marry male public figures. it's absolutely rampant on a larrying level in carlando and pretty damn bad in dando and I've been adamant that landoscar won't fall prey to those people (carlando and dando fandoms still have plenty of great people, just to say <3).

but make no mistake, me sticking up for these women is because they do not deserve abuse as a basic decency. they're not dolls I pick up and put down based on if they happen to be with a guy I post about. they deserve respect regardless of who is observing them and why. *if they're genuinely problematic then that's a separate topic but holy shit only bring that morality if you're prepared to apply it to the men you're a fan of at the same time !!

the fact that we only know these women based on the man they're dating or married to is already problematic and I get pretty grossed out when fans go hard for a gf or wife and then easily transfer that energy immediately when there's a breakup and a new gf or wife. it's equally gross when they continue to follow the ex and say how much they "miss her" or constantly bring up her ex in spaces she can see.

so when I speak up about or for Lily and any other wife or girlfriend of a driver, I'm doing so with full respect for how uncomfortable it is that I only know of her existence bc of a man. and that I also have a responsibility in a fandom space - even one as fairly invisible as tumblr - to kick back at fans who attack them purely to create space for their rpf ship fantasy or their own unhealthy obsession.

it's also why you'll see me being a broken record about keeping the line between rpf for fun and the reality of these men's relationships.

I don't think I'll ever believe that a woman is anything but relatively happy in a partnership with the type of man who has to give their entire selves to their career. especially F1 that demands 10 months of almost nonstop travel and commitments. and sorry, the whole 'yay she has her own career/life!' as some kind of consolation prize for her sacrifices doesn't work bc in order for the relationship to exist beyond phone calls and texts has always required the wife or girlfriend to fly wherever he is to spend time together. very occasionally, I see someone like George or Alex make the effort during the season to fly out to their girlfriend. Oscar went on a minibreak with Lily during the break last season. like, that's bare minimum lol and nothing compared to these women flying across the globe and being stuck waiting around while their bf or husband only has the rare hour or so between commitments on a race weekend.

so any "praise" of a wife or girlfriend for how they accommodate a man's career and "stay out of the spotlight" or "stay private" is a massive red flag for me. an largely invisible woman dating a man with a public profile will never feel like an organic decision on her part to me. it's a reaction to a situation that shouldn't exist.

"his fans and fangirls are awful though" yea and that's not fucking right and it's not a reason to let them win. decent fans can work harder to suppress the shitty ones and mass report accounts. and I know that for Lily Z, she's gotten temporary respite by being nothing more than a woman walking beside Oscar and not "giving haters any ammunition". but for example, even though Lily M and Carmen still get occasional shit from idiots who just want to hate, they go relatively unscathed because the decision was made early on to be in on the rpf ship jokes and George and Alex consistently make as many posts about them in a sort of joint, impenetrable "this is our relationship and you will not drive these women into hiding". Lily's hugely intelligent and has professional STEM aspirations of her own.

it's wayyyyy too convenient to say she's as private as she is because privacy fulfills her and brings her happiness. it's just the flipside of haters giving her a conditional reprieve bc they don't have to be annoyed by her having a visible personality.

and guess what? we've never once heard from Lily herself that she would be private even without dating a man in the public eye. we've heard what her boyfriend has said. we've heard from Kym Ilm*n. and women in fandom have taken that and decided it's permission to praise her for not wanting to face unfair abuse. like ??? I am not ok with that lol.

"maybe she just doesn't want to be super visible or have a public identity!" nah. if she's under 50 then having a public identity is fully the norm so it's too much of a convenient reach to make that assumption. and if she has a career of her own then she absolutely needs to have a public identity. even when you start out in entry positions, showing the work you do and the people you work with is totally normal for advancement. (I'm in shitty jobs so that doesn't apply to me lol but no F1 wife or gf will be working my jobs. almost all the women I know are in aspirational careers tho.)

women deserve to at least have a go at being a dynamic, public person who pursues life to the degree she chooses irrespective of her bf - and if afterward she finds she wants to be super private and raise a man's babies out of sight AND SHE SAYS SO HERSELF then that's absolutely wonderful.

but absolutely no one can convince me that women aren't conditioned and pressured in a world like F1 to either shut up and stay out of the way, or that they're "asking for it" if they do live publicly and have crazies stalking them and sending them abuse.

*side note that I've heard some ummm potentially not great things about Seb with regard to women that are not worth repeating here in case they've been blown out of proportion or just rumors. (I get the whole "he may have changed" but a lot of the videos of him flirting with women or objectifying them is... not great and hopefully he's seen the error in that) but even if it's all untrue (and obv I hope it is) I'm only happy for his wife if she has openly stated herself that she voluntarily chose to remain largely invisible and put up with him being absent so often and her having to be the one to alter her life to be with him during the F1 season. if she hasn't clearly said that herself (a direct quote "" and not just a reporter stating it) then there's no point in us assuming it about her. and the Seb's words are not a replacement for her own, sorry.

I'm not at all a person to comment on this myself but I fully respect your experience babe <3 I personally know and know of a few ppl who got together in HS and ended up getting engaged or married and they're already cheating or breaking up so I also can't contradict you aslfgsjalgf

and just to say: while I (for all the reasons above) will never be yay I'm so glad Lily is tied to a man whose job absorbs his entire life I will NEVER say that outside these replies. I will always push support for Lily - and any gf Lando might have at some point - bc they deserve and need it in fandom. and any of our takes on these relationships are pointless and irrelevant anyway.

I think I covered my own feeling about this above and tbh it depends on the intent. if they're going to drop the woman in question if/when a breakup happens then yea that is super creepy and weird to make fan pages etc.

I like following certain wives and gfs accounts mostly bc I live vicariously through the glamour of their lives but I'd feel weird interacting with their content or making fan content of it when I know damn well I only started following them bc of a man.

it's tricky to say and I think it depends so much on the individual fan's intent and how they create that content y'know?

but god yeah, unless a ship is a joke openly shared by the men in question like carlando and dando then I need these official accounts to just not do rpf. it's why I tend not to rb when that happens with landoscar bc I so want this ship to remain mostly under the radar and not attract rpf truthers.

#inchreplies #wank adjacent #f1partnerstalk #(this was the hugely difficult one I agonized over for weeks lol)#for reference

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ducktracy · 1 year

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I don’t want to go too in-depth about this because I don’t want to come off as hateful towards TLTS however I will say (with no disrespect towards people that like it and esp not the people that worked on it) that I feel the reason for its sudden resurgence has less to do about the show *in particular* but more how it presents the Looney Tunes cast in a consistent domestic setting with consistent characters—which is much more easily consumable for fandom than shorts with VERY little continuity and characterizations that could depend on director, year, or even just that short.

this has been ruminating in my inbox since July (and i am SO SORRY… i have 200+ unanswered asks + DMs i promise it is not a purposeful disregard i’m just busy and easily distracted :’)) and i wanted to hold onto it just because 1) people who have been following me for quite awhile know my opinions on TLTS by now and i don’t want to keep beating a dead horse and 2) i feel a little guilty critiquing it because a lot of complaints do come to personal taste and i don’t want to discredit the work that went into the show… and also just know it’s a pretty beloved staple by fandom spaces and don’t want to engage in any drama.

BUT! i figured i’d throw my two cents in now because i’ve been doing a rewatch with a friend who hasn’t seen it before/only exposure to LT is through me (and rewatch as in not just skimming the Porky and Daffy episodes like i have been doing after i first finished the show in 2019) and i think it’s helped to give me a bit of a new perspective through a fresh pair of eyes

i agree with your point 100000000% and can’t say anything you didn’t already say better. i also sense that it’s easier to get into as an “outsider”. the more i delve into TLTS, the less i find myself enjoying it, but i CAN laugh at it if i distance myself enough from the source material/integrity of the characters at hand. i could definitely see myself enjoying it much more if these were different character altogether… but that i make such a mental compromise to begin with (which is more of a “me” problem than with the actual show) obviously demonstrates some disenfranchisement with the show. if i truly just try to view it for what it is, i find myself laughing at it much more. it does have some genuinely funny writing and i am a sucker for Jessica Borutski’s designs in the first season

going back to my earlier point though, i think it’s easier for people to get into who aren’t familiar with the characters. LT is a strange beast in that i think it’s structure (or lack thereof) is alien to a lot of people so used to serialization/episodic formats nowadays that have some semblance of continuity. in the originals, the characters differ depending on the director, the writer, the culture of the time, etc. even, say, two Daffy shorts released in the same year by the same director can drastically differ if they’re written by two different writers (like compare a Daffy short written by Mike Maltese to one written by Tedd Pierce, even if it was by the same director at the same time. there are going to be different approaches and nuances.)

as such, these characters are a lot more abstract and difficult to pin down. sure, there are recurring traits; Bugs is almost always witty and sharp in some way. Daffy is one of the most varied characters in the history of animation, but remains a lack of impulse control/general charisma throughout his career. while Porky has a tendency to get swept up in violent impulses depending on the context/director/writer, he is generally approached as mild mannered. there are definite traits that are identifiable, but these traits are INCREDIBLY malleable. the original shorts are so dependent on the context of their creators, their background, their culture that it’s impossible to view them from a lens of sheer objectivity. especially with the original shorts boasting so many different attitude and approaches at the same time! these cartoons are built on variety and subjectivity

therefore, i think modern audiences aren’t exactly equipped for this/such a format is understandably alien. and on social media especially, in a day and age where we feel we have to rationalize and justify our every waking thought, movement, impulse and so on, we try to make an explanation for everything or simplify something down so it fits our above strife for objectivity. what i’m getting at is that i think it’s (understandably) difficult for people to accept this at times contradictory variety, and it’s more comfortable to pin these characters down to easy, simple, identifiable traits and buzzwords. however, the original characters were not made with this train of thought in mind. and because the originals are so full of nuance and personal experience and background and so on, it’s nearly impossible to replicate that to the same effect

so, TLTS simplifies. Bugs is now the aggravated straight man who just wants to be left alone. Daffy is an inconsiderate, idiotic rube. Porky is a complete pushover who is made to be the butt of the joke many times to a degree that is even unintentional. little personality traits exuded in the originals (Chuck Jones’ interpretations of Bugs and Daffy, the former just wanting to find peace and messing with his adversaries if only provoked, Daffy letting his impulses get the best of him and come off as inconsiderate in the name of self preservation, Porky’s mild manners being misconstrued for a lack of self defense) are filtered through a more objective lens that can be digested by audiences with more ease—especially audiences unaccustomed to the nuances of the originals.

i was surfing around the TLTS wiki one day and saw something that mentioned (paraphrasing of course) “Tina’s hairstyle is ‘the Rachel’ style, based off of Rachel from Friends” and while it was just an innocuous sentence likely included with no real basis behind it, i think it perfectly described my issues with the show. instead of allowing these characters to exist on their own or own up to their genuine roots, purposeful sitcom clichés and other brief summations of characters are applied instead. rather than letting Tina exist as her prototypal self (RIP Marisol Mallard) which was arguably more unique, we give her “the Rachel” because it’s an identifiable synonym with sitcoms and comedic shenanigans and therefore clues the audience that, hey! this is a wacky sitcom. and i agree that is a smart association, but it just feels like an injustice. the LT characters are approximations and buzzwords rather than a genuine demonstration of what made them so compelling and iconic in the first place

please note that despite my ramblings about objectivity vs subjectivity, this is all just my opinion and i again feel a bit remorseful for even expressing it. i truly do think the show is funny on its own and am always happy to see increased interest in the franchise. i know the decisions and work behind the show were not as cut and dry as “Tina has a similar hairstyle to a fictional sitcom icon therefore the show is a representation of sitcom clichés”, and as a person who works on cartoons myself and understands the thought and care that go into these decisions i feel responsible for my armchair diagnosing. so, i ask that you take all of this with a grain of salt. it’s 99% my own opinion speaking. but i cannot agree with your original point enough, and feel that it is a show so unobjectively worshipped through its ease of access thanks to a comparative lack of complexity (as well as the fact that it’s not 1944 anymore and our media landscape/culture and how we interpret said media is much different now than it was then.)

i think it’s a show that presents the characters in a way where they’re easier to accept at face value, and it’s easier to follow that rather than look at a smorgasbord of options and backgrounds and base your opinions off of that. a lot of the original shorts have impressions of the characters rely on nuances, implications, and subtleties that go unspoken. shows and cartoons are much more dialogue driven and objective and often explicitly state how the audience should feel about the characters rather than, again, letting them make those decisions for themselves, which i feel is another point in why the show is so easy to digest.

i’ve rambled WAY TOO MUCH! i again ask once more that you take none of this as fact HAHA. it’s just my pure opinion and outlook, and i’m certainly not without my bias. i’m happy so many people love the show and hope more continue to do so, and i’m enjoying my rewatch of it through a fresh pair of eyes. i just get so caught in particulars that it’s hard for me to enjoy to the fullest extent because of the aforementioned aspects. but again, genuine positivity outweighs negativity, and the fans who love the show and get something meaningful out of it definitely trump my old man yells at cloud bitching. if it gets people into noticing these characters and checking out the originals, that’s all i can ask for

#long post #i am so sorry for my rambling #asks #anonymous

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commajade · 3 years

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god i fucking hate the unenlightened east attitude people have when talking about being a queer person in an eastern country. like people in my country know what a gay person is we are not dumb. especially in kpop fandoms some people act like they know e v e r y t h i n g about being a queer person living in korea and their idol can't come out because how homophobic the country is and how koreans probably don't know much about being gay and write essays like ????? you only have some general knowledge about korea thanks to kpop why are you acting like you are the queer spokesperson of korea,,,

unenlightened east attitude is a hell of a word combo to open tumblr to when i'm p faded so i thought u were yelling at me at first i was like whoaaa there lol but nah ur completely right i feel the same literally all the time. i call it brain worms but the kind of stuff i read every day is literal colonial erasure it's rly fascinating that violence comes in such small pieces.

white people should just not speak it's no surprise but lol when i went abroad to korea i realized just how little i knew at all about the gay people there. i assumed they were there because i existed but before just like 5 years ago there was literally no easily accessible info about it on the internet in english. there were a few studies on jstor that didn't say much a few youtube interview clips. so it's so easy to just believe the dominant narrative (always the colonial one) esp when an entire hivemind of kpop stans r parroting it at you vehemently like ur bias' life depends on it. pinkwashing of their colonial tendencies and possessiveness over these korean artists and simple white saviorism makes them feel like rings true.

it wasn't until i was an adult in korea that had learned some korean and was seeking out queer things that i realized it's actually everywhere. there are gay people everywhere. i didn't know that was true when a mentor figure told that to me but now i know it is true. there are gay people everywhere, and in korea in the last few years it's very very visible to anyone who's looking. especially because the feminist movement has been so huge for the last 5ish years and women are en masse protesting the patriarchy by dressing the way they want to more and more and various subcultures are developing like music scenes and art scenes and online spaces. these movements have made it a lot easier for lgbt ppl to find each other and koreans r used to living with their parents until marriage and having their personal lives completely separate and outside of the home which is more conducive to gay stuff. the lgbt scene in south korea is a thriving several subcultures and has been growing in its current "post" Korean War form since the 60s and i literally saw more butch femme couples walking around hongdae at 3am than i have in LA total. tho tbf i haven't been to a lesbian bar/club in the US. it's literally so easy even in english to find gay events just on facebook i went to a halloween drag show at a small dive bar in hongdae it was a GREAT TIME. also 90% of korean tattoo artists are in or adjacent to the queer subculture it's just a thing cuz being gay and being a tattoo artist r both technically illegal but not enforced. there's a ton of lgbt youtubers now they have their own hashtags and are active in fandoms it's rly amazing to see. but i wouldn't have known if i didn't study korean and go looking for it.

the other thing is that fans with a western mindset can't fathom the idea of being happy and gay and professionally closeted. there are definitely idols who are living full happy dramatic fun gay love lives and are out to everyone but their parents maybe and their employers. fans but esp intl fans r STRANGERS who r not entitled to knowing about kpop idols' personal business so have they considered that just because someone didn't tell YOU they're gay doesn't mean they haven't told anybody. i call idols gay when i see that they are, as a korean lesbian who has been learning to recognize my people. racial capitalism comes with the need for u to detail every part of urself legibly and labeled in order to be seen as legitimate and existent so the south korean queer presence is illegible.

i'm trying not to get angry at it anymore because i'm not surprised i can't help that millions of people are saying the same wrong thing about my people sucks for them if they think we don't exist.

#asks #kpop #personal #yaejin

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tonyglowheart · 3 years

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I feel like some people are so weirdly entitled about fan tls, like do they realize they're getting it for free and only because the tl wanted to share the original work?? Idk why it's so hard to be polite to them and why they feel they need to publicly want to argue with the tls over minor stuff

I do agree somewhat, I think there's a lot of reader-prioritizing attitudes surrounding fan translations. Beyond that, I also think ppl seem to... discount the amount of work and/or legal liability translators perhaps put themselves under?

But I think some ppl reading fan translations also mentally divorce themselves from infringement on their part, bc well, it's the translator's faults, if they didn't want me infringing copyright then they shouldn't have done it themselves. But that's not really how it works, you are still accessing essentially pirated works, and yes as int'l audience typically it doesn't have as muuuch a financial impact on the original creators, but when things do start getting licensed I think the, like, Japanese & KR manga/manhwa industry parallels & what you see mangaka/manhwa artists saying about pirating hurting them on twitter start coming into play.

Plus, for me, I think sometimes ppl are using MXTX's works as a generalization for all danmei, when really what I'm concerned about is the precedent that sets with EN spaces. Like sure, MXTX as one example may be able to take the hits from pirating and what not. But "smaller" authors and works won't. And I do in fact worry about precedents & building attitudes I see.

And like... idk it's just interesting/weird to me, I think that sometimes ppl try to apply fanfic author/transformative fandom etiquette where it doesn't apply (like, I think per U.S. law, translations don't actually constitute transformative works/a new copyright the way a fic would, it's still legally under the same copyright? but I'm not a lawyer so take this with a grain of salt), but then ignoring other items of fandom etiquette (esp treatment-of-authors/content creators etiquette) that I do think would apply.

My, perhaps controversial lmao, take is that I do think translators are under a different/"higher" level of standards/scrutiny than fanfic authors are, and thus their work SHOULD be open to critique or discussion. I don't mean be mean and nasty to them the way everyone was to ExR when everyone suddenly decided it was okay to, but just that translations ARE a claims towards authorial intent & interpretation in a way I think transformative fanworks aren't, you're not so much playing in a sandbox at that point as you are making claims to the authority of your interpretations. And my general take is, I think multiplicity of translation/translation-related interpretation only helps people who don't have access to the source language or aren't as familiar with the source culture, not hurts. Although I do also want to add/caveat that there is indeed an etiquette to fan translations such as not stepping on an existing translator's toes, so I'm not condoning ppl who start translating where someone else left off and posting it publicly bc they "think the translator is too slow" either.

Basically... I do think it's a complicated situation/topic when you start digging into it, as most things are, and there are lots of competing access needs at play that I think ppl need to keep in mind/mind more than I tend to see around. I think sometimes by way of countering a certain prevailing view of a time, ppl tend to go in an other opposite extreme, which I also often think isn't... quite it, either.

#asks answered #Anonymous #translation talk #I will say ppl acting like translators are trying to gatekeep them is... interesting to me #bc like a fan translator is literally doing the opposite of gatekeeping #and I do think that like. yes once you put something publicly on the internet you kind of give up the ability to control it is a truism #but I also think the way we build community in fandom is with practices of good faith & observance of etiquette #I don't think it's ridiculous for a translator to want or at least request some amount of control over their translations?#and like. yes I do think accessibility is a good concern in general. but like fan translators aren't marketing a service so they don't have #an obligation to share their translations at all to begin with/ people aren't entitled to fan translations #plus again my thing about underscoring competing access needs: one person's needs aren't unimportant. but they're also not the only ones #and often I see ppl who hold their own to the highest of priority and discount other ppl's esp if others are in conflict with their own

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barbiegirldream · 2 years

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Hi Sally! I love reading your analyses, they are always so based and interesting. I have a question - sometimes I see that fandom blogs and fanartist feel uncomfortable interacting with older fans. I saw 27+ dni on some people's cards. I'd love if you share your thoughts and maybe thoughts of people from fandom that you know. I'm an older mcyt enjoyer and I really like reading different blogs and opinions and sharing them as well. I share my art and ramblings and opinions on my blog too. I saw the dni thing for the first time today and it made me feel a bit uncomfortable and weird in a way. I'm not doing any weird things for example not sharing nsfw stuff with minors or anything like that so I started feelling slightly paranoid and not welcomed. I didn't specify my age on the blog profile and I'm scared to do this now though I'm not like in my 40s, I'm only 27. what do you think is the general attitude to older fans out here? should I feel weird about interacting with others? what boundaries should I be aware of not to make others uncomfortable? how should I act if I wanted to start making friends in the fandom? it really scares me and makes me nervous cause I didn't expect that the fact I'm 27 and not for example 22 makes so much difference. haven't felt so bad about being older in a while to be honest. Thank you a lot for reading this and I'll be looking forward to your reply, thought of course you don't have to :)

Hi yes of course. Now i'm saying all this from the perspective of someone who's 19 but even when i was a minor in fandoms i never felt like that.

Frankly I don't often check ages of people i follow. All of my stuff is tagged so anyone can blacklist as need be And any thirsting happens in the dms with people who i know are also adults.

I wouldn't have an age in which I don't want people talking to me. Like I think there is a minimum age for tumblr lol like I don't want middle schoolers on here in general. But I don't see why I'd be interacting with a 16 year old in this fandom any different than a 27 year old obvious things aside.

It's also a bit hmmm when minors broadcast that they are teenagers and don't want adults interacting. Because a normal adult wouldn't be the issue anyways. No freak who wants to hurt a kid is gonna be stopped by a dni

I also think in this fandom I've seen it in other but esp in this one the entitlement is off the charts. So these kids believe the fandom belongs to them and they don't have anything in common with someone who's 27+ therefore they're not welcome. It's childish and should be ignored imo.

I just think it's good to find people who share your interests and anyone who's that worried about you being 27 probably wouldn't be that fun to talk to anyways. My dms are always open for a chat to anyone.

So i think we're all here to make jokes about funny Minecrafters and being 27 doesn't mean you have to stop having fun. I think Tumblr is probably going to be more welcoming of a space than Twitter in that regards but yeah.

So i'd say make friends the normal way in a fandom make funny posts interact with peoples content leave funny tags send asks all that sort of thing. You shouldn't have to conduct yourself any differently than you normally do. Other people have to decide if they want to interact with you or not

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hackedbyawriter · 3 years

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this is just a random thought.

but like i just hate people who are elitists and exclusionists. esp in fandom spaces.

yes ive been guilty of doing this and I regret it to this day this but ive come to realise that for some people a fandom is the only place where they can truly be themselves

and to have people tell them they can't participate for xyz reasons or say that what they're contributing sucks (unless its like ch*ld p*rn then they deserve the hate). or in general they just like have this sneering attitude towards newer fans and make them feel unwelcome.

its just not on.

ur no obi wan and the others are anakin so like what kind of moral high ground do you think ur on??

like is it so hard to let other people enjoy what you enjoy? is this really so precious to you that you can't share it with others and gatekeeper what can or cannot happen in the space? are you really so possessive that you can't bear to see someone else other than you (and perhaps your small posse of elitist friends but even then there’s jealousy involved) do well in the fandom and contribute new things and have fun?

If so, you're the toxic one.

I think if you ever truly loved something, you would be content in letting others share in its brilliance.

#sargun being dumb #this isn't really based off personal experience #nor is this taking any pot shots at a particular fandom #just something I've observed #fandoms

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thesearchforspirk · 6 years

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1 x 1 : Where No Man Has Gone Before {Subtext Study}

As we’re going in production order (which seems to produce a more linear story) the story of Gary Mitchell and his tinfoil eyes is where we’ll begin this journey into Star Trek subtext. There’s quite a bit in this episode to wade through, particularly of the homoromantic quality, so let’s get started.

Tellingly, perhaps, our episode opens on our two main objects of study playing their beloved three-dimensional chess. As someone who has been in Spirk fandom for awhile now, I can attest that 3D chess is mentioned as an activity Kirk and Spock engage in together in their recreation hours in about 99.9% of fanfics (logically, the chances of them having recreation hours that overlap with one another is about slim to none, given their respective positions, but a little willing suspension of disbelief never hurt anyone). However, I think we only see them actually play it in-canon in about 2-3 episodes total, if that.

Still, there’s something significant about the choice of chess as a game for these two to engage in and this particular game’s history as a means of courtship and flirtation.

This is also our first indication that Spock adheres strongly to the fact that he’s Vulcan and “without” emotions and that Kirk delights in teasing him about the fact. “Certain you don’t know what irritation is?” Kirk asks, knowingly, with a shit-eating grin after he makes a move that Spock wasn’t anticipating (having already smugly announced he would have Kirk check-mated in his next move). The banter here relies heavily on the natural affection between the two of them, that which the script wants the audience to be aware of. Though Spock alleges to be immune to emotions he is clearly anything but, and yet, Kirk finds an affectionate delight in this fact. He’s allowed to rib Spock a little bit about this without threat of any real offense, indicating a very high level of trust between them.

Certainly this could be the banter of two who are just friends and have no unspoken attraction or romantic interest between them, but talk like this often manifests as flirtation as well. Kirk’s decidedly sultry smirks at Spock (the first of thousands that would proceed them in the next few decades of material) and his huskier tone of voice are interesting acting choices for Shatner to have made if he hadn’t intended to play Kirk as flirty in this scene.

As I will often disclaim, I’m not suggesting that the original intent was the same as the interpretation I’m asserting here. What I am saying is that the evidence for a layer of flirtation is there, be it intentional or not, and to not at least acknowledge it is to ignore the obvious.

Moving on!

Kirk has been attempting to stay alert for any news about a recently heard Earth distress signal (despite the -ahem- distractions). News of said distress signal finally comes in, interrupting this little verbal tango between our boys, and Kirk and Spock rush to the transporter room to find an old-style ship recorder. Spock asserts that due to the damage on the object it’s likely that something happened to the ship (in the vein of blowing up or whatever I guess). The recorder begins transmitting a signal as soon as Scotty starts feeding tapes into the computer and Kirk puts the ship on red alert.

Enter Gary Mitchell, barely missing the turbolift ride alongside our boys. It’s made obvious right away that Gary and Jim are close from the casual way they greet and chat about ship stuff even under red alert. Gary then turns his attentions to Spock and, weirdly, sort of sizes him up before asking in a more straightforward tone “So, you finished the game?”. Spock nods and moves forward to the doors preemptively while explaining, “[Kirk] played most illogically. His next move should’ve been the rook.” Behind Spock’s back, Kirk grins and makes a throat-cutting motion to Gary to subtly indicate Spock’s obvious loss.

When I first saw this episode, and each time I return to it after a prolonged absence, I always initially get a sort of antagonistic vibe between Spock and Gary. On my original watch I thought it was going to be some sort of bigotry thing on Gary’s behalf against Spock’s being a Vulcan (which does happen with a different character in a different episode) but that ends up not being the case here. We really have no reason to believe there’s anything antagonistic between them, at least nothing that’s addressed directly.

(note Kirk’s got another amused, if not sultry look for Spock here)

The likelihood is that Spock’s cold retreat to the turbolift doors is more attempt to escape mention of his chess defeat than anything else. Gary’s once over of him, however, and hard tone of voice might suggest something else. Could be an organic jealousy in the fact that they share a mutual, close friend and seem to be on equal levels of bonding with the same person, but don’t seem to have much in common with one another and occupy awkward spaces beside him, sort of privately elbowing one another for the same category in Jim Kirk’s life. But what is that category, exactly? Is it just one of platonic friendship or something else?

A common argument against Kirk/Spock is the assertion that Jim (specifically) is clearly a lover of women and has never taken a male lover in canon and so must be, therefore, purely heterosexual and uninterested in men. This is a bit of fallacy in an of itself because 1) of course we never saw Kirk take a male lover in any sort of obvious way, this was a show produced in the 60′s for godssake, 2) Kirk’s frequent and, presumably exclusive, taking of female lovers doesn’t necessarily exclude him from being able to find men attractive and enjoy romantic/physical relationships with them, 3) most of the time when Kirk would take a female lover it was to gain something for the purpose of a mission; only rarely was he actually indulging in sincere feeling or attraction.

All that said, there is an argument that Gary Mitchell might be the earliest precedent and indication that Kirk has taken at least one male lover before and, therefore, has a history of finding men physically and romantically attractive. Due to the attitudes of the time it’s purely speculation based on subtext and ambiguity, but one I’ll explore here as we learn more about Gary and Jim and their history together.

In any case, I will also add that sexuality is fluid and being attracted exclusively to one gender for most of one’s life doesn’t mean that one may never find themselves drawn to something different at some point. Even if Kirk had never taken a male lover, had never found men attractive in any way prior to Spock, it doesn’t mean that Spock couldn’t have been an exception. I would also assume at this point in earth’s social development that relationships of all kinds between consenting adults are accepted with much more open minds, that any bigotry that might keep someone from indulging in or owning up to a desire would no longer exist. Food for thought. Back to our regular programming.

The three men go to the bridge and take their respective places. Kirk orders neutral warp at the edge of the galaxy and puts out a ship-wide message that the disaster recorder came from the SS Valiant two hundred years ago, the hope being that more insight will eventually be granted to them as to what happened to said ship. Meanwhile, Spock continues to have no luck with the burnt out tapes.

The department heads arrive on the bridge as ordered and we meet Dr. Elizabeth Dehner, a psychiatrist that recently joined the crew. Sidenote: if the Enterprise was ever granted a psychiatrist to replace her after this episode (spoiler alert) they certainly aren’t part of the ‘department heads’ club as we never meet them- maybe due to the events of this episode, who knows, but I can at least hope the Enterprise continued to value the mental health of her crew members despite all that. I digress.

Spock announces that the recorder has finally begun to transmit something and Kirk steps up behind him at the science station because it’s absolutely 100% necessary to the mission. Completely. Because it’s not as if Kirk would probably have been able to hear him fine from his chair or anything.

(okay, this one is just me being a bit silly but STILL, really now, Jim)

Dr. Dehner expresses an interest in knowing how the crew of SS Valiant might have fared psychologically under the distress. Gary Mitchell expresses his respect of his female crewmen and women in senior positions of power by openly flirting with her in front of the crew and then, just as openly in front of the Captain, calling her a “walking freezer unit” when she doesn’t reciprocate. He even makes ‘ooo ice queen’ face at Kirk after she rebuffs him. Nowadays that would probably, hopefully, rightfully so be grounds for sexual harassment and something Kirk would’ve had a responsibility to shut down right then and there, but y’know. 60′s. Women in power are scary so we have to knock them down a peg.

Weird how Star Trek is meant to take place in a more open-minded, less bigoted, socially progressive time in our future, but is still sometimes a product of the generation it was produced in. I love it regardless, of course.

Anyway, Spock begins to relay the spotty transmitted information; apparently the Valiant encountered a magnetic storm and then, for reasons that are unclear, began frantically searching for information on ESP in humans. Kirk asks Dr. Dehner about this and she helpfully explains that some humans can indeed see future events, but that the ability is never very strong. Spock continues that one crewman seemed to have recovered and that was when the frantic search for ESP info began, followed by an apparent self-destruct order from the Captain. Unnerved by this, Kirk orders that they leave the galaxy at warp factor 1.

Unfortunately, a magnetic force field appears right about then and the two women on the bridge grab the hands of the men nearest to them because, obviously, right? 60′s. Gary and Dr. Dehner are struck by the magnetic surges while the rest of the bridges’ control panels get various levels of fucked up. Even still, the Enterprise makes it through the storm and Kirk orders Spock to collect damage reports (with a very necessary and much needed hand on his shoulder, naturally). He then checks on Dr. Dehner (who appears to be fine) and then Gary, whose head he lovingly cradles in his hands.

(This tender moment only goes on to show us that Gary has spooky tinfoil eyes now!!! Can’t even imagine how painful those archaic contacts must have been for the actor.)

Upon return from commercial break, Kirk informs the audience that the Enterprise’s main engines and warp drive have been fucked beyond use. He also has Spock checking out Gary and Dr. Dehner’s records for ESP ratings, only to see that they have some of the highest on the ship (these must be old records though because there’s no way those two are 23 and 21 years old, respectively, at the time of this episode- SORRY, BUT TRUE), concluding that this must be why they were shocked and lived to talk about it. Dr. Dehner returns with autopsy results on the deceased, informing that their brains were burned out with the electric shock. She also vehemently defends ESP ability against Kirk and Spock who are suspicious of whether or not ‘espers’ are dangerous.

Kirk then goes to check on Gary who’s been under medical observation and we’re granted a deeper insight into their friendship.

Gary somehow knows it’s Kirk before he sees him or allows him to say anything. He points out that Jim looks worried and Jim replies with a knowing smile, “I’ve been worried about you ever since that night on Deneb IV.” Gary laughs and looks down coquettishly. “Yeah, she was nova, that one.” The fact that we have no idea what they’re talking about and that this conversation barely makes any sense of is no real importance. We’re not supposed to understand. This is meant to feel like listening to two friends who’ve known each other so long and so well they’re almost speaking a shared, exclusive language about experiences and jokes only they understand. Gary talks some about his weird eyes and then he goes back to teasing Kirk. Apparently our strapping Captain was something of a bookworm nerd back in his academy days, who knew?? (His bookishness happens to be one of my favorite aspects of Kirk’s character and one that history so often forgets in favor of him being some kind of machoman womanizer- ugh) To this teasing Kirk responds with a blush that would rival that of a school girl with a crush on her teacher.

(tee hee OH GARY STOP IT)

Gary mentions how he “aimed that little blonde lab technician” at Kirk probably to distract him from being too tough in his student-teaching position, to which the latter responds with, “You what??!” “Yep. I outlined her whole campaign for her.” “I almost married her!” So, we know Kirk likes the intelligent types as much as he is one himself. Fascinating. (Sidenote: I personally headcanon that the “little blonde lab technician” was Ruth that Kirk ‘sees’ in Shore Leave, but that’s for another episode discussion) Gary warns Kirk to be good to him because he’s “getting even better ideas” now. He also has a forebodingly echo-y voice now to indicate to a wary Kirk that shit’s about to get real.

So, what’s the deal with Jim and Gary? Everything is played rather ambiguously between them, certainly in no small part to indicate to us, the audience, that they’re close and have been for years. To have them discuss blatantly spelled out exposition of their shared past would feel in-organic and I’m glad the Star Trek writers chose ambiguity for this reason. But this ambiguity, plus the sultry way Gary teases Kirk and the affectionate, bashful blushes and smiles he gets in return could easily indicate that their friendship may not be platonic (or perhaps it is now, but hasn’t always been- maybe there was some sexual exploration together at the academy and feelings due to this that Kirk never really shook). There’s subtext enough here to believe so, I think. I’ll leave it to the reader to decide whether or not Gary could qualify as one of the earliest indications that Jim may not be so immune to masculine charms as history would so direly like for us to believe.

Anyway, Kirk returns to the bridge to find Spock watching Gary’s superhuman reading speed that is ever increasing. Spock pointedly asks the rhetorical question, “Is that Gary Mitchell? The one you used to know?”. A rather...knowing question for a being that claims to not understand or experience emotions. Kirk orders a 24 hour watch on Sickbay and all the examinations and tests possible. Gary then looks over at the viewing screen, right at Kirk, as if to suggest he knows he’s being watched.

Back in Sickbay proper Dr. Dehner has arrived to...probably do an examination or something but she’s not coming off as 100% professional. Since she’s being a little bit more receptive now Gary reluctantly apologizes for having called her a “walking freezer unit” and she assures him that “women professionals do tend to overcompensate”. Once again, this has been obligatory misogyny thanks to the 60′s!!! This little song and dance continues between them as Gary changes the readings on his vitals panel and pretends to be dead (just to get Dr. Dehner close to him- smooth, buddy) and recites a love sonnet at random from memory (that was actually written by Roddenberry himself when he was an aviator- the more you know!).

It’s funny how het flirtation in this show is only different for being more blatant in dialogue and sometimes physicality. The acting choices, reactions, tone of voice, expressions, etc, are pretty much the same when the subtext suggests it’s two men flirting. Just saying.

Lt. Kelso comes in to check on Gary and Gary informs him exactly what’s wrong with the engine. Have you gathered yet that this guy has special powers now? Gee, I hope so, because it’s not as if the show has been making that abundantly clear.

The Department Heads once again meet in the...meeting room, I suppose, Lt. Kelso showing via a blown circuit that Gary was right somehow. Dr. Dehner is late because she’s apparently in love with Gary now to the point of throwing all sense of professionalism out the window; when Spock points out Gary is transforming into something unnatural, Dehner chides him for not showing more compassion despite those on his planet not having feelings like “we” do. Kirk naturally jumps to his defense and Dehner continues in her tirade, chiding Kirk also for not ‘caring more’ about his close friend. Kirk justifiably reminds her that he and Spock are just doing their damn jobs, lady, JESUS. Also what happened to the professional that wisely rebuffed Gary’s attempts to openly flirt with her in front of her colleagues back at the beginning of the episode? I’m more concerned about Dehner’s changing personality at this point, tbh.

It soon becomes clear that Dehner’s been withholding information about Gary’s abilities. Her defense for having done this is that maybe a superhuman man would be really great thing, guys, like a better kind of human being. There’s a long, awkward, uncomfortable pause while everyone in the room gawps at the fucked up eugenics bullshit she just spouted out and it’s kind of a glorious moment, honestly. Instead, offers Spock, Gary’s power will likely grow beyond their ability to thwart him and they will become a nuisance to him and who knows what kind of shit will go down then. Kirk dismisses his Department Heads with the instructions not to tell any of the crew about this.

Kirk solemnly wanders off to the side, lost in thought and no doubt conflicted about possibly having to watch someone he, well, loves (in what way is up to you) change into a monster. Spock, who can’t seem to go a minute of screentime without himself or some other character reminding us that he supposedly can’t feel or doesn’t understand earth emotions or whatever, stops dead in his tracks and slowly turns around to his Captain. Something has compelled him to stay back and continue talking to Kirk and it certainly wasn’t an order.

(the emotionless, stoic Vulcan who can supposedly feel nothing ever looks on concerned for his friend and captain. Does anyone in the crew really buy that no emotions story or-...?)

Spock basically restates what Kirk likely already knows (that Gary is dangerous, duh) and we also hear the first very important, vulnerable use of the name “Jim” instead of Captain. They’re alone, after all, and despite all protestations Spock knows how this affects his friend and cares about that. Deeply, perhaps. Even still, Spock isn’t one for soothing platitudes. He elects instead to remind Kirk of the facts of the situation and when he’s defensively asked to provide suggestions and not just state the obvious, Spock says they can basically maroon Gary on the planet they need the lithium crystals from or they can kill him. No pressure, Jim.

Kirk is upset by all of this so he tells Spock to “get out of here” and Spock insists that those are the choices, whether he likes it or not. “Would you try for one moment to feel?” Kirk rallies back, though he seems more sad than angry. “At least act like you’ve got a heart...we’re talking about Gary...” Spock says that the Captain of the Valiant probably felt the same way- and look at where the waiting got him! Spock also says he thinks he and Kirk probably came to the same conclusion. From the look on Kirk’s face we can assume Spock is right about that.

It’s interesting in this scene that the one thing we already know Kirk finds endearing about Spock -his defensive need for logic in any situation- is the one thing that irritates him enough here to throw back in Spock’s face when he presents the cold hard facts about their situation. However, we as the audience should know by now that the fact Spock was affected and moved enough by Kirk’s mood to stay back and talk to him in private indicates that he does care a great deal. What’s more, that logical perspective, rather than some simpering “poor you” sympathy speech, is exactly what Kirk needed to get his head back in the game and do what needed to be done.

This is the part where I’d go so far as to say Spock has been a better friend (boyfriend, in time) to Kirk than Gary probably ever was. Granted, most of what we’ve seen of Gary thus far has been under the influence of the evil tinfoil eyes, but we do know that Gary was one for toying with Kirk’s emotions to get him to behave a certain way (the “little blonde lab technician”). Gary is even more charismatic than Kirk and one gets the impression he knew what to say to get what he wanted long before the powers. Perhaps Gary was good at telling Kirk what he wanted to hear. Spock tells Kirk what he needs to hear and cares enough about him to bother.

In any case, the decision is made; Kirk will attempt to maroon Gary on the uninhabited lithium mining planet. He, Spock and Dr. Dehner return to Sickbay to retrieve him and Gary has become as cocky as he is powerful. He can read thoughts now so when Kirk asks him what he’d do in this position, Gary says, “Probably just what Spock is thinking now. Kill me, while you still can.” He smiles knowingly as Kirk goes and gives Spock a reproachful, sort of scolding head shake, but no sooner does Kirk come back that Gary strikes him with some kind of electric shock. Was this manipulative little smile just a result of evil tin foil eyes or was this some of a rivalry with Spock resurfacing? Hard to say for sure, as we don’t know much about Gary Mitchell prior to the evil powers.

Once Kirk is struck, Spock, the emotionless Vulcan who we can only assume has no impulse to act on, jumps quickly into action with his phaser because like hell you’re going to strike the Captain and get away with it. He too is struck.

(omg so emotionless, you guys)

Gary goes on some more about how powerful he is and how he needs the right world for his ends when Spock and Kirk somehow take him by surprise and restrain him to the bed (despite the fact that he’s supposed to have super perception and strength, but the plot needs to move after all). They also manage to somehow get him to stand up straight for the transporter despite being unconscious but, again, whatever.

Everyone beams down and Gary is put in a cell while attempts are made to salvage parts for the engines. Gary attempts some carefully worded manipulation on Kirk, recalling the time he intercepted some poison darts aimed at Kirk and nearly died from it, so why should he fear him now? Kirk calls Gary out on his true intentions and the ego that’s grown along with his powers betrays him when he attempts to launch out beyond the electric barrier. The shock drains his power and for a moment he returns to normal.

As Gary’s eyes return to their familiar brown, he says in a very small, soft, almost frightened voice, “Jim...” and we’re granted a much more vulnerable insight into the depth of his feelings for his friend. Perhaps there was some amount of manipulation to their relationship all along, exacerbated now by the god-like powers, but in this very brief moment we’re allowed to believe that perhaps Gary really did care for Jim in a sincere way as Jim so obviously cares for him. Masterful acting, that.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t last. When Gary’s eyes change back he hisses, “I’ll only get stronger. You know that, don’t you?”. Later, Scotty informs Kirk that the salvaged switchboard fits the Enterprise’s bridge and asks if Spock received the phaser rifle he ordered down. Kirk is confused for a moment until Spock shows up with the aforementioned rifle and he’s angered by this. He stomps over to a corner, followed by Spock who explains his reasoning in that Gary keeps getting closer to escaping the force field.

“Dr. Dehner thinks he isn’t that dangerous, what makes you right and a trained psychiatrist wrong?” Kirk argues.

“Because she feels, I don’t. All I know is logic. In my opinion we’d be lucky if we could repair this ship and get away in time.”

Kirk checks on the now completed self-destruct button that Lt. Kelso has rigged up. He shares a long look with Spock before reluctantly ordering the lieutenant to press the button if Mitchell escapes and there’s no other alternative.

This conversation between them is interesting because they’re essentially both avoiding the truths of their respective situations. Kirk sounds not unlike Dr. Dehner did when she was arguing for Gary’s innocence; desperate, emotional, smart enough to know better but compromised enough to convince herself differently. Of course, her arguments were fueled by romantic affection and Kirk’s could easily just be that of a strong platonic bond but...the fact that there’s a parallel between them is interesting.

Meanwhile, the audience should be well aware by now that Spock is quite capable of feeling and acts on those feelings and impulses more than he’d like to admit. I think on some level he and Kirk both know this, so arguing that he “doesn’t feel” wouldn’t really be a convincing argument in this case for someone who knows him so well, if it was meant literally. I think what is really being said here is that Spock isn’t so deeply emotionally compromised by Gary, whereas Kirk and Dr. Dehner are (but not both romantically? Hard to believe). Spock can see and own the difficult truth of the situation where Kirk cannot, or, rather, will not.

Unfortunately this plan doesn’t work out because Gary becomes wise and takes control of some wires to strangle and kill Lt. Kelso. Back at the cell Dr. Dehner continues to argue that he isn’t dangerous and Gary 100% backs her up on this by electrocuting and knocking out Kirk, and then Spock (who of course tries to shoot him with the phaser rifle after he dares to harm the captain). Dr. Dehner finally joins Gary and reveals that she, too, now has tinfoil eyes. SPOOKY.

Later, the not-McCoy doctor comes to tend to the unconscious Kirk and Spock. Kirk wakes first but asks that the doctor not revive Spock until after he’s left to go after Gary- further evidence to the fact that Kirk is well aware Spock feels and acts on something other than logic, particularly where his Captain’s well-being is concerned; either Spock would try to stop him or come with him for protection, but either way Kirk isn’t risking it.

Elsewhere on the planet Dehner and Gary are meandering around exchanging awkward dialogue, making the artificial plant section of Hobby Lobby appear around them and eating fruit and drinking water because apparently despite having god-like powers they still need the essentials to survive. Kirk does a poor job of hunting them from the shadows; they don’t need god-like extra perception to hear Kirk stumbling around, knocking over rocks and otherwise letting the whole planet know of what he’s doing. Gary tells Dehner to go talk to him so she can see “just how unimportant they are”.

The conversation that ensues is the kind that really elevates and defines Star Trek where it is in the pop culture subconscious, one that makes it more than just space people in space doing space things, a layer of complexity that I think has been lost in the translation to the frankly horrific ‘rebooted’ series (my opinion, your mileage may vary). Dehner insists that what Gary is doing is right for her and him and other powerful Espers like them, they are where it will take humanity eons to reach in evolution, but Kirk insists this isn’t true. Though Gary may have ‘god-like’ powers, he still has his inner human frailties and demons that his growing ego won’t resist. A true God needs compassion and wisdom to temper those powers. He begs Dehner to think about this like a psychiatrist would- logically, perhaps? Indeed, Kirk is pulling from that logical need Spock has aptly reminded him of.

Gary finds them again and physically forces Kirk to ‘pray’ to him while assuring him of his inevitable death. Kirk challenges Dehner in asking her if she likes what she’s seeing, “corrupt power corrupting absolutely”. She decidedly does not and finally strikes Gary with her own powers to stop him. He strikes back and weakens her significantly, but she’s done the same to him and this gives Kirk and opportunity to show off his infamous fighting skills, get his shirt ripped open, and straddle his probable former lover in the sand. Not the first time he’ll have borderline erotic fight like this with another man. In the end, he manages to trap and I guess kill Gary in the burial plot made for him. A strategically placed boulder is all that’s needed to stop god-like powers, I’ll have to jot that one down.

(there’s no good reason for this picture other than Shatner was a really hot piece of ass back then and I like to appreciate that from time to time)

The fight has weakened Dehner too much and she dies too, as I clumsily alluded to happening earlier in this write up.

Kirk returns to the ship and adds Dehner and Gary to the list of official losses and ends their service records with the honorable notation that they gave their lives in performance of their duties. Spock, looking concerned, seems to sense the difficulty in this for Kirk and comes to stand silently beside him- a subtle gesture of support and condolence, and it would seem sufficient at that, but then he goes on to assure Kirk that, “I felt for him too” where concerned Gary’s helplessness to the power.

Kirk seems a little stunned at the confession, but the smirk that follows says that he isn’t surprised and is furthermore pleased that Spock would openly admit what he already knows so well. “I believe there is some hope for you yet, Mr. Spock,” he subtly teases with a private grin and knowing look. Spock smiles too, but not until he’s looking forward where no one can really see, not even his Captain.

Certainly there’s a message in this episode about how absolute power needs morality and compassion in equal measure, but there’s also an interesting disparity between Kirk’s two closest ‘friends’. Even before the god-like powers, Gary is very charismatic and knows exactly what to say to make Kirk grin and blush and giggle, whereas Spock is very honest, straightforward, and no nonsense. Gary seems as if he was always emotionally an open book, whereas Spock for many reasons comes across as emotionally unavailable (even if that isn’t really true).

Assuming that there was perhaps a romantic, sexual history with Gary and Jim, it would be a natural assumption that Gary allowed Kirk ‘close’ to him pretty early on, though I think the genuineness of that relationship is difficult to really call for sure. Certainly there was a strong bond between them that I don’t doubt the honesty of, but I get the distinct impression that Gary probably did a lot in the way of bait and switch, reeling Kirk in and then pushing him back out when it suited him, manipulating him from time to time.

Spock, meanwhile, is the exact opposite. Not very charismatic, tells Jim what he needs to hear rather than what he wants to, insists despite the bond growing between them and the feelings and impulses that he acts on that he can’t feel. Or rather, won’t admit that he does. Perhaps this has created something of a frustrating barrier for Jim, always feeling as if he’s distant from Spock where Gary would let him in so readily.

However by the end, it becomes clear that despite his insistence to the contrary, Spock is the more devoted, the more caring, the more dependable ‘friend’, and maybe Kirk has decided he is more than willing to go the extra mile, however long it takes, to help Spock coax down those walls if he so wishes to further their bond...in whatever form that may take.

Thanks for joining me on this long ass study of Where No Man Has Gone Before. I’d love to hear everyone’s thoughts and feelings on the episode, what I’ve made of it, things I may have missed, etc. HMU!

Join me next time for a similarly long write-up and subtext evaluation of The Corbomite Manuever.

#star trek tos #spirk #space husbands #captain kirk #spock #subtext study #slash #come hop aboard the uss kirk is pansexual headcanon ship #season one #episode one #where no man has gone before

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misterbitches · 3 years

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here’s what confuses me. we are on a public platform and people are posting things, tagging them, and even just perusing. ostensibly to be heard and get engagement. that’s how the internet works and what it encourages. so when people put something out there especially when they make it localized (? is that a right word) for access, why is the critique or response, even if it’s unfavorable, now a problem? we put it out there and it exists, if someone stumbles upon it why wouldn’t they engage? otherwise, why bother with all this output? i mean not many people read my posts but it’s a good thing for me to have them because what i do write it helps me understand the world better and something mainstream in ways it could be better and what could be done to get away from it. helping understand the context and history of the problems i am seeing on screen in many diff ways. but i do make it seen for a reason. i have drafts or posts privately that are just for me that i don’t think others should see so that means i do not want that engagement and i am closing it off.

it isn’t like people can’t see it and respond if they so choose bc this is basically a tacit agreement of having this in public. so if you have an opinion and someone disagrees why would that be hard for you if you are the one who put it out there? we know how this website works and how the web works. do we just want to hear what we agree with or even just know? otherwise i wouldn’t know shit. even with my best friends we try and come to a form of understanding and get on the same page or ask questions. i don’t get upset when they say, “no, because” or introduce a new perspective and this happens with the people i am closest to. so on a public place what else would we get? we allow ourselves to be seen...

i don’t think i have blocked anyone but i know people have blocked me and it has been for probably me being annoying but still fairly innocuous when i reply with a critique or make a joke. you take this risk posting it every time. but i dont want to block people because they could be of value at some point even if i want nothing to do with them. but every time it so happens that i say something even a little off from what this person wants—and it’s generally when i go into things in detail—they shut down from the perception that i am being hateful or accusatory or unfair? even when i try de-escalation tactics or being like “calm down” (not that explicitly) so these seem to be very emotional responses to not hearing exactly what we want and knowing there’s objection when there should be anyway. even if pieces are damn near perfect there’s still something. i find it very hard to believe that there’s intense pain enacted on others for liking “unsavory” things when the “unsavory” is the mainstream and it is necessary to uphold these things and for capital to continue to produce what it does. you’re not different when you accept it into your life either critically or uncritically because that is the norm. so when people are knocking the norms, tropes, whatever it’s like a shock every time and like someone is telling you not to enjoy it. but, again, we put this shit out there and want a response so it cannot be just what we want to hear. i hate that i hate the idea that wanting a work to be better and seeing shit critically even as a leftist or whatever is oppressive and limiting other ppl when it is in no way the same or even on par with being silenced in general because of the garbage you find in a work. you will still be the minority and it will still be popular so there’s a false sense of superiority put onto others who disagree by the ones who feel “attacked” or like they can’t defend themselves or whatever. and who fucking says? if some random says so like oh well man. you cannot compare it to the real shit these fans do and the massive fanbases they have and the shunning they love to do then feel as if they are priority in feelings.

they say everyone is sensitive and not able to think about things with nuance but it’s the opposite most times. you aren’t and when someone pops up with it or even says something offhanded cos they dont feel like having a huge discussion that is not the same as pushing others down. there is no majority saying this is wrong and we don’t want it; there’s a majority dedicated to defending it, their choices, and frankly the false sense of even light persecution. especially as adults but in fandom you’re not encouraged to act as a fully fleshed out person for a majority reasons and esp in a fandom that will skew younger. they are reliant on rabid fans or uncritical ones and i have demonstrated that constantly and given quotes etc. we should talk about discourse and what the private owes to the public, what the state owes its viewers, what artists owe the people tuning in. we should talk abou tfreedom of speech forreal and what that means but if we go deep into that you’ll unveil more things you dont’ like how people absolutely rally against this shit and want nothing to do with it. if you don’t want to think about that that is fine but it doesn’t mean others won’t say it.

idk like it may seem insensitive but i dont like the idea that a person pointing out things that are gross or micro or macro agrressive or what the fuck ever is the ruler over the discourse and how people interact with the work when frankly that just isn’t the case in the pattern of the work that people do and utilizing fans and using capital to defend yourself and recreate industry. you may not like to hear that it’s all bullshit but people will say so and it holds not even close to the same weight that the tacit agreement in indulging can sway us towards not great perceptions. the harm of pointing things out, or being rude, or whatever is not the same as what fans will do to those people and the obfuscation of the real fucking issue.

now it’s no longer about the problems in itself but the way people are receptive to the way others respond when they have a problem with the very real and prominent problem. now there’s no interest in engagement or even seeing people who may have more to say to it. if we think constantly about defending our right to like a work then the work takes ona life of its own and it latches on to your emotions even more it’s so fucking silly bc it’s like....this shit isnt for us anyway and if it’s gonna be here we should make it better and talk about it but it’s not about that it’s not about the rapes it’s not about the culture it’s about personal feelings which is why it becomes about how we talk about it as if things that ever skew to the left or focus on liberation would ever be the most popular. since when did saying this is fucking bullshit, this shit sucks, this real “crime” means nothing because it’s just entertainment yet you must find ways to defend your right to see that entertainment. it makes no sense no one is talking about that we’re talking about the ins-and-outs of storytelling and the toxicity and nature of these REAL PROBLEMS THAT ARE PROBLEMS SINCERE PROBLEMS as in there is no negotiation in wrong or right because it is wrong in every sense it’s what you do with that wrongness and what the fuck you want to say. it’s not about what i say about them being fucking shitty about the way they say it. dont focus on the way i dislike it focus on what the fuck im saying man bc this shit is disingenuous and it COMPLETELY eclipses the issues and attitudes and it lets these fucking idiots off the fucking hook for making straight up garbage like not even in a sociopolitical way just thoughtless drivel sometimes. like most times i dont even hate the villains in these shows or the men who are o dark and fucked up but we still got to like them it’s literally like “no nigga like why r u here tho?” what do u fucking add. you’re dead space and they let us know it’s dead space by saying “oh man isn’t life SOOOO complex dont think about it just think about him being a nice rapist okay guys even tho we are gong to do NOTHING ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to establish fucking any of that”

this is what people said for tharntype and it’s what they say about fucking everything whether it’s about gay shit or not. good example is the star wars fans with that guy and that girl or wahtever in that stupid racist franchise. just clamoring to make sure we know you’re good and that you’re okay for thinking that way when no one says you aren’t. but if something is presented then expect to get a fucking response especially abut what it is about at its fucking core. enough of the bullshit about misunderstanding and acknowledge it’s about your comfort in your interests and not having that questioned or antagonized in a way that may implicate you are a bit complicit but fucking all of us are as consumers. you arent hurt for having an opinion that seems to not go with the flow but is certainly part of the status quo. the world relies relies on harm, in a way it is reliant on rape, and that permeates through us and always takes precedent. additionally, again, this shit is mad patriarchal so it does a disservice to us as well as women cos it’s like. no man that’s born out of misogyny actually. what can we do? well, dont rely on the state. but if you dont rely on the state then will you make real money? not the money we’re talking here with the genre in itself. to me that means they dont have an interest in showing different types of lives they have a majority interest in showing “attractive” “conventional” men kissing and making bank.

#a thot

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