(TOS?) McCoy...
Oct. 7th, 2009 07:51 amBecause I left the impression to someone that I thought McCoy was weak (so. far. off. my. mind).
From a discussion I once had with another (Spock/)McCoy fan - her opinion on McCoy's kind of strength with which I happen to agree:
> There's a painting (I wish I could find it online) where this
> man is being dragged naked into hell by several demons. He's
> been beaten, he's chained, swollen eye sockets, he's a mess -
> he can't do anything, but he has the ability to open one eye,
> and so that's what he does. He's doomed, he's going to hell,
> but on the way there, he'll have that eye open looking to
> where he's going. He's got one shred of strength left, and
> he's using it. I think of McCoy when I see that painting.
So I never think of McCoy as "weak" in a traditional sense. However, throw a decent man into the MU (or similar circumstances) and he'll still lose against ruthless captains - because he's got morals and qualms. He still makes CMO so he's got to have his share of ruthlessness. He just doesn't take those last steps necessary to win because it would mean giving up a part of himself.
P.S. I once read a great TOS story after TMP in which Kirk and McCoy make sure that he gets back the CMO job from Chapel. Not ruthless, but they know what they want - both of them. McCoy didn't get his job by twiddling his thumbs and he doesn't want to give it up - he likes being the boss in his department. In all of TOS he wouldn't ever think of stepping back from it.
Sorry for possible incoherency. I'm once again sleep-deprived and late for work.
Read you later!
From a discussion I once had with another (Spock/)McCoy fan - her opinion on McCoy's kind of strength with which I happen to agree:
> There's a painting (I wish I could find it online) where this
> man is being dragged naked into hell by several demons. He's
> been beaten, he's chained, swollen eye sockets, he's a mess -
> he can't do anything, but he has the ability to open one eye,
> and so that's what he does. He's doomed, he's going to hell,
> but on the way there, he'll have that eye open looking to
> where he's going. He's got one shred of strength left, and
> he's using it. I think of McCoy when I see that painting.
So I never think of McCoy as "weak" in a traditional sense. However, throw a decent man into the MU (or similar circumstances) and he'll still lose against ruthless captains - because he's got morals and qualms. He still makes CMO so he's got to have his share of ruthlessness. He just doesn't take those last steps necessary to win because it would mean giving up a part of himself.
P.S. I once read a great TOS story after TMP in which Kirk and McCoy make sure that he gets back the CMO job from Chapel. Not ruthless, but they know what they want - both of them. McCoy didn't get his job by twiddling his thumbs and he doesn't want to give it up - he likes being the boss in his department. In all of TOS he wouldn't ever think of stepping back from it.
Sorry for possible incoherency. I'm once again sleep-deprived and late for work.
Read you later!