old skool slash liek whoa

[wisdomeagle]

Am reading Star Trek: The Motion Picture which I got for a quarter at the library book sale yesterday.

It's way too adorable. Especially the footnotes. Like, for instance, this one. Spock is thinking:

Jim! Goodbye my... my t'hy'la.*this is the last time I will ever permit myself to think of you or ever your name again.

*Editor's note: The human concept of friend is most nearly duplicated in Vulcan thought by the term t'hy'la, which can also mean brother or lover. [At this point I practically had a heart attack from the canon.] Spock's recollection (from which this chapter has drawn) is that it was a most difficult moment for him since he did indeed consider Kirk to have become his brother. However, because t'hy'la can be used to mean lover, and since Kirk's and Spock's friendship was unusually close, this has led to some speculation over whether they had actually indeed become lovers. [*cough* OMG *cough* I never heard that kind of speculation! Like, ever!] At our request, Admiral Kirk supplied the following comment on this subject:

"I was never aware of this lovers rumor, although I have been told that Spock encountered it several times. Apparently he had always dismissed it with his characteristic lifting of his right eyebrow which usually connoted some combination of surprise, disbelief, and/or annoyance. As for myself, although I have no moral or other objections to physical love in its many Earthly, alien, and mixed forms [IDIC!], I have always found my best gratification in that creature woman. [Okay, who thinks the Admiral doth protest too much?] Also, I would dislike being thought of as so foolish that I would select a love partner who came into sexual heat only once every seven years."

End quote.

Ohhhh, the denials, the protestations of hetness! It's too adorable. This book is causing me insane gigglefits of slashy glee.

Comments

[that_mireille]

Oh, I remember that footnote!

If you have to put a "THEY ARE NOT GAY" footnote in your book, chances are that someone's in denial. It could be you. ;)

[scrollgirl.livejournal.com]

And yet, I think Gene wasn't denying the gay so much as saying Kirk would deny the gay. Because why else define t'hy'la to mean "friend, brother, lover". It's not like it's a real word! It could've meant anything Gene wanted! But apparently he wanted it to mean brother and lover ;)

[wisdomeagle]

I think I agree w/ your interpretation. Especially because their reactions seem so IC even if given that they're lovers. Because Spock would be all, idiot humans, why are you asking me this? And Kirk would be "JUST BECAUSE I LIKE TO FUCK SPOCK DOESN'T MAKE ME GAY! NOT NOT NOT! I like women! Women, and Spock. And maybe McCoy. But definitely NOT GAY here."

*g* Totally enjoys the t'hy'la thing way too much.

[that_mireille]

Oh yes. Kirk would be firmly in the "I am not gay, I just like to have sex with Spock" camp.

[jennixen.livejournal.com]

Ohh, completely agree! :D
They were so doing it anyway. Kirk likes women, sure, but he also LUUUURVES Spock. ;)

[that_mireille]

Oh, good point. (And I didn't mean to rule that out--it could also be your characters who are in denial. ;) )

[wisdomeagle]

*grin* It's possible. But I do so love the existence of the "THEY ARE NOT GAY" footnote. Because of course I know they are.

[that_mireille]

I *adore* that footnote. I read the novelization in a van going to an out-of-state quiz bowl meet, and I think I laughed for fifty miles. And then had to explain what was so funny to the rest of my team, who were all 15-18 year old boys.

They backed away from me like I had just come down with leprosy. (Keep in mind this was in 1988. They were SO not impressed with The Gay.) It was great. *g*

[wisdomeagle]

*g* I was reading it in the same room as my dad and he kept asking me "what's so funny?" and I was like, "Err, McCoy with a beard." Which, admittedly, is *hilarious* to envision (as I have no actually *seen* the movie), but not nearly as funny as the totally obvious subtext that is just impossible to ignore! It's so cute. I adore them.

[silly-cleo.livejournal.com]

Hee, that is too cool. :D

But what's IDIC?

[scrollgirl.livejournal.com]

It's a Vulcan philosophy: Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations.

I <3 that phrase. And I need a Vulcan icon! Why do I not have a Vulcan icon?

[scrollgirl.livejournal.com]

Also, there's a symbol designed by Roddenberry.

[attaining.livejournal.com]

LMAO. Kirk is all, "I did not have sexual relations with that Vulcan."

Sigh, I love Star Trek.

[wisdomeagle]

*g* So true.

[ladybeth.livejournal.com]

There's a book? Ooo...Must read now.

The funny thing is when we started watching that movie my sister simply walked into the room, watched it for a few minutes and then said that Spock/Kirk was the original cannon slash. She makes fun of the scene where Kirk notices Spock is on board every time we watch it.

[cleapet.livejournal.com]

OMG, how weird! A message board I'm on has been discussing slash and Kirk and Spock *always* come up, and so quite a few times I've been flashing back to being 14 and reading that novel on the school bus and that exact passage. Wild.

[wisdomeagle]

Hee! How coincidental! (And nothing brings all the slashers to my yard like Trek novels, apparently.)

I am staring at your icon in love and wonder. :)

[alixtii.livejournal.com]

I think one would be hard pressed to take the TMP novelization as canon (it breaks continuity in sooo many ways, especially with that which comes after) but I can't argue with your interpretation of the footnote.