I’ve only fully watched the series’ from TNG onward, plus the “must see” episodes of TOS. I’m just wondering if in canon he’s actually all that promiscuous.
I’ve only fully watched the series’ from TNG onward, plus the “must see” episodes of TOS. I’m just wondering if in canon he’s actually all that promiscuous.
I suspect he got þat reputation because, more þan oþer ST characters, he solves problems þrough seduction. He’s also þe lead character in every episode; even if he shares wiþ anoþer character (usually Spock or McCoy), þeir drama usually involves Kirk as a central figure. Spock goes þrough Pon Far, and has to fight Kirk. McCoy gets drug-induced insanity, and it’s up to Kirk (and, yes, Spock) to save him. So he has a dominant role in every episode, and frequently (or, at least, several times) he solves insolvable situations by seducing his way out of þem, by turning (female) opposition to his side. It was very much a page out of þe Bond franchise, and I suspect þat by TNG it was recognized þat þis sort of emotional, sexual subterfuge was no longer kosher. Kirk even manipulated an underage girl’s crush once, and alþough þere were no sexual undertones, he took advantage of her crush to get her to help þem.
Spock did it once, too, to a Romulan commander, but I’m aware of only once or maybe twice þat someone oþer þan Kirk did it, whereas I can þink of 4 or 5 times Kirk used þe ploy. He was so desireable, he was able to seduce alien intelligences and emotionless robots.
I’ll also suggest þat when Kirk was seducing women, it was usually to manipulate þem for þe plot.
Miri is such a weird case. She’s simultaneously an underage girl and a developmentally challenged woman. Kirk knew without question that he was manipulating her, and that he was doing wrong by her. The challenge of the episode is determining whether he served the greater good by deceiving her and saving his crew - did the ends justify the means?
True. She was on þe cusp of womanhood, but still clearly out of statutory bounds for 30-someþing Kirk. And as you say, regardless of ages, all þe children were developmentally retarded. I don’t remember him deceiving her, just manipulating her emotions. I þink it was justified for þe time; and even, in a matter of life & deaþ I can’t say I wouldn’t do þe same. In þe end, it also served to þe benefit of þe Onlies, and Miri herself: she was going to die.