The Search for Spock and The Fall Guy

***Spoilers Alert!*** Why did David die in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock? The short answer is that he sacrificed himself as the fall guy in order that Spock and Saavik could live.

Image source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/40346087@N02/5314148058/meta/

When the Klingon Captain Kruge ordered that someone be executed on the planet for Project Genesis' secrets, Saavik was the soon-to-be target. Instead, David was executed when he chose to attack the Klingon that was carrying out the execution. David seemed to do it in order to save Saavik, at least temporarily.

I think an alternative explanation below is more interesting and even more relevant to David's motive.

In the scientific-research stage of Project Genesis, it was revealed in this movie that Dr. David Marcus (at least) used proto-matter. Saavik was stunned when David revealed this fact to her in the movie since proto-matter was banned by the scientific community as being too unpredictable. Kirk's son made the excuse that using the contra-banned substance helped solve certain problems in the project.

God made creation for us to prosper in, to love and to be loved. There are almost an infinite number of things that we could legitimately do, with relatively fewer things that God forbids us to do. The main forbidden fruit is to decide for oneself the criteria for good and for bad apart from God. That's God's domain.

In the Genesis story of the Judea-Christian Bible, the forbidden fruit tree in the Garden of Eden represents this knowledge. God said of it, "The LORD God gave the man [Adam] this order: You are free to eat from any of the trees of the garden except the tree of knowledge of good and evil. From that tree you shall not eat; when you eat from it you shall die." (Genesis 2:16-17)

In The Genesis Device's development, when David took the shortcut in using proto-matter, he took to himself the prerogative to decide what was acceptable and unacceptable, or perhaps decided that there is neither criteria for good nor for ill.

Just like when Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit in the Book of Genesis, in what Christians call "The Fall", they did not die right away, it took some time before David took the fall for his actions in Project Genesis. In a similar way that Adam and Eve were thrown out of the Garden of Eden for eating the forbidden fruit, once the forbidden proto-matter did its dirty work, the Genesis Planet creation essentially threw David out of paradise to his death.

David realized that none of the events on the Genesis planet would be happening at all if he had not eaten the proto-matter forbidden fruit. He must have thought that it was a just act to volunteer for the execution. He was the Fall Guy.

The Search for Spock to Godforsakeness

In the last post, Kirk was likened to a Good Shepherd. He can also be seen as someone who went into godforsakeness for the benefit of his friend Spock.

Image source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/14531705@N00/4472722984/meta/

The Genesis planet on which Spock was left by Kirk (in TWOK) was self-destructing. It was burning up. The images in the movie looked like the planet was turning into hell, with the Klingon Kruge as the substitute Satan. In the image above, Kirk is fighting Kruge in order to commandeer his ship which has Spock and his other friends on board.

Kirk went to hell to rescue his friend from the brink using violence and deception. In his world, violence and deception brings down more of the same. On the other hand, Jesus rescued and rescues his friends using peace and truth and the cross. In his world, peace and truth gives rise to more of the same.

Jesus said, "No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends." (John 15:13) His way of doing things is indeed strange and otherworldly. It leads those who follow him, who love him to heaven.

If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always, the Spirit of truth, which the world cannot accept, because it neither sees nor knows it. But you know it, because it remains with you, and will be in you. (John 14:15-17)

Star Trek III: The Search for Spock Part I The Good Shepherd

***Spoilers Alert!*** In Star Trek II: The Wrath of Kkan (TWOK), Spock sacrificed his life for the lives of the entire crew of the Enterprise. By contrast, in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (TSFS), Kirk sacrificed his career, other friends, and possibly his life to save his friend and colleague Spock.

Image Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/31428610@N05/3350673287/meta/

Before he went on his mission to save Spock, Kirk asked permission of the commanding Admiral of space dock, Admiral Morrow, to use the Enterprise that was being decommissioned. He also mentioned that he had to take the Enterprise to the quarantined planet Genesis (from TWOK). He was denied permission.

After being denied permission, Kirk passionately said that he would find a way to get to Genesis and save Spock. Admiral Morrow warned Kirk not to disobey his orders and ruin his career that always exemplified rationality.

Was Kirk being irrational or illogical?

The same could be asked about Jesus in the parable of the Good Shepherd.

[Jesus said,] “What man among you having a hundred sheep and losing one of them would not leave the ninety-nine in the desert and go after the lost one until he finds it? And when he does find it, he sets it on his shoulders with great joy and, upon his arrival home, he calls together his friends and neighbors and says to them, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.’" Luke 15:4-6

This parable is about a sinner, a "lost one" who repents. When the lost one is found, he is said to have repented and returned to the path toward heaven with Jesus.

This act of finding the lost sinner meant that Jesus the Good Shepherd would have to sit and eat with sinners. This act itself could potentially ruin His reputation among his community.

However, in the Gospel of John, it says, "I am the good shepherd, and I know mine and mine know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I will lay down my life for the sheep." (John 10:14-15)

It is more important to get the one sheep than to save one's own life or stay with the safe people, the in-crowd. The Good Shepherd made that choice with the full knowledge that the search for the lost sheep would end His own life on the cross and His reputation.

Jesus the Good Shepherd and Kirk were indeed being rational and free in their choices to save the one that they loved. They knew the risks. Since they were free, they had the liberty to make the hard choice even though it may end their lives and potentially ruin their future reputations.

To be continued ...

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan Part IV

[So, I contacted Paramount to ask permission to add various clips to my posts on Star Trek II that I can't find on YouTube, but they unfortunately denied me permission. You'll just have to go watch it again if you can't recall what I'm referencing; yea, I know big burden (I wish I had time to watch it too, esp. part deux).]

This time, I would like to focus on the scene where Kirk, Spock, and Bones are first discovering what Project Genesis is (in Kirk's quarters). At the end, Bones has, let's say, some misgivings on the whole idea of reorganizing matter for a new matrix (just universal armageddon, that's all). While, Spock has the coolly logical, i.e., stoically utilitarian understanding of the usefulness of the technology.

We can see a parallel with the bomb, except that the (atom) bomb was initially created for destruction, not a means to constructively help society.

There are those who only see nuclear technology as an immanent danger to the entire planet. While there are those who see it mostly as a good that can bring clean energy (no one will actually use it in war). One side is calling the other inhuman while the other side is whispering "passionate nut".

Positive technological advancement must have a balanced approach that takes into account (1) the necessity of making or using the technology and (2) the moral implications that surround its manufacture or use. They must go hand in hand.

We must balance Spock and McCoy through civil discourse.

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan Part III

(Links for Part I / Part II)

One the best scenes of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan was the dialog between Kirk and Spock in Spock's quarters.

Kirk was debating whether to take the training crew of the Enterprise under Spock's command to a potentially dangerous location.


 
This scene is so good since it shows how two totally different people, one totally logical (really utilitarian stoicism) and the other passionate, can be friends and colleagues.

If you watch the other Star Trek movies and even the original series, these two and McCoy would just hang out together.

But what's the use of hanging out? Well, friendship in and of itself has no uses per se, but is a good in itself. Natural Law Theory defines friendship as one of the basic goods that is good in and of itself.

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan Part I

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (TWOK) was by far the best Star Trek movie. Based on Moby Dick, Khan believed from hell's heart that Captain Kirk killed his wife, so he pursued him with hateful vengeance, even with his last breath.

Of course, the plan was foiled by Spock who sacrificed his life for the despised Kirk.



I was thinking specifically about Spock's Christlike sacrifice when I remembered the first time I heard the phrase, "Good deeds never go unpunished." My high school choir director uttered these words, and then later went on to heroically save a drowning kid from the Delaware River. (Go figure.)

This phrase was shortsighted in the final analysis. TWOK showed this in that Spock's true self lives in Dr. McCoy. This could obviously indicate that we live in our friends' memory, but I think it was deeper than that. Since Spock's Katra could be passed onto another, was it possible that his Katra could live on in the Ultimate Mind, God? I think that was a distinct possibility.

So, ultimately, good deeds in love could assure our infinite existence in the Mind of God.