Date: 22 May 2009 21:48 Title: Chapter 1
First of, an excellent response to the challenge. It really fitted and of course it also allowed for to to explore Kirk in such fascinating ways.
A great read. The layers of Kirk are peeled away and sifted through, just as had been by the transporter accident. The conflict this arose at the time for the Kirks was something else but it was how the reconciled Kirk could reconsile these different parts of himself to himself. Loved then that you used the challenge to explore it here. Really well done too.
Great exploration and examination of his mind. So often, Kirk is represented so two dimensionally. But the truth is, in the series they went to such lengths to explore many different aspects to his character. Well done for giving due consideration and writing so wonderfully for this charismatic hero who by rights ought to come across as being solely cocky and arrogant. The fact he isn't is a testament to how much more three dimensional he is and kudos for writing him so, and writing him so well.
Author's Response:
::bows:: The kind words about my portrayal of Kirk mean a lot. He is often seen as the brash, arrogant, impatient womanizer, and while this is an aspect of his personality, it is only a very small portion. You're absolutely right - there are so many layers to the man if one just takes the time to look carefully. I, for one, enjoy digging deeper to discover just what makes our enigmatic captain tick.
I always thought that seeing this side of himself would be extremely difficult to come to terms with - hell, it'd be tough for anyone! But he knew he could not let this glimpse of his inner self dictate his future actions. He had to learn to accept and even appreciate the role the 'wolf' plays in his overall psyche. This is the journey he took in this story, and in true JTK fashion, was able to reason it out, weigh it, measure it's importance, accept it and move on. Could we really expect any less of him? ;-)
[Report This]Date: 17 May 2009 07:53 Title: Chapter 1
God, you write good Jim Kirk. Excellent use of the challenge. I certainly wish I had thought of it :D
You've done a fantastic job of illustrating a Jim Kirk who has been shaken to his foundations. You have him uncharacteristically questioning himself and unsure, but for a damn good reason. I have always wondered about the aftermath of that episode. It's not every man who gets his dirty laundry flung out for all to see.
I particularly like how you gave him his derivative's memories. That would be very difficult to live with and is something that makes a great deal of sense. After all they are one and the same man.
Good explanation about the shuttlecraft.
I love your description of Spock and how he stood by his captain. A nice picture of early Kirk and Spock friendship - very well done.
Thank you for a lovely read.
Nutty
(working out of hours, cos otherwise she is not going to get all her work done)
Author's Response:
::bows::
Thank you, Nutty! What makes Jim Kirk tick is a question that could have been dealt with a lot more in TOS, and would have so enriched the character. There are those in fandom who don't care much for him because all they see is the 'swaggering, overbearing, tin-plated dictator with delusions of godhood', and yet his conflicted nature was alluded to in several episodes (two of which I've already written about)
As I mentioned in my response to Nerys, I think all great leaders deal somewhat with this question. Oft times they are forced to make decisions that go against their nature or their beliefs, but they do it because it's what's needed at the time to promote what they see as the greater good. Having done this, one would hope they'd have enough of a conscience to at least feel some remorse for their actions, but that must be tempered with a quiet resolve to recognize and accept why that choice was made, otherwise they couldn't continue to function effectively.
That's the lesson I wanted to show Jim Kirk coming to grips with here. Hopefully, I accomplished that...
Date: 16 May 2009 03:45 Title: Chapter 1
Ouch...the feeling Kirk has here REALLY reminds me of my AU Dukat's moment when he faced the Pah-Wraith Orb and got an inkling of the awful person the canon Dukat was. Brings up a LOT of tough questions: when are you responsible for your sins? I don't know whether Dukat or Kirk would have it tougher...here Kirk is a situation where all of this stemmed from him, in his universe, no question about it.
But is either of those, without the whole, really HIM? That's the question.
Very good work!
Author's Response:
That's the $64,000 question! All of us have a dark side, to be sure, but how we are able to manage it defines who we are. Those who manage it well go down in history as great leaders; in order to be a great leader, one must be able to make and execute the unpopular decisions as well. Harry Truman gave the order for two A-bombs to be dropped on Japan. Great man or murderer? History, and the opinion of the world at large judged what he did. Hitler killed 6,000,000, too - and we all know how history judged him. Were those Japanese who died somehow less deserving of recognition than the Jews who were slaughtered? Depends on your perspective, I guess.....
Sorry, that was a bit of an excessive ramble, but I think it illustrates the point admirably - when is what the 'wolf' drives us to do considered good, as opposed to bad? Tough question to be sure...
Date: 16 May 2009 02:41 Title: Chapter 1
It's scary knowing that the same...creature lives somewhere inside us all.
Good job! Good convincing job! :)
Author's Response:
It does give one pause, doesn't it? Glad it worked, and glad you enjoyed it. Thanks ever-so-much for the feedback. :-D
Date: 15 May 2009 21:17 Title: Chapter 1
Fascinating-you found the man who wasn't there in a very strange place, indeed. Good job!
Author's Response:
But he is there...we just don't always see him, and never will again if Jim Kirk has anything to say about it. ;-) Thanks for the inspiration! A unique challenge, indeed.