How far would you go to remain loyal to your friends and your principles? Would accept the ridicule of your peers to stand by your friend? Sell a valued possession to donate the money to a worthy cause? Fistfight a war-loving alien over a pit of lava while a planet explodes in a fiery death around you?
This is the dilemma Kirk faces in The Search for Spock, and of those three options, he chooses the fistfight. It's just how he does.
And it isn't just Kirk's loyalty that is tested. Almost every character has a moment where their loyalty is tested. While some choose loyalty, others choose self-interest. Kruge is driven almost entirely by self-interest, lacking loyalty to even his girlfriend, and David's self-interest got the better of him with Genesis. In the end, self-interest destroys those who pursue it while the loyal among the characters ultimately succeed in their goals, even if they have to blow up a ship or two on the way.
Questions about Loyalty
- Who would you say is the most loyal character in the film? Why?
- Who would you say is the least loyal character in the film, and why?
- What does comparing these two characters tell us about the theme of loyalty in the film?
- Do you think Kirk's quest to restore Spock can be seen as a betrayal of the loyalty his Vulcan companion showed in The Wrath of Khan? Why or why not?
Chew on This
Even in the Original Series, Kirk's character has been torn between duty and loyalty. For example, in the episode "The City on the Edge of Forever," Kirk lets a woman he loves die to prevent a potential time paradox. On the other hand, Kirk often disobeys the Prime Directive if a member of crew is in danger. The Search for Spock puts this dual nature of Kirk's to the ultimate test, and loyalty wins.
Kruge appears disloyal to the Klingon Empire, but it is possible to read the character as being entirely loyal to his vision of how Klingons should act. In his mind, the Klingon leaders seeking a truce with the Federation are the ones lacking loyalty.