Foil

Character Role Analysis

Spock and McCoy

Spock and McCoy are the classic odd-couple foils of the Star Trek series.

Spock approaches any problem with cool logic and McCoy views the world through a lens of emotion. Stuck in the middle is Kirk, the decision maker, whose jobs is to determine whether logic, emotion, or a balance between the two is the best approach.

The thing is, an important piece is missing from this sci-fi Triforce: Spock. Having Spock's katra uploaded into his brain, McCoy has a mental breakdown, resulting in him flipping between McCoy's personality and Spock's. Even when he's activated Spock-mode, McCoy's passionate persona bleeds through.

Check out his response when the security officer offers him a ride home:

MCCOY: Where's the logic in offering me a ride home, you idiot? If I wanted a ride home, would I be trying to charter a space flight?

It's a Spock-like application of logic, but the delivery is all emotional McCoy.

Lacking a cool, logical counterbalance, Kirk and his crew rely almost entirely on emotion over reason throughout the film. They risk their lives and their careers to save Spock, despite Kirk pointing out he doesn't necessarily believe in Vulcan mysticism.

Later, Kirk admits he did what he did because:

KIRK: Because the needs of the one outweigh the needs of the many.

And that, folks, just isn't logical.