Star Trek: Top 5 Captain Kirk moments you'll never get over

Captain Kirk from Star Trek has been considered to be one of the iconic characters to grace the screen. James T. Kirk was the captain of the starship USS Enterprise in the Star Trek universe. A formidable captain, Kirk was instrumental in spreading the United Federation of Planets' message of peace as he and his crew explored the galaxy. Kirk's honesty and valor during his intergalactic adventures often made him a beloved character.

Star Trek: The Original Series introduced us to Captain Kirk in 1966. Through every episode the audience saw the character evolve into a more inspiring captain.

Created by Gene Roddenberry, the Star Trek franchise has seen the key role being portrayed by some of the more brilliant actors in Hollywood. Each actor brought gravitas to the character, from William Shatner to Chris Pine to Paul Wesley. But even so, over the decades, Trekkies have considered Shatner’s name synonymous with Captain Kirk.

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Top 5 Captain Kirk Moments from Star Trek: The Original Series

1) Facing demons from his past

Obsession: Season 2, Episode 13

The episode brings forth some of Captain Kirk’s unresolved issues from his days as a young officer. Residues from his past trauma crop up when he and his crew face the gaseous creature called Dikironium, which, on contact, will extract the red corpuscles from blood. It is then revealed that Kirk had faced the entity much earlier in his career. During his first encounter there were several casualties.

While it had been a long-time, Kirk continues to blame himself for their death as a result of his hesitation to defeat the creature and has been obsessed about it since. With help from Spock, played by Leonard Nimoy, and Dr. McCoy, played by DeForest Kelley, Kirk faces the trauma, showing a more emotional side of the captain.

2) A different side of Captain Kirk

“Mirror, Mirror”: Season 2, Episode 4

In “Mirror, Mirror,” the audience witnesses the twisted Mirror universe for the first time. After the transporter malfunctions, Kirk and some of his crew are sent to the Mirror Universe, which is ruled by the authoritarian Terran Empire. In this parallel universe, Kirk discovers the disturbing truth about the brash methods used by the authorities to solve problems. When Mirror Enterprise suspects Kirk’s attitude shift, Kirk sets on to find a way to strike. In this episode, we see another version of Kirk, a more vindictive counterpart. Kirk’s Mirror Universe doppelganger brings to the forefront Shatner’s acting prowess.

3) Friendship with Spock

Where No Man Has Gone Before: Season 1, Episode 3

One of the key aspects of this memorable episode is that it laid the foundation of the friendship between Captain Kirk and Spock, who is Kirk’s second-in-command. In Where No Man Has Gone Before, the Enterprise comes across a strange cosmic energy that gives two crew members powers that they call ‘God-like.’ Captain Kirk is forced to make the decision to take down his friend and Starfleet officer Gary Mitchell, played by Gary Lockwood. Where No Man Has Gone Before was originally the show’s second pilot.

4) Captain Kirk’s love interest

The City on the Edge of Forever: Season 1, Episode 28

Captain Kirk experiences romance throughout the series, but the one that remains the most memorable is his relationship with Edith Keeler, played by Joan Collins. Kirk and Spock traveled back to New York City in the 1930s to fix the timeline due to the damages created by the frenzied Dr Leonard McCoy. They meet Edith Keeler, who runs a soup kitchen. Kirk ends up falling in love with her. But he realizes that she has to die in order to restore the timeline. He stands by and watches her meet her end in a traffic accident. Captain Kirk displays his innate vulnerability as he deals with the loss.

5) A brave fighter on the frontline

Arena: Season 1, Episode 18

Arena brings forth Captain Kirk’s true characteristics as an intelligent fighter. From drawing tactics to taking the helm on the battlefield, Kirk displays his abilities as a fighter in full glory. In the episode, Kirk is forced into a trial-by-combat with the Gorn captain. Gorn is a reptilian species that originated in the Beta Quadrant. Kirk manages to outsmart the monster eventually. He shows mercy to the Captain and lets the advanced species called the Metrons return Gorn to his ship.

Star Trek: The Original Series ran for 3 seasons from 1966 to 1969. Following the success of the show, the Star Trek universe expanded to movies, comics, animated series, and other spinoffs.

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