“I haven’t faced death. Not like this.” -James T. Kirk, “The Wrath of Khan”

Honestly? That’s the entire premise behind this movie. This was Kirk’s test. This was his *real* Kobayashi Maru. Something he couldn’t cheat. And him losing Spock—thats his solution.

After this it marks a sort of fundamental change in his character. He finally accepts that death is something that can and will happen to him. Will hit him closely.

This is the moment that Kirk realizes he is not infallible, he is not untouchable, he is not undefeatable.

It is also about teaching Kirk that what he does can come back and bite him on the ass. Re: Khan.

And that’s why I fucking love Star Trek. You can hate on the acting, the hokey, all of it. But all Gene Rodenberry wanted to do was to have a smart show that maybe taught some moral lessons (for reals y0)

And he got a franchise that decided it wanted to explore the human condition.

Maybe the more recent movies haven’t been like that (gyah, which is sad, and Rodenberry would be so sad~) but damn if most of the oldies weren’t.