Dr. McCoy called his daughter no good in one script of Star Trek: The Original Series

Dr. McCoy wouldn’t have been friendly to his daughter in Star Trek: The Original Series

The Star Trek: The Original Series‘ episode, “The Way to Eden” was originally titled “Joanna,” and in that episode, Dr. McCoy’s daughter would have been introduced, but she wouldn’t have gotten a fond welcome from her father who thought she was studying to be a nurse. Instead, he learns she’s been traipsing the galaxy looking for Nirvana. And while this information has been shared before, what hasn’t been is D.C. Fontana’s original script that detailed the doctor’s conversation and warning to Captain Kirk regarding his daughter as well as his interaction with Joanna.

According to Forgotten Trek, throughout the course of the episode, Joanna tries to talk to her father, but his coldness to her results in her lashing out, blaming him for leaving her and her mother. She ends up calling him a coward and leaves Dr. McCoy in a fury.

Joanna turns to Star Trek: The Original Series’ Captain Kirk for advice regarding Dr. McCoy

Frustrated with her father, Joanna turns to Captain Kirk for advice, but he refuses to get involved between the two, although, he is attracted to her. When Bones discovers Kirk’s attraction, he issues a dire warning that would have been surprising coming from the doctor we knew on the series.

Not only does he warn the captain that Joanna is a witch just like her mother which was why he left, he tells his friend that his daughter would cut [Kirk’s] heart out.

"“She’ll cut your heart out, and carry it around in a jar. She’s no good!”"

Though there was an attempt at reconciliation toward the end of the original episode, these words, as well as Dr. McCoy’s fury, would have made for a dramatically different doctor. Of course, Star Trek: The Original Series didn’t stay consistent with what happened to its characters so this episode probably wouldn’t have resulted in a long-term chance to Bones, but having him say such things about his daughter could have changed the way viewers saw him. So it’s possibly a good thing that this part of the script was scrapped.