Welcome back to our three-part series that takes a closer look at Captain James T. Kirk's abilities with hand-to-hand combat and some of the fisticuffs he finds himself involved in. During season 2 of Star Trek: The Original Series, whether it's a mirror version of his first officer and friend or some dangerous alien that begged for a beatdown, Kirk was always ready to throw hands.
Kirk vs. Spock with a beard ("Mirror, Mirror")
When Kirk, Dr. McCoy, Scotty, and Lt. Uhura find themselves tossed into a parallel universe where violence and assassinations are the norm on the ISS Enterprise, Kirk finds himself facing his science officer's alter ego in hand-to-hand combat, so he and the landing party can beam back to their own reality.
Kirk makes the first move, slapping bearded Mr. Spock's phaser from his hand. The others wade in, trying to subdue him, which results in Spock opening a can of whoop [expletive] on all of them. My favorite moment is the furious expression on Spock's face just before he uses both fists to knock Kirk off his feet!
Spock continues to wreak havoc all over sickbay until Uhura calmly hands Kirk a nearby ceramic-looking skull that Mirror McCoy has there for some reason and smashes it over Spock's head, causing him to drop like a sack of wet quadrotriticale. It's not a pretty victory, but Mirror Spock mind melds the truth from McCoy upon regaining consciousness, and he allows the landing party to return to their own universe. I'm betting Kirk felt the aftermath of that brawl for at least a week!
Kirk vs Thelev ("Journey to Babel")
"Journey to Babel" is my favorite TOS episode, but not for the reasons you might think. Yes, Sarek and Amanda reconnecting with their son Spock is an effective B-plot, but for me, it's all about the Orion spy, Thelev, and the fisticuffs he has with Kirk just outside his quarters.
Thelev attacks with a large knife, but Kirk manages to toss the disguised Orion over his shoulder. Kirk tries to disarm him so he can wade in and let his fists fly, but Thelev pushes him back. After a bit of grappling, Kirk pulls out the famous "push off the wall and hit the opponent with my butt" maneuver. Unfortunately, that puts him in a vulnerable position, and Thelev stabs him before a final kick to the face knocks Thelev out.
William O'Connell, who played Thelev, clearly had fun with the role. From his resting Andorian face that would've made Shran proud to his melodramatics on the bridge, he's one of my favorite guest stars!
Kirk vs. the Triskelion fighters ("The Gamesters of Triskelion")
When Kirk, Uhura, and Mr. Chekov are whisked away from the transporter platform to the planet Triskelion, where fighting and weaponry are a way of life for those who serve the Providers, Kirk must prove himself if he's to earn his, Chekov, and Uhura's freedom. The Providers pit him against multiple opponents, including Shahna, a woman who feels jilted over the extremely mixed signals Kirk sends her, including being hit in the jaw and knocked out cold directly after a kiss. Can you blame her for feeling that way?
When the fight begins, Kirk uses his weapon to pogo stick around the arena and avoid his first opponents until he can use their clumsiness against them. Galt, the master thrall, sends in Shahna, who proceeds to give Kirk angry kitten eyes (those lashes) until he manages to sweep a leg and put a knife to her throat. Kirk saves the day and leaves behind yet another woman with stars in her eyes because he does that like it's his job.
Do you have a favorite Captain Kirk fight from Star Trek: The Original Series season 2 that I didn't mention here? Share your thoughts and comments with us on the Redshirts Always Die Facebook and X pages.