So, ah now. Then was released the sequel. Despite my personal belief that the Spock/Uhura relationship as it was in ST:XI was poorly developed and likely to fail, this unfortunately doesn't stop the scripwriters from pushing on anywyay. But far from discouraging me, it was so barely there that I felt the K/S more than ever.

The scene before Spock goes down I did actually find pretty cute, I'll admit. But with that token, that's sort of how Spock's two relationships were set up. He has Uhura for a few light comments here and there and a brief argument which is dropped pretty quickly, but it's very obviously Kirk who's set up as his main emotional relationship of the movie.

Just like last time, it's Kirk who makes him lose control of his emotions. The reversal of the famous Wrath of Khan death scene was lovely and Spock's grief was so very apparent. The way he lashed out in anger as well is reminiscent and another reversal of his response to Kirk's provocation in the previous movie, quite cleanly showing how much Kirk means to him. This display of emotion also, on the positive side, reminded me of the Amok Time smile.

I don't have a huge amount to say about his movie. I don't dislike the Spock/Uhura pairing this time round, I still think it's not entirely necessary but it did add a few cute scenes and didn't get in the way. Their disagreement over Spock's attempted sacrifice also didn't fall into the bonds of pointless romantic entanglement and instead revealed something new about Spock's character which I thought was quite well done. Their relationship in this movie made rather a bit more sense and didn't have any inconsistencies or plotholes like the previous movie so I don't really have anything to analyse or discredit (though, mostly, that was because said relationship was barely even mentioned at all). They weren't too complicated or trying to delve too intensely, seemed to connect better with each other also, and for the first time I could actually see a potential and feel something for them (at least if I ignore their poor previous setup).

I don't feel that K/S has to war with S/U anymore. I mean obviously you'd have to do a toss up when it came to pairing fanfiction, but in my mind in relation to canon I'm able to see them side by side. And side by side it becomes very apparent to me how much deeper the K/S relationship runs, how the brief S/U emotional moment cannot compare at all to the main K/S plot, and just how much more K/S is and can be. They've connected through death. Spock has lowered his shields between them. They had their fair share of lighthearted banter too. We can see the beginning of the epic partnership that Spock Prime mentioned. My prediction from my original essay did, after all, come true. Kirk and Spock are the most important relationship of the movie, and the most important people in each other's lives. Uhura was no more than a subplot to the great inherent Kirk/Spock of Star Trek

T'hy'la, after all, can never be forgotten.