2. He Doesn't Want To Grieve In Public
The original Star Trek series was filmed in the 1960s, when the societal norm was that men don't cry. That's why we almost never saw Kirk shed tears. Even in "The City on the Edge of Forever," when he had to allow Edith Keeler to die in a car accident so that history would not be changed, Kirk restrains himself. He's out there on the street, with a crowd standing around, and he doesn't want to make a scene by crying. But his clenched fist is shaking a telltale sign that it takes enormous effort to keep his grief in check. In "Star Trek Into Darkness," however, there is no holding back for Kirk when he sees the dead body of Christopher Pike. Kirk doesn't want to cry in front of Spock, but he can't help himself. So he does it almost silently, with his mouth closed, his fist gripping Pike's uniform. It's a smart performance from Chris Pine, who manages to show Kirk simultaneously restricting his grief and giving in to it. Then, in less than a minute, Kirk regains control. He takes a deep, trembling breath and pushes himself away from Pike's body. Other than lightly touching Spock's shoulder to steady himself, he does not interact with the Vulcan. He slowly walks away, feeling too drained to speak. Some fans may contend that Kirk should have remained stoic. But what happens to him in this movie is much more traumatic than the events of "City." Let's be honest: Kirk only knew Edith Keeler for about a week. How deep could his attachment really be? By contrast, Christopher Pike was arguably the most important person in Kirk's life. By luring the wayward young man into Starfleet, Pike rescued him from a meaningless existence and gave him a sense of purpose. But Pike was far more than a mentor; he was the father figure Kirk never had, even referring to him as "son." Seen in that context, Kirk has essentially experienced the death of a parent. No wonder McCoy is so concerned about his state of mind.