11. Death Of Sam Kirk - Operation: Annihilate - TOS
This is one of the first times when we learn about Captain Kirks family. In this episode, on a routine trip to Deneva a busy planet in the middle of Federation trade routes, Captain Kirk is looking forward to stopping off and visiting with his brother, Sam and his wife and son. As a Starship captain burdened with the loneliness of command, James Kirk doesnt have a family of his own, and so the family reunion is also a vicarious joy of sorts that can ease his isolation. This is a poignant episode because family matters; its a universal value that everyone can appreciate and share. Presenting Kirk as a character with family makes him more accessible to the audience and more relatable. When he discovers that an invading wave of amoeba-like parasites have killed his brother and sister-in-law, we feel that loss as if it were our own. As Sam is Kirks only brother, the loss is particularly tragic. A small mercy offered is that Kirks nephew, Peter, survives the invasion but this only serves as a reminder that while Kirk has lost a brother, Peter has lost a mother and father. The loss of a loved one is a heart-shattering experience. This episode shows that loss on several levels. Kirk is not immune to this and while we do not meet his brother, we can still imagine the severe pain and increased sense of isolation his death causes him.
John Kirk is a Teacher-Librarian and currently a History/English Teacher with the Toronto District School Board.
But mostly, John teaches Geek.
Comics, Sci-Fi (Notably Star Trek), Fantasy and Role-Playing and table-top games all make up part of John’s repertoire, There is a whole generation of nerds-in-embryo who rely on him to make sense of it all, to teach that with great power comes great responsibility, that the force will be with us always and that a towel IS the most useful thing to have in one’s possession.
When John isn’t in the classroom, he can be found in his basement writing comic reviews for www.popmythology.com and features for Roddenberry Entertainment's www.1701news.com.
