12 Most Heartbreaking Moments In Star Trek

10. He Knows, Doctor. He Knows - The Original Series 'The City On The Edge Of Forever'

Star Trek The Original Series The City On The Edge Of Forever
NBC

Captain Kirk always had the reputation for being a ladies man, something that is made light of in the Kelvin universe reboots. However, there was a time when he lost a love so painful, not because of the intense feeling they had for each other but for the fact that Kirk knew she must die for humanity to survive.

The unwitting bringer of mankind's doom was Edith Keeler, appearing in the classic City of the Edge of Forever. The story is simple but the effects have rippled through the years. Kirk must stand by and do nothing as Edith is killed by a car as McCoy struggles to save her.

It is a split-second decision, one with the weight of the universe behind it, grabbing the doctor and holding him in place as she screams. It is dark and it is one of the many pains that Kirk must endure in his tenure as Captain. He would be no stranger to loss by the time he finally met with Soran on the surface of Viridian III and will reappear on this list again.

But the death of Keeler is the one that, though necessary, he causes himself through inaction. They come back to their present time and Kirk, obviously broken, instructs the ship to get them away and never return to the place where his heart broke for the first time.

Contributor
Contributor

Seán is the host and head writer/presenter for TrekCulture, as well as a writer/presenter on WhoCulture and WhatCulture Horror. He has authored two novels, dozens of short stories, and hundreds of articles for WhatCulture. He holds a Master of Arts in Creative Writing from University College Dublin. As part of his work with TrekCulture, Seán has been invited to participate in collaborations with Roddenberry Entertainment, as well as contributing to several Star Trek community projects. An avid fan of Star Trek, Doctor Who, and the horror genre at large, Seán's expertise has helped develop these channels to the successes they are today. As host of the Ups & Downs series on TrekCulture, Seán has become internationally recognised for his positive yet critically informed approach to reviewing every episode of modern Star Trek, ensuring he is one of the go-to voices in the Trek community. Favourite Quote to describe himself: "I'm serious about what I do, just not always about the way that I do it"