Dr. McCoy Delivered One of Star Trek’s Most Iconic Lines in a Movie

Star Trek has no shortage of inspiring characters, from Captain Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) and her speeches to Spock (Leonard Nimoy) and his words of wisdom. Leonard “Bones” McCoy is not always as eloquent, but he is one of the franchise’s best characters. DeForest Kelley played him in the original series and subsequent movies, while Karl Urban took the role in the Kelvin universe.

Bones is known for complaining to Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner), often reminding him that he’s a doctor and not whatever Jim needs him to be at that moment. He brings comic relief to a scene, makes a joke or pokes fun at Spock. But he can also offer memorable wisdom, as he does in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock.

The crew of the Enterprise believe they have said goodbye to Spock after his death in The Wrath of Khan. They don’t yet know that his farewell will eventually lead them back to their friend. In The Search for Spock, a fight with the Klingons forces Kirk to sacrifice the Enterprise to save the crew. Grief-stricken, Kirk asks Bones, “What did I do?”

Bones answers: “What you had to do. What you always do… turned death into a fighting chance to live.”

What makes Bones stand out

Kirk, Bones and Spock work so well together because each brings a different energy. Kirk is smooth and often calm, sometimes flirting his way through a difficult situation. Spock relies on logic. Bones balances them both by pointing out how outrageous things have become and noticing details the others might miss.

Kelley also found ways to keep Bones’ familiar “Dammit, Jim,” fresh whenever the doctor had something to say to Kirk. Those moments brought levity to the series and movies. When Bones spoke seriously, his words carried extra weight.

In The Search for Spock, the crew is still grieving as they set out to recover Spock’s body and return it to Vulcan. Their journey becomes a battle for survival and a rescue mission. At a painful moment for Kirk, Bones offers his friend reassurance.

His words recognize Kirk’s ability to turn a no-win situation into a fighting chance for the Enterprise crew. As Bones puts it, Kirk “turned death into a fighting chance to live.”

Bones is unapologetically himself, but he can also be sweet to his friends. He doesn’t offer encouragement all the time, which makes the moments when he does feel special.

Source: Polygon