Sign in to follow this  
Theunicornhunter

Why would he think that?

Recommended Posts

Much has been said about the humor in the Trip/T'Pol scene.

Click for Spoiler:

He mistakes her offer of help for an offer of sexual favors. And everyone finds humor is his realization of his error

 

 

But let's think about this. Trip knows he and T'Pol have a testy relationship and she is often critical of him. He knows Vulcans are very private and reserved with their emotions. So why

Click for Spoiler:

Does he think she wants to have sex with him? Because he did her a favor?

 

 

What does this say about how we feel about physical intimacy? What does this say about his ego?

 

I know in the US there was a shift from guys always paying for dates to girls paying their share...the women didn't want to fill obligated. My question, if sex is so casual that it's worth no more than the price of a dinner or a backrub - what do we use to establish real bonds of intimacy with someone who's more than casual to us?

Edited by TheUnicornHunter

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

If Trip had been in that situatioin with a human woman, he might have been right in assuming that he was being offered sex. Yeah he does have an ego, he's gorgeous after all. Whether he'd take the offer up is another matter. If he were on shoreleave maybe, but I don't get the feeling that Trip is generally into casual sex, expecially with a shipmate that he has to work with.

 

What really throws him off is that subconsiously he is still expecting human responses out of T'Pol, even though he knows better. So when he gets a offer that from a human female could easliy be interpreted as a pass, he gets flustered and confused. It's all part of his discomfort with aliens in general.

 

And besides, he and T'Pol are growing to care about each other, even though they are both still somewhat in denial. A strong friendship is being forged, subconciously and I think they are going to be shocked when something forces it to the surface. I for one, can't wait to see that happen.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
What really throws him off is that subconsiously he is still expecting human responses out of T'Pol, even though he knows better.  So when he gets a offer that from a human female could easliy be interpreted as a pass, he gets flustered and confused.  It's all part of his discomfort with aliens in general.

That's a good insight.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

What I found amusing about it was

Click for Spoiler:

that he should have known better then assume that she was "coming on" to him and when he realizes that he just made a fool out of himself he tries to play it off.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I think any man who was in a woman's quarters and she told him to disrobe (which is what T'Pol told him to do) would probably think sex.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

But this was not sex it was a message. Everyone knows that if you get a professional message today its done without wearing clothing,you are covered with a towel except for the area being messaged.For a good message you must make contact with bare skin.

I think its funny that some people believe this was some kind of sexual encounter.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I like VBG's take on this. I agree Trip

 

Click for Spoiler:

should not have made the assumption he did; and he was trying to "save face". I loved the excuse his hypospray was kicking in when in reality it was a placebo

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

what do we use to establish real bonds of intimacy with someone who's more than casual to us?

 

That's a tough one, Unicornhunter. A very personal subject. There are many levels of intimacy that we probably aren't even aware of, and only the person or persons involved know where those bonds are or where they will take them. Sexual is only one way. I think the reason Trip took it wrong was because she bore her most private side. I realize that a massage is done nakey, lol, but even then you are clothed with a towel or face down on a table covered with a towel. Your most intimate parts are covered. Hers weren't, other than her hands. :) We have to realize they see each other 24/7, an 'intimacy' of some form or another is formed in those types of situations. Talk with men and women from any area of service and they'll tell you.

 

I hope they don't try and 'hook' T'Pol up with any of the lead characters. I'm really beginning to like her and if they start making her 'flirt around' it will ruin it for me. They didn't do it with Spock or Tvok.

Just my O.

Katy :force:

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
I agree with VBG,that was the humurous thing about that scene.The look on his face was priceless.

 

The look on his face was priceless. I'm telling you, the reason this scene worked while people mostly howled at ANIS was that Allen Kroeker was savvy enough to direct it as if it were entirely funny. This was a human and a Vulcan misunderstanding each other. A Vulcan male would not have made that assumption, but a human male would interpret a female disrobing in front of him so casually as a come on. IMHO, I don't think it's indicative of a huge ego on his part. She sure took Trip down a peg to take care of any excess ego that might have been there and though I adore his character, he deserved it. :force: I rather like that he was going to turn her down. He didn't leap across the room on to her bones the second he believed that she was offering sexual relations. Trip and T'Pol are both charming characters, albeit in completely different ways. They're good people. That's why viewers respond to them. My dream storyline would be them forging a bond as strong as Trip's bond with the captain as they work together to help what is obviously becoming an overly stressed and emotionally burdened Jonathan.

 

The Unicorn Hunter raises a legitimate question about two being forming a bond of intimacy. I think it's entirely possible that trip and T'Pol could form a bond of intimacy that doesn't necessarily include sex and romance (not that I'm averse to that) and that might possibly be just as exciting and emotionally satisfying to watch as a romance. Working together to help Jon could be the vehicle through which that intimacy occurs.

Edited by MoulinRouge

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
He mistakes her offer of help for an offer of sexual favors.

 

Perhaps not. I didn't really see much evidence of that. I just saw him being embarrassed and a little confused. I mean, he comes to deliver some things and all of a sudden, he's put in a situation that he's obviously uncomfortable with. I don't blame him! I'd be uncomfortable, too. This is a person he works with all the time on a professional basis and she's his friend. No wonder he was a little edgy. No wonder he didn't want to stay.

 

What I liked was the way T'Pol got him to do it.

 

"You just won't do it because you're uncooperative."

"What do you mean? I'm very cooperative!"

"Prove it."

"Yeah! Yeah, I'll prove it!"

 

I mean, that got him right there. The "prove it."

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Stardate:213704.3

 

 

 

That scene was great!!I really hope Trip and T'Pol forge a realtionship.I think they have very good chemistry.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
Sign in to follow this