One of my favorites is from Sisko, but I guess this one is more of a soliloquy than a dialogue,
The trouble is Earth! On Earth, there is no poverty, no crime, no war. You look out the window of Starfleet Headquarters and you see paradise. Well it’s easy to be a saint in paradise, but the Maquis do not live in paradise! Out there, in the Demilitarized Zone, all the problems haven’t been solved yet! Out there, there are no saints! Just people! Angry, scared, determined people, who are going to do whatever it takes to survive, whether it meets with Federation approval or not!
Some good examples here. I’d just mention a few other memorable dialogue scenes:
all the scenes of McCoy with Spock’s Katra in ST:III, including lines like “Yes, Genesis! How can you be deaf with ears like that?” and "Where’s the logic in offering me a ride home, you idiot? If I wanted a ride home, would I be trying to charter a space flight?"
in Star Trek IV, the scene with Kirk and Spock in Gillian’s pickup, with Nimoy doing his best Gracie Allen impression. Also, the “No dipshit” bit in the restaurant.
Nimoy was a very funny guy! Great comedy instincts! You get another tiny glimpse of it with Spock’s line “I’ve been dead before” in ST:VI. It’s almost a throwaway, and said without emotion, but it’s pretty funny!
I would agree about the dinner scene. I also think the ST II genesis debate between Spock, Bones, and Kirk is great. I especially like Bones’ lines comparing God making the world in seven days to man’s hubris of the genesis device.
“When the war began… I wasn’t happy or anything, but I was eager. I wanted to test myself. I wanted to prove I had what it took to be a soldier and I saw a lot of combat. I saw a lot of people get hurt. I saw a lot of people die. But I didn’t think anything was going to happen to me. And then, suddenly Dr. Bashir is telling me he has to cut my leg off. I couldn’t believe it. I still can’t believe it. If I could get shot, if I could lose my leg, anything can happen to me, Vic. I could die tomorrow. I don’t know if I’m ready to face that. If I stay here, at least I know what the future is going to be like.”
“You stay here, you’re going to die. Not all at once, but little by little.Eventually, you’ll become as hollow as I am.”
-Nog and Vic Fontaine
Voyager, Living Witness:
“ When diplomacy fails, there’s only one alternative: violence. Force must be applied, without apology. It’s the Starfleet way.”
-Janeway
Obviously very different reasons that I like each.
Add comment