Warning: SPOILERS for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 2, Episode 5 - "Charades"Star Trek's first-ever fight between Spock and Kirk almost happened in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 2, but with a twist. Lt. James T. Kirk (Paul Wesley) has already briefly appeared in Strange New Worlds; Lt. La'an Noonien-Singh (Christina Chong) ed James, who was aboard the USS Farragut, at the end of Strange New Worlds season 2, episode 3, "Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow." Previously, Wesley played two separate alternate-reality versions of Captain Kirk in Strange New Worlds. However, none of those Kirks nearly came to blows with Lt. Spock (Ethan Peck).
In season 2, episode 5, "Charades," a shuttle accident left Spock mortally injured, and he was "repaired" by interdimensional beings called the Kerkhovians. However, Spock's Vulcan DNA was removed and he was turned fully human. This left Spock with the emotional development of a human teenager, and his adjustment was difficult. Spock overindulged in bacon and alcohol, took understanding jokes too far, and he was prone to panicking and bursts of anger. The latter nearly led him to attack one of his subordinates in the USS Enterprise's Life Sciences division, whose surname happens to be Kirk.
Spock & Kirk’s First Star Trek Fight Almost Happened - But With Sam Kirk
The first-ever fight between Spock and Kirk in Star Trek's Prime Timeline canon nearly happened in Strange New Worlds season 2, episode 5, but it would have been between Spock and Lt. George Samuel Kirk (Dan Jeannotte). Even before he was turned human, the affable Sam Kirk visibly annoyed Spock during Life Science division meetings because of his tendency to leave his used coffee cups, plates, and crumbs on the table. Mr. Spock even cleaned after Kirk without Sam acknowledging him. But once he became human, Spock could no longer control his OCD or his temper, and he erupted at Sam for not cleaning up his dishes. Spock hilariously charged at Sam, threatening him with, "Don't test me, Kirk! I will break you!"
Spock had to be restrained by two Starfleet Officers when he almost attacked Sam Kirk but had this fight broken out, it could have gone better than expected for Sam. If Spock was still half-Vulcan, he would indeed have broken Sam because of his superior physical strength. Vulcans are many times stronger than humans. However, Spock was fully human, and Sam might have been able to take him if they actually came to blows. Of course, Sam would have hesitated to fight a superior officer, but Spock might also have been surprised by Kirk being his match, as he likely forgot he lacks his Vulcan strength. Either way, this Spock vs. Kirk fight was averted, unlike Spock's (Leonard Nimoy) later melees with Sam's little brother, James T. Kirk (William Shatner).
Spock & Captain James T. Kirk Had Many Epic Star Trek Fights
Spock's friendship with Captain James T. Kirk is legendary, but so are the times when they came to blows. In spite of Spock and Captain Kirk's loyalty to and love for each other, circumstances sometimes led to them duke it out in Star Trek: The Original Series. Kirk and Spock's most famous fight was in Star Trek: The Original Series' season 2 classic, "Amok Time," when Spock thought he killed Kirk during a battle to the death on Vulcan. Spock has also fought a doppelganger of Kirk in the TOS season 1 episode "The Enemy Within," and Mirror Universe versions of Spock and Kirk have also tangled in "Mirror Mirror."
J.J. Abrams' Star Trek 2009 reboot pit the younger James T. Kirk (Chris Pine) against Spock (Zachary Quinto) before they ed forces aboard the Starship Enterprise. Abrams' alternate Kelvin timeline started Kirk and Spock off as rivals who despised each other before they quickly forged trust and friendship. Lt. Kirk will board the USS Enterprise in Strange New Worlds season 2, and he will canonically meet Spock for the first time in Star Trek's Prime Timeline. Given their strong personalities, it's possible that the first Spock vs. James T. Kirk fight may yet happen in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 2 streams Thursdays on Paramount+.