Personality
Personality:
Please give us a detailed description of your character's personality:
McCoy initially comes off as surprisingly outspoken and abrasive, especially considering his occupation. If he feels something is off or needs to be said, chances are, he's going to just up and say it, whether anyone likes it or not. If you're being stupid, he'll tell you that. Even if you're the damn Captain. He's shown that he's willing to challenge authority or mouth back if he feels there's a reason to, especially if it poses a risk to people around him. It doesn't matter what social status or rank the person is, or even if the person is a friend. Both on a personal and professional level, McCoy is driven to ensure that the people around him remain healthy and safe, even if it means he may need to be doubly harsh. He doesn't exactly have the best bedside manner either.
While he possess a dry wit, he also can come off as hot-headed at times, prone to constant bursts of emotion (according to Spock). His idea of a good time is prodding at Spock, reading, keeping Jim company, and prodding at Spock. McCoy constantly pushes at Spock's buttons in an attempt to get him to show emotions and let the human part of him show.
McCoy understands Spock well enough to psychoanalyze him ("Bread and Circuses"), and be right on the mark. But at the same time, I think there's something about his relationship with Spock that separates it from Kirk. Both understand Spock. It's how they handle it that differentiates them. Kirk gets Spock, gets his dual heritage, and he lets it slide. He accepts Spock for what's there, even when that logic seems too cold and inhuman. Kirk seems content to let the matter lie. Like Kirk, McCoy gets Spock; the difference here is that he doesn't seem to necessarily stand back and accept it. He's not happy to leave things as they are. He loves to prod and pry at Spock. It's like there's some inner need to prove to him and Spock that there's more to him than just a Vulcan side. The needling isn't one-sided, however. Spock returns the favor more than once. He doesn't waste any opportunity to get a rise out of McCoy.
I imagine on some level, McCoy finds their arguments stimulating. (Spock too).
Under that, he's sentimental and compassionate; he's willing to sacrifice himself for his friends despite his gruff attitude, even if it requires some thorns and trickery to do so. More than once, he's resorted to decidedly unethical means to save lives, such as actually injecting Kirk with a neuroparalyzer instead of a tri-ox compound ("Amok Time") and hypospray-sniping Kirk and Spock, in an attempt to save them from the Vian's experiments ("The Empath"). McCoy believes deeply in the Hippocratic oath, and in the same episode, he shows that he'd rather die than have another person kill themselves to save his life. Life is sacred to him. Because of this belief, he has difficulty killing another living being ("The Man Trap").
When it comes to actual relationships, McCoy can't seem to stay in a long term one. He split with his wife, and while he doesn't seem opposed to flirting here and there, nothing major seems to come from it usually. Being the CMO of a starship doesn't leave much room for relationships. I don't see McCoy being too much of a people-person. He can be a gentleman and a charmer ("Shore Leave"), but it seems like his closest friends are just Spock and Kirk. Christine Chapel may be a friend and coworker, but I don't think she or anyone else on the ships is quite on the same level as Spock and Kirk. While he might be cordial/decent to the rest of the crew, Kirk and Spock are the people he's closest to. He's generally the one who goes along with them for landing parties; there's also the point in "Tholian Web" where he was chosen to hear Kirk's last orders with Spock.
McCoy's reliance on his feelings is a strength of his. Kirk realizes this and tells them both (via video) that he believes McCoy would be the best candidate for Spock to learn how to use intuition. Although they often have (what looks like) a rocky relationship, they can both learn from each other.
At the same time, McCoy's belief in the value of an emotional response (and his own) can be problematic at times, as it can interfere when cool logic really is needed and emotion can get you killed. There are times when the logical answer really is better than the emotional response. Kirk understands the middle ground between both. McCoy doesn't quite share that gray area. His temper and feelings have gotten the best of him numerous times, such as when they crash landed on a hostile planet, with Spock in charge of their survival ("Galileo Seven"), and when Spock was forced to assume command of the Enterprise. In the first case, he and the others find Spock's pure logic methods too cold; they argue several times with him, wasting valuable time and effort. In the second case, he also hastily accuses Spock of wanting power and generally makes his job much harder with the attitude and accusations. ("The Tholian Web")
Compared to Spock, he has a tendency to leap first. When the landing party gets infected upon arrival on a planet, they must search for a vaccine. With the clock ticking, McCoy actually injects himself with the untested vaccine to test it out. He basically shoots from the hip; a leap of faith, rather than waiting any longer for the results. ("Miri")
He also has an innate distrust (and distaste) for old fashioned medicine, as well as technology in general. He finds old fashioned medicine to border on barbaric, and technology to be dangerous and in some cases, unnatural, depending on just how advanced it is. Transporters especially. (Star Trek: the Motion Picture/"TNG: "Encounter at Farpoint") Yet he still seems to have a sense of pride at the same time for current medical technology, especially in comparison to ancient medical practices. ("Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home")
He's a worrier and something of a pessimist. Multiple times he takes a negative view of the future or current situation. A few examples include as his repeated insistence on transporters being dangerous (numerous times), his insistence that Kirk was dead ("Tholian Web"), and when he and Kirk were on Rura Penthe. Kirk tries to show an inmate compassion (an alien that just kicked the crap out of him), while McCoy shows a distrust of that. Later on, he bemoans being so close to his retirement, and tells Kirk how certain he is that they'll get their throats slit one night. He shows even less faith in Kirk and their immediate future when he watches how he still somehow managing to hit on a woman inside a prison, even when they're trying to escape. ("Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country")
--------------
Things McCoy is NOT:
-------------
In fountainofcod:
-Not a rookie
-Not a physicist
-Not an engineer
-Not a mechanic
-Not a juggler
-Not a Vulcan
-Not a security blanket
In theoregontrail
-Not a botanist
-Not a butcher
-Not Starfleet Security
-Not a General
-Not cargo/baggage
-Not an atmospheric scientist or even an atmospheric chemist
-Not an Admiral
In damned
-not security
-not a patient
-not a physicist or an astrophysicist
-not an engineer
-not a thermometer
-not a fortune teller
-not command
-not a murderer
-not a poet
-not a battering ram
-not a crystal ball
Please give us a detailed description of your character's personality:
McCoy initially comes off as surprisingly outspoken and abrasive, especially considering his occupation. If he feels something is off or needs to be said, chances are, he's going to just up and say it, whether anyone likes it or not. If you're being stupid, he'll tell you that. Even if you're the damn Captain. He's shown that he's willing to challenge authority or mouth back if he feels there's a reason to, especially if it poses a risk to people around him. It doesn't matter what social status or rank the person is, or even if the person is a friend. Both on a personal and professional level, McCoy is driven to ensure that the people around him remain healthy and safe, even if it means he may need to be doubly harsh. He doesn't exactly have the best bedside manner either.
While he possess a dry wit, he also can come off as hot-headed at times, prone to constant bursts of emotion (according to Spock). His idea of a good time is prodding at Spock, reading, keeping Jim company, and prodding at Spock. McCoy constantly pushes at Spock's buttons in an attempt to get him to show emotions and let the human part of him show.
McCoy understands Spock well enough to psychoanalyze him ("Bread and Circuses"), and be right on the mark. But at the same time, I think there's something about his relationship with Spock that separates it from Kirk. Both understand Spock. It's how they handle it that differentiates them. Kirk gets Spock, gets his dual heritage, and he lets it slide. He accepts Spock for what's there, even when that logic seems too cold and inhuman. Kirk seems content to let the matter lie. Like Kirk, McCoy gets Spock; the difference here is that he doesn't seem to necessarily stand back and accept it. He's not happy to leave things as they are. He loves to prod and pry at Spock. It's like there's some inner need to prove to him and Spock that there's more to him than just a Vulcan side. The needling isn't one-sided, however. Spock returns the favor more than once. He doesn't waste any opportunity to get a rise out of McCoy.
I imagine on some level, McCoy finds their arguments stimulating. (Spock too).
Under that, he's sentimental and compassionate; he's willing to sacrifice himself for his friends despite his gruff attitude, even if it requires some thorns and trickery to do so. More than once, he's resorted to decidedly unethical means to save lives, such as actually injecting Kirk with a neuroparalyzer instead of a tri-ox compound ("Amok Time") and hypospray-sniping Kirk and Spock, in an attempt to save them from the Vian's experiments ("The Empath"). McCoy believes deeply in the Hippocratic oath, and in the same episode, he shows that he'd rather die than have another person kill themselves to save his life. Life is sacred to him. Because of this belief, he has difficulty killing another living being ("The Man Trap").
When it comes to actual relationships, McCoy can't seem to stay in a long term one. He split with his wife, and while he doesn't seem opposed to flirting here and there, nothing major seems to come from it usually. Being the CMO of a starship doesn't leave much room for relationships. I don't see McCoy being too much of a people-person. He can be a gentleman and a charmer ("Shore Leave"), but it seems like his closest friends are just Spock and Kirk. Christine Chapel may be a friend and coworker, but I don't think she or anyone else on the ships is quite on the same level as Spock and Kirk. While he might be cordial/decent to the rest of the crew, Kirk and Spock are the people he's closest to. He's generally the one who goes along with them for landing parties; there's also the point in "Tholian Web" where he was chosen to hear Kirk's last orders with Spock.
McCoy's reliance on his feelings is a strength of his. Kirk realizes this and tells them both (via video) that he believes McCoy would be the best candidate for Spock to learn how to use intuition. Although they often have (what looks like) a rocky relationship, they can both learn from each other.
At the same time, McCoy's belief in the value of an emotional response (and his own) can be problematic at times, as it can interfere when cool logic really is needed and emotion can get you killed. There are times when the logical answer really is better than the emotional response. Kirk understands the middle ground between both. McCoy doesn't quite share that gray area. His temper and feelings have gotten the best of him numerous times, such as when they crash landed on a hostile planet, with Spock in charge of their survival ("Galileo Seven"), and when Spock was forced to assume command of the Enterprise. In the first case, he and the others find Spock's pure logic methods too cold; they argue several times with him, wasting valuable time and effort. In the second case, he also hastily accuses Spock of wanting power and generally makes his job much harder with the attitude and accusations. ("The Tholian Web")
Compared to Spock, he has a tendency to leap first. When the landing party gets infected upon arrival on a planet, they must search for a vaccine. With the clock ticking, McCoy actually injects himself with the untested vaccine to test it out. He basically shoots from the hip; a leap of faith, rather than waiting any longer for the results. ("Miri")
He also has an innate distrust (and distaste) for old fashioned medicine, as well as technology in general. He finds old fashioned medicine to border on barbaric, and technology to be dangerous and in some cases, unnatural, depending on just how advanced it is. Transporters especially. (Star Trek: the Motion Picture/"TNG: "Encounter at Farpoint") Yet he still seems to have a sense of pride at the same time for current medical technology, especially in comparison to ancient medical practices. ("Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home")
He's a worrier and something of a pessimist. Multiple times he takes a negative view of the future or current situation. A few examples include as his repeated insistence on transporters being dangerous (numerous times), his insistence that Kirk was dead ("Tholian Web"), and when he and Kirk were on Rura Penthe. Kirk tries to show an inmate compassion (an alien that just kicked the crap out of him), while McCoy shows a distrust of that. Later on, he bemoans being so close to his retirement, and tells Kirk how certain he is that they'll get their throats slit one night. He shows even less faith in Kirk and their immediate future when he watches how he still somehow managing to hit on a woman inside a prison, even when they're trying to escape. ("Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country")
--------------
Things McCoy is NOT:
-------------
In fountainofcod:
-Not a rookie
-Not a physicist
-Not an engineer
-Not a mechanic
-Not a juggler
-Not a Vulcan
-Not a security blanket
In theoregontrail
-Not a botanist
-Not a butcher
-Not Starfleet Security
-Not a General
-Not cargo/baggage
-Not an atmospheric scientist or even an atmospheric chemist
-Not an Admiral
In damned
-not security
-not a patient
-not a physicist or an astrophysicist
-not an engineer
-not a thermometer
-not a fortune teller
-not command
-not a murderer
-not a poet
-not a battering ram
-not a crystal ball