Star Trek (TV Series)

The Corbomite Maneuver (1966)

William Shatner: Captain James Tiberius 'Jim' Kirk

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Quotes 

• Capt. Kirk : This is the Captain of the Enterprise. Our respect for other life forms requires that we give you this... warning. One critical item of information that has never been incorporated into the memory banks of any Earth ship. Since the early years of space exploration, Earth vessels have had incorporated into them a substance known as... corbomite. It is a material and a device which prevents attack on us. If any destructive energy touches our vessel, a reverse reaction of equal strength is created, destroying -...

  Balok (voice) : You now have two minutes.

  Capt. Kirk : - -DESTROYING the attacker. It may interest you to know that since the initial use of corbomite more than two of our centuries ago, no attacking vessel has survived the attempt. Death has... little meaning to us. If it has none to you then attack us now. We grow annoyed at your foolishness.

• Capt. Kirk : There's no such thing as the unknown- only things temporarily hidden, temporarily not understood.

• Mr. Spock : Has it occurred to you that there is a certain... inefficiency in constantly questioning me on things you've already made up your mind about?

  Capt. Kirk : It gives me emotional security.

• Capt. Kirk : There must be SOMETHING to do. Something I've overlooked.

  Mr. Spock : Chess: When one is outmatched the game is over. Checkmate.

  Capt. Kirk : Is that your BEST recommendation?

  Mr. Spock : I'm s... I regret that I can find no other logical alternative.

• Capt. Kirk : When I get my hands on the headquarters genius that assigned me a female yeoman...

  Dr. McCoy : What's the matter, Jim, don't you trust yourself?

  Capt. Kirk : [Kirk suppresses a smile]  I've already got a female to worry about. Her name's the Enterprise.

• Dr. McCoy : Balok's message - it was heard all over the ship.

  Capt. Kirk : [on ship-wide speakers]  Captain to crew: Those of you who have served for long on this vessel have encountered alien life-forms. You know the greatest danger facing us is... ourselves, and irrational fear of the unknown. There's no such thing as 'the unknown,' only things temporarily hidden, temporarily not understood.

• Lieutenant Dave Bailey : Are you all out of your minds? End of watch? It's the end of everything. What are you, robots? Wound-up toy soldiers? Don't you know when you're dying? Watch and regulations and orders... What do they mean?

  Capt. Kirk : Bailey, you're relieved! Escort him to his quarters, Doctor.

• Capt. Kirk : Scotty?

  Scott : Mode of power? Beats me what makes it go.

  Capt. Kirk : I'll buy speculation.

  Scott : I'd sell it if I had any.

• Capt. Kirk : Not chess, Mr. Spock. Poker!

• Lieutenant Dave Bailey : Sir, we gonna just let it hold us here? We got phaser weapons. I vote we blast it.

  Capt. Kirk : I'll keep that in mind, Mr. Bailey, when this becomes a democracy.

• Mr. Spock : A very interesting game, this poker.

  Capt. Kirk : It does have advantages over chess.

  Dr. McCoy : Love to teach it to ya.

• Mr. Spock : I believe it adds up to either one of two possibilities: First, a space buoy of some kind.

  Capt. Kirk : Second?

  Mr. Spock : Flypaper.

• Capt. Kirk : Doc. Sorry.

  Dr. McCoy : Oh, you had other things on your mind. My fault. I don't know how y'ever kept from punching me in the face.

• Capt. Kirk : This is the Captain speaking. First Federation vessel is in distress. We're preparing to board it. There are lives at stake, by our standards Alien life, but lives nevertheless. Captain out.