In 1966, Deforest Kelley undertook a three -year trip aboard the Starship company as a Star Trekis Leonard McCoy, one of the most emblematic characters in the franchise. Throughout three seasons and 79 episodes, “Bones” doubted the public with fantastic and memorable quotes. While Kirk and Spock often overshadow the popularity of McCoy, it is undeniable that the grumpy doctor was essential to make the trio a team like no other.
Reliable and experienced, McCoy managed to keep his teammates in great shape and simultaneously accompany his commander on dangerous missions, consolidating his mind and his wisdom whenever troubles were on the horizon. His quotes and observations are sometimes neglected in favor of Kirk’s and Spock, which tended to be a little more flashy. Here is a list of some of his most memorable quotes from television and films.
Updated on March 20, 2025 by Robert Vaux: Leonard McCoy remains one of the most popular characters in Star Trek, and his irascible presence has always been welcome. The article is updated with five other quotes from the OG MD of the franchise to reflect the current CBR style guide.
15
“Other people have birthdays. How is it that we treat yours as a funeral?”
McCoy expresses an unpleasant truth about the age of Kirk
Star Trek II: Khan’s anger famous breeze the Original series thrown from their perpetual five -year mission. They age, regret and have to face the involuntary consequences of their actions. McCoy is more or less for the journey, Kirk facing his quarantine crisis and Spock finally sacrificed himself for the crew. It is up to Bones to do what he always does: hold a mirror to Kirk and force him to face who he is.
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It is therefore said that the exhorting friend Kirk to return to space is not spock but McCoy. Having taken a photo of Romulan Ale to celebrate Kirk’s 50th anniversary, they rumble soon, McCoy observing how much Kirk likes to be an admiral. He presents McCoy as he has always been – irascible and frank – now directed by the unpleasant facts on old old age which his friend has hidden.
14
“Spock, I found that evil generally triumphs … unless the property is very, very careful.”
McCoy gives good advice in an idiotic episode
Star Trek is renowned for its optimism, in which humanity embodies the best angels of its nature, and the principles prevail over violence and oppression. This can cause problems when you try to generate an exciting story, and in fact, the distribution of Star Trek: The next generation Talk about the problems that come out of “The Roddenberry Box” without conflict between the crew members. McCoy was in a way a secret weapon against this trend The original seriesWith its cynicism and pessimistic perspectives offering a seriously necessary intra-control.
This friction is presented in silly and classic episodes, including the head of season 2, “The Omega Glory”. The company arrives on a land-shaped planet to discover a primitive post-apocalyptic company based directly on the Cold War and China. The episode presents revelation as a vital puzzle to understand the first -rate directive of the franchise – but the use of alternative history is shocking to the point of losing the thread. McCoy provides one of the rare points high while Kirk bet everything on a punch to death: tell the skeptical natives that the winner must be trustworthy. The good doctor dissects the chances of his captain with a very memorable line.
Star Trek: the original series
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September 8, 1966
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Roddenberry gene
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Roddenberry gene
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Roddenberry gene
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William Shatner
James T. Kirk
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13
“According to myth, the earth was created in six days. Now be careful: here is Genesis! We will do it for you in six minutes!”
McCoy underlines the ethical elephant in the room
Which starts as a piece of exposure of the plot turns into a classic three argument in Star Trek II: Khan’s anger, Part of the elegant technical narration that helps make the film a classic. While Kirk, Spock and McCoy assess the potential of the genesis system, the bones are visibly alarmed by its potentially genocidal uses. Kirk takes up the information more passively, while Spock analysis is generally bloody and ethically neutral. Their passivity irrereaved McCoy in the face of implications, and he is not afraid to call his two friends on it.
Exclamation marks a return to classical dynamics between the three characters, Kirk was balanced between the raging emotions of McCoy and the detached passivity of Spock. It rages in the foreground just in time to justify a little but dry of technobabble concerning the Genesis device. McCoy also has the privilege of spelling the implications of Genesis in terms of the secular so that each public member knows what are the issues.
12
“Why is an object that we do not understand is still called a” thing “?”
McCoy delivers a personal touch to an impersonal film
An important criticism of Star Trek: the film is its perceived inleture. By trying to bring a truly epic threat to the big screen, the first outing on the big screen of the franchise loses part of the charm and humanity that made The original series such success. However, this humanity appears here and there, and McCoy benefits from certain lines of choice.
The best of them comes when a combination of the three main characters slips into their old habits. Kirk envisages the nature of the imminent threat which ultimately proves to be V’Ger. After a very heavy dialogue and a very slow configuration, the film starts when the enterprise radiates McCoy on board, very against its will. Kirk notes that there is a “thing” with a little sparkle in his eyes. McCoy is happy to serve as a wet blanket, giving The film No more the personal touch that was missing until this moment.
11
“In the whole universe, three million galaxies like this, and in all of this … and perhaps more … One of each of us.”
McCoy’s humanity is showing off through
One of the friends and colleagues closest to Kirk, McCoy has often acted as the captain’s advisor and resonance fund during the most desperate time of the company. When the spacecraft ended up against a Romulian warship during the famous “Balance of Terror” episode, McCoy tried to encourage Kirk while the latter discussed how to proceed. The episode is an early vital test of Kirk’s command, while being one of the most famous entries The original series never produced.
After Kirk admitted that he felt overwhelmed by his current responsibility, McCoy judiciously recalled to him that in the immensity of the galaxy, there was only one James T. Kirk, and he should ensure that he does not destroy him. The consequences are higher than they seem. Star Trek: Strange new worlds Coming back to the episode of season 1, episode 10, “A Quality of Mercy”. It represents an alternative universe where Captain Pike faces the Romulans instead of Kirk. The meeting is extremely bad, proving the point of McCoy that only Kirk can save the day at this particular moment.
10
“The monsters come in several forms. Do you know the biggest monster of all? Guilt.”
The doctor holds a mirror until Kirk behavior
As a chief doctor of the company, McCoy was responsible for assessing the physical and mental health of the crew, sometimes having to take drastic measures to save his teammates from themselves. In “Obsession”, Kirk was consumed by his desire to destroy a strange and murderous cloud that he had not eradicated in his youth, perished the rest of his crew. This is one of the many cases where Kirk must be confronted with regret for previous actions.
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McCoy noticed that Kirk’s obsession seemed to be rooted in his guilty consciousness, calling him the “biggest monster of all” before wondering if Kirk was able to stay in charge. He is the only character who can do it convincingly, not only because he is the ship’s doctor, but because he understands his friend so well. Spock knows enough to take command when he needs it, but McCoy understands how to show Kirk the reasons.
9
“A cage is a cage, Jim.”
The question of mental health and treatment still exists in the final border
Despite Kirk in great esteem, McCoy was never shy to contradict him and give him a different perspective to consider. In “Dagger of the Mind”, after Kirk expressed his interest in Dr. Tristan Adams – a renowned psychologist who had revolutionized prisons in hospitals – McCoy carefully reminded him that things had perhaps changed, but a cage was still a cage.
In the end, McCoy was proven when Dr. Van Gelder, one of Adams’ partners, infiltrated the company and revealed the horrors that ADAMs constantly inflicted on prisoners. Despite all his grumpy and cynicism, McCoy is the member of the crew most anxious to preserve life. His compassion for patients in 23rd century institutions reveals it, despite the feelings of his captain differently. McCoy sees the “human” institution of Adams for what it is really immediately.
8
“The chain of command is often a flowing knot.”
The ship’s doctor is only suitable to observe the need for hierarchy
In “The King’s Consciousness”, Kirk suspected that one of the Shakespearian actors aboard the company could in fact be Kodos, the ex-target of Tarsus IV who had had mass mass almost all his colony. While Kirk tried to investigate and protect his crew, his strange actions alerted Spock and led him to consult McCoy. Asked about Kirk’s decision to return Lieutenant Riley to engineering, a surprising choice given that he had just been transferred, McCoy simply replied that the chain of command was generally a flowing node and Kirk must have his reasons to do so.
McCoy often tells him his mind, but he also respected the hierarchy of the company. It is often a delicate balance for the doctor to walk, but he manages it with great grace here. He also shows his compassion for Kirk and the responsibilities as a captain who weighs mentally and emotionally on him.
7
“Compassion. This is the only thing that no machine has never had. Maybe it’s the only thing that keeps men in front of them.”
Frankenstein’s lessons came home in the 1960s.
Created during the technological boom of the 1960s, Star Trek have often discussed the merits and disadvantages of computers compared to humanity. In episode 53, “The Ultimate Computer”, Kirk was temporarily replaced by an ultra-advanced computer that seemed to resume his role as captain. He explores Frankenstein’s implications to be replaced by our own creations, and what could happen when our creations begin to get their own ideas about us.
After the computer attacked his other Starfleet ships and stopped, McCoy explained that despite his high technology, he did not have compassion that maintained humanity in front of any machine. Star Trek was also of his time and ahead of his time. It was stimulating and “bones” provided many memorable quotes that forced viewers to stop and wonder.
6
“I try to thank you, you pointed Hobgoblin!”
McCoy sometimes has trouble expressing his affection
Despite the bickering most often, McCoy and Spock had absolute respect for each other as Kirk and as two of Starfleet’s best. When Spock saved McCoy from a certain death in the hands of a gladiator in “Bread and Circus”, the doctor had trouble thanking him while Spock inspects their detention cell. It would not be the last time that the good doctor could not recognize the respect and admiration he has for his half-vulcan friend.
Various attempts later, McCoy could not take more logical answers from Spock and described it as “Hobgoblin Olout pointed”. He then tried to unravel the outside of Spock by calling on his humanity, suggesting that Spock could be more afraid of “living” than he left. He does not reach Spock, of course, or does not seem to do it, but that indicates their dynamics, which has become an integral part of The original series’ success.
5
“If you treat her like a lady, she will always bring you home.”
McCoy has a certain wisdom of separation for the next generation
Almost twenty years since the cancellation of The original series, Star Trek returned to the small screen with The new generation In the late 1980s. Deforest Kelley appeared in the first episode of the new series, “Encounter at Farpoint”. As an amount, a much older McCoy visited the Enterprise-D alongside the data, comparing Android speeches and the lack of emotion to that of a Vulcan. Just before leaving, McCoy advised data to process the company “like a lady” and she will always bring the crew home.
The moment had a considerable meaning at the time as a symbolic passage of the torch. Star Trek had been exclusively associated with Original series Crew until that time, and many fans feared that the franchise could not jump in a new crew. Their fears have proven to be unfounded, but the appearance of McCoy in the first in the series helped to reassure them that this new series would be in agreement with the old.
4
“What you had to do. What you are always doing … transformed death into a chance to live to live.”
As McCoy notes, Spock has more than the company
McCoy is known for its grumpy and irascibility, but it also serves as a moral compass of the ship from time to time. He also provides a perspective to his friends when they doubt themselves, never more than in Star Trek III: The search for Spock. He follows on the heels of Khan’s angerWith the beloved of the crew, Mr. Spock restored to life and desperately needed their help. This requires the destruction of the USS Enterprise, a completely unthinkable perspective when the film was created for the first time in 1984.
The loss of his beloved ship does not leave Kirk not affected, and while the crew watches him burn in the atmosphere of the planet of Genesis, Kirk asks: “What did I do?” MCCOY – So often the critic – gently underlines the moral accuracy of its action. Also liked as it is, the company is still only an object. Spock is more important.
3
“The release of emotions, Mr. Spock, is what keeps us healthy-in good health, that is to say.”
McCoy defends humanity, even with his shortcomings
In “Plato’s Setchildren”, the Enterprise ended up against a breed of psychic foreigners who followed Plato’s lessons. Shortly after being captured by them, Spock was forced to let go of his Vulcan stoicism when he was psychically tortured to show extreme emotions. The episode can be difficult to look at due to the forced torments involved.
Spock was naturally humiliated by the screen. To appease him, McCoy said that the release of emotions is what keeps people emotionally healthy, but Spock simply replied that, according to his experience, it always ends up being “unhealthy” for the closest to him. The moment shows the compassion of McCoy for Spock, even when Spock has not always been able to do it.
2
“A man who has as much power, even with the best intentions, simply cannot resist the urge to play God.”
The main directive is back to the point
Since he joined the company, McCoy has visited dozens of civilizations led by unjust leaders who have been corrupted by their own greed. He met one of them in “strength models” when the company was sent on a rescue mission to the Ekos planet. In full shock of the crew, his company had modeled itself after Nazi Germany and was led by the man they had been sent to recover, John Gill.
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Later in the episode, McCoy explained that, despite Gill’s best intentions to organize the chaotic civilization of the Ekosians, he finally succumbed to his absolute power because he could not resist the urge to play God. It is an extension of the main directive of the franchise, which prohibits interference in the natural development of indigenous cultures. The observation of McCoy is a great summons of what this rule is so important.
1
“I am a doctor, not a mason!”
McCoy’s signature quote had humble origins
The well -known slogan of McCoy had many variations, but none was as emblematic as the one he said in one of the biggest entries in the series: season 1, episode 26, “The Devil in the Dark”. Called to stop a “monster” attacking a distant mining colony, Kirk and Spock discover that the creature is simply trying to defend itself. They invoke McCoy to heal a phaser injury, only for the doctor to say that he did not know how to cure such a creature. He exclaims before performing another medical miracle by successfully bringing the creature.
He quickly became his slogan, and as part of The original series Like Mr. Spock’s ears. He was parodied and emulated in countless ways, and this is often the first thing that fans think about the character. At the time, it was just an elegant turn of the sentence, although it helped make one of the best episodes of The original series even better.
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Star Trek: the film
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Star Trek: Nemesis