2) City on the Edge of Forever
Another all-time great Trek episode, and arguably still its definitive time-travel story. But once again, part of what makes “City on the Edge of Forever” is just how willing it is to portray the human vulnerability of Kirk. His doomed romance with Edith Keeler, and eventual willingness to sacrifice his own personal happiness to maintain the integrity of the timeline—and how hard it is for Kirk to make that decision, above all—is one of the series’ most brilliant examinations of Kirk beyond the exaggerated characterization of him we have in our heads.
