Original artwork, not a still
As a matter of cosmic history, it has always been easier to destroy than to create.
— Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan · 1982
Behind the line
What it means
Our interpretation.
Spock states it as a dry fact, not a worry, and that is the point: he is the voice of cold logic and McCoy is the one who hears the danger. The film then proves the line, as Khan turns a creation device into a weapon. It is the standard quote when a new technology could build or break, and the film's own Genesis theme gives it weight.
Context reviewed
In context
Spoilers for Star Trek II: The Wrath of KhanShow the scene
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982), aboard the Enterprise. Kirk, Spock, Dr. McCoy and Saavik watch a recorded summary of Dr. Carol Marcus's Project Genesis, a device that remakes a dead world into a living one. McCoy asks what would happen if it were used where life already exists, since it would wipe that life out. Spock replies calmly that he was not weighing the moral side, and gives this line. McCoy snaps back that now both can be done at once, and rants about Armageddon until a ship is spotted closing fast: the Reliant.
Sources (1)
- Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan, fan transcript (Springfield! Springfield!)Genesis summary scene, just before the Reliant is sightedReference checked
Context reviewed
