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Leonard McCoy

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"Dr. McCoy" redirects here. For the Marvel Comics character Dr. Hank McCoy, seeBeast (Marvel Comics).

Leonard McCoy
Star Trekcharacter
DeForest Kelleyas Leonard McCoy in a publicity photograph for theoriginalStar Trekseries
First appearance"The Man Trap"(1966)
(The Original Series)
Last appearanceStar Trek Beyond(2016)
Created byGene Roddenberry
Portrayed byDeForest Kelley(1966–1999)
Karl Urban(2009–2016)
In-universe information
Full nameLeonard Horatio McCoy
NicknameBones
SpeciesHuman
GenderMale
TitleDoctor
Affiliation
FamilyDavid McCoy (father)
SpouseUnnamed wife (divorced)
Natira(separated)
ChildrenJoanna McCoy (daughter)

Dr. Leonard H. McCoy,known as "Bones",is a character in the Americanscience-fictionfranchiseStar Trek.[1]McCoy was played by actorDeForest Kelleyin theoriginalStar Trekseriesfrom 1966 to 1969, and he also appears in theanimatedStar Trekseries,in sixStar Trekfilms,in thepilot episodeofStar Trek: The Next Generation,and in numerous books, comics, and video games.[2]A decade after Kelley's death,Karl Urbanassumed the role of McCoy in theStar Trekreboot filmin 2009.[3]

Depiction

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McCoy was born inAtlanta, Georgia,in 2227.[4]The son of David McCoy,[5]: 257–258 he attended theUniversity of Mississippi[2]and is adivorcé.[6]McCoy later married Natira, the priestess of Yonada, as recounted in the episode "For the World Is Hollow and I Have Touched the Sky".In 2266, McCoy was posted as chief medical officer of the USSEnterpriseunder CaptainJames T. Kirk,who often calls him "Bones".[2]McCoy and Kirk are good friends, even "brotherly".[5]: 146 The passionate, sometimes cantankerous McCoy frequently argues with Kirk's other confidant, science officerSpock,[1]and occasionally is annoyed by Spock'sVulcanheritage.[7]McCoy often plays the role of Kirk's conscience, offering a counterpoint to Spock's logic.[1]McCoy is suspicious of technology,[8]especially thetransporter.[2]As a physician, he prefers less intrusive treatment and believes in the body's innate recuperative powers.[1]The nickname "Bones" – chosen before the character was named – is a play onsawbones,a 19th centuryepithetfor a surgeon.[9][10][11]In the2009Star Trekfilmreboot, when McCoy first meets Kirk, he complains that his ex-wife took all their shared assets following their divorce: "All I got left is my bones", implying this was the origin of the nickname.[12]

When Kirk orders McCoy's commission reactivated inStar Trek: The Motion Picture(1979);[2]a resentful McCoy complains of being "drafted".[13]Spock transfers hiskatra—his knowledge and experience—into McCoy before dying inStar Trek II: The Wrath of Khan(1982).[2]This causes mental anguish for McCoy, who inStar Trek III: The Search for Spock(1984) helps restore Spock'skatrato his reanimated body.[2]McCoy continues to serve on Kirk's crew aboard the captured Klingon ship inStar Trek IV: The Voyage Home(1986).[2]InStar Trek V: The Final Frontier(1989), McCoy (through the intervention of Spock's half-brotherSybok) reveals that hehelped his father commit suicideto relieve him of his pain. Shortly after the suicide, a cure was found for his father's disease, and McCoy had carried the guilt about it with him until Sybok's intervention.

InStar Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country(1991), McCoy and Kirk escape from aKlingonprison world, and theEnterprisecrew stops a plot to prevent peace between theUnited Federation of Planetsand the Klingon Empire.[2]Kelley reprised the role for the "Encounter at Farpoint"pilot episode ofStar Trek: The Next Generation(1987), insisting upon no more than the minimumScreen Actors Guildpayment for his appearance.[14]McCoy had attained the rank of admiral in theTrektimeline when this episode was aired, and he is stated to be 137 years of age. He went on to become chief of Starfleet Medical, with a special rank known as branch admiral. The fictional bookComparative Alien Physiologywas written by McCoy, and was required reading at the Starfleet Medical Academy through the 2370s.

In the 1973Star Trek: The Animated Seriesepisode "The Survivor",McCoy mentions he has a daughter, Joanna. AlthoughChekov's friend Irina in the original series episode "The Way to Eden"was originally written as McCoy's daughter, it was changed before the episode was shot.[15]

Reboot film series

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Karl Urbanas McCoy inStar Trek(2009)

In the2009Star Trekfilm,which takes place in an alternate, parallel reality,[16]McCoy and Kirk become friends atStarfleet Academy,which McCoy joins after a divorce that he says, "left [him] nothing but [his] bones." This line, improvised by Urban,[12]explains how McCoy earned the nicknameBones.McCoy later helps get Kirk posted aboard theUSSEnterprise.He later becomes the chief medical officer after Doctor Puri is killed during an attack by Nero. McCoy remains aboard to see theEnterprisedefeat Nero and his crew, with Kirk becoming the commanding officer of the ship.

The Guardiancalled Urban's portrayal of McCoy in the 2009 film an "unqualified success",[17]andThe New York Timescalled the character "wild-eyed and funny".[18]Slatesaid Urban came closer than the other actors to impersonating a character's original depiction.[19]

Development

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Kelley had worked withStar TrekcreatorGene Roddenberryon previoustelevision pilots,[20]and he was Roddenberry's first choice to play the doctor aboard theUSSEnterprise.[21]However, for the rejected pilot "The Cage"(1964), Roddenberry went withdirectorRobert Butler's choice ofJohn Hoytto play Dr. Philip Boyce.[22]For the second pilot, "Where No Man Has Gone Before"(1966), Roddenberry accepted directorJames Goldstone's decision to havePaul Fixplay Dr. Mark Piper.[23]Although Roddenberry wanted Kelley to play the character of ship's doctor, he did not put Kelley's name forward toNBC;the network never "rejected" the actor, as Roddenberry sometimes suggested.[21]

Kelley's first broadcast appearance as Doctor Leonard McCoy was in "The Man Trap"(1966). Despite his character's prominence, Kelley's contract granted him only a" featuring "credit; he was not given" starring "credit until the second season, at the urging of producerRobert Justman.[24]Kelley was apprehensive aboutStar Trek's future, telling Roddenberry that the show was "going to be the biggest hit or the biggest miss God ever made".[5]: 146 Kelley portrayed McCoy throughout the originalStar Trekseries, and voiced the character in the animatedStar Trek.[1]

Kelley, who in his youth wanted to become a doctor like his uncle, but whose family could not pay for a medical education,[25]in part drew upon his real-life experiences in creating McCoy, a doctor's "matter-of-fact" delivery of news of Kelley's mother's terminal cancer was the "abrasive sand" Kelley used in creating McCoy's demeanor.[5]: 145 Star TrekwriterD. C. Fontanasaid that while Roddenberry created the series, Kelley essentially created McCoy; everything done with the character was done with Kelley's input.[5]: 156 

"Exquisite chemistry" among Kelley,William Shatner,andLeonard Nimoymanifested itself in their performances as McCoy, CaptainJames T. Kirk,and Science Officer Spock, respectively.Nichelle Nichols,who playedUhura,referred to Kelley as her "sassy gentleman friend"; the friendship between theAfrican-AmericanNichols andSouthernKelley was a real-life demonstration of the message Roddenberry hoped to convey throughStar Trek.[5]: 154 

For the 2009Star Trekfilm, writersRoberto OrciandAlex Kurtzmansaw McCoy as an "arbiter" in Kirk and Spock's relationship. While Spock represented "extreme logic, extreme science" and Kirk symbolized "extreme emotion and intuition", McCoy's role as "a very colorful doctor, essentially a veryhumanisticscientist ", represented the" two extremes that often served as the glue that held the trio together ". They chose to reveal that McCoy befriended Kirk first, explaining the" bias "in their friendship and why he would often be a" little dismissive "of Spock.[26]Urban said the script was "very faithful" to the original character, including the "great compassion for humanity and that sense of irascibility" with which Kelley imbued the character. New Zealand-born Urban trained with a dialect coach to create McCoy's accent[27]and reprised the role in its sequelsStar Trek Into Darkness[28]andStar Trek Beyond.

Cultural impact

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McCoy is someone to whom Kirk unburdens himself, but is afoilto Spock.[24]He is Kirk's "friend, personal bartender, confidant, counselor, and priest".[29]Spock and McCoy's bickering became so popular that Roddenberry wrote in a 1968 memo "we simply didn't realize... how much the fans loved the bickering between ourArrowsmithand our Alien ".[30]Urban said McCoy has a "sense of irascibility with real passion for life and doing the right thing", and that "Spock's logic and McCoy's moral standing gave Kirk the benefit of having three brains instead of just one."[31]

Kelley said that his greatest thrill atStar Trekconventions was the number of people who told him they entered the medical profession because of the McCoy character.[32]He received two or three letters a month from others reporting similar experiences. A friend observed that despite not becoming a doctor as he had hoped, Kelley's portrayal of McCoy had helped create many doctors. According to Kelley, "You can win awards and that sort of thing, but to influence the youth of the country... is an award that is not handed out by the industry".[5]: 273 

"He's dead, Jim."

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Twenty times on the originalStar Trekseries, McCoy declares someone or something deceased with the line, "He's dead", "He's dead, Jim", or something similar. The phrase so became acatchphraseof the character that Kelley joked that the line would appear on his tombstone[33][34][35]—and it appeared in the first sentence of at least one obituary[36]—but disliked repeating the line.[5]: 166 During filming ofStar Trek II: The Wrath of Khan,when Spock is dying from radiation exposure, Kelley felt it would spoil the gravitas of the moment, so he andJames Doohanagreed to swap their lines: McCoy warns Kirk not to open the chamber, andScottysays, "He's dead already".[5]: 249 [37]

University of Southern Californialiterature professorHenry Jenkinscites Dr. McCoy's "He's dead, Jim" line as an example of fans actively participating in the creation of anunderground culturein which they derive pleasure by repeating memorable lines as part of constructing new mythologies and alternative social communities.[38]

"I'm a doctor, not a..."

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Another of McCoy's catchphrases is his "I'm a doctor, (Jim) not a(n)..." statements,[39]delivered by Kelley 11 times,[5]: 166 and three times byKarl Urbanin later films. McCoy repeats the line when he must perform some task beyond his medical skills, such as when he is asked to treat the unfamiliarsilicon-based Horta alien in "The Devil in the Dark"(1967), saying," I'm a doctor, not a bricklayer. "[40]Variations of the line have also been used by doctors in otherTrekseries, includingJulian Bashir,Phlox,and theEmergency Medical Hologramstationed aboardVoyager.

Kelley parodied the phrase in a 1992 commercial forTrivial Pursuit's 10th Anniversary Edition, in which the question is asked, "How many chambers are there in a human heart?" replying "How should I know? I'm an actor, not a doctor!".[41][42]

It is often believed that Kelley said "Damn it, Jim!" before the "I'm a doctor" line, but in reality "damn" was never said on the original show (although damning was used) because the word was considered taboo on TV in the 1960s.[43]

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An audio clip of McCoy saying "It's worked so far, but we're not out yet." (taken from the episode "I, Mudd") was sampled by Minnesota-based New Wave bandInformation Societyon their 1988 hit single "What's On Your Mind (Pure Energy)".

Reception

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In a rebuttal to atongue-in-cheekanalysis in theCanadian Medical Association Journal,which claimed thatDr. NickfromThe Simpsonswas a betterrole modelthan his competitorDr. Hibbert,[44]both of which were published in the same journal in 1998, both doctors are cast aside for Dr. McCoy, "TV's only true physician" and "someone who has broken free from the yoke of ethics and practises the art and science of medicine beyond the stultifying opposition of paternalism and autonomy. A free and independent thinker and, indeed, someone even beyond role models".[45]

In 2012,IGNranked the character Doctor McCoy, as depicted in the original series, its films, and the 2009 filmStar Trek,as the fifth-top character of theStar Trekuniverse, behind Data, Picard, Spock, and Kirk.[46]

In 2016, Doctor McCoy was ranked as the fifth-most important character ofStarfleetwithin theStar Trekscience-fiction universe byWired.[47]

In 2016,SyFyranked McCoy third of the six main-cast space doctors of theStar Trekfranchise.[48]

In 2017, Screen Rant ranked the reboot film (Kelvin timeline) McCoy, played by Urban, as the 17th-most attractive person in theStar Trekuniverse.[49]

In 2018,The Wrapplaced Doctor McCoy as sixth out 39 in a ranking of main cast characters of theStar Trekfranchise.[50]In 2018,CBRranked McCoy as the 11th-best Starfleet character ofStar Trek.[51]

References

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  1. ^abcdeAsherman, Alan (May 1, 1993).The Star Trek Compendium.Pocket Books.ISBN978-0-671-79612-9.
  2. ^abcdefghiOkuda, Michael;Okuda, Denise;Mirek, Debbie (1999).The Star Trek Encyclopedia.Pocket Books.ISBN978-0-671-53609-1.
  3. ^"And Karl Urban as McCoy!".Viacom.October 17, 2007. Archived fromthe originalon July 3, 2010.RetrievedJanuary 26,2009.
  4. ^Mandel, Geoffrey (1980).USS Enterprise Officer's Manual.New York: Interstellar Associates. p. 21.Archivedfrom the original on May 14, 2013.RetrievedMarch 19,2013.
  5. ^abcdefghijRioux, Terry Lee (February 28, 2005).From Sawdust to Stardust: The Biography of DeForest Kelley, Star Trek's Dr. McCoy.Simon & Schuster.ISBN978-0-7434-5762-0.Archivedfrom the original on April 17, 2021.RetrievedOctober 18,2020.
  6. ^Okuda, Michael;Okuda, Denise(1996).Star Trek Chronology: The History of the Future.Pocket Books.ISBN978-0-671-53610-7.
  7. ^Porter, Jennifer E.; McLaren, Darcee L. (1999).Star Trek and Sacred Ground.SUNY Press. p. 58.ISBN978-0-7914-4334-7.
  8. ^Bruno, Mike (October 18, 2007)."Abrams' 'Trek' Casts Kirk and Bones".Entertainment Weekly.Archivedfrom the original on November 7, 2014.RetrievedJanuary 26,2009.
  9. ^Simon, Alexandra (October 30, 2021)."The Truth About Dr. McCoy's Nickname In Star Trek".Grunge.com.RetrievedJuly 25,2022.
  10. ^Schnakenberg, Robert (2007).Sci-Fi Baby Names: 500 Out-of-This-World Baby Names from Anakin to Zardoz.Quirk Books.ISBN978-1-59474-161-6.
  11. ^"Sawbones definition - Medical Dictionary definitions of popular medical terms easily defined on MedTerms".Medterms.com. March 19, 2012.Archivedfrom the original on December 9, 2011.RetrievedMay 25,2013.
  12. ^abStar TrekDVD commentary
  13. ^Screenplay by Harold Livingston, story byAlan Dean Foster,directed byRobert Wise(1979).Star Trek: The Motion Picture.Your revered Admiral Nogura invoked a little-known, seldom-used "reserve activation clause". In simpler language, Captain, they drafted me.
  14. ^Nemeck, Larry (January 7, 2003).Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion.Pocket Books.ISBN978-0-7434-5798-9.
  15. ^JoannaArchivedAugust 10, 2009, at theWayback Machineprecursor to "The Way to Eden"
  16. ^Burr, Ty (May 5, 2009)."Star Trek".The Boston Globe.p. 1.Archivedfrom the original on January 30, 2015.RetrievedMay 6,2009.
  17. ^Hoad, Phil (April 21, 2009)."JJ Abrams's Star Trek: we have liftoff".The Guardian.London.Archivedfrom the original on May 29, 2015.RetrievedApril 22,2009.
  18. ^Dargis, Manohla (May 8, 2009)."A Franchise Goes Boldly Backward".The New York Times.Archivedfrom the original on May 11, 2009.RetrievedMay 7,2009.
  19. ^Stevens, Dana (May 6, 2009)."Go See Star Trek".Slate.Archivedfrom the original on January 15, 2011.RetrievedMay 7,2009.
  20. ^"DeForest Kelley profile at Startrek.com".Archived fromthe originalon July 8, 2010.RetrievedJanuary 25,2009.
  21. ^abSolow, Herbert;Justman, Robert(June 1997).Inside Star Trek The Real Story.Simon & Schuster.p.152.ISBN978-0-671-00974-8.
  22. ^Solow, Herbert;Justman, Robert(June 1997).Inside Star Trek The Real Story.Simon & Schuster.p.37.ISBN978-0-671-00974-8.
  23. ^Solow, Herbert;Justman, Robert(June 1997).Inside Star Trek The Real Story.Simon & Schuster.p.75.ISBN978-0-671-00974-8.
  24. ^abSolow, Herbert;Justman, Robert(June 1997).Inside Star Trek The Real Story.Simon & Schuster.p.240.ISBN978-0-671-00974-8.
  25. ^"Star Trek's Dr McCoy dies".BBC. June 11, 1999.Archivedfrom the original on December 6, 2008.RetrievedJanuary 26,2009.
  26. ^"Orci & Kurtzman: How Star Trek deals with Kirk, Spock and McCoy".Sci Fi Wire.March 25, 2009. Archived fromthe originalon April 27, 2009.RetrievedMay 8,2009.
  27. ^"Karl Urban".IESB.net. January 17, 2008. Archived fromthe originalon March 17, 2009.RetrievedJanuary 26,2009.
  28. ^"'Dredd 3D' Star Karl Urban: 'Star Trek Into Darkness' Will Be 'Epic', 'Emotional' (EXCLUSIVE VIDEO) ".Celebuzz. September 22, 2012.Archivedfrom the original on March 13, 2022.RetrievedMay 25,2013.
  29. ^Whitney, Grace Lee;Denney, James D. (1998).The Longest Trek: My Tour of the Galaxy.Quill Driver Books. p. 84.ISBN978-1-884956-03-4.
  30. ^Davis, Lauren (September 7, 2013)."Gene Roddenberry's 1968 memo on improving Star Trek's characters".io9.Archivedfrom the original on September 9, 2013.RetrievedSeptember 7,2013.
  31. ^"Urban On Star Trek & McCoy".Sci Fi Pulse. July 18, 2008. Archived fromthe originalon December 5, 2008.RetrievedJanuary 26,2009.
  32. ^Shatner, William(2008).Up Till Now: The Autobiography.Macmillan. p.149.ISBN978-0-312-37265-1.
  33. ^Porter, Jennifer E. (1999). "Darcee L. McLaren".Star Trek and Sacred Ground: Explorations of Star Trek, Religion, and American Culture.SUNY Press. p. 127.ISBN978-0-7914-4334-7.
  34. ^Amesly, Cassandra (1990)."How to Watch Star Trek".Cultural Studies: Volume 3, Number 3.John Fiske (ed.). Routledge. pp. 68–69.ISBN978-0-415-03743-3.Archivedfrom the original on April 17, 2021.RetrievedOctober 18,2020.Equally part of typical episodes are a series of lines that fans readily recognize: some that are favorites in particular episodes (such as the 'accoutrements' cited in the beginning commentary) and some which are closely identified with characters: Dr McCoy says, 'He's dead, Jim,' and 'I'm a doctor, not a — '; Spock remarks 'Fascinating' to occurrences which appear likely to kill or maim the crew...'
  35. ^Kaplan, Anna L. (October 1999)."Obituary: DeForest Kelley".Cinefantastique.31(8): 62.Archivedfrom the original on March 12, 2017.RetrievedApril 7,2009.Dr. McCoy's signature lines, "He's dead, Jim", and "I'm a doctor, not a bricklayer", will never be forgotten. In fact, Kelley joked that the line, "He's dead, Jim", would be written on his tombstone.
  36. ^"Obituary: DeForest Kelley".The Independent.June 13, 1999.Archivedfrom the original on August 22, 2017.RetrievedApril 7,2016.
  37. ^Greenberg, Allen (May 1992)."Install Long and Prosper".Computer Gaming World.p. 46.Archivedfrom the original on December 3, 2013.RetrievedNovember 24,2013.
  38. ^Jenkins, Henry (2013).Textual Poachers: Television Fans and Participatory Culture(updated 20th anniversary ed.). New York, N.Y.: Routledge. p. 76.ISBN978-0-41-553328-7.Archivedfrom the original on April 17, 2021.RetrievedOctober 18,2020.
  39. ^Butt, Miriam; Wohlmut, Kyle (2006)."The Thousand Faces of Xena: Transculturality Through Multi-Identity".Globalization, Cultural Identities, and Media Representations.Natascha Gentz (ed.), Stefan Kramer (ed.). SUNY Press. p. 83.ISBN978-0-7914-6683-4.Archivedfrom the original on March 15, 2015.RetrievedSeptember 24,2016.each character's role is clearly defined by his or her position on the ship, so much so that one of the show's many catchphrases was Dr. McCoy's recurring line, 'I'm a doctor, not a...'
  40. ^Lass, Martin; Hilder, Rickie (2002)."The Discovery of Chiron".Musings of a Rogue Comet: Chiron, Planet of Healing(2nd ed.). Galactic Publications. p. 212.ISBN978-0-9715924-2-1.Archivedfrom the original on March 15, 2015.RetrievedSeptember 24,2016.In a classic moment (episode: "The Devil in the Dark" ), McCoy, challenged with healing a being that was made more of rock than flesh, spouts out, "I'm a doctor, not a bricklayer!"
  41. ^"I'm a doctor, not a... Dr Leonard McCoy's much-parodied signature phrase".Fortean Times.Archived fromthe originalon June 7, 2009.RetrievedMarch 25,2010.
  42. ^Stuart Elliott (September 22, 1992)."THE MEDIA BUSINESS: Advertising; Giving Familiar Brands a Second Chance".The New York Times.Archivedfrom the original on October 9, 2016.RetrievedMarch 27,2010.
  43. ^"Did Dr. McCoy Never Actually Give a 'Damn' on Star Trek?".August 27, 2019.
  44. ^Patterson, R; Weijer, C (1998)."D'oh! An analysis of the medical care provided to the family of Homer J. Simpson"(PDF).Canadian Medical Association Journal.159(12): 1480–1.PMC1229893.PMID9988570.Archived(PDF)from the original on June 10, 2011.RetrievedFebruary 6,2021.
  45. ^Yeo M (December 15, 1998)."To boldly go: we have to look beyond the Simpsons for a true medical hero"(PDF).Canadian Medical Association Journal.159(12): 1476–1477.PMC1229891.PMID9988569.Archived(PDF)from the original on March 13, 2022.RetrievedJanuary 23,2018.
  46. ^Top 25 Star Trek Characters - IGN,May 8, 2009,archivedfrom the original on March 27, 2019,retrievedJuly 12,2019
  47. ^McMillan, Graeme (September 5, 2016)."Star Trek's 100 Most Important Crew Members, Ranked".Wired.ISSN1059-1028.Archivedfrom the original on March 2, 2019.RetrievedMarch 20,2019.
  48. ^Roth, Dany (June 29, 2016)."Every major Star Trek doctor, ranked".SYFY WIRE.Archivedfrom the original on July 4, 2019.RetrievedJuly 4,2019.
  49. ^"Star Trek: 20 Most Attractive Characters".ScreenRant.December 15, 2017.Archivedfrom the original on April 16, 2021.RetrievedJuly 12,2019.
  50. ^"All 39 'Star Trek' Main Characters Ranked".TheWrap.March 21, 2018.Archivedfrom the original on July 2, 2019.RetrievedJune 22,2019.
  51. ^"Star Trek: The 25 Best Members Of Starfleet, Ranked".CBR.October 27, 2018.Archivedfrom the original on June 20, 2019.RetrievedJune 20,2019.
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