the biggest misconception about the search for spock is that people think kirk is trying to get spock back. as in “he knows in the end spock will be brought back.” he didn’t. the only thing he knew was that he needed to get spock’s dead body and his katra back to vulcan. he didn’t do all of that to get him back. he destroyed the enterprise, defied direct orders, and threw his entire career away just so that he could give spock the equivalent of a proper burial.
*that* is love.