[martok2112]

Originally Posted by BST

Through my travels, I've seen source material butchered to hell and I've seen source material respected. In neither case, however, did I consider that source material "hallowed ground".

When I joined the online discussion groups nearly 10 years ago, I chose a handle which has since been shortened to "BST". The full handle was "BattleStarTrekker". It was chosen to epitomize my affection for both Battlestar Galactica and Star Trek, which goes back to the entire 1970's decade during which time I spent my teenage years.

I watched Trek when it wasn't cool to watch it and got "razzed" by my friends for watching it. Nonetheless, I kept watching it. I wound up having the "last laugh" of sorts a few years later when some of those same friends got hooked by the 'universe' and told me how good the show was.

I could sit here and probably talk chapter and verse about every episode of Star Trek TOS. I could probably recount the dialogue in a given scene and likely tell you of the significance of it, if it were in fact significant.

Yes, I have a great, great passion for Star Trek.

Yes, I enjoyed the new Star Trek movie.

Did the writers and producers lay a few eggs? Hell yes!!
Did the writers and producers brutally butcher the source material? Hell no!!

Quite frankly and quite simply, the Star Trek universe, begun by Gene Roddenberry in 1966, had run its course and was out of gas. The stories had been told. The well of imagination had run dry.

But, folks still wanted to see some sort of Star Trek show. So, the producers decided to get a fresh canvas and paint a new picture of the Trek universe.

Their new "picture" had a few runs in the paint, though, ... I don't like how they made Kirk out to be such a delinquent; I don't like how they completely jacked up the chain of command by promoting Kirk from Cadet to Captain.

That was ridiculous.

As an alternative, the movie could have easily shown Kirk boarding his first starship and then, cut to a "5 years later" frame or something of the sort and then show him as having been promoted to Lieutenant or Lieutenant Commander which would have followed a more believable time frame. At any rate, it is what it is.

Believe it or not, I didn't mind that (Quinto) Spock exhibited some emotion. The fact that he did was acknowledgment that it was not completely impossible for Vulcans to exhibit emotions. He was simply choosing to not control his emotions. He was actually acting more in the character of the early Vulcans, from Surak's time, who broke with his teachings and left the planet, eventually colonizing Romulus and Remus. The Trek novels referred to them as Rihannsu.

By doing this, the producers opened the way for more character development for Spock, in my opinion.


Another point of contention, for some, is the design of the Enterprise. I'm on the fence with this. While I'm not absolutely thrilled with the new ship, either inside or out, I do NOT want it to look like the TOS Enterprise. That particular ship, NCC-1701, is very near and dear to my heart. I love that ship and want to see it where it originated, on the original Trek and nowhere else!

In the end, I would offer the opinion that the writers and producers kept very close to the spirit of the source material while, at the same time, breaking the mold and recasting a few elements.

I would, willingly, go to see the next movie.

Great points, my friend.

One time, many moons ago, before fanfiction was ever made for online reading, I had done a fan fiction of Trek (based on FASA's Star Trek combat board game) where two cadets had so proven themselves on an excursion aboard a warp-shuttle, where the commanding officer was killed, and all that was left were cadets. These two cadets took charge, and conducted themselves and the other cadets in such a manner that it was thought that between their performances in the starship bridge simulators, and this actual (and quite unintended) excursion, they were both granted command of starships. So J.J. and co. weren't the only ones who had dreamed up the idea of the jump from cadet to captain.

Our thoughts regarding Quinto's take on Spock are pretty much on the same page. And they're validated by a line Troi had spoken in an episode of The Next Generation...which I do believe was "Sarek". She said: "Vulcans have emotions, they just choose not to exhibit them." (Or something like that. ) In this timeline, this is a younger Spock who had not undergone Kolinahr (and had made mention that the Kolinahr was a possible choice for himself in this movie) and who was also subject to bullying and torment by pure-blood Vulcans. Spock did show that it took a lot more to push him to the point of emotional outburst as a grown up, but that he was still capable of being pushed. (His mother is a touchy subject with him. ) But remember, even in "Where No Man Has Gone Before" and especially in "The Cage" Spock was shown to be able to give in to emotion quite easily. Vulcans generally do not smile....and between both eps, he smiled a few times.

And think on this..... the original Spock had mentioned at times where he was pleased, or delighted, or other adjectives of emotion... so I think there is precedent that Spock is far more easily given to emotion, even if they are the more positive emotions. (And of course, let's not forget his nice little smacking aside of Valeris' phaser in Star Trek VI. )

As for Kirk being a delinquent in this new movie: well, I offer that consider in the original universe, Kirk had the benefit of growing up under the wing of a loving, well-disciplined father. In the new universe, he lacked that, instead being made to grow up under the scorn of a (likely) drunkard and real jackass of a stepfather. The stepfather must've been a real smooth talker to have managed to capture the attentions of James' mom, because this guy turned out to be a real jackhole. The influences Kirk grew up under were far different in this timeline, and a likely reason for his delinquency....however, that clearly did not affect his genius or his resourcefulness, as well as his toughness. That's how I view the validity of his delinquency anyway.

You're closing statement sums things up nicely.

And, Ger, I think you and I are both on the same page.