#in uhuras the line- you can let death win or you can fight back. hold on to them

[pinazee]

I only have praise for how they’re writing Jim Kirk in SNW. Though perhaps I’m biased because i love this character.

Admittedly, at first, I didn’t like the guy. I thought Wesley was a terrible casting choice. he didn’t have the passion that Shatner and Pine gave him, and frankly just didn’t have the look for me.

But Wesleys Kirk is pulling out that soft, kind hearted nerd that we all know Kirk is.

In La’Ans AR, he listens to Sera despite her being “unhinged,” he smoothly steps forward to put himself between Sera and La’An and sacrifices himself to save the timeline- to save Sam.

Then the real Kirk, despite getting decked, thinks first of Uhura and doesnt want her to have to explain the hallucinations. He doesn’t write Uhura off either like Chapel and Spock did , he believes her. And then inserts himself into the problem because, as La’An said, hes “the type of person who cant walk past a stranger in need”. and then sticks around to make sure she is okay.

So yeah, maybe Wesley isn’t who would come to my mind initially for Kirk, but i love his interpretation of him. His Kirk cares deeply for others and thats the Kirk i know and love. Im looking forward to how they develop his relationship with Spock.

[winterverses]

Chapter Thirty

Warning: non-graphic discussion of torture, suicide.

This time when the door chime rang, Anne and Kirk were not in a compromising position. Being warned ahead of time had been a big help with that, and while their shower after the gym had been a little playful, they both knew they had to keep things relatively under control.

It was increasingly hard to keep her hands off him. Even in the gym, when she’d been trying to concentrate on learning how to brawl-- at least a little-- she found herself wanting to touch him, and not wanting to examine whether that was because she was more comfortable with him or because it was comforting. As for the fighting, he hadn’t taught her anything fancy, just a little more aggressive self-defense than she already knew, which was mostly how to run. He’d insisted that they spend at least an hour a day working on the punches and dirty fighting he taught her, drilling her so that she would remember to use it if needed. Most of the lesson had kept her attention, but by the end, when they were starting to get out of breath and sweaty, Anne felt her mind wandering more often, drawn to the way the gym outfit clung to his body. She didn’t even have the excuse of the drug to rely on; Dr. Hayes had given her the counteractive before she’d left, and by the time she’d even made it to the gym it had worn off.

Now, when the chime rang, Anne was sitting on the couch, towelling off her hair, wearing a white dress that was decidedly not Starfleet issue. The scooped neckline was low enough to reveal some cleavage, as well as the scar that curled up over her heart. There was no reason to wear high-necked clothes, at least not here in Kirk’s quarters. Uhura and Mr. Scott would probably be seeing pieces of her scars soon anyway. Kirk was at his desk, going over the reports and the results of their search for Loche’s base. “Come in,” Kirk said, looking up to the door.

Lieutenant Uhura stepped in, suppressing a smile when she saw the towel in Anne’s hands, the smile fading when she noted Anne’s scar. “Captain. Ms. Hardesty.”

“Come sit down, Lieutenant. Do you want anything to drink? Tea, maybe?” Anne stood, draping the towel over her arm, the short, loose dress flaring out around her thighs.

“I’d like that, thank you.” Uhura walked over to the couch, elegant as a leopard, and seated herself.

“I’ll be back in a moment.” Anne spoke as she walked over to the bedroom. She slipped through the door, hanging the towel in the washroom, and walked back out to the food synthesizer. Punching in the codes for tea, cream, sugar, and an assortment of biscuits, she waited for the food to materialize. “I’m sorry I had to change the time on such short notice. The Captain decided that some self-defense training was in order.”

“It wasn’t any trouble.” Uhura glanced over her shoulder at Kirk, but said nothing about his presence. “I appreciate that you’re doing this at all. I don’t like the idea of going in blind.”

Anne took the tray from the synthesizer and brought it over, setting it on the low table. Pouring for them both, she asked, “Cream and sugar?”

Uhura looked mildly surprised. The etiquette Anne was using was more than a bit old-fashioned. “Both, please, but only a touch of each.”

After adding a little cream and sugar to Uhura’s cup, she passed it off and added some cream to her own teacup. After sipping it, she said, “I don’t want to talk about it, but if you go in blind, you’re going to be in trouble very quickly. You’re the one who needs the most protection.”

Before Uhura could reply, Kirk spoke up from his desk. “Are you sure you don’t mind if I’m here?” he asked. “I can leave if you’d rather have privacy.”

Lips twitching with amusement, Anne said, “I’m not going to kick you out of your own room. You rate a little higher than that.” She took another sip of her tea. “But only a little.”

Uhura smothered a grin, and Kirk scoffed. “I rate a lot higher than that and you know it,” he said. Turning serious, he added, “But I do mean it. I can go check on progress on the bridge.”

“Only if you would rather not hear this,” Anne said. “I won’t be insulted if that’s the case.”

“I think I can stand it,” he said, giving her a wry half-smile. “I’ll just be over here if you need me.”

“Thank you,” Anne said, and she didn’t hide the warmth in her voice. Turning her attention to Uhura, she said, “You’re about to find out some very personal things about me, and about what I remember of being in captivity. Many of them are things I’m not proud of; I hope you won’t hold that against me.”

Uhura nodded, selecting one of the biscuits and dunking it in her tea. “You valued survival. There’s nothing wrong with that.”

Anne watched her closely, for long enough that Uhura noticed and sat back, returning her gaze evenly. “I survived, yes,” Anne eventually said. “And luckily I was able to get away, or I might have found out even worse things about myself.” She sipped her tea again, gathering her composure. “Loche does not like women who think for themselves. What he likes is a woman whose only thoughts are the ones he gives her. I think that may be hard for you.”

Frowning, Uhura said, “If my life is at stake, I can fake it.”

“It will be,” Anne said. “Although I do have a suggestion for a small modification to the plan. If Mr. Scott is willing, it would be best to pretend that you belong to him. Loche will keep his hands off you then, and you’ll be able to pass messages if we need you to. It’s better cover for all of us.”

Kirk spoke up from his desk. “And why couldn’t he keep you?” he asked without looking up from his viewscreen.

Anne took a moment to respond. “Because there’s a good chance that if Mr. Scott doesn’t sell me to Loche, he might end up dead and I’d be with Loche anyway.”

“Fair enough,” Kirk answered and subsided.

“If I stay with Scotty, why do I still have to worry about what Loche thinks?” Uhura asked.

Looking thoughtfully at Uhura, Anne said, “He’s the reason they’re all there. Every single person who is willingly on that base is there because of promises he made, and one of those promises was that they were… superior. He proves that to them by commodifying everyone who doesn’t match what he thinks of as useful. Part of that is a split along gender lines.” She felt herself smile humorlessly. “You’re a woman. Your biology determines your usefulness. You can’t help that. And you don’t just worry about him. You worry about all of them. He's the brain, but the body enforces his decisions.”

Uhura squared her shoulders and took a bite of her biscuit, mulling this over. “What is the best way to be unobtrusive to him?”

“With your looks? There isn’t one.” Anne sighed. “The best way to be just entertaining enough that he mostly leaves you alone is capitulation. Do what he says, when he says it. Don’t talk if you can help it. Absolutely do not glare at him, or show any disapproval, ever, because he takes that as a personal insult.”

Slowly, Uhura asked, “What kinds of things will he ask me to do?”

“If you’re not his, he won’t force you into anything sexual, if that’s what you mean. He has very definite ideas about ownership, and he has his own captives for that. But he may tell you to fetch things, to arrange things, how to sit, where to stand, where to walk…” Anne fidgeted with her teacup. “Anything, really. Typically he wants women to be decorative, silent, and obedient.”

“I can manage that, for a while,” Uhura said.

Anne set down her tea and picked up one of the biscuits, a lemon drop, and broke it, then began to break the pieces of it, letting them fall onto the tray. “I learned most of this the hard way. If I tell you he only likes to hear you parrot his ideas back to him, it means I tried every other goddamn thing under the sun and got hit for it most of the time. He’s very free with his fists. If he tells you to do something, do it immediately, no questions asked.” Looking away, Anne added, “Don’t be friendly to anyone, even me. I mean, don’t be unfriendly either, but if you seem to enjoy someone’s company, he’ll find a way to hurt you with it.”

“I see,” Uhura said, a hint of sympathy in her eyes. The implication was clear; she thought Anne had been in that position.

Shaking her head, Anne said, “Oh, it didn’t happen to me. I remember being told to threaten a pair of girls, younger ones, who were becoming close. That was after I killed Brynna, so the other captives were afraid of me. Brynna’s death was… brutal. As for the girls who were getting friendly, I didn’t want to break it up, but I did, and one of the girls killed herself shortly afterward.” Anne smiled, but it was a hard, bleak smile. “He comforted the other girl. When it was something like that, something that wasn’t his doing, he could be very warm, very sympathetic. Every one of them eventually believed it, except me. I don’t really know why I never did.” She licked a smear of lemon filling off her finger. “It would have been easier.”

Uhura looked down, as if thinking hard about something, then met Anne’s gaze again. “It sounds like you were kept apart.”

“I was. I couldn’t tell you for certain what caused it, but I didn’t get along with them anyway.” Anne swallowed hard. “I was just a novelty at first. Then I killed Brynna. He took a liking to me. He moved me closer to him and away from them.” She paused, then added, “I’m counting on the fact that he really didn’t want to lose me to keep his attention on me.”

“Does he have a gambling problem?” Uhura asked. “Why would he bet you if he didn’t want to lose you?”

“It was complicated,” Anne said, then had to make a split second decision as to what more to say. This wasn’t something Kirk would like hearing… so best not to tell him. She would have to warn someone, though. “Technically I was part of a bet on the outcome of a dom-jot game, but… Tarenn was a fool and no one expected him to win, let alone walk out of there alive afterward.” Anne shook her head. “He just wasn’t as much of a fool as Loche thought. Loche overestimated himself.” She cut her eyes over toward Kirk without turning her head. “I wasn’t even in the room.”

Uhura’s eyes widened as she caught on. “I see. Well, what kind of specifics can you tell me about how to act? Be quiet, obedient, don’t contradict him-- all that is fine enough, but I could have figured that out on my own.”

Anne gave her the ghost of a smile in gratitude for getting the message so quickly. This wouldn’t change anything anyway. “The thing you’re going to have trouble with is that you’ll need to give up. Cringe. Be frightened of him. Be frightened of Mr. Scott, if you can manage it, and wary of him if you can’t. If one of them makes a sudden move towards you, your first instinct should be to flinch and not to move from that spot. If you try to get away from him, he’ll hit you twice as hard. If you try to fight back, he will likely kill you. I’ve…” Anne trailed off, and then slammed the blossoming memory out of her mind, her breathing quickening. “I’ve seen it happen, I’m guessing. Forgive me if I don’t want to examine that any further. But no, don’t move. Don’t even breathe in the wrong direction, if you can help it. If you see a fist coming your way, you need to cringe and you need to let that punch land, no matter what.”

Uhura considered the magnitude of this task with dawning apprehension. “That’s… a lot harder than it seems. We’re taught to fight back, or at least to try to retreat.”

“And you’re good at it. I could tell just by watching you. You carry yourself very lightly, like a dancer.” Anne brought a piece of biscuit up to her mouth as if to eat it, then flicked it at Uhura. As she expected, Uhura’s hand rose immediately, catching it, and she paled a little when she realized what she had done. Anne gave her a crooked smile. “I know. That’s the reflex that’ll get you killed if I’m not around. It won’t be your obedience, or how well you grovel, or even whether he wants to fuck you and can’t. At some point, you’ll react on instinct, and your instincts are all wrong for survival there. You'll make the tiniest move to defend yourself, and he’ll see it, and then there’s no telling what he’ll do to you.”

“We’ve been steadily narrowing down the amount of options we know of for Loche’s hiding place. A week, at most. I can’t train myself out of that in a week.” Uhura eyed Anne with a strange kind of grateful suspicion. “So that’s why you were so insistent on coming. I was wondering, you know. Risking my neck for a good cause is just part of being in Starfleet.” Her expression slowly faded into something more like sympathy. “So you learned the hard way to let it happen, huh?”

Awkwardly, Anne tried to explain without acknowledging that sympathy. “It helped that I was never much of a fighter to begin with. I prefer to run. The only reason I even learned to shoot was because I wrote about guns so often. Then when I was there, Loche made me use the knives. I got good at that.” Anne nibbled on a bit of the biscuit she’d crumbled and changed the subject slightly. “You can’t protect me, and you shouldn’t try. I do have some limited control over what happens to me. Not much, but a little. Enough, I think.” She picked up her teacup, meaning to take a sip.

A hand suddenly landed on her shoulder. Talking about all of this had brought it up near the surface; she thought her eyes may have widened a touch, but that was it. The tea didn’t jostle; she even finished sipping it without a pause. Kirk looked down at her, his eyebrows raised. “Huh. And you were so jumpy when you first came on board. Work best under pressure, do you?”

“How did you guess?” Anne asked dryly, waiting for her heart rate to slow. She wondered if she could even begin to explain how it felt to be suddenly disoriented and told that you were safe, to realize that you finally had the option of self-defense and not to need it, and to have every self-preservation instinct you’d struggled to silence come roaring awake all at once. She decided if she ever did explain it, it would have to be in writing. If she could write.

“Well, I hate to break things up, ladies, but there’s only about two minutes left until we have to brief Mr. Scott.” Kirk sighed and circled around the end of the couch, grabbing a biscuit from the plate. “He’s not going to be happy,” he said as he flopped down beside Anne and propped his feet up on the table.

“Maybe you should make it a formal briefing,” Uhura said.

“He’d still tell me to take a hike, he’d just be more formal about it.” Kirk shook his head. “No point. I’m hoping that with you two looking all defenseless at him he caves quickly.” Snagging Anne’s teacup from her hand, he dunked his biscuit in it and took a bite.

A look of fond exasperation flitted through Uhura’s eyes and disappeared. “Did you just miss that entire talk because the whole problem is that I’m not defenseless and I know it,” she said, sounding irritated. Anne knew better. There was a wealth of affection there, and trust, and shared history. She felt mildly envious, not of Uhura, but of that history.

“Nah, I heard more than I wanted to. You can try pretending for him, though. It’ll be good practice.” As if on cue, the door chime rang. “C’mon in,” Kirk said.

Mr. Scott stepped through the door. “Ye wanted tae see me, Capt-- Oh, hello Lieutenant.” He paused. “Hello, lass.” He seemed a bit perplexed by the situation, glancing from Uhura’s uniform to Kirk and Anne’s casual clothes.

“Please do sit down, Mr. Scott. Would you like some tea?” Anne offered, standing up to get another teacup.

“Er, don’t mind if I do.” Scotty glanced around, then gingerly settled himself on the unoccupied end of the curved couch they were all on, across from Kirk. Anne had seen his eyes catch on the scar showing above the neckline of her dress, and then again on the fresh scar peeking beneath the hem of her skirt before sliding self-consciously away.

Without waiting for Kirk to move his legs, Anne pressed her shin against them and shoved, knocking them off the table; he merely held her teacup up so that it wouldn’t slosh and moved his legs back once she had passed. “We have a plan, Scotty, and you’re not going to like it,” Kirk said.

A few moments later, Anne was pouring tea and listening to Mr. Scott sputter protestations while Kirk made noncommittal noises. “...can ye expect tae send them in defenseless and wi’ the ship who knows where? Especially intae the den o’that, that animal?” He looked to Uhura. “What does Spock say about this? He canna be fond of it, not wi’ ye involved. He may be a Vulcan bastard, but he’s no’ a heartless bastard.”

“Spock understands. The base is well-defended, and if we were to take it in a frontal assault, there would be casualties. He suggested infiltration in the first place.” Uhura lifted her chin. “We’re going, Scotty. With or without you. If it can’t be you, then it’ll be him.”

“And who’d believe him?” Scotty demanded, then quickly backpedaled. “This is a terrible business, Captain.”

Kirk’s voice was suddenly hard. Anne had to stop herself from flinching away from him, so unaccustomed was she to hearing him sound that cold. “No. That it happened at all is a terrible business. That it’s gone this long without being stopped is a terrible business. I know this isn’t the way we normally do things, but if the way we normally do things is going to end in preventable losses, it needs to change, because this has to end.”

Anne took that opportunity to hand Mr. Scott his teacup. He didn’t grab it at first, still watching Kirk, but then his hands closed around the saucer and he looked at Anne. “Ye’ve been awful quiet, lassie.” He very obviously seemed to think that Anne would be more on his side of the deal.

“Don’t look at me,” she said mildly. “I’m going along to protect you two. I’ve been through it before and come out alive. I can heal, given enough time.” She glanced back over her shoulder at Kirk, whose lips thinned, but he nodded to her anyway. He would come for her. She didn’t need him to say it, but it was still good to have the reassurance.

Scotty watched the exchange wordlessly, then remembered to drink his tea. “It seems wrong to let a wee slip of a thing like ye take point for a grown man like meself.” He looked over at Uhura. “And it seems wrong to put a friend in a position where she canna defend herself from these animals.”

“There is no good solution, Scotty,” Kirk said, sounding tired. “I’ve been doing my share of going over it too, looking for ways around it. But with what we know, and what we are finding out every day, a frontal assault will end up either in avoidable deaths, or a siege situation that helps no one, or both. If we get there and find out that’s not the case, I’ll be overjoyed. But if not, better to get it done quietly, quickly, and with a minimum of fuss. You’re the best chance we have of disabling their systems within a couple of days, Uhura’s the best cover for you, and Anne’s the best distraction.”

Snagging her teacup back from Kirk, Anne poured herself some more tea while Scotty spoke. “Then ye’ll have to excuse myself and my colleagues from normal duty so they can familiarize themselves with the Orion runabout controls. Uhura, ye’ll be fine with a few days. Hardesty, ye’ll be wi’ me until I know ye can fly the thing if something goes sideways.” She nodded, and Scotty continued. “I’ve a fair idea what we can bring in and what will look suspicious. I’ll get Keenser disguising some o’ the more questionable items. Have ye given any thought to magnetic suppression flooding, Captain? That magnetic field will play havoc wi’ the transporters unless we clear spots for them to work.”

“I was waiting for your input, Scotty. Tell me what you’ve got.”

There was some technical discussion then that Anne could only barely follow once it got past the broad strokes, but she understood those well enough. Scotty could set up interference to damp down and compensate for the magnetic field in order to beam squads in to the different Sections. Anne put in what information she could remember, using the holo to sketch what she had seen of floors and layouts. It was getting easier to selectively access memories, pushing traumatic parts of recollections to the side while she had a function to perform. She had the feeling, however, that she would pay for it later on.

In the meantime, Uhura and Scotty worked out a transmission scheme that would give Kirk updates on their status with a minimal chance of Uhura getting caught in the act of actually sending the signal. Kirk discussed contacting the Farragut-A, and precautions to make sure the message, if it was intercepted, could not be easily decrypted. The strategy session was winding down when Anne raised the possibility of what would happen if one of them was subjected to torture.

Discussion ground to a halt. Everyone else had seemed to assume that whatever happened, they would be able to rescue each other in time.

“We get you out of there before that happens. This is a gamble, but I’m not about to send you in there without some kind of assurance that you’ll be able to protect each other,” Kirk said. “Just stay close to Uhura. She’ll--”

“And if it happens right away, immediately, before we have any of the fields set up or any way to get us out of there?” It seemed… odd, to her, that he could completely overlook something this severe. That all three of them could just carry on as if there was no question, as if there was no chance they could be stuck there alone, with no way out. “They can cut us off. Uhura’s the only one who can send you messages. It’s not an unreasonable question.”

“No. It’s not.” Uhura looked grim.

“All right. What kind of assurance do you need? We can plan for it. We’ll build it right in,” Kirk said, leaning back, looking at her.

The sick, sinking feeling in her stomach told her what she needed to know already, and as Anne tried to find a way around the problem that didn’t end up in loss of life, she felt the blood drain from her face. She couldn’t back out, not if it meant Uhura and Scotty might come under the full focus of Loche’s… curiosity. Any wasted time at all could result in one little leak that would sink the whole plan… and if someone had already infiltrated the base, they would end up dead just for security’s sake. And if Loche decided he didn’t trust her and wanted some fun with her, could she trust herself not to give it all up?

What would be worse, letting the crew walk into danger by telling Loche, or…?

“A final friend would be best,” Anne said, trying to calm herself, watching her hands smooth her skirt of wrinkles. The whole idea frightened her… but the thought of giving Jim and the entire ship up to save her own skin made her feel sick in a way that felt entirely too familiar, and that she didn't want to remember. Besides, she could probably just endure, as long as she knew she had that final way out.

“That’s not something regular shipboard crew, even officers, generally get,” Uhura said gently, once it became clear that Kirk wasn’t going to speak.

Mr. Scott remained silent.

Anne leaned forward and poured herself some more tea. The spout of the teapot chattered against the rim of her cup.

Even so, it took a long time for Kirk to answer. “Starfleet’s position has always been that those are too easily triggered when unnecessary.”

Anne looked back at him, trying to mask her nausea behind determination. Her skin felt like it was about to crawl off her body and she could feel her memories burning beneath the surface of her mind. “I understand, but that doesn’t make it unreasonable.” Very carefully, she sipped her tea.

Kirk’s eyes were guarded, probably the most closed-off she’d ever seen him. “Is this a question of trust?”

“Yes,” Anne said. “Your trust in me.” Kirk remained silent, watching her-- very obviously, to her eyes, upset by even the question. His father, of course. Pushing aside the sickness only resulted in a kind of heartsickness that she knew was her own fault, for what she was about to say. The one thing he couldn’t gamble with. “I wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t important to me to have some way of protecting your ship from me, in case I break.” She forced a smile, remembering one of the classics. “‘All flesh is weak,’ but if I know that I can escape, then even if things do go wrong, I may not have to.”

She could see the schism in his eyes, the part of him that wanted desperately to believe that what she had said was not a possibility fighting against the more practical part of him that knew that with the right drugs or enough pain anyone could crack, and that his ship and crew would be the ones to suffer if she did. “I… I’ll consider my options.”

Uhura set her teacup down on the table. “I think we’ve covered everything we can tonight.”

“Right,” Scotty said, obviously eager to be out of the room and away from the tension. “I’ve got to get to work on those suppression fields. We’ll see ye at 0700, Uhura, Hardesty. G’devening, Captain.” He too set down his teacup, standing up and making for the door at Kirk’s dismissing wave.

After the door slid shut behind him, Uhura turned her attention back to the two of them. “Are you two going to be all right?” she asked, her gaze flicking from Anne to Kirk and back. “Or are you going to start yelling the moment I leave?”

Some of the tension dissipated then. “Oh god, I hope not,” Anne said fervently, followed by Kirk’s brief, soundless, almost humorless laugh.

“No. We’ll be all right, Nyota.” He had thawed a little, and he took his feet off the table, sitting up. “Thanks.”

Uhura nodded, then risked a little smile. “Hate to see you back with the farm animals.”

There was obviously some sort of joke there that Anne was missing, because that surprised an actual laugh from him. “All right. We’ll be fine.”

Uhura stood, and Anne nodded her farewell before the woman left. As soon as the door shut behind her, she glanced warily at Kirk.

Shaking his head, he grabbed her teacup from her hand and dunked another biscuit in it. “Bones was right. I should have kept my distance.” Strangely, he didn’t seem the least bit resentful or upset about it.

“Do you regret not following his advice?” Anne asked. She couldn’t tell what expression she was wearing but she heard the calm detachment in her voice.

Kirk heard it too; his eyes flicked up to her face, surprised, and he wrapped an arm around her, pulling her against him. “I probably should, but no.”

Anne felt herself heave a sigh of relief, relaxing into him. As long as he wasn’t angry with her, she could forget all of this. “Good.”

[justanothercinemaniac]

Epic Movie (Re)Watch #155 - Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan

Spoilers Below

Have I seen it before: Yes

Did I like it then: Yes.

Do I remember it: Yes.

Did I see it in theaters: Yes.

Was it a movie I saw since August 22nd, 2009: Yes. #429.

Format: Blu-ray

1) Before anything else, I will say this: you never need to see Star Trek: The Motion Picture unless you are a MAJOR fan of the series. Wrath of Khan is a much better first film for the series and just a much better film in general, and the original motion picture has no bearing on the plot of ANY of the sequels that I’m aware of. Spare yourself the boredom.

2) I don’t often talk about how great the opening credits of a film are, but the movement through the stars and James Horner’s grand score creates a rousing score which helps you get in the mood for the space adventure to come.

3) The Kobayashi-Maru.

The opening of the film is great largely because it plays with expectations vs reality. You EXPECT Kirk in the captain’s chair, and while it plays out like a standard scene from “Star Trek” but it ends with everyone dead. And even though it turns out to be a simulation, the image of watching almost all the series regulars die before you prepares you for the darkness to come. It is an incredibly great and memorable opening to a film which can be described as the same.

4) Kirstie Alley as Saavik.

Despite being Vulcan (and, depending on what you consider canon, half-Romulan) Saavik has more in common with Kirk than she does with Spock. She may have the appearance of being a logical and decisive creature, but she is stubborn and proud. And I love her for that. I think Saavik as at her best in this film when played by Alley (she would be replaced in Star Trek III and IV). Alley gives Saavik a unique flavor, making her more than just your typical Vulcan and holding her own with the original cast.

5) The scene where Bones and Kirk “celebrate” his birthday is great.

This is the introduction of Kirk’s key conflict and possibly the best analysis of it the film features.

Kirk: “Galloping around the cosmos is a game for the young, doctor.”

Bones [later]: “This is not about age and you know it.”

Kirk’s conflict here is not about aging, it is about aging INTO something. About being stuck behind a desk and bureaucracy. Of becoming obsolete. Age on it’s own does not result in that, but the choices we make as we age. It is in this film that Kirk will have to determine his future when faced with a threat from the past.

6) Carol Marcus and her son David.

Both Carol and David as individual characters are interesting, but by balancing out each other (with Carol being well reasoned and patient and David being more like Kirk with his stubbornness/rashness) they create an interesting dynamic that entertains in a way beyond their relationship with Kirk.

7) Ricardo Montalbán as Khan Noonien Singh.

Montalbán takes a memorable role from the original series and in this film turns it into not only one of the greatest villains cinema has ever featured but also a career defining performance. Khan is able to be both chillingly collected and show off fear-inducing anger. His intellect, physical strength, and progressing madness/drive is showed off brilliantly by Montalbán. There is a ruthlessness to this character established as soon as we meet him (specifically with his use of brain slugs) that let’s us know, “Oh shit, don’t mess with this guy.” He is totally frightening, with many of his decisions and scenes making your stomach turn. Only open my third (fourth?) viewing of this film did I realize just how long his intro scene is, but it doesn’t feel long. It is perfect, and Montalbán captures your attention for the entire time.

8) Hey that’s...that’s Tony from the Witch Mountain movies!

I would not have noticed that if I didn’t watch the Witch Mountain movies in March for the (Re)Watch.

9) So usually at this point in the (Re)Watch I talk about the writing and performances of the main cast of a film. I find it nearly impossible to do that for Wrath of Khan however as the cast from the original series are such mainstays of cinema and pop culture I’ve no idea what to say. What on earth could I possible say Kirk, Bones, Spock, Uhura, Scotty, Sulu, and Chekov that hasn’t been said before? In my analysis of the 2009 film I probably will, but right now I think I’ll just say they’re great and leave it at that.

10) I love how Kirk is freaking out when Spock lets Saavik pull the Enterprise out of dock.

(GIF originally posted by @readysteadytrek​)

11) I love Saavik and Kirk in the elevator. It speaks not only to how rash she is (which I love on it’s own) but will later show how similar they really are. She doesn’t really believe in a no-win scenario and as we’ll learn later neither does Kirk.

12) I love when Spock hands the ship over to Kirk. There is no bruised ego (as he himself says), there are no hard feelings, it’s not an issue of power or anything. He knows Kirk is the best guy to take the wheel. He trusts Kirk and Kirk trusts Spock back and they can just cut through the bullshit and do what’s best for everyone. I’m a sucker for good friendships like that.

13) Damn, Spock.

Kirk: “I would not presume to debate you.”

Spock: “That would be wise.”

14) There is one scene early-to-mid picture which is recalled HEAVILY later on and I always think it is best when the ending of the movie ties into something at the beginning of the film. You want it to feel like one picture, you don’t want to be sitting at the end going, “Oh right, that part early on was the same movie.” Spock’s speaking of how...

And how he has been and always shall be Kirk’s friend tie together at the end in very heartbreaking ways.

15) I was always impressed with the Genesis visual, keeping in mind this was 1982 and CGI was hardly in its prime.

16) The very first encounter with the ship Khan has taken over - Reliant - before they know it is Khan is incredibly tense and Hitchcockian. Because we as the audience KNOW it’s Khan. Pacing is derived not from faster pacing but from slower pacing. The uneasiness simmers in our bones as Kirk unknowingly wanders into a trap, even though everyone seems to suspect something is up. And it features one of the best quotes in the film:

Khan: “Do you know the Klingon proverb that tells us revenge is a dish best served cold? It is very cold in space.”

17) And then Khan and Kirk finally encounter one another.

Montalbán and Shatner never share any scenes as Montalbán was making “Fantasy Island” at the time, but that does not undermine just how equally matched these adversaries are. Their very first encounter in particular feels like a chess game. It is not so much a battle of strengths as it is a battle of wits, yet still very interesting. And we as the audience really have no idea who is going to come out on top. Each is able to surprise and throw the other off balance, only to come back and deal another blow. It makes for great conflict. We know Kirk’s disadvantage: Khan is genetically engineered to be better than him. But in this scene we see a weakness of Khan’s which will become greater later on: his ego. He cannot see his own weaknesses and shortcomings. He is hundreds of years old comparatively speaking, so obviously some ways of thinking are foreign to him. But he can’t get past the fact he’s a genetically engineered super being to work on this. I love bad guys with flaws.

18) Oh no! Tony dies!

Preston [Ike Eisenmann’s character, after Kirk arrives]: “Is the word given, admiral?”

Kirk: “The word is given. Warp speed.”

[Preston dies]

Scotty [obviously torn up]: “He stayed at his post when the trainees ran!”

The fact that this death of a character we spent all of thirty seconds with packs such an intense punch speaks greatly to the craft with which this film was made.

19) The scene with Kirk, Bones, and Saavik on the scientist space station feels very Alien and I love it. For just a few minutes we are in a horror film, in an enclosed space where obviously SOMETHING is wrong and some sort of danger lurks. It is pulled off wonderfully well.

20) Part of the tension comes from the fact that we TRUST Chekov. He’s original series cast and he seems to have shaken the alien slug Khan was using on him. Why WOULDN’T we trust Chekov? Making the fact that he and his captain are still controlled later on all the more powerful.

21) This. Freaking. Scene.

This is when both are pushed to their furthest. Khan believes he has killed Kirk only to immediately learn he hasn’t, and Kirk is beyond pissed with Khan for all the death and destruction he has caused. This is where Khan accepts that he has defeated Kirk if only because it has become so difficult to kill him and it is where Kirk hates Khan the most (uttering the film’s famous line, “Khaaaaaan!”). But even through his hate Kirk is trying to play Khan. He is trying to get Khan in the same room with him so he can fight him face to face. But Khan is too smart for that and works against Kirk, leading to that yell. This is one of the best scenes in the film and it is because the conflict plays out so wonderfully.

22) The fact that David is Kirk’s son not only gives Kirk some personal stakes, but it ties into the idea of the choices Kirk must make in life. He is now dealing with two choices which are coming back to haunt him: how he handled Khan and not being a part of his son’s life. And that will directly influence the choices he makes in the future. Because life is too short.

23) This is so indicative of Kirk’s character.

Saavik: “Admiral, may I ask you a question?”

Kirk: “What's on your mind, Lieutenant?”

Saavik: “The Kobayashi Maru, sir.”

Kirk: “Are you asking me if we're playing out that scenario now?”

Saavik: “On the test, sir... will you tell me what you did? I would really like to know.”

Bones: “Lieutenant, you are looking at the only Starfleet cadet who ever beat the no-win scenario.”

Saavik: “How?”

Kirk: “I reprogrammed the simulation so it was possible to rescue the ship.”

Saavik: “What?”

David: “He cheated.”

Kirk: “I changed the conditions of the test; got a commendation for original thinking. I don't like to lose.”

Saavik: “Then you never faced that situation... faced death.”

Kirk: “I don't believe in the no-win scenario.”

24) The climactic chase through the nebula ties into Khan’s biggest weakness: his ego preventing him from admitting his flaws.

Spock: “He’s intelligent but not experienced. His pattern suggest two-dimensional thinking.”

I think this is the past scene to showcase space as a three-dimensional space. Ever watch a space film where characters encounter an asteroid field and think, “Why can’t they just go above or below it?” That’s what this film does. Like the initial Kirk/Khan mental face-off, the time in the nebula greats great tension from slowing down pacing while never being boring. There are surprises, there are twists, and they are on truly equal footing. And Khan, well he’s at his breaking point. How mad must this person be if even his crew - who were established to live and die by his word at the beginning of the film - are questioning his judgment? And what exactly will it lead him to?

That final visual of Khan’s face is also a great presentation of how he is on the inside. He is torn up and burned to a crisp with vengeance, and now he will die that way.

25) Spock’s ultimate fate.

First of all, he KNOWS what he’s about to do. You can see it on his face before he goes to the reactor room to save the ship: he is fully aware that this will lead to his death and it does nothing to change his decision. And even though Khan has died, he has succeeded in his goal to, “keep on hurting,” Kirk from beyond the grave by killing his best friend.

Kirk [trying to get to Spock]: “He’ll die!”

Scotty: “He’s dead already.”

There is this intense feeling of sorrow and helplessness as we watch one of the greatest - if not the greatest - characters to come out of the original series die, tying into the conversation he and Kirk had earlier.

Spock: “The needs of the many...”

Kirk: “Outweigh the needs of the few.”

Spock: “Or the one.”

26) David and Kirk unfortunately don’t get too many moment together, just the two of them. But he did help Kirk through this tough time in his life.

David: “Lieutenant Saavik was right. You never have faced death.”

Kirk: “Not like this.”

David: “You knew enough to tell Saavik that how we face death is at least as important as how we face life.”

Kirk: “Just words.”

David: “But good words. That's where ideas begin. Maybe you should listen to them. I was wrong about you. And I'm sorry.”

Kirk: “Is that what you came here to say?”

David: “Mainly. And also that I'm proud - very proud - to be your son.”

27) But of course, this is a sci-fi movie...

Death is not as permanent as we like to think.

The Wrath of Khan is quite possibly the best film in the entire Star Trek canon. It balances high-stakes action and adventure with the intelligence, philosophy, and thought expected from the series. Ricardo Montalbán is freaking fantastic as Khan, with the rest of the cast delivering standout performances as well. The direction and writing blend together beautifully and it is just an incredibly fun and well done film. If you haven’t seen any Star Trek and you want to, Wrath of Khan is a very good film to start on.

[justanothercinemaniac]

Epic Movie (Re)Watch #159 - Star Trek (2009)

Spoilers Below

Have I seen it before: Yes

Did I like it then: Yes.

Do I remember it: Yes.

Did I see it in theaters: Yes.

Was it a movie I saw since August 22nd, 2009: No.

Format: Blu-ray

1) This was my first encounter with Star Trek. Ever. There may be a chance I saw The Motion Picture before this but I didn’t remember it. At all. This was it for me. And I have to say I’m grateful for that because it really pulled me into this world which I now thoroughly enjoy.

2) Our very first experience with this film are the soft notes of Michael Giacchino’s theme for the rebooted universe. I think Giacchino is the finest modern day composer around and I think Star Trek is his finest piece of franchise fare (while the score for Up might be his best work ever). Giacchino’s more fits like a glove with this world. It is new yet feels familiar, relating to the feelings of hope, adventure, and danger which is such a trademark of the series. Like all great scores, it helps hold up the film and I love it for that.

3) The attack on Kelvin is a gripping and excellent way to open the film. It features tense action and opens on a note of darkness and unexpectedness which will come to define the dangers of the film.

4)

Captain Robau: “You’re captain now, Mr. Kirk.”

(GIF originally posted by @kamala-khan)

Chris Hemsworth features in a noteworthy pre-Thor role in this film. The referring to him as Mr. Kirk almost plays against expectations, because one might observe that he looks more like William Shatner in this film than Chris Pine does. In his short time in the film, Hemsworth’s George Kirk is able to do some incredible things. He is more a plot device than a character, establishing Kirk’s loss as well as the enemy this film will feature, but that doesn’t mean you don’t become invested in his character. That doesn’t mean his death doesn’t have impact. I think it’s a testament to Hemsworth’s performance, as well as the writings & directing of this film, that he leaves such an impact on the audience.

5) Fans of “Once Upon a Time” (among others) will recognize Winona Kirk:

6) The goodbye between George and Winona is heartbreaking.

In a scene which is elevated by pacing, the performances from both Hemsworth and Morrison, as well as Giacchino’s touching score, this scene breaks my heart a lot more seven years later than it did in 2009. Granted I’ve dealt with more loss (some of it pretty recent), so maybe that’s why I teared up. As an adult the scene strikes a deeper chord with me. It sets up the loss Kirk has to live with and the sacrifice of his father which will weigh on his shoulders for the first three of these films. It is an excellent introductory scene into the film and - in one specific line - even shows just the love and respect this film pays to the original.

George [after Winona suggests naming him after his dad]: “Tiberius, are you kidding me? No that’s the worst. Let’s name him after your dad. Let’s call him Jim.”

7) JJ Abrams has a lucky charm in actor Greg Grunberg, who makes an auditory cameo in this film as Kirk’s stepdad via radio. Abrams includes Grunberg in almost all his films (he is notably absent in Star Trek into Darkness) and the pair have known each other since Kindergarden.

8) Young Kirk and Spock.

The initial scene with an adolescent James T. Kirk shows off his conflict quite well. He’s a rebel. Much more than Shatner’s Kirk-Prime and that is saying something. Closer to Han Solo than a Starfleet captain, he is dealing with the pain in his life and the constant lowered dismissal of others. No one expects anything of him yet as the film goes on he grows more and more confident in himself and trying to do what’s right. It’s a wonderful conflict and journey we get to go on with this character.

Much like Kirk, Spock’s initial conflict is introduced brilliantly in his initial scene. There is a dissonance between his human half and his Vulcan half I have not seen in any of the media before (I’ve never watched The Original Series, so maybe it’s in there). But the deep examination of these two halves and the conflict it brings about in Spock is a wonderful arc for the character to go on throughout the film, helping to lend it its epic feel.

10) I don’t understand Vulcan bullies. What part of bullying is logical? Assholes.

11) This line from Spock’s father is very illuminating of the Vulcan culture, in a way which surprises and delights me.

Sarek: “Emotions run deep in our race. In many ways more deeply than in humans.”

12) Winona Ryder as Spock’s Mom.

If you’re wondering why someone as young as Winona Ryder is aged up and playing Spock’s mother, there is actually a reason for it. There’s a deleted scene in the film featuring her giving birth to Spock where she is not aged up at all.

From the very start of Ryder’s brief appearance in the film we understand their relationship. We see just how deeply the pair are connected and how much Spock loves his mom. It lends to the humble pride he takes in his human half as well as the sorrow which is to come.

13) Vulcan’s are supposed to be purely logical creature, so why the hell are they so freaking racist?

Vulcan Council President: “It is truly remarkable, Spock, that you have achieved so much despite your disadvantage. All rise.”

Spock: “If you would clarify, Minister: to what disadvantage are you referring?”

Vulcan Council President: “Your human mother.”

Although I must say that Spock sass is the best.

Spock: “Council... Ministers, I must decline.”

Vulcan Council President: “No Vulcan has ever declined admission to this academy!”

Spock: “Then, as I am half-human, your record remains untarnished.”

14) Zachary Quinto as Spock.

It is incredibly hard to fill the shoes of any of these characters, but Spock was probably the most difficult to cast. Leonard Nimoy’s portrayal is iconic not just in the realms of sci-fi but across cinema in total. Yet Quinto does a fantastic job in the film. He is able to create a Spock which is unique unto itself, taking the opportunity given by Spock’s identity conflict in the writing and take it to its full potential. We see Spock’s sorrow, his pain, his intellect, his logic, his emotion, all of it is present throughout the film in a wonderful balance orchestrated by Quinto’s performance. The audience is never distracted by the fact that this isn’t Leonard Nimoy, even when Nimoy himself shows up later in the film. This is Spock. New, fresh, unique Spock.

15) Chris Pine as Kirk.

Pine’s performance - in lesser hands - could have just been a really bad William Shatner impression (which he showed off on “SNL” a few weeks ago). But like Quinto, Pine is able to take the new conflict featured in the script and make Kirk his own. He makes the character much more roguish, taking him a different direction that Shatner and creating a future-captain who feels knew and fresh. This is still a portrayal which is worthy of the name James T. Kirk: he cares about his crew, he pushes things to their limits in an effort to save the day, he’s a fundamentally good man. But add to that a heavier amount of pain from the death of his father as well as an inclination to rebel and you have a career making performance from Pine.

16) Zoë Saldana as Uhura.

Having my experience with Uhura only be the films and not the original series, I actually really prefer Zoë Saldana’s Uhura to Nichelle Nichols’. Not based on their performances, I think Nichols made Uhura iconic. But because I think the writers make Uhura much more active in the rebooted timeline than she was in the original films. She’s a bit sassier, a bit more of a fighter, and much more inclined to call people out on their shit. Saldana is a gem in any and all movies she is featured in (See: Avatar, Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl, Guardians of the Galaxy, The Book of Life, The Terminal) and her role as Uhura is no exception. I fell in love with her as an actress because of this film and I am forever grateful for that.

17) Kirk is also someone who actively seeks out fight more than Shatner’s Kirk did, I feel.

Starfleet Cadet [after Kirk is being a pill to them]: “There are four of us and one of you!”

Kirk: “Then get some more guys and it’ll be an even fight.”

[Kirk gives the cadet a pat on the cheek before getting his ass kicked.]

18) Having watched all of the films with the original cast now, I see much more of the respect and love the filmmakers have for them than I did back in 2009.

Captain Pike: “Something I admired about your dad: he didn’t believe in a no-win-scenario.”

(GIF source unknown [if this is your GIF please let me know].)

19) Kirk is also someone who enjoys defying the expectations others set for him, even if it is more for his benefit than their’s.

Kirk [after Pike says he can have his own ship after 4 years Starfleet]: “Four years? I’ll do it in three.”

20) Karl Urban as Bones.

I remember reading (but can’t find) that Leonard Nimoy found Urban’s performance as Bones so spot on similar to the late DeForrest Kelly that it brought him to tears. That right there tells you a lot about the portrayal. Urban is in my not-so-humble opinion the finest character actor in cinema right now, and even though he plays Bones closer to what he has always been (compared to the rest of the cast) that is never distracting. Kelley’s performance is a clear influence on Urban but he is still a character, not a caricature. He is able to both keep Bones the same character he’s always been without it being distracting and I love him for that. There are so many actors who I now love in film after I first saw them in this.

21) Eric Bana as Nero.

I might not be able to say this objectively, as this was my first experience with Star Trek, but I think Nero is an incredible villain and that Eric Bana is transformative in the part. Nero is not like the villains we’ve had in the past. He is not genetically engineered or trained for tactically superiority. He’s a miner from the future. He’s a blue collar worker with no military experience, driven mad by an  incredible grief at the loss of those he loves (something both Kirk and Spock deal with in this film). Bana is able to portray this madness, this vengeance with incredible devotion. You don’t see Bana, you only see Nero.

22) Ah, the test...

Bones: “Jim it’s the Kobayashi-Maru. No one passes the test!”

Using the concept of “show don’t tell” to it’s full advantage, taking what was only mentioned in Wrath of Khan and showing just exactly how Kirk cheated on the (in)famous test. Although in that film he said he, “Got a commendation for original thinking,” whereas here he is given academic probation and held before a council hearing (which seems a bit extreme to me but whatever). Also, according to IMDb:

In the scene where Kirk is taking the Kobayashi Maru test, he is eating an apple, which is also what he is eating while recounting his tale of taking the Kobayashi Maru test in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982). (According to director J.J. Abrams in the DVD audio commentary, this was not intended to be a reference to The Wrath of Khan. At one point, he was simply told that lead actors seem cocky eating apples.)

23) This was Tyler Perry’s first movie role outside of his own projects (according to IMDb). That’s all. Moving on.

24) There is this incredible and deep conflict between Kirk and Spock which I love to see turn from adversary to friendly.

These two are famously best friends and I don’t know that we’ve ever seen them so at odds with each other. They freaking hate each other. They disagree with each other and each other’s methods on EVERYTHING. It is only through this conflict, through pushing each other, and through the trials the movie puts on them that they are able to respect and admire one another. I freaking love enemies-to-friends in movies and I’m so grateful they did that for this one.

25) John Cho as Sulu.

To start with, the fact that we are re-introduced to one of the most experienced pilots in science-fiction by having him make a mistake is a strong way of differentiating Cho’s Sulu from Takei’s Sulu. It helps to remind us just how green the crew of the Enterprise is in this movie and sets up the journey to come. I really like Cho as Sulu and I think he’s great in this film. You see him as someone who’s a little more unsure of himself early on and grow into the assurance that Takei had. But I also think he has some great moments to shine in Star Trek into Darkness and Star Trek Beyond, maybe more so than the rest of the crew, so this is not the last you will be reading of Sulu.

26) Anton Yelchin as Chekov.

I will talk about Yelchin’s unfortunate passing last year when I write my recap for Star Trek Beyond soon, but I will say that I miss his presence in film. Yelchin is able to make Chekov such a youthful and fun character. He’s only 17 and is eager/excited to be on this ship. He’s smart, enthusiastic, optimistic, and able to serve to the fullest of his capabilities. In some ways more so than the rest of the cast (and I know this is blasphemy to old school Trek fans) Yelchin will always be Chekov to me (more so than even Walter Koening). I’m gonna miss him in future films.

27) The scene where Kirk is running around the Enterprise is great for me.

Not only is there some intense physical humor with the continuing set of symptoms Kirk is going through and the constant amount of shots Bones gives him...

Bones: “You got numb tongue?”

Kirk [with his mouth full]: “Numb tongue!?”

Bones: “I can fix that!”

But it also shows off Kirk’s intelligence. When he puts aside the bullshitting and the need to rebel he is the captain we all know him to be. He KNOWS they’re heading into a trap and it’s not just a bullshit feeling. Even though Spock and Captain Pike all write him off at first Kirk FIGHT to be heard and he is. He is confident and demands to be listened to, earning the respect, trust, and belief of the crew (even if temporarily). He trusts Uhura’s skills in xeno-linguistics, he read Captain Pike’s paper on his father’s death, he even gets Spock to agree that his logic is sound. It is this moment when he starts on his journey to becoming captain of the Enterprise.

28) This is an interesting parallel with Spock and Kirk’s father.

Captain Pike [after Spock wonders if making Kirk first officer is a prank]: “It’s not a prank, Spock. And I’m not the captain, you are.”

The obvious choice would be to have Captain Pike utter these words to Kirk but his using them with Spock is a nice deviation from expectation.

29) Olson is wearing a red shirt/suit.

In the original series, a “red shirt” was a character who’s role was primarily (often exclusively) to die horribly to show just how real the danger was.

30) I think the fight Kirk and Sulu have on top of Nero’s drill is not only a great action scene, but helps build the relationship between the two in a not so obvious way. When Sulu falls off the drill Kirk jumps after him without hesitation and then it is Chekov who pulls their ass out of the fire. It is a moment of deep trust between the Kirk and Sulu (and even Chekov) which will help the pilot get behind Kirk as captain later in the film.

31) Under the trivia for Galaxy Quest (the 1999 Tim Allen film) on IMDb:

In the Audio Commentary for Star Trek (2009), Director J.J. Abrams says, "By the way, I think we've all gone on record as saying one of our favorite 'Trek' films is 'Galaxy Quest'. And this sequence [where Kirk and Sulu are falling toward Vulcan without a parachute] is clearly an homage to Tony Shalhoub's great save in that film."

32) Spock’s struggle with the destruction of Vulcan and the loss of his mother ties directly into his conflict of identity. The universe needs him to be a Vulcan much more than it needs him to be a human now as he is now a member of an endangered species (and even identifies himself as such). And Vulcan’s try to outweigh emotion with logic, meaning that he is burying the grief he feels over his mother’s death in a way which is totally unhealthy.

33) I might be in the minority, but I like the Spock + Uhura relationship.

In some ways I wish it were developed more in future films, but I like how it is a quiet part of their relationships. You can tell it is based on deep compassion they have for each other as well as a total trust. They respect each other fully and never underestimate they other. There is no deception in their relationship, it’s just them. And I think Quinto and Saldana portray this wonderfully.

34) This version of Spock does not make a good captain. It is probably because he is trying to bury his emotion with an overcompensation of logic, but logic is only the beginning of wisdom and just because something is logical does not mean it is right. A lesson he has yet to learn.

35) And THIS is why this reboot works as well as it does.

Uhura [after Spock explains what the ramifications of Nero’s time travel means for them]: “An alternate reality.”

Spock: “Precisely.”

By creating an alternate reality which exists separately from the original timeline you are able to have more freedoms with your story. It is not a full on prequel or reboot. It very much respects what has come before it while clearing the way for something new to come. THAT is why - in my personal opinion - this is the best reboot of a series ever. And a method that X-Men and Terminator have tried to duplicate with varying degrees of success (X-Men doing it well, Terminator not so much).

36) Leonard Nimoy as Spock-Prime.

Now that I have seen the original Star Trek films with Nimoy his appearance in this movie carries a lot more weight for me. When I saw this in theaters the audience freaking cheered when Spock showed up as it was almost a total surprise, meanwhile I had to double check with my father that he was who I thought he was.

Spock: “I have been and always shall be your friend....I am Spock.”

[Beat.]

Kirk: “Bullshit.”

(Kirk’s bullshit made me laugh so freaking hard the first time I saw this.)

Nimoy is great in this film and passes the torch in an incredibly respectful and heartfelt way. It is a nice juxtaposition to see this wiser Spock with Quinto’s greener one and Nimoy is at his best in the part. According to IMDb:

Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman and J.J. Abrams personally called upon Leonard Nimoy's home to request for his role in the film. According to Orci, the actor gave a "Who are you guys and what are you up to?" manner before being told how important he was to them. He was silent, and Nimoy's wife Susan Bay told the creative team that after their conversation he had remained in his chair, emotionally overwhelmed by his decision to return as Spock after turning down many opportunities to revisit the role. He decided to act in this film as he was turned on by the script's scope and its detailing of the characters' histories: "We have dealt with Spock being half-human/half-Vulcan, but never with quite the overview that this script has of the character's entire history, his character growth, his beginnings and his arrival into the Enterprise crew."

It is also through Kirk’s brief time with Spock-Prime that he learns truly who Spock is. He sees him at his most vulnerable, at his most trusting of Kirk since to him they are old friends. And he knows that’s in Quinto’s Spock and he respects him a bit more for it, even if that respect is not apparent upon their initial reunion.

37) Simon Pegg as Scotty.

(GIF originally posted by @stnetwork)

I like how Scotty is included in the plot. It feels more organic and makes him a bit different. He’s not like the rest of the crew who we met in the academy and on the Enterprise. He shows up when he’s needed and Simon Pegg is great in the role. A major fanboy, Pegg is absolutely hysterical in the part. You can clearly see the James Doohan influences in the role but Pegg - like the rest of the cast - is able to make the part his own and fit in with the rest of the crew perfectly.

38) I freaking love this.

(GIFs originally posted by @zacharysquinto)

39) Beaming Scotty and Kirk on the Enterprise only for Scotty to end up in the water tube illustrates a simple rule in storytelling: always have things go wrong. It’s more interesting that way.

40) Kirk pushing Spock is incredibly powerful for me, because Kirk does not enjoy doing this. He does not want to do this. Despite what animosity they may have towards each other, Kirk is only doing what is right. What Spock-Prime told him. He is doing what he has always done: what is best for the crew of the Enterprise. But that doesn’t mean he’s so sure of himself.

Uhura [after Kirk takes the captain’s chair]: “I sure hope you know what you’re doing, captain.”

Kirk: “So do I.”

41) And then the crew starts to take their places. They come together to go against Nero in a way that is reminiscent of the original series.

This image also reminded me of Kirk’s costume: he is the only one not in uniform until the VERY end of the film. He’s the black sheep of the crew who grows into his role.

42) There are a few small moments in the scenes to come which show how Kirk is already filling his duties as Captain. Namely: his telling Sulu to fire on Nero’s ship even if he and Spock are still on it/his covering Spock on Nero’s ship without hesitation (despite the conflict they’ve had up until this point).

43) Remember how I said you should have things go wrong whenever possible?

Scotty: “If there’s any common sense to the design of the enemy ship I should be putting you somewhere in the cargo bay, shouldn't be a soul in site.”

[Kirk and Spock are beamed onto the enemy ship in plain sight of the crew and are immediately attacked.]

44) Similar to Khan (since, for better or worse, Khan will be the villain all other Trek villains are compared to), Nero let’s his need vengeance leave him open to vulnerability.

Romulan Crew Member [after Nero has ordered them to fire on Spock’s ship]: “Sir, if you ignite the red matter -” 

Nero: “I WANT SPOCK DEAD NOW!”

45) This was always my dad’s favorite line in the film.

Ayel [Nero’s secondhand]: “Your species is even weaker than I expected. You can’t even speak. [Kirk, who is being choked by Ayel, chokes something. Ayel pulls him closer] What is it?”

Kirk: “I got your gun!”

[Kirk grabs Ayel’s gun from his belt and shoots him.]

46) And Spock makes peace with his human side.

Kirk [after offering to rescue Nero, the man who killed Spock’s mom]: “It’s logic Spock, I thought you’d like that.”

Spock: “Not really. Not this time.”

47) The entire final escape from the black hole ties in not only to the idea of making things go wrong whenever you can, but also an idea found in many Hitchcock films: it’s never over when you think it is.

48) Spock & Spock-Prime.

The only scene the pair share in the film, it is also an incredibly impactful one. A true passing of the torch, Spock Prime is able to share more than logic with Spock. He is able to share his wisdom and help guide Spock down a path as fruitful as his was. It’s a wonderful moment that the film truly needed and that I am forever grateful for.

Spock Prime: “As my customary farewell would seem oddly self serving, I shall simply say good luck.”

49) The end of this film could easily have been just that: the end. The series could have stopped here and it would have been a wildly satisfying ending. Leaving the future open for hope and opportunity, but also getting these characters in the places we are familiar with. Leonard Nimoy does the iconic monologue for the film, and Michael Giacchino incorporates in his ending score his own theme as well as Jerry Goldsmith’s theme from Star Trek: The Motion Picture and the original television show theme. It is just a wonderful ending.

Star Trek is epic. It analyzes the characters and their relationships with a depth not yet explored in the series, specifically with Kirk and Spock. Abrams directing yields some beautiful imagery and the acting is absolutely phenomenal. At its core this film is a big fat love letter to the original series and the hope it brings, paying that hope forward to a new generation who (like me) find these characters through this film. I love it, with all my heart I love it.