ST09 Tidbits (T-37 days): Quinto and Pine Interviews + Trek Popcorn + Esurance Commercial + more March 31, 2009
by Anthony Pascale , Filed under: Great Links, Star Trek (2009 film) , trackback
For the last day people have been talking and thinking about the sequel to the new Star Trek, but we still have to get through that one in May, so the Tidbits brings you European interviews with Kirk and Spock, plus we have some ST09 concession stand goodies, a new Esurance commercial, and a bit on that sequel as well (or how it is playing in the media).
Quinto got alienated – but he’s no Tom Cruise
Zach Quinto has a new interview with the Daily Mail, where he talks about how physically becoming Mr. Spock actually ‘alienated’ him, but that was a good thing:
Having no eyebrows and having to shave every day, while having my hair in this sort of horrible style, I felt really alienated from myself and alienated from other people. I never went out of the house without big chunky glasses on and a hat. I tended to isolate myself a lot more during the process of this film. I was much more interested in solitude and I withdrew to a certain extent because I felt like I was working on staying connected to that character and making sure that connection sustained the entire length of the shoot. I think it actually served my relationship to the character because that kind of alienation is something that Spock struggles with greatly in his life.
Quinto also recounted how director JJ Abrams tried to drop the c-word to motivate Quinto…it didn’t work:
There’s a sequence in the movie where I am beamed to a location where there was a lot going on. The whole film was very physical. I never stop running in the movie. I’m an active guy, I work out and I do my thing, but this was just killing me. Another time they were blowing smoke all over the set and I was coughing. I just remember between takes, I was sitting on a rock, heaving, when JJ came over and told me that between every take on Mission: Impossible III, Tom Cruise would jump up getting himself psyched up. And I said ‘Good for Tom Cruise, but I’m not him.’
More from Quinto at Daily Mail,
Pine opines on ‘punk’ Kirk and ‘mega’ Trek
The new Captain Kirk, Chris Pine, was interviewed by German site TrekNews.DE, and when asked to describe who James T. Kirk was, here is what he said:
James Kirk is angry, arrogant, brash young punk who is masking an incredible amount of insecurity and fear. He came from a broken home and is searching for something to do with his life. It is clear what he wants but he also isn’t sure if he wants to contend with the great shadow his father has cast over him. The interesting part of the journey is his learning how to harness all of the emotions born from this conflict, from this misguided young man into the focused confident commander that he later becomes. He is no superhero but rather an everyday kinda guy faced with a tremendous challenge. And even though he gets beat down he always picks himself up again.
Pine also enthused over what it was like to be part of Trek’s big return:
I’m very excited and I have all the confidence in the world that it’s going to appeal to fans and non-fans alike. It’s overwhelming and its totally daunting but the great thing about J.J. making it is I don’t think any of us ever felt the pressure on set to live up to any kind of expectations. Even though it is like 150 million dollars and it’s this mega, mega, mega tent pole film, he was always concentrated first and foremost on the relationships between the characters and making sure that those were meaningful because he realized that without meaningful relationships, all the effects in the world don’t amount to a hill of beans.
Much more from Pine at TrekNews.de
Quinto plays the alien and Pine the ‘brash young punk’
Have a tub of Star Trek
This week is ShoWest, the movie industry’s big trade show in Vegas. Collider.com got some pics of some special concession stand items from Paramount, including Star Trek popcorn tubs and some pins (TrekMovie is trying to figure out what those are all about).
Your Star Trek experience extends to the concession stand
New Esurance commercial
Esurance, one of Star Trek’s promotional partners, has started airing a new 30 second Star Trek commercial this week on TV. No new movie footage, but just more buzz building for the movie.
Star Trek sequel big news – inspires creative headlines
Last night’s big news that Paramount has inked deals with the new Star Trek team to begin work on a follow-up was big news, including the mainstream media. It was covered by wire services, which got it picked up pretty much everywhere. But a few outlets decided to get creative with their headlines, such as:
- Press Association: Star Trek to boldly go… again
- New York Times: ‘Star Trek’ Sequel Coming (Wrath to Be Determined)
- E!: Star Trek Sequel Now a Lost Cause [picking up on the inclusion of Lost showrunner's Damon Lindelof as co-screenwriter]
- EW: ‘Star Trek’ sequel: Premature ekirkulation?
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Comments»
FIRST thing I’d like to say is that I hope they don’t overdo it with the merchandising. There comes a point where the average person will say “enough” and not want to see the movie – at least that’s what happened to me with “Transformers.”
Love that Quinto quote! “Good for Tom Cruise, but I’m not him.” Love this guy.
This looks awesome I want that Popcorn.. Hey if anyone is in the Northwest Arkansas area i’ll be on CBS local talking about the conficker worm. It should be repeated.
Funny headlines! And it means Trek is getting more attention. Dare I play the wearying game of saying … ‘first’?
Crud, guess I had that coming.
‘…And I said ‘Good for Tom Cruise, but I’m not him.’
—–
Good, be yourself!
ekirkulation? Nice, just nice. I feel very creative.
Also I am thrilled that Star Trek seems to be in the fast lane for sequels. Excellent.
I remember when they had similar pins when STTMP opened. I collected those too… LLAP!
“Good for Tom Cruise, but I’m not him.”
Thank goodness. (Not a TC fan.)
shouldnt sequels be decided after a movie is released
SO Either one of two things. Star Trek XI either sucks and they want us excited for XII or XI is so good they know that a sequel is good idea. I really hope the first one is not the case.
One week to go before the premiere in Sydney tells the tale.
[...] Los vi aquí [...]
I got a kick out of the EW headline (Premature ekirkulation?). LOL
I thought the April 7 premiere date was a typo?
I’m a bit startled by the idea of young Jim Kirk as “punk.” I mean, I’m very flexible, but … I guess the phraseology just surprised me.
re:”James Kirk is angry, arrogant, brash young punk who is masking an incredible amount of insecurity and fear. He came from a broken home and is searching for something to do with his life.”
Pure bullcrap. Nonsense.
Is it bad form to admit that I squeal like an 8 year old little girl with each little bit of news that is released here?
Not really.
I check trekmovie.com multiple times daily.
Well, we’ve always known that Kirk was a bit of a punk and a rebel in the Academy. He cheated on his tests when he thought they weren’t fair, and so on. It makes sense that he would go through this journey, and I’ve never been surprised by this take. It perplexes me why some are adverse to it. It’s always what I’ve thought Kirk would’ve been like.
#1
AGREED. Though I would’ve use a different example to prove my point- considering that Transformers was one of the top money makers of 2007. And I don’t terribly recall a huge merchandising blitz for that movie, at least when one compares it to the other tent pole films of the year: Spider-Man 3 and Pirates of the Caribbean 3.
With its seemingly overzealous merchandising thirst, I hope that Trek doesn’t turn out to be the Speed Racer of ‘09.
What’s the deal with the pins? why do they all have the command star even though they’re all obviously meant to signify the three different divisions?
#11
If Star Trek XI sucks it doesn’t get another chance. Why in this economic climate would they risk more money on a failed franchise? Case in point, take a look at Warner Bros. and any future Superman movies-which are in an endless state of limbo.
#17 – “Pure bullcrap. Nonsense.”
Not at all.
17. Stanky Mcfibberich
Why am I not surprised?
Funny how you pick out certain parts and take them out of context. You see, this film is about the character arc of Kirk. How he transforms from the “arrogant, brash, young punk” to the Kirk that we are all familiar with, the one who leads his crew making life or death decisions in the toughest of situations. But what am i saying? Pine could never become the Kirk we know . How could he? He is the so called “Fake Kirk”. lol :)
#20
I TOTALLY agree!
I do understand the older generation that grew up idolizing Kirk, but they need to consider HOW Kirk became Kirk. It’s not like he was born a great, wonderful leader. He wasn’t born at the beginning of the five year mission. He has a history.
LLaP
When the esurance commercial comes up on TiVo (at least on mine), you can press thumbs up and it gives you the behind the scenes video with JJ et all.
There’s little more than a month left until the release of the new movie.
And I have yet to see any Star Trek commercials opposite regular programming to promote this movie. I’ve seen stuff on the SCI-FI, but that’s it. Why preach to just the choir? Let’s see some prime-time marketing. Heck, is the movie going to be promoted on myspace?
those pins for ST : TFB look nice
:o)
Dear Zach Quinto: Thank you for not being Tom Cruise.
Sincerely,
yr potential fan
S. John Ross
- James Kirk is angry, arrogant, brash young punk who is masking an incredible amount of insecurity and fear. He came from a broken home and is searching for something to do with his life. -
Maybe Pine could round that summary out – there are still some clichés missing.
#26
- I do understand the older generation that grew up idolizing Kirk, but they need to consider HOW Kirk became Kirk. -
I think the events on Tarsus IV were of crucial importance for Kirk becoming the Kirk we used to know.
Pine is not playing Kirk
He is playing Bizarro Kirk!
The pins! I MUST HAVE THEM.
***!!!MASSIVE ST: COUNTDOWN SPOILERS!!!***
DO NOT READ THIS POST IF YOU DO NOT WANT COUNTDOWN MAJORLY SPOILED! THIS ISSUE IS SO AMAZING!!!
I was privileged enough to have gotten Countdown #4 earlier today so…
Below is a link to a list of TEN COUNTDOWN #4 SUPER SPOILERS for you:
http://img14.imageshack.us/img14/3226/countdown4.jpg
NOT an April Fool’s Joke whatsoever. VERY SERIOUS SPOILERS!!!
Star Trek: Countdown Issue #4 Available NOW! Hurry before it sells out!
Kirk was never a punk. From what Gary Mitchell said, he was quite strict back in the Academy. Just because someone is a hero later on in life doesn’t mean that they had to start out as a bum.
TWOK was just as non-canon as this movie for going the same route – TOS Kirk, the REAL Kirk, wouldn’t have cheated on a test.
Pathetic.
You all love canon so much yet are ready to denounce the best film as non-canon and call the filmmakers pathetic for following up on that?
Anthony,
Those pins look like some of Japanese cell phone hanging charms. Basically they look like charms you hook on your cellphone where you would hang a wrist strap on a camera. They look pretty cool cant wait to get one. Thanks for the report from show west, wish I was there.
35# Kirk was never a punk. From what Gary Mitchell said, he was quite strict back in the Academy. Just because someone is a hero later on in life doesn’t mean that they had to start out as a bum.
TWOK was just as non-canon as this movie for going the same route – TOS Kirk, the REAL Kirk, wouldn’t have cheated on a test.
Pathetic.
Of course, you are absolutly right, the new movie and TWOK aren’t canon, but WNMHGB and Gary Mitchell writing “James R Kirk” in the tombstone must be canon because Gary Mitchell is right to the letter. Sigh.
I wonder if those are the same promo items that Empire plans to do for concessions as well. It would be nice if they did cups too, somebody has to outdo the cool dark knight theatre cups of last year!
17.
//Pure bullcrap. Nonsense.//
That’s kind of the point of the film. George Kirk dies during his son’s infancy, so James has a crappy, directionless childhood. That’s why Spock has to go back in time to “set things straight”.
This isn’t the James T. Kirk we know.
re:25. The Governator – March 31, 2009
I do not “buy” this background for the character of Kirk, fake or not.
41.
//I do not “buy” this background for the character of Kirk, fake or not.//
You mean you’ve never wondered “what if?” about significant events in your own life, and how you would have turned out if things had gone differently? I am very interested to see how the psyche of James Kirk responds to stress in his formative years.
#21 – yeh, I’m getting that Speedracer type feeling. I hope not, but if it unperforms the Walmart bargain bins are gonna be full of Trek fodder for a long time …
How many times does it have to be driven home…
…that Kirk’s “punk” ways are BEFORE he enters the Academy??? Why are you all assuming that Kirk is going to be rebellious jerk all the way through TREK XI until the very moment he gets command of the Enterprise?
Stanky and company: Please explain to me how the “broken home” backstory violates canon. I realize it violates much of what was established in early Trek novels (which I read and enjoyed), but what, exactly, was established on TOS and in the films?
Unless I’m missing something, the official early intel we had on Kirk boiled down to just a few things:
1. He’s “from Iowa,” whatever that means, exactly.
2. He had an older brother, George Samuel Kirk, nicknamed “Sam.”
3. Sam had a mustache.
4. As a 13-year-old, little Jimmy witnessed the genocide on Tarsus IV.
5. At the Academy, he studied hard but bucked conventions and cheated on the Kobiyashi Maru. He fooled around with Carol Marcus and produced a son.
What else is there, really?
In all honesty, I don’t remember any references to an intact family at any point, but maybe someone else does. Are there any in canon? Maybe when Sam & Aurelan saw him off?
New timelkine or no new timeline, I truly don’t understand all the wigging-out over Kirk’s altered backstory — because it really isn’t all that altered. Not when you look at the tidbits of info we’ve gotten from canon alone.
Correct me if I’m wrong. (I know you will!)
premature ekirkulation certainly takes the cake for tackiest headline EVER.
Very intersting to hear what Quinto was going thru. He sounds likea very emotional person – which makes his casting as the cold-ish Mr. Spock particularly wicked.
Stinky, Stunky, Stanky, or whatever he is – is right. He obviously knows much more than everyone associated with this movie. After all, we know that he (and his fellow whiners) are probably the most talented screenwriters & filmakers in the industry. Why weren’t they put in charge of this movie.
It is the great Trek 09 conspiricy I tell ya.
#26–”I do understand the older generation that grew up idolizing Kirk, but they need to consider HOW Kirk became Kirk. It’s not like he was born a great, wonderful leader. He wasn’t born at the beginning of the five year mission. He has a history.”
Idolization isn’t the issue (Kirk is after all a flawed character) — I truly believe some folks ARE natural born leaders, no matter what their beginnings. Sure, some come into their own through experiences but I always saw Kirk as someone who knew what he wanted and did whatever was necessary to get it (through the requisite legitimate channels). He needed to be the serious, dedicated scholar and tough lecturer at the Academy to realize his goal of being a Starship Captain. I really wasn’t surprised about the Kobayashi Maru either — we all saw time and again that he refused to give up, no matter how great the odds. So THAT vision I have of Kirk just doesn’t jive with one that would be aimless in ANY timeline. Of course, mileage may vary and, if so, you are fortunate. I’ve just got 30+ years of seeing the Kirk character this way, that’s all.
#42–”You mean you’ve never wondered “what if?” about significant events in your own life, and how you would have turned out if things had gone differently?”
Interesting post. Sure, the nature vs nuture debate is always interesting. (Are serial killers born or made?) However, all I can say is that I feel that certain traits are inate and despite circumstances, will prevail. I just can’t see James T. Kirk, dad or no dad, as a directionless punk. If his dad was in Starfleet in the previous timeline, he would have been absent a
lot yet Kirk wasn’t a punk. Just from personal experience — I was driven even as a young child; the death of my father at 14 did not change that one wit. Sadly, my brother never had direction and nothing changed on that front either. it is an interesting point to ponder.
“JJ came over and told me that between every take on Mission: Impossible III, Tom Cruise would jump up getting himself psyched up. And I said ‘Good for Tom Cruise, but I’m not him.’”
Great to know that Quinto is not Cruise – I’d really hate to see him on Oprah’s show jumping all over the furniture.
The “what if” angle IS the movie, I think. we already know it happened one way, but what if it happened differently? It’s like after Dylan went electric, introducing songs with: “It used to go like that ,but now it goes like this…” I think the “what if ?” factor weighs heavy on this movie. The possibilities are certainly intriguing.
(And as a side note, let’s not jump all over people w/ dissenting views, eh? I happen to not agree with anything the naysayers put forth and I’m very excited about this movie, but everyone has an equal right to be here and voice their opinion, yes?) sorry, got all preachy for a second. continue.
JJ’s Cruise comment reminds me of the Quayle – Bensen debate. “I knew Jack Kennedy and you’re no Jack Kennedy.” HA.
Speaking of Quinto, it’s probably good for him to know what it feels like not to be so handsome all the time. To feel like he has to hide his face because of his shaved eyebrows and bowl cut. Incredibly handsome people live in a bubble that the rest of the world can only dream about. Star Trek might just keep him more grounded.
The behind the scenes trailer and e-surance add were on my TIVO in the showcases. Interviews with the production team, Pine, Saldena, and Quinto. They are using every marketing tool they can
#35—”Kirk was never a punk. From what Gary Mitchell said, he was quite strict back in the Academy.”
But that is only one man’s view of him at that point in his life, and perhaps—in comparison to Mitchell—he was very much that “stack of books with legs”.
This is also the same young man who cheated on a command test, and whose comparison to “an overgrown boyscout” prompted an aquaintance of his around that time to dismiss that immediately.
Carol Marcus: “(laughs dismissively) Jim Kirk was many things, but he was *never* a boyscout”.
“TWOK was just as non-canon as this movie for going the same route – TOS Kirk, the REAL Kirk, wouldn’t have cheated on a test.”
First of all, there is no canonical contradiction in the way James Kirk is depicted in TWOK to the way in which his youth was vaguely touched upon in TOS. There is nothing “non-canon” about adding dimension to the character during a period we have not yet seen depicted.
Moreover, since the story in ST09 takes place in an altered timeline, there is even more room for such development. The potential for an altered timeline to be created due to interference with the past is in itself “canon”, and has been since the very first season of Star Trek. There is no getting around that. For that reason alone—all of this is canonically valid.
You can disagree with this as a creative choice, but to argue that it is “non-canon” is simply incorrect and an invalid contention. Anything which can be attributed to the effects of the altered timeline is perfectly legitimate, where “canon” is concerned.
As it has been said before there is very little info to gather from which to make an actual back story for Kirk. And people also need to keep in mind that Kirks father dies when he as a baby due to some kind of time incursion on the behalf of our villains. So regardless of whatever his childhood and life might have been like they are forever changed right from the get go, as the past has been altered.
However the arrogant, punk kid turned leader should be a familiar story to Trek fans. All you have to do is look at Patrick Stewart’s Picard character. Maybe the most straight laced captain of the bunch but in his youth he was cocky, arrogant, and stupid (like all youngsters are). In fact they did an entire episode on it showing what his life would be if he changed those experiences. Picard needed them to become who he was.
do you think Pine will capture what Shatner brought to the role of Kirk?
Kirk was always the cross between Hamlet and Hornblower, according to Roddenberry. He was based on the classic leterary characters.
IKirk was always so serious about joining Starfleet, well I get he had a strong will to succeed in Starfleet, which is why he was so serious and why he cheated on the Kobayshi Maru. I agree with a previous poster that Kirk never seemed to be a drifter in his early days. I would imagine that he was like Picard, and that he was a dreamer.
I don’t buy them all being at the academy at the same time, that was one of the reasons I was glad they never went with Harve Bennett’s Academy idea as Star Trek VI
I meant literary characters
I type so fast my spelling is never checked
I like the Esurance bridge more than new ibridge…
Mitchell was talking about Kirk the instructor. Not Kirk the plebe. What’s so hard about that? When Kirk taught something (probably as a teaching assistant) he was a stack of books with legs. Perhaps the “legs” part was a reference to Ruth, Janet Wallace, or Carol Marcus.
We know zippo about *young* Kirk, period.
Anyway, O&K can sort out Mitchell, Marcus and the rest with Star Trek 00. (Since this movie’s Star Trek 0 ;), the next one should be double-O.)
“But that is only one man’s view of him at that point in his life, and perhaps—in comparison to Mitchell—he was very much that “stack of books with legs”.”
Closet — Gary struck me as a punk/jerk to be honest. I remember discussions with other fans about him and how much more monstrous he became than the Doctor did with that power.
“do you think Pine will capture what Shatner brought to the role of Kirk?”
I hope so. Shatner walked a fine line and made Kirk — at least to me — more than what the character might have been (you know, stereotypical, cardboard cutout “hero”). We also lucked out that he and Nimoy had such excellent chemistry. Hopefully Pine and Quinto do too.
@28 – I saw a Trek spot on ESPN yesterday morning. You can’t get much more mainstream than that.
OMG Wolverines been leaked out online…man that’s bad – that could do some serious damage to its BO – and could mean Star Trek is the first summer film that no one has seen
61.
That was my same thought as well. Star Trek’s other big competition, Terminator Salvation, has had its ending leaked online…
#61 and #62
Well, anything that helps the ST box office can’t be a bad thing… :)
In fact on a slightly serious note. Considering how long Star Trek has been in the can, I am surprised that there have been no leaks like those for Wolverine and Terminator
63. Exacfty. That makes me kind of nervous… I’m waiting for the other foot to drop…
Lol! I like that Esurance starship more than most of the ships designed for the online game!
maybe someone leaked Wolverine due to Foxs thing with Watchmen and ive read everywhere that Fox and the head guy Tom Roth arent very popular due to various decisions on certain movies (PG 13 Die Hrd and AvP, getting Ratner for X3 etc etc)
62 – i read that T4 has since had its ending changed due to the leak…but either way thats not anywhere near as bad as the whole movie being online! (theres no way i’ll be watching it but i get the feeling alot of people are igoing to in order to save $s and maybe wait to see Trek instead the following week)…it’ll be very interesting to see if this leak significantly impacts the BO
leak aside i have to say that as a mild X Men fan this film dosnt really have me making plans to go and see it (trailers are sorta ’seen it all b4 in the others’ quality and are even abit chessy with those Thundercat roars… plus theres no Patrick Stewart ) …so im seriously considering skipping it until the dvd and waiting for Trek…im sort of at that age where i wont go to the cinema unless its a film i really want to see like Trek or Bond, Star Wars, Indy, Superman, Terminator etc (so wont be seeing Angels/Demons eiether)
wow theres a new X Men movie and im actually considering not going to see it at the cinema! i never thought id do that
Back when ST V was in the theaters, we had a whole bunch of wired stuff for sale at the concession stand. Only thing that was worth it, and I bought, was a delta shield with the logo for the movie on it.
There were things like pencils with an enterprise topper, straws for drinks and lame stuff.
#59—”I remember discussions with other fans about him and how much more monstrous he became than the Doctor did with that power.”
Interesting. I always thought that he simply had a higher “ESP rating” than the doctor, and the effect took hold of him sooner, as evidenced in the episode itself.
I always surmised that, given enough time and progression, she would have become just as drunk with power.
Stanky and others have you somehow missed the part where our villain personally changes kirks history and family situation? Or are you really content to be ignorant of the facts about the movie and sit back and bitch about things that don’t even make logical sense next to what’s actually happening here?
#59
“Gary struck me as a punk/jerk to be honest. I remember discussions with other fans about him and how much more monstrous he became than the Doctor did with that power.”
I’ve often thought the very same thing, Krikzil. Dehner is tempted, but ultimately her humanity wins out. No such luck for Gary.
Is this not an alternate timeline? Even if it isn’t, Kirk could’ve buckled down once he got into Starfleet Academy. Perhaps he matured quite a bit then and became the student he was capable of being, maybe had been in the past. The cheating on the KM is part of his rebellious nature. As stated, he was not a boy scout.
So little was established on screen that JJA has a lot of room to make up stuff. Lighten up. See the film then decide if you liked it.
59, 70.
Frankly, Gary always bugged the crap out me. A right smug fellow he was.
I know plenty of people who were jerks and punks in school but joined the military and suddenly became calm rational people who I’d follow anywhere. Isn’t that really the goal of any armed force? Starfleet took young hotheaded Kirk and showed him how to channel that and become a great leader. How is that so hard to accept?
#70– Gary’s humanity was totally lost which was interesting.
“Stanky and others have you somehow missed the part where our villain personally changes kirks history and family situation?”
Haven’t missed it at all. Some of us just have a different view on the nature of character formation, that’s all. . If anything, losing his dad, and in such an incredibly heroic way as it appears to happen, would have had the opposite effect in my view. (In the original timeline, the apparent horrors of Tarsus didn’t turn him into a punk for example so he’s made of some strong stuff.) But again, it’s all how one “sees” Kirk I suppose.
I don’t have a problem with Kirk being portrayed a bit of punk in his youth before he turned things around (and I have been watching Star Trek for 36 years). In TWOK, Carol Marcus told her/their son that “James Kirk has been many things and a Boy Scout isn’t one of them”. :-)
I find it funny that these staunch canon supporters are attacking Kirk’s portrayal in a movie they’ve yet to see. Remember when they were bitching about the new Enterprise? When they tired of that argument they apparently moved on to this topic. What next?! “AH BONES’S HAIR IS PARTED TO THE WRONG SIDE!!!” (As they simultaneously raise their fingers and push their glasses up onto their noses.) Give me an EFFING break here!
I reiterate. NOTHING will please these people about this movie! Don’t waste your intelligent arguments against their incessant nitpicking!
#74—” If anything, losing his dad, and in such an incredibly heroic way as it appears to happen, would have had the opposite effect in my view. (In the original timeline, the apparent horrors of Tarsus didn’t turn him into a punk for example so he’s made of some strong stuff.) But again, it’s all how one “sees” Kirk I suppose.”
That’s just it. There is always the notion that more than one road can lead to the same destination.
But, since you bring up Tarsus, it isn’t really clear if that incident had such an effect upon him or not—since we know virtually nothing of him in between that time and his entry into Starfleet. It could very well be that, in the “original timeline”, Kirk went through a similar personal struggle which is resolved by the time he is commissioned an officer in Starfleet.
I think he is obviously “made of some strong stuff” in both timelines. I think that, if anything, his ability to overcome an obstacle like the absence of a stable father-figure to guide him through his youth and still become the hero we know him to be is evidence enough of that in the ST09 story—even if there are some reasonable “bumps along the way”.
But I think that if the young Kirk to whom we are introduced in ST09 is more of a “diamond in the rough” than the one in the original timeline (who, again, we know virtually nothing about anyway), then it is reasonable to conclude that it can be attributed to George Kirk as a constant influence upon his upbringing being the variable. The elder Kirk is apparently a man of great character. I find it difficult to fathom that his sudden absence in young James’ life could be anything but an obstacle to his growth (although certainly not an insurmountable one).
Great men like the character of JTK are most often alpha males. They are born with the natural inclinations to stand out amongst the crowd—but that doesn’t place them automatically on the right path. In many cases, alpha-males are even more in need of guidance than others. A lack thereof might even be somewhat dangerous, or at the very least, a waste of talent.
But I get the feeling that the Universe is “course-correcting itself” is placing both Pike and Nimoy’s Spock in position to steer young Kirk in the direction he must go in order to fulfill his destiny.
Ultimately, where he ends up is far more important than how he gets there, in my opinion.
77. Excellent, thoughtful post!
My guess on the pins? They are probably for theatre employees to wear to promote the movie. Theatre employees are usually given different pins to promote upcoming big movies. My buddy runs one of the local theatres and he’s always hooking me up with the promo pins….hopefully that happens with Trek too….
“That’s just it. There is always the notion that more than one road can lead to the same destination.”
LOL — I’m not even ON a road yet…nevermind the journey and destination. It’s the starting point I’m quibbling with. I just never saw Kirk as such in the old universe and can’t see it in this one. And I find it even more hard to swallow that he can become the person he was as a result. Actions unfortunately have consequences and I’m just not sure I’d buy into the Academy — high scores or not; hero father or not — and Starfleet then putting him into a Comannd track.
“But, since you bring up Tarsus, it isn’t really clear if that incident had such an effect upon him or not…”
Well, do we really need to be told implicitly that it would have affected him? I mean, it was horrible. No one can be present when half a colony is exterminated and NOT be. (Well, unless you’re a sociopath.)
“I find it funny that these staunch canon supporters are attacking Kirk’s portrayal in a movie they’ve yet to see. …. Give me an EFFING break here!
I reiterate. NOTHING will please these people about this movie! Don’t waste your intelligent arguments against their incessant nitpicking!”
Commenting and debating is hardly attacking. Gosh, how many posts would be sustained if it was just “Oh sounds great” and “I can’t wait!” ?Maybe 10? And then who could you complain about?
#81—”Well, do we really need to be told implicitly that it would have affected him? I mean, it was horrible. No one can be present when half a colony is exterminated and NOT be. (Well, unless you’re a sociopath.)”
Of course it would have *some* effect— but what I meant was that we really do not know *what* effect it had, since we know virtually nothing of Kirk in between that period (or before that period, for that matter) and the KM test (and we do know how that went).
What we do know is this:
–Kirk is born in 2233 and has a brother.
(enormous gap here)
–Kirk lives on Tarsus during the time of “Kodos The Executioner”.
(enormous gap here)
–At some point, he enters Starfleet Academy with the help of the father of a crewman who would later serve aboard the Enterprise and die under his command.
–Has some trouble with an upperclassman named Finnegan.
–Kirk cheats on a command test (could be here, or given Saavik’s rank of Lt. when she takes it, it could be later on).
–By the time Kirk serves aboard the USS Republic as an ensign, he is very much “by the book”, as evidenced in his decision to log a formal entry about Finney’s negligence.
–”Commands his first “planetary mission” on Neural (presumably while serving under Garrovick).
–His experience aboard the USS Farragut causes him to carry enormous guilt with him for years.
–By the time Lt. Kirk serves as an instructor at SFA, Mitchell views him as a “stack of books with legs”.
That is the crux of it. That’s pretty much it for an established backstory. That leaves alot of uncovered ground, particularly prior to his entry into SFA. I don’t think that the presentation of young Kirk as somewhat directionless or rebellious specifically contradicts anything at all, but I do think that some of his behavior can be attributed to his father’s presence being a variable in the timelines.
” Actions unfortunately have consequences and I’m just not sure I’d buy into the Academy — high scores or not; hero father or not — and Starfleet then putting him into a Comannd track. ”
I don’t see Kirk as having committed any crimes (at least not when past the point of being a minor), and his test scores combined with the recommendation of a starship captain (Pike) should be enough to get him in. I don’t see any problem with that.
As for the “command track”, I still don’t think it’s as simple as that, but I do have some reservations for sure.
I never imagined kirk as the rebel type. Even the back story they gave him in TWOK somehow didn’t feel right. If you look closely at the early 1st season episodes of TOS you’ll see that Kirk is a very straight laced, uptight military guy. Even his haircut is very GI. He is balzy, but he his very much by the book and extremely serious about his duties as Captain. He barks orders and demands perfection from his crew.
Later on in the series his character evolves a bit. He woos women as if he’d done it all his life. He disobeys orders from Starfleet and his hair gets longer too. If anything his rebelness seems to come with age rather than the other way around.
I don’t mind this new interpretation, it’s just not how I would have done it.
Hey all, did you go to WonderCon 2009? Check out this video, talks about the long debated Star Wars vs. Star Trek. Can’t say for sure, but answering this question may be too private for me to post publicly! :)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=55q9UTZbSiU
#82—”If you look closely at the early 1st season episodes of TOS you’ll see that Kirk is a very straight laced, uptight military guy… He is balzy, but he his very much by the book and extremely serious about his duties as Captain. He barks orders and demands perfection from his crew.”
That is the “Captain James T. Kirk” we know from early episodes of TOS, but the story in ST09 doesn’t appear to cover that period. We know virtually nothing of his youth, beyond his experience on Tarsus (which in itself is only briefly touched upon in one episode).
“Later on in the series his character evolves a bit. He woos women as if he’d done it all his life. He disobeys orders from Starfleet and his hair gets longer too. If anything his rebelness seems to come with age rather than the other way around.”
As for me, I can hardly imagine that the younger Kirk would not have been so “into women” as he was in later years. Men do not generally grow *more* passionate later in life. It is usually the other way around.
And Nick Meyer already established young Kirk as someone who was quite comfortable with “bending the rules”, and he was enough into “wooing women” in his younger days that he fathered a child with Carol Marcus. Moreover, as McCoy said of his friend in the TOS episode, “Court-Martial”, “All my old friends look like doctors. All of his look like you!”. Obviously, his prowess with the ladies didn’t begin at 30.
It’s very clear that, at some point, Kirk “grew up” and became the man we know from the Original Series and beyond. But even then, he was always capable of “bucking the system” a bit. I have no trouble seeing this guy go through a phase of questionable maturity and somewhat less tempered rebelliousness and guile during his youth.
#35 – “Where No Man Has Gone Before” also features a smiling, emotional Spock, Sulu as an Astrophysicist, the complete absence of McCoy and Uhura, and probably a whole bunch of other stuff that was promptly changed.
All television shows evolve as they develop, and as they do, a lot of them contradict themselves. Star Trek does this a LOT.
You’re like those fundamentalist Christians who are so worried about the literal words in the Bible that they completely miss the message contained in the Bible.
So to you, I say, canon schmanon. People like you take all the fun out of being a nerd. You’re turning a good collection of stories into dogma. As long as they get the spirit of the thing right, tell me a good story involving daring and brilliant and inspiring characters, and give me some sexy people and cool stuff to look at, my childhood is not going to be ruined.