Cybernetically enhanced Tribbles invade Earth!! Can't lose! Could pull in time travel too. Enterprise has to go back in time to prevent an invasion. "Star Trek: Tribbles!".
Borg tribbles are bound to happen sooner or later. It is inevitable. If not this reboot, the next one.
I'm sure I read somewhere many years ago that a Borgified Tribble was snuck into the background of a TNG, DS9 or Voyager episode although I never saw it.
My idea is to get rid of Carol Marcus and replace her with a new love for Captain Kirk, altogether. One portrayed by the beautiful, the talented and so very French ...
Replace an intelligent, responsible, vigilant individual with potential and integrity who has proven herself to be a worthy Starfleet officer, and has in two timelines pursued successful scientific carreers and capable of accomplishing much, with a random unknown woman who is good looking? I guess it would make some sense of Alice Eve wasn't good looking or didn't deliver a superb performance in her underemphasized role.
Carol Marcus may well be all those things AND a fit mother, to boot. The fact is, her story's been told already. She's had her shot. Into Darkness has had its full run and is now available to own. One of Kirk's well-known attributes is that he's not the type to settle down in a secure, deeply-committed relationship with anyone. True, he's only wanted to marry thrice: Once to some unnamed blonde introduced to him by Gary Mitchell. Once to Miramanee (whom he actually did wed). And finally, to Antonia - the Woman-on-the-Hill in Generations. But movie Kirk shouldn't be married, or anchored to any one woman, other than the Enterprise. He could mention to Bones, or somebody, that he's been sending monthly child-support to Carol Marcus. He can do right by her, that's fine. But it's time for him to move on - he still needs to sew his wild, spaceman oats. As this may well-be the very last of the ReBoot movies, I want to see Kirk involved with one of the most exotic, the most beautiful and the most talented women in all of Hollywood ... and beyond. A totally new character with integrity, ability and, perhaps, special powers? I don't know ... surprise me! Hell, she and Kirk can have another kid! I'm fine with that. That's the beauty of this franchise and the movies: they still have the ability to surprise us ...
There has long been fan speculation (though that's all it is, or can be in NuTrek) that the unnamed blonde is in fact Carol Marcus. This potentially narrows Kirk's prospects down to two. That said, this is NuTrek, and anything is possible. Even an honorable, married Kirk who keeps it in his pants.
Her story is that short? Even if so, I wouldn't fire my best employee because they did their job, and so after their first day of work. She's an Enterprise officer, and even if there's no more personal story to be told, she better be there as part of the crew when they resolve the next conundrum that the Enterprise faces, as she has a thing or two to offer, probably more than what she did in STID. And that won't in any way shadow any new characters. If you want Eva Green to be a part, she would play a fine villain. Oh, and I am sure that there's much about Carol Marcus to be still told, she has a different life ahead of her in this new timeline, and that can mean a lot of fascinating things. We don't know much anything about this version of her.
The makers of STAR TREK do not know me, do not listen to me. I don't have their "ear." If Carol ends up in the next movie, great, I think she was perfectly cast. And if Marcus is in the next movie, Alice Eve's already got the job. But that question is totally open at this point. If she ended up getting pregnant early in the next movie, and transfered off the ship to feed and water Kirk's seed, I would consider that chapter closed. Eva Green, on the other hand, she interests me - in anything she's in. She just lights up the screen and sets it ablaze! Having said that, I'd just be glad to have it rumoured she was supposed to be in the next movie. It would be fun to ponder her part in it. If she's never considered, well ... she's always in demand, somewhere, in something. Either way ... I win. The best of 2 worlds!
I bet Kirk and Carol will have a daughter in STXIII. It's just the kind of AU twist the writers love (and they did the exact same thing in Fringe)
FormerLurker's suggestion that Kirk's possibly going to "keep it in his pants" for the next movie strains all credibility. The daughter thing, though ... holds promise. Personally, I don't think Carol Marcus will be getting pregnant in NuTrek. She's aware of contraceptives in the 23rd Century, can certainly afford them and knows how to use them.