Yeah, right. That's what they said about bloody Hypertime, and look how THAT turned out. DC does these damn Crises every few years - why should we think this is gonna be any more final than those other ones?
Bishop was reparable. A lot of folks seem to get Blomkamp wrong, either because they see the news but don't read any further, or just ignore what he has said about it: So the people like you and me and a mob of other fans with pitchforks who want him to thumb his nose at especially the writers of Alien 3, who should be strung up for what they did to snuff those three characters, might not get total satisfaction. But wait, did Neil just give us a sly wink?
Just remembered another great example of a canonical "gray area" - Saavik. There was an actual filmed scene of Kirk & Spock discussing Saavik's mixed Vulcan/Romulan heritage, which would later explain her expression of emotion at the funeral. The scene never made it to the final release (although included in cut scenes on DVD & Blu-ray) and everyone pretty much accepts she's a Vulcan/Romulan hybrid as a part of the canon despite the lack of "official" on-screen final cut theatrical existence.
If a scene is cut due to time constraints, I see no reason not to accept it as part of canon. In this case, it was part of the story, but was not shown in order to save time, not that the creators didn't like the idea. Especially when the scene itself makes sense in the context of the rest of the episode or movie.
^ Wasn't the scene included in the "Director's Edition" DVD as part of the movie, and not just as a deleted scene? It's been a while since I've seen it. Kor
I think different versions of post-theatrical TV broadcasts might have included it, along with the extra Peter Preston footage. Some other TV versions, however, didn't. I remember seeing both when I was younger.
That's pretty much my take, as well. Even the weakest episodes of Trek were made to be watched just as much as the best episodes throughout the various series. For me, what it boils down to, is this: the makers of Trek don't care about "head canon", but you're free to like what you like. I haven't seen most of DS9, but if it's canon, it's canon. It's not defined by me any more or less than anyone else.
This is probably an unpopular opinion but in my headcanon a large chunk of TOS never happened. Specifically all the parallel Earth episodes except for the gangster one. And that one isn't because it was particularily high quality but because it had an in universe explanation that wasn't "Wow what an amazing coincidence". Edit: looking back on imdb that wasn't as many as I remembered. Oh well.
Then shouldn't you also include Patterns of Force (the Nazi one). That too was a parallel Earth that provided a logical explanation for the similarities.
I think Meyer did/does prefer that Saavik crying at the end means she is just an "unusual Vulcan" and/or that Spock meant so much to her rather than there's necessarily a biological explanation.
After Chappie I'm concerned for the movie even if he does retcon the bad stuff from alien 3. I wish James Cameron would do another one. I know everyone hates this game but I include Aliens: Colonial Marines in my head canon because Spoiler Hicks survived and the body in the sleep tube thing was not him.