Kirk's early years.

[Omega_Glory]

Kirk's early starfleet career has been mentioned a few times. Any ideas on whether or not the new film will honor:

1) Kirk's first assignment out of the Academy was the USS Farragut. He was a Lieutenant upon leaving the Academy or during at least part of that tour.

2) Kirk served as an Ensign aboard the USS Republic where he exposed an error by his friend Ben Finney. This might have been while he was still at the academy (midshipman's cruise?) if he was a Lieutenant upon graduation. Finney named his daughter after Kirk (Jamie) so they were pretty good friends.

3) Kirk's nemesis at the Academy was an upperclassmen named Finnegan.

4) Kirk was an instructor at the Academy and Gary Mitchell was one of his students.

5) Kirk was the only student to beat the "no-win" scenario at the Academy.

Hopefully, in the new film, the Enterprise won't be Kirks offical first assignment.

 

[Kelso]

I think (5) is pretty safe.

Oh, and doesn't Kirk's bio on the OS say that he is an assistant instructor in personal combat... or something along those lines?

It looks like the new Kirk doesn't go to the academy until his mid-twenties. Obviously, he'll have different experiences there.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Actually, I think only #1 is going to be flat-out contradicted by the film (since apparently Kirk goes straight to the Enterprise upon graduation, although I believe the Farragut will be mentioned offscreen). Everything else could, technically, still occur.

 

[Aragorn]

In the movie, Kirk steps onto the Farragut, then realizes he left his iPod. When he goes back for it, the ship leaves, so he has to get on the Enterprise instead. Problem solved.

 

[ClayHefner]

it's a different timeline. It could be totally different than what's said in TOS and still not contradict anything.
In many cases, too many similarities between events in the two timelines would make it less credible. Especially when it comes to stuff like his friendship with Gary Mitchell or his problems with Finnegan.

 

[Stag]

Wonder if cupcake in the previews is supposed to be Finnegan?

 

[The Wormhole]

Sadly, it seems as thought the movie is neglecting characters of depth and complexity such as Gary Mitchell, Ben Finney, and Finnegan.

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

Sadly, it seems as thought the movie is neglecting characters of depth and complexity such as Gary Mitchell, Ben Finney, and Finnegan.

You're a master satirist, or at least you can pass as one around here.

 

[shapeshifter]

It took me a moment to get it, but yeah, g00d 0ne.

 

[AstroMike]

For some reason I think we will see Gary Mitchell in the film.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

For some reason I think we will see Gary Mitchell in the film.

I think Gary is a more likely candidate to be Cupcake, since AFAIK Cupcake isn't Irish (at least his accent isn't) so he can't be Finnegan.

 

[Cyke101]

Kirk's early starfleet career has been mentioned a few times. Any ideas on whether or not the new film will honor:

1) Kirk's first assignment out of the Academy was the USS Farragut. He was a Lieutenant upon leaving the Academy or during at least part of that tour.

2) Kirk served as an Ensign aboard the USS Republic where he exposed an error by his friend Ben Finney. This might have been while he was still at the academy (midshipman's cruise?) if he was a Lieutenant upon graduation. Finney named his daughter after Kirk (Jamie) so they were pretty good friends.

3) Kirk's nemesis at the Academy was an upperclassmen named Finnegan.

4) Kirk was an instructor at the Academy and Gary Mitchell was one of his students.

5) Kirk was the only student to beat the "no-win" scenario at the Academy.

Hopefully, in the new film, the Enterprise won't be Kirks offical first assignment.

I'm predicting that a few of these things won't happen by virtue of Nero's attack on the Kelvin. I would think that in the normal timeline, Kirk joins Starfleet like any other person because his parents supported him. In the Abrams timeline, since his good and honorable parents died in Nero's attack, there would be no one suitable to guide him to Starfleet until Pike comes along.

I would also assume that the movie reinforces the idea that no matter what timeline you're dealing with (including the Mirror Universe), Kirk will always end up as a legendary captain.

 

[Praetor]

I'm guessing the non-canon bit from the writer's guide about Kirk captaining a destroyer as a Commander before the Enterprise is out...

 

[Valar]

I wish someone other than me had read Diane Carey's "Best Destiny" which is what Orci and Kurtzman referenced as one of the inspirations of the new movie's story.

In the novel, Kirk is a 16 yr old hellion, ticked off at the world because he had to live through the Tarsus 4 massacre and his dad is never around- always off on Starfleet missions. His dad forces him to come with him on a cruise with Capt April on the Enterprise, a milk run where Jimmy won't get hurt but might learn to expand his perspective about the world. The first half of the book Kirk spends much of the time rebellious and sullen, but when pirates attack their shuttlecraft, he starts to slowly begin to realize his problems are incosequential. The essential lesson that a hero learns when they realize their place in the grand scheme of things - that the world doesn't owe you, you owe the world- gets through to him and he starts to become the Kirk we all know. I also think the last few pages of the book offer a little more insight into the character - in one passage Capt April explains why he agreed to diverting his mission so Jimmy could get this milk run and hopefully become a responsible person. April says that Jimmy's rebellious/troublemaking spirit is central to what is required for Starfleet because "you can't fight a dirty soul with a clean one"

I gather that when the timeline is changed, George Kirk will never be able to teach his kid this lesson, and that Kirk will remain a hellion for a lot longer, getting into fights, bedding women, breaking rules etc. I also guess that Pike will be the father figure here, offering direction and faith in him until he gets to be the Kirk we know. It's interesting, to echo that dirty soul vs clean soul comment in the book by Capt April, that the Capt Pike dossier on the official site states that he was tired of Starfleet picking by the book commanders, he wants someone with original thinking to lead Starfleet.

"Best Destiny" is out of print BTW.

 

[Omega_Glory]

And another thing. Kirk is 20 years old when the Enterprise encounters the Talosians in The Cage and Menagarie I & II (Deadly Years-age 34 & Menagarie-13yrs before TOS). Is he less than 20 during this movie?

If they're changing the timeline, I hope they change it back......otherwise we will have to throw away our tapes & DVDs of Star Trek since it never happened.

 

[M'Sharak]

And another thing. Kirk is 20 years old when the Enterprise encounters the Talosians in The Cage and Menagarie I & II (Deadly Years-age 34 & Menagarie-13yrs before TOS). Is he less than 20 during this movie?

Only in the Corvette scene, where he looks to be about twelve or thirteen. The bulk of the story in this movie appears to take place when Kirk is in his mid-to-late twenties.

 

[urbandk]

Finnegan, proving that sprightly Irish stereotypes will persist well into the 23rd century.

 

[Jackson_Roykirk]

Finnegan, proving that sprightly Irish stereotypes will persist well into the 23rd century.

Yeah -- Finnegan detested Kirk for being "Always after me Lucky Charms".

 

[Qonos]

Sadly, it seems as thought the movie is neglecting characters of depth and complexity such as Gary Mitchell, Ben Finney, and Finnegan.

You're a master satirist, or at least you can pass as one around here.

AKA People who were written as having a background with Kirk cause the story called for it... and they were the villian of the week.

 

[The Wormhole]

Sadly, it seems as thought the movie is neglecting characters of depth and complexity such as Gary Mitchell, Ben Finney, and Finnegan.

You're a master satirist, or at least you can pass as one around here.

AKA People who were written as having a background with Kirk cause the story called for it... and they were the villian of the week.

"Villain of the week"? That's a surprisingly simplistic way to think of characters with such depth and complexity who are also a key component of the grand tapestry of what Star Trek is. Next you'll be telling me that Garrovick has no relevance to Star Trek's core essentials either.