Encouraged by my mate (the guy in the blue science officer shirt, who insisted we stay until the end of the credits for every damn movie), I'd like to postulate a wee theory. It's just a thought, so please don't expect me to defend it with my honour, but apparently, it's fun enough that it warrants my creating an account.
Let me begin with the note that I am not exactly a trekkie. Granted, for the sake of the above mentioned mate, I've seen every movie, far too many TOS episodes (sorry, Shatner irritates me to no end, and the goodness of Nimoy just isn't enough to make up for it), and am patiently working my way through TNG with him. I've also attended an actual concert with a full orchestra playing musing from ST, with John de Lancie and Robert Picardo there. (I was quite entertained by the fact that Woolsey was present, but I don't think my mate heard me over his girlish squeeing.)
Having said this, I'm an English major, and I like to pick things apart. When we saw this new movie, I had some thoughts. Please bear with me in that to me, they're movies, and I don't remember the finer details of the ST universe.
This new movie did not seem to sit with the other ones. I've never been a fan of "alternate realities" (Red Dwarf, as much as I adore it, drives me nuts in that regard), and somehow this movie felt like cheating. So, having taken my cue from my dear fanboy, I started to debate whether or not it was "canon."
On the one hand, *these don't seem to be the same characters.* What the hell happened to Chekov, for example? And Uhura has such a calm grace to her that this woman seems to be lacking. Where's Spock's quiet dignified amusement? Why is he emo? And how did they manage to find someone I find even more obnoxious than Shatner? Why is this man trying to beat *everything up*?? Nope; not canon.
Except for the problem of Ambassador Spock showing things up and creating a snag, pulling this summer flick into the ST universe. So what do I do? What any other self respecting English major would do. He's a *metaphor!*
Of what? Good question.
However, one could theorize that Kirk, being stranded on an ice planet (The name escapes me. What, Hoth? That sounds familiar) is currently undergoing a wee bit of stress. The idea of madness first entered my mind when Pike was captured by Captain McEvilGreenyPants, who seemed quite off his rocker. And maybe he is? Maybe there *is* no time travel. Maybe this guy, who's been breathing a few too many drilling fumes, came up with this on his own. Maybe the idea got planted in poor little Kirk's mind, and, with the strain, our hero, if you will, allows his subconscious to present him with a guide. From the future. In the form of someone who, to him, seems far more in control of things than he is, someone who has done better, someone who, perhaps, he is intimidated by.
Spock is older, has the girl, has the post, and has, despite his emo leanings, a greater control of his actions than "my name is stupid out of control child who breaks cars for fun!" Maybe Kirk pulled the one person he felt he could trust, and depend on, out of thin air. Or ice.
So what about Spock's eventual meeting with the good Ambassador? As weak as it sounds, the power of suggestion could have something to do with it. Maybe the first symptoms of his buying into Kirk's delusions came when the ship "recognized" him; a very stressful time for the lad, what with his planet having just imploded and all. Maybe that was just the first symptom, and the rest goes downhill in his mind. Technically, Ambassador Spock did not seem to impact any other characters. Having his shuffle off to rebuild Vulcan seems a little convenient. Young Spock's life isn't impacted in any way that could suggest Ambassador Spock's presence. It would be odd if he quit Starfleet over a hallucination.
What of the information that Ambassador Spock provided to Scotty? The only possible explanation is that Kirk came up with the idea himself, which strikes me as a rather uncomfortable suggestion. I'm not sure how well Kirk does academically, exactly, but he doesn't strike me as exactly the straight A type. So, that is definitely a weak point. As is the newfangled technology of the ships.
Well, it's a silly little theory.
About a movie.
That, were I a trekkie, I would mentally strike from having anything to do with ST.
But I'm not.
Let me begin with the note that I am not exactly a trekkie. Granted, for the sake of the above mentioned mate, I've seen every movie, far too many TOS episodes (sorry, Shatner irritates me to no end, and the goodness of Nimoy just isn't enough to make up for it), and am patiently working my way through TNG with him. I've also attended an actual concert with a full orchestra playing musing from ST, with John de Lancie and Robert Picardo there. (I was quite entertained by the fact that Woolsey was present, but I don't think my mate heard me over his girlish squeeing.)
Having said this, I'm an English major, and I like to pick things apart. When we saw this new movie, I had some thoughts. Please bear with me in that to me, they're movies, and I don't remember the finer details of the ST universe.
This new movie did not seem to sit with the other ones. I've never been a fan of "alternate realities" (Red Dwarf, as much as I adore it, drives me nuts in that regard), and somehow this movie felt like cheating. So, having taken my cue from my dear fanboy, I started to debate whether or not it was "canon."
On the one hand, *these don't seem to be the same characters.* What the hell happened to Chekov, for example? And Uhura has such a calm grace to her that this woman seems to be lacking. Where's Spock's quiet dignified amusement? Why is he emo? And how did they manage to find someone I find even more obnoxious than Shatner? Why is this man trying to beat *everything up*?? Nope; not canon.
Except for the problem of Ambassador Spock showing things up and creating a snag, pulling this summer flick into the ST universe. So what do I do? What any other self respecting English major would do. He's a *metaphor!*
Of what? Good question.
However, one could theorize that Kirk, being stranded on an ice planet (The name escapes me. What, Hoth? That sounds familiar) is currently undergoing a wee bit of stress. The idea of madness first entered my mind when Pike was captured by Captain McEvilGreenyPants, who seemed quite off his rocker. And maybe he is? Maybe there *is* no time travel. Maybe this guy, who's been breathing a few too many drilling fumes, came up with this on his own. Maybe the idea got planted in poor little Kirk's mind, and, with the strain, our hero, if you will, allows his subconscious to present him with a guide. From the future. In the form of someone who, to him, seems far more in control of things than he is, someone who has done better, someone who, perhaps, he is intimidated by.
Spock is older, has the girl, has the post, and has, despite his emo leanings, a greater control of his actions than "my name is stupid out of control child who breaks cars for fun!" Maybe Kirk pulled the one person he felt he could trust, and depend on, out of thin air. Or ice.
So what about Spock's eventual meeting with the good Ambassador? As weak as it sounds, the power of suggestion could have something to do with it. Maybe the first symptoms of his buying into Kirk's delusions came when the ship "recognized" him; a very stressful time for the lad, what with his planet having just imploded and all. Maybe that was just the first symptom, and the rest goes downhill in his mind. Technically, Ambassador Spock did not seem to impact any other characters. Having his shuffle off to rebuild Vulcan seems a little convenient. Young Spock's life isn't impacted in any way that could suggest Ambassador Spock's presence. It would be odd if he quit Starfleet over a hallucination.
What of the information that Ambassador Spock provided to Scotty? The only possible explanation is that Kirk came up with the idea himself, which strikes me as a rather uncomfortable suggestion. I'm not sure how well Kirk does academically, exactly, but he doesn't strike me as exactly the straight A type. So, that is definitely a weak point. As is the newfangled technology of the ships.
Well, it's a silly little theory.
About a movie.
That, were I a trekkie, I would mentally strike from having anything to do with ST.
But I'm not.
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