Why are the cadets in Iowa?

[plynch]

I'm JUST ASKING, not nitpicking. Is it in the movie, or elsewhere (including books, interviews) why Uhura and fellow caadets are in Iowa??

Maybe it's in the movie and I missed it, but I don't think so.

If you don't know, that's ok. I can speculate for myself. But if anyone actually knows, I appreciate it!

 

[barnaclelapse]

Cow-tipping?

 

[Peter the Younger]

It's not specified in the movie, but it's reasonable to assume it was "field work" for cadets, presumably during the summer semester before they enter their second year. "Spend your summer learning about a real starship under construction," that sort of thing.

 

[Creedence]

It's not specified in the movie, but it's reasonable to assume it was "field work" for cadets, presumably during the summer semester before they enter their second year. "Spend your summer learning about a real starship under construction," that sort of thing.

A plausible explanation. Personally, I would find it quite interesting to see a starship build built. Imagine inscribing 'Kirk was here' on a support beam behind the bridge capsule.

 

[SonicRanger]

Yeah, it is a field trip to inspect a ship under construction at the Riverside Shipyards.

They didn't seem to be there very long, so I doubt it was all summer. Also a shuttle taking recruits back to San Francisco left the very next day. Perhaps they combined a tour of the Enterprise under construction with some sort of a recruiting drive in Iowa, during which they signed up McCoy too.

 

[Peter the Younger]

Yeah, it is a field trip to inspect a ship under construction at the Riverside Shipyards.

They didn't seem to be there very long, so I doubt it was all summer. Also a shuttle taking recruits back to San Francisco left the very next day. Perhaps they combined a tour of the Enterprise under construction with some sort of a recruiting drive in Iowa, during which they signed up McCoy too.

True, maybe something more like a week or two, that would fit with most of the summer research trips we did when I was an undergrad.

 

[davejames]

Well I think it's reasonable to assume that Starfleet has more in Iowa than just the shipyards. Most likely they have training and military bases spread throughout the country, just like we do today.

 

[Jeri]

Since the academy shuttle was parked and took off at the shipyard, I'd assume it was a nuts-and-bolts academic unit. They've probably got some dormitories close by, as facilities were seen in the background of the outdoor bar shot.

 

[Jeyl]

Because the plot needed them to be.

 

[Jeri]

However, I did get the impression that it was Uhura driving up to the bar parking lot in that scene, in her own ground car. So maybe they were stationed there long enough to bring a ground car. Or maybe anybody can check out a ground car, like a bicycle. But I just imagine Uhura with a nice ride.

 

[CorporalClegg]

But why Iowa? Yeah I get it, Kirk is there, but they could have changed things to put him in San Francisco or something.

It's just ... IOWA!

I guess J.J. and CO have never been.

 

[trampledamage]

But why Iowa? Yeah I get it, Kirk is there, but they could have changed things to put him in San Francisco or something.

It's just ... IOWA!

I guess J.J. and CO have never been.

Somewhere flat and empty sounds like the perfect place for a shipyard for spaceships. *sigh* If only they'd chosen Saskatchewan


(okay, I've never been to Iowa either - it is flat isn't it?)

 

[RapidNadion]

I imagine the 23rd-century planet Earth is significantly "smaller" than the planet we live on today. There are transporters and obviously a glut of shuttles all over the place. You might even be able to rent a shuttle for a day as a civilian, ala Zipcar.

Remember Sisko in DS9 once admitted that he was so homesick in his first year at the Academy, he used "transporter credits" to beam home to New Orleans every night for dinner.

So I don't think it matters whether the shipyard is in Iowa, San Fran, Tokyo, or Moscow -- if the cadets need training, they'll come out for a field day or week. Also ... maybe that dive bar is just a real popular after-class destination. I know a few of those, myself, and some are a bit out of the way. But they're worth it.

 

[Jeri]

Beware a ship-built-on-earth tangent; I hope M'Sharak bought rabid insurance in the interim.

 

[davejames]

But why Iowa? Yeah I get it, Kirk is there, but they could have changed things to put him in San Francisco or something.

It's just ... IOWA!

I guess J.J. and CO have never been.

Frankly I found it refreshing to finally see another part of the country in Trek besides just SF.

I mean, I love the place, but come on.

 

[Therin of Andor]

So I don't think it matters whether the shipyard is in Iowa, San Fran, Tokyo, or Moscow -- if the cadets need training, they'll come out for a field day or week. Also ... maybe that dive bar is just a real popular after-class destination. I know a few of those, myself, and some are a bit out of the way. But they're worth it.

It also adds a layer. Gillian Taylor assumed Kirk was a "farm boy" because he came from Iowa, but maybe he'd come from there because his Dad was involved in starship construction.

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

Because the plot needed them to be.

Same reason the Enterprise was always the nearest ship to whatever big deal was happening in TOS, then.

 

[CorporalClegg]

But why Iowa? Yeah I get it, Kirk is there, but they could have changed things to put him in San Francisco or something.

It's just ... IOWA!

I guess J.J. and CO have never been.

Somewhere flat and empty sounds like the perfect place for a shipyard for spaceships. *sigh* If only they'd chosen Saskatchewan


(okay, I've never been to Iowa either - it is flat isn't it?)

Yes it is flat. Really flat.

But it's so far away from anything. There are plenty of flat places with more civilization around them.

Plus, Iowans are just

 

[Chindogu]

But why Iowa? Yeah I get it, Kirk is there, but they could have changed things to put him in San Francisco or something.

It's just ... IOWA!

I guess J.J. and CO have never been.

The Enterprise was built in Iowa as a tribute to George Kirk (since he was from there) and the sacrifice he made to save those fleeing the Kelvin. This also gives extra relevance to Jim Kirk as he looked upon her the evening before joining Starfleet. He wasn't just looking at his future (service on the Enterprise) but also the past (his father).

Or maybe not.

 

[Mereope]

I suppose because if the shipyard had a really bad "industrial accident", they could leave a crater in Iowa that was a mile across...

And no one would notice.