Star Trek III: Would you have offered a hand to Kruge on the ledge?

[Penhall99]

Probably been discussed a million times, but I'm gonna ask again: I love Trek III and feel that it is criminally under-rated (like Star Trek V), but that scene always kinda bugged me. Kirk offering his hand to Kruge felt so TNG to me...lol.

Kruge was responsible for murdering Kirk's son, not to mention the destruction of the Enterprise.

I understand why they had Kirk offer to help him up from the ledge, so he didn't look cold-blooded, but I at least wish Kirk would have hesitated for a moment. Instead he offered his hand immediately....

So what would YOU have done in Kirk's position?

Honestly, if Kruge had murdered one of my loved ones, I would have kicked him over the ledge without a second thought...

 

[Myasishchev]

Re: Star Trek III: Would you have offered a hand to Kruge on the ledge

Only so far as the Klingon commander's information and person are valuable to me.

 

[EJA]

Re: Star Trek III: Would you have offered a hand to Kruge on the ledge

I've always thought that Kruge was one of the most evil, disgusting pieces of scum in the history of Star Trek. He and all those that stood with him deserve to stew in Gre'thor forever. So I honestly can't see myself trying to help him.

 

[Tomalak]

Re: Star Trek III: Would you have offered a hand to Kruge on the ledge

He wasn't evil, he was doing his job. The Federation were developing a superweapon to use against Klingon planets, and he had a duty to stop them.

 

[TeutonicNights]

Re: Star Trek III: Would you have offered a hand to Kruge on the ledge

He only got angry after Kirk killed his reptile.

 

[JarodRussell]

Re: Star Trek III: Would you have offered a hand to Kruge on the ledge

Kirk offering his hand to Kruge felt so TNG to me...lol.

What the hell does that mean anyway?

First, TNG was way after TSFS, and second: showing merci for others no matter what has always been part of Star Trek. Kirk is not an executioner. At least the original Kirk wasn't.

 

[BriGuy]

Re: Star Trek III: Would you have offered a hand to Kruge on the ledge

Of course, after offering him his hand, he kicked him in the head many times and sent him plummeting to his death.

Perfectly in keeping with "We come in peace - shoot to kill shoot to kill."

 

[JarodRussell]

Re: Star Trek III: Would you have offered a hand to Kruge on the ledge

Of course, after offering him his hand, he kicked him in the head many times and sent him plummeting to his death.

Perfectly in keeping with "We come in peace - shoot to kill shoot to kill."

Kirk offered his hand, and Kruge thanked him by grabbing his leg and trying to drag him off the cliff. So in the end it was self defense. No matter how Kirk had gotten rid of Kruge's grip on his leg (he could have chosen the arm, not the face, for example), Kruge would have fallen into the lava.

 

[Shatmandu]

Re: Star Trek III: Would you have offered a hand to Kruge on the ledge

Honestly, if Kruge had murdered one of my loved ones, I would have kicked him over the ledge without a second thought...

Then how are you any better than Kruge?

He killed based on fear, you killed based on revenge.

Joe, lively

 

[Joker]

Re: Star Trek III: Would you have offered a hand to Kruge on the ledge

He wasn't evil, he was doing his job. The Federation were developing a superweapon to use against Klingon planets, and he had a duty to stop them.

Kruge was an unmemorable eeevil cardboard villain who was set up to do little other than die at the hands of Kirk.

What's to save?

 

[JarodRussell]

Re: Star Trek III: Would you have offered a hand to Kruge on the ledge

He wasn't evil, he was doing his job. The Federation were developing a superweapon to use against Klingon planets, and he had a duty to stop them.

Kruge was an unmemorable eeevil cardboard villain who was set up to do little other than die at the hands of Kirk.

What's to save?

So unmemorable that he's mentioned all the time here?

 

[sbk1234]

Re: Star Trek III: Would you have offered a hand to Kruge on the ledge

If I felt Kruge was the only way to get off of a crumbling planet and I still needed him, then yes, I would have offered my hand. However, if I didn't need him for my survival, then I would have gladly let him plumet.
The difference between me and Kruge then? Kruge started the fight. I finished it.

 

[Penhall99]

Re: Star Trek III: Would you have offered a hand to Kruge on the ledge

Kirk offering his hand to Kruge felt so TNG to me...lol.

What the hell does that mean anyway?

First, TNG was way after TSFS, and second: showing merci for others no matter what has always been part of Star Trek. Kirk is not an executioner. At least the original Kirk wasn't.

Relax. I love TNG. Its may second fav Trek series (behind TOS) and I'm well aware of the fact that TSFS was made before that. I meant that TNG was always more politically correct, more about the Prime Directive and by the book and all that stuff compared to TOS. Thats what I was getting at. So no need to get so upset.

Honestly, if Kruge had murdered one of my loved ones, I would have kicked him over the ledge without a second thought...

Then how are you any better than Kruge?

He killed based on fear, you killed based on revenge.

Joe, lively

Perhaps, but if the man (or Klingon) responsible for murdering my loved one (I don't have a kid, but I imagine if I did they would mean the world to me) were hanging on a ledge after a brutal fight, I don't think I could offer my hand to help him. If that makes me a monster, then so be it.

 

[Joker]

Re: Star Trek III: Would you have offered a hand to Kruge on the ledge

He wasn't evil, he was doing his job. The Federation were developing a superweapon to use against Klingon planets, and he had a duty to stop them.

Kruge was an unmemorable eeevil cardboard villain who was set up to do little other than die at the hands of Kirk.

What's to save?

So unmemorable that he's mentioned all the time here?

It's a Star Trek message board, genius. Not only is he not "mentioned all the time here", but even if he were, it would be the fact that he was in a Star Trek movie, and not because he was such a well-written and memorable character.

Nemesis is mentioned more often than Kruge. It's not because it was such a high quality production.

 

[Timewalker]

Re: Star Trek III: Would you have offered a hand to Kruge on the ledge

Probably been discussed a million times, but I'm gonna ask again: I love Trek III and feel that it is criminally under-rated (like Star Trek V), but that scene always kinda bugged me. Kirk offering his hand to Kruge felt so TNG to me...lol.

Kruge was responsible for murdering Kirk's son, not to mention the destruction of the Enterprise.

I understand why they had Kirk offer to help him up from the ledge, so he didn't look cold-blooded, but I at least wish Kirk would have hesitated for a moment. Instead he offered his hand immediately....

So what would YOU have done in Kirk's position?

Honestly, if Kruge had murdered one of my loved ones, I would have kicked him over the ledge without a second thought...

Klingons rant about "honor" - but Kirk showed far more honor in that simple act of mercy he offered Kruge. When Kruge proved he was unworthy of that mercy (and honor), Kirk had every justification to save himself.

BTW, Kruge was not responsible for the Enterprise's destruction - Kirk was.

As for me, I would probably not have been as honorable as Kirk. If anybody killed one of my loved ones, I would do everything I could to mete out justice.

 

[Jbarney]

Re: Star Trek III: Would you have offered a hand to Kruge on the ledge

It never bugged me that Kirk offered his hand to Kruge. Probably wanted to kick his ass a little more.

 

[Chrisisall]

Re: Star Trek III: Would you have offered a hand to Kruge on the ledge

So what would YOU have done in Kirk's position?

If I were Kirk, I would have offered my hand because:
1) I am an officer of the Federation FIRST, and an emotional father second.
2) Falling to his death was too easy, I'd wanna beat on him some more, then use him to get Spock & me off Genesis.




Edit: Jbarney, we think alike, heh heh.

 

[Penhall99]

Re: Star Trek III: Would you have offered a hand to Kruge on the ledge

BTW, Kruge was not responsible for the Enterprise's destruction - Kirk was.

True, but Kirk wouldn't have had to destroy the Enterprise if Kruge hadn't attacked them, taken hostages, and had his crew board the ship.

 

[Nerdius Maximus]

Re: Star Trek III: Would you have offered a hand to Kruge on the ledge

No way. The hero extending a hand to a dangling villain is such a tired cliche', anyway. It had been done to death even by that point.

 

[JarodRussell]

Re: Star Trek III: Would you have offered a hand to Kruge on the ledge

No way. The hero extending a hand to a dangling villain is such a tired cliche', anyway. It had been done to death even by that point.

It might be a cliche, yes. But at the moment, I can't think of other heroes doing that. Who else did that?