A couple of questions that I'm sure have already been addressed

[TrickyDickie]

The 1701 was Constitution-class. After the refit, it was Intrepid-class (after the first ship of that design).

No, after the refit, it was still a Constitution class vessel. Not sure where you got "Intrepid" from.

Somewhere....maybe Gene Roddenberry's novelization of TMP?....someone said that the Vulcans were responsible for the design changes of the refit and that the first ship of the redesign was a new Intrepid to replace the ship lost to the space-going amoeba. Thus the first ship of the design would set the class.

But being a novelization and not the movie itself it's not canon, is it?

 

[Dukhat]

Somewhere....maybe Gene Roddenberry's novelization of TMP?....someone said that the Vulcans were responsible for the design changes of the refit and that the first ship of the redesign was a new Intrepid to replace the ship lost to the space-going amoeba. Thus the first ship of the design would set the class.

But being a novelization and not the movie itself it's not canon, is it?

I vaguely remember something to this effect in one of the early Diane Duane Romulan novels, where the "Intrepid II" was described as being a TMP refit. But I don't recall it being the class name...

...and no, novels are not canon.

 

[F. King Daniel]

Ah! I remember now! It was "My Enemy, My Ally" (which, when re-released as part of "The Bloodwing Chronicles", had it's timeframe shifted up to post-TMP)

 

[Timo]

..Then there's Voyda McIntyre's habit of calling Kirk's TOS ship a "constellation-class" vessel, always with lowercase and non-italic "constellation". I guess different writers not only had different ideas on the name of the class, but also had different ideas on what a class name means.

The ship in the new movies might well be both starship-class and Constitution class, the two things describing different aspects of the ship's identity. But the bit about her being a "Constitution" is still a tad less canonical than the bit about her being a "starship"; the latter term was theoretically seen (although not in focus) in the movie, while the former either is backstage stuff only, or was glimpsed on a graphic we haven't spotted so far.

Timo Saloniemi

 

[Dukhat]

The ship in the new movies might well be both starship-class and Constitution class, the two things describing different aspects of the ship's identity. But the bit about her being a "Constitution" is still a tad less canonical than the bit about her being a "starship"; the latter term was theoretically seen (although not in focus) in the movie, while the former either is backstage stuff only, or was glimpsed on a graphic we haven't spotted so far.

I would personally like to think that the TOS Constitution class vessels still exist in the Abramsverse, just that the Enterprise is no longer one of them. Of course it's entirely possible that after Nero's incursion, Starfleet scrapped the Connie design plans altogether in favor of a new monster ship. Whether they plan to call it a Constitution class ship (albeit a radically different design from TOS), or another class entirely remains to be seen.

 

[TrickyDickie]

Yes, that 'constellation' business with Vonda was a minor annoyance.

 

[Timo]

It's just the next hierarchial level in the naming scheme. Obviously, when you put together all the Star Ship classes, you get a Constellation of them.

Timo Saloniemi

 

[T'Cal]

In the current Batman franchise, Gordon was a patrol sergeant in the flashback scenes where Bruce's parents were killed, a detective in the present, and a Lieutenant at the end of the first film. Then in the second film, some time into it, he was promoted to commissioner. I really liked how they had that character progress over time. The 3-year Cadet-to-Captain was one of the weakest parts in what was over all a very good - not great - movie. I would've preferred it if Kirk was made Lt at the end of the first film, by the end of the second film he was Pike's XO, and by the end of the third he was Captain.

 

[Gojira]

In the current Batman franchise, Gordon was a patrol sergeant in the flashback scenes where Bruce's parents were killed, a detective in the present, and a Lieutenant at the end of the first film. Then in the second film, some time into it, he was promoted to commissioner. I really liked how they had that character progress over time. The 3-year Cadet-to-Captain was one of the weakest parts in what was over all a very good - not great - movie. I would've preferred it if Kirk was made Lt at the end of the first film, by the end of the second film he was Pike's XO, and by the end of the third he was Captain.

I have no problem with Kirk becoming Captain at the end. Sometimes you just have to say to heck with reality and just go with the flow in these types of movies.

I think one of the major flaws in the Star Wars prequels (which I do like) is that they drag out over three films having Anakin turn into Darth Vader.

So I think waiting for 3 movies to make Kirk Captain just to please a few fanboys is going too far.

 

[Dukhat]

In the current Batman franchise, Gordon was a patrol sergeant in the flashback scenes where Bruce's parents were killed, a detective in the present, and a Lieutenant at the end of the first film. Then in the second film, some time into it, he was promoted to commissioner. I really liked how they had that character progress over time. The 3-year Cadet-to-Captain was one of the weakest parts in what was over all a very good - not great - movie. I would've preferred it if Kirk was made Lt at the end of the first film, by the end of the second film he was Pike's XO, and by the end of the third he was Captain.

I loved the movie, but even I agree that this was an extremely awkward segue. All they had to do was make a "Five Years Later" caption, and instead of showing Cadet Kirk assume command, show a five-year-older Kirk. It would have completely substantiated Pike's earlier comment about Kirk getting command eight years after graduating. The only way this scene really makes sense is if Pike is just allowing Kirk to acting-command the ship until his convalescence is over as a favor to Kirk.

 

[F. King Daniel]

I think if they'd kept in the stuff from the early script and novelization about Kirk already being a lieutenant at the time (as was Uhura in STXI, cadet Saavik in STII, and Kirk at the academy in TOS), it would have been easier to swallow.

 

[FarStrider]

I think if they'd kept in the stuff from the early script and novelization about Kirk already being a lieutenant at the time (as was Uhura in STXI, cadet Saavik in STII, and Kirk at the academy in TOS), it would have been easier to swallow.

Kirk's rank is seen on screen as a lieutenant during the space jump.

~FS

 

[Therin of Andor]

I think one of the major flaws in the Star Wars prequels (which I do like) is that they drag out over three films having Anakin turn into Darth Vader.

And it's not what Lucas originally promised. I recall him saying in "Starlog" and elsewhere after "Jedi" was released that the first two prequels would be set decades or more earlier, with the rise of young Darth Vader kept for the third film in that trilogy.

 

[F. King Daniel]

I think if they'd kept in the stuff from the early script and novelization about Kirk already being a lieutenant at the time (as was Uhura in STXI, cadet Saavik in STII, and Kirk at the academy in TOS), it would have been easier to swallow.

Kirk's rank is seen on screen as a lieutenant during the space jump.

~FS

I know. But, IMO, when you need to freeze-frame to see it....

 

[Set Harth]

I think one of the major flaws in the Star Wars prequels (which I do like) is that they drag out over three films having Anakin turn into Darth Vader.

And it's not what Lucas originally promised. I recall him saying in "Starlog" and elsewhere after "Jedi" was released that the first two prequels would be set decades or more earlier, with the rise of young Darth Vader kept for the third film in that trilogy.

I know, right? Why couldn't Lucas have set the first prequel decades before the OT, and kept Darth Vader for the third film? Damn him!