George Johnny

[Tyberius]

In the deleted scene we found that the kid which young Kirk passes on the road was originally to be his brother George. In the DVD and theatrical release it was changed to Johnny.

What was gained by having the name of the kid be Johnny versus having the name of the kid be George?

Should the name have been George and have speculation as to parentage and relationships been left out in the open?

What does this leave for the actor who played Johnny? As it stands, it would be a bit incongruous for him to play a younger version of George in the future Trek movies. Also, for the walking scene in the deleted scenes, there is a nice little bit where the "George" character talks about Kirk. This could have been used in the future films in a flashback.

Maybe TPTB/TIIC could pull a Han shot first and redub the name of the dusty road walking kid to George?

 

[Jeri]

I think it had to do with the Kelvin birth scene. They wanted Kirk to be unique or at least first.

 

[The Wormhole]

My theory is that test audiences felt that George Sr.'s sacrifice was less meaningful if he was just sacrificing his life for his newborn son as opposed to his firstborn son. And George Jr. became some dude named Johnny.

 

[shadowedgalaxy]

I always thought it was his friend.

 

[arch101]

I always thought Kirk's brother's name was Sam.

 

[Nerys Myk]

George Samuel Kirk, jr. Kirk's the only one who calls calls him "Sam"

 

[urbandk]

I think it just lifts a restriction on future use of the Sam Kirk character. If he's ever used again, he doesn't have to have run away from home. Of course I see no harm in having that be part of his story, but who knows.

 

[Sector 7]

As a Trek fan who knows the long history of George Kirk, Jr. a.k.a. Sam, I would like to see the deleted scene left in. I also understand why they left him out, but it would have been a nice nod to fans if he had called him Sam or George. Non-fans/new fans would not care either way, but we would have understood.

On the other hand, JJ and Company gave the fans so many Easter eggs that we really have nothing to complain about.

On the third hand, we are Trek fans; therefore, we shall complain anyway.

 

[Voyagerian]

Maybe this George Samuel will escpae the fate Jim's brother did not in TOS. We may never know, but I'd fanfic he does. There are some real advatages to this particular Trekverse, when you think about it...

 

[TEACAKE'S PLEATHER DOME]

As a Trek fan who knows the long history of George Kirk, Jr. a.k.a. Sam, I would like to see the deleted scene left in. I also understand why they left him out, but it would have been a nice nod to fans if he had called him Sam or George. Non-fans/new fans would not care either way, but we would have understood.

On the other hand, JJ and Company gave the fans so many Easter eggs that we really have nothing to complain about.

On the third hand, we are Trek fans; therefore, we shall complain anyway.

You are very wise.

What we would deeply appreciate does not always make for good film. But we want it anyway.

 

[The Wormhole]

On the other hand, JJ and Company gave the fans so many Easter eggs that we really have nothing to complain about.

Or rather, we have zero to complain about...

 

[Yeoman Randi]

As a Trek fan who knows the long history of George Kirk, Jr. a.k.a. Sam, I would like to see the deleted scene left in. I also understand why they left him out, but it would have been a nice nod to fans if he had called him Sam or George. Non-fans/new fans would not care either way, but we would have understood.

On the other hand, JJ and Company gave the fans so many Easter eggs that we really have nothing to complain about.

On the third hand, we are Trek fans; therefore, we shall complain anyway.

^^ True dat.
I would have prefered it left in. The stealing the car and letting it drop into the great abyss makes more sense...and fleshes out the character a little bit more.

 

[Tyberius]

For pacing, I think it was better to have the first glimpse of Kirk as a boy be of him busting out with the car. I agree with the cut.

I don't agree with calling the kid on the side of the road Johnny (or whatever Kirk called him). The average moviegoer is not going to care one way or the other and the Fans would think that it is cool that the kid on the side of the road might be Kirk's older brother.