New Characters Essential for Trek 09 Sequels

[urbandk]

With the "alternate reality," Orci, Kurtzman, and Abrams signalled a willingness to break with Star Trek series' continuity to great effect.

However, as long as there aren't compelling new characters among the "good guys" they will still be beholden to the typical story arc of 1. Ship/Crewmember/Earth in Danger 2. Daring ship/crew/Earth rescue against unlikely odds (or let someone "nonessential" like Amanda/Planet Vulcan die to up the drama ante) 3. Get ready for more of the same in the next movie.

As long as we have the same basic crew, we'll have the same basic parameters.

Former characters like Decker, Ilia, Saavik, and Valeris were mostly one-trick ponies. Saavik was the originally intended villain for TUC, but then the writers/producers got cold feet since she was a fan favorite. That was a big mistake.

Decker and Ilia had promise too, but they were sold out to the exigencies of the story. "Why not kill them off? No one will miss them in the next film."

Even killing Spock was a ploy, just a ruse that led into the two subsequent sequels.

This is not an argument to kill off cast members. Quite the opposite, it is an argument to invent new people and new scenarios that will be less predictable. New characters will make the character arcs of Kirk, Spock, McCoy and the rest less predictable and more rewarding.

New characters aren't just villains and love interests. I hope the writers and producers continue to display real audacity in future stories.

 

[Aike]

Decker and Ilia had promise too, but they were sold out to the exigencies of the story. "Why not kill them off? No one will miss them in the next film."

So true. No one did miss them.

 

[urbandk]

Decker and Ilia had promise too, but they were sold out to the exigencies of the story. "Why not kill them off? No one will miss them in the next film."

So true. No one did miss them.

no one made us care. other characters came and went. it's been noted many times in trek that the same crew remained beyond the limits of plausibility. in the later trek films, you had an entire bridge crew of lieutenant commanders, commanders, and captains.

in voyager, what, you had ensign kim for seven years?

i just think the writers should be willing to break all the rules with the characters. go wherever they want to tell a good story.

 

[Gaith]

As long as we have the same basic crew, we'll have the same basic parameters.

Very true.

This is not an argument to kill off cast members. Quite the opposite, it is an argument to invent new people and new scenarios that will be less predictable.

Well, I for one would like to see a regular cast member go in Trek XI. Anything less, I fear, would fall into the same predictable scenarios you cited, even if we did get character development/reasons to like them. In fact, that might make their demises more predictable. And besides, offing a regular would pay tribute to the TOS cast, acknowledging that they could never be truly replaced.

The question, then, is which to off. I loved Urban's Bones, but I'm not a die-hard fan of the character, and could let him go. Same for Chekhov, and while I'd certainly miss Scotty, he could also go.

As for replacements, in keeping with the diversity theme, isn't it time we got a prominent Hispanic cast member? (Torres only half-counts, imo, as her Klingon side was far more emphasized, at least to my recollection.) An Indian (as in India) or Middle Eastern woman could also be a great addition.

IMO, if none of the regular cast bites it in the next film, Spock Prime should at the very least. Maybe even both Spock Prime and a regular, not to be too X3 about it. (Certainly not advocating three deaths! )

Just my two cents.

 

[Quest_techie]

I like character driven stories.

unfortunately, that is not plausible with a star trek movie for SO many reasons.

 

[Jayson]

The thing we shouldn't forgot though is all the characters are new characters. Even old characters are new because we are seeing different versions of them. We aren't actually watching the exact same character he/she was in TOS. That's why you can bring in Gary Mitchell, for example and do all sorts of new things with him. Gary Mitchell isn't fated to have the same life as the Gary Mitchell we saw on TOS.

This goes the same for even the main TOS characters. Something we saw in the away Scotty seemed to have a worst career thrust on him in this new trekverse and Spock and Uhura have a romance. These characters will oviously have some similiaties to the versions we are familiar with but they in the end completely new people.

Jason

 

[dHunter333]

in star trek 11 bones said something like hand me the hypo spanner nurse chapell
although u did not see her, she is already there
i want to see her and rand
rand can finally hook up with kirk!
and she better look like that fine ass original rand...same hair and everything!