Why was Ensign Chekov, the ship's navigator, assigned to oversee Engineering? Surely there would be numerous Lieutenants with more experience and specific training to cover in Scotty's absence.
Redshirt Chekov
- Thread starter Bry_Sinclair
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He'd been learning under Scotty for a few months according to the dialogue, IIRC. That made him best for knowing the Enterprise's heavily modified engine configuration, which Scotty mentions to Keenser in the club in San Francisco.
Also, it's Chekov. They're gonna use a member of the main cast over a random nobody any day.
Also, it's Chekov. They're gonna use a member of the main cast over a random nobody any day.
Plus it made a nice double in-joke: Not only does poor Chekov (and the audience!) have to worry about him meeting the fate of a typical redshirt, but in the Prime Universe (at least according to the novels) Chekov was a redshirt working down in Engineering when the original Khan came aboard the Enterprise, and he apparently put up enough of a fight when the Augments took over to earn Khan's notice. "I never forget a face..."
Not quite. He was a security officer who fought against Khan in engineering.
Real world - They're going to use a member of the main cast over some no name. As mentioned above.
In universe - Kirk knew Chekov better than any one currently on staff in engineering and wanted someone he actually knew in Engineering during a critical mission. There's no evidence the assignment would've been permanent if Scotty hadn't come back.
In universe - Kirk knew Chekov better than any one currently on staff in engineering and wanted someone he actually knew in Engineering during a critical mission. There's no evidence the assignment would've been permanent if Scotty hadn't come back.
Both true, but especially the bolded text. Standard filmmaking 101.
Good Question.
Is this actually cannon or is this a fan theory? I don't recall dialog explicitly stating Chekov was a security officer at the time of Space Seed, but I could very well be wrong.
Says 'novels' right in the post you quoted, so not cannon. Above fan theory, but it's definitely not set in stone.
But since the actor wasn't hired onto Star Trek yet when Space Seed aired, and yet Khan recognizes him, "in-universe" he had to be on the ship somewhere and just not promoted up to bridge duty...
But since the actor wasn't hired onto Star Trek yet when Space Seed aired, and yet Khan recognizes him, "in-universe" he had to be on the ship somewhere and just not promoted up to bridge duty...
So what's the rest of the Engineering staff been doing? Hiding out in the staff room playing cards and drinking coffee whilst Scotty, Keenser and occassionally Chekov do all the work?
I get that it's a cheap cop out, rather than pay an extra to say lines give it to one of the "main" characters, but still seems very impractical, as it then leaves the ship without its whizkid Navigator, so an extra has to be drafted in to cover that post.
If I have to use a person that I personally trust to do either job, I'm going to put that person in Engineering. It's really that simple.
Not really. See the post above yours.
But Chekov covered for Spock in TOS, despite not being part of the science divison. What were Spock's blueshirts doing then? Or in TAS when Arex covered when Spock was away?
...or even TNG, when helmsman LaForge was suddenly the best man to take over engineering in season two? Were Argyle's people really that useless?
Yeah they were. Wesley was usually better than them.
True. And it makes you wonder how much hate Wesley got from all the ther pilots on the Enterprise when he took over the helm when LaForge became engineer."You guys went to the acadmey and worked your asses off to get here? Well, my Mom's the doctor and the captain likes me!"
The strange thing is, this feeds into the idea mentioned in this old thread I posted months ago that the stand-in chief engineer should have been a woman and not Chekov (of course, I don't agree with the person who suggested that.)
People tend to forget its a movie. They aren't going to waste valuable screen time on a new/one off character and have a regular sit on the sidelines.
As usual, you hit the nail right on the head.
From a narrative point of view, having Chekov in Engineering makes sense. It gives him a bigger role and focus and showcases more of his skills. Having a one-off role for the position of Chief Engineer is a mistake as the character will be quickly cast aside. Unless Scotty is replaced permanently, it only makes sense to have a main cast member fill in.
Scotty himself was assigned to the Enterprise over any one of the possible replacements for Olson. I wonder why Spock didn't assign someone as chief engineer immediately after the Vulcan incident?
Besides, I wonder how helmsmen McKenna and Lieutenant Hawkins felt in Star Trek 2009 when they were permanently replaced on the Enterprise by Sulu and Uhura, respectively?
