The Kelvinverse seems like a universe that encourages role swaps of its characters, placing them in differnet role than their prime counterparts.
In Into Darkness, these came in the form of Kirk sacrificing himself, and later being resurrected. And the much-maligned Khan scream from Spock. The TWOK-ization that has defined that movie, perhaps unfairly, since it’s more of a retelling of “Space Seed”. However, the genie is out of the bottle. The role swap happened and opened the door to more role swaps with iconic lines, characters and set pieces. And as it was the most financially successful, it's worth exploring, particular in relation to the more mainstream event from TOS. There are a lot of unanswered questions.
Kirk and Spock
As the two main characters, who have been a part of many iconic moments across Star Trek, how far does role swapping go?
Did Kirk have his own Galileo 7? Did Kirk communicate with a Horta? Does Kirk briefly fall for a female Klingon commander, and then go on to be Ambassador to Qo’noS and help with a Klingon underground movement to bring peace between the Klingons and the Federation? Or have proteges to takes under his wings, with one of whom disappointing him?
With Spock, who his Carol Marcus? If not Uhura, then is Leila Kalomi? If he does have an equivalent, does he have a son or daughter with her? Or someone from Vulcan’s primitive past (i.e. Time of Awakening) join him in the future, maybe the Vulcan equivalent of Edith Keeler?
Going beyond that, does Spock have a “double dumbass on you” in him? Does Spock have trouble with Tribbles? Did he fight a Gorn in hand-to-hand combat on Cestus III? Did he get attacked by a salt vampire? Talks a machine to death? His death faked in place of Kirk during the kal-if-fee or similar melee combat. Does he grow attached to the Enterprise? While Kirk is emotionally detached to the Enterprise?
And extending this to their siblings...instead of succumbing to flying parasites on Deneva, did Sam Kirk become a cult leader? While Sybok bites the dust on Nimbus? Does Kirk have a secret sibling he does not talk about?
Discussion of their parents are further down the post.
McCoy and Uhura
Uhura replaces Bones in the Big 3 dynamic. That’s been the case for the Kelvin trilogy, and all that’s missing is Uhura taking McCoy’s place in the camping trip. And while the Spock-Bones antagonistic dynamic remains, it’s made Uhura a love interest for Spock. Uhura is quite capable of being more. Does Uhura carry Spock’s katra, either Kelvin or Prime? Does Uhura go on trial with Spock in an alien courtroom, after a costly failing in her discipline? Or jury rigs a torpedo with Kirk (she showed her technical knowhow in TOS)? Does Uhura send off the Kelvinverse Ent-D?
Does McCoy have to flip through a medical text to find some outdated medical technique? McCoy captain’s a medical ship after the crew retires? Is McCoy as loyal in the Kelvinverse to Kirk if a cult leader like Sybok takes over the ship? Or is it Uhura this time.
Klingons and Romulans
There’s always been a definitive antagonist for every Trek film series. TOS films had Klingons, TNG films had Borg (both implicit in GEN and INS and depicted in FC). Kelvinverse seems to have the Romulans. Even though Krall’s demeanor is parallel to the Klingons in DIS (and may have even inspired that particular take in DIS), the backstory of Krall involved fighting Romulans when he was a part of the United Earth military, and embittered in making peace with them. Much like Nero, Romulans from a different time period and from the Prime universe. Maybe the Klingons ships, as seen in the Kobayashi Maru program, are more synonymous with Romulans in this timeline.
If there is a continuation from BEY, are Romulans the main antagonist, with Klingons secondary?
Vulcan and Andoria
The set up is there to show Andoria’s influence over the Federation with the Vulcans diminished. It just need sfollow through. Even if its through an increased presence in Andorian proteges, lieutenants/commanders, and ambassadors. And an Andorian crewed Connie (ex. USS Eagle/Atlirith). The impact of the Andorian-Aenar dynamic on the Federation would be interesting to see depicted. Simultaneously more militant, but also possibly more pacifist? Leading to a polarized Federation.
Jaylah and…Ilia? Scotty and...Will Decker?
Jaylah's placement on the BEY poster, which was a homage to TMP, opens the door to that interpretation. And Jaylah does not need to be absorbed by V’Ger; in an early draft of TMP, Ilia wasn’t either. It would mean that Jaylah would return as a Lieutenant, her time in the Academy long completed, as the navigator of the Enterprise.
And due her close connection to Scotty, that makes Scotty Will Decker. At the very least, it does open up to Scotty finally in the center seat on the Enterprise. It’s surprising he hasn’t already in the Kelvinverse, considering how often that occurred in TOS.
George Kirk and Sarek?
The Kirks become more prominent in the Kelvinverse if George Kirk is around. Though that requires a return. Maybe a quantum shift in the reality that allows for his return if Kirk, Spock, McCoy and Uhura end up in/return to a parallel alternate reality, or pass through an interphasic rift a la “Mirror, Mirror” and “The Tholian Web”. It sounds better than being stuck in a transporter buffer on the Kelvin that was once pitched, and might give an answer to the Chekov question too if he’s just not there in that universe.
How would Kirk take it if his father literally walked back into his life with no warning, possibly ranked as admiral, considering the growth into a leader he’s had in his absence?
I’m not sure what would be the Vulcan equivalent to Uncle Frank, if Amanada Grayson were to be both resurrected and widowed. And how that would impact Spock?
Demora Sulu and David Kirk and…Peter Preston?
Demora’s already been seen in BEY. It stands to reason that an older Demora would be seen again, by her father’s side, serving in Starfleet. How would Sulu react if the unthinkable happens and she dies? Maybe we see shirtless Hikaru Sulu?
Maybe David Kirk gets a chance to be in Starfleet this time? Or Peter Preston does not get killed, especially since Khan is resting easy as a popsicle.
Carol Marcus and David Kirk
Of all of Carol Marcus's family that we’ve seen onscreen, in either universe, she’s the only one that has not bit it yet. Her son, her father, even Kirk (in both universes!).
Khan’s Blood and …Genesis
Since Kirk was resurrected by Khan’s blood, much like Spock was resurrected through the Genesis Planet…is there a point to creating Genesis if the dead can be resurrected through Augment blood? You are just left with a fancy, and very devastating, protomatter bomb.
And while the Klingons might not pursue Khan’s blood, unless maybe if they suffered a dishonourable death. Maybe the Romulans would?
Debatably, red matter is the stand in for Genesis. But like thaleron in NEM, it mainly destroys rather than create. Whereas Khan’s blood is a creation tool, like Genesis.
Pike and…Vina?
Vina, as well as the Talosians, did not get their moment like Pike did. In the Kelvinverse, Pike was not in a beeping wheelchair, and did not stay in a wheelchair for long. That opens the possibility that maybe Vina is not that damaged in the Kelvinverse either, and the Talosians don’t have a need for the illusion for her. As Pike was a mentor to Kirk, who would Vina and the Talosians mentor?
Enterprise and …Excelsior
That was always the original intent with the Ent-A in the TOS films, before fan outcry. And the they made the Ent-B an Excelsior class anyways. Maybe refitting the Ent-A into an Kelvinverse Excelsior class design would make sense a decade removed from BEY.
T’Pau and T’Pol
Worth considering. Since T’Pol has a habit in appearing in the timey wimey wibbly wobbly stuff in Trek (ENT and LD), which also happens to be the foundation of the Kelvinverse. And T'Pol was originally supposed to be T'Pau anyways in ENT. T’Pol being the MC of the kal-if-fee, being a Federation Supreme Court Justice or some other cameo in place of T'Pau would be interesting to see.
TOS and TNG/Picard
Maybe Picard in the Kelvinverse is brought/displaced to the Kelvinverse past, like Scotty in the prime universe was brought into the world of TNG. Maybe it through the Nexus (it has to exist in the Kelvinverse too, right?). Maybe, along the veins of “Yesterday’s Enterprise”, Picard in the Kelvinverse has to go back, face his future as Locutus, and showdown with Shinzon.
Are there any I forgot about?
In Into Darkness, these came in the form of Kirk sacrificing himself, and later being resurrected. And the much-maligned Khan scream from Spock. The TWOK-ization that has defined that movie, perhaps unfairly, since it’s more of a retelling of “Space Seed”. However, the genie is out of the bottle. The role swap happened and opened the door to more role swaps with iconic lines, characters and set pieces. And as it was the most financially successful, it's worth exploring, particular in relation to the more mainstream event from TOS. There are a lot of unanswered questions.
Kirk and Spock
As the two main characters, who have been a part of many iconic moments across Star Trek, how far does role swapping go?
Did Kirk have his own Galileo 7? Did Kirk communicate with a Horta? Does Kirk briefly fall for a female Klingon commander, and then go on to be Ambassador to Qo’noS and help with a Klingon underground movement to bring peace between the Klingons and the Federation? Or have proteges to takes under his wings, with one of whom disappointing him?
With Spock, who his Carol Marcus? If not Uhura, then is Leila Kalomi? If he does have an equivalent, does he have a son or daughter with her? Or someone from Vulcan’s primitive past (i.e. Time of Awakening) join him in the future, maybe the Vulcan equivalent of Edith Keeler?
Going beyond that, does Spock have a “double dumbass on you” in him? Does Spock have trouble with Tribbles? Did he fight a Gorn in hand-to-hand combat on Cestus III? Did he get attacked by a salt vampire? Talks a machine to death? His death faked in place of Kirk during the kal-if-fee or similar melee combat. Does he grow attached to the Enterprise? While Kirk is emotionally detached to the Enterprise?
And extending this to their siblings...instead of succumbing to flying parasites on Deneva, did Sam Kirk become a cult leader? While Sybok bites the dust on Nimbus? Does Kirk have a secret sibling he does not talk about?
Discussion of their parents are further down the post.
McCoy and Uhura
Uhura replaces Bones in the Big 3 dynamic. That’s been the case for the Kelvin trilogy, and all that’s missing is Uhura taking McCoy’s place in the camping trip. And while the Spock-Bones antagonistic dynamic remains, it’s made Uhura a love interest for Spock. Uhura is quite capable of being more. Does Uhura carry Spock’s katra, either Kelvin or Prime? Does Uhura go on trial with Spock in an alien courtroom, after a costly failing in her discipline? Or jury rigs a torpedo with Kirk (she showed her technical knowhow in TOS)? Does Uhura send off the Kelvinverse Ent-D?
Does McCoy have to flip through a medical text to find some outdated medical technique? McCoy captain’s a medical ship after the crew retires? Is McCoy as loyal in the Kelvinverse to Kirk if a cult leader like Sybok takes over the ship? Or is it Uhura this time.
Klingons and Romulans
There’s always been a definitive antagonist for every Trek film series. TOS films had Klingons, TNG films had Borg (both implicit in GEN and INS and depicted in FC). Kelvinverse seems to have the Romulans. Even though Krall’s demeanor is parallel to the Klingons in DIS (and may have even inspired that particular take in DIS), the backstory of Krall involved fighting Romulans when he was a part of the United Earth military, and embittered in making peace with them. Much like Nero, Romulans from a different time period and from the Prime universe. Maybe the Klingons ships, as seen in the Kobayashi Maru program, are more synonymous with Romulans in this timeline.
If there is a continuation from BEY, are Romulans the main antagonist, with Klingons secondary?
Vulcan and Andoria
The set up is there to show Andoria’s influence over the Federation with the Vulcans diminished. It just need sfollow through. Even if its through an increased presence in Andorian proteges, lieutenants/commanders, and ambassadors. And an Andorian crewed Connie (ex. USS Eagle/Atlirith). The impact of the Andorian-Aenar dynamic on the Federation would be interesting to see depicted. Simultaneously more militant, but also possibly more pacifist? Leading to a polarized Federation.
Jaylah and…Ilia? Scotty and...Will Decker?
Jaylah's placement on the BEY poster, which was a homage to TMP, opens the door to that interpretation. And Jaylah does not need to be absorbed by V’Ger; in an early draft of TMP, Ilia wasn’t either. It would mean that Jaylah would return as a Lieutenant, her time in the Academy long completed, as the navigator of the Enterprise.
And due her close connection to Scotty, that makes Scotty Will Decker. At the very least, it does open up to Scotty finally in the center seat on the Enterprise. It’s surprising he hasn’t already in the Kelvinverse, considering how often that occurred in TOS.
George Kirk and Sarek?
The Kirks become more prominent in the Kelvinverse if George Kirk is around. Though that requires a return. Maybe a quantum shift in the reality that allows for his return if Kirk, Spock, McCoy and Uhura end up in/return to a parallel alternate reality, or pass through an interphasic rift a la “Mirror, Mirror” and “The Tholian Web”. It sounds better than being stuck in a transporter buffer on the Kelvin that was once pitched, and might give an answer to the Chekov question too if he’s just not there in that universe.
How would Kirk take it if his father literally walked back into his life with no warning, possibly ranked as admiral, considering the growth into a leader he’s had in his absence?
I’m not sure what would be the Vulcan equivalent to Uncle Frank, if Amanada Grayson were to be both resurrected and widowed. And how that would impact Spock?
Demora Sulu and David Kirk and…Peter Preston?
Demora’s already been seen in BEY. It stands to reason that an older Demora would be seen again, by her father’s side, serving in Starfleet. How would Sulu react if the unthinkable happens and she dies? Maybe we see shirtless Hikaru Sulu?
Maybe David Kirk gets a chance to be in Starfleet this time? Or Peter Preston does not get killed, especially since Khan is resting easy as a popsicle.
Carol Marcus and David Kirk
Of all of Carol Marcus's family that we’ve seen onscreen, in either universe, she’s the only one that has not bit it yet. Her son, her father, even Kirk (in both universes!).
Khan’s Blood and …Genesis
Since Kirk was resurrected by Khan’s blood, much like Spock was resurrected through the Genesis Planet…is there a point to creating Genesis if the dead can be resurrected through Augment blood? You are just left with a fancy, and very devastating, protomatter bomb.
And while the Klingons might not pursue Khan’s blood, unless maybe if they suffered a dishonourable death. Maybe the Romulans would?
Debatably, red matter is the stand in for Genesis. But like thaleron in NEM, it mainly destroys rather than create. Whereas Khan’s blood is a creation tool, like Genesis.
Pike and…Vina?
Vina, as well as the Talosians, did not get their moment like Pike did. In the Kelvinverse, Pike was not in a beeping wheelchair, and did not stay in a wheelchair for long. That opens the possibility that maybe Vina is not that damaged in the Kelvinverse either, and the Talosians don’t have a need for the illusion for her. As Pike was a mentor to Kirk, who would Vina and the Talosians mentor?
Enterprise and …Excelsior
That was always the original intent with the Ent-A in the TOS films, before fan outcry. And the they made the Ent-B an Excelsior class anyways. Maybe refitting the Ent-A into an Kelvinverse Excelsior class design would make sense a decade removed from BEY.
T’Pau and T’Pol
Worth considering. Since T’Pol has a habit in appearing in the timey wimey wibbly wobbly stuff in Trek (ENT and LD), which also happens to be the foundation of the Kelvinverse. And T'Pol was originally supposed to be T'Pau anyways in ENT. T’Pol being the MC of the kal-if-fee, being a Federation Supreme Court Justice or some other cameo in place of T'Pau would be interesting to see.
TOS and TNG/Picard
Maybe Picard in the Kelvinverse is brought/displaced to the Kelvinverse past, like Scotty in the prime universe was brought into the world of TNG. Maybe it through the Nexus (it has to exist in the Kelvinverse too, right?). Maybe, along the veins of “Yesterday’s Enterprise”, Picard in the Kelvinverse has to go back, face his future as Locutus, and showdown with Shinzon.
Are there any I forgot about?
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