Scotty

[Grup]

Have they or will they explain how Scott remains aboard the Enterprise? In the last film, he was assigned to an outpost and then beamed aboard the Enterprise illegally. Now he's the Chief Engineer? The same holds true for McCoy. He was assigned to the ship but only took over as Chief Med Officer after his superior was killed. Is it automatic that he would just stay with the Enterprise? Or would a Star Fleet member with more seniority be up for the job?

Or am I just being nitpicky?

 

[Ovation]

Have they or will they explain how Scott remains aboard the Enterprise? In the last film, he was assigned to an outpost and then beamed aboard the Enterprise illegally. Now he's the Chief Engineer? The same holds true for McCoy. He was assigned to the ship but only took over as Chief Med Officer after his superior was killed. Is it automatic that he would just stay with the Enterprise? Or would a Star Fleet member with more seniority be up for the job?

I doubt they spend even a second on explaining any of the above.

Or am I just being nitpicky?

Probably.

 

[tighr]

Nitpicky.

In the nuTrek universe, Kirk has been promoted to Captain. Captains decide on their staff.

The previous CMO is dead, need new CMO, boom McCoy.
Chief Engineer Olson redshirted himself, Scotty was being "punished" on Delta Vega, Kirk puts in a transfer and boom, Scotty.

 

[sonak]

we're talking about a sequel to a film where a character went from cadet to captain in a matter of weeks/months. I don't think they will bother explaining something that is much LESS absurd than Kirk's career progression.

 

[Grup]

Now if all the other nitpicky (IMO) concerns about the reboot could be as simply laid to rest, the threads here would be greatly reduced. LOL

Thanks for the replies.

 

[tighr]

we're talking about a sequel to a film where a character went from cadet to captain in a matter of weeks/months.

Rapid career progression is my main beef with the film.

There are those here on the forum who believe that Kirk was actually a Lieutenant based on his name being "Lt Kirk" on a console, but I don't find that plausible. He spent three years at the academy (2255-2258). Even assuming he had the credits to graduate, he would be an Ensign. McCoy would be the only one who would have graduated to a higher commission, as is typical today when doctors/nurses/lawyers/etc enter the Army/Navy/etc.

We assume the rest of the cadets were already 2nd year cadets when Kirk got on the shuttlecraft (already in uniform) in Iowa, but that would also make McCoy a 3rd year cadet at the time of the Narada incident. He appeared to be fresh off the boat.

Nitpicks.

 

[sonak]

we're talking about a sequel to a film where a character went from cadet to captain in a matter of weeks/months.

Rapid career progression is my main beef with the film.

There are those here on the forum who believe that Kirk was actually a Lieutenant based on his name being "Lt Kirk" on a console, but I don't find that plausible. He spent three years at the academy (2255-2258). Even assuming he had the credits to graduate, he would be an Ensign. McCoy would be the only one who would have graduated to a higher commission, as is typical today when doctors/nurses/lawyers/etc enter the Army/Navy/etc.

We assume the rest of the cadets were already 2nd year cadets when Kirk got on the shuttlecraft (already in uniform) in Iowa, but that would also make McCoy a 3rd year cadet at the time of the Narada incident. He appeared to be fresh off the boat.

Nitpicks.

well ok, so even if we assume that he's a Lt.(which as you write, wouldn't make sense), we still saw a rapid progression from Lt. to Captain in a matter of months. Still ridiculous, but no real way around it considering they needed him to be captain by the end, and they needed the same crew together.

 

[The Wormhole]

This thread got me thinking, who is staffing the Delta Vega facility now? It was only Scotty and Keenser assigned there, and both are now on the Enterprise.

 

[shapeshifter]

Perhaps it is automated, just like the real Delta Vega station in WNMHGB. That could be what made the "assignment" so messed up, Scott (+ Keenser) didn't really even need to be there!

 

[tighr]

Yeah, it was clearly a punishment assignment.

well ok, so even if we assume that he's a Lt.(which as you write, wouldn't make sense), we still saw a rapid progression from Lt. to Captain in a matter of months. Still ridiculous, but no real way around it considering they needed him to be captain by the end, and they needed the same crew together.

And yep, it's still a ridiculously quick progression, but much easier to swallow than Cadet -> Captain.

In TNG's Conspiracy, Captain Tryla Scott was supposedly the youngest Captain in Starfleet history, which was a legendary achievement. Kirk's rapid ascension would absolutely obliterate that record.

 

[hammerhead]

I believe Kirk did graduate as a Lieutenant, in the prime universe he also graduated as a Lieutenant (TOS, "Obsession") and the Star Trek website also notes this that he achieved Ensign rank whilst at the academy in his FIRST year. Looks like accelerated career even in the prime universe.

Doctor Bashir in Emissary also joined DS9 straight out of the academy at Lt JG but as mentioned happens with Doctors in the real world. As an aside I'm certain in the real world Lt ranks are given after graduation in certain circumstances, I was actually offered this when applying to the UK Navy for engineering.

Lt to Captain isn't as bad as cadet and Lt's command small boats in the real world, although agreed a "captain" rank is ridiculous, just should have received the command instead

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

There are those here on the forum who believe that Kirk was actually a Lieutenant based on his name being "Lt Kirk" on a console, but I don't find that plausible.

I do.

Kirk could have received a brevet rank of Ensign while still at the Academy, taking his cadet cruise. Once he graduated, he was commissioned as a Lieutenant. I don't think that's a reach. And assuming that (when the hearing was unexpectedly called off to divert everyone to Vulcan) Kirk was just about to graduate - with the commendation for original thinking that he was about to receive - it does fit.

 

[tighr]

I believe Kirk did graduate as a Lieutenant, in the prime universe he also graduated as a Lieutenant (TOS, "Obsession") and the Star Trek website also notes this that he achieved Ensign rank whilst at the academy in his FIRST year. Looks like accelerated career even in the prime universe.

We only know that the Farragut was his first "deep space" mission. We are not given enough information to know if that was his first assignment.

I'm certain in the real world Lt ranks are given after graduation in certain circumstances, I was actually offered this when applying to the UK Navy for engineering.

The British Royal Navy does not have an Ensign rank, it starts at Lieutenant for officers.

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

The use of the phrase "real Delta Vega" is hysterical.

Now if all the other nitpicky (IMO) concerns about the reboot could be as simply laid to rest, the threads here would be greatly reduced. LOL

Thanks for the replies.

They're all simply laid to rest, as nitpicks.

 

[DalekJim]

None of the promotions bother me apart from Kirk's which is just fucking dumb. I'm no army guy but I'm pretty sure it's not good form to promote to captain the guy who has only ever in his Starfleet career been on one mission, which he snuck on to illegally, and during which proved himself incapable of following orders.

But that's just me nitpicking I guess.

 

[Therin of Andor]

Or would a Star Fleet member with more seniority be up for the job?

There weren't many Starfleet ships and crews left, except for those safe in the Laurentian System.

 

[Mirror Sulu]

Kirk's promotion was also my biggest gripe with the last movie. Spock was more suited/qualified to captain than Kirk, who had no business even being on the ship. It seems he was solely put in the position he was because Pike respected Kirk snr. Also...

Spoiler: STID

According to the spoilers for the next movie, Pike takes over command and Kirk is busted down to Lieutenant. Spock is transferred to another ship, while Kirk is kept on as Pike's number one. It just seems like far too much favoritism for Kirk. Pike convinces him to join starfleet, before putting him in positions he isn't qualified for and you know he'll become captain again with the apparent death of Pike.

 

[yousirname]

I initially dismissed the promotion as silly but understandable given what the film wanted to achieve by the time the credits rolled.

But then I was reading a book set in WWII and it mentions a few times in passing the concept of 'wartime rank'. Basically that during wartime, a captain might be a major, or a major a colonel, or a colonel a general, or whatever, for the duration of the war within a particular theatre.

It seems to me to be explicable in those terms. Not that they actually are at war by the end of the movie, but that it might make sense to put themselves on a war footing, since they're highly vulnerable militarily after losing so many ships.

But I mean, it's not something that seriously worries me. It would have been kind of a gyp to have him be 'Lieutenant Kirk' at the end of the movie. I'd have felt let down. It's not a documentary, let it be an action adventure.

 

[mos6507]

Just as the Mirror Universe operates under different rules, part of the alternate universe of nuTrek is that rank and promotions make absolutely no sense.

 

[The Mirrorball Man]

I'm no army guy but I'm pretty sure it's not good form to promote to captain the guy who has only ever in his Starfleet career been on one mission, which he snuck on to illegally, and during which proved himself incapable of following orders.

Kirk is no army guy either.