So many dead parents

[Anwar]

I think Kirk's parents are both dead. He lived on that Colony that Kodos the Executioner ruled and slaughtered thousands of people right? Probably his parents were among them.

 

[Nerys Myk]

You'd think that would have come up in Conscience of the King if true.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

You'd think that would have come up in Conscience of the King if true.

Yep, I always thought Kirk was on Tarsus IV visiting other relatives, perhaps an aunt & uncle.

 

[phyldavid]

Well at least we know that to begin with Spock's parents were alive

 

[Timo]

You'd think that would have come up in Conscience of the King if true.

Or then it was such an obvious fact, known to all of Kirk's friends, that it never needed to be voiced out.

It does sound a bit weird that young Jimmy would be out there on some faraway colony without his parents. Then again, the entire Kirk family probably wasn't there together, since Jim's brother is not mentioned as a surviving eyewitness even though we know he didn't die there. Or is that just because Sam Kirk wasn't an actual eyewitness to what Kodos looked like, even though present? (That's dodgy business in the episode anyway, since Starfleet already had a decent photo or at least "artist impression" of Kodos, and a sound recording; what more could an eyewitness offer?)

Timo Saloniemi

 

[erastus25]

You'd think that would have come up in Conscience of the King if true.

Yep, I always thought Kirk was on Tarsus IV visiting other relatives, perhaps an aunt & uncle.

Fortunately for JJ, the episode is very unclear as to the nature of Kirk's presence with the doomed colony. In fact, it's so vague that his visit could be retconned to mean anything - even an early training mission with the academy as the original script indicated.

 

[maryh]

I always thought it was a somewhat lousy plot devise if the only way a writer can create an emotional impact it to kill a personal relative or romantic interest of one of the main characters.

I found it more interesting to follow relationships with the parents for example than to just get rid of them. I always wanted Dr McCoys daughter to show up blaming her father for all her problems in life because he was "never ther for her". Would have been great. A guilt ridden McCoy, emotionally immature Joanna McCoy. Would have been great to have her & Kirk possibly get involved - worse yet if she got a "crush" on Spock -- man the sparks would have flown.

I don't know why so many authors can't think of anything else to do with parents other than to make the regular character hung up because of a parental death. They would make great guest stars and continuing story lines.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

I always wanted Dr McCoys daughter to show up blaming her father for all her problems in life because he was "never ther for her".

I don't think he would have been like that. McCoy, for all his gruffness, strikes me as the kind of dad who *would* be there for his kids.

In the original idea, McCoy left to join Starfleet because of the pain of his divorce. Assuming his wife got custody of Joanna, then he wouldn't have had a lot of opportunity to be there anyway. It wouldn't be due to neglect on his part, I am fairly sure of that.