Star Trek III and Sarek

[Brannigan]

(Note:I did not see a recent thread about this topic)

In Star Trek lore it is established that Sarak is a powerful and influential Ambassador in the Federation.

When he comes to Kirk following Spock's death he pleads with Kirk to restore Spock and his Katra which means extreme risk for Kirk. The risk ultimately means Kirk subverting Starfleet command, destroying his beloved ship and being demoted. (I often wonder: had Kirk not saved earth from the whale probe would he have even gotten another command?)

So: If Sarak is the figure he is made out to be why does he not find a way to help Kirk legally go to Genesis to retrieve Spock? It is assumed that Sarak probably had a hand in getting Kirk and crew a ship at the end of Star Trek IV; but why didnt he use his considerable sway and prestige to argue the importance of retrieving Spocks body and thus avoid having Kirk ruin his career? (I know the real world reason: Plot).

 

[Ssosmcin]

Privacy. Vulcans have a thing about that. Then Kirk blabbed to starfleet on his own and got shot down (Kirk has a thing about not keeping secrets also).

Also, it's unethical to use your influence for personal reasons.

 

[David cgc]

Also, it's unethical to use your influence for personal reasons.

I think Sarek could argue that he'd use his influence to have any Vulcan national's remains properly repatriated if they died off-world.

Still, Genesis was a massive no-go zone. It's possible that if the Klingons hadn't attacked (and Spock hadn't been revived), he could've had the Grissom retrieve his body, but then the question is if it could be done fast enough in light of McCoy's deteriorating mental state, before he began suffering permanent damage.

 

[Ssosmcin]

Well, the idea Sarek had was to bitch Kirk out. He thought Spock's Katra was with him. And then Kirk would go and get the just discovered body (for whatever reason explained off screen). Sarek didn't need to get the body himself without the Katra.

 

[Cyfa]

I like to think that Sarek could have gone down a more official route to retrieve Spock's body, but that would have taken too much time, and as @David cgc has mentioned, time was of the essence. Nevermind McCoy's deteriorating mental state (do mind, though), for how long would Spock's body be useable before decomposition hits the point of no return (even with 23rd century medical technology)?
(Sarek didn't know that the Genesis effect had rejuvenated Spock at that point. Unless he did? The Grissom/Genesis Planet scenes don't seem to be intercut with the Earth scenes chronologically. My mind makes it all work when I watch the film, but I don't think about it too much. A good excuse for another rewatch )

Edit: At the risk of derailing this thread, why was Spock's body jettisoned in TWoK? I thought that kind of thing (in real life, anyway) only happened when there weren't the resources to preserve the body until the ship reaches home port (or wherever). We didn't see any of the poor deceased cadets get shot off into space - were they put into stasis for the return to port? Surely Vulcan funeral customs are known to Starfleet (even if not the more arcane ones like the fal-tor-pan)?

 

[David cgc]

(Sarek didn't know that the Genesis effect had rejuvenated Spock at that point. Unless he did? The Grissom/Genesis Planet scenes don't seem to be intercut with the Earth scenes chronologically. My mind makes it all work when I watch the film, but I don't think about it too much. A good excuse for another rewatch )

The original script (and novelization) have it that Spock's body was required for the ceremony interring his Katra in the Hall of Ancient Thought. As originally structured, the first few Grissom scenes would've opened the movie, with Kirk knowing Spock's body had landed intact before they even got back to Earth. Which is good, because if the body had burned up in the atmosphere, the whole thing would've been moot.

At the risk of derailing this thread, why was Spock's body jettisoned in TWoK? I thought that kind of thing (in real life, anyway) only happened when there weren't the resources to preserve the body until the ship reaches home port (or wherever). We didn't see any of the poor deceased cadets get shot off into space - were they put into stasis for the return to port? Surely Vulcan funeral customs are known to Starfleet (even if not the more arcane ones like the fal-tor-pan)?

I think the best we'll do is the novelization, where Spock's will specified burial in space if he died in action. Sarek presumed it was because of his half-human heritage that he thought the katra transfer might not work (or might not be welcome), but operated under the assumption that if he was able to successfully move his katra before death, he'd be able to communicate to his carrier that his wishes had changed and they needed to keep his body, after all.

 

[Cyfa]

Ah, thank you, @David cgc I really should have flicked through the novelisation - after all, it's on the shelf next to my PC less than 30cm away! (I'll have to re-read it after I've re-watched the film)