STAR TREK: VERSUS

[M.A.C.O.]

I figured we could have some fun with a different type of topic. Welcome to Verus! Where we compare and contrast Star Trek characters, ships, episodes and more. With over 700 episodes, 7 shows and 13 movies, there is more than enough material to dissect and discuss.

Starting off, I wanted to discuss the top rated Trek movies. The movies the critics and audiences agree are the best/"fresh".

The Wrath Of Khan
The Search For Spock
The Voyage Home
The Undiscovered Country

vs

First Contact
Star Trek (2009)
Into Darkness
Beyond

Then vs Now.

Starting off this off, it's apparent that the 4 modern films are more action oriented. A lot of shoot'em, go get'em, stunt work and special effects filled fair. Underneath that, we have the exploration of the characters and how their actions and decisions affect their lives and others around them. Mainly Picard in FC and Kirk and Spock in the new trilogy.

The new films showcase different aspects of mankind's reach and grasp.

FC - With Picard's pretentious and self righteous attitude being thrown in his face by Lily, but also Cochrane learning to see a picture beyond dollar signs and booze.

ST09 - Coming of age story for Kirk and Spock and the potential these two have working together.

STID - Allegory for 9/11, wars of choice and targeted drone strikes. The film didn't really land it's point of not succumbing to the same evils with others seek to inflict on the innocent, but the good guys won in the end. So that's something.

BEY - BEY does land that point that humanity is more than conflict and struggle. We can be better and change. The same goes for those who are different from us. Choice is the big message of BEY.


In the classic films, the story and characters of each film carry the weight. There is a palpable human drama to these films and our heroes who we follow.

TWOK - With Kirk feeling aged and suffering the loss of his best friend. After a dramatic fight for his and his crew's life against a homicidal madman.

TSFS -The strong sense of camaraderie and sacrifice the crew endure all to help a friend in need. Kirk and co. put their careers in jeopardy, and their lives by going to the Genesis planet. The cost was their ship and Kirk's son David.

TVH - Has the crew go above and beyond to right a 20th/21st century wrong (extinction of a species) in order to save their future and give the extinct species a future as well.

TUC - Overcoming pre-conceived notions and past transgressions about an adversary and working together for a better future. Instead of racing to the bottom of who can become the most savage. Like BEY, choice is the big message.



Please feel free to leave and add any thoughts. This is but one topic I would like to compare and discuss.

 

[Tenacity]

Starting off, I wanted to discuss the top rated Trek movies.

FC - With Picard's pretentious and self righteous attitude being thrown in his face by Lily
One of the top ten best scene in all of Trek. Verses would be the series Picard who no one really even seriously confronted for his ridiculous evolved superiority. The movies told two nicely disconnected stories, and all the actors got camera time (okay some more than others). Extra point for including the EMH.

ST09 - Coming of age story for Kirk and Spock
This one missed the mark on a lot of levels. Verses would be the contrast between the described walking stack of books Kirk of the prime universe who worked his way up the rank ladder, vs. the over aged brat Kirk who has captain of the flagship handed to him after three years in the academy and one successful mission. High point was Kirk's offer of mercy to Nero and the chance of surrender. Prime Kirk shining through.

STID - Allegory for 9/11, wars of choice and targeted drone strikes. The film didn't really land it's point of not succumbing ...
If the movie point was to make a connection with "drone strikes" it failed. This movie made a better link between Abrams-Kirk and Prime-Kirk, both get angry and focused on that anger in the immediate, but Prime-Kirk let's his intelligence and duty come to the surface, and Abrams-Kirk did the same by capturing Khan instead of killing him.

TVH - Has the crew go above and beyond to right a 20th/21st century wrong (extinction of a species) in order to save their future and give the extinct species a future as well.
I never got the impression that saving a species was a priority at any point for the crew, it was all about stopping the droning probe attacking Earth in the 23rd century. A enjoyable movies.

TUC- Overcoming pre-conceived notions and past transgressions about an adversary and working together for a better future.
When do the Humans and Klingons work together? As we find out later, any peace created was temporary. Kirk might have slightly changed his position on the Klingons, but there's no sign that the Klingons change at all.

Insurrection
Interesting that the verses in this movies is between two groups of fans and the various ways the themes in the movie can be seen. What the producers intended the audience to see turned out to be instead a option of choices. With some seeing moving the Baku as bad and gathering the magic particles as basically theft. Others seeing the movie thought that moving the Baku was the correct course of action and the particles as the Federation property to begin with and gathering them as proper.

It kind of sad that this wasn't the producers intent.

The Search for Spock
Just as in The Amok Time, Kirk puts his friendship for Spock ahead of his duty, Unusual for the traditionally duty bound and professional Kirk. The ending of the movies was atypically open ended with Kirk and crews fate left dangling.

The Final Frontier
Still think Spock should have shot Sybok in both knees on the flight deck. McCoy was right there, sick bay less than a minute away.

Roll credits.

 

[M.A.C.O.]

How about a best of the Borg?

TNG vs VOY Borg appearances. Here I listed the corresponding episodes and film. VOY used the Borg a lot more than TNG, but the listed episodes are where VOY got the Borg right. TNG pioneered the Borg, but do their stories surpass the VOY episodes.

TNG
1. The Best of Both Worlds
2. I, Borg
3. First Contact
4. Q, Who

VOY
1. Scorpion
2. The Gift
3. Dark Frontier
4. Drone