Sulu as Captain

[suarezguy]

Was it actually a good thing, including for Star Trek VI as film and for the rest of the cast also, that George Takei insisted on Sulu having become a captain by then?

In particular a lot of people complain about a lot more of the TNG era cast should have moved on, left the ship/advanced in careers earlier, with the original cast we did get that not from writers particularly wanting to, thinking that was good but actor wanting. insisting on it. Did that help at least in part to show, convince that a lot of time had passed and era had passed, was ending?

And also in the film Chekov has a decent if pretty goofy/love it or hate it role but would it have been less effective, felt pretty minimal if Chekov's material had somehow been split between Sulu and Chekov?

It's also kind of interesting comparison in that with the original cast we generally just don't expect the smaller 4 to have, get a lot of material and give a lot of contributions, just learning/assuming Scotty is going to retire and Uhura being involved with 2 or 3 moments feels like decent size roles for them.

 

[Turtletrekker]

I think it works simply because it's ridiculous to think that this entire crew would stick together in the same positions for as long as they did. Also, it plays into the theme that the previous era has passed and a new era is beginning.

 

[fireproof78]

Was it actually a good thing, including for Star Trek VI as film and for the rest of the cast also, that George Takei insisted on Sulu having become a captain by then?

I would say yes. It showed a broader dynamic within the crew, with some retiring and some going on in their careers. Sulu and Valeris are mirrors in some ways, one supporting their mentor and the other failing to learn the lessons of the mentor.

It's a good move for the story.

 

[FormerLurker]

Save for "Don't call me tiny" Sulu was the only character to not play a major role, either in the creation of Genesis, or the brief conspiracy to save Spock. Chekov was compromised by the Ceti eel, Uhura helped them beam aboard Enterprise to steal it, McCoy carried Spock's katra, Scotty sabotaged Excelsior...you get the idea.

As such, Sulu was probably the only one that could get away with being promoted away from Kirk in the first place.

 

[Uncle Sock]

Considering that 27 years have passed since The Original Series and The Undiscovered Country, it's absolutely believable that Sulu is a captain. In fact, I'm surprised that everyone else isn't a captain by then, given that Kirk's crew has repeatedly been called "the finest of Starfleet" and referred to as legends.

 

[Procutus]

I'm surprised that everyone else isn't a captain by then, given that Kirk's crew has repeatedly been called "the finest of Starfleet" and referred to as legends.

Agreed.

While it was not really a stretch to believe in TMP that they could all still be aboard the Enterprise doing the same jobs, as it was established in-universe that only three years had passed since the end of the 5YM.

As much as I enjoy the notion that the same basic crew then embarked on a second 5YM, it does seem unlikely that they would not begin to be promoted into positions other than driving the bus and overseeing the switchboard.

So I think it was perfectly fine that Sulu was captain by the time of STVI.