Kirk Cadet to Captain in one easy step? - My Theories (minor spoilers)
The one element of the Trek movie, which I had quite a problem with, though the rest of the film was awesome, was that Kirk apparently became captain of the flagship over other, more experienced officers. Not very viable, even if the fleet had suffered some losses at the hands of Nero. So, I have a few ideas how the film-makers/novelists/comic writers could explain away this discrepency. Sorry if some of these have been proposed by others in the past; I am fairly new to this discussion board, so I haven't read all the threads, and don't mean to step on any toes if an idea was already proposed...
(I entered one of these ideas on the psiphi.org site under the psydonym "Sheena Jungle Queen", but didn't get much response yet) - I'm sure none of these ideas are unique, and I know we aren't supposed to pitch story ideas, but if any novel or comic/film writer, etc who sees this and likes any of the ideas are welcome to use them, since I certainly don't plan on writing any trek lit:
a) Kirk served in Starfleet prior to the bar scene at the beginning of the film. He may have gone to the academy from say 2249 to 2253 (we can see from Chekov's age that it is possible to become an academy student while still a teenager, if gifted), then served for about a year or so as a lieutenant. Something happened, and Kirk was drummed out or left the fleet, and returned home to Iowa, where he started getting into trouble (a la the bar scene). Captain Pike, a recruiter from the academy, reviewed Kirk's file, realized it was a mistake for the kid to leave starfleet, and went to Iowa to recruit him back in. However, what we are seeing is Pike asking Kirk to "join Starfleet", but he is actually recruiting Kirk into a special graduate program for cadets with command potential, like the program in the video game "Starfleet Academy". It is a graduate program that lasts three years. McCoy, who already has a medical degree, is also taking graduate work at the academy, which is why he graduates as a lieutenant commander, according to the arm bars he wears in the movie. Kirk may also graduate with special command training as a lieutenant commander, which is why Pike selected him as acting first officer during the crisis, when he had only cadets aboard the Enterprise.
b) The fleet diversion in the Laurentian sector was actually a trap laid by Nero to pull most of the fleet away from Vulcan. Once the Starfleet arrived there, some sort of trap destroyed the majority of the fleet, leaving Starfleet severely short staffed on command personnel.
c) The last scene of the movie, where Kirk, in a cadet uniform and Pike in a wheelchair, actually happens several years after the incident. It is five years since the "Nero incident", and to mark the five year anniversary, the survivors of the "class of '58" come back to commenorate and remember those cadets killed in the incident. They come dressed in their old cadet uniforms. Kirk, who has been serving as Pike's first officer for the past five years, is given the promotion to captain at this ceremony. Spock, who had elected after the incident to return to the academy to teach, now requests to tranfer back aboard the Enterprise as science officer and first officer, or perhaps he was on this ship the whole time under Pike...
Like I said, these ideas may have already been proposed by people on this board, but I haven't been able to read all the posts. I just thinks any of these three theories might explain the unrealistic promotion of Kirk at the end of the movie ... I mean, he has no diplomatic experience at the end of the film, seems to have little command experience, etc ... why would they give him the flagship of the fleet over other more seasoned officers? Personally, I think theory #3 matches what we saw on film the best...
Opinions/comments?
Personally I would have loved to have seen more of Jim Kirk the LT, or Jim Kirk the Lt Commander. The man before he got he chair. How he actualy worked towards becoming captain as opposed to him getting a lucky break
What other "reason(s)" do you need?
