Was Corvette Kirk Trying to... (spoilers)

[urbandk]

Wrecking the Corvette served no purpose.

Except one.

It was done to tell the audience that this wasn't your father's Trek and that the "new Trek" is throwing the old one off a cliff and starting over.

The car was of the same vintage as TOS, being driven by a "new Kirk," and we even have the car's owner on the phone telling NewKirk that if he "puts one scratch in the car I'll be pissed" (or similar sentiment) obviously Kirk's stepfather/the man on the phone is meant to be the fans.

So that's the purpose of the Corvette scene. It was JJ's way of telling you that this was a new Trek and he was tossing out everything that has came before it no matter what the fans were saying. It was JJ's middle finger to all of us.

I thought it was his high-five to all of us. I liked it.

Besides, the Beastie Boys are Trekkies, as my avatar proves!

Yeah. It was a high-five to all of us by taking a car made in the same year TOS came out, had someone screaming about not putting a scratch in a prestine car, and then having said prestine car made the year TOS came out thrown off a cliff.

It was JJ's way of saying "forget about everything you've known and seen before. I'm tossing it out. This is MY Trek and I'm doing it MY way!"

I didn't catch all that symbolism. But it's cool that you noticed all that!

 

[DiSiLLUSiON]

It was JJ's middle finger to all of us.

At the most, it was a negative message all who care way to much.

I'd like to see it as a positive message to most of us.

 

[Jeri]

P.S. Jim doesn't actually know that the quarry is there; he bursts through the gate before he realizes what it is. It's then that he has a fleeting desire to go out in style, as it were -- but slams on the brakes and jumps out at the last moment, as we all know.

 

[Bounty]

I don't think he set out to wreck the car.

When he tries to open the roof he's trying to grab it as it flies off - I don't think he expected it to come loose. And when he tried to run from the cop, I don't think he noticed where he was going until it was too late for an emergency stop (if he even could do one), so he did the next best thing and bailed out.

I mean really... he's a kid with a flashy car. Why would he set out to wreck it when he can go for a joyride?

 

[Peter the Younger]

The scene was put in to prove that, in the 23rd century, people will still be listening to the Beastie Boys.

 

[Feofilakt]

It was JJ's middle finger to all of us.

At the most, it was a negative message all who care way to much.

I'd like to see it as a positive message to most of us.

Assuming the symbolism is correct, how is an act of annihilation (not destruction) a positive message?

 

[Feofilakt]

The scene was put in to prove that, in the 23rd century, people will still be listening to the Beastie Boys.

About as much as people listen to hurdy girdies

 

[indranee]

By coincidence, I just finished listening to this part about five minutes ago. Yes, Jim did have a fleeting desire to end it all, but survival instinct won over at the last moment.

The car belonged to George Kirk, the father. The stepfather is apparently a jerk to George, Jr., while Winona is off planet. The two of them fight, and George, Jr., was running away.

So the kid on the road that Jim passes is indeed supposed to be George, Jr. And earlier while Jim was washing and waxing the car, George told Jim that he thinks the stepfather is making Jim wash and wax the vette, so he can sell it!

Things are not happy at the stepfather's house, and Jim can't handle it that his brother is leaving home. So he takes the car and makes a mad dash. It's uncharacteristic for him, because he is actutally the "good" kid, who gets good grades.

interesting. he's still the "good kid" though. he's the "genius level repeat offender", according to Pike, right?

 

[indranee]

It was JJ's middle finger to all of us.

At the most, it was a negative message all who care way to much.

I'd like to see it as a positive message to most of us.

Assuming the symbolism is correct, how is an act of annihilation (not destruction) a positive message?

annihilation of old ideas, old ways, old prejudices.

always a good thing.

 

[DiSiLLUSiON]

At the most, it was a negative message all who care way to much.

I'd like to see it as a positive message to most of us.

Assuming the symbolism is correct, how is an act of annihilation (not destruction) a positive message?

annihilation of old ideas, old ways, old prejudices.

always a good thing.

Exactly. Annihilation makes space for something new, something better.

 

[Jeri]

...interesting. he's still the "good kid" though. he's the "genius level repeat offender", according to Pike, right?

Yeah...haven't got there yet to see how that works out; but we know he was academically good; and he obeyed the stepdad and didn't have the trouble with him that George, Jr., did.

But Jim was not going to stick around if George left; that was clear. Him jumping in the car was spur of the moment (he was waxing and washing it); but it was all because George fought with the stepdad and left home. That was why he was walking down the road.

 

[indranee]

so why did they get rid of George, Jr. exactly?

 

[Dr. Chandra]

The scene was put in to prove that, in the 23rd century, people will still be listening to the Beastie Boys.

The suicidal 23rd century denizons, anyway.

 

[Jeri]

so why did they get rid of George, Jr. exactly?

Well, honestly, I did not hear Jim yell "Johnnie" like some say they have. The book makes sense, though. We're going back a couple times this weekend to the movie, and I'm going to try to make that out.

 

[Jeri]

Oh, P.S. Something that really bugs me is that Winona would marry a jerk like the stepdad. What happened to her judgment.

 

[indranee]

yeah, he yelled "Johnny". I paid special attention to the little things last night at the IMAX screening.

I also saw the tribble, btw... and heard the "Nurse Chapel/yes Doctor" bit.

 

[indranee]

Oh, P.S. Something that really bugs me is that Winona would marry a jerk like the stepdad. What happened to her judgment.

love/lust?

*shrugs* happens.

 

[Feofilakt]

Assuming the symbolism is correct, how is an act of annihilation (not destruction) a positive message?

annihilation of old ideas, old ways, old prejudices.

always a good thing.

Exactly. Annihilation makes space for something new, something better.

Uhhh, not really. Destruction can be an indirect act of creation. Annihilation is the whole removal from reality of an object and is considered a universally evil act and worse than destruction. Consider Freud's death drive. That is not destruction, because destruction is normal and part of nature.

Destruction=Good

Annihilation=Evil

Very stark difference there :/

 

[Jeri]

indranee, I know; she probably figured she'd never find a guy like George again anyway.

Oh, I didn't get the nurse chapel bit -- what's that?

 

[Cyrus]

Wrecking the Corvette served no purpose.

Except one.

It was done to tell the audience that this wasn't your father's Trek and that the "new Trek" is throwing the old one off a cliff and starting over.

The car was of the same vintage as TOS, being driven by a "new Kirk," and we even have the car's owner on the phone telling NewKirk that if he "puts one scratch in the car I'll be pissed" (or similar sentiment) obviously Kirk's stepfather/the man on the phone is meant to be the fans.

So that's the purpose of the Corvette scene. It was JJ's way of telling you that this was a new Trek and he was tossing out everything that has came before it no matter what the fans were saying. It was JJ's middle finger to all of us.

That's an interesting take. It makes sense so I wouldn't be surprised if it was true. But if there is any middle finger it's not pointed at all of us, only those that don't want any change.