Was Kirk Really Essential in TMP?

[SantaTom]

So Kirk was brought back to deal with V'Ger and took over for Decker. He convinces Starfleet his experience is essential. Uhura says (in the extended cuts) that their chances of returning in one piece doubled because of Kirk.

But did having Kirk in command really make a difference?

It seems to me that what made the difference was Spock. Spock helped Scotty fix the warp engines so they could get to V'Ger in time. Spock figured out how V'Ger was trying to communicate so that it stopped its attack and let them come inside. Spock mind melded with V'Ger and figured out what it was missing/needing.

But suppose Decker had been in command and only Spock, not Kirk, had joined. Would anything have played out differently? Decker would have delayed entering warp until the engine imbalance was created, which would have been the right call and avoided the wormhole. Decker might have been quicker to run scans and raise shields, but I don't think that would have changed anything because ultimately even with Kirk's more reserved approach, V'Ger attacked them any way.

Do we see anything at all that actually indicates Kirk being in command helped the mission?

 

[Maurice]

Kirk bluffs V'ger into letting them visit its brains. Decker looks incredulous at the bluff, and it's anyone's guess if it would have occurred to him. Minus that, what happens?

The problem with the whole film is that the crew reacts more than acts.

 

[FormerLurker]

If Decker had remained in command, Spock would probably have not shown up to rendezvous with the Enterprise, and would have gone directly to V'Ger. This would have likely ended with Spock dead, and the Enterprise part of V'Ger's collection.

 

[Maurice]

If Decker had remained in command, Spock would probably have not shown up to rendezvous with the Enterprise, and would have gone directly to V'Ger. This would have likely ended with Spock dead, and the Enterprise part of V'Ger's collection.

How do you figure? Spock wasn't interested in the Enterprise other than as a bus that happened to be heading his way, presumably—when repaired—much more quickly than his fancy shuttle could.

 

[Uxi]

The shuttle wouldn't have survived V'ger firing at it.

Remember Decker and his unwarranted risk. He would have been too cautious and slow and without Ilia probe, no joining with it.

 

[King Bob!]

Spock was the linchpin, but Decker was written as an idiot. Which makes sense considering Shatner was the star.

 

[arch101]

When Decker says "I'm afraid our hand is pretty weak" and he and Kirk smile, Collins plays it perfectly as a silent resignation that they would never have gotten that far if he had been in command. Had the film been a series pilot, that would have been the moment that their FO/ Captain relationship really gels.

 

[JonnyQuest037]

The problem with the whole film is that the crew reacts more than acts.

Exactly. It's an extraordinarily passive film. It's so odd that they made a Star Trek movie after ten years and then chose to spend 2/3rds of it on the bridge.

 

[DonIago]

Exactly. It's an extraordinarily passive film. It's so odd that they made a Star Trek movie after ten years and then chose to spend 2/3rds of it on the bridge.

Because of the tight deadline, most of the ship wasn't going to be fully furnished until Tuesday.

 

[tharpdevenport]

Well, he did transporter murder two crew members, who may have fucked up the entire mission. But he probably knew that.

God Kirk knows all.

 

[Kor]

He may not have been essential to the mission, but he was essential to the narrative as TMP is essentially the story of Kirk, Spock and McCoy coming back together after having drifted apart, and once again becoming the familiar and comfortable trio from TOS by the end of the movie.

Kor

 

[Christmas Canon Spock]

No, Kirk was not essential.

 

[Maurice]

The shuttle wouldn't have survived V'ger firing at it.

Spock might have checked in with Starfleet, found out the Enterprise was going to be dispatched, and made a beeline to rendezvous with the ship. There's no indication he was heading to intercept the cloud itself via that shuttle.

 

[FredH]

Had Kirk not been there, Captain Decker would have ordered a direct phaser strike on V’Ger’s tractor beam, believing it might just be strong enough to break free — whereupon V’Ger would have shrugged and swatted the Enterprise like the gnat it was. A day or so later at Earth, when the Creator did not respond, V’Ger would have cleansed the carbon units infesting the planet.

 

[Richard S. Claus]

Too long since I rewatched TMP. Have a holiday coming up soon so it might be worth visiting the bay of pirates to get hold of it.

 

[King Bob!]

No, Kirk was not essential.

Well, I’d say he was. No way the movie does the business it does without Kirk in the captain’s chair.

 

[Christmas Canon Spock]

Well, I’d say he was. No way the movie does the business it does without Kirk in the captain’s chair.

Nostalgia sells.

 

[King Bob!]

Nostalgia sells.

It made sense because Star Trek was just Star Trek way back when.

 

[Christmas Canon Spock]

It made sense because Star Trek was just Star Trek way back when.

True. And it was better for it.

 

[Maurice]

Had Kirk not been there, Captain Decker would have ordered a direct phaser strike on V’Ger’s tractor beam, believing it might just be strong enough to break free — whereupon V’Ger would have shrugged and swatted the Enterprise like the gnat it was. A day or so later at Earth, when the Creator did not respond, V’Ger would have cleansed the carbon units infesting the planet.

Would he have, though? As he said to Kirk earlier, "Captain, as your exec, it's my duty to point out alternatives." As to the phaser strike, we never learn if Spock replied to his "We don't know that, Mister Spock. Why are you opposed to trying?" Spock might well have pointed out a reason Decker would have decided against it.