Was Kirk Really Essential in TMP?

[FredH]

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.

I guess that’s fair. And it’s certainly true that if Decker hadn’t been there, Kirk would have gotten them all killed in the wormhole (unless somebody else quickly pointed out the phaser redesign).

 

[Peach Wookiee]

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.

I’m sorry, but we cannot allow advocating for piracy. Warning issued, comments to PM, please.

 

[Mage]

Of course he was essential. That's how they wrote the movie.

In all seriousness though....
The way the Decker character was written, yes, he would have failed to even get as close to the cloud as Kirk did, let alone enter V'Ger. But, as commented, Spock AND McCoy are both equally important. It is, as it often was in TOS, that maintain the balance of emotion, logic and dare that saves the day.
That, and some of the classic 'let's all gather on the bridge at the end of the episode and reminisce philosophically about what just transpired' is what makes this the most TOS of all the Star Trek movies for me personally.
Of course, your mileage may vary.

 

[Cap'n Claus]

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

It's not like Shatner wrote the script. He and Nimoy had input the longer the shoot went on, but that stuff was all in place by Roddenberry and Livingston.

If you were talking about any of the last three films, I might agree.