What did Pike do that was so great?

[Franklin]

What the hell did Pike do to merit a promotion to admiral after all this? His mission to Vulcan was a failure. He was taken prisoner. His last orders to Spock were to fall back and regroup with the fleet. If they had done that, Earth would've been destroyed. It was Kirk who carried on the fight and eventually saved Earth and defeated Nero. Pike played no role it. Am I missing something?

 

[cultcross]

Not all promotions come from one heroic moment. Pike could have had a long and distinguished career as Captain prior to this film, and been awaiting promotion anyway.

 

[Jeri]

He promoted Kirk to first officer before he left the ship. That was a very gutsy gamble that paid off in the most important of ways.

 

[The Wormhole]

Starfleet of this alternate timeline really seems to have some issues. Apparentally, the Academy ruling board has the authority to make a cadet the permanent captain of the flagship.

So then of course Pike gets promoted despite doing shit all. They should have made him a Commodore, or does that rank not exist in theis alternate timeline?

Oh to hell with you all, I'm going back to watch The Cage. That was Pike done right.

 

[Franklin]

He promoted Kirk to first officer before he left the ship. That was a very gutsy gamble that paid off in the most important of ways.

Yes, but his final orders to Spock were hardly daring.

And you're right, come to think of it, Wormhole, why the isn't someone from Starfleet Command promoting Kirk? Or, the Federation Council?

 

[CommanderRaytas]

No, I like him with a face and the ability to speak (despite that Romulan's assessment).

He probably was awaiting promotion anyway, as has been said above. Plus he's really da kewlz.

 

[The Wormhole]

And you're right, come to think of it, Wormhole, why the isn't someone from Starfleet Command promoting Kirk? Or, the Federation Council?

Exactly. One would think assigning a starship command would be the duty of, I don't know, Starfleet itself. No, no, the Academy can make these desicions now.

 

[Cyke101]

Starfleet of this alternate timeline really seems to have some issues. Apparentally, the Academy ruling board has the authority to make a cadet the permanent captain of the flagship.

So then of course Pike gets promoted despite doing shit all. They should have made him a Commodore, or does that rank not exist in theis alternate timeline?

Oh to hell with you all, I'm going back to watch The Cage. That was Pike done right.

Y'know what's great? Just the juxtaposition of Pike going from fighting a fairly (actually, really) goofy looking alien barbarian to getting kidnapped on a nightmarish, dark, damp, almost surreal alien vessel. As they're essentially the same character, it gives the feeling that the stakes are raised.

Also, seeing Pike on the screen in any sort of way is great. At least to me it is.

 

[Jeri]

Pike's orders to Spock were based on best information at the time; I have no problem with that -- or with his promotion.

Apparently, the hierarchy is not so hide bound that, like Jellico, they would want to throw someone in the brig who was pivotal in saving the planet -- and would rather reward him.

Pike stuck his neck out recruiting Kirk and field-promoting Kirk, and the gamble paid off. Without Pike, they'd all be dust.

 

[CommanderRaytas]

As it should be.

 

[Cheebo]

Remember, he was captain when the Enterprise waited to warp to Vulcan.

Although it was Kirk's call that saved the ship from the fate of the fleet he was in the Captain's chair at the time. His action lead to the Enterprise being able to save Earth.

Doesn't that seem deem worthy of a promotion?

And look he was given the Enterprise, the flagship of the fleet. He had to have been a distinguished Captain of other ships prior to that.

Also in military settings comparable to starfleet members who get abducted and tortured by the enemy are often rewarded with promotion when they get home, why not Pike?

 

[cultcross]

And you're right, come to think of it, Wormhole, why the isn't someone from Starfleet Command promoting Kirk? Or, the Federation Council?

Exactly. One would think assigning a starship command would be the duty of, I don't know, Starfleet itself. No, no, the Academy can make these decisions now.

How do you know who approved/came up with the idea?
Have you ever seen Band of Brothers? The CO is promoting David Schwimmer's character, and says "I was planning on giving Winters a set of these today. Why don't you do it? He'd be proud to get 'em from you."

The person actually bestowing the 'brass' isn't necessarily the person who rubber stamped the idea in the first place.

 

[Franklin]

And you're right, come to think of it, Wormhole, why the isn't someone from Starfleet Command promoting Kirk? Or, the Federation Council?

Exactly. One would think assigning a starship command would be the duty of, I don't know, Starfleet itself. No, no, the Academy can make these decisions now.

How do you know who approved/came up with the idea?
Have you ever seen Band of Brothers? The CO is promoting David Schwimmer's character, and says "I was planning on giving Winters a set of these today. Why don't you do it? He'd be proud to get 'em from you."

The person actually bestowing the 'brass' isn't necessarily the person who rubber stamped the idea in the first place.

OK. That can happen. But then, wouldn't it have been nice if they had let Pike do it? I mean, since he was there anyway and all. That would've been a good moment given he recruited him.

 

[PluckyNinja]

Didnt Star fleet lose a bunch of officers and cadets at Vulcan too? That could help to explain Kirks promotion. Maybe the ships in the Laurentian system got blowed up good too.

 

[Franklin]

Remember, he was captain when the Enterprise waited to warp to Vulcan.

Although it was Kirk's call that saved the ship from the fate of the fleet he was in the Captain's chair at the time. His action lead to the Enterprise being able to save Earth.

Doesn't that seem deem worthy of a promotion?

And look he was given the Enterprise, the flagship of the fleet. He had to have been a distinguished Captain of other ships prior to that.

Also in military settings comparable to starfleet members who get abducted and tortured by the enemy are often rewarded with promotion when they get home, why not Pike?

Wasn't it Sulu's mistake that led to the fortuitous delay in going to warp?

 

[Cyke101]

Didnt Star fleet lose a bunch of officers and cadets at Vulcan too? That could help to explain Kirks promotion. Maybe the ships in the Laurentian system got blowed up good too.

I doubt it, only because I don't want to be robbed of yet another potentially great fleet battle scene the way Nemesis did

Wasn't it Sulu's mistake that led to the fortuitous delay in going to warp?

Maybe, maybe not. Nero ordered a cease fire once he recognized the basic configuration of the Enterprise. Then again, with eight ships fighting, he might have accidentally blown up the Enterprise and not know it.

 

[cultcross]

Exactly. One would think assigning a starship command would be the duty of, I don't know, Starfleet itself. No, no, the Academy can make these decisions now.

How do you know who approved/came up with the idea?
Have you ever seen Band of Brothers? The CO is promoting David Schwimmer's character, and says "I was planning on giving Winters a set of these today. Why don't you do it? He'd be proud to get 'em from you."

The person actually bestowing the 'brass' isn't necessarily the person who rubber stamped the idea in the first place.

OK. That can happen. But then, wouldn't it have been nice if they had let Pike do it? I mean, since he was there anyway and all. That would've been a good moment given he recruited him.

True, it would have been nice if Pike did it, but I guess fro ma 'movie-making' point of view, we'd already had Pike promoting him, so it would just be a bit of a repeat scene, and they needed 'closure' on the evil evil authority figures of the Academy Disciplinary Board. It's pretty much the old 'Admiral Antagonist' thing from TOS and TNG - alternate timeline or not, some things never change

 

[Chess Piece Face]

Asking what did Pike do that was so great is like asking what did Picard or Sisko or anybody do that was so great. He's had years of adventures that lead him to an important posting. Obviously.

And now, the dude is injured by torture from the enemy and is promoted to a desk job. Why is this even a debate?

 

[Jeri]

I noticed that Sulu's uncharacteristic mistake had big implications in the scheme of things, too; I just keep forgetting to mention that...

If they'd had the regular crew member in there, they'd be toast. But that could probably be said of any number of happenstances along the way, as well.

 

[Franklin]

Asking what did Pike do that was so great is like asking what did Picard or Sisko or anybody do that was so great. He's had years of adventures that lead him to an important posting. Obviously.

And now, the dude is injured by torture from the enemy and is promoted to a desk job. Why is this even a debate?

His dossier on the movie website is sketchy (and not canon since it's not on screen ), but it says he made captain in only four years, and was currently Executive Officer in Starfleet's recruiting division. So he essentially had a desk job already.
Actually, I can buy extrapolating a lot of reasons for his promotion outside of the events in the movie. But I think it was obviously done by Orci and Kurtzman to conveniently free up the captain's chair for Kirk. I mean if you don't want to kill Pike off (and you can't do that if Kirk is supposed to rescue him), how else do you do it?