Who is the "Federation Captain"?

[SeamusShameless]

Now, most people are figuring that the "Federation Captain" character is actually Pike and they're just describing him as a Federation captain to misdirect people. While I agree that is a viable explaination, is there really any reason for them to hide the fact that Pike will appear?
I know this is kind of a long shot, but what if the "Federation Captain" is actually the captain of the Enterprise-F in the 25th century who's aiding Nimoy/Spock in his investigation.

 

[ancient]

Possibilities:

1-Pike
2-April
3-Garrovick
4-Garth
5-Someone new

 

[Cary L. Brown]

Definitely a long-shot. But there's no official word to contradict that, so technically, you COULD be right. I just have reason to believe otherwise.

As for "Federation Captain," it COULD be Garrovick. Or Pike. Or Garth. Or someone else totally unrelated. The MAIN thing that this tells us about the movie... IF this casting sheet can be believed (which, let's be blunt, is VERY much in doubt!)... is that Kirk is not yet a captain.

Personally, I still think that this fits best with my ... ahem... presented idea for what I believe that the story will be. This is the character who is in charge of Lieutenant Kirk, and who dies in the "disaster" which provides the motivation behind the plot of the film. Kirk then has to step up and take charge for the first time. I suspect you're going to see Lieutenant Kirk succeed in a sufficiently dramatic fashion that it would convince Starfleet Command to put him on the "fast track."

But COULD it be a 25th-century character. Anything's possible. It just seems like you're stretching WAAAAY too hard to make what's so very evidently a "storyteller's bookend" structure into a "Nimoy is the STAR of the film" structure. You could be right... we'll find out between now and Christmas 2008, I'm sure.

 

[Lumen]

Which source was the first to refer a "Federation captain"? It's been bounced around the news sources for a while now but I haven't heard anything about this character from Abrams. I'd really like him to comment on it, especially since it's been confirmed that this character is being cast.

As it stands, I'm guessing it's somebody new, on a ship that isn't the Enterprise.

 

[Dark Gilligan]

I'm guessing that the Federation Captain is actually the villian.

There's lots of speculation that the FC is Pike, but in all likelihood Pike will only appear as a cameo. Let's not forget that the general public has never heard of Christopher Pike and has no idea who he is. The casting directors will gain nothing by making a big deal out of Pike's presence in the film.

No, the Federation Captain is the Big Bad. A scenario that I've seen here on the boards suggests that the story will involve a revolt within Starfleet (Garth of Izar going rogue?) with the young Kirk and Spock being instrumental in bringing him down.

 

[Jack Bauer]

If this is Kirk's first mission as Enterprise captain then the Federation captain is probably Pike.

 

[RookieBatman]

Dark Gilligan said:
I'm guessing that the Federation Captain is actually the villian.

There's lots of speculation that the FC is Pike, but in all likelihood Pike will only appear as a cameo. Let's not forget that the general public has never heard of Christopher Pike and has no idea who he is. The casting directors will gain nothing by making a big deal out of Pike's presence in the film.

No, the Federation Captain is the Big Bad. A scenario that I've seen here on the boards suggests that the story will involve a revolt within Starfleet (Garth of Izar going rogue?) with the young Kirk and Spock being instrumental in bringing him down.

But the news reports specifically mentioned "the Federation Captain" and "the villain," as if to indicate that they were two different people. I guess that doesn't rule out that they were just try to pull the wool over our eyes, but I think that if the FC was also the villain, they would've just said "the villain," and not mentioned a captain.
My money's still on Pike, even though he doesn't have any significance to non-fans, he has a lot of significance to fans.

 

[theARE]

If it's Pike, then how about this: Kirk comes aboard as Captain on a starbase somewhere, and the first mission is ment to be escorting the newly promoted Fleet Captain Pike back to earth.

Along the way big emergency happens and the enterprise has to deal with it.
That puts Kirk in a position of having to prove himself, not only to the crew, but to Pike as well and try to get the crews loyalty and respect while their former captain is still on board.

 

[SeamusShameless]

Kirk only met Pike once prior to "The Menagerie".

 

[MarianLH]

SeamusShameless said:
Kirk only met Pike once prior to "The Menagerie".

I very much doubt Trek XI will concern itself with that sort of obscure detail.


Marian

 

[Cary L. Brown]

MarianLH said:

SeamusShameless said:
Kirk only met Pike once prior to "The Menagerie".

I very much doubt Trek XI will concern itself with that sort of obscure detail.


Marian

It doesn't have to "concern itself" with that... it only has to avoid CONTRADICTING that.

The majority of the audience won't care... but the production staff should. There's nothing to be gained by contradicting canon there... you can tell just as good of story without contradicting things. But if something like this IS contradicted, the implication is clear... the production staff would be saying "we don't care about Star Trek, we want to make our own film." Which would be fine... as long as they don't simultaneously try to piggy-back on the marketability (which remains considerable, angst-ridden BBS posts and uninspiring recent efforts notwithstanding) of the name "Star Trek."

 

[Franklin]

1. Could be it simply says, "Federation Captain," because the person who wrote about it first misreported it.

2. Could be Pike, and the fear of having his name leak out on a list of characters left him referred to simply as the "Federation Captain" on all internal memos. After all, if it was confirmed Pike's in it, that would really narrow down when the movie takes place. Maybe the producers want us to hang a bit more on that.

3. Could be a cryptic reference for old Kirk. Though I don't believe that much myself. Maybe it's open-ended that this "Federation Captain" COULD be played as old Kirk by Shatner if possible, and cast otherwise if not. Nah. But I'll leave it out there as a remote possiblity.

 

[T'Cal]

SeamusShameless said:
Now, most people are figuring that the "Federation Captain" character is actually Pike and they're just describing him as a Federation captain to misdirect people. While I agree that is a viable explaination, is there really any reason for them to hide the fact that Pike will appear?
I know this is kind of a long shot, but what if the "Federation Captain" is actually the captain of the Enterprise-F in the 25th century who's aiding Nimoy/Spock in his investigation.

Possibilities:
Capt. Wes Crusher played by Tom Cruise
Capt. B4 played by Brent Spiner B4 has an aging program just like his mother)
Capt. Icheb played by Shia LeBouf (sp?)
Capt. Nog played by Jack Black
Capt. Naomi Wildman played by Tom Cruise

 

[Eddie Roth]

I still maintain that "Federation Captain" is just someone misreporting "Fleet Captain"... which would mean it's Pike. Only makes sense. Kirk met him when he was promoted to that rank, which is why I'm saying that this is how the movie starts and how whoever (Tom Cruise?) gets his cameo. After that: Kirk's first mission as Captain of the Enterprise.

 

[Jon1701]

I do not want any 25th Century references in this movie. Or 26th, 27th or 29th.

I would like to see some sort of reference to the 28th century though. It's an untapped canvass.

 

[SeamusShameless]

The fact that Nimoy/Spock is in it suggests a 25th century reference, or at least late 24th.

 

[The Doctor]

SeamusShameless said:
The fact that Nimoy/Spock is in it suggests a 25th century reference, or at least late 24th.

No, it really doesn't.

I suspect that there will be no references at all to the timeframe of 'old Spock' in the movie.

 

[Cary L. Brown]

SA22C said:

SeamusShameless said:
The fact that Nimoy/Spock is in it suggests a 25th century reference, or at least late 24th.

No, it really doesn't.

I suspect that there will be no references at all to the timeframe of 'old Spock' in the movie.

If you're saying what I THINK you're saying... I agree. We'll see Spock as an aged man, setting it well after his TNG appearance. But there's no reason to overtly state anything of the sort... just to show that the guy is old and is revisiting his past (and thinking about his friend Jim for some reason).

As far as the STORY is concerned... Spock could have travelled back in time to the ancient past... it shouldn't matter... all that matters is that this is HIS past.

 

[Jackson_Roykirk]

SA22C said:

SeamusShameless said:
The fact that Nimoy/Spock is in it suggests a 25th century reference, or at least late 24th.

No, it really doesn't.

I suspect that there will be no references at all to the timeframe of 'old Spock' in the movie.

I think it is possible that Old Spock's role in this film is much more important than "bookending" this film by merely thinking back. Nimoy's Spock could be involved in a very important mission of his own, happening (maybe 6 years) after Nemesis, while vital information regarding that mission is shown to us in a backstory involving young Spock and Kirk. In this scenario, there is no reason NOT to make reference to his timeframe.

I'm not one of those fans who feels this film NEEDS to "move forward" but if this could be done in a smooth and interesting manner, then why not?

EDIT:
Oh, I forgot about the topic. I have no idea what the story will be, but it is possible that the "Federation Captain" and the villain are one in the same -- Garth of Izar.

This probably doesn't match my "Old Spock" theory above, but so what...I figure if I put 137 competing theories out there, one of them is bound to be close to the actual story (then I can later say that I was right all along.)

 

[cueballb]

I figure it is going to be someone completely new. We will get a few scenes explaining his character and link with Pike, Kirk or whoever, and it's going to go from there. Fresh start completely. A bit like the screwing over of transformers, this will be screwing over Star Trek. I'm just very very very glad it's not M. Bay thats directing.