Why didn't the Enterprise beam up Vulcans?

[T'Paul]

I don't get it. The transporter worked, the planet's surface was in range, they had time while Spock was running around, there were billions of Vulcans who needed to be saved...

They didn't have much time but they could have saved a few. Why didn't the Enterprise beam up any Vulcans other than the ones with Spock?

 

[CommanderRaytas]

Maybe they were moving too quickly

 

[Peter the Younger]

Do we know they didn't? There are other transporter rooms.

 

[Maxillius]

Did you see how long it took to get a lock on stationary targets? Most Vulcans on the planet were running for shelter and it took a full 10 seconds for the transporter beam to grab hold of Spock's party, and it's even not a sure thing you're locked when the swirls start based on Amanda falling out of the transporter beam.

Transporter tech is far from perfected in the 2250's.

 

[ed629]

Because, it was shown that they needed to manually lock onto the targets to transport them. The Vulcans would of been running around, and it as Scotty said "I've never beamed 3 targets from 2 locations to one pad before!"

They would need to lock onto each separate target to beam them, and just Kirk on the drilling rig was told to stay still to transport. And they didn't have much time once the drilling beam was deactivated.

 

[Klingon Empire]

It makes for good story, it has the best value if it can continue the storyline as well.

 

[T'Paul]

Do we know they didn't? There are other transporter rooms.

No but wouldn't Spock have mentioned it in his log if they had?

 

[CommanderRaytas]

Clearly transporter technology wasn't that advanced. I think it makes it all that more believable. It's also a cool plot device.

 

[pookha]

they may have.
there seemed to be more vulcans on board the ship then what we saw that beamed up with spock.
so they could have been beaming others up until they got spocks singal they were ready to beam up.
and yeah they may at least have a cargo transporter that could have been beaming others up too.

 

[T'Paul]

they may have.
there seemed to be more vulcans on board the ship then what we saw that beamed up with spock.
so they could have been beaming others up until they got spocks singal they were ready to beam up.
and yeah they may at least have a cargo transporter that could have been beaming others up too.

Spock and 4 others beamed out.

4 Vulcans are shown in sick bay after the Enterprise zooms off.

 

[Cyke101]

The Enterprise couldn't pick which Vulcans lived and which Vulcans died. To do so would mean the crew would be playing GOD.

(Well, not really, but I like the imagery of a power-mad Transporter Chief. Or at least Oprah. "Look under your seats! YOU get to live! And YOU get to live! And YOOOOU get to live!")

 

[T'Paul]

The Enterprise couldn't pick which Vulcans lived and which Vulcans died. To do so would mean the crew would be playing GOD.

(Well, not really, but I like the imagery of a power-mad Transporter Chief. Or at least Oprah. "Look under your seats! YOU get to live! And YOU get to live! And YOOOOU get to live!")

Spock already was playing God by going after the High Council, but most Vulcans would have agreed with that.

 

[pookha]

they may have.
there seemed to be more vulcans on board the ship then what we saw that beamed up with spock.
so they could have been beaming others up until they got spocks singal they were ready to beam up.
and yeah they may at least have a cargo transporter that could have been beaming others up too.

Spock and 4 others beamed out.

4 Vulcans are shown in sick bay after the Enterprise zooms off.

they didnt look like the same vulcans.

 

[T'Paul]

they may have.
there seemed to be more vulcans on board the ship then what we saw that beamed up with spock.
so they could have been beaming others up until they got spocks singal they were ready to beam up.
and yeah they may at least have a cargo transporter that could have been beaming others up too.

Spock and 4 others beamed out.

4 Vulcans are shown in sick bay after the Enterprise zooms off.

they didnt look like the same vulcans.

Beam out: Sarek, black dude, old lady, old guy

Sick bay: Sarek, black dude, old lady, old guy

 

[Checkmate]

I'm just thrilled that they took some of the Instant Win Button-ness out of the magical transporter. By giving it all these requirements and conditions, it's a useful tool but not one guaranteed to get you out of every jam. In the original series -- and especially everything from TNG and beyond -- there was little reason that transporter technology couldn't have solved most every problem they came across. Especially now that we know that "transwarp beaming" is apparently easy as pie thanks to Scotty. The only reason it didn't is because that would have been boring.

But the movie fixes that nicely without completely removing it from the franchise. What's more, it gives a reason why the transporter has someone manually controlling it most of the time.

 

[Alexis]

I think the transporter was still not really up to par until Scotty came along. That, and there were a lot of Vulcans to beam up.

 

[T'Paul]

I think the transporter was still not really up to par until Scotty came along. That, and there were a lot of Vulcans to beam up.

"All or none! Lets get the hell out of here."

 

[CommanderRaytas]

I'm just thrilled that they took some of the Instant Win Button-ness out of the magical transporter. By giving it all these requirements and conditions, it's a useful tool but not one guaranteed to get you out of every jam. In the original series -- and especially everything from TNG and beyond -- there was little reason that transporter technology couldn't have solved most every problem they came across. Especially now that we know that "transwarp beaming" is apparently easy as pie thanks to Scotty. The only reason it didn't is because that would have been boring.

But the movie fixes that nicely without completely removing it from the franchise. What's more, it gives a reason why the transporter has someone manually controlling it most of the time.

What you said.

 

[Alexis]

I think the transporter was still not really up to par until Scotty came along. That, and there were a lot of Vulcans to beam up.

"All or none! Lets get the hell out of here."

It would only be logical not to favour the one Vulcan over the other.

 

[Klingon Empire]

"The needs of the many over the needs of the few"


Is what I say.