It really is amazing how many times fans can interpret things in the exact opposite way from how they were intended. Really, "Kirk said so" should be good enough in most instances.And, yeah, I always took for granted that the Ripper was an evil creature from Earth's past because (1) Kirk said so, and (2) that's not an uncommon trope in science fiction and horror, as is (3) the idea that the Ripper is some sort of undying entity. (Heck, even THE NIGHT STALKER did that plot eventually.)
Dammit, I really shouldn't like this theory, but I've got to admit, it's pretty clever.My theory:
The Nicolas Meyer directed "Time After Time" (1979) is actually the origin story of the Jack The Ripper entity from the episode of Star Trek "Wolf In The Fold" (1967). That when H.G. Wells (Malcolm McDowell) dispatched Jack The Ripper/John Leslie Stevenson (David Warner) it sent him hurtling through space as described in ST's WitF.