Star Trek

[NOTE: POSSIBLE SPOILERS IN THIS POST, SO READ CAREFULLY!]

Hello!

It is time to do some comparison between two realities in order to discuss some issues involving Captain Pike and a bit of Trek history.

First, in the original Star Trek timeline, the Constitution-class starship USS Enterprise NCC-1701 embarks on its first five-year mission in the year 2245, with Captain Robert April in command. In 2250, it begins a series of three five-year missions under the command of Captain Christopher Pike (the first TOS pilot "The Cage" takes place around 2253). The third mission under Pike is interrupted in 2263, the Enterprise returns to Earth, Pike is promoted to Fleet Captain, and command of the Enterprise is turned over to James T. Kirk, a dedicated individual and honor graduate of Starfleet Academy, who had faithfully served on the USS Farragut, another Constitution-class starship, starting in the mid-2250s under Captain Anthony Garrovick. The Enterprise completes its fourth five-year mission under the command of Captain Kirk (the second TOS pilot "Where No Man Has Gone Before" takes place during this time). After returning to Earth for some much needed repairs, renovations, and a refit, the Enterprise embarks on another five-year mission in 2265 with Captain Kirk and the crew that we are all familiar with from TOS. In the meantime, Fleet Captain Pike rescues a team of Starfleet Academy cadets from deadly radiation within an old-fashioned starship, but ends up a horribly disfigured, unspeaking, wheelchair-bound cripple, who is finally taken to Talos IV to live out the rest of his life among pleasant illusions generated by the planet's inhabitants.

In the new timeline created for STAR TREK XI, Captain Pike indicates that he spent some time aboard the USS Kelvin, but that ship was destroyed in the year 2233. During that same time, James T. Kirk is born and grows up as a rogue kid without a father. The story then jumps to the year 2255, when Pike recommends that Kirk, now a frivolous young adult, join Starfleet Academy. Three years later, a brand new starship, the USS Enterprise is ready to be launched. Captain Pike calls it a flagship, implying that it is the first of its kind. Pike is given command of the Enterprise while, during the same time, Kirk is placed on academic suspension for cheating on a final exam. As a result, he is meandering around, feeling disappointed and unwanted, while other Starfleet Academy graduates are being given their first assignments aboard various starships. Kirk finally makes it onto the Enterprise, not through assignment, but by being smuggled aboard by a sympathetic Dr. McCoy. The starship embarks on its first mission in the year 2258, with Captain Pike in command. However, Pike seems to spend little time with the Enterprise before he is captured by Nero, infected with a knowledge-sucking bug that cripples him, rescued by his crew, and returned to Earth, where he is promoted to Admiral and (from his wheelchair) promotes Kirk to Captain and the new Commanding Officer of the Enterprise.

Comparing the two timelines raises some questions:

- Why does everything happen earlier and faster in the new timeline? Did Nero's intervention in the past really cause that much of a difference?

- What was Pike doing between 2233 and 2258? Did he command the Farragut? If so, what happened to Anthony Garrovick?

- Was the Enterprise actually the first of its own kind, say the Enterprise-Class, in the new timeline? If so, what happened to the Constitution-Class? Also, was the Farragut of a class that was inferior to the Enterprise (like Uhura seemed to be implying)? Furthermore, what happened to the Farragut? I presume that it was part of the attack fleet that Nero and the Nirada made mincemeat out of.

The two timelines have radical differences between them. I welcome any feedback that anyone has regarding what has been mentioned in this post. Thanks.

Okay 1st I have to correct something in Trek 11 Pike said he did his dissertation on the final days of the Kelvin. He did not say he served on it. Pike's b-date was not affected by the new timeline. Even though there is no actual canon reference to his birthdate a common belief is he was born in 2214. he would have been 19 in 2233 and even though it is possible he could have served on the Kelvin he did not do so.

Basically starfleet put off the Enterprise's construction in this new timeline due to Nero thus eliminating a lot of canon from 2233 to 2258 and beyond. There are numerous possibilities that we will never know for sure what happened to our old cast between 2233 and 2258. The next Trek movie most likely will have few if no references to our new crew's past before 2258.

As far as Garrovick and the Farragaut. It will be open to novels and fan fiction.

The new Enterprise is still a constitution class starship just of a different design due to the altered timeline. A lot of what happens in this movie fits well into it's new canon and is very plausible. There are a few exceptions which I will list below.

Chekov's birthdate being 4 years earlier theoretically possible but not plausible.

Prime Spock thinking Kirk should be Captain in 2258. Unless the question was just a jump off point because Spock knew Kirk as a captain most of his life. Although it seems far fetched for our logical and thorough Spock.

Quote (DrGojira @ July 22 2009, 10:14 pm)

Beep beep.

What's the beep beep for? I may be tired but this one is going over my head. Help me out here?

As far as everything happening faster in this new timeline (ala Kirk's promotion). Hmm let's see on screen we saw seven starships destroyed most likely all hands lost on each. It was implied that some sort of war or conflict in the Laurentian star system which kept most of starfleet away left them lacking officers. Not to mention it is entirely possible that the engagement also left some casualties.

We also don't know exactly how many Federation starships or officers were lost after 2233 at the hands of Nero or as an indirect result of a conflict with another species caused by Nero. So yes things like this happen fast even cadet to captain. Would not happen in the real world but still.

Oh or course I was very tired that day. I just thought he was trying to be the roadrunner for some reason. I almost forgot about the yes and no responses. My vision of Pike is now talking to Kirk at his medal ceremony. I have a been brainwashed!

Anyway to expand on this thread a bit. Is Pike better off in this new timeline? I mean he spent a few years responding in beep beep in the old timeline. But then got to live out his remaining days on Talos 4 being able to do whatever he wanted with Vina. Now that sounds to me like Heaven.

It is unlikely he will spend his remaining days in this new timeline on Talos 4. Instead he is stuck in a wheelchair (At least that is what is implied). Although he may just still be rehabilitating at the end of the movie? Our thoughts on this?

Quote (kanig8 @ July 22 2009, 4:52 am)

[NOTE: POSSIBLE SPOILERS IN THIS POST, SO READ CAREFULLY!] Hello! It is time to do some comparison between two realities in order to discuss some issues involving Captain Pike and a bit of Trek history. First, in the original Star Trek timeline, the Constitution-class starship USS Enterprise NCC-1701 embarks on its first five-year mission in the year 2245, with Captain Robert April in command. In 2250, it begins a series of three five-year missions under the command of Captain Christopher Pike (the first TOS pilot "The Cage" takes place around 2253). The third mission under Pike is interrupted in 2263, the Enterprise returns to Earth, Pike is promoted to Fleet Captain, and command of the Enterprise is turned over to James T. Kirk, a dedicated individual and honor graduate of Starfleet Academy, who had faithfully served on the USS Farragut, another Constitution-class starship, starting in the mid-2250s under Captain Anthony Garrovick. The Enterprise completes its fourth five-year mission under the command of Captain Kirk (the second TOS pilot "Where No Man Has Gone Before" takes place during this time). After returning to Earth for some much needed repairs, renovations, and a refit, the Enterprise embarks on another five-year mission in 2265 with Captain Kirk and the crew that we are all familiar with from TOS. In the meantime, Fleet Captain Pike rescues a team of Starfleet Academy cadets from deadly radiation within an old-fashioned starship, but ends up a horribly disfigured, unspeaking, wheelchair-bound cripple, who is finally taken to Talos IV to live out the rest of his life among pleasant illusions generated by the planet's inhabitants. In the new timeline created for STAR TREK XI, Captain Pike indicates that he spent some time aboard the USS Kelvin, but that ship was destroyed in the year 2233. During that same time, James T. Kirk is born and grows up as a rogue kid without a father. The story then jumps to the year 2255, when Pike recommends that Kirk, now a frivolous young adult, join Starfleet Academy. Three years later, a brand new starship, the USS Enterprise is ready to be launched. Captain Pike calls it a flagship, implying that it is the first of its kind. Pike is given command of the Enterprise while, during the same time, Kirk is placed on academic suspension for cheating on a final exam. As a result, he is meandering around, feeling disappointed and unwanted, while other Starfleet Academy graduates are being given their first assignments aboard various starships. Kirk finally makes it onto the Enterprise, not through assignment, but by being smuggled aboard by a sympathetic Dr. McCoy. The starship embarks on its first mission in the year 2258, with Captain Pike in command. However, Pike seems to spend little time with the Enterprise before he is captured by Nero, infected with a knowledge-sucking bug that cripples him, rescued by his crew, and returned to Earth, where he is promoted to Admiral and (from his wheelchair) promotes Kirk to Captain and the new Commanding Officer of the Enterprise. Comparing the two timelines raises some questions: - Why does everything happen earlier and faster in the new timeline? Did Nero's intervention in the past really cause that much of a difference? - What was Pike doing between 2233 and 2258? Did he command the Farragut? If so, what happened to Anthony Garrovick? - Was the Enterprise actually the first of its own kind, say the Enterprise-Class, in the new timeline? If so, what happened to the Constitution-Class? Also, was the Farragut of a class that was inferior to the Enterprise (like Uhura seemed to be implying)? Furthermore, what happened to the Farragut? I presume that it was part of the attack fleet that Nero and the Nirada made mincemeat out of. The two timelines have radical differences between them. I welcome any feedback that anyone has regarding what has been mentioned in this post. Thanks.

I sum it up to lazy writers who didn't do their homework.

I think Pike in this time line already has more character development and a brighter future than he did in the original. I look forward to seeing Admiral Pike in the next movie.