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Kelvin Timeline Counterparts

A look at six alternate timeline versions of notable Prime Universe characters!


Illustrated banner featuring Kelvin timeline characters Pike, Sarek, Amanda Grayson, Carol Marcus, and Finnegan

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In addition to the U.S.S. Enterprise’s core crew, the Kelvin Timeline featured alternate versions of several notable characters who were previously seen in the Prime Universe…

Kelvin Timeline Christopher Pike on the bridge of the Enterprise

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After recruiting James T. Kirk into Starfleet, Christopher Pike became a mentor-like figure to both Kirk and Spock. Pike captained the U.S.S. Enterprise during its mission to investigate Nero’s attack on Vulcan, entrusting his starship to Spock and Kirk when he surrendered himself to his Romulan counterpart. In the wake of that incident, Pike was promoted to admiral and Kirk inherited the Enterprise’s center seat.

A Prime Directive violation resulted in Kirk being demoted, so Pike once again found himself in command of the Enterprise. Before he could resume that post, Pike was murdered by John Harrison, better known as Khan Noonien Singh, as the 20th Century tyrant assaulted Starfleet Headquarters. Pike’s death struck Kirk and Spock particularly hard, leading them to relentlessly pursue Khan.

Close-up of Ben Cross as Sarek in the Kelvin Timeline

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Much like his Prime peer, Kelvin Sarek served as Vulcan’s ambassador to Earth, where he met and married Amanda Grayson. Tension marred Sarek’s relationship with his son Spock to a certain extent, as other Vulcans tended to view both Grayson and Spock with a bit of disdain. Sarek sat on the Vulcan Science Academy panel when Spock turned down the opportunity to be admitted to the institution.

Spock managed to rescue Sarek just before Nero’s mining vessel destroyed Vulcan, making the father and son two of the very few survivors who had escaped their homeworld’s demise. With Spock emotionally compromised after his mother’s death, Sarek sought to comfort his son, revealing that he, the ever stoic Vulcan ambassador, had always loved his wife.

Kelvin Timeline Amanda Grayson (Winona Ryder) smiles proudly at her son Spock

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Always supportive of Spock, Amanda Grayson supplied her son with the human affection that he did not receive from his father. Grayson’s ancestry often became a target for bullies who wished to taunt Spock, as they knew their words would provoke him to anger. Much as Kirk lost his father in the Kelvin Timeline, Spock witnessed Amanda as she fell to her death during the evacuation of Vulcan.

Thrust into the captain’s chair, Spock needed to both command the Enterprise and process his mother’s passing. When Kirk disagreed with Spock’s decision to regroup with the fleet, he exploited the half-Vulcan’s pain as a means to relieve Spock from his duty. The act clearly made Kirk uncomfortable, but his intentions were noble and the two eventually put the incident behind them. To demonstrate his feelings for Nyota Uhura, Spock gifted her with a vokaya amulet that had belonged to Grayson.

Carol Marcus smiles with her head tilted downward on Star Trek Into Darkness

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Unlike Prime Carol, who often felt suspicious toward Starfleet, the Kelvin Timeline’s Carol Marcus actually joined the interstellar organization as a science officer and expert in advanced weaponry. Curious about a secret project her father was working on, Marcus snuck aboard the Enterprise while utilizing her mother’s maiden name. Marcus’ specialization paid off, as she worked with Dr. McCoy to disarm a long-range torpedo, soon discovering that her father had hidden one of Khan’s followers inside it.

Admiral Marcus beamed Carol aboard the U.S.S. Vengeance as he prepared to eliminate the Enterprise and its crew. Ashamed of her father’s actions, Carol voiced her dissent and was present when Kirk, Montgomery Scott, and Khan commandeered the Vengeance’s bridge. A year after Khan was captured, Carol officially joined the Enterprise’s bridge crew as the starship embarked on its five-year mission, though she was not present during the vessel’s visit to Starbase Yorktown.

Finnegan

Close-up of Greg Grunberg as Finnegan in the Kelvin Timeline

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Although Finnegan aggravated and teased James T. Kirk at Starfleet Academy in the Prime Universe, Kelvin’s Finnegan had a more serious demeanor. Commander Finnegan operated out of Starbase Yorktown, where he coordinated the massive space station’s defenses. Finnegan was present when a mysterious vessel emerged from the Necro Cloud Nebula, as well as when Krall’s armada of swarm ships launched their ambush against Yorktown. Once Kirk and his crew determined that they could disrupt the link between Krall’s ships, Finnegan followed their lead and amplified the raucous broadcast, playing a valuable role in defeating the enemy fleet.

Christine Chapel

Originally a nurse in Enterprise’s sickbay, Christine Chapel assisted Dr. McCoy as he treated James T. Kirk while the ship made its way to Vulcan in 2258. A failed romance between Chapel and Kirk prompted the nurse to request a transfer to a post on the outer frontier. Interestingly, Chapel was also friends with Carol Marcus, though the nurse was never actually seen on-screen in any of the Kelvin Timeline films.


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