My Favorite 'Star Trek' Movie Scenes from the Original Cast

'Star Trek: The Motion Picture'

I love Star Trek : The Motion Picture, and the disembark from dry dock always blows me away. In 1979, the ole NCC proudly flashing its titanium left us a gasp. The lighted view, over the new score, gave us the time to pause and take in the Enterprise like we never had before. But what really does it for me is the way TMP feels like a TOS episode, and it begins with Kirk. In later installments, Kirk feels more like a consensus builder who rises only slightly above that of co-leader. In TMP, Kirk commands, and there’s no discrepancy.

The defining moment coalesces as the the relaunch signals the end of decade long diaspora of reruns we were forced to endure. Kirk's knowing wink to Chekov inspires the confidence the crew has come to soak up in all manner of catastrophe. His is not a dictatorship, though. Scott is characteristically ready with the limitations, Bones gives the gut checking pause we expect, and the universe certainly doesn't oblige. Of course, Kirk pressed on through the bumps of his imperfect command. But the baseline is set. Too bad it didn’t endure.

The Wrath of Khan

There are so many scenes to choose from that I’m going to ignore logic and “do what feels right.” General Order 12 be damned, Captain Kirk has still been flying a desk since Captain Decker went missing. So we must give James Tiberius some latitude. Still, we are one big happy fleet. But as the majestic Starfleet models converge, Kirk and Spock play the mystery perfectly, while Ricardo Montalbon passively wields the upper hand. That is until he’s ready to release his wrath.

“Fire.”

Kirk is done, and is going down with the ship.

“Khan.”

Kirk wasn’t the only one mouthing the word. The unavoidable back and forth also forced us to rationalize whether the Space Seed received a just sentence 15 years earlier. But it’s too late for that, and Khan must have read up on the Corbomite Maneuver by now. Is the franchise really over?

Sorry, we didn’t believe in the no win scenario either. Yeah, keep nodding Spock, we know very well why things work on a Starship. Still, Kirk must stall and go passive to get Khan’s guard down. Of course, this isn’t just about two big ships and a bigger bang. Kirk vs Khan, the enmity seethes. The subtly speaks just as loud when James T. unwittingly shows his age by forgetting to drop his glasses.

“Damn.”

The subtext aside, the superior intellect buys the bluff. “45 seconds admiral,” but we know the deck has changed and who's going to beat who.

“Here it comes.”

That felt good, didn’t it?

The Search for Spock

What search? We knew exactly where he was, and in keeping tradition, Star Trek III is obviously among the odd men out. Kirk falls to his knees and cries, Jim Ignatowski plays the bad guy and Saavik has undergone plastic surgery that makes her unrecognizable. Fortunately, after the follow up story to genesis falls flat, the scene on Seleya reengages us.

“But as what cost,” and Sarek’s logical uncertainty when it comes to his son, gave us no assurances about Spock’s future. It didn’t look good either as the first officer walked passed Kirk like some random outworlder. The inevitable pause takes for ever too.

The bewilderment Spock reveals starts to make us believe, though. And we know we're onto something when Kirk turns logic on its head. “Because the needs of the one outweighed the needs of the many.”

Hesitantly, Spock begins to remember the personal journey that him straddles between his Human and Vulcan side. Of course, Jim Kirk unreservedly displays the lack of patience we are all harboring. “You saved the ship. You saved us all,” he implores.

Sorry Scottie, the captain is the real miracle worker on this ship.

“Jim. Your name is Jim.”

The theremin then envelops us and when the eyebrow goes up, the message is clear.

…The Adventure Continues.

The Voyage Home

Star Trek IV is also home to numerous scenes that vie for the best. But you probably know how I feel. The exiled crew members of the Enterprise aren’t the only ones making the voyage home either. So while Spock knows his mummification glyphs and varied minutia, his mind is still out to lunch and the computer seems to know it.

“How do you feel?”

We take solace in the bewildered look again. Fortunately, his mother is there to pick him up. “What is it Spock,” likely doesn’t suffice as the way T’Plana-Hath would go about unraveling a mystery.

But Amanda still knows that the best way to level Spock’s emotions is by appealing to his logic. “Spock the retraining of your mind is in the Vulcan way, so you may not understand it but as my son you have them. They will surface.”

Now having him placated, Amanda has more math skills up her sleeve. Using an inverse proof, Amanda stands Vulcan logic on its head. “Then you stand here alive because of a mistake,” she casts doubt on Spock’s “axiom.”

Spock isn’t ready yet though. “Humans make illogical decisions.” So Amanda gives him the motherlode. “They do indeed.”

The Voyage Home has begun.

The Final Frontier

This one is pretty easy for me. Yeah, I like my pain and so does Jim Kirk. But in actuality, he understands the importance of it, even if the ship’s doctor doesn’t. “This con man took away my pain away,” McCoy reasons.

Of course, Spock is not the poor outcast boy from long ago, and once again, Kirk is left to balance out the middle. The Captain Kirk we know doesn’t delve in the past. “I don’t need to know that I've made the wrong choices in my life? That I turned left when I should've turned right? I know what my weaknesses are. I don't need Sybok to take me on a tour of them.

So yeah, Kirk, to his detriment, wouldn’t be so malleable on the couch. Still, the hardhead doesn’t mean he discounts a real process. “Dammit Bones, you’re a doctor. You know pain can’t be taken away with the wave of a magic wand.”

Nonetheless, Kirk understands the journey, no matter how we endure the difficulties. “I don't want my pain taken away. I need my pain,” Kirk stands tall.

Wow, if had bootstraps, I’d be pulling about now.

The Undiscovered Country

I really don’t like Star Trek VI. The actors are out of gas, the bromance has gone on way too long, and 60 year olds shouldn’t be kissing supermodels. But the movie does have a multitude of science fiction moments that define what Star Trek is all about. Only Nixon could go to China… Wow. But the dinner scene is my favorite.

The distrust the two cultures have begins as all others do— a lack of understanding. We see it first in mere appearance. Humans fail to see the honor Klingon race puts on military bravery So the military garb simply reinforces the belief that Klingons are soulless warmongers. In contrast, the Klingons eye their hosts with disdain. They see Starfleet’s quaint explorer outfits and loose chain of command as a sign of weakness.

Then we go deeper. It doesn't occur to anyone on the Enterprise to make the meal more commensurate with Klingon tradition. The Klingons perplexed by the table settings represent subtle brilliance. In turn, the Klingons don’t understand the insult of claiming Shakespeare as their own. But Scottie signals the perils of the Undiscovered Country. “Perhaps we are looking at something of that future right here.”

Oh crap. And forget the jockeying for position by Chang and Kirk, it’s Chekov which exhibits the cultural gulf that must be breached to achieve understanding. “We do believe all planets have a sovereign claim to inalienable human rights.”

Of course, Gorkon’s daughter makes no attempt to forgive the unintended insult. “Inalien... If only you could hear yourselves? 'Human rights.' Why the very name is racist. The Federation is no more than a 'homo sapiens' only club,” asserts Azetbur.

I think the kids call this an epic fail. My only wish for this scene was that it went on longer. But Gorkon had no illusions, and while I wanted the moment to flush out further, the Klingon ambassador still gave me enough fill that dessert wasn’t needed.

“Well, ...I see we have a long way to go.”

He understood. Eventually, they all did.

Author can be reached at [email protected]

Please like my page