JJ Abrams’ Star Trek The 2009 film not only ended with the crew of the USS Enterprise saving the Earth, but it also breathed new life and energy into the dormant Star Trek franchise, creating not only more movies, but the new TV series that followed. were coming. Set in the alternate Kelvin timeline created by a Romulan time traveler named Nero (Eric Bana), Star Trek is an original story about how James T. Kirk (Chris Pine) became captain of the USS Enterprise and forged his eternal friendship with Spock (Zachary Quinto).
The young crew of the Starship Enterprise raced against time to stop Nero Star Trek The final act of 2009. Nero used an alien brain slug to steal Earth’s defense codes from imprisoned Captain Christopher Pike (Bruce Greenwood). The Romulan’s spaceship, the Narada, reached Earth and lowered a drill to dig into the planetary core in San Francisco Bay near Starfleet headquarters. From there, Nero would drop red matter, creating a singularity that would swallow the planet into a black hole, much like the Romulans’ previously destroyed Spock’s homeworld Vulcan. The USS Enterprise counterattack was to use the gravitational field of Saturn’s moon, Titan, to hide the spacecraft from the Narada’s sensors. This allowed Kirk and Spock to beam aboard Nero’s ship to rescue Pike and prevent the Romulans from destroying Earth.
Nero’s plan to destroy the federation explained
Nero’s plan was simply an intergalactic genocide. In 2387, which was 129 years before the present day of Star Trek In the 2009 main story, Nero was helpless to watch a supernova destroy his homeworld of Romulus. Nero was furious with Ambassador Spock (Leonard Nimoy), who promised the Romulans he would stop the supernova, but the legendary Vulcan was too late to carry out his plan to use red matter to create a black hole supernova before it wiped out Romulus. . Both Nero and Spock were drawn into the singularity, but they have emerged at different points in the past. The Narada arrived in 2233 and the destruction of the USS Kelvin created an alternate reality from then on. Spock arrived in the Kelvin timeline 25 years later, in 2258. Nero immediately captured Spock and stranded him on Delta Vega, leaving him to watch as Nero destroyed Vulcan.
Nero eventually blamed the United Federation of Planets for doing “nothing” to save Romulus. (Star Trek: Picard Season 1’s backstory elaborates on the Federation’s failure to stop the Romulan supernova.) Nero decided he would use red matter to wipe out every Federation world, starting with Vulcan and Earth, in the 23rd century to ensure there would be no Federation in its 24th century era. Nero even attacked a Klingon prison planet (possibly Rura Penthe) and destroyed a Klingon fleet with his advanced technology, because the Romulan also knew that the Klingons and the Federation became allies in the 24th century,
How Kirk and Spock Stopped Nero
Determined to exact revenge for Vulcan’s destruction, Spock offered to beam on the Narada to stop Nero’s exercise, and Kirk decided to join him. Scotty (Simon Pegg) accidentally transported them to a populated era, so a gunfight was quickly assured, but a mind-bleed with one of the Romulans, Spock discovered the location of Ambassador Spock’s ship with the red matter, while Kirk discovered where Captain Pike was being held. The Starfleet heroes then broke up. Spock piloted his older self’s ship in Earth’s atmosphere and destroyed Nero’s drill, saving the planet. Since the red matter was with Spock, Nero couldn’t use it on the Terran home world. Meanwhile, Kirk got into a fistfight with Nero, but after killing Nero’s first officer, Ayel (Clifton Collins, Jr.), he was also able to rescue the wounded Captain Pike.
Outraged by Spock for destroying his drill, Nero’s ship followed Spock as the Vulcan retreated and led the Romulans from Earth. Spock’s bet was to leave warp at Saturn, allowing the Enterprise to come to the rescue. That’s exactly what happened when the Enterprise arrived when the cavalry rescued Spock from Nero’s torpedoes. Kirk, Pike and Spock beamed back aboard the Enterprise before Spock’s ship plunged into the Narada, releasing the red dust and creating a black hole that would swallow the ship. Kirk offered to take Nero and his crew to safety (against Spock’s wishes), but the Romulans preferred to “die in agony” rather than accept the Federation’s help. Kirk’s response? “You’ve got it.” And they let the singularity swallow the Romulans.
However, another problem arose and Enterprise became trapped in the black hole’s gravitational source, preventing it from moving away. Kirk ordered Scotty to eject the warp core, hoping the force of the blast would bring the Enterprise to safety. The gamble worked, and the Federation flagship was able to distance itself enough from the singularity and make it home to Earth.
Star Trek ‘s Musical Captain’s Chair and how Kirk became Captain of the Enterprise
Star Trek The 2009 endgame was that Kirk would become Captain of the Enterprise — and earn the seat — but how it got there is mind-boggling. Pike is captain of the Enterprise when the spaceship warps to Vulcan to answer the distress call when Nero attacked the planet. After Nero “invited” Pike aboard the Narada, Pike promoted Spock to acting captain and Kirk (who didn’t belong on the Enterprise to begin with) to first officer. Spock then had Kirk thrown off the ship for mutiny and left him on Delta Vega. Kirk returned to the Enterprise with Scotty thanks to Ambassador Spock showing the Engineer the equation for transwarp rays. Kirk was then able to demonstrate that Spock was “emotionally compromised” due to his trauma from Vulcan’s destruction, and Jim took command as acting captain.
Because Kirk led the Enterprise to successfully save Earth from Nero, Starfleet Command rewarded him with a promotion to captain. Yes, Kirk jumped from cadet to captain over the course of the movie. Kirk then relieved the injured and wheelchair-bound Captain Pike from the Enterprise. It may seem like an insane turn of events, but there’s a Star Trek movie precedent for Kirk’s reward. When Admiral Kirk (William Shatner) saved Earth from the Whale Probe in Star Trek IV: The Voyage HomeStarfleet dropped all charges against him and demoted him to captain, giving him command of the USS Enterprise-A. In Star Trek, saving Earth is the key to getting what you want, especially if your name is James T. Kirk.
How Star Trek Positioned the Enterprise Crew in their classic roles
Star Trek 2009 was ingenious in how each of the Enterprise’s main crew members was positioned in their classic roles, despite being Starfleet cadets. Hikaru Sulu (John Cho) became coxswain to replace the previous sick pilot. 17-year-old Pavel Chekov (Anton Yelchin) was also on the bridge at Operations. dr. Leonard McCoy (Karl Urban) was assigned as one of the Enterprise’s senior medical officers, but became Chief Medical Officer after the previous doctor died during Nero’s attack. McCoy also used his influence to sneak Kirk aboard the Enterprise, despite his academic suspension. Nyota Uhura (Zoe Saldana) used her romantic relationship with Spock to be transferred to the Enterprise of the USS Farragut, and then Captain Pike Uhura became a Communications Officer due to her superior ability to understand Romulan and Klingon. Finally, Scotty served as chief transporter during the Enterprise’s final attack on Nero, and Kirk promoted him to chief engineer after becoming captain.
Ambassador Spock’s role in Star Trek 2009 explained
The presence of Leonard Nimoy in Star Trek 2009 gave JJ Abrams’ reboot legitimacy in the eyes of Trekkers, but Ambassador Spock (billed as Spock Prime in the film) was also pivotal to the story. Spock is the main link between Star Trek’s Prime Timeline and the alternate reality of Abrams, but because the legendary Vulcan jumped into the Kelvin universe and ended up stranded there, it was certain that Star Trek 2009 “Really Happened.” Ambassador Spock’s role was ostensibly to give Kirk (and the public) the backstory of where Nero came from and how he traveled through time to the 23rd century, but the Vulcan’s far more important role was to help young Kirk. on his journey to become a captain. of the Company.
Thanks to Ambassador Spock, Kirk realized he had to work with the younger Spock to stop Nero. Kirk believed the old Vulcan that he and Spock are destined to be friends and that together they can achieve great things. Meeting Ambassador Spock was the impetus Kirk needed to become the captain he was destined to be. As for the two Spocks, the Prime Vulcan initially didn’t want to meet his younger self, but he decided they “couldn’t ignore each other” when there were less than 10,000 Vulcans left in the universe. Ambassador Spock also urged Commander Spock to stay in Starfleet, as they can now be “in two places at once”. The two Spocks meeting gets a payout in Star Trek Into Darkness when the younger Vulcan turns to his older counterpart for information on how to defeat Khan Noonien Singh (Benedict Cumberbatch).
How Star Trek 2009 Put On JJ Abrams’ Trilogy (And Upcoming Star Trek TV Shows)
Star Trek 2009 ended with Captain Kirk and his crew aboard the Starship Enterprise, ready to explore the final frontier in sequels. Beyond setting up 2012 Star Trek Into Darknessand a third film directed by Justin Lin, 2016 Star Trek onward, JJ Abrams’ 2009 film was ultimately the rebirth of the Star Trek franchise. Four years had passed since Star Trek: Enterprise was canceled and there would be a new Star Trek series on television Star Trek: Discovery in 2017. During those 12 years, Abrams’ Star Trek trilogy kept the franchise alive, creating new fans and becoming the foundation for the next wave of Star Trek TV shows.
JJ Abrams’ Star Trek movies were a necessary and long-needed upgrade to Star Trek’s visual effects, production values, and a shift in tone and storytelling styles. Star Trek 2009 was the template that Star Trek: Discovery, Star Trek: Picard, and Star Trek: Strange New Worlds followed, with all three live-action series on Paramount+ featuring production values ​​and blockbuster movie-quality footage. Star Trek The breakneck style of 2009 and the dazzling sense of fun and adventure are also evident in the animation Star Trek: Lower Decks and Star Trek: Prodigy. Whether or not a fourth Star Trek movie ever reunites the Kevlin cast, Star Trek 2009 is the benchmark on which Star Trek’s current golden age on Paramount+ has been built, and it remains a thrilling, spectacular space adventure that can withstand repeated viewings.
