One Star Trek: Generations script would have brought back Captain Kirk much differently

Star Trek: Generations is never going to be anyone's favorite Star Trek film. The first movie for The Next Generation crew, it had its issues much like Star Trek: The Motion Picture did for The Original Series crew. One thing Generations did that The Motion Picture did not was kill the beloved Captain Kirk. Needless to say, that didn't earn the film high points with the fans. In fact, many, to this day, won't watch the movie because of that particular scene or will, at the very least, skip over that part.

One original Generation scrip that Rick Berman put into development intended to bring Captain Kirk back from the 23rd century in a much different manner. Written by former Star Trek: The Next Generation producer, Maurice Hurley, it didn't include much crossover from the remainder of The Original Series cast, according to Star Trek All Good Things: A Next Generation Companion. Instead, it had Captain Picard seeking advice from Captain Kirk when the Federation is threatened. And, to do that, Picard would have reached out to a simulation of Kirk on the Holodeck.

This one would have presumed that Kirk was already dead in the 24th century, and perhaps would have been a little easier for fans to stomach, but Captain Picard fans would have had an issue with it. It would have been difficult for them to fathom how, after so many years as a captain, Picard would have faced a problem he couldn't, along with his more than capable crew, solve, especially considering everything he and his crew had already faced. With Picard having survived being assimilated by the Borg and tortured by the Cardassians, he had gone through hell and back and was still standing.

The Enterprise had endured battles, suffered tragic losses, and survived to save the day countless times. But, if the script Hurley had written had been used in Star Trek: Generations, fans would have been expected to believe, in this one instance, Captain Picard could not protect the Federation without input from Captain Kirk. That would have been a slap in the face to The Next Generation cast, and thankfully, that script was jettisoned. Even though Generations isn't a fan-favorite, I think that script would have made it much worse. At least in the one that was produced, we actually saw Captain Kirk in action and were able to spend some screen time with him before his demise...which, quite frankly, isn't even a sure thing now!