Do you remember the scene in the first Kelvin Timeline film, Star Trek (2009), where Dr. McCoy is introduced? Karl Urban's acting is spot on as he sits down next to James T. Kirk (Chris Pine), and then in one line he gives us the origin of his long-held nickname saying his ex-wife took the planet in the divorce, and, "All I got left is my bones." That's when Trekkies knew we were getting something special. Something different, but fun, fresh, and truly Star Trek.
When the new Star Trek film hit theatres in 2009, it revitalized the fandom. It acted as an access point to fans both new and old, and gave viewers a fresh look at classic TOS by sending us down a new timeline. The films that followed, Star Trek Into Darkness in 2013, and Star Trek Beyond in 2016, have their fans and critics.
However, the long teased fourth film has been in talks ever since the third entry wrapped, and, nearly a decade later, the time may have passed for interest in another TOS Kelvin movie. Added to this is the passing of the talented actor Anton Yelchin, who played Mr. Chekov with a genuine enthusiasm that made his version of the character instantly beloved by fans.
What hasn’t been discussed enough, however, is simply moving forward in the Kelvin Timeline to The Next Generation!
What if we could once again, have that same feeling of meeting new McCoy, but this time with Captain Picard, Commander Riker, or Lt. Tasha Yar? We’ve already seen how successfully Trek has been with recasting The Original Series characters in the Kelvin films, Strange New Worlds, Picard, et al.
The benefit of staying in the Kelvin Timeline, is that it is wide open to change and for new takes on the characters we already love. Is Jean-Luc Picard the same man we know? What impact has history's change made upon the archaeologist-hearted captain of the Enterprise-D? Did Picard remain more boisterous like he is portrayed in his academy days? Maybe a more swashbuckling, and less stern, Picard could grace our screens?
Does the Klingon Empire become more of a threat? How was Lt. Worf impacted? Was he still raised on Earth by humans, or did his family survive? What would a Worf raised on Kronos (Qo'noS) be like?
While we all love Trek, we know certain aspects haven’t perhaps aged particularly well, or could be better explored in fresh stories. Counselor Deanna Troi and Dr. Beverly Crusher could be utilized better throughout, and their characters explored further. Perhaps we could learn more about the Betazoid culture through Troi, or the struggles of a single working mother with Dr. Crusher. How about more of Tasha instead of relegating her to a pair of legs behind Picard's head?
And does she have to die this time?
Another question left from the Kelvin movies, is how does the destruction of Vulcan impact the Federation, long term? What exactly is the impact on the quadrant from the timeline we know? Surely, the annihilation of such a rich culture and involved society as Vulcan would have had huge, widespread impact and complications.
How will it impact the Federation in the long term? Would we see other worlds take a more significant role now that Vulcan is no more? Do any rival factions see this as a good time to make trouble? Do the Romulans become a more dominant world in the Federation, with their Vulcan cousins almost extinct? Or do they see this as a time for true reunification?
There are a lot of deviations in the Kelvin Timeline that would be very interesting to see explored. The questions and possibilities are endless and can free writers from the detailed lore and history of Trek, opening up the franchise to new stories. The future is different in the Kelvin Timeline, but it’s still bright.
Do you want another Star Trek with Chris Pine and the Kelvin cast? Or would you prefer a Star Trek: The Next Generation film set in the Kelvin Timeline? Share your thoughts and comments with us on the Redshirts Always Die X and Facebook pages.