Why Captain Kirk's Body Is In Star Trek: Picard Season 3

[@renaius]

The explanation behind the big reveal at the end of "Võx" actually gave a simple enough explanation: the Prime Directive. They couldn't just leave an alien corpse under a small cairn in the mountains

[@EvansFanily]

Yeah but why would they keep it? Lol

[@chmarr]

@@EvansFanily he was supposed to have been killed in the nexus at the start of generations

[@jonathanhirst6997]

@@EvansFanily Temporal prime directive?

[@gregwarden7120]

If I recall correctly, this was mentioned in ”The Return" for both the Enterprise D and Kirk's body.

[@_Omega_Weapon]

​@@EvansFanily Because it's freakin Kirk!

[@popgarb4996]

Personally, I liked how they ended Kirk's story in the Spock Reflections comic. Spock travels from Romulus to bring Kirk's body back to Iowa. I think it's fitting for both of them

[@CaptainGlack]

That sounds like a sweet thing that Spock would do, especially since Kirk already kinda did the same for him.

[@rctrue]

That's legit.

[@firstnamelastname2552]

If I had emotions I would consider allowing a tear to come out of my eye port.

[@fhsreelfilms]

I like that much better, too. The idea of having him in a tube at Daystrom feels ghoulish and disrespectful.

[@CDRiley]

Wow you must be a prophet @pop garb

[@mstiefan6996]

Kirk's body being taken off of Veridian III along with the remains of the Enterprise-D saucer section makes sense for a number of reasons people have already pointed out. And keeping his remains hidden away in a facility like the Daystrom Institute also makes sense given I recall that Kirk had a LOT of enemies...and if they or family members of those enemies knew where Kirk's remains were, who is to say they wouldn't do something? Like a Klingon could take his skull and prop it up as a trophy in his house and claim they, or a family member, were the true slayer of one of the Klingon Empire's greatest enemies, Captain James T. Kirk. The movies certainly made the Klingons more aggressive towards killing Kirk than the TV show, but they really considered him the biggest prize to kill in terms of the Federation....well, along with destroying the Enterprise.

[@zairman]

Prime Directive plus he was in the Nexus and they are probably researching the effects of it on his body as well.

[@mrcritical6751]

I doubt any good Klingon would want to risk their honour being challenged by lying about killing Kirk

[@photonicus]

@@mrcritical6751 Agreed, but if such a claim were believed by others it could heighten the status of a Klingon house. The honor of SOME Klingons(like the Durass family) can be sketchy at times.

[@kdrapertrucker]

Actually it has been established that Kirk is enshrined in the Klingon Hall of heroes.

[@photonicus]

@@kdrapertrucker Being in the Klingon Hall of Heroes and not being Klingon? That's heavy..

[@CaptainJamesTKirk]

The best thing Terry did with Picard! They need to fix the Generations/Kirk ending. And he just gave someone the ability to do exactly that. You made my year. Now let's give Kirk a proper sendoff.

[@bobcolleton6690]

I’ve been waiting for Kirk’s return after the terrible way they killed him off in Generations, William Shatner’s books were my favorite & I so wanted those made into films. Great as always Se’an!

[@cptsteele91]

Shatnerverse is the only post tng canon I recognise

[@davemccullough2256]

I agree. Those books were incredible. Too late now but if anyone had the foresight back then there could have been four or five star trek films including the next gen cast and Kirk. If they were to do it now it has to animated. Everyone is just getting too old.

[@PlasmaCoolantLeak]

Right? My God, having him killed essentially by a fall. What a chickens*** way for Jim Kirk to die. Maybe add some ADA hardware on Soran's scaffolding like I have in my bathtub (I'm 65), and have some senior discounts at Spacedock? JEBUS CHRISTMAS. A man who survived a blood-sucking gaseous alien, narrowly escaping a planet-killing log, and putting himself in incredible personal pain by not protecting the woman he loved from certain death in order to protect future generations. Why not just give him a subspace LifeAlert medallion, too?!

[@Connection500]

I'm afraid it's Shatner or nothing. There's never any talk or recasting Picard, and I truly feel the same respect is owed to Shatner and Kirk.

[@Caseytify]

But there haven't been several actors playing Picard, either.

[@ArtofLunatik]

Too late

[@madkabal]

Chris Pine is a decent kirk.

[@TopHatJackStudios]

The Return was my first Trek novel back in the day, and I was hooked ever since. It also suggests the Saucer section was removed due to the Prime Directive.

[@robwebnoid5763]

For me, it would have to be Bill Shatner that would return as Kirk. Doesn't matter in what way, whether cameo, full episodes, whatever. He is the first Kirk, he embodied it & made this captain what it is today for others to copy from. And the world has known him as Kirk for over 40 years, even after Pine tried to do it. So, do something with it. Screenwriters can use Bill as old Kirk, or de-aged Kirk, or both, whether in flashbacks, as clones, or time travel, etc. It's not like all these tricks are new, as if "where no man has gone before" with these types of story ideas. Bill is still here with us, no one knows for how much longer, so give him one more chance to shine, before he finally beams up for good.

[@WW-ee5yi]

The Changelings experiments were tested on Kirk’s body, thus all 3 actors can be used as he shifts from time to time.

[@johnblack9885]

There is only 1 actor who is Kirk: Bill Shatner.

[@Heymrk]

​@@johnblack9885Obviously untrue, as Chris Pine and Paul Wesley exist and have portrayed him on screen.

[@johnblack9885]

@@Heymrk 😂😂😂 those snowflakes ain’t Kirk!

[@Josep_Hernandez_Lujan]

@@johnblack9885 Just because you don't like something doesn't make it so

[@johnblack9885]

@@Josep_Hernandez_Lujan dude Bill made that character and deserves to come back one last time before he dies. Nobody wanted to see him go out like a chump in Generations.

[@lovipoekimo176]

With the reveal of the restoration of the Enterprise D, I also thought that Kirk's body being in Daystrom was a clue that they recovered more than just Kirk's body from the Viridian system (aka the Enterprise D, maybe even the wreckage of the Duras sisters' BOP and whatever debris remained of the Enterprise's Drive section).

[@Josep_Hernandez_Lujan]

@Jesse Pinkman Maybe Barclay just took it with him

[@veggiet2009]

My guess is it ended up at daystrum and they are only hoping Moriarty doesn't get out and sue the federation for cruelty to the recognition of his life

[@pyrioncelendil]

My headcanon is that given Geordi's comments regarding the saucer being recovered to preserve the Prime Directive, they did the same with Kirk's body, removing another source of potential civilization-altering interference for the pre-warp species living on Veridian 4.

[@JaredLS10]

@Jesse Pinkman I would think he is in the A.I. vault that is holding Peanut Hamper and the other dangerous A.I.'s.

[@chaysefox]

@@pyrioncelendil This, including the equipment left by Tolian Soran from Generations.

[@gstcomputing65]

I always thought the Nexus was the best way to keep Kirk alive if they wanted to. Guinan was still in the Nexus even though she was beamed out in Generations. I think part of Kirk is still there; they just need to do some in-universe magic to get his "shadow" to break free. I mean, it's not a worse idea than Lazarus fighting Lazarus for the rest of eternity, or at least until they die of thirst or starvation.

[@rdfox76]

That's actually the perfect way to have Shatner show up again. Think about it. Picard's golem body reaches the end of its timer and he dies again... and then opens up his eyes to Jim Kirk saying, "They got you out of the chair, didn't they?" Shatner grin, Kirk gives Picard a hand standing up, and fade to black, roll credits.

[@silversonic1]

Unfortunately it's not possible. Guinan was forced out of the Nexus when the Enterprise-B rescued her. That's why she's both inside and outside the Nexus. Kirk and Picard both willingly left the Nexus, which honestly would mean there's nothing left of them in it. But I do have to say, Picard overwriting his past self seems a touch iffy. Not sure how I feel about that.

[@silversonic1]

The Genesis Device was archived in the station as well. Also worth noting is Seven did share Borg resurrection techniques with the Voyager crew. So the people at Daystrom's Section 31 branch certainly seem to have a number of ways to revive the dead if they really want to.

[@hubbsllc]

The Genesis device from TWoK was destroyed when it was detonated by Khan, so that had to have been a different Genesis device in Daystrom Station. This raises the discomfiting question, are there even more?

[@silversonic1]

@@hubbsllc I know. What bothers me, though, is the Genesis data should have been long lost. It was erased from Regula 1's database. That tells me that Section 31 may have collected the data during or after development, recovering the erased information.

[@jamescard299]

​@@silversonic1Section 31 could have very easily had agents working on any of those ships.

[@katakisLives]

@@hubbsllc When we see the readout on the monitor it appears to read Genesis II device so the one in Daystrom station was possibly an upgraded device.

[@hubbsllc]

@@katakisLives I see - there's a bit of an Easter egg there: Roddenberry's GENESIS II, a 1973 TV movie meant as a pilot for a new series. CBS passed it over for a PLANET OF THE APES series instead even though GENESIS II was well-received.

[@liamobrien6151]

"I've always known, I'll die alone." -Jim Kirk. Even an episode or a couple episode arc in a Picard season 4 / "Legacy" series with an extended, well-written cameo for Shatner would be wonderful and a great thing to do.

[@robertmartinjr.4537]

There are 2 unfinished unreleased alternate endings of generations where Kirk survived. One was where he accompanied Picard to a hilltop overlooking the Enterprise D saucer section and starfleet shuttles arriving and the other is Kirk reappearing on the Bridge of the Enterprise B. A Paramount executive a few years ago stated that there was regret later on killing off Kirk saying he should have ridden off into the sunset to live out his remaining years.

[@Paul_1971]

Are these deleted endings viewable anywhere?

[@robertmartinjr.4537]

@Paul 1971 on you tube search for Star Trek Generations alternate endings. Some of them are unfinished edits.

[@ChrisRowe]

@@robertmartinjr.4537 erm... they're quite obviously tongue in cheek and badly made fan edits man. You need your head checked if you think those are real

[@robertmartinjr.4537]

@@ChrisRowe I don't think you are on the same page. You need to check your head.

[@ChrisRowe]

@@robertmartinjr.4537 I can assure you I have seen the clips you refer to, and they're very clearly fan made. You're either a troll, or insane.

[@S1n1st3r0n3]

Kirk's body was preserved, so the possibility of his DNA being used to clone a younger Kirk is possible. Another idea could be his conscious will be transferred to another body just like Picard. There are plenty of ideas to make this work. Chris Pine's Kirk exists in a separate time line, so that would be confusing as hell if they ever wanted to use him for Star Trek 4.

[@Josep_Hernandez_Lujan]

If Nimoys Spock can show up in the Kelvin timeline, Pine's Kirk can do the opposite

[@AnneEloiseOfCNY]

​@@Josep_Hernandez_Lujan Great point! 🖖

[@joermnyc]

I think the consciousness transfer only works just after death. (Soong kept Julia in stasis (aka a coma) while building her android copy) A few decades… the brain is too decayed.

[@depoittier]

Why would they need to clone Kirk? His DNA is the third most widely disseminated DNA in all the galaxy, second only to Will Riker and Jeffrey Coombs.

[@Josep_Hernandez_Lujan]

@@depoittier Travelling from star to star He's the intergalactic Jimmy Appleseed He's making sure his garden grows He'll plant a seed on every planet he goes

[@4TheRecord]

6:55 I don't agree, they've already done it with Spock, they got someone who looked a bit like him, then put makeup on his face (partial face mask) to make him look more like Spock then used digital effects to improve what the makeup alone couldn't achieve. It's rather impressive. I imagine that Chris Pine could even be the perfect person for doing that, as he does have a lot of similar features to William Shatner.

[@BrendanHenry]

I expect they would introduce Kirk in this season of Strange New Worlds, and use him. Rejuvenate the body at Daystrom, which would turn him into PWS version of Kirk.

[@Kenpachi4904]

New show idea: It starts with Kirk writing his memoirs, Shatner plays a very old Kirk as he tells the lost stories of his life after being resurrected on Daystrom. The resurrection not only brought him back to life but rejuvenated his body to his peak health when he was younger. Have one of the other 2 actors play the younger Kirk as Shatner narrates the beginning of each story. Give it the episodic feel and will open up a whole world of story telling.

[@LtFoodstamp]

I'm down! Let's go!

[@Josep_Hernandez_Lujan]

So basically "Young Indiana Jones Chronicles" but with Kirk

[@sarahscott5305]

Hi Trekkies! Love you all ❤️🖖

[@stevenewman1393]

🖖😎👍Very cool and very nicely well done and very well informatively explained and executed in every shape and way and detail possibly provided indeed👌.

[@CH11LER.]

After rewatching the none prime treks, Chris Pine and also the guy who played Bones and Spock did a fantastic portal of each character. They had the mannerisms, the phrasing, and even suttle body movements were all there. You could tell that they really studied for the roles. I would personally love to see them all. The guy who played Kirk on SNW didn't have any of that. I felt he was hollow, Kirk in name only. Perhaps it was because he had never become captain of the Enterprise. I don't know, but I couldn't believe him to be Captain Kirk

[@christophervincent77]

the Kirk on SNW is like an older brother or cousin or something. It's not James T, so there's no reason he would talk and act the same...

[@ArbysMom]

@@christophervincent77 IMDB lists the character as James T. Kirk and I specifically looked after watching this episode because I thought the same thing. I went back to the SNW season finale episode and Wesley is listed as a special guest star at the beginning but without a character name, and isn’t listed in the end credits. There is also his brother Sam, played by Dan Jeannette. I’m torn because I don’t want Shatner back at all, and I think Wesley hasn’t been on screen long enough to show us what he’s really capable of (though if he’s the same after a few more episodes, I’m not a fan), but Chris Pine, who was wonderful as Kirk, feels wrong because of the timelines. I think the best solution, for me anyway, is to see where SNW goes in seasons 2 and 3, and wait to see how much involvement Wesley has in the show.

[@christophervincent77]

@@ArbysMom well clearly I was impressed because I only remembered the Sam Kirk character. Thanks for the clarification! And I agree with you on Shatner. He had his day as Kirk and it was a glorious 30+ years long. It's time to bring in new blood... or just leave James T Kirk alone and create new characters!

[@CH11LER.]

@Christopher Vincent no, you're thinking of Sam Kirk. I'm talking about the one episode with Captain Kirk in it where we saw the monster maroons. It was an alternate timeline episode as to the reason why Pike has to be the one who saves the day but get badly burnt.

[@andrewmurray1550]

I remember on Big Bang Theory, Sheldon orders a cut-out (life-size) of Spock and ends up with the Zach Quinto version, not the Leonard Nimoy one that he wanted. All portrayals of Spock by different actors have been great I think, and pay homage to Leonard too.

[@johnmackenzie7190]

Having read all the Shatnerverse books, I for one would’ve the see them brought to the small or big screen. I do agree that it would be better for animation as can the use the likeness of William Shatner. Love all the info given. Keep up the great work

[@CannonRanger-1]

Put Shatner in Lower Decks for just one episode. He's thawed and accidentally gets frozen again. If they can have giant Spock's skeleton in the background of a Lower Decks episode, they can bring back Shatner for a one off.

[@Nutmeg4567]

Purportedly, he was asked, and told them off. Sulu got what would’ve been his scene in Crisis Point 2: Paradoxus.

[@eman67951]

Giant Spock ?

[@KristenK78]

@@Nutmeg4567 …which gives the lie to everyone saying he should come back. I’m pretty sure he has no interest in being further associated with Trek. The character may be iconic, but the actor is…less than worthy. Yup, I said it. Plus Wil Wheaton would have to interview him on Ready Room. That would not go the way all these Shatner fans think it would. 😂

[@CannonRanger-1]

@@eman67951 It was a very deep cut. Star Trek Animated Series "The Infinite Vulcan" a giant clone of Spock was made. Lower Decks Season 2, episode 2 "Kayshon, His Eyes Open" his skeleton in the background.

[@crazeejaycee1617]

@@CannonRanger-1 and the foreground.. and the mid ground.. and as an obstacle... mariner kinda knocked it down.. or was it the death traps.. one of them did

[@jamesl4857]

I'd love to see Kirk return somehow, but I'd love to see something done with Captain Sulu as well. So much of that LOST ERA period is unaccounted for in film and TV. All The Best, James Heath Lantz Freelance Writer Staff Writer for Back Issue magazine 2021 Eisner Award nominee, 2019 winner, "Best Comics-Related Periodical/Journalism"

[@DanTheAngryModder]

"The Return" was one of my favorite all-time 'Trek novels.

[@Mitsusplik]

I would like to see Captain Kirk as a hologram who advises the young captains in times of crisis, and eventually have an episode of him saving the ship as Dr. already had on Voyager.

[@andrewmurray1550]

"emergency command Kirk Hologram"? ECKH?

[@jamescard299]

​@@andrewmurray1550 It would be called Tiberius 1.

[@martincolvill5453]

I LOVE ❤️ IT!!!

[@hoss1003]

They already have Janeway doing that.. lets keep her, she's better looking..

[@marvellegends_uk]

Well someone has to pilot the A into battle alongside the D..... Zombie Kirk... ENGAGE!

[@dschehutinefer5627]

"Raaaarrr! Khaaaaan!"

[@brickonator]

I always like it when writers do setups like this that open up possibilities but do not put limiters on it. Personally I would rather avoid ai voice synth for an entire character but digital audio/video mods would be fine. Also, if Shatner isn’t up for headlining a full series, there’s no reason he couldn’t costar with someone else the way Seven has been a major character in Picard s3 despite not being a tng character.

[@mav3598]

If your considering Pine he needs to be a 'Prime' universe Kirk not 'Kelvin'. Regardless of what/how one thing i would do is have Shatner do the same as Majel Barret and record his voice phonetics so that down the line an animated Kirk could still be voiced by him

[@mrcritical6751]

Pike’s got the acting chops, he could easily play a Prime universe Kirk if he needs to

[@mav3598]

@@mrcritical6751 no doubt pine could play it I just mean it needs to be with prime universe history. If he references anything it needs to be prime canon and Kelvin films don't count for the Kirk he'd play

[@gailmrutland6508]

*You know, my wife and I are retired and well into our 70's. We sold the house to downsize and I had a very large room dedicated to TREK.. I kept stuff you can't really easily get (signed scripts, celluloid's, convention shots etc.) but I sold the rest. Not sure what my total buy in was over the years, but I got nearly $200K for my collection. It is TRULY amazing what TREK culture is. MIND BLOWING in fact.*

[@James-rm7sr]

I am all for Chris Pine. They could always recast an older man to be that Kirk, but the idea you brought up Chris Pine in the Wrath of Khan uniform wow. I need that to happen now. Out of that whole crew. I really did feel that Chris was playing his role perfectly and due to his acting would be so widely accepted on back as Kirk. It wouldn't hurt a Star Trek 4 given if they managed to do it the whole separate timeline would mean it doesn't matter. Chris could then play both Kirks which I think would be huge for the actor. Chris has made it clear he wants to do more Star Trek. Paramount is driving me crazy with it. They have one of the most talented and biggest names who wants to be in your film, but they sit on their hands and do nothing. It was why for the longest time I felt Star Trek would do far better getting sold to another company than with Paramount who has again and again just stuttered. They did that following Enterprise saying it wasn't that huge. It had solid numbers. Paramount keeps going back and forth with acting like ST is their flag ship brand, but then act like they want to distant from it.

[@michaeltortorice9876]

I'd like to see Picard's final scene to be him on a ship searching for the Nexus. When it is located, he goes off alone in a shuttle, close up of Patrick Stewart as white light envelopes him ala Sheridan in Babylon 5, suddenly he's sitting on a rock. He turns and there's Kirk (Shatner) with two horses saying, "Took you long enough!" The two captains of the Enterprise ride off into the sunset. That was less about Kirk and more about Picard. Alternatively, just establish that portions of The Return are canon, Kirk's actually out there somewhere but his implants and enhancements were not immortality and he's nearing the end. No positronic body for him. Don't know if we could get ten episodes out of Shatner, even if he was willing. But one last ride for the Sons of Sarek would be something. And now I'm rambling. First idea is most workable. Carry on.

[@LgiovanniF]

And on and on and on until he dies and then you complain because it didn't look exactly like your head cannon.

[@sentinal31]

b5 fan! i like your idea

[@thetrembler8791]

In addition to all the other reasons, the key real world reason Kirk's body was in Daystrom Station (and was prominently displayed) was to establish that the station held dead bodies. That way, when it was revealed that the Changelings took Picard's body from the station, viewers would already be primed to accept that the body had been there in the first place.

[@zazaranger5]

Daystrom Station is basically Starfleet's Area 51

[@gregaryfritsch8871]

Kirk wasn't dead

[@zazaranger5]

@@gregaryfritsch8871 so is he still in the Nexus?

[@ZiitsprungMedia]

Thanks for your videos😊👍 please tell me where can i buy those small starship modells displayed behind you? Witch brand are they? I want these little ships for me😊 thanks and greetings from switzerland!

[@timpatrick564]

If you were going to go the animated route and potentially needed to modify/alter a voice. William Shatner has quite an extensive collection of work to grab voices/words/phrases/whatever from to establish a voice program. From various ages as well.

[@TheLAGopher]

But Shanter would need to make a deal with Paramount to have access to his voice and likeness after he passes on the way James Earl Jones has done with Lucasfilm/Disney for when his time comes.

[@rmstitanic8163]

Some great thoughts about William Shatner playing Kirk again. I always wished they had used him again after Generations and followed up with the story that he had written. It would have been brilliant! Another thing I was hoping for was that he would have been there with Picard in the final season against the Borg. To show all the great Ships as museum pieces, and using the rebuild Enterprise D. Wouldn't it have been great to have had James T Kirk with his Enterprise A, Janeway and 7 of 9 with Voyager, Worf with Defiant, and somehow even Archer with his NX.01 Enterprise. All in it for one last showdown! At least then Kirk could have had the send off he deserved. I heard a story years ago that his death was originally written with him alone, crashing his own Enterprise into the Nexus, but it was changed with him falling to his death, due to budget. Kirk said that he knew he would die alone. He wasn't alone. Picard was with him! Needs to be corrected! 🖖

[@jamescard299]

That would be badass, but let's be honest, the NX-01 would be completely outclassed and pretty useless. Literally the only useful thing they have that none of the other ships have are those rad grappling hooks, and that's not gonna make a difference.

[@rmstitanic8163]

@@jamescard299 Yes, but it would still be a great thing to see! History has proven that even small ships can make a difference during war time! Dunkirk for instance!

[@whitestar2345]

The best way is to have them use Paul Wesley as a clone of Kirk in the 25th. Like they did with Picard in nemesis. He has all older kirks memory’s and instinct. Just has to find his new place. And of soured use shatners for flash backs and pines also even if it’s a cross over universe kinda thing. And Kirk will get the next enterprise.

[@G_Fresh_UK_Extra]

Question. I am probably wrong but at the end of Picard ep9, on the bridge of E, you get the "make it so" & "Engage" as per normal, but did Patrick Stewart say it or was that audio taken from an episode of TNG. Only asking because Sir Patrick Stewart's voice is quite frail nowadays but the make it so was powerful. Just asking options. Thanks.

[@rvboyett]

I would love to see Shatner voicing an animated series.

[@andrewmurray1550]

..again...?

[@jackkenefick2696]

he did 50 years ago

[@imtekcs]

He did do an animated series of star trek in the early 70's

[@anubhavpal5782]

1:17 They can do this with the actor who plays kirk in strange new worlds

[@vincentcollins998]

I think the return of Kirk is a good idea, whether it be Shatner in spots here and there, or Chris Pine, or Paul Wesley. As for for the Chris Pine version of Kirk, I would not have a problem with this, however, I think it is established that he is from another universe, I think it was called the Kelvin Universe, which may have to include a story of how he got into the current universe from the Kelvin universe. Now, the Paul Wesley version of Kirk may be a bit more easier to do, maybe. I mean it would given him the ability to develop the character more using his own unique characteristics and cementing the character for him to play without question. Maybe there is something where Shatner can start out in a series, and then, like they did with Spock, only instead of going through the Genesis project, some how find a way for him to make an appearance notable, but have them (the creators of the time line he would appear in) find some sort of way to rejuvenate him back to his younger self, only they could use Chris Pine or Paul Wesley as his younger self, maybe make a comedic bit out of him not feeling like himself, but being like "I can work with this, it is my body after all" or something laughable like that :) The return of Shatner's Kirk sounds like a good idea overall while paying him his dues as the long standing Captain, and then maybe having one of the new people that are currently playing Kirk come up as a younger version of him may be pretty epic, in my humble opinion...heck get a a cross between one of the younger versions of Shatner and have them have a conversation where Shatner says something like, "oh and when this happens do not forget to initiate or look for...." I do not not what he could say but that may be a good tie in as well :)

[@TokoGT]

Kirk's body was right across from the Genesis Device II in the station, and that was a 'bio bed' sound we heard coming from his 'chamber'. Not exactly a heart monitor but...if it was just a preserved body, why that specific sound effect? Maybe the nearby Genesis device activating briefly on and off is keeping him alive and rejuvenating him. Could bring him back young, like Spock in Star Trek 3. A phoenix rising from the ashes returns in a younger form so why not have one of the other Kirk actors come back? Hell, I would love to see this happen in Star Trek Online if we can't make it happen on a show!

[@MAFion]

Shatner IS Kirk. And I'd love to see him. Even if only a cameo.

[@---oq5kb]

I think he rejected being in the 2009 film because they wanted him for a small role so him returning for a cameo is highly unlikely.

[@MAFion]

Maybe he just didn't like Jar Jar Abrams. Things change.

[@KHeisig75]

Put ALL the Kirk's on screen pointing at each other like Spiderman in the spiderverse! 😂

[@UmBungo]

Chris Pine all the way. That’s it. He was as perfect as can be, and even brought more. He was a younger Kirk. It’s a part of Kirk’s life we never saw before. And let’s be honest, the new actors all brought something new and were all great.

[@LtFoodstamp]

I'd watch a movie in the Prime Timeline with Chris Pine as Young Kirk with some scenes with William Shatner somehow.

[@UmBungo]

@@LtFoodstamp oh absolutely! But Bruce Willis sold his likeness. This is going to be a big thing, aging actors selling their likeness in perpetuity. As CGI gets better, we’re going to see a lot of messing around.

[@christopherscuorzo3044]

I know I would most definitely prefer William Shattner "RETURN," in, at least, some form, to Star Trek, either in a movie, as a cameo, and/ or in a series, as a regular, especially, since he is currently in his 90s now, making that possibility, truly "INSPIRATIONAL!!"🙂👍🌟

[@PaoloGiovanni]

I’d like to have see William Shatner return as Captain Kirk in the “Picard” series, but it seems like that ship has sailed. Still, I would love for him to return in some form and format, before it’s too late for him and/or his fans! Fortunately, the Kelvin Kirk and crew can be rejoined at any point; my hope is to see them in screen accurate Wrath of Khan era uniforms (meaning that they are not reimagined, but made identical to the 1982 versions).

[@bsallows]

They could even bring Kahn back, then eventually send him to that planet that they did in TOS 😂😂

[@PaoloGiovanni]

@@bsallows His last scene could be “Kiiiirrrrrkkk!” with his fist raised to the heavens as Centi Alpha VI explodes.

[@proto8432]

The Genesis Device 2 was also there at Daystrom. Resurrection similar to Spock but since he will grow at a normal rate (without the use of protomatter) from the genetic material, he does not need to look like a clone. Any of the discussed actors can portray. You could even have an academy Kirk story or whatever.

[@olivergaither]

You could explain away his change in voice by saying it’s a side effect of being brought back to life after being dead for a long period of time.

[@dragonfireideas]

There was a weird obsession with allying the Romulans and the Borg that permeated the Shatner novels and the video games. But now we know it could never work.

[@paintMonkey_]

I wasn't convinced by the SNW Kirk at all. I'd like to see a cameo from Shatner, of course, a return to the Nexus story maybe where we see Kirk as both Shatner and Pine. But like you say, the window of opportunity is closing quickly.

[@SlimThrull]

Sadly, the episode they chose to use Kirk in was a very serious episode. There was no chance to see his "boyish charm" and humor like you would have in most episodes of ToS. Don't judge him too harshly by a single episode.

[@tj_2701]

Nope no Pine, no more Kelvin Trek trash.

[@preferredimage]

Was this recorded before episode 9 aired? As there's only one left and I just saw the title and I'm equal parts excited and sad!

[@richardgilson4704]

I would like to have a Bill Shatner do a voiceover cameo in Prodigy. We already have Lenord Nimoy cameo there so why not see if they can reunited the TOS crew in animation for one last hurrah before they hand over the future to those great kids.

[@LgiovanniF]

How many hand overs do people want.

[@Sephiroth144]

I would lean towards Chris Pine as the main actor, with Shatner and Wesley appearing cameos/flashbacks/log entries (with a bit of de-aging for Shatner's Admiral/demoted Kirk, or enhanced TOS footage; Wesley for anything made "new" in the five year mission era)

[@monkeylovers]

I’d be down for a Kelvin timeline series, if they couldn’t get everyone on board just say they’ve been reposted in the years since Spock got promoted if you can’t get Quinto on board new doctor if Karl Urban is too busy. Literally anything can go there. It’s just about being brave enough to do it and obviously if Pine would want too do a series.

[@bosslca9630]

I would love to see a 'Kirk-off' from SNWs and/or any current project. A nod to how the movies included Leonard Nemoy's Spock. But ultimately I just want to have Paul Wesley and Chris Pine on a wasted planet looking up at a giant floating head of Shatner and get a parody-remake of the infamous 'What does God need with a Space Ship' of ShaKaRi. Seriously, Shatner's ego is so big only a floading energy cloud being would be able to contain it all!

[@tarb1320]

The Return book was fantastic, would love to see that as a 10 ep TV show. No to animated imo.

[@shockwave7513]

Have the series narrated by older Kirk, aka Shatner, from even farther into the future. Like him telling the story of his resurrection. Each episode could be bookended by a segment of Shatner dictating his memoirs, but the actual show could Star either of our current, younger Kirk's actually in action. That way we get the best of both worlds.

[@jeanstark8425]

What a fantastic idea!!

[@ussenterprisenxo1]

I would like to see Shatner reprise the role of kirk but I could see pine take over. Have a scene where kirk old kirk is being transferred to a younger copy of himself played by pine and have walter revise his role as chekov playing him as a temporal agent as seen in sto. And have them reminisce while the process is on going. Then have a series where hes on a top secret mission exploring deep space. Maybe use this to bring in the iconians or maybe the creators of the doomsday machine.

[@tj_2701]

Nope no Pine, no more Kelvin Trek trash

[@davebradford4613]

I would like to see very dramatic Time Travel stories with Shatner's Kirk having adventures in a couple of movies .....and stumbling across a younger version of himself (the younger version being a cameo by Wesley or Pine). But it all must be meaningful and O.G. STAR TREK-like Stories!!

[@1leggeddog]

I remember The Return... one of the few books i've read in my life outside of school. And i remember specific passages in it when they get to the impossible borg Cube that only exists in the fourth dimension.

[@therizinosaurus214]

I read The Return in one setting

[@emsleywyatt3400]

Borg tesseract?

[@mking9446I]

Super good book. Gives some good insight on the borg too

[@michaelcantley9843]

Personally I was unimpressed with Paul Wesleys performance, and I didn't like the way the character was written. Chris Pine was awesome though. Speaking of Generations, wasn't there supposed to always be a version of you in the Nexus if you've been there before? So a Generations version of Kirk could be alive and well, and possibly be extracted? the way he was by Picard. I think that the producers of Generations used original characters to help sell the movie, then it felt like they killed Kirk to appease newer fans who prefered ST :TNG. If Gene Rodenberry had still been around, I think he would've opposed that, and I was surprised that William Shatner went ahead with it. I've not read the Shatner Star Trek novels, but it seems like a good way to bring back a character who shouldn't have been killed off anyway. Why can't characters be allowed to have a peaceful retirement?

[@JohnPribula]

It would be fun to have a multiverse episode where Shatner Pine and Wesley are all in an episode like The Doctor.

[@DrewskiTheRed]

Chris Pine!! Some how he nailed the body language as well as the swagger

[@trevorthedragon2413]

It won’t happens but it would be interesting to have Kelvin Kirk team up with Mirror Phillipa Georgou. Both would be out of time and out of universe. And you could throw in other universe characters played by new actors.

[@mattlawler8794]

My fist choice would to bring back Shatner. If that isn’t possible, my second choice would be the actor from the fan series where Grant from Mythbusters played Sulu.

[@davidponseigo8811]

I know it was a long shot but I was really hoping Kirk would show up in the Enterprise-A to help the crew of Picard.

[@StillSaber]

And what weapons is the A gonna be using? The Enterprise A shields wouldn't last a second against fully functioning Borg Cube, One hit from even the Enterprise D's phasers, even at low power would turn the Enterprise A into a cloud of dust.

[@michaeltortorice9876]

Thought about that as well, but this is a Next Gen revival. It would be out of place. Good thought, though.

[@terrywest111]

@@StillSaber It's an Enterprise. According to Riker it's protected by fate, which protects the foolish, small children and little ships named Enterprise.

[@Sephiroth144]

@@terrywest111 Worf: IT WAS NOT MY FAULT.

[@StillSaber]

@@terrywest111 And it would be like dust bunny going up against a vacuum cleaner.

[@TheScaryTruthCatalyst]

Can we pause to appreciate that Star Trek: Generations was released almost THIRTY YEARS AGO?! 😮

[@DaveMiller2]

Kirks death was terribly written and done in Generations. It was a crime.

[@emsleywyatt3400]

Bridge on the Captain.

[@lazurusredd8682]

Kirk's body was apart of the section 31 project "Phoenix"

[@stephenramsey5585]

Personally, I love how unceremonious Kirk's death is. It's very human and real. So if we're gonna get Kirk back properly, I'd want a TOS season 4 and onward starring Paul Wesley and the rest of the SNW cast who carry over.

[@noahberg101]

Kind of like how irl general Patton died in a car accident years after ww2

[@jaydegraide6205]

I would you love to see the Gaurdian of Forever being used in Star Trek 4. That has a million possibilities.

[@seereadnhear]

Keep Pine in the Kelvin universe. Westley is the right choice!

[@PrinceAnakin]

I would like to see Star Trek 4 see return Future kirk and Future sulu or Star Trek Legacy.❤

[@dfg12382]

I think they are overdoing it a little with the fan service at the cost of authenticity. After seeing the Voyager and the Enterprise D, I'm just waiting for them to "coincidentally" fly by DS9.

[@appledomer]

As a lot of people wrote, Prime Directive would be my guess as well… BUT… bringing Chris Pine in as a hibernated Kirk would open up a nice story connecting the Kelvin timeline as a parallel universe alternative to the main timeline 😊

[@MandalorV7]

You could even use the Nexus to explain that when they revive or clone Kirk he looks another universe version of himself. Seeing how it’s another dimension.

[@mrcritical6751]

@@MandalorV7 seeing how Prime Spock instantly recognised Kelvin Kirk as Kirk I think the face isn’t an issue

[@nyghteyes]

Hey Sean, Why do you play that irritating "elevator music" in the background of your video. I kept thinking it came from somewhere else in my house or nearby when I was using earbuds.. It's like a little tinkle tinkle.. Otherwise you do a great job and love you commentaries!

[@docwho1912]

Chris Pine owned Kirk. He embraced the Shatner Kirk without becoming a caricature. When I saw Paul Wesley as Kirk my first and only response was "what?" He may be a fine actor (have not seen his body of acting work); however, he's no James T. Kirk. Wrong look, wrong aura. Don't know who did this piece of casting, but it's far off the mark.

[@catloverjerrygarcia5086]

I think a Chris Pine/Paul Wesley passing of the torch appearance would be a good idea.

[@christopherg2347]

2:50 Spock had the foresight to leave a _personality backup_ in McCoys body. And the luck of having a magical "make your body a child again" planet around. Kirk? He forgot to do either of those!

[@nickpalmer3065]

The actor in Star Trek Continues did a fantastic job playing Kirk. He could bring back the character for a new series.

[@sogwatchman]

Was this recorded a last week? I thought there was only one episode of Picard left on the 20th.

[@champbaka]

At first I thought it’s a possibility that Kirk might actually come back, but seeing how we are close to the end of the season I pretty much suspect this thought as well. Also I appreciate that a ironic character such a Kirk and his legacy won’t just be buried under a pile of rocks now.

[@stanilazy6750]

Was this filmed early last week, cuz i'm only aware of ONE more episode to go..?

[@Four9sFineJewelry]

Crazy!! I was JUST think of this topic last night. My theory was because he’s possibly only human known aside from Picard (which was also there) who came back from The Nexus.

[@aetius2277]

We would all love to see Shatner have 1 more go at it , i think . They better hurry up hes in his 90s .

[@RobsHomeBar]

I think it would be cool to see a Generations era Kirk be revived via deepfake tech like Luke Skywalker.. but as side character, not a lead.. I don't think deepfakes are good enough yet to lead a story

[@TwistedSMF]

I would go with Paul Wesley. He is from that timeline (Pine is Kelvin timeline.) Plus, We just gotten to know him as Kirk. Kinda would have 2 Kirks tho. (Before Legacy with Strange New Worlds, And then with Legacy.) Might be kinda a pain in the ass.

[@mrtrek2117]

Must admit I felt genuine loss when Kirk died. Same with Leonard Nimoy, a genuine sadness. I've known them since I was 6 years old.

[@samcarpenter_]

I think Chris Pine is KELVIN Kirk, specifically. He's a variant - a different version that canonically does not look like original Kirk. Meanwhile, Wesley and Shatner are meant to be the same character and look the same.

[@hughsmith7504]

I actually liked the shatnerverse books myself And i could totally see them wanting to study the remains of someone who had been in the nexus for almost a century

[@Fred247]

"Captain Kirk?" "I am now called Phoenix-Kirk"

[@JosephDickson]

Shatner: Wakes up in the final scene of Picard. It was all a dream. 🖖😂

[@KairuFreestar91]

ok so that book series wasnt a fever dream I had! I really enjoyed the "shatner-verse" books. I also vaguely remember a book series that was almost 1:1 of Picard season 1.....

[@XanBos]

The return of an icon… who wouldn’t want Kirk to return? When I purchased Ashes of Eden, I immediately loved the idea that Kirk could return. Why they didn’t make a movie to follow that idea, I’ll know. But he should return. If they are going to bring Kirk back, I don’t want to see him in another animated series. We’ve seen that. I was not impressed. Also, I’m not big on animated series, though I have watched Prodigy, and it has been engaging. My real interest (and something we need to get into more) is digital. We can do it. I’ve seen a lot of it that has impressed me. It would be totally awesome to digitize William Shatner, and either have him voice the character, or find a impressionist to do it. The technology is there even with deep fake applications. Nothing or no one can replace Kirk properly. Having Chris Pine as Kirk in the alternate timeline worked only because it was not the original. And having anyone else play Kirk just doesn’t have the same impact. Yes it can be done due to the fact that the new generation of Star Trek fans can accept it, but the many of us who was raised on Star Trek’s original series, would like one more round of good ol Kirk. Also, it would be wonderful to digitally bring back other original cast members. It could be an epic series, or even spend the money for a huge movie. Go big or go home! 😊 It will be interesting to see how this pans out!❤❤

[@daveconner5121]

Borg queen @ the end of voyager outlined this exact plot fair play Terry for being a total legend ..live long and prosper lol

[@AzraelThanatos]

You know, there could be an interesting setup with things, use Shatner's age as an asset, make the framing device be the resurrection for a purpose, getting information from Kirk about a past event. The age could be due to time simply passing with regard to their attempts to revive him. Hell, go with a situation involving the Kelvin timeline...so, in the past, you have both Kirk's running into each other for a story (Say a three episode mini-series) and an incident that involved it, letting things go crazy there about things. then shift it to actual time travel letting the loophole from Relics/Generations with Scotty get squared away with Scotty learning that Kirk survived and would come back as an explanation for why Scotty thought that Kirk must have been the one to rescue them. They could even go with other things and have the setup be a Q type shenanigan via a new rendition of Treylane, someone who could, potentially, play big brother to Q Junior for another story, but an older version of him might get involved in things to make amends or similar. Hell, one great joke could be using the time travel part to essentially do an amusing reversal of the Sisko on the 1701...imagine a scene continuing the episode where after Temporal Affairs leaves, Sisko steps into his office to run headlong into all three Kirks waiting for him to get help contacting the Prophets to help fix the entire mess. Not sure if the scene could actually be shown, but it would be hilarious to see

[@jimmyyu2184]

ChatGPT/OpenAI/Bard: "Hold our beers, we are working on the next Capt. Kirk, we'll only need a few seconds".

[@ourcollectivewisdom8769]

The Return is easily my favourite trek novel. Possibly because I was a kid… possibly because it was pretty good. You tell me!

[@Spitfirethedragon]

From what I read, the Star Trek movies with Chris Pine is an alternate timeline of Kirk, Picard, Janeway and Sisco. It would be cool that Kirk comes in with his ship, Sisco in the Difiant and Janeway with Voyager comes in and help Picard and Enterprise D to help in the episode 10 would be cool to tie all four series in with each other. Season 3 have eliments of stuff borrowed from all 4 shows that is part of the storyline.