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Star Trek V: The Final Frontier

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"What does God need with a starship?" — Captain Kirk

The one where Spock’s ''never-before seen or mentioned'' Vulcan half-brother hijacks the Enterprise to look for God ...(?)

Star Trek V: The Final Frontier is the fifth movie in the Star Trek film series, released in 1989. They've stared at V'Ger , defeated the vengeful Khan , found Spock , and rescued the whales . But can the Enterprise crew survive their greatest challenge yet? William Shatner ... in ... The director's seat!

Tropes seen in The Final Frontier include:

  • Agent Mulder : Sybok is convinced that God is real and lives in the center of the galaxy, despite modern society having deemed that a myth. note  While several characters have mulled over the meaning of God , particularly Kirk, no one ever thought that He was somewhere waiting to be found.
  • Agent Scully : Kirk refuses to believe, first because Sybok appears crazy and then because "God" doesn't seem as powerful as advertised. McCoy goes from Scully to Mulder when they meet "God" and back to Scully when "God" starts being a dick .
  • The Alcatraz : Spock proclaims the brig to be escape-proof. As in all things, however, rare is the Alcatraz that can stop escape attempts from both ends.
  • The Alcoholic : Korrd is Drowning My Sorrows , though he's snapped out of it by Spock.
  • The Alleged Car : Kirk is nonplussed by his squeaky chair, dodgy transporters, and the defective Log transcriber (which keeps popping open with ridiculous SPRONNG! noises). Bennett: Now, I know Enterprise is not exactly up to specs. Kirk: With All Due Respect , the Enterprise is a disaster .
  • The novelization by J.M. Dillard adds considerable backstory to Sybok and his mother, and explains that "God" had telepathically sent Sybok a formula for configuring a starship's deflector shields to penetrate the Barrier. After Sybok orders Scotty to set up the Enterprise ' s shields in this way, Klaa's Bird-of-Prey copies the same shield configuration in order to follow the Enterprise .
  • The book makes it clear that Kirk is trying to make this movie a Breather Episode for himself and failing, distracting himself by mountain climbing, feeling like he’s ruined his own life and trying to see how close he can get to Dying Alone .
  • The Blu-Ray releases include the Library Computer, an interactive database that will appear on screen as the movie plays offering entries on characters, ships, places, etc. with additional information on them. There is one case of the movie defying the Library's logic; the entry on Deck 78 (on a 21-deck starship) simply reads, "Don't ask us!"
  • Amazonian Beauty : Vixis. As Chekov put it: "She has vonderful muscles" (by which he meant gluteus maximus ).
  • Anti-Villain : Sybok is the villain of the movie, but he really isn't a bad guy, just misguided and a little nutty. Klaa could qualify as well, as by Klingon standards he isn't malicious, just bored.
  • Arc Words : Sybok: Each man hides a secret pain.
  • Armor-Piercing Question : "What does God need with a starship?" Easily one of the most famous examples of this trope.
  • Artistic License – History : Sybok claims that Columbus proved the Earth was round, which is incorrect. The Ancient Greeks determined the Earth was round, and even accurately measured its circumference. Columbus meant to find a faster sea route to Asia and got into the Caribbean because he miscalculated the circumference.
  • Artists Are Not Architects : In one scene, the Enterprise is shown to have about twice as many decks as it could possibly contain, and they are numbered in reverse order for some reason. Somewhat explained in the Alternate Universe Star Trek: Myriad Universes story "The Chimes at Midnight"; Kirk was at one point forced to climb the turbolift-shafts and to count the decks as he passed them, "for they were not labeled on the interior of the shaft, although he noted with annoyance that the designers had elected to number the numerous individual turbolift landing decks—each level having several turbolift stops along its breadth—as he passed a sign misleadingly indicating 'Deck 52.'"
  • "Ass" in Ambassador : Inverted, unusually for Star Trek . St. John Talbot and Korrd are not unreasonable people (just incredibly jaded), and Caithlin Dar is downright nice (a rarity for Romulans, actually...). This may be precisely why they are where they are (particularly Korrd, who is both disgraced and disgraceful in his drink): the planet is a dumping ground for anyone in the diplomatic corps of the three powers that the leadership wants to be rid of in a non-permanent way. If they hadn't gotten along, they would have died.
  • Attack Pattern Alpha : Played with: Kirk: Stand by to execute Emergency Landing Plan ... B. [ Confused looks from everyone on the shuttle ] Chekov: What's Emergency Landing Plan B? Scotty: I don't have a clue. Kirk: "B," as in ... "barricade." Scotty: He can't be serious!
  • Author Appeal : Why approach the hostage situation on horseback? Because Shatner is an avid equestrian.
  • Bad Liar : Onshore leave, Sulu and Chekov try to extend their hike by saying they've been caught in a blizzard at Yosemite ... when Uhura reports "clear skies and seventy degrees" there. They give up the charade immediately.
  • Behind the Black : Scotty, after claiming to know the ship like the back of his hand, concusses himself on a bit of bulkhead that sticks out from the wall. Whilst unseen by the audience before impact, Scotty was walking towards the bulkhead and, in fact, was looking right at it when he hit it.
  • Beta Couple : St. John Talbot and Caithlin Dar. One Meaningful Background Event has them sadly comforting each other in a loving embrace.
  • Big Bad Ensemble : Sybok and Klaa are an unusual examples in that Sybok isn't evil per se, and for the most part Klaa is more of an annoyance than anything else. "God" eventually turns out to be the film's Greater-Scope Villain , but doesn't show up until the very end.
  • Big Damn Gunship : Spock, commanding a Klingon Bird of Prey, opens fire on "God" in order to rescue Kirk.
  • Big Ego, Hidden Depths : Sybok. Cruelly invoked by "God", who takes the form of Sybok and mocks, "What's the matter? Don't you like this face? I have so many, but this one suits you best."
  • Book Ends : Camping at Yosemite National Park with the Power Trio .
  • Kirk states in the opening that men like himself, Bones, and Spock had no families. He later admits he was wrong.
  • His premonition that he'll die alone (and is, therefore, safe while Spock and McCoy are there) is also mentioned again.
  • Star Trek: The Motion Picture had opened with a Klingon fleet getting destroyed by V'Ger , which is revealed to be the (fictitious) 20th-century space probe Voyager 6 . In this film, we're introduced to the Klingon captain Klaa destroying the 20th-century space probe Pioneer 10 .
  • While flying to the Enterprise from shore leave, Kirk quotes John Masefield's line "All I ask is a tall ship, and a star to steer her by", as in the TOS episode "The Ultimate Computer" .
  • When Kirk gives a captain's log, his log breaks down and reads "Good morning, Captain", instead, like how in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock , the Excelsior 's computer read "Good morning, Captain" when it broke down.
  • Cannot Tell a Lie : What Spock claims as proof that Kirk was not aboard the Enterprise . He was lying about not being able to lie, though he was telling the truth about Kirk's location.
  • It's still technically part of the canon, but the events have never been directly referenced in another canonical Star Trek work again. Rumor has it the writers are specifically told not to as a matter of course. Gene Roddenberry said he considered invoked some elements of the movie "apocryphal, at best", but he apparently never told anyone which ones. note  Some have contended the main one was the reveal that Sarek had a child with a woman before Amanda Grayson, particularly since D.C. Fontana had gone out of her way to establishing that Spock had no siblings whatsoever, in order to ensure that they weren't deluged with scripts where said siblings showed up. However, as the Vaka Rangi review notes, "nobody at Paramount cared about what D.C. Fontana wanted by this point." Ronald D. Moore , who was working on Star Trek: The Next Generation at the time, has said that while the show's writers accepted the film as canon, they considered it such an embarrassment to the franchise as a whole that they agreed among themselves that they would never cite or reference its events on the show, to the extent that they heavily rewrote the ending of " The Nth Degree " simply because they didn't want it to have anything in common with this film.
  • The novels, which are now vetted more thoroughly than they used to be, have featured Sybok exactly twice, both in the Myriad Universe novels, which take place entirely in alternate universes.
  • The TOS novel "Child of Two Worlds" had Spock mentioning the existence of his half-brother, but not Sybok's name to a Cyprian teenager named Merata - who was raised by Klingons - in 2255. Spock told Merata that he had not seen his brother in almost a decade and wasn't even sure if Sybok was still alive or not.
  • The novels have also mentioned the God-like creature at the center of the Great Barrier; in the Q Continuum trilogy of novels, He referred to Himself as "The One", and was a contemporary of 0 , the Beta XIII-A entity, and Gorgon. The four of them were responsible for the destruction of the Tkon Empire. It is mentioned that pretending to be God and then using the resulting influence to drive civilizations to self-destruction is his entire schtick. In fact, he was imprisoned in the center of the galaxy by the Q for his crimes, while 0 was punished by being thrown out of the galaxy (which was the reason for the galactic barrier as seen in the second TOS pilot).
  • The only real survivor, at least according to the Okudas in the Star Trek Encyclopedia , is Captain Klaa, who was apparently demoted for his actions and assigned as a courtroom translator in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country . This was due to the coincidence that Todd Bryant played the translator.
  • The first time the film got so much as an indirect reference from any other canon Star Trek material didn't come until Star Trek Beyond , and even then didn't go any further than the Kelvin timeline's Spock looking at a photograph of the crew on this film's Enterprise -A bridge. note  It was likely only chosen because pictures from any of the other original cast films would have left casual moviegoers wondering who Decker, Ilia or Saavik were, why Spock was missing , why the crew was on the bridge of a Klingon Bird-of-Prey , or why Sulu was missing .
  • Kirk's autobiography says it's an in-universe movie made on Magna Roma , and gives credit to the trio (him, Bones and Spock ) being spot on, but nothing else.
  • The Star Trek: Lower Decks episode " Crisis Point " had a ton of references, both subtle and overt, to all the Star Trek films to have been released until that point... except for this one, which was the only film in the series to be completely ignored. However, the following season's " wej Duj " would finally make the franchise's first explicit on-screen reference to this film, after a whole thirty-two years .
  • Star Trek: Discovery shows Spock's family in detail including his Remember the New Guy? sister being the protagonist but there's no mention of them having a brother.
  • Star Trek: Strange New Worlds , though set well before the events of the films, acknowledges Sybok's existence as Spock's half-brother.
  • Scotty records a "shakedown cruise report" for the Enterprise -A. "I think this new ship was put together by monkeys. Oh, she's got a fine engine, but half the doors won't open, and guess whose job it is to make it right."
  • Defied by the log recorder itself when it conks out. "GOOD MORNING, CAPTAIN."
  • Card-Carrying Villain : Klaa does what he does because ... he's bored.
  • Catch a Falling Star : Spock grabs Kirk by the ankle after he falls off El Capitan without so much as causing him a bruise.
  • Cat Girl : With three breasts. Defeated by Kirk when he throws her into a literal pool table .
  • Cerebus Syndrome : The alleged comedy disappears and the movie becomes much more serious once they begin their trip to the Great Barrier.
  • Early in the film, Spock appears using Jet Boots to fly. Later in the film, when he, Kirk, and McCoy need to travel up a long turbolift shaft he dons the same boots and uses them to fly the whole group up to the top of the shaft.
  • Klingon Captain Klaa shoots an old Earth space probe with one of the cannons of his Bird of Prey. Late in the movie, Spock uses the same weapon to shoot "God" and save Captain Kirk from an early grave.
  • Chewing the Scenery : In-universe, Chekov seemed to have a little too much fun pretending to be captain of the Enterprise to distract Sybok while Kirk and Spock are attempting to rescue the hostages.
  • Circle of Standing Stones : The meeting with "God" takes place in a circle of stones that rise out of the ground as Kirk and company approach.
  • Climb, Slip, Hang, Climb : In the rock-climbing scene.
  • Clueless Aesop : Contemplation of God's existence, or otherwise, would have been interesting were it not so overshadowed by slapstick comedy.
  • Comic-Book Adaptation : Written by Peter David and published by DC Comics , the adaptation served as a launching point for DC's second Star Trek monthly series.
  • Coming in Hot : " Plan B ... as in Barricade !"
  • The last line in Star Trek IV was Kirk saying, "Let's see what she's (the Enterprise-A ) got." Scotty's opening log in this movie says as he complains about the shape the new ship is in, "The captain said, 'Let's see what she's got, and we found out, now, didn't we!"
  • When Kirk, Spock, and Bones are back at the campsite at the end of the movie, Spock can be seen playing a Vulcan harp, a nod to the original series where he played the instrument in several episodes.
  • This isn't the first time McCoy has expressed concern to himself that he may end up talking to himself .
  • Captain Klaa refers to Kirk as the "great renegade", echoing the Klingon Ambassador's beliefs that Kirk was escaping justice for his killing of Klingons in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock . The death of Kirk's son David at the hands of a Klingon, though not explicitly referenced, is also alluded to when Kirk is reminded that the Klingons don't like him and he responds, "Well, the feeling's mutual."
  • Contrived Coincidence : Kirk and company in the shuttlecraft just happen to land near horses when they arrive on Nimbus III. (It's clear they expected to have to walk to Paradise City because on the planet itself Spock refers to taking "1.2 hours" to walk there.)
  • Crapsack World : "The Planet of Galactic Peace." Nimbus III neatly scuttles Roddenberry's tenets regarding the future: the planet set aside for the cooperation of three powers has fallen into anarchy, the technology of the future has turned to rusted crap , and poverty is still rampant. Ironically, one could argue that it succeeded in establishing galactic peace ... as the various ambassadors are either too drunk to bother fighting each other or have grown united in their shared hatred for their own governments for assigning them there!
  • Creator Cameo : Harve Bennett sends Kirk off to investigate.
  • Critical Staffing Shortage : That the Enterprise has "less than a skeleton crew" is just one of her problems.
  • Cultural Rebel : Sybok, who is definitely the most emotional Vulcan we've ever seen.
  • Custom Uniform : Each of the Power Trio is given an alternative uniform, which looks a bit like a grey pullover/sweatshirt. Captain Kirk is also seen in a "Captain's Jacket" at one point, underneath which he wears a white T-shirt bearing the slogan "Go climb a rock."
  • Danger in the Galactic Core : The galactic core is an area of intense radiation that makes life unlikely. The planet of Sha Ka Ree located there is also the prison of a powerful alien that lured Sybok and the Enterprise there in an effort to escape.
  • Shatner wanted to depict an edgier future, so we got a desolate city named "Paradise" , a malfunctioning Enterprise , and the Star Trek universe's first fart joke.
  • Shatner was also (reportedly) never thrilled with Roddenberry's idea of a utopian future, so he introduced those elements to show a more "realistic" future.
  • Not having the same “this must have slapstick” restriction the movie did, the book does this genuinely, having Kirk confirmed as a Death Seeker after… everything (where the film could only imply it), more angst with Sybok and Spock, Uhura being a Stepford Smiler even before being brainwashed, and Sulu’s pain including a terrorist attack as a child.
  • Deadpan Snarker : McCoy is running on all cylinders in this film. For instance, he scoffs at Kirk's tirade at Spock being unable to shoot his own brother, and states that if he's that upset, he should toss Spock in the brig (stated while the three of them are already in the brig) — Kirk takes his point.
  • Death from Above : Kirk calls down some Close Air Support from the Enterprise to try to cover his escape from "God". While a photon torpedo should have been quite a bit more powerful than shown, it was still cool.
  • Demoted to Extra : Shatner has handwaved criticisms from his co-stars in the past, dismissing it as actors' egos run amok (“ there was nothing to nick ”), but scripting like this doesn't help his case much. Indeed, one section of the commentary has Shatner passive-aggressively blame his co-stars for the movie’s dodgy appearance ( "A disproportionate amount of money is spent on talent as against production..." ). Not only are the characters in the film betraying Captain Kirk, but the actors in the film are also sabotaging Bill Shatner. It’s worth noting that his original outline for the film had both McCoy and Spock turning against Kirk — which would have left Kirk the only hero of the film. Both Leonard Nimoy and DeForest Kelley simply refused to participate in a storyline where Spock and Bones respectively would betray Kirk, for which most people who've seen the film have probably thanked them.
  • Depth of Field : The scene where Kirk clings to the El Capitán's face is shot with large depth-of-field to create the illusion of height.
  • Did You Just Punch Out Cthulhu? : Or, in this case, shoot a Sufficiently Advanced Alien posing as a deity with a torpedo and then a disruptor cannon. Yes, Spock did.
  • Distracted by the Sexy : In-universe, anyway; clearly someone failed to point out that viewers might not see it the same. Uhura does her infamous nude fan dance to distract some mooks so the Starfleet team can capture them and steal their alien horses. (It was in the dark, they spotted her from a distance, and the planet has very few women, so it could be excusable in that context.)
  • Don't Call Me "Sir" : During the camping trip, Kirk asks Spock to call him Jim instead of Captain, reminding him that they're off duty.
  • Door Jam : In the finale, the transporter has just enough power to beam up Spock and McCoy , leaving Kirk to face off with a vengeful god alone.
  • Dramatic Sit-Down : When Spock reveals who the loony Sybok is... Spock: Sybok also is a son of Sarek. Kirk: You mean he's your brother brother? [ Beat ] You made that up. Spock: I did not . Kirk: You did too. Sybok couldn't possibly be your brother because I happen to know for a fact you don't have a brother. Spock: Technically, you are correct. I do not have a brother . Kirk: There, you see? You see? Spock: I have a half -brother. Kirk: [ Beat ] I gotta sit down.
  • Eldritch Abomination : It's never stated precisely what not- God is, but it's clearly an example of this trope.
  • Epiphany Therapy : Sybok uses this as part of his brainwashing, making people face their greatest pain.
  • Everyone Knows Morse : Justified, as Starfleet is one part military, and Morse Code could be part of their training. Still, it's clearly not used often as both Kirk and Spock are very rusty with it.
  • The Exact Center of Everything : Spock's long lost half-brother Sybok commandeers the Enterprise and makes the crew set a course for the center of the Milky Way Galaxy, where Sybok believes God is waiting.
  • Eye Beams : After Captain Kirk and Spock question the authenticity of "God", he fires beams of energy out of his eyes at them. He does it again while pursuing Kirk later.
  • Fake Static : Done twice: once for laughs when Chekov pretends he and Sulu have been caught in a blizzard to avoid admitting he's lost, and once for drama when the Enterprise broadcasts static to delay talking to Sybok. Uhura: Is there a problem, gentlemen? Sulu: Um, yes. We've been caught in a... we've been caught in a blizzard . (Chekov has a brief " You Have GOT to Be Kidding Me! " look on his face before blowing into the communicator) Chekov: (while blowing) And we can't see a thing! Request you direct us to the coordinates! (continues blowing) Uhura: My visual says sunny skies and 70 degrees note  in Fahrenheit instead of Celsius, oddly enough . Chekov: (stops blowing) Sulu, look. The sun has come out. It's a miracle.
  • False Innocence Trick : The Enterprise passes through the barrier around the heart of the galaxy and finds the legendary planet Sha Ka Ree, believed to be the home of God. The protagonists do find an entity claiming to be God who is apparently imprisoned there and it tries to trick the crew into helping it escape. It's a subversion because Kirk figures out there's something funny going on and manages to get "God" to reveal its true evil nature before it gets away.
  • Famous, Famous, Fictional : Sybok tries to spin his quest to Kirk as another attempt to do the impossible among the many Earth has achieved, such as proving the world is round (incorrectly credited to Columbus ), breaking the sound barrier, and flying at warp speed. Sybok: The people of your planet once believed their world was flat. Columbus proved it was round. They said the sound barrier could never be broken! It was broken. They said warp-speed could not be achieved.
  • Fan Disservice : Fifty-seven-year-old Nichelle Nichols doing a nude fan dance. And bizarrely, all evidence is that Shatner genuinely thought this would be plain old Fanservice . To be fair, Nichelle Nichols looks very good for 57.
  • First-Name Basis : Harve Bennett cameos as a Starfleet Admiral who Kirk knows well enough to address by his first name, Bob.
  • The novelization, for instance, has Sybok using his knowledge of engineering and spatial anomalies to make the trip to the galactic core possible.
  • The comic book written by Peter David adds a subplot that implies Kirk has never really gotten over the death of his elder brother Sam (one of the film's most glaring continuity errors is the implication that Kirk never had a brother), and also has Sybok's attempt at Epiphany Therapy on Spock fail because he'd already resolved the conflict between his Human and Vulcan halves.
  • Kirk's autobiography says the movie never happened and was just an in-universe movie made on a planet that the Enterprise visited.
  • Foreshadowing : A subtle one. When Kirk tells Sybok he's crazy for hearing God's voice beckoning him, Sybok gives a long take before saying "We'll see". Sybok is unsure himself whether God is really communicating with him.
  • A Form You Are Comfortable With : When they meet God, God cycles through depictions of deities, eventually settling on bearded God as something he believes they'll be comfortable with. After his true nature is revealed, he takes the form of Sybok to mock him.
  • Freeze-Frame Bonus : When Sybok's forces break into Paradise City, you can see that someone has painted "LOST" next to "PARADISE".
  • Fridge Logic : Invoked in-universe when Kirk asks, "What does God need with a starship?"
  • As pointed out in the commentaries, when Kirk first reaches the bridge, he hands off his jacket to an unnamed yeoman portrayed by Shatner's daughter Melanie. Over the course of the scene the yeoman wanders in and out of frame, looking for a place to put the jacket.
  • Additionally, during scenes at the bar, the TV screen/emergency communicator tends to display a Shady Real Estate Agent trying to describe the beauty and wonder of Nimbus III , complete with cheesy and obviously bluescreened exotic vistas, in order to scam people into buying land on the useless planet.
  • Garden of Eden : The Garden of Eden, along with the Klingon Qui'Tu , the Romulan Vorta Vor , and whatever the unpronounceable Andorian equivalent would be, is conflated with the Vulcan creation myth of Sha-Ka-Ree , a location from which all life originates and where man's questions could be answered.
  • Gave Up Too Soon : McCoy's greatest regret is reluctantly assisting the suicide of his father, who was suffering from an incurable disease and wanted to die. Mere months later, a cure was found.
  • Getting Smilies Painted on Your Soul : Sybok's telepathy, which makes everyone he "treats" euphoric and immediately ready to join his cause.
  • A God Am I : "One voice, many faces."
  • God Is Evil : Well, it's not really our God as we know it but it's certainly evil.
  • God Test : Kirk asks why God would have need of a starship. "God" zaps him and then Spock to prove his power but abandons the pretense when this fails to sway them. Also serves to demonstrate McCoy 's bravery: he's the oldest of himself, Spock and Kirk, and has just seen his two closest friends felled by energy blasts that were (judging from Kirk's reaction) incredibly painful, yet he faces "God" down without hesitation. "God": Do you doubt me too? Bones: I doubt any god who inflicts pain for his own pleasure!
  • Glowing Eyes of Doom : "God" has these when it's angry.
  • Heroic Sacrifice : Sybok, when he tries to mind meld with "God" so Kirk, Spock, and McCoy can escape.
  • Horse of a Different Color : The alien horses on Nimbus III have horns on their heads.
  • Hurricane of Puns : "I do not believe you realize the gravity of your situation," "Mind if we drop in for dinner?", "I've always wanted to play to a captive audience," etc.
  • Hyperspeed Escape : Enterprise warps away from Nimbus III a half-second before a Klingon torpedo would have hit her.
  • I Have Many Names : As the alien claims "One voice, many faces". The planet is supposedly a location common to all mythologies as well.
  • I Need a Freaking Drink : When Sybok and his army storm Paradise City and Talbot tries to send a Distress Call , Korrd heads straight for the bar.
  • Informed Attribute : The planet Sha-Ka-Ree is conflated with the creation myths of all species in the galaxy, and referred to in tones that suggest it to be a paradise. What the Enterprise crew find is a completely barren desert.
  • Inventional Wisdom : The "System Failure" light on Kirk's logbook.
  • I Owe You My Life : J'onn, after Sybok relieves him of the pain in his soul. J'onn: It's ... as if a weight has been lifted from my heart! How can I repay you for this miracle ? Sybok: Join my quest.
  • It's All My Fault : Invoked verbatim by Sybok, leading to his Heroic Sacrifice .
  • Jet Pack : Spock has rocket boots which allow him to hover or fly rapidly with booster rockets, the latter lacking fine control.
  • Kick the Dog : Klaa shoots down Earth's first deep space probe. Although, considering what happened with Voyager 6 , Nomad , Friendship One , etc., it could be argued that he was performing a public service to the galaxy!
  • Kill Him Already! : Kirk pulls this on Spock with Sybok, until he finds out that the two are half-brothers.
  • Know When to Fold 'Em : Surprisingly enough, after failing repeatedly to regain control of the ship, and having already arrived where Sybok was taking them anyway, Kirk basically gives up and willingly assists him in the last stage of his plan, taking him down to the surface of "Eden".
  • The Last Title : The second part of the title.
  • The Friendship Theme, introduced in "The Mountain".
  • The infamous Klingon theme from Star Trek: The Motion Picture is generously applied as well.
  • Let Me Get This Straight... : McCoy : Let me get this straight ... you and Sybok have the same father, but different mothers? Spock: Exactly. That is correct.
  • Living Prop : The Space Marines during the rescue attempt.
  • Long-Lost Relative : Sybok. Spock doesn't like to speak of his past.
  • Low Clearance : Scotty: I know this ship like the back of my hand. [ Bangs his head and falls over, unconscious. ]
  • Man Hug : Subverted. After Spock saves him from a Sufficiently Advanced Alien , Kirk is about to hug him when Spock says quietly, "Please, Captain, not in front of the Klingons."
  • Mathematician's Answer : McCoy : What do you do after we toast the marsh - er, marsh melons? Spock: We consume them.
  • Meaningful Appearance : Sybok wears a white robe, obviously intended to evoke Jesus .
  • Meaningful Background Event : While Sybok treats McCoy and Spock, and speaks about his plan, you can see the Great Barrier growing closer thought the ship's windows.
  • Mercy Kill : Bones relives one of his most painful moments, where his father is dying and suffering from an incurable disease. He begs Bones to stop treatment so that he can finally die. Bones does so, and mere months later a cure for David McCoy 's disease was discovered.
  • Minor Crime Reveals Major Plot : A routine hostage situation turns out to be an attempt to hijack a starship.
  • Misery Builds Character : Discussed by Kirk when he refuses Sybok's treatment, as he believes such traumatic experiences are integral to a person's being.
  • Mood Whiplash : Executive Meddling invoked insisted that the film include more comedy after that worked so well in the previous film. Unfortunately, the story here is rather less appropriate for it, resulting in the mood careening wildly between Big Important Events and broad slapstick.
  • More than Mind Control : Anyone who is "helped" by Sybok tends to follow him around like a puppet.
  • Multiboobage : The Cat Dancer .
  • Mundane Made Awesome : Only an actor of Leonard Nimoy 's caliber could turn the line "Damn you, sir; you will try" from a fairly standard Precision F-Strike into one of Spock's greatest lines in the franchise. Guess he got the hang of those " colorful metaphors " after all.
  • My God, What Have I Done? : Sybok.
  • Mythology Gag : The shuttle's name Galileo as well the script it is written by on the ship.
  • Nobody Poops : Averted, at very least whenever the Enterprise is not in spacedock.
  • Noodle Incident : Spock's briefing on Korrd reveals the General's fallen out of favor with Klingon High Command. What exactly Kordd did or didn't do to end up on their shit list isn't revealed (though a careful look at the briefing graphic indicates it may have been an Orion Pirates-related event dubbed the Feira Incident).
  • Ordered Apology : He elicits one of these from Klaa over his attack on Kirk.
  • No Infantile Amnesia : Spock remembers his own birth. The novels explain that this is a product of a mind meld with his father, who let slip the memory by mistake. note  In " Unification 2 ", however, Spock tells Picard that he never mind-melded with his father.
  • No One Gets Left Behind : Kirk orders McCoy and Spock to beam out first when the transporter conveniently can only beam up two at a time. McCoy calls BS on this mid-beam.
  • The Nose Knows / Stink Snub : In the turbolift as Kirk and crew return from their camping trip. Kirk: I could use a shower. Spock: Yes.
  • No-Sell : When Sybok tries to take away Spock's pain, Spock calmly explains that he has already dealt with that pain, so Sybok cannot use it against him. Kirk simply refuses, while Bones holds greater loyalty to his friends than Sybok even after Sybok does it to him.
  • No Such Thing as Space Jesus : Kirk quickly debunks "God" as a fraud. After all, God should be all-knowing and all-powerful, yet this one is neither.
  • Not the Fall That Kills You… : Kirk falls several thousand feet down El Capitan only for Spock to catch him about a foot away from the ground. Cue to Kirk humorously trying to shield himself with his hands against the rocks that are mere inches below him.
  • In the Everyone Knows Morse scene, the protagonists realize what's going to happen just in time. "Stand back?" [ Beat ] "Stand back!" [ BOOM ]
  • Bones, when Sybok forces him to relive his worst memory. "Father? Oh my God, don't do this to me !"
  • The Only One : Kirk is supposedly the best person to send in for hostage negotiations. It is acknowledged that there are other available ships , but Admiral Bennett doesn't think their captains can handle the negotiations.
  • O.O.C. Is Serious Business : When Sybok - a member of the typically emotionless Vulcan race - starts laughing gleefully in the prologue, we know that this is a disturbingly wrong Vulcan.
  • Ordered Apology : Just after "God" has been destroyed and Kirk beamed aboard the Bird of Prey, Korrd makes Klaa apologize to him for attacking the Enterprise . Korrd: Kirk, my junior officer has something he wants to say to you. [Turns to Klaa] yIjatlh ! ["Speak!"] Klaa: [Sheepishly] I ... apologize. [Kirk looks absolutely stunned.] Korrd: maj. 'ej...? ["Good. And...?"] Klaa: [still sheepish] The attack upon your vessel was not authorized by my government.
  • Path of Inspiration : Sybok's offer of internal peace.
  • Pillar of Light : How "God" first appears.
  • Sending a barely functioning, untested ship with "less than a skeleton crew" into a hostage situation when it doesn't even have functioning transporters. This is so the Enterprise -A doesn't simply beam up the hostages and end the movie in five minutes. A hand wave was attempted by saying other ships were around, but only Kirk had the experience. By that logic, they could have just sent a working ship to meet Kirk. (Even an inexperienced captain could have beamed the ambassadors out, for that matter, given the absence of defences worthy of the name on Nimbus III.) Starfleet could have simply assumed that a hostage situation wouldn't need a fully functional ship, but as the admiral giving the assignment admits, the Klingons are likely to send their troops, too. They consider Kirk their mortal enemy and, as it turns out, Klaa is going there solely so he can start a fight with a Federation ship . Even Kirk thinks the reasoning is bullshit.
  • Likewise, Sybok's plan is to get a starship. It wouldn't have worked at all if not for Starfleet's incompetence. He even tries to call Chekov's bluff by inviting him to beam down, having apparently expected Starfleet would have sent a ship with functional transporters but not realizing this would have ruined his plan in a flash. This one can be excused by his limited options: Sybok and everyone else is stuck on Nimbus III. There are no ships and only a few settlements. He'd likely been living on the planet for some time (given he's a Technical Pacifist , he may have gone there when it was first made a "neutral planet" that was supposed to unite the Romulans, Klingons, and Federation), and he only started having his visions from "God" after he was already stuck there. So, since getting off the planet would be just as tricky as getting an advanced ship, he might as well kill two birds with one stone.
  • The Pollyanna : You just get that vibe from Caithlin Dar. She's young, sweet-natured, and extremely naive. She contrasts her Federation and Klingon counterparts, who are older, more cynical, and really stopped caring.
  • The Power of Friendship : McCoy refuses to desert Kirk even though he's been brainwashed by Sybok. Likewise for Spock, who just flat-out rejects the attempt.
  • Power Trio : Kirk, Spock, and McCoy , obviously. Notable as, while an important part of all the movies and the show, this movie focuses on them as a trio more than any of the other movies, albeit (in most viewers' eyes) despite Shatner's intentions.
  • Pragmatic Adaptation : The comic book cuts several of the more embarrassing moments from the storyline.
  • For all that the movie gets wrong, it pulls one of the best of these in the franchise's history. One of the only times that Spock gets genuinely angry (even if only momentarily), it also goes to show the depth of his feelings toward Kirk. (And one of the few times that he uses a " colorful metaphor " correctly.) Spock: General, I require your assistance. General Korrd: My assistance? Spock: You are his superior officer. Korrd: I am a foolish old man. Spock: Damn you, sir. You will try.
  • McCoy on his greatest pain: McCoy : Not long after, they found a cure. A GODDAMN CURE !
  • Pulled from Your Day Off : The opening has the main characters called back from their vacation in order to deal with a hostage situation on another planet.
  • Reassigned to Antarctica : The three ambassadors on Nimbus III. The reasons for this are noted in the novelization — St. John Talbot severely screwed up while trying to negotiate an Andorian hostage situation, which rapidly turned into a massacre; Korrd fell out of favor with the Klingon High Command (Spock exposits only that much in the movie proper) after he advocated pursuing peace with the Federation, and Caithlin Dar couldn't get an any better position than Nimbus III due to her facing discrimination for having a human grandfather .
  • Redemption Equals Death : Sybok 's remaining lifespan falls to about fifteen seconds once he realizes the error of his ways .
  • Renegade Splinter Faction : Captain Klaa and his crew are just flying around looking for a fight under no orders of any sort. He decides to go to Nimbus III not to save the hostages but to fight the rescue ship the Federation is sending . When he learns it's Kirk being sent, it only makes him more eager to attack. It's only when General Korrd steps in that Klaa apologizes for his unauthorized aggression.
  • Repeated for Emphasis : After viewing Sybok's hostage demands, Kirk sees the look on Spock's face. Kirk: What is it? You look like you've just seen a ghost. Spock: Perhaps I have, Captain. Perhaps I have.
  • Retired Badass : Kirk is in awe of Korrd. Unfortunately, these days he's Drowning His Sorrows .
  • Retcon : At the end of the previous film, the Enterprise -A is bright and clean and in 100% working order. When we see her in this one, she's falling apart and most of the systems are barely functioning or offline, and the implication is that immediately after we see her warp away, she just turned to garbage.
  • Sarcasm Mode : Talbot introduces Korrd as his "charming companion". Korrd is at that moment draining the contents of his ale mug, and his first "line" is a belch.
  • At least they had the foresight to downscale Shatner's original idea of going to the center of the universe .
  • Near the beginning of the film, Klaa shoots up Pioneer 10 probe. Provided it has been drifting through space normally, this is happening only about 1/100th of a light-year from Earth.
  • The photon torpedo that Chekov fires at "God" should have caused a much bigger explosion, since ... you know ... antimatter .
  • Scotty Time : Inverted . When Kirk beams up to an Enterprise falling apart, Scotty says, "You may have given me too much time, Captain."
  • Sealed Evil in a Can : "God" . It claimed to have been imprisoned on the planet in the center of the galaxy and wanted to "join" with the Enterprise so it could escape.
  • Secret Ingredient : Tennessee whiskey, for the McCoy family beans.
  • Seeking the Intangible : Sybok, the main Anti-Villain of the film, is searching for God , whom he believes resides on a mythical planet within the center of the Milky Way galaxy.
  • She Cleans Up Nicely : After arriving at Sha-Ka-Ree prior to leaving the Enterprise Sybok has his hair cut, has his beard trimmed, and changes into a fresh set of clothes to be presentable for meeting "God." Kirk, Spock, and McCoy also make a stop on the way to the shuttlecraft in order to change into dress uniforms and make themselves presentable as well.
  • Sexy Cat Person : A female feline humanoid of some kind turns up as a stripper in a couple of scenes.

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  • Show Some Leg : Uhura doing the previously mentioned fan dance.
  • Space Clothes : Still Averted by Starfleet and not just because of the "monster maroon" uniforms. During the attack on Paradise City, they wear darker uniforms that are more practical for nighttime and desert operations. And while on shore leave, they wear civilian clothes that wouldn't raise any late-20th- or early-21st-century eyebrows.
  • Space Marine : A squad is seen on the shuttle. They do nothing and say nothing.
  • Stealth Pun : During the infamous Cat Girl bar scene, a Klingon, a Romulan and a Human walk into a bar...
  • The establishing shot of the Enterprise -A in spacedock is taken from the previous film.
  • Several shots of the Enterprise and the Klingon Bird-of-Prey are taken from the previous film (and Star Trek III: The Search for Spock in the case of the latter), and they're rather jarring when compared to the generally poor new effects shots in this film.
  • Sufficiently Advanced Alien : The being they meet on the other side of the barrier.
  • Surprise Vehicle : On the planet where "God" is imprisoned, the Klingon Bird-of-Prey rises up from behind a hill to rescue Kirk.
  • Taken Off Life Support : When Doctor McCoy 's father developed a illness that caused intense pain and begged McCoy to stop the pain by letting him die, McCoy turned off his father's life support system, killing him. It still haunts him that a cure for his father's illness was found shortly thereafter.
  • That Was Not a Dream : "I dreamt that a madman had taken over the Enterprise !"
  • They Don't Make Them Like They Used To : Scotty says of Enterprise -A.
  • Thinking Out Loud : Bones while on shore leave. Bones: (watching Kirk through his binoculars) You'll have a great time, Bones. You'll enjoy your shore leave. You'll...you'll be able to relax. (lowers his binoculars) You call this "relaxing"? I'm a nervous wreck! If I'm not careful, I'll end up talking to myself.
  • Time for Plan B : The normal docking procedure is a no go, so it's time for plan B: barricade. Like a crash landing on an aircraft carrier, Sulu flies the shuttle at full speed into the docking bay, where a net is thrown up to stop them from slamming into the wall.
  • Trashcan Bonfire : During the Federation attack on Paradise City, several oil drums with flames inside can be seen on the city's streets, providing light and heat.
  • Traveling at the Speed of Plot : We're told that no ship can survive the journey through the barrier, which lies at the center of the galaxy. Not that the laws of physics apply to ships with awesome names, like Enterprise .
  • Trial by Friendly Fire : Kirk orders Chekov to fire a torpedo at "God" despite standing only a few meters away. Kirk: Enterprise , are you ready? Sulu: In firing position. Torpedo armed. Chekov: But, sir, we're firing directly on your position! Kirk: Send it down, Mr. Chekov! Now!
  • Truce Zone : Nimbus III is supposed to be this. It's proven to be a failure.
  • True Companions : Kirk , Spock , and McCoy , are this, naturally, but the movie takes it up to eleven. A redeeming quality of the movie is the focus on this trope and the bond between these three. McCoy : I thought you said men like us didn't have families. Kirk: I was wrong.
  • Understatement : Sybok: I imagine the Klingons will be quite angry. Chekov: You are a master of understatement. They are likely to destroy the planet !
  • Undying Loyalty : Even after Sybok has performed his pain removal technique on McCoy , he refuses to part ways with Kirk and Spock when they refuse to go along with Sybok's plan.
  • Unfinished, Untested, Used Anyway : The Enterprise -A is sent into action to investigate a Hostage Situation despite being barely operational and manned with "Less than a skeleton crew" .
  • The Unpronounceable : According to Sybok, the Andorian name for Sha Ka Ree can't be pronounced by humans or Vulcans.
  • Unresolved Sexual Tension : Implied to be between Uhura and Scotty.
  • Villain Ball : You staged all this to get your hands on my ship? If Starfleet had sent literally any other ship with a working transporter then Sybok's plan would have failed immediately as the hostages would have just been beamed aboard the moment they entered orbit. The plan itself doesn't even seem all that necessary anyway as with his mind manipulation powers he could easily have found a far more direct way to get hold of a ship than this.
  • Villain Opening Scene : An Anti-Villain variant, where on Nimbus III Sybok approaches J'onn, a man who is digging "a field of empty holes" for no apparent reason.
  • Villainous Breakdown : After having been blasted with a photon torpedo, "God" comes out of it as a rather goofy invoked distorted face exclaiming " YOOOOOUUUUU! " while floating after Kirk. This is because the ending had to be radically changed, and they couldn't afford to get the actor, George Murdock, back to record any new material.
  • Walk into Mordor : Its said that the Great Barrier surrounding the core of Milky Way Galaxy was extremely dangerous to enter as "no ship has ever entered and no probe has ever returned.", yet the Enterprise breaches it with virtually no trouble note  perhaps because, unlike others, it actually has the power to get in/out like the entity desires .
  • Well-Intentioned Extremist : Probably the saddest thing about Sybok is that he's sincere. He honestly wants to help people, he honestly wants to do good, and he stands up to what he believes is God to demand to know why he's hurting his "friends". He also avoids taking lives if possible and (in his own estimation) helps others by making them confront their pain. And while he is endangering lives, he doesn't realize that and tries to minimize damage where he can.
  • What the Hell, Hero? : McCoy , of all people, defends Spock when Kirk chews him out for not shooting Sybok. This, of course, comes after he jokingly offers to "hold him" when Kirk threatens to knock him on his ass.
  • What Other Galaxies? : The Great Barrier was planned to be located at the center of the universe but is changed to be placed at the Milky Way Galaxy's center instead. Beyond the Great Barrier is Sha Ka Ree, where creation is said to have begun as if the center of the Milky Way Galaxy were the center of the universe.
  • Wide-Eyed Idealist : Caithlin Dar truly wants to realize the dream of the Planet of Galactic Peace. A year or two there probably would have left her as jaded as her counterparts.
  • Klaa feels this way about Kirk, since of course Kirk's battles with the Klingon Empire are legendary. He's not even vindictive about it. He's more excited at facing off against such a foe. When Kirk outsmarts him by getting the shuttle into the Enterprise and then it going to warp right under Klaa's nose, after giving the order to track the ship, a wide-eyed Klaa murmurs "He's good ."
  • Likewise, Kirk around Korrd. He acts like a military cadet discovering General Rommel is slinging drinks in some backwater.
  • Wretched Hive : Nimbus III is a godawful hellhole.
  • You Are Not Alone : During the campfire scene, Kirk tells Spock and McCoy that he knows he'll die alone, leading to the following heartwarming moment near the end of the film. Kirk: Spock? I thought I was going to die. Spock: Not possible. You were never alone.
  • You're Insane! : Kirk tells this to Sybok, when Sybok says God told him to traverse the Great Barrier. Sybok actually seems to consider it. Kirk: You are mad. Sybok: Am I? [ Long Beat ] We shall see.
  • Your Worst Memory : Sybok's power lies in his ability to target the "secret pain" of individuals and eliminate it; eventually, he goes after Bones and Spock, both of them reliving the moments that first imbued them with said "secret pain."
  • Spock holds Sybok at gunpoint once they reach the Enterprise , but Sybok refuses to surrender, instead just walking up and taking the gun. He does admit to being worried that Spock might have done it, though.
  • J’onn aims a rifle at Sybok when he doesn’t know what the approaching stranger wants. Sybok continues to approach and says, “I can’t believe you’d kill me for a field full of empty holes.”

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What does God need with a starship?

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Alternative Title(s): Star Trek V

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Star Trek V: The Final Frontier

Star Trek V: The Final Frontier ( Paramount Pictures , 1989 ) is the fifth feature film based on the popular Star Trek science fiction television series . The titular "Final Frontier" refers to transcending the boundaries of our universe, and into the realm of God , truly where no man has gone before.

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  • Star Trek V: The Final Frontier at StarTrek.com

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Published Jun 7, 2024

Star Trek V: The Final Frontier Delivers Profound Cinematic Moments

In honor of the film's 35th anniversary, let's reflect on this underrated gem and relive these highlights!

Filtered triptych of Kirk, McCoy, and Spock in Star Trek V: The Final Frontier

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Situated between Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home and Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country in the pantheon of films centered around James T. Kirk's U.S.S. Enterprise , Star Trek V: The Final Frontier is often overlooked when debates erupt regarding Star Trek 's most profound cinematic scenes.

Existing in the shadow of other popular Star Trek releases is not easy, yet The Final Frontier delivers an abundance of meaningful moments and profound dialogue, particularly related to the triumvirate of Kirk, Spock, and Leonard McCoy.

In honor of The Final Frontier 's 35th anniversary, let's reflect on this underrated gem and relive these highlights in the order in which they appeared in the film.

1. "I knew I wouldn’t die because the two of you were with me." — Captain Kirk

Seated around a campfire, Kirk holds his tin cup in his hand as he looks over at McCoy in Star Trek V: The Final Frontier

Star Trek V: The Final Frontier

Following Kirk's plunge from the El Capitan summit, he was chastised by Dr. McCoy for his reckless behavior.

The captain's assertion that he always knew he would die alone was key on two fronts, as it exemplified his unwavering trust in Spock and McCoy while also offering insight into his views on death as he entered the later stages of his life. Kirk's maturity, both in terms of his friendships and his outlook on mortality, was met in perfect fashion by his friends. As Spock gazed, McCoy sought to break the seriousness by stating, "Well, I’ll call Valhalla and have them reserve a room for you."

2. "What do we do when shore leave comes along? We spend it together." — Dr. McCoy

Kirk, McCoy, and Spock sit around a campfire in Star Trek V: The Final Frontier

The doctor chased Kirk's commentary on death with his own observation that, despite their squabbles aboard ship, they were still drawn to one another in their downtime. McCoy references their lack of family ties, building upon the idea of aging officers reevaluating the courses they had chosen for themselves.

As is often the case in The Final Frontier , the weighty dialogue is flavored with light humor. Marsh melons, campfire songs, and Spock's "Were we having a good time?" inquiry — exquisitely punctuated by McCoy's "God, I liked him better before he died" response — underscore their friendly banter and illustrate the many frontiers their bond has endured.

3. "You mean he's your 'brother' brother? You made that up." — Captain Kirk

Kirk places both hands on his hips as he vents his frustration with Spock's refusal to obey orders in Star Trek V: The Final Frontier

Furious at Spock for disobeying his order to shoot Sybok, Kirk vented his anger by confronting the Vulcan about the perceived betrayal. Though he declined McCoy's enthusiastic offer to hold Spock so Kirk could enact corporal punishment, the captain was confused by his friend's decision willingness to place the ship at risk. Spock's admission that Sybok was, in fact, his brother perplexed the captain even further, as it riffed on their previous conversation about lacking family and offered a quintessential Spock declaration, "Technically you are correct. I do not have a brother. I have a half-brother."

McCoy's disposition instantly shifted into Spock's favor, once again providing a look into the trio's complex and ever-evolving relationship.

4. "All my knowledge, and I can't save him." — Dr. McCoy

With a vision of his ailing father lying behind him, McCoy's face reflects immense grief that even with all his knowledge, he can't save his father in Star Trek V: The Final Frontier

In a bid to rally McCoy to his cause, Sybok presented the doctor a harrowing vision that harkened back to his father's last days. For all of the incredible cures he devised throughout his time in Starfleet, McCoy helplessly stood by as his father's condition deteriorated. At his father's request, McCoy released him from his agony by administering a swift and painless death. The tragedy became amplified when a cure for the elder McCoy's condition was discovered not long after the doctor's merciful act.

Dealing with loved ones who have terminal illnesses is a universal struggle that all humans can relate to, and McCoy's gut-wrenching memory furnished us with what was perhaps the doctor's most powerful character moment in all of Star Trek .  

5. "I don't want my pain taken away. I need my pain!" — Captain Kirk

Kirk faces Sybok, as McCoy watches, telling him that he refuses to take away his pain in Star Trek V: The Final Frontier

Having already witnessed Sybok put McCoy and Spock through their own trials, Kirk refused to indulge in what he perceived as a con man's mind games. The captain asserted that pain and guilt could not be taken away with the wave of a magic wand, doubling down by proclaiming they're things we carry with us and make us who we are.

While some may argue with the validity of that reasoning, one can't help but find Kirk's analysis to at the very least be thought-provoking and another indication of where he was at on his personal journey. With McCoy convinced of Sybok's authenticity, Kirk's plea of "If we lose them, we lose ourselves" can be seen as a way to sway the doctor's point of view or an effort to persuade the captain of his own argument.

6. "I am not the outcast boy you left behind those many years ago." — Spock

Spock stands with his arms behind his back as Kirk, McCoy, and Sybok all turn to face him in Star Trek V: The Final Frontier

Further underlining the critical nature of this moving scene, Spock denied Sybok's entreaty to join him on his journey through the Great Barrier with an air of reserved self-assurance that only he could deliver. While McCoy found sadness in Sybok's vision and Kirk was provoked to anger by the conversation, Spock reacted with the conviction of a person who was completely secure with who they were as an individual.

Long gone were his days of feeling out of place, as his time on the Enterprise helped guide him on his path and set him apart from the boy Sybok knew. Spock had found himself, and he had also found his place. The Vulcan's certainty in choosing his friends over his own half-brother granted McCoy with his own sense of clarity, as the doctor resisted his drive to follow Sybok and opted to remain by Kirk and Spock.  

7. "Is it possible?" — Captain Kirk

Close-up of the plaque with the words 'To boldly go where no man has gone before' in Star Trek V: The Final Frontier

Once through the Great Barrier and in range of what Sybok referred to as Sha Ka Ree, Kirk joined Spock and McCoy in marveling at what they saw before their eyes. The captain turned to the plaque emblazoned with the motto, "To boldly go where no man has gone before," reevaluating his views on Sybok's quest and electing to command the endeavor himself.

The notion of apparent foes coming to a peaceful compromise is about as " Star Trek " as something can be, as is the aspiration to seek out and understand the unknown. In the wake of their recent emotional ordeals related to pain and family, Kirk and his two colleagues nevertheless managed to shift gears and demonstrate that they each had the heart of an explorer.

8. "What does god need with a starship?" — Captain Kirk

Kirk looks out towards the god of Sha Ke Ree wondering what it needs with a starship as Spock looks out as well, while McCoy looks over at his captain in Star Trek V: The Final Frontier

As Sybok conversed with what he believed to be the God of Sha Ka Ree, Captain Kirk began to sense that all was not as it seemed. Recognizing the alleged deity's interest in the Enterprise , Kirk boldly asked what an all-powerful god would need with such a means of transportation. The question drew the entity's ire, resulting in an energy beam being directed at the captain. Spock immediately took up Kirk's inquiry and received the same punishment, leading McCoy to conclude, "I doubt any god who inflicts pain for his own pleasure."

The exchange expertly returned to the ongoing theme of pain while also underlining Starfleet's need for scientific analysis and evidence to back up any remarkable revelations.

9. "You were never alone." — Spock

Spock reminds Kirk he was never alone in Star Trek V: The Final Frontier

Captain Kirk ensured that his friends were safe and faced the false "God of Sha Ka Ree" on his own, but Spock swiftly returned aboard a Klingon Bird-of-Prey to rescue him. Once reunited with Spock, Kirk admitted that he thought was going to die. Spock shook off the claim, reminding that such a fate had not been possible at the time, as the captain was never alone.

The touching declaration underlined the unrelenting bond the two officers had forged, and Kirk was moved to the point of embracing Spock. Whether spoken to infuse the moment with his signature brand of deadpan levity or as a way to steer clear of a very un-Vulcan hug, Spock stated, "Please, Captain. Not in front of the Klingons." Given Spock's predilection for choosing his words wisely, the most likely explanation for his reluctance toward an emotional display was that it had simply been rooted in a wish to keep their friendship private.

10. "I lost a brother once. I was lucky, I got him back." — Captain Kirk

Close-up of a contemplative Captain Kirk in Star Trek V: The Final Frontier

As McCoy and Spock speculated about whether or not god was really "out there," Kirk proposed that perhaps such a deity existed within their hearts. Spock contemplated his brother's death, leading Kirk to reference Spock's own demise and the joy he felt over getting him back. McCoy recalled the captain's earlier comment that people like them don't have families, to which Kirk replied, "I was wrong."

Enlightened, moving, and heartfelt, this moment tied together the film's themes about family, friendship, loss, growth, and wisdom. Kirk willingly showcases his fallibility, and the scene segues full-circle into The Final Frontier 's closing scene that depicted Kirk, Spock, and McCoy revisiting their campfire and embracing their familial relationship with song.

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Jay Stobie (he/him) is a freelance writer, author, and consultant who has contributed articles to StarTrek.com, Star Trek Explorer, and Star Trek Magazine, as well as to Star Wars Insider and StarWars.com. Learn more about Jay by visiting JayStobie.com or finding him on Twitter, Instagram, and other social media platforms at @StobiesGalaxy.

Stylized and filtered collage of stills of Robin Curtis' Saavik from Star Trek III: The Search for Spock

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Star Trek V: The Final Frontier

Where to watch.

Watch Star Trek V: The Final Frontier with a subscription on Max, rent on Fandango at Home, Prime Video, or buy on Fandango at Home, Prime Video.

What to Know

Filled with dull action sequences and an underdeveloped storyline, this fifth Trek movie is probably the worst of the series.

Critics Reviews

Audience reviews, cast & crew.

William Shatner

Captain James T. Kirk

Leonard Nimoy

Captain Spock

DeForest Kelley

Commander Leonard H. McCoy, M.D.

James Doohan

Captain Montgomery Scott

Walter Koenig

Commander Pavel Andreievich Chekov

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Walter Koenig, Leonard Nimoy, William Shatner, James Doohan, DeForest Kelley, George Takei, and Nichelle Nichols in Star Trek (1966)

In the 23rd Century, Captain James T. Kirk and the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise explore the galaxy and defend the United Federation of Planets. In the 23rd Century, Captain James T. Kirk and the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise explore the galaxy and defend the United Federation of Planets. In the 23rd Century, Captain James T. Kirk and the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise explore the galaxy and defend the United Federation of Planets.

  • Gene Roddenberry
  • William Shatner
  • Leonard Nimoy
  • DeForest Kelley
  • 278 User reviews
  • 99 Critic reviews
  • 16 wins & 31 nominations total

Episodes 80

Star Trek | Retrospective

Photos 2011

Robert Walker Jr. in Star Trek (1966)

  • Captain James Tiberius 'Jim' Kirk …

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DeForest Kelley

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George Takei

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John Winston

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Jay D. Jones

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  • Announcer …

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  • All cast & crew
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Star Trek: The Next Generation

Did you know

  • Trivia In the hallways of the Enterprise there are tubes marked "GNDN." These initials stand for "goes nowhere does nothing."
  • Goofs The deck locations for Kirk's Quarters, Sickbay and Transporter Room vary (usually between decks 4-7) throughout the series.

Dr. McCoy : "He's dead, Jim."

  • Crazy credits On some episodes, the closing credits show a still that is actually from the Star Trek blooper reel. It is a close-up of stunt man Bill Blackburn who played an android in Return to Tomorrow (1968) , removing his latex make up. In the reel, He is shown taking it off, while an off-screen voice says "You wanted show business, you got it!"
  • Alternate versions In 2006, CBS went back to the archives and created HD prints of every episode of the show. In addition to the new video transfer, they re-did all of the model shots and some matte paintings using CGI effects, and re-recorded the original theme song to clean it up. These "Enhanced" versions of the episodes aired on syndication and have been released on DVD and Blu-Ray.
  • Connections Edited into Ben 10: Secrets (2006)
  • Soundtracks Star Trek Music by Alexander Courage

User reviews 278

  • May 5, 2003
  • How do they maintain Gravity on the the U.S.S. Enterprise ? .
  • All aliens on all planets speak the English language?
  • What does "TOS" mean?
  • September 8, 1966 (United States)
  • United States
  • Star Trek: The Original Series
  • Backlot, Culver Studios - 9336 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA
  • Desilu Productions
  • Norway Corporation
  • Paramount Television
  • See more company credits at IMDbPro

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  • Runtime 50 minutes

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Memory Beta, non-canon Star Trek Wiki

A friendly reminder regarding spoilers ! At present the expanded Trek universe is in a period of major upheaval with the continuations of Discovery and Prodigy , the advent of new eras in gaming with the Star Trek Adventures RPG , Star Trek: Infinite and Star Trek Online , as well as other post-57th Anniversary publications such as the ongoing IDW Star Trek comic and spin-off Star Trek: Defiant . Therefore, please be courteous to other users who may not be aware of current developments by using the {{ spoiler }}, {{ spoilers }} OR {{ majorspoiler }} tags when adding new information from sources less than six months old (even if it is minor info). Also, please do not include details in the summary bar when editing pages and do not anticipate making additions relating to sources not yet in release. THANK YOU

  • Memory Beta articles sourced from video games
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V'Ger (with the alternate spelling of Vejur [4] ) was an extraordinary machine entity encountered by the Federation in 2273 . The entity's surrounding energy cloud was over two AUs in diameter and generated amounts of radiation rivalling the heliosphere of Sol . The luminescent cloud interior was measured to be a level of 12th power energy.

  • 3 Aftermath
  • 4 Alternate reality
  • 5.1 Connections
  • 5.2 External links

History [ ]

The size and power of V'Ger worried all in the Federation, when it was detected on a direct heading for Earth , at a sustained velocity of Warp factor 7. The interior of the spacecraft seemed to be capable of holding a crew of tens of thousands or a crew of a thousand-each ten miles tall.

With the entity being over 54.3 hours from Earth, Starfleet rushed the refit of the USS Enterprise , so that it could be launched in time to intercept V'Ger . After penetrating the huge entity and traveling to the center, Admiral James T. Kirk and his crew encountered V'Ger, who proceeded to send a probe that "absorbed" Enterprise navigator Ilia ; with all of her memories and personality. "She" returned in the form of the now-deceased Lieutenant : wearing her casual attire and equipped with a transmitter /receiver (or, tranceiver combination). Soon after, the Enterprise crew discovered that V'Ger was actually the NASA probe, Voyager 6 , which had been launched from Earth in 1999 , entered a black hole which transported the probe across time and space to another part of the universe, where it was encountered by an advanced civilization of living machines. These sentient machines turned Voyager 6 into a like member of their race, giving V'Ger sentience and sending it off to complete the mission which the once Voyager 6 was originally assigned to.

Decker V'Ger

Decker joining with V'Ger

V'ger and C'qer

V'ger and C'qer in 2411 .

Over the hundreds of years it took to return home, V'Ger took its mission to heart and learn everything it could to extremes, as it absorbed everything it was exposed to, and having learned everything, wanted to return to Earth to impart its knowledge (by old-style radio waves) and join with its Creator . Realizing that the fate of Earth was in their hands, Commander Willard Decker joined with the entity and programmed the information it needed to transmit its data. Once the two were joined, the entity evolved onto another plane of existence and headed for the Andromeda Galaxy . ( TOS movie : Star Trek: The Motion Picture ; TOS - Star Trek II Short Stories short story : " To Wherever "; TOS novel : Ex Machina )

After encountering the Borg , it was believed that the planet V'Ger landed on was the Central Node and that V'Ger was simply another branch of the Borg Collective that assimilated through the use of energy. ( TOS novel : The Return )

Voyager6

V'Ger's core.

However, the Vulcan scientist T'Uerell , after deciphering the secrets of the Borg Collective , uncovered evidence that it was V'Ger who first created the Collective to serve as heralds in its search for its Creator. However, the Borg strayed from their original purpose as the Borg Queen assumed more power. ( ST video game : Legacy )

It is believed that Leviathan , another massive sentient machine, was related to V'Ger and possibly from the same machine planet. ( VOY comic : " Leviathan ")

Aftermath [ ]

Starfleet termed this crisis the V'Ger mission .

The evolution of V'Ger had some wide ranging effects on the rest of the Federation and beyond. On Daran IV , Dovraku and his "Faithful" viewed this as a Sign that the time had come to reinstate the Oracle of the People 's control over the Fabrini . ( TOS novel : Ex Machina )

On planet Mestiko , the defeat of this threat to Earth was used as proof that the Federation could have defended their world from the destructive effects of " the Pulse " and opted not to in order to subjugate the Payav race. ( TOS - Mere Anarchy eBook : The Darkness Drops Again )

The entity known as the Leviathan was believed to have had some connection with V'Ger. ( VOY comic : " Leviathan ")

Alternate reality [ ]

Narada and VGer

The Narada meets V'Ger .

In the Kelvin timeline , V'Ger detected the arrival of the Narada when it emerged in 2233 . Still in the Delta Quadrant as of 2258 , V'Ger, seeing the sentient Narada as a kindred spirit, made contact with the vessel when it was moored in orbit of Rura Penthe , summoning its kin to itself. As V'Ger communicated with the Narada , Nero exploited his own telepathic link with the Narada to commune with V'Ger. After scanning the Narada , V'Ger brought Nero to its core where the two learnt of the other's life. Though V'Ger attempted to assimilate Nero, it found itself unable to process his hatred. Nero however was able to exploit this connection in order to use V'Ger's powerful computers to calculate where and when Spock would emerge from the black hole. From V'Ger memory banks, he noted that the technology that the living machines had used to enhance Voyager 6 was related to the Borg in some way and that both were "children of an ancient, unknown civilization." ( TOS - Nero comic : " Number Three ")

Star Trek: The Original Series

Star Trek: The Original Series (referred to as Star Trek prior to any spin-offs) is the first Star Trek series. The first episode of the show aired on 6 September 1966 on CTV in Canada, followed by a 8 September 1966 airing on NBC in America. The show was created by Gene Roddenberry as a " Wagon Train to the Stars". Star Trek was set in the 23rd century and featured the voyages of the starship USS Enterprise under Captain James T. Kirk .

Star Trek was later informally dubbed The Original Series , or TOS, after several spin-offs aired. The show lasted three seasons until canceled in 1969 . When the show first aired on TV, and until lowering budget issues in its third season resulted in a noticable drop in quality episodes and placed in a 10 pm Friday night death slot by the network, Star Trek regularly performed respectably in its time slot. After it was canceled and went into syndication , however, its popularity exploded. It featured themes such as a Utopian society and racial equality, and the first African-American officer in a recurring role.

Ten years later, Star Trek: The Motion Picture reunited the cast on the big screen aboard a refurbished USS Enterprise . They appeared in five subsequent films, ending with Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country in 1991, during production of the spin-off series Star Trek: The Next Generation and shortly before Gene Roddenberry's death. Several original series characters also appeared in the seventh movie, Star Trek Generations , and in other Star Trek productions.

  • 1 Opening credits
  • 2.1 Starring
  • 2.2 Also starring
  • 2.3 Co-stars
  • 3 Production crew
  • 4.1 First pilot
  • 4.2 Season 1
  • 4.3 Season 2
  • 4.4 Season 3
  • 5.1 Concept
  • 5.2 The first pilot
  • 5.3 The second pilot
  • 5.4 The series begins
  • 5.5 The first season
  • 5.6 Syndication
  • 5.7 Reception
  • 5.8 Remastered
  • 6 Related topics
  • 8 External links

Opening credits [ ]

  • Main Title Theme (Season 1)  file info (composed by Alexander Courage )
  • Main Title Theme (Season 2-3)  file info (composed by Alexander Courage )

Main cast [ ]

Starring [ ].

  • William Shatner as Captain Kirk

Jeffrey Hunter , who portrayed Captain Pike , was the only star listed in the original pilot 's opening credits.

Also starring [ ]

  • Leonard Nimoy as Mr. Spock
  • DeForest Kelley as Dr. McCoy

DeForest Kelley was listed as a co-star from 1966 through 1967 before appearing in the opening credits as "also starring" from 1967 through 1969 .

Co-stars [ ]

  • James Doohan as Scotty
  • Nichelle Nichols as Uhura
  • George Takei as Sulu
  • Walter Koenig as Chekov ( 1967 - 1969 )
  • Majel Barrett-Roddenberry as Christine Chapel
  • Grace Lee Whitney as Janice Rand

Production crew [ ]

  • Gene Roddenberry – Creator, Writer, Producer, Executive Producer
  • Gene L. Coon – Writer, Producer
  • John Meredyth Lucas – Writer, Producer, Director
  • Fred Freiberger – Producer (1968-69)
  • Robert H. Justman – Associate Producer (Season 1-2), Co-Producer (Season 3), First Assistant Director (two pilots)
  • D.C. Fontana – Writer, Script Consultant (1967-68)
  • Steven W. Carabatsos – Writer, Story Consultant (1966)
  • John D.F. Black – Associate Producer, Writer, Story Editor (1966)
  • Arthur H. Singer – Story Consultant (1968-69)
  • Byron Haskin – Associate Producer (first pilot)
  • Walter "Matt" Jefferies – Production Designer, Art Director
  • William E. Snyder – Director of Photography (first pilot)
  • Ernest Haller – Director of Photography (second pilot)
  • Jerry Finnerman – Director of Photography (61 episodes, 1966-1968)
  • Keith Smith – Director of Photography (1 episode, 1967)
  • Al Francis – Director of Photography (16 episodes, 1968-1969), Camera Operator (61 episodes, 1966-1968)
  • Jim Rugg – Supervisor of Special Effects
  • Rolland M. Brooks – Art Director (34 episodes, 1965-1967)
  • Fred B. Phillips – Make-up Artist
  • Robert Dawn – Make-up Artist (second pilot)
  • William Ware Theiss – Costume Designer
  • Gregg Peters – First Assistant Director (Season 1), Unit Production Manager (Season 2-3), Associate Producer (Season 3)
  • Claude Binyon, Jr. – Assistant Director (third season)

Episode list [ ]

  • List of TOS episodes by airdate
  • List of TOS remastered episodes by airdate

First pilot [ ]

Season 1 [ ].

TOS Season 1 , 29 episodes:

Season 2 [ ]

TOS Season 2 , 26 episodes:

Season 3 [ ]

TOS Season 3 , 24 episodes:

Behind the scenes [ ]

Concept [ ].

Star Trek was created by Gene Roddenberry, whose interest in science fiction dated back to the 1940s when he came into contact with Astounding Stories . Roddenberry's first produced science fiction story was The Secret Weapon of 117 , which aired in 1956 on the Chevron Theatre anthology show. By 1963 Roddenberry was producing his first television series, The Lieutenant , at MGM .

In 1963, MGM was of the opinion that "true-to-life" television dramas were becoming less popular and an action-adventure show would be more profitable (this prediction turned out to be right, and led to series such as The Man from U.N.C.L.E ). Roddenberry had already been working on a science fiction concept called Star Trek since 1960 , and when he told MGM about his ideas, they were willing to take a look at them. As the production of The Lieutenant came to an end, Roddenberry delivered his first Star Trek draft to MGM. The studio was, however, not enthusiastic about the concept, and a series was never produced.

Roddenberry tried to sell his " wagon train to the stars " format to several production studios afterward, but to no avail. In 1964 , it was rumored that Desilu was interested in buying a new television series. Desilu was a much smaller company than MGM, but Roddenberry took his chances, greatly aided with the help of Desilu Executive Herb Solow . This led to a three-year deal with Desilu in April 1964 .

The first attempt to sell the Star Trek format to broadcasting network CBS (Desilu had a first proposal deal with the network) failed. CBS chose another science fiction project, Irwin Allen 's more family-oriented Lost in Space instead of Roddenberry's more cerebral approach. But in May 1964 , NBC 's Vice-President of Programming Mort Werner agreed to give Roddenberry the chance to write three story outlines, one of which NBC would select to turn into a pilot.

One of the submitted story lines, dated 29 June 1964 , was an outline for " The Cage ", and this was the story picked up by NBC. Now, the daunting task that Roddenberry and his crew faced was to develop the Star Trek universe from scratch. Roddenberry recruited many people around him to help think up his version of the future. The RAND Corporation's Harvey P. Lynn acted as a scientific consultant, Pato Guzman was hired as art director, with Matt Jefferies as an assisting production designer. This phase of creativity and brainstorming lasted throughout the summer, until in the last week of September 1964 the final draft of the "The Cage" script was delivered to NBC, after which shooting of the pilot was approved.

The first pilot [ ]

In early October, preparations for shooting "The Cage" began. A few changes in the production crew were made: Roddenberry hired Morris Chapnick , who had worked with him on The Lieutenant , as his assistant. Pato Guzman left to return to Chile and was replaced by Franz Bachelin . Matt Jefferies finalized the design for the Enterprise and various props and interiors. By November 1964 , the sets were ready to be constructed on stages Culver Studios Stage 14 , 15 , and 16 . Roddenberry was not happy with the stages, since they had uneven floors and were not soundproof, as Culver Studios had been established in the silent movie era when soundproofing had not been an issue to consider. Eventually, in 1966 , the rest of the series was shot on Paramount stages 9 and 10 , which were in better shape.

Casting of the characters was not a problem, apart from the lead role of Captain Pike (still known as "Captain April " at this point, later renamed "Captain Winter" before finally choosing "Pike") who Roddenberry convinced Jeffrey Hunter to play. Leonard Nimoy ( Spock ) had worked with Roddenberry on The Lieutenant . Majel Barrett , also a familiar face from The Lieutenant , got the part of the ship's female first officer, Number One . Veteran character actor John Hoyt , who had worked on many science fiction and fantasy projects before, was chosen to play the role of Doctor Phil Boyce . Young Peter Duryea and Laurel Goodwin were hired as José Tyler and Yeoman J.M. Colt , respectively. The extras were cast from a diversity of ethnic groups, which was significant because integration was not a usual occurrence in 1960s television, and segregation was still a reality in the United States.

To produce the pilot episode, Robert H. Justman was hired as assistant director; he had worked on The Outer Limits shortly before. Makeup artist Fred Phillips was brought in as well, whose first job it was to create Spock's ears. Another veteran from The Outer Limits was producer-director Byron Haskin , who joined as associate producer. On 27 November 1964 , the first scenes of "The Cage" (or "The Menagerie," as it was briefly known), were shot. Filming was scheduled to be eleven days, however the production went highly over budget and over schedule, resulting in sixteen shooting days and US$164,248 plus expenses.

But there were still a lot of visual effects to be made. An eleven-foot filming model of the USS Enterprise , designed by Matt Jefferies, was built by Richard Datin , Mel Keys , and Vern Sion in Volmer Jensen 's model shop , and was delivered to the Howard Anderson Company on 29 December 1964 .

In February 1965 , the final version of "The Cage" was delivered at NBC and screened in New York City. NBC officials liked the first pilot. Desilu's Herb Solow says that NBC was surprised by how realistic it looked, and that it was "the most fantastic thing we've ever seen." The reason the pilot was rejected was because it was believed that it would attract only a small audience, and they wanted more action and adventure. They also had problems with the "satanic" Spock and the female first officer (Number One). However, NBC was convinced that Star Trek could be made into a television series, and that NBC itself had been at fault for choosing the "The Cage" script from the original three stories pitched. Also, after spending US$630,000 on "The Cage" (the most expensive TV pilot at the time), they didn't want to have their money wasted. NBC then made the unprecedented move to order a second pilot.

The second pilot [ ]

For the second pilot, NBC requested three story outlines again. These were " Where No Man Has Gone Before " by Samuel A. Peeples , and " Mudd's Women " and " The Omega Glory " by Roddenberry. Although it was the most expensive of the three, NBC chose " Where No Man Has Gone Before ", as it had the most action and most outer space spectacle. However, the other two premises were also made into episodes of the series later.

Filming the second pilot began in July 1965 , and took nine days to complete. The entire cast of " The Cage " was replaced except Spock. Jeffrey Hunter chose not to reprise his role as Captain Pike, mostly by the advice of his wife, who felt that "science fiction ruins her husband's career". Roddenberry wanted both Lloyd Bridges and Jack Lord for the role of the new captain, however both declined. Finally William Shatner , who had previous science fiction experience acting in episodes of The Twilight Zone and The Outer Limits , was chosen. The new captain was named James R. Kirk (later renamed James T. Kirk).

For the role of the chief medical officer, Roddenberry chose veteran actor Paul Fix . Canadian actor James Doohan got the role of chief engineer Scott , and young Japanese-American George Takei was featured as ship's physicist Sulu . The latter two reprised their roles in the upcoming series, though Sulu was a helmsman in the series. Other actors considered for being regulars were Lloyd Haynes as communications officer Alden and Andrea Dromm as Yeoman Smith , but neither of them were re-hired after the pilot.

Many of the production staff were replaced. Robert Dawn served as head make-up artist, however Fred Phillips returned to the position in the series itself. Academy Award winner cinematographer Ernest Haller came out of semi-retirement to work as the director of photography. Associate producer Byron Haskin was replaced by Robert H. Justman , who now shared double duties as producer and assistant director.

The Enterprise model was updated for the second pilot, and many new outer space effects shots were made, most of which were reused in the series itself. The sets were also updated a bit, most notably the main bridge and the transporter room. Most of the uniforms, props, and sets were reused from " The Cage ", however some new props (including the never-seen-again phaser rifle ) and a brand new matte painting (the planet Delta Vega ) were made specially for this episode.

" Where No Man Has Gone Before " was accepted by NBC and the first season of a regular series was ordered for broadcasting in the 1966-67 television season. History was made.

The series begins [ ]

Preparation for the first regular season began in early 1966 . All the Enterprise interior sets were updated, as well as the introduction of brand new uniforms. The look of the show became more colorful and more vivid. The Enterprise model was also updated once more. Also, the entire production was moved from Desilu's Culver City studios to the main Gower Street studio's Stage 9 and 10 ( Paramount Stage 31 and 32 from 1967 onward) in Hollywood.

Kirk (Shatner) and Spock (Nimoy) were kept as the series stars, with Grace Lee Whitney joining the two as Yeoman Janice Rand (replacing Andrea Dromm as Yeoman Smith). Whitney had worked with Roddenberry a year before on an unsold pilot titled Police Story . Publicity photos promoting the new series were made at this time, with the three of them, mostly using props left from the two pilots (most notably the aforementioned phaser rifle). Shatner and Nimoy wore their new uniforms on these photographs, while Whitney had to wear an old, pilot version.

Scott (Doohan) and Sulu (Takei) were also kept, the latter becoming the ship's helmsman instead of physicist. Two additions made the Enterprise main crew complete: DeForest Kelley was hired to play the new chief medical officer, Leonard McCoy , as Roddenberry had known him from previous projects, including the aforementioned Police Story . Actress Nichelle Nichols got the role of communications officer Uhura , who became a symbol of the racial and gender diversity of the show. Nichols was a last minute addition, weeks before filming began on the first regular episode.

Jerry Finnerman became the new director of photography, while Fred Phillips, Matt Jefferies, and Rolland M. Brooks returned to their former positions. Writer John D.F. Black was brought in as the second associate producer (next to Justman). While Roddenberry and Black handled the script and story issues, Justman was in charge of the physical aspects of production.

Filming of the first regular episode, " The Corbomite Maneuver " began on 24 May 1966 . Finally Star Trek debuted on NBC with a "Sneak Preview" episode at 8:30 pm (EST) on 8 September 1966 . NBC chose " The Man Trap " (the fifth episode in production order) to air first, mainly because they felt it was more of a "traditional monster story" and featured more action.

The first season [ ]

In August 1966 , several changes were made in the Star Trek production staff. Roddenberry stepped down as line producer and became the executive producer. His replacement was Gene L. Coon , who also regularly contributed to the series as a writer. While Black had also left the series, story editor Steven W. Carabatsos came in, sharing story duties with Roddenberry and Coon. To handle post-production, Edward K. Milkis was brought in by Justman. Carabatsos had left Star Trek near the end of the season, and was replaced by D.C. Fontana , formerly Roddenberry's secretary and a writer for the series.

Syndication [ ]

  • See : Syndication

Due to the overall length of the episodes of The Original Series , several minutes of each episode are frequently cut during the show's reruns, notably on the Sci-Fi Channel . Starting in April 2006 , the G4 network began airing the full length episodes in "Uncut Marathons" on Saturdays. G4 stopped airing these full-length versions in November 2006, and has discontinued its run of Star Trek 2.0 , which was a trivia-oriented and interactive version of the show for the viewers.

For current airings see Where to watch .

Reception [ ]

The Original Series has been nominated for and won a number of awards over the years. Some of the awards include:

  • The series was nominated for thirteen Emmy Awards during its run, but did not win any.
  • It was nominated eight times for the "Best Dramatic Presentation" Hugo Award , sweeping the nominees in 1968. It won twice, and Roddenberry won a special award in 1968.
  • The 2003 "Pop Culture Award" in the TV Land Awards .
  • The 2005 Saturn Award for "Best DVD Retro Television Release."

Aaron Harberts and James Frain cited TOS as their favorite Star Trek series. ( AT : " O Discovery, Where Art Thou? ")

Remastered [ ]

On 31 August 2006 , CBS Paramount Television announced that, in celebration of the 40th anniversary of Star Trek , the show would return to broadcast syndication for the first time in sixteen years. The series' 79 episodes were digitally remastered with all new visual effects and music. The refurbished episodes have been converted from the original film to high-definition video, making it on par with modern television formats.

Related topics [ ]

  • TOS directors
  • TOS performers
  • TOS recurring characters
  • TOS writers
  • Character crossover appearances
  • Undeveloped TOS episodes
  • Desilu Stage 9
  • Desilu Stage 10
  • Star Trek Writers/Directors Guide
  • Star Trek: The Original Series novels
  • Star Trek: The Original Series comics (DC)
  • Star Trek: The Original Series comics (IDW)
  • Star Trek: The Original Series soundtracks
  • Star Trek: The Original Series on VHS
  • Star Trek: The Original Series on Betamax
  • Star Trek: The Original Series on CED
  • Star Trek: The Original Series on LaserDisc
  • Star Trek: The Original Series on DVD
  • Star Trek: The Original Series on Blu-ray

External links [ ]

  • Star Trek: The Original Series at Wikipedia
  • Star Trek: The Original Series at Memory Beta , the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
  • Star Trek: The Original Series at StarTrek.com
  • Star Trek: The Original Series at the Internet Movie Database
  • Star Trek: The Original Series at the Movie and TV Wiki
  • Public Radio Special: The Peace Message in Star Trek
  • 1 Daniels (Crewman)
  • 3 World War III

COMMENTS

  1. Star Trek V: The Final Frontier

    Star Trek V: The Final Frontier is a 1989 American science fiction film directed by William Shatner and based on the television series Star Trek created by Gene Roddenberry.It is the fifth installment in the Star Trek film series, and takes place shortly after the events of Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986). Its plot follows the crew of the USS Enterprise-A as they confront renegade Vulcan ...

  2. Star Trek V: The Final Frontier

    Star Trek V, released in June 1989, was the last Star Trek movie to be released in the summer months until 2009's Star Trek. Star Trek V was the first Star Trek production to be made in tandem with another (Star Trek: The Next Generation, whose second season was in production during the filming) and one of only two productions to be made during ...

  3. V'ger

    The physical size of V'ger has been the subject of speculation from the time Star Trek: The Motion Picture was first released, at the end of 1979. In the original theatrical release of Star Trek: The Motion Picture, the V'ger energy cloud is given a size measuring eighty-two au in diameter, in dialogue from the Epsilon IX commander, Branch.

  4. Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (1989)

    Star Trek V: The Final Frontier: Directed by William Shatner. With William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, James Doohan. Captain Kirk and his crew must deal with Mr. Spock's long-lost half-brother who hijacks the Enterprise for an obsessive search for God at the center of the galaxy.

  5. Star Trek

    Star Trek is an American science fiction media franchise created by Gene Roddenberry, which began with the eponymous 1960s television series and became a worldwide pop-culture phenomenon.Since its creation, the franchise has expanded into various films, television series, video games, novels, and comic books, and it has become one of the most recognizable and highest-grossing media franchises ...

  6. Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (Film)

    The one where Spock's ''never-before seen or mentioned'' Vulcan half-brother hijacks the Enterprise to look for God...(?). Star Trek V: The Final Frontier is the fifth movie in the Star Trek film series, released in 1989. They've stared at V'Ger, defeated the vengeful Khan, found Spock, and rescued the whales.But can the Enterprise crew survive their greatest challenge yet?

  7. Star Trek V: The Final Frontier

    Synopsis. 1989 • PG. Spock's half-brother, Sybok, hijacks the Enterprise to cross the Great Barrier at the center of the galaxy in his search to find an entity he believes may be "God."

  8. Star Trek: The Original Series

    Star Trek is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry that follows the adventures of the starship USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) and its crew. It acquired the retronym of Star Trek: The Original Series (TOS) to distinguish the show within the media franchise that it began.. The show is set in the Milky Way galaxy, c. 2266-2269.

  9. Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (1989)

    The Enterprise successfully breaches the barrier, pursued by Klaa's vessel, and discovers a lone blue planet. Sybok, Kirk, Spock, and McCoy journey to the surface, where Sybok calls out to his perceived vision of God. An entity appears, and when told of how Sybok breached the barrier, demands that the star ship be brought closer to the planet.

  10. Star Trek V: The Final Frontier

    Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (Paramount Pictures, 1989) is the fifth feature film based on the popular Star Trek science fiction television series.The titular "Final Frontier" refers to transcending the boundaries of our universe, and into the realm of God, truly where no man has gone before.. Directed by William Shatner.Written by William Shatner, Harve Bennett, and David Loughery.

  11. Trek History: Star Trek V: The Final Frontier

    Star Trek V: The Final Frontier premiered in theaters on this day, 35 years ago, on June 9, 1989, in Star Trek History.. In The Final Frontier, Spock's renegade half-brother, Sybok, hijacks the Enterprise to cross the Great Barrier at the center of the galaxy in his search to find an entity he believes may be "God.". Bring home the fifth installment of the original motion picture saga in 4K ...

  12. Star Trek V: The Final Frontier Delivers Profound Cinematic Moments

    Situated between Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home and Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country in the pantheon of films centered around James T. Kirk's U.S.S. Enterprise, Star Trek V: The Final Frontier is often overlooked when debates erupt regarding Star Trek's most profound cinematic scenes.. Existing in the shadow of other popular Star Trek releases is not easy, yet The Final Frontier delivers ...

  13. Star Trek V: The Final Frontier

    Star Trek V: The Final Frontier. Watch Star Trek V: The Final Frontier with a subscription on Max, rent on Fandango at Home, Prime Video, or buy on Fandango at Home, Prime Video. Filled with dull ...

  14. Star Trek V: The Final Frontier

    English. Budget. $27,800,000 (estimated) Box office. $70,000,000 (worldwide) Star Trek V: The Final Frontier was the fifth movie set in the Star Trek universe. It was made in 1989 by Paramount Pictures. It happens after the events of The Voyage Home. Spock's half-brother Sybok goes on a spiritual journey to find "God" and takes the Enterprise ...

  15. Memory Alpha

    Memory Alpha is a collaborative project to create the most definitive, accurate, and accessible encyclopedia and reference for everything related to Star Trek. The English-language Memory Alpha started in November 2003, and currently consists of 58,190 articles and 64,980 files. If this is your first visit, please read an introduction to Memory ...

  16. List of Star Trek television series

    Logo for the first Star Trek series, now known as The Original Series. Star Trek is an American science fiction media franchise that started with a television series (simply called Star Trek but now referred to as Star Trek: The Original Series) created by Gene Roddenberry.The series was first broadcast from 1966 to 1969 on NBC.Since then, the Star Trek canon has expanded to include many other ...

  17. Star Trek (TV Series 1966-1969)

    Star Trek: Created by Gene Roddenberry. With Leonard Nimoy, William Shatner, DeForest Kelley, Nichelle Nichols. In the 23rd Century, Captain James T. Kirk and the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise explore the galaxy and defend the United Federation of Planets.

  18. Memory Beta, non-canon Star Trek Wiki

    Strategy is a Star Trek: The Next Generation comic, the third issue of IDW Publishing 's The Space Between miniseries. The comic was written by David Tischman with art by Casey Maloney, and was initially released in March 2007, with a reprint in the omnibus of the series in September of the same year. The story, set in 2370, features the USS ...

  19. Star Trek

    Star Trek is a science fiction franchise comprising twelve television series, thirteen films, four companion series, numerous novels, comics, video games, reference works, podcasts, role playing games, along with thousands of collectibles. Originally, Star Trek was a product of Desilu Studios as created by Gene Roddenberry in a first draft series proposal "Star Trek is...", dated 11 March 1964 ...

  20. V'Ger

    V'Ger (with the alternate spelling of Vejur [4]) was an extraordinary machine entity encountered by the Federation in 2273. The entity's surrounding energy cloud was over two AUs in diameter and generated amounts of radiation rivalling the heliosphere of Sol. The luminescent cloud interior was measured to be a level of 12th power energy.

  21. Timeline of Star Trek

    The USS Enterprise 's five-year mission under Captain Kirk lasts from 2207 to 2212. [57] The events of Star Trek: The Motion Picture occur in 2217. [57] The events of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan occur around 2222 (dialogue in the film says it is set "fifteen years" after the Season One episode "Space Seed").

  22. Star Trek: The Original Series

    Star Trek: The Original Series (referred to as Star Trek prior to any spin-offs) is the first Star Trek series. The first episode of the show aired on 6 September 1966 on CTV in Canada, followed by a 8 September 1966 airing on NBC in America. The show was created by Gene Roddenberry as a "Wagon Train to the Stars". Star Trek was set in the 23rd century and featured the voyages of the starship ...

  23. Star Trek V: The Final Frontier

    Star Trek V: The Final Frontier er en amerikansk science fiction-film fra 1989, instrueret af William Shatner.. Medvirkende. William Shatner som James T. Kirk; Leonard Nimoy som Spock; DeForest Kelley som Dr. Leonard McCoy; James Doohan som Montgomery "Scotty" Scott; George Takei som Hikaru Sulu; Walter Koenig som Pavel Chekov; Nichelle Nichols som Nyota Uhura; David Warner som St. John Talbot

  24. Star Trek: L'última frontera

    Star Trek: L'última frontera, també coneguda com a Star Trek V: L'última frontera (títol original en anglès Star Trek V: The Final Frontier), és una pel·lícula estatunidenca de 1989, la cinquena basada en Star Trek, i dirigida per William Shatner.. Argument. El capità James T. Kirk, Spock i el Dr. Leonard McCoy veuen bruscament interromput el seu permís en el planeta Terra quan se'ls ...

  25. Star Trek: Infinite

    Star Trek: Infinite is a 4X grand strategy video game developed by Argentinian studio Nimble Giant Entertainment and published by Paradox Interactive.In Star Trek: Infinite, players take control of one of four Star Trek civilizations interstellar civilization on the galactic stage and are tasked with exploring, colonizing, and engaging minor nations and other major civilizations with diplomacy ...