FEATURE
( hanging out with your friends , not the family ) and after Spock Prime ’ s passing . Of course , Spock Kelvin does debate ditching Starfl eet to help out the New Vulcan colony . After all , who ’ s going to dissuade the survivor of an extinction-level event from helping his kinfolk ? The return of George Kirk , though , bodes for an increased focus on the time travel / parallel world angle , as well as a Jim Kirk-oriented tale . The next entry could , nonetheless , explore the remnants of Vulcan as more than an emotional red herring . The plight of his scattered people could also be a powerful motivational factor for a survivor guilt-riddled Spock . Perhaps , he discovers a way to head back in time to stop the destruction of his home world . A miscalculation or hiccup in the process could lead them back to the beginning of the timeline and Kirk ’ s father . A little more fan-service about Vulcan could lead the series full circle , or leave it open for the next round of Kelvin-based fi lms . On the other hand , saving Vulcan would also mean erasing over half a decade of nuTrek history and a lot of great quips . MORE BONES AND SPOCK BANTER After two previous entries , the characters ’ suits have been tailored for their new wearers . Doug Jung and Simon Pegg are also to be commended for their characterization in Star Trek Beyond . Their script refi ned the team and its dynamic ( especially Spock , Bones , Kirk , Chekov , and newcomer Jaylah ( played by Sofi a Boutella )). During Beyond , though , Karl Urban and Zach Quinto ’ s dialogue sparkled most when Leonard “ Bones ” McCoy and Spock “ Spock ” butted heads . Jung and Pegg ’ s fandom was on full display during the scenes where Bones aids an injured Spock . Quinto and Urban ’ s performances were nuanced , both owning their versions of the beloved characters and paying respect to their dearly departed fore-bearers ( DeForest Kelley and Leonard Nimoy , respectively ). Despite the surplus of talented actors working on Kelvin Trek , the fourth entry would be foolish to resign their rapport to the background . Even if the next fi lm winds up as a James T . Kirk story fi rst and foremost , the Spock-Bones connection is a great way to season the poignancy of a Kirk family reunion with some scathing repartee . However , the next fi lm ’ s writers need to remember that the Bones and Spock dynamic is not a gimmick . It should never be overused and must service the plot in order to maintain its charm and effi cacy . A PROPER FAREWELL FOR ENSIGN CHEKOV Before Star Trek Beyond even launched , the production was tinged with tragedy by the deaths of Leonard Nimoy and Anton Yelchin . Nimoy passed before production began , while Yelchin lost his life after the fi lm had wrapped . Thankfully , the producers already stated that Pavel Chekov won ’ t be recast . At the same time , it ’ s only fi tting the character ’ s absence is acknowledged in the follow up fi lm . Much like Prime Spock ’ s death was integrated into Beyond – when Spock Kelvin was handed a datapad bearing news of his alternate self ’ s passing – Chekov also deserves an in-fi lm send off . The producers certainly could determine a different destiny for the young ensign , such as an early departure from Starfl eet or a disappearance during a mission . However , the most appropriate course of action would be to record his loss in the line of duty . If so , Chekov deserves to be honored with a full Starfl eet funeral much like Spock ’ s in Wrath of Khan . It would be a fi tting tribute to a young actor on the rise and the character he ’ d recreated in his own image . THE RETURN OF JAYLAH When a character leaves a franchise due to tragic circumstances , they can never be truly replaced . However , Chekov ’ s departure from the Enterprise does leave an empty chair on the bridge . Rather than fi lling it with a nameless ensign , it might be appropriate to honor Chekov ’ s memory with a character he shared some of his fi nal on-screen moments with : Jaylah . Technically , the breakout alien from Beyond wouldn ’ t graduate Starfl eet Academy until well after the Enterprise ’ s fi ve year mission was over ( three years down at the time of the fi lm , and the Academy is a four-year school , generally speaking ). At the same time , special circumstances such as war ( see Ensign Nog on Deep Space Nine ) or a training mission gone awry ( see Wrath of Khan ) have caused spontaneous movie- and TV-based promotions and crew changes . Her presence would add another strong female and alien character to the mostly human male cast . Boutella ’ s character also brings a relatable quality as well as a slightly-tempered-by-Starfl eet wildcard element . An innovative thinker and fi erce warrior , her presence on the Enterprise would benefi t the ship and the fourth fi lm in numerous ways . BOLDLY GOING BEYOND BEYOND Star Trek Beyond showed a lot of promise both within the context of the franchise and the summer blockbuster world . Still more noteworthy for its action set pieces than its mental muscle , it proved that the Kelvin timeline hadn ’ t weeded out Trek ’ s philosophical edge entirely . If the rumors are true and the fourth rebooted Star Trek fi lm is the series fi nale , the next fi lm should go out with a bang and a brain . With Chris Hemsworth reprising his George Kirk role , it would be too easy for Paramount to bill the next outing as Thor in space . As entertaining as that fi lm would be , the father-son connection and possible time travel angle give Star Trek 4 the potential to be a heady , emotionally rewarding cinematic event . Whether or not Paramount plans to continue its Kelvin timeline , a clever turn for its fourth entry would go a long way towards energizing old school fans and keeping casual audiences engaged as well . Beyond ought to prove that popcorn tastes best with a sprinkling of smarts . As the rebooted franchise is learning , as long as it keeps the classic series ’ philosophy at heart , it can maintain its frenetic pace without feeling like an intelligence kudgel ( the best fi lms aren ’ t ). A two hour spectacle fi lled empty calories may sustain Star Trek for a few years , but it won ’ t keep fans or general viewers interest forever .
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