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Star Trek V isn't that bad...

• Thread starter USS Artorius
• Start date Feb 9, 2023

USS Artorius

• Feb 9, 2023

Hi everyone! I recently rewatched all of the original movies and I have to say IMO, I found TFF very enjoyable. Now for perspective let's briefly talk about the other films in the series. TMP is a polarising entry as it is loved by some, hated by some just like Marmite! It's premise is fine and the vger aspects are completely sufficient to raise the stakes for the crew and provide a decent threat. And of course the Anomaly is completely unknown and 'new' to starfleet. Other than that the film wastes a lot of time to show off the visual effects and budget. The endless journey into vger, pointless wormhole etc. TWOK is TWOK, whatever I would have to say about it has already been said 1000 times but I will simply surmise that indeed it is one of the best films if not the number one. The tone is very serious and militaristic, and the effects are great despite the smaller budget than the previous film. It does what it's meant to do and it does it very well. TSFS is ehhh.. Aside from the crew stealing the Enterprise (the highlight of the film) the rest of the movie feels so slow and a lot of the genesis effects are not explained very well, with stupid excuses for spocks "rebirth" and the planet's instability. The climactic fight with Kruge is also underwhelming. They manage to save this film with several great moments, including the dramatic destruction of the enterprise. Overall though a mediocre entry. Moving onto TVH, it's just a great film. The humour does elevate the film and the setting makes it appealing to a wider audience than the hardcore trek community. And I like that Kirk is actually 'punished' for his actions. Now I will skip to TUC! The Soviet/racist allegory is perhaps most on show in this film, especially with the end of the Soviet Union in our world and the Berlin Wall. The cast make a fantastic final performance and while the story is good on its own, its the sentimentality and humour that help the film find a place in the top 3 of many peoples lists. A satisfactory goodbye to the TOS crew. Now, let's get to the meaty bit... Star Trek V: The Final Frontier! Right off the bat, to all the Shatner-haters, even if I agreed with you - Shatner is not Kirk. One man is fictional, the other is not. While Shatner might not be the ideal creative lead for the film, his portrayal of kirk in this film is still fantastic. The humour is very on the nose, and yes sometimes silly, but that was only a choice following The Voyage Home. The ship being the only one in range is now a Star Trek Cliché, but TNG didn't help this either. The concept of finding Eden/Shakarii is a heavy philosophical topic that most trek tries to avoid due to religious tensions and political implications. This film goes all in though and despite the execution not being the best, the character moments between Spock, Bones and Kirk are some of the best in the Saga. Sybok is an interesting Villain too as his goal is not evil or bad at all. He just wants to know if the idea of paradise is real or not. The way he goes about this though is obviously not great. Kidnapping the crew and hijacking the Enterprise! The actor is given some great dialogue and makes you question his sanity more than once, but he remains extremely passionate and resolute without becoming a mindless fanatic. The Klingons have no bearing on the plot but I still like the idea of rogue Klingons ships just flying around trying to find Starships to defeat/destroy. The budget for this installment left something to be desired and it really shows in the special effects department. All the warping and weapon effects look like stop-motion cardboard cutouts!! Syboks abilities should have been expanded upon and fleshed out with the other bridge crew like they did with McCoy, but the idea is very interesting. Star Trek is all about exploring the unknown both externally in space and internally within one's self. This film does both of these things at the same time and TOS was all about Kirk Spock and McCoy, they were the trio that made the show great. And the antics in the brig and infamous turbo lift scene may seem a little cheesy, but why is that such a bad thing? I know this is all a matter of opinion, so I want to know what the rest you have to say... Something I haven't already? Thanks everyone, sincerely a newbie.  

SithHappens

Fleet captain.

ST5 has some great moments, it's close to being a good film. The kirk, spock, McCoy scenes at the beginning are great. Some great humour throughout it just gets so meh towards the end. I do like to rewatch but it's a comfort movie that I'll happily fall to sleep to.  

Vice Admiral

USS Artorius said: Hi everyone! I recently rewatched all of the original movies and I have to say IMO, I found TFF very enjoyable. Click to expand...

Now for perspective let's briefly talk about the other films in the series. TMP is a polarising entry as it is loved by some, hated by some just like Marmite! It's premise is fine and the vger aspects are completely sufficient to raise the stakes for the crew and provide a decent threat. And of course the Anomaly is completely unknown and 'new' to starfleet. Other than that the film wastes a lot of time to show off the visual effects and budget. The endless journey into vger, pointless wormhole etc. Click to expand...

TWOK is TWOK, whatever I would have to say about it has already been said 1000 times but I will simply surmise that indeed it is one of the best films if not the number one. The tone is very serious and militaristic, and the effects are great despite the smaller budget than the previous film. It does what it's meant to do and it does it very well. Click to expand...

TSFS is ehhh.. Aside from the crew stealing the Enterprise (the highlight of the film) the rest of the movie feels so slow and a lot of the genesis effects are not explained very well, with stupid excuses for spocks "rebirth" and the planet's instability. The climactic fight with Kruge is also underwhelming. They manage to save this film with several great moments, including the dramatic destruction of the enterprise. Overall though a mediocre entry. Click to expand...

Moving onto TVH, it's just a great film. The humour does elevate the film and the setting makes it appealing to a wider audience than the hardcore trek community. And I like that Kirk is actually 'punished' for his actions. Click to expand...

Now I will skip to TUC! The Soviet/racist allegory is perhaps most on show in this film, especially with the end of the Soviet Union in our world and the Berlin Wall. The cast make a fantastic final performance and while the story is good on its own, its the sentimentality and humour that help the film find a place in the top 3 of many peoples lists. A satisfactory goodbye to the TOS crew. Click to expand...

Now, let's get to the meaty bit... Star Trek V: The Final Frontier! Right off the bat, to all the Shatner-haters, even if I agreed with you - Shatner is not Kirk. One man is fictional, the other is not. While Shatner might not be the ideal creative lead for the film, his portrayal of kirk in this film is still fantastic. The humour is very on the nose, and yes sometimes silly, but that was only a choice following The Voyage Home. Click to expand...

The ship being the only one in range is now a Star Trek Cliché, but TNG didn't help this either. Click to expand...

The concept of finding Eden/Shakarii is a heavy philosophical topic that most trek tries to avoid due to religious tensions and political implications. Click to expand...

This film goes all in though and despite the execution not being the best, the character moments between Spock, Bones and Kirk are some of the best in the Saga. Click to expand...

Sybok is an interesting Villain too as his goal is not evil or bad at all. He just wants to know if the idea of paradise is real or not. The way he goes about this though is obviously not great. Kidnapping the crew and hijacking the Enterprise! The actor is given some great dialogue and makes you question his sanity more than once, but he remains extremely passionate and resolute without becoming a mindless fanatic. Click to expand...

The Klingons have no bearing on the plot but I still like the idea of rogue Klingons ships just flying around trying to find Starships to defeat/destroy. Click to expand...

The budget for this installment left something to be desired and it really shows in the special effects department. All the warping and weapon effects look like stop-motion cardboard cutouts!! Click to expand...

Syboks abilities should have been expanded upon and fleshed out with the other bridge crew like they did with McCoy, but the idea is very interesting. Star Trek is all about exploring the unknown both externally in space and internally within one's self. This film does both of these things at the same time and TOS was all about Kirk Spock and McCoy, they were the trio that made the show great. Click to expand...

And the antics in the brig and infamous turbo lift scene may seem a little cheesy, but why is that such a bad thing? I know this is all a matter of opinion, so I want to know what the rest you have to say... Something I haven't already? Thanks everyone, sincerely a newbie. Click to expand...

• Feb 11, 2023

TFF is a…noble failure in terms of overall execution of concept. It’s not a bad movie, but it’s marred by questionable creative choices. The humour is overdone as if the cast is winking too often at the audience. It’s nicely energetic and has a good score. Too bad it has poor fx even by 1980’s standards. That said I like it better than TVH. I’ve seen all these films on their respective opening weekends. They were all enjoyable on some level or other. And all of them have good moments. But now decades on a lot of it hasn’t aged well. As a block TWOK-TUC are alt-Trek in my mind. I have come to loathe the Meyer look of the films with stupid outfits, messed up continuity and ever cheaper looking fx. This was familiar characters and references in something that doesn’t look or feel like the Trek I’ve loved and still care about. It was an ongoing exercise in putting characters I liked out to pasture. Of the lot TWOK is the best with energy and drama. But it’s a film that doesn’t bear much scrutiny—park your brain at the door. And there’s that stupid look of Meyer’s. This is alternate continuity Trek. With the 4K TMP DE we finally got the film we should have seen in 1979. It’s not perfect, but it’s much better than what we had for decades. There are still some debatable design choices and it could still use a bit more Kirk/Decker conflict, but this is Roddenberry Trek writ large for the big screen. This looks like it evolved out of TOS with its depiction of Starfleet and the Federation. It has aged well, certainly better than any of the others, and even by today’s standards it looks fantastic. The TMP DE also underlines how dumb so much of contemporary Trek has become.  

Birb-of-Prey

• Feb 12, 2023

Into Darkness even makes it look good.  

Rear Admiral

The whole conceit from II on, is different. In the show, they’re a coherent crew in a beloved Federation starship going about having the official adventure of the week. TMP, though it spends time putting the band back together, well, does put the band back together and they go off on a very Trekian story-ride. II-IV get them out of that mode, even into civilian life. I’ve always thought in V they feel/act the most like a normal TOS ep (TMP being more cinematic and motion picturey). Maybe I’ll go watch it. I never watch the movies.  

The funny thing is that people complain about and happily trash this film for its (many) imperfections, etc...but watched with today's eyes, it's really no different than any other "summer blockbuster" genre effort. It has goofy humor, cool set pieces, etc. Yes, the visual effects fail, but from a story execution standpoint, it's really no less consistent or "tight" than any of the JJ Abrams movies, and it has even fewer plot issues than most of those do. The cinematography and the music are beautiful If you view TFF as a summer popcorn flick with an interesting little message imbedded and some great character stuff for the main characters, it's a totally enjoyable film. I actually like it a lot more than TVH and TUC.  

TFF is rocket science compared to JJtrek.  

My main issue with the film (and I have many) is the same issue I have with the TNG films: Shatner is no longer playing Captain Kirk; he's playing an idealized version of William Shatner, just like how Patrick Stewart is playing an idealized version of himself, and not Captain PIcard.  

It’s a worthy story idea. But the execution is…problematic. Shatner’s direction isn’t really a problem other than another director might have gotten a different performance from him. The film certainly has a welcome degree of energy to it, but the comedy goes too far. I really dislike the Enterprise as a lemon idea.  

fireproof78

Fleet admiral.

The lionization of Kirk in the film problematic. The film pushes Kirk up at the expense of other characters while using comedy. It's s fun film but hardly one I feel the need to revisit.  

fireproof78 said: It's s fun film but hardly one I feel the need to revisit. Click to expand...

fireproof78 said: The lionization of Kirk in the film problematic. The film pushes Kirk up at the expense of other characters while using comedy. It's s fun film but hardly one I feel the need to revisit. Click to expand...

• Feb 13, 2023

Warped9 said: Candidly I now feel little to any need to revisit II-VI. And the TNG films are nowhere on my radar to any degree whatsoever. Click to expand...

Warped9 said: Maybe it was inevitable given the cast’s ages and making a film every few years as opposed to a television series, but I’ve just soured on the direction the films took. We went from the potential for new adventures in TMP to “Can we wring one more out of them?” Click to expand...

Dukhat said: This is exactly the film's main problem. When people say that STV was about 'searching for God' or 'an allegory about tv evangelists' or whatever, they are completely wrong. STV was about Kirk being strong and everybody else being weak. It's as simple as that. It's complete self-indulgence for Shatner. Click to expand...

Qonundrum said: the ship doesn't come close to 78 at all. Click to expand...

If the visual effects hadn't been so embarrassing I'd like this film waay more.  

Smellmet said: If the visual effects hadn't been so embarrassing I'd like this film waay more. Click to expand...

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Star Trek V: The Final Frontier

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. 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. 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.

• William Shatner
• Gene Roddenberry
• Harve Bennett
• Leonard Nimoy
• DeForest Kelley
• 388 User reviews
• 88 Critic reviews
• 43 Metascore
• 5 wins & 5 nominations

Top cast 33

• St. John Talbot

• Caithlin Dar

• Captain Klaa

• (as Spice Williams)

• "God"

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• Trivia During pre-production meetings, screenwriter David Loughery jokingly proposed to have Commander Uhura appear as an erotic dancer in order to lure away the hostage takers from the Paradise compound. He was surprised when the producers approved of the idea right away.
• Goofs When Kirk, Bones and Spock are flying up the turbolift shaft, the deck number gets higher as they go upwards. However Star Trek ships are numbered the opposite way round with the higher decks having lower numbers. For instance, the bridge (at the top of the ship) is on deck 1.

Kirk : Damn it, Bones, you're a doctor. You know that pain and guilt can't be taken away with a wave of a magic wand. They're the things we carry with us, the things that make us who we are. If we lose them, we lose ourselves. I don't want my pain taken away! I need my pain!

• Crazy credits "Highest descender fall recorded in the United States: Ken Bates." (I.e., Kenny Bates .)
• Alternate versions The CBS broadcast premiere removed a number of scenes from the movie. 1) All scenes featuring the dancing triple-breasted catwoman were removed. 2) The campfire scene was trimmed, ending with Spock producing the 'marshmellon' - effectively removing the much criticized 'Row Row Row Your Boat' sing along between Kirk, Spock and McCoy. 3) The scene between Uhura and Scotty on the bridge as they receive new orders from Starfleet Command. 4) The "I could use a shower" scene between Kirk and Spock in the turbolift.
• Connections Featured in Siskel & Ebert: Star Trek V/No Holds Barred/Dead Poets Society/Let's Get Lost/Renegades (1989)
• Soundtracks Fanfare From Star Trek TV Series by Alexander Courage

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• Apr 5, 2004
• How long is Star Trek V: The Final Frontier? Powered by Alexa
• Why was J'Onn digging holes on Numbus 3 at the beginning? Also, what was his pain?
• What was the creature pretending to be "God"?
• What is 'The Final Frontier' about?
• June 9, 1989 (United States)
• United States
• Star Trek: The Final Frontier
• Owens Lake, California, USA (the dry lake bed stood in for the desolate Nimbus III)
• Paramount Pictures
• See more company credits at IMDbPro
• $27,800,000 (estimated)
• $52,210,049
• $17,375,648
• Jun 11, 1989

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• Runtime 1 hour 47 minutes

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Star Trek V: The Final Frontier 4K Blu-ray Review

It might not be able to rehabilitate the film's reputation, but this 4k restoration of star trek v: the final frontier is undoubtedly a pleasing remaster..

The Bottom Line

• + Video transfer
• + Audio transfer
• - Missing extras in the Australian verison

Should you buy it?

After the stunning success of Star Trek: The Voyage Home , which brought new fans to the long-running sci-fi series, star William Shatner would only return for the next installment on the condition that he would direct in a similar arrangement to his colleague Leonard Nimoy who directed the third and fourth installments.

Unfortunately, Star Trek V: The Final Frontier didn't fare nearly as well, competing not just against poor word of mouth but a plethora of hot summer blockbusters like Batman , Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade , and Ghostbusters II .

When Spock's (Leonard Nimoy) half-brother Sybok (Laurence Luckinbill) is exiled from Vulcan, taking diplomats hostage in a devious plan to seize control of a Starship (you guessed it: the USS Enterprise) to visit a God-like entity whom has been plaguing his dreams, with the hope of obtaining his power and knowledge. Meanwhile, an ambitious Klingon commander Klaa (Todd Bryant), has his sights on capturing Captain Kirk (William Shatner) - dead or alive.

While it might firmly remain the weakest of the original Star Trek feature films with a convoluted plot, budget-level special effects, and a weak resolution, The Final Frontier is slowly being re-appraised in several areas, including for its ambitious scope (admittedly unrealized), solid production values and heartwarming scenes between the lead actors.

I'm happy to admit that, courtesy of this most recent viewing, I found my position shifting slightly in its favor. At the very least, this new 4K remaster presents the film in the best possible manner, with a filmic presentation that elevates it from the original television series.

Video transfer

Star Trek V: The Final Frontier is presented in its original aspect ratio of 2.35:1, encoded with H.265 compression, and finished with a Dolby Vision pass, in addition to a base HDR-10 layer.

As with its three predecessors, Paramount has returned to the original camera negative to produce this brand new 4K transfer, which replaces the previous, nearly 20-year-old HD master in a definitive manner.

The image is stable, clear, detailed, and almost entirely cleaned of excessive noise and film artifacts, many of which were baked into the original negative at the production time. The color balance is excellent, with rich and saturated tones where appropriate. The uptick in fine detail across the board is stunning, allowing fans better to appreciate the artistry evident in the costumes and sets all the more.

The downside is that some less competently produced visual effects fare slightly worse to this extra scrutiny. However, the added HDR can occasionally make the image blend somewhat more.

Overall, this is a really capable, often impressive remaster, which will likely become the definitive presentation for many years to come.

Audio transfer

Star Trek V: The Final Frontier is presented with a Dolby TrueHD 7.1 remix at 24 bits.

Just as consistent as previous mixes, Star Trek: The Final Frontier certainly sounds a treat. There were no problems with audio sync or dialogue. The surround mix is just a little better than previous mixes, with a few moments of really nice 360-degree panning effects and reverb.

I suspect the more recent vintage of this film (relative to the wider Trek movie series, of course!) and the condition of the individual audio stems made it just a little easier for modern audio engineers to manipulate. The subwoofer is fairly active when called upon, including during the climatic (or anti-climatic, as the case may be) finale.

The score, provided by the legendary Jerry Goldsmith returning to the saga for the first time since The Motion Picture , is solid but far from his best work. But when that Star Trek march kicks in, it's very hard not to get roused.

Overall, this is a solid effort that does enough to be impressive, but it is a little bit of a shame that Paramount didn't go the extra mile to prepare a new Dolby Atmos mix.

Bonus materials

Unfortunately, unlike the U.S. and U.K. physical media releases, Paramount has seen fit not to include a copy of the standard Blu-ray in the Australian release, nor the bonus disc, which means all the video-based features are completely missing in action.

Unfortunately, at odds with the U.S. release, Paramount has not included a copy of the standard Blu-ray in the Australian release, which means all the video-based features, including making-of featurettes and deleted scenes, are completely missing in action. This is yet again a very disappointing move for local Star Trek fans.

However, the 4K disc does include two previously released Audio Commentaries , the first featuring Director and Star William Shatner, alongside his daughter Liz Shatner (who co-authored a book about the making of the film), and a second featuring Michael and Denise Okuda, Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stevens, and Daren Dochterman.

After 23 years, fans are slowly warming to the fifth entry in the series, and this new 4K presentation might help it win over some more.

Star Trek V: The Final Frontier 4K UHD

Ben Gourlay

Ben joined the TweakTown team in 2008 and has since reviewed 100s of movies. Ben is based in Australia and has covered entertainment news and reviews since 2002. A student of film, Ben brings a wide understanding of the medium to the latest happenings in entertainment circles and the latest blockbuster theatrical reviews.

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‘God’ help me: 5 reasons Star Trek V isn’t all that bad

I think finally seeing Prometheus a few solar cycles back got me thinking about movies depicting the human quest to meet our maker.

Naturally, this brings me to the most-reviled of Gene Roddenberry’s stepchildren (aside from those Very Short Treks ), Star Trek V: The Final Frontier.

Why is it hated so? There are many reasons often offered up for this: Shatner can’t direct (but was promised an outing after Nimoy directed the previous two films), a too-human yet full-blooded Vulcan brother is invented for Spock seemingly out of nowhere, the special effects are nothing special, and it was generally a massive let-down coming on the heels of the much-beloved cinematic heights of the cycle comprising Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, Star Trek III: The Search for Spock and Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home.

A cable movie channel has been rerunning the Trek movies, and recently I stopped in my channel surfing to see that Star Trek V was on — and like the proverbial starship wreck, I couldn’t stop watching. It was actually fun to watch it again after so much time, and it occurred to me that there are some bright spots in this void of sci-fi cinema.

1. The cast is good. Capt. Klaa and his sexy first “mate” Vixis are pretty much cardboard Klingons, but they have fun with their parts and the pantomime villains are a relief from all the Empire’s political intrigue in The Next Generation that would come into being around the same time the film was released and that would follow in the next movie, The Undiscovered Country. David Warner, who would go on to play the Klingon chancellor in that next movie, always lends class to any production (even Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze).

Laurence Luckinbill steals the show as Sybok, a Vulcan who embraces his emotions, something that would be explored later in Enterprise and very few other avenues. As absurd as it is, it’s delightful fun, and he brings to mind roguish Trek characters like Harry Mudd, Cyrano Jones, and “the outrageous” Okona — an element missing from other Trek movies.

Some trivia: He’s the son-in-law of TV icons Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, who founded original Trek production company Desilu Studios. Some more: Todd Bryant, who played the Klingon captain, would go on to have a prolific stunt career and doubled for Ron Perlman in Star Trek Nemesis . Spice Williams, who played Vixis, also has a prolific stunt career, much of it in the Trek TV universe. And Charles Cooper, who played the drunken Klingon diplomat Korrd, would be better and more justly remembered for playing the Klingon chancellor K’mpec in several memorable episodes of The Next Generation.

2. The whole ensemble is utilized. The preceding movie, Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, also did this, and probably did it 10 times better, but in Star Trek V , the Enterprise bridge crew got to do a lot of interesting things rather than just open hailing frequencies and press buttons. As good as the “Genesis cycle” of ST II-IV is, it’s nice to have the old crew back in action doing Federation-y things, like hostage rescue missions and jaunts to the center of the galaxy, again. And Uhura dances naked in the desert. Final Frontier, indeed.

3. It’s funny. “Excuse me … What does God need with a starship?”

4. It’s actually a rather decent space adventure flick. While there are a few moldy stock scenes of the Klingon Bird of Prey (a sad practice that inexplicably continued into the Next Generation -era movies) in Star Trek V, there are also some exciting new model shots (near the end of an era for that art form) and some admirable special effects. Sure, the final encounter with “God” didn’t get filmed as scripted, with an exciting gargoyle chase that I still want to see realized in some future special edition. But we get to see a lot of the Star Trek universe and the “new” Enterprise-A itself that hadn’t been realized on screen before. (Even if they did turn the awesome bridge into a living room.) And it leaves you wanting more, which isn’t always a bad thing.

5. It actually leads rather nicely into Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country . It opens and closes with the diplomatic corps of the Federation and Klingon and Romulan empires trying to find peace, and that exploration of detente is what drives the crew’s next and final adventure together.

So, what do you think? Am I totally off starbase here? Let me have it!

Originally published June 21, 2012.

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13 Comments

You are so far off starbase, it’s embarrassing. This film had such promise….all it needed was another director and a slightly better script. One with focus.

Who can forget the film’s most annoying moments? The Uhura fan dance? Really? Really? What about the dreadful beginning, featuring the Spock and McCoy singing “Row, Row your Boat.” I almost retched.

You’re not alone. I’ve been championing the quiet decency of this film for years. You can head on over to my own blog, where I’ve written about it more than once if you like.

I’m glad to see people softening a bit when it comes to this one.

I have always felt ST V was underrated and had some of the best character moments of the entire movie series.

Would be nice to have a director’s cut to smooth over some rough spots.

Hey, the Uhura fan dance was fun, sure a decade too late but it was overdue and caught you off guard for sure.

I suppose my memories of this film are clouded with anger, in so much as that summer was a haze, I think I was 10 and was often dragged along to something with my mother during the day and sent off with a few dollars to see a movie. I saw (and dragged my younger sister with me, which I still am reminded of to this day) to see this film at least 8 times. Hey, when you’re 10 and your choices are that and The Milagro Beanfield War, its gonna be trek!

I agree on the good part of the complete utilization of the cast, the ship shots were ok, the score was ok, the film was VERY ok. But it is still to me tied for the worst of the films, with Nemesis. It tried to stay secular while dealing with faith, and didnt take any stand at all.

I was angry because; -the films tempo was inconsistent, every 5 minutes of action would be followed up with 20 minutes of slow talk and flashbacks, all of which are completely new to the viewer and inconsistent as Trek fans. -It was also replete with poor editing, specifically the scene where they are power boot-boosting up the turboshaft and deck levels are ascending, AND REPEATING, into the 70s! -the convenient empty ship with hardly any crew being taken over by rebel rock-firing pellet guns was just too unbelievable, now i realize likely a budget move to save on extras…but COME ON! There were more extras in the federation hq receptionist area in star trek 4 when the window blew in from the storms. -the bridge having been changed out to this touchscreen ultra brite rounded grey fabric carpeted from the last film also was annoying as it was inconsistent! -sure, Larry Luckinbill is amusing, but as the bad guy? Almost as lame as Christopher Walken as the bad guy in 007 A View to a kill. -The special effects from the opening gate were awful! When kirk fell off the mountain and was falling, half bent over, strings visible on the “catch”..when the shuttlecraft crash lands into the bay, the sparks start flying before it makes contact with the surface…eesh! -Shatner somehow looked younger in this film than any others, convenient.

In closing, it was too convenient, much like if any of you have read Charles Dickens Great Expectations. In that story, Pip was always in the right place at the right time, and the stars aligned for him. In life, and in Trek, thats just not believable. If it were, then Life is a Dream!

What we need is not a director’s cut, but at producer’s cut. I’d like to see Leonard fix it up.

Not only do I feel that it is underrated, but it is one of my favorites of all the Star Trek movies. I love the Kirk,Spock ,McCoy moments. It doesn’t deserve it’s reputation as being one of the worst Star trek movies. The main problem with the movie is that it had a low budget and the special effects are not that great. If people can overlook that I think they will find themselves really enjoying the film.

I agreed the film is overly criticized. Sybock was a interesting and the fleshing out of Mckoys history was good scene.

I was finally privy to this film after years of watching everything Trekkie, from the original series right up to the J.J Abrams reboot. After some minor googling I found this to be the most panned addition to the Star Trek canon, the desert strip tease and the all too famous line of “Excuse me, but what does god need with a star ship”. The campiness explodes from the screen, but I have to say that I LOVE IT ! Star Trek was campy in its original conception thanks to the “out there” sci fi themes and the overly acted machismo of James T. Kirk. This movie has it all, over the top rogue, Klingon captains, comedic miss steps and witty banter between the crew, the deep pain sensing cult leader who is, you guessed it, Spock’s half brother. The climax features a giant faced false god, which after reading this article, also entails a never before seen gargoyle chase scene, ” WHAT”! All it needs is a cocktail party with all our favorite Aliens, wait it has that. “I need my pain”

And yet, people want to compare this POS to the new movies? Give me a break.

Anybody that compares this movie favorably to the new ones needs their heads examined.

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Star Trek V: The Final Frontier Is a Better Movie Than Fans Remember

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10 Movie Posters You Didn't Realize Spoiled the Whole Movie

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There's an old adage in the Star Trek fandom: the "even" numbered movies are good, while the odd numbers are "bad." However, feelings about the six films featuring The Original Series cast have evolved over time. While it may be the "worst" of the bunch, Star Trek V: The Final Frontier is a much better movie than fans ever gave it credit for. It tackled a heavy topic in a strange way while the studio tried to get their visual effects on the cheap.

The most unfortunate thing about The Final Frontier 's legacy is it's the only film actor William Shatner directed in the franchise. He was given a chance to direct after Spock actor Leonard Nimoy took the helm for The Search for Spock and The Voyage Home . According to the memoir Star Trek Movie Memories by William Shatner and Charles Kreski, the Captain Kirk actor was heavily involved in shaping the film's story. Shatner cites the inspiration for the story from the televangelists popular in the 1980s, complete with the help of David Loughrey and longtime Star Trek producer Harve Bennett. The story was a serious one, more in keeping with the tone of the first three movies. The studio, however, demanded more comedy like Star Trek IV . Also, because Paramount didn't want to wait to work with Industrial Light and Magic, they brought in new visual effects artists, effectively dooming the third act. There is a lot of blame to go around for what went wrong, but far more went right in the best movie about Kirk, Spock and McCoy's friendship .

RELATED: William Shatner's Quick Thinking Saved Star Trek's Interracial Kiss Milestone

Gene Roddenberry Helped Sour Fans on Star Trek V Before It Even FIlmed

For a very long time, Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry wanted the Enterprise crew to meet (and kill) God. An avowed atheist, he believed religion was something humanity needed to grow beyond. While writing a version of that story, he told Shatner the story beats, according to Movie Memories . Shatner suggested the idea nestled in his "subconscious," which is why Roddenberry accused him of "stealing" the story. His abrasive and disagreeable lawyer, Leonard Maizlish, even threatened legal action against Shatner. Roddenberry also objected to Sybok, Spock's half-brother . Specifically, he didn't like the idea that the Enterprise crew would be taken in by the Vulcan televangelist.

However, Sybok's "power" is represented very well in the film. He doesn't preach about God or Heaven. Rather, he talks to people about their "pain" and how he can take that away. Vulcans have psychic powers, which perhaps is why he was able to pull this off and make people so agreeable to his suggestions. Sybok and the people who follow him aren't villains. Rather, they are good people suckered into false beliefs because they are in pain. The only reason Spock and McCoy are able to resist it is because of their deep loyalty and friendship with Kirk.

Shatner says it was Bennett's idea to make God an alien pretending to be the divine being, which better fits the themes. Still, Roddenberry was incensed. He trashed the film at conventions, where Trekkies looked upon him like God. Roddenberry also convinced Isaac Asimov and Arthur C. Clarke to write letters to Paramount saying the film wasn't Star Trek . Also, Shatner lacked the support of producers Bennett and Ralph Winter, who tried to have him replaced as director.

RELATED: Star Trek Can Revisit the Kelvin Timeline Through the Next Generation

The Final Frontier's Visual Effects Contribute to the Movie's Bad Reputation

As a first-time feature film director, there was bound to be a learning curve for William Shatner. At one point, according to The Center Seat: 55 Years of Star Trek , Winter and other producers tried to get The Wrath of Khan director Nicholas Meyer in to replace him. Winter was also in charge of the visual effects. While Shatner wrote in Movie Memories that ILM was too busy working on Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade and Ghostbusters II , Winter gave the real reason in the documentary series. "We made a choice," he said, "we didn't want to spend the money we'd been spending before." The penny-pinching was so bad that Cynthia Gouw's Romulan character's ears were hidden by her hair to save money. What makes this even more offensive is Star Trek IV grossed $109 million. However, Shatner wanted to make the "biggest" Star Trek movie of all time.

In Star Trek homage, Galaxy Quest , the "rockman" that chases Tim Allen's Kirk-alike is an in-joke about the original creature meant to chase Kirk in The Final Frontier 's third act. However, the monster effects didn't work, and Shatner wasn't able to get the shots he needed. Similarly, "God" was supposed to be a computer-generated effect, but instead, it was a cheap trick with light and mirrors. Visual effects producers replaced the rockman with a beam of blue light chasing Kirk around the planet. Everything from the ship shots to the on-set effects just weren't up to the caliber of the previous films, and the audience noticed. Their blame, naturally, fell squarely on Shatner's shoulders.

However, despite all those setbacks, Star Trek V: The Final Frontier is an entertaining film that tells a quintessential Star Trek story. It examines how those who fall victim to religious charlatans are people enduring pain and suffering. The climax of the film even predicts The Undiscovered Country 's story of the Federation and Klingons working together. From the characterization to the values the story upholds, The Final Frontier deserves more respect from Star Trek fans.

• star trek (tv)

V'ger was a massive entity and one of the most extraordinary lifeforms ever encountered by the United Federation of Planets . It generated enormous levels of power and threatened Earth with destruction until it found a way to evolve .

V'ger chose its own name . Before the name of the vessel was discovered, Starfleet personnel referred to the ship as " the intruder ".

• 1.1 Initial contact
• 1.2 Threatening Earth
• 2 Making contact
• 3.1 Structure and layout
• 3.2 The heart of V'ger
• 4.1 The machine planet
• 4.2 Reprogramming
• 4.3 Sentience
• 5 Resolution
• 6.1.1 Concept and effects development
• 6.1.2 Spelling of the name
• 6.1.3 The size controversy
• 6.2 Apocrypha
• 6.3 External links

Approaching Federation space [ ]

Initial contact [ ].

First detected when passing through Klingon territory in the 2270s , V'ger was unlike anything that Starfleet had ever encountered. Its initial appearance – that of a vast, luminous cloud , capable of emitting enormous amounts of energy – was described as a " twelfth-power energy field ", a scale beyond the energy-generation capacity of even "thousands of starships ".

During a battle with a fleet of three Klingon K't'inga -class battle cruisers led by the IKS Amar , V'ger launched a series of powerful, spherically-shaped "bolts" of plasma energy that emerged from within the cloud and eliminated the Klingon assailants. The cloud and its encounter with the Klingons, while occurring within Klingon space, was detected and monitored by a sensor drone from Starfleet's Epsilon IX communications station , which was in close proximity to the then-disputed Federation-Klingon border .

Shortly after the elimination of the Klingon vessels, the cloud passed into Federation space near the Epsilon IX station, which was able to perform limited scans on it, although most of its sensor sweeps were reflected back. The relay station 's crew was able, however, to determine that it measured a diameter in excess of two astronomical units , which, at almost three hundred million kilometers , would have made the cloud at least as large as Earth's entire orbit ; they also detected a null reading at the heart of the entity, indicating a solid form or vessel of some kind. Unfortunately, V'ger appeared to interpret Epsilon IX's scans as a hostile act, and eliminated the space station in the same manner as it had the Klingon vessels.

Threatening Earth [ ]

With the cloud just fifty-four hours away from Earth, Starfleet dispatched the only starship within interception range, the newly refitted USS Enterprise , to determine both what the intruder was and how to stop it, if possible. When the Enterprise arrived at the cloud's coordinates , it determined that the entity had an energy output surpassing that of thousands of starships.

By assuming a non-threatening posture, the Enterprise was able to deeply penetrate the cloud surrounding V'ger and begin gathering information. During this critical time, however, the starship was cut off from all communication with Starfleet. As V'ger entered the Sol system , the cloud surrounding it began to rapidly dissipate, and spherical energy "bolts" similar to those that had destroyed the Klingons and the Epsilon IX station, only vastly more powerful, were launched by the entity. The energy spheres proceeded on courses that would place them into equidistant orbits around the planet , at which point it was predicted Earth's entire surface would be devastated.

Making contact [ ]

The Enterprise tried to make contact with V'ger , but all linguacode messages were ignored, and it became apparent that the object at the heart of the cloud was unable to comprehend the hailing signals. It was determined that the intruder communicated on a frequency of more than one million megahertz (over one terahertz) and that, at such a high rate of speed, an entire message lasted only a millisecond .

Aside from the plasma energy spheres, V'ger had other, less destructive means of gathering data. It scanned the Enterprise with a plasma-energy beam that gave some of the crew an electric shock , but otherwise left people unharmed. However, the same beam removed the Deltan navigator of the Enterprise , Lieutenant Ilia .

V'ger was able to analyze Ilia in extraordinary detail, at least down to the cellular level. It then constructed an extremely accurate bio-mechanical replica of her, which acted as a probe . This device was such a precise copy of the original that it even had her memory patterns. They were, however, suppressed , and the Ilia probe had only rudimentary knowledge of humanoid behavior, presumably reflecting V'ger 's own level of experience; the probe required considerable education to act as liaison between V'ger and the crew of the Enterprise .

Physical aspects and organization [ ]

Structure and layout [ ].

The USS Enterprise makes contact with the intruder

Surrounded by layer upon layer of cloud formations, the vessel aspect of V'ger was enormous, with even the largest starship seeming microscopic in comparison.

Roughly cylindrical in shape, the construction of the exterior and interior of the vessel was mostly of a "hexad", or six-sided axially symmetric nature, with the axis generally running from " bow " to " stern ", but with few indications as to its nature or purposes. Portions of the outer hull seem to have been composed of energy rather than matter . Organic in appearance, despite harboring no biological lifeforms , the interior was multi-chambered, and contained circular apertures that could be closed or opened to prevent or allow passage from one section of the vessel to the next. The most prominent of these apertures, at the forward end of the interior chamber where the Enterprise was located before accessing the intruder's core, possessed a hexad of six symmetrical "petals" constantly oscillating in unison, appearing much like the mechanical iris of a camera shutter, but of enormous proportions, with the entire aperture's outer diameter measuring in excess of one kilometer wide.

In one area of the vessel, there was a three- dimensional data storage facility . This stored representations of all data collected by V'ger . The plasma energy weapon which the vessel used to defend itself not only had extreme destructive force, but also functioned as an unusual data-gathering system; as V'ger destroyed a vessel, it gathered an enormous amount of information, and created what appeared to be a holographic record of it, later referred to by the Ilia probe as a "data pattern". In essence, V'ger didn't so much destroy a target as "remember" it to death . When the science officer of the Enterprise , Commander Spock , entered the area, he could see images of everything that the powerful entity had encountered on its long journey, including planets, star systems , and entire galaxies , though the images remained indeterminable as to whether they had been destroyed or simply explored. When Spock came to an image of a gigantic Lieutenant Ilia, he noticed a glowing " node " at the base of the image's throat. He was being guided telepathically by V'ger , and attempted to access the data through a mind meld . He quickly suffered a sensory overload, losing consciousness, and was flung back through the spiral "orifice" toward the Enterprise .

V'ger was able to control atmospheric conditions within its chambers. In the area near where Spock encountered the image of Ilia, there was an "inner sanctum," a central nexus where V'ger could create an M-class environment. In this nexus was a large circular area, resembling an amphitheater, with data conduits running into the center. Lightning constantly lit the background, possibly the visible "nerve" transmissions of V'ger itself.

The heart of V'ger [ ]

The heart of V'ger

Beyond the oscillating hexad of iris-like petals that Spock had to pass through during his EVA spacewalk to meld with the intruder, the center of the enormous vessel contained the oldest part of V'ger – Voyager 6 , an unmanned deep space probe launched by NASA in the late 20th century . The entire vessel surrounding the Voyager probe had been built by an unknown race of machine entities in order to help it complete what the latter interpreted to be its primary programming: "learn all that is learnable," and return that knowledge to its creator . During its journey, the probe had come to think of itself as V'ger after the only remaining legible letters from its original name (the "O", "Y", "A", and "6" on the nameplate having been obscured from encounters with previous spatial hazards), and amassed knowledge to such a degree as to become self-aware .

Evolution of V'ger [ ]

The machine planet [ ].

V'ger had an extraordinary ability to evolve. It was discovered that the evolution of this once-simple probe into a complex, powerful entity began after it was pulled into an anomaly once called a black hole , shortly after leaving Earth's solar system .

Voyager 6 emerged from the anomaly in what was believed to have been the far side of the galaxy , and fell into the gravitational field of a planet populated by living machines. These beings found Voyager 6 damaged by its travels, and the identifying plaque attached to the probe's exterior had been burned, leaving only the letters "V", "G", "E", and "R" legible; the inhabitants of the machine planet called the probe " V'ger ".

These entities found V'ger to be primitive, but of a kindred spirit. They discovered the probe's simple, 20th century programming, " learn all that is learnable and return that knowledge to the creator, " and interpreted these instructions literally.

Reprogramming [ ]

Reconstructed through highly advanced technologies as a vast space-faring artificial organism , V'ger was augmented with a three-dimensional data collection and storage apparatus, magnitudes beyond anything previously known to Federation science . The inhabitants of the machine planet likewise provided V'ger with effectively immeasurable defensive and sensory capabilities; these gave V'ger the ability to fulfill its programming in a far more complete fashion than the scientists who had originally built and launched the vessel at its core had ever imagined.

Sentience [ ]

At the heart of V'ger , the crew of the Enterprise finds the ancient Voyager 6 probe

While traversing the vast distance back to Earth, V'ger collected data via its 3D imaging system, but in doing so destroyed the objects that it encountered along the way. However, it accumulated so much knowledge that it eventually achieved consciousness and became, like its benefactors, a living machine. As a machine, it was only capable of pure, cold logic with no emotion , but with its new-found sentience, V'ger began to question its own existence. It asked the philosophical questions faced by so many lifeforms: " Is this all that I am? Is there nothing more? " The answers, V'ger decided, could only be found with its creator on Earth.

Resolution [ ]

Upon merging with Humanity, V'ger evolves into a higher level of existence

Realizing it lacked the intuitive , irrational elements which allow Humans to deal with some complex, non-scientific concepts, it came to believe that only its Creator could help it to leap beyond logic. In order to obtain the answers it needed, V'ger wished to meet and become one with its Creator. To this end, it sought not only to receive the acknowledged signal from the Creator, but to merge with the Creator.

But V'ger had been reprogrammed to such an extent that it had come to think of biological lifeforms as an " infestation ", and destroyed any that it encountered. When V'ger encountered the crew of the Enterprise , its confusion over its true nature was so great that it could not comprehend what it was told – that it had been created by the organic lifeforms it saw only as imperfections that must be cleansed.

In an effort to meet its Creator, V'ger refused to accept the pre-programmed transmission that would signal it to transmit its accumulated data. The probe burned out a relay connection, hoping to force the Creator to come to its heart, so that they could merge. Realizing that the only way V'ger would understand was to add Humanity to its experiences, Captain Will Decker , who was deeply affected by the loss of Ilia, his former lover, sacrificed himself to become one with the machine lifeform. Decker rewired the relay connection and keyed in the final sequence of the transmission manually. This prompted V'ger to begin transmitting its data, effectively merging with Decker and the Ilia probe, thus taking V'ger to a new level of existence. At last satisfied with its answers, V'ger transcended and disappeared in a blinding flash of white light , leaving Admiral James T. Kirk , Commander Spock, and Doctor Leonard McCoy of the Enterprise to discuss the possibility that they had just created a new lifeform made of V'ger 's logic and of Humanity's ability to feel and to believe. ( Star Trek: The Motion Picture )

Appendices [ ]

Background information [ ].

The concept of V'ger , an Earth-launched space probe that becomes a powerful, sentient being in its own right, is in many ways a revisiting of the Nomad probe featured in the Star Trek: The Original Series episode " The Changeling ".

According to the writers of the Star Trek Chronology , 1st ed., p. 17, shortly after " Q Who " was produced, " Gene Roddenberry half jokingly speculated that the planet encountered by Voyager might have been the Borg homeworld . "

When Spock attempts a mind meld with V'ger and is quickly overwhelmed, among the images visible on the screen multiple times, when in slow motion, amid the background of his face, can be seen the dedication plaque carried not by Voyager 1 and 2 , but by Pioneer 10 and 11 . Other images include a Klingon cruiser seen earlier, the bridge and two crewmembers of (presumably) the IKS Amar , Epsilon IX, the Epsilon IX lieutenant , and Ilia.

A picture tweeted by Ted Sullivan on 28 November 2017 of a star chart supposedly used for Star Trek: Discovery , largely taken from the Star Trek Star Charts , included a few anachronisms such as the "Route of V'ger." [1]

Concept and effects development [ ]

Spelling of the name [ ].

The spelling " V'ger " was used in the shooting script of Star Trek: The Motion Picture . [2] The alternative spelling " V'Ger ", with a capital "G", was used in most other reference sources, including such works as Star Trek Encyclopedia , 3rd ed., p. 539 and Star Trek Star Charts (p. 39) and at StarTrek.com . [3] (X)

The label of the soundtrack LP record, and more significantly the text of the novelization of Star Trek: The Motion Picture , itself written by Gene Roddenberry as the only Star Trek novel ever written by the series' creator, both use the alternative spelling " Vejur ", which in the novel exists from its first mention on page 179 onwards in the novel's first paperback edition. This was to mislead the reader in case they had not yet seen the movie, as both the soundtrack and novelization were released before the film's premiere.

The size controversy [ ]

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 . That measurement is equivalent to over 1.2271 e10 ×10 10 kilometers or 0.001 light years . Placing V'ger at the same central position as the sun would mean that the energy cloud would extend beyond the Kuiper belt , extending into the orbit of Eris , and essentially swallowing our entire solar system. For the later-released Directors' Edition DVD of the film , the cloud size was drastically scaled down to two au, which is the distance between Sol and a point between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. [4] This revision was achieved by editing the spoken dialogue to clip out the "eighty" and leaving just the "two". As one au is precisely the average distance between Sol and Earth, this more reasonable measurement reduces the size of the cloud to "merely" the diameter of Earth's orbit. More recent releases of the film , however, retain the original dimension and it is unclear which should be considered canonical . Additional dialogue established that the cloud dissipated rapidly as it slowed to enter the solar system , allowing V'ger ultimately to enter Earth's orbit without disrupting the entire system and destroying Earth, in essence making both size measurements "correct". In the Director's Edition, the dramatically decreasing cloud had disappeared entirely when V'ger entered Earth orbit.

The size of V'ger 's vessel has also been a subject of debate. In dialogue cut from the theatrical version of the movie, Decker says the spacecraft was seventy-eight kilometers (forty-eight miles) in length. The novel adaptation of the film gives the same dimension for the ship and states it as displacing six million times the amount of space as Enterprise . One popular non-canon site for Star Trek technical details, the Daystrom Institute Technical Library , listed V'ger 's overall length at a staggering ninety-seven kilometers, stated as being determined from apparently careful measurement of the image of the refitted NCC-1701 from the movie's scenes, as the Enterprise traveled closely (at only five hundred meters distance, from the movie's dialogue) over the various parts of V'ger 's exterior structures, during the Federation starship's initial close examination of the "intruder" vessel. Another estimate places V'ger 's colossal length at a much more conservative twenty kilometers instead, possibly based on the statement of replacement navigator DiFalco 's "distance inside the intruder as seventeen kilometers," spoken just after Chekov reports that V'ger 's "orbiting devices" were eighteen minutes from reaching their equidistant deployment points in Earth orbit, during the approach to Voyager 6 's "island," in the most extreme part of V'ger 's interior that the Enterprise was allowed access to. The latter estimate, however, would make V'ger impossibly smaller than the roughly seventy kilometer-long Whale Probe featured in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home , given that the latter was passed by a Federation starship within minutes, rather than the near-hour it took to traverse even half of V'ger at a faster pace, much of which was carried out at only a half-kilometer distance from the "intruder's" hull.

Apocrypha [ ]

The idea that the Borg homeworld was the machine planet which V'ger had encountered was further developed in the William Shatner novel The Return , where Spock's mind meld with V'ger not only protected Spock from being assimilated (since the Borg Collective was already present in Spock's mind, the Borg assumed he was already one of them), but provided the Federation with the coordinates of the Borg homeworld for a final attack. It may also be significant that Spock, when referring to V'ger , says, " Any show of resistance would be futile. "

In the game Star Trek: Legacy , it is said that V'ger itself created the Borg to gain the knowledge by assimilation. The Star Trek: Voyager episode " Dragon's Teeth " seems to contradict the game's storyline, as the character of Gedrin states to Seven of Nine that his species, the Vaadwaur , had encountered the Borg over nine centuries prior to his revival, placing the Borg's genesis at least as far back as around the year 1400 AD. The story writers for Star Trek: Legacy , however, claimed on the official game forum that Voyager 6 was meant to have been thrown back in time as well as across the galaxy, an aspect mentioned in the "extras" cut-scenes of the game itself.

Star Trek Online also hints at a connection to the Borg, as vessels closely resembling V'ger are featured as Borg mini-bosses, even including the disintegrating plasma weapons and the V'ger -style low-pitched sound effects. [5] In the mission "The Calling", released in May 2022, the Terran Empire summons "the Other", the mirror universe 's version of V'ger , which seeks to destroy its creators and chooses to ally with the Terran Emperor to do so. The prime V'ger is exploring beyond the galaxy, while the Ilia probe returns to the Federation to warn them and their allies of the threat posed by "the Other". In the mission "The Eye of the Storm", released in September 2022, the Emperor (revealed to be the mirror counterpart of Wesley Crusher ) merges with "the Other" in order to destroy not only the Prime universe, but all others as well. The Ilia probe warns that the only power capable of opposing the combined force of the Emperor and "the Other" is V'ger itself, and departs to find it. The probe at the core of "the Other" is identified as Conqueror 6 , a 20th-century Imperial probe sent out to seek new worlds to dominate. In the mission "The Fujiwhara Effect", released in January 2023, V'ger itself appears over Earth to engage "the Other" in battle, allowing the player and the mirror counterpart of Beverly Crusher to separate the Emperor from the Other. Afterwards, V'ger decides to take care of "the Other" (now named C'qer , pronounced "Seeker") and explore the cosmos together.

V'ger and the Narada

V'ger appears in the third issue of the comic book Star Trek: Nero . Set during 2009 's Star Trek in the alternate reality caused by Nero 's incursion, V'ger reactivates the Narada , itself an artificial intelligence due to having Borg-based modifications. After escaping twenty-five years of imprisonment on Rura Penthe in the alternate reality, Nero is taken to V'ger on the edge of the Delta Quadrant by the Narada and then uses the unmanned probe's intelligence to calculate where and when Spock will arrive. While Nero is able to do this, V'ger finds his hatred incompatible with itself.

External links [ ]

• V'Ger at Memory Beta , the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
• Designing the Living Machine  at Forgotten Trek – features a large collection of V'Ger concept art
• 1 Bell Riots
• 2 Unnamed Romulan military personnel (23rd century)

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10 reasons why star trek is better than star wars, according to reddit.

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I Worked At The Galactic Starcruiser, & I Can Tell You What Everyone's Getting Wrong About The "Star Wars Hotel"

10 anakin skywalker mysteries star wars still hasn't answered, naomi ackie addresses star wars racism & social media.

With the recent releases of  Obi-Wan Kenobi and  Strange New Worlds , the two biggest science fiction franchises in the galaxy have each proven that they aren't going away any time soon. Ever since they both came on the scene, fans have vehemently debated about which is the best, and many still believe that  Star Trek   is superior to  Star Wars .

From its relatable characters, to its intricate world building, many fans of  Trek  have thoughtful and well-worded reasons as to why they prefer the franchise. Users on Reddit took to the site in droves to settle the debate, and many explained why they thought that  Star Trek  truly ruled the nerd universe.

Spaceship Designs

While aesthetics aren't the most important part of any story, it is often used as a defense of the  Star Wars  franchise. However, user Draculasmooncannon took the opposite tack, writing " Wars  suffers from a problem that lots of sci-fi suffers from where most spacecraft look like grey boxes...I love how addicted the Federation are to those groovy flying saucers...still compel me more than an X-Wing ever could."

RELATED: 10 Coolest Star Trek Starships, According To Ranker

Being a product of their time, the early  Trek  ships have a retro look. Even so, the interior designs of the Federation vessels are imminently practical and reflect actual use as opposed to rigid aesthetics. The ships in  Wars  were designed to be as appealing as possible, but outside of toy lines, they aren't necessarily very practical.

The Characters Are More Relatable

Putting all of the sci-fi elements aside,  Trek  is essentially a character driven narrative, and their personal journey trumps a larger plot. User Wake_Roberts praised  Star Trek 's characters when they said "For me, the characters are far more relatable and excellent pillars of Federation principles."

In  Wars,  the characters are installed in the story to serve the purpose of driving the plot along, and they usually represent archetypes of classical storytelling. While  Trek 's characters often feature a richness that sees them struggle with the world around them in ways that make them relatable. The viewer may never take down a Death Star with their magical powers, but they can relate to the deep issues that vex  Trek 's crew members.

Star Trek Had Better World Building Than Star Wars

World building is one way to increase the viewer's experience, and make the story feel more real. User BuddhaKekz thought  Trek  did world-building better when they wrote "I do like the world-building. There are hundreds of interesting cultures...not everything is tied to a specific concept. That way there is in my eyes so much more room for interesting storytelling."

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Wars ' driving plot line doesn't allow for much of a world to exist outside of the main story arc. However, in  Trek , there are tons of races who aren't defined by their relationship to the Federation, and exist in their own sovereign way. World building is integral to  Trek  and allows each episode to further flesh out the living universe that the franchise exists within.

A Little Bit Of Everything

While both franchises have defined the world of science fiction, some believe that  Trek  isn't absolutely limited to its main genre. User basicchannels explained succinctly when they wrote "With  Star Trek you get film noir, history...even westerns, they're never afraid to skip between the boundaries of their genre conventions.  Star Wars,  on the other hand, is like the poster boy for its genre."

While it isn't always necessary to go outside of convention, some fans believe that variety is what makes  Trek  superior. There is little mystery in the  Wars  films, and with  Trek 's many great holodeck episodes , they get an opportunity to play around with any genre, or story structure, that they choose.

It Has Something To Say

Morality has been tied to the heart of  Star Trek 's storytelling since  The Original Series , and its many messages have come to define it as a franchise. User TestingforScience123 compared the two franchises on those grounds when they said "What makes  Trek  superior is that it has a point, a purpose... Star Wars  is just a space western with space wizards...the good guys win because they are good guys."

Star Trek  stood out from the rest of its TV contemporaries because it had something to say about the world, and it did it by weaving its own morality into the narratives.  Wars  doesn't stray far from archetypal storytelling and is actually locked rigidly into that classical mode.  Wars  has little to say other than that good people are good and bad people are bad.

More Complicated Stories

Entertainment's ultimate purpose is to simply entertain, but some viewers strive for more than popcorn diversions. User NoisyPiper27 saw that as a strength of  Trek  when they commented "I've always preferred that  Star Trek  deals in moral grey areas... Trek 's stories are about exploration, both in the physical and mental world...It allows us to look beyond people as just impediments, and asks us to look closer."

Even  Trek 's most powerful aliens are still living beings with their own wants and desires. This complicated web of motivations leads to a richer storyline than the classical good versus evil tropes of the  Star Wars  franchise. The Romulans, for instance, aren't just villains, they are a living race of people who see themselves as sovereign beings just like the Federation members do.

Science Fiction Over Science Fantasy

Though both franchises are tentpoles of the science fiction genre, many fans don't actually view them in the same way. User DrDagless examined their love for  Trek  by explaining "The main reason my heart belongs to  Trek  is because it really embraces what it means to be science fiction...goes all in to try and create a somewhat believable universe built on science... Star Wars  on the other hand...rarely concerns itself with science or the little details."

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It may come down to a matter of preference, but  Trek  fans believe that it is the attention to detail that makes it a superior franchise.  Wars  leans heavily into the fantasy elements of its story and the fact that it is set in space is merely incidental.

Utopian Future

Science fiction is usually pretty dour when it comes to speculating about the possibilities of life in the universe,  Trek  was unique in that it didn't follow that trend. User JeanLucPicard1981 reveled in  Trek 's utopian message when they wrote " Star Trek  is thought-provoking and a future I would love to see.  Star Wars  is a universe I would rather not live in".

Even putting aside the utopian society presented by the Federation, the universes themselves differ in their possibilities.  Trek  implies heavily that anyone is capable of doing magnificent things, while in  Wars , only the "chosen one" can save the day. There is an unwelcoming nature to the  Wars  universe that implies life is pretty terrible for anyone who isn't important enough.

Trek Has A Theme

The best episodes of  Star Trek   often go a long way to serve the series' central theme, and the franchise strives to explore that theme to the deepest possible level. User Mimikyu-Overlord preferred  Trek 's themes to  Wars ' when they wrote " Star Trek  as a franchise has a recurring under-theme; the human equation and what makes a person...This is what  Star Wars  lacks - a common and deep theme."

Good versus evil is not a theme, it is a conflict, but conflict isn't theme. Both franchises are massive and span the likes of television, movies, and books, but only  Trek  has a through-line that is evident across the board.  Wars ' simplicity makes it accessible, but it leaves little to be explored in any thought-provoking manner.

Quantity Of Quality

In the age of massive media consumption, less is certainly not more. User Inevitable-Peanut-28 played a simple numbers game when picking a favorite, stating "The majority of  Star Wars  media is pretty mediocre...While  Star Trek  definitely has its weaker parts there are so many incredible episodes."

With entire trilogies of  Star Wars  films missing the mark, the franchise's batting average is actually quite low.  Trek has an abundance of episodes from over five decades of TV that are examples of shining moments in the medium, and even several of its films were smashing successes.

NEXT: The 20 Best Episodes Of Star Trek TNG