MovieChat Forums > Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (1984) Discussion > A MAJOR PLOT HOLE(Spoiler Warning)

A MAJOR PLOT HOLE(Spoiler Warning)

posted 10 years ago by RussellDunn
13 replies | jump to latest

Okay,
Maybe I'm missing something here but why did Kirk and crew need to steal the Enterprise in the first place? When Sarek visited Kirk and mind melded, the concern was more for separating Spock Katra from McCoy's mind by taking him to Mount Saliya to be interred at the "Vulcan Hall of Ancient Thought". While the Grissom had discovered that Spock's body had survived the landing on Genesis, there was nothing in the film indicating that Kirk had known about this no did he know about the ritual(Fal-Tor-Pan?) which was what put Spock's Katra back in his regenerated body.
Kirk should have booked passage on the next civilian ship to Vulcan and taken McCoy there,

[–] bjlevine 10 years ago

Yup. At that point, no one knew anything about Spock's body. Also, hard to believe that Spock wouldn't have left some "last orders" in the event of his death.

The whole Katra thing was a major retcon. We saw a ship full of Vulcans die in The Immunity Syndrome and no one said anything about it. And are we supposed to believe that every Vulcan who dies is somehow supposed to physically get their soul back to Vulcan?

But they needed someway of getting Spock back. Good thing they didn't get him back earlier or Nimoy might have been screwed out of a role.

"Lovey-dovey. Bonk bonk on the head!"

[–] Ashaod43 10 years ago

Funny, I am watching it right now and have seen it a hundred times. For some reason this just clicked. I came here and the first topic was this. Kirk did say he would have to return at the end of khan but no mention of a body at all. Unless they can track a torpedo tube when they have a funeral. It could be drifting in space.

[–] RussellDunn 10 years ago

No reason to track the torpedo. It was supposed to have burned up in the atmosphere of the Genesis planet.

[–] MurphAndTheMagicTones 10 years ago

No, the idea was to leave the body on Genesis because Spock gave his life as the new planet was formed, so Kirk thought it fitting to leave the body there.

The Katra part can be explained, since Spock knew he was about to die to save the ship, and presumably Sarek knew Spock knew from Kirk's report, so he figured Spock would mind-meld with Kirk before giving up his life.

The ones on the Intrepid had no one to meld with except each other. They weren't expecting to die right then.

Plus, we saw Spock meld with McCoy in TWoK, so they already had their "out" planned to bring Spock back.

---
"I'd much rather be happy than right."--Slartibartfast, Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

[–] bjlevine 10 years ago

Much to the chagrin of Nick Meyer.

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[–] prometheus1816 10 years ago

Kirk didn't leave Spock's body there. The tube was pulled into Genesis by the gravity of the new planet. The tube was supposed to be jettisoned into outer space, not to even find its way to the planet's surface. When Saavik was doing the analysis of the planet's various equitorrial zones it was only then they found the mall mass that constituted the photon tube they knew was Spock's. It wasn't until David and Saavik beamed down to the planet they found the visual confirmation it was Spock's tube.

Sometimes my ruminations are too confusing for someone not inside my head. -Anon

[–] TheSolarSailor 8 years ago

Unless they can track a torpedo tube when they have a funeral. It could be drifting in space.

You clearly see the torpedo flare as it is fired over the Genesis Planet, entering the atmosphere. The intention was to basically spread Spock's ashes over Genesis. Nick Meyer was against the added scene at the end that showed the torpedo tube on the Eden-like surface of Genesis. It was an afterthought demanded by the studio, and added by Harve Bennett. Nicholas Meyer turned down the opportunity to direct Star Trek III, not because he was disinterested in another Trek film, but because he wanted nothing to do with bringing Spock back to life right after having killed him off. That is why he went on to help write Star Trek IV The Voyage Home and then write/direct Star Trek VI The Undiscovered Country.

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I am not a fan. I just happen to enjoy movies. Fans are embarrassing.

[–] graham-167 10 years ago

They may not know about the body, but they do suspect it even before the start of the movie. Remember Kirk's log at the end of ST II; "And yet I can't help wondering about the friend I leave behind. 'There are always possibilities' Spock said. And if Genesis is indeed 'Life from death', I must return to this place again."

The motivation for returning to Genesis is plainly stated right there.

--
Christianity : A god who loves you so much that he'll set fire to you if you don't love him back

[–] TheSolarSailor 8 years ago

They may not know about the body, but they do suspect it even before the start of the movie. Remember Kirk's log at the end of ST II; "And yet I can't help wondering about the friend I leave behind. 'There are always possibilities' Spock said. And if Genesis is indeed 'Life from death', I must return to this place again."

The motivation for returning to Genesis is plainly stated right there.

It may be plainly stated in Trek II's ending, but the story they built for Trek III doesn't quite make total sense. There were many MANY possible story-lines that could have been written about Genesis in a sequel, but when Trek II was made, the intention was to kill Spock, not turn around and resurrect him. Nothing in the line of dialogue indicates a story-line that would deal with Spock at all. There is nothing for them to suspect at all. Kirk is merely keeping in mind what Spock had said about possibilities. Those "possibilities" could have been any number of issues had Leonard Nimoy left the role behind as initially intended.

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I am not a fan. I just happen to enjoy movies. Fans are embarrassing.

[–] th-zero 9 years ago

Well, I thought they needed the body. For cloning or something. The fact, that Spock got auto-cloned was only a welcomed surprise.

Here's another... no, not plothole, but plot induced stupidity:
Why the hell was the Enterprise decomissioned? It JUST got refitted, the trip to Genesis was its very first voyage after refitting. It got home, and got immediately decomissioned.
Really effective use of resources and workforce, great job at management, Starfleet!

[–] Blubonnet_Spearman 9 years ago

You got it all wrong

[–] Vibradiant 8 years ago

It almost seems like Kirk misunderstood Sarek when he charged him with bringing both McCoy and Spock to Vulcan to find peace. Sarek probably meant to bring McCoy and the Katra stuck in his head to Mt. Seleya, but somehow Kirk interpreted it to mean stealing the Enterprise to go find Spock's presumably incinerated remains, and bring those bones and Bones to the ceremony, and accidentally happened upon Zombie Spock in the process.

Makes you wonder how Kirk ever got his first command?

"I like to watch."  Chauncey Gardiner, 'Being There'

[–] TheSolarSailor 8 years ago

You may be interested in reading this old thread from 2015...http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088170/board/nest/223016303

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I am not a fan. I just happen to enjoy movies. Fans are embarrassing.