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Why didn't Kirk's son show up in the Nexus?

posted 9 years ago by patrick2403
9 replies | jump to latest

Picard "ressurected" his Nephew René there, but Kirk just used the Nexus to reconnect with an old flame.

I know that Merrit Butrick, who played David Marcus in ST:II and ST:III passed away prior to the shooting of this movie, but they could have easily recast the role, like they did with Saavik.

It just seemed out of character for Kirk, because David's death was a vital plot element in Star Trek VI (being the main explanation for Kirk's hate for the Klingons and his refusal to make peace with them).

Even in ST:V Kirk's loss was mentioned and adressed by Sybok and Kirk's reaction to Syboks offer to share his pain, shows clearly how deeply it still affected him.

What is your opinion on this?

[–] Banky-4 8 years ago

I think you may have answered your own question with mentioning that Merrit Buttrick had passed away by then. Also, everything about that tied into that particular moment of regret for Kirk that he was trying to recapture and David wasn't part of that time Kirk was trying to relive and fix. If he had remained in the Nexus longer, David may have shown up at some point.

[–] Ca_Ricky1974 8 years ago

In the beginning of "Star Trek: Generations," they are all in retirement, which Kirk was not adjusting to very well. Kirk was possibly yearning for his younger days, when he was fresh out of the academy and did not have a son. As the other poster stated, if he was in the Nexus longer, he would have probably relived all important aspects of his life, including his son.

[–] mikeyg24 8 years ago

This is a stretch but Reneé's death had been relatively recent whereas David had been dead for years. Maybe the Nexus recognised the recent grief in Picard.

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[–] gundamknight111 8 years ago

The Nexus focuses on your greatest regret, but it changes as desires change as we see during the bedroom transfer, so it's possible that David would've been introduced, but realistically it's probably because David was no longer the same age. The most important thing to remember is that Kirk, "just arrived at the Nexus."

[–] persen1 8 years ago

And that on the day in the past, where he told his girlfriend Antonia that he was returning to Starfleet, which was is biggest regret as it turned out.

[–] bozo_500 8 years ago

What about this ..

Picard makes his way through the woodland and until he comes to an opening and sees 3 people being held by two Klingons. A Vulcan boy in a dark robe, a young human male, and a Vulcan woman wearing an old style Starfleet field jacket. We only see them from afar not their faces. One of the Klingons starts to circle the 3 then withdraws a large knife. He appears to be about to strike the woman. Then the man jumps the Klingons preventing him stabbing her and engages in a one sided fight with the superior built Klingon. He's wrestled to the ground and is about to be stabbed when suddenly James T Kirk appears and immediately stuns the Klingons with a phaser and the other one.. he then helps the young man up and embraces him as the two Vulcans look on fascinated..

Picard can't quite believe what he's seeing and emerges into the scene and reveals himself to the shocked Kirk. the two Vulcans, Klingons and Kirks son disappear from the scene..

[–] simian_ninja 8 years ago

I remember reading David's appearance in the novelisation. Kirk is getting prepared to get married to Carol and he's with Spock and McCoy, David comes in to inform them that it's nearly time.

I just read in the trivia that the studio changed the woman that appears in Kirk's dream to Antonia and that it should have been Carol. I have no idea why anybody on Earth would have thought that was a good idea. Change from a well known character to somebody nobody has ever heard of before.

As for the reason why David didn't show up in the film version of the Nexus. You answered your own question. They could have ever gone further to cast a child since Kirk was never around for David's youth which would have made it a lot more emotional.

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[–] Rockhound6165 8 years ago

In the novelization, Carol Marcus shows up in the Nexus so it's conceivable that David was there as well. When dealing with real time Kirk was in the Nexus quite a while(even though according to Guinan, when Kirk and Picard meet, Kirk would believe he himself had just gotten there). Again, in the novelization, Kirk goes through several different time periods so David could have been there with him in several of those.

[–] Daenerys-Stormborn 8 years ago

I think Picard and Kirk were only able to live moments from their deepest desires. It's a reality they never had. And Kirk's son doesn't qualify.

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