In Defense of Star Trek V
Posted: Wed Dec 30, 2020 10:23 am
So, this is a topic I've wanted to write about for awhile, because, as flawed a movie as Star Trek V is, I still like it. And I think SF Debris has overlooked an aspect of it that helps a LOT with the characters.
It's been brought up in multiple reviews (referencing interviews with Shatner) that Sybok is not using any kind of mind control, and, thus, the characters are betraying Kirk via their own free will, and thus betraying their own characters.
I don't think that's the case. And I think it's illustrated by what Kirk says, and by a TOS episode (The Enemy Within).
Sybok's "power," as described, is to mindmeld with a person, find their pain, share it, and thus, effectively remove it. Is not "pain," very much similar to the "evil" Kirk from The Enemy Within? I posit that it is. The negative aspects of oneself that are nonetheless critical to being who you are.
So, with one's pain removed (or, at least, dampened to a huge degree), the people Sybok has melded with are NOT mind controlled, but would be just like "good" Kirk. Wanting to please, wanting everyone to get along, and very, VERY suggestible, as they are nearly unable to make decisions on their own. Sybok, as the strongest will nearby when they are rendered to this state, gives them new purpose: help your friends feel as peaceful as you do now.
None of the crew want to HARM Kirk or the others, after all. They just want to help them "understand." And this brings us to Kirk himself. The only person in the crew who has previously experienced what having his negative side removed truly means. That's why he KNOWS that he "needs his pain." He even spells it out: It's what makes him who he is. Without their pain, NONE of the crew are who they really are.
Sybok's failure with McCoy and Spock still works, too. Spock's mental resistances are extreme, so Sybok can't simply dig in his mind like he can anyone else. Thus, his failure to actually identify Spock's REAL pain. He can't find it, and he fails to do anything with it.
McCoy is closer to what we see happen to the others. But he's also not alone when Sybok works on him like the others are. He's able to resist, at least enough to maintain his sense of self. But it takes Kirk's impassioned speech to bring him back.
As they pass through the Barrier, it seems like the crew might have jumped back to Kirk if he'd implored them, but by that point, they're all more invested in the adventure than they are in turning around. Or that's the way I see it. (The "Where No Man Has Gone Before" on the steering wheel is poignant here.)
Anyway, to me, the biggest flaws of the movie are toward the end. "God" or whatever is an interesting idea, as a completely hostile energy being, anyway. I like the idea that maybe he's actually Satan, sealed away from the galaxy, where only brave (foolish?) mortals can free him from. But he's defeated rather easily (one torpedo? lame) and the Klingon baddie is nearly pointless. But I love the camping scenes, and the other characters do get some nice moments to shine, too. (Chekhov on the conn, Sulu piloting skills, Scotty being badass all over the ship until his one oops. And, dammit... I like Uhura's fan dance. It's stupid, but I still like it.)
For me, Star Trek V is definitely better than The Motion Picture, which I think is a betrayal of Kirk's character for half the runtime, and commits the cardinal sin of being one of the most boring movies ever made. And I think it's better than Star Trek III (though it's close), mostly because 3 directly contradicts plot elements from Wrath of Khan. The protomatter thing comes from nowhere, and makes no sense considering the Genesis Cave (which should have broken down ages ago if they were actually using that shortcut). And killing David the way they did felt a little like cheap drama. (Also, Kirstie Alley's Saavik is SO much better than Robin Curtis'. Probably because Alley protrayed her as half-Romulan (as intended) whereas Curtis definitely goes for the full Vulcan.) But I'm getting distracted... this is meant to be about The Final Frontier.
I'm quite curious what other people think. I'd be surprised if I'm the first to write this, but I haven't seen an analysis like this anywhere else.
It's been brought up in multiple reviews (referencing interviews with Shatner) that Sybok is not using any kind of mind control, and, thus, the characters are betraying Kirk via their own free will, and thus betraying their own characters.
I don't think that's the case. And I think it's illustrated by what Kirk says, and by a TOS episode (The Enemy Within).
Sybok's "power," as described, is to mindmeld with a person, find their pain, share it, and thus, effectively remove it. Is not "pain," very much similar to the "evil" Kirk from The Enemy Within? I posit that it is. The negative aspects of oneself that are nonetheless critical to being who you are.
So, with one's pain removed (or, at least, dampened to a huge degree), the people Sybok has melded with are NOT mind controlled, but would be just like "good" Kirk. Wanting to please, wanting everyone to get along, and very, VERY suggestible, as they are nearly unable to make decisions on their own. Sybok, as the strongest will nearby when they are rendered to this state, gives them new purpose: help your friends feel as peaceful as you do now.
None of the crew want to HARM Kirk or the others, after all. They just want to help them "understand." And this brings us to Kirk himself. The only person in the crew who has previously experienced what having his negative side removed truly means. That's why he KNOWS that he "needs his pain." He even spells it out: It's what makes him who he is. Without their pain, NONE of the crew are who they really are.
Sybok's failure with McCoy and Spock still works, too. Spock's mental resistances are extreme, so Sybok can't simply dig in his mind like he can anyone else. Thus, his failure to actually identify Spock's REAL pain. He can't find it, and he fails to do anything with it.
McCoy is closer to what we see happen to the others. But he's also not alone when Sybok works on him like the others are. He's able to resist, at least enough to maintain his sense of self. But it takes Kirk's impassioned speech to bring him back.
As they pass through the Barrier, it seems like the crew might have jumped back to Kirk if he'd implored them, but by that point, they're all more invested in the adventure than they are in turning around. Or that's the way I see it. (The "Where No Man Has Gone Before" on the steering wheel is poignant here.)
Anyway, to me, the biggest flaws of the movie are toward the end. "God" or whatever is an interesting idea, as a completely hostile energy being, anyway. I like the idea that maybe he's actually Satan, sealed away from the galaxy, where only brave (foolish?) mortals can free him from. But he's defeated rather easily (one torpedo? lame) and the Klingon baddie is nearly pointless. But I love the camping scenes, and the other characters do get some nice moments to shine, too. (Chekhov on the conn, Sulu piloting skills, Scotty being badass all over the ship until his one oops. And, dammit... I like Uhura's fan dance. It's stupid, but I still like it.)
For me, Star Trek V is definitely better than The Motion Picture, which I think is a betrayal of Kirk's character for half the runtime, and commits the cardinal sin of being one of the most boring movies ever made. And I think it's better than Star Trek III (though it's close), mostly because 3 directly contradicts plot elements from Wrath of Khan. The protomatter thing comes from nowhere, and makes no sense considering the Genesis Cave (which should have broken down ages ago if they were actually using that shortcut). And killing David the way they did felt a little like cheap drama. (Also, Kirstie Alley's Saavik is SO much better than Robin Curtis'. Probably because Alley protrayed her as half-Romulan (as intended) whereas Curtis definitely goes for the full Vulcan.) But I'm getting distracted... this is meant to be about The Final Frontier.
I'm quite curious what other people think. I'd be surprised if I'm the first to write this, but I haven't seen an analysis like this anywhere else.