Star Trek 2009

Date

07.02.25

Star Trek (2009)

Rated PG-13

Directed by JJ Abrams Production Company: Paramount Pictures

Starring Chris Pine, Chris Hemsworth, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana, Simon Pegg, Karl Urban, Leonard Nimoy, Eric Bana, Bruce Greenwood, John Cho, Anton Yelchin, Ben Cross, Winona Ryder

A young Starfleet cadet and his classmates must band together to stop a hostile alien force bent on revenge.

Opening Thoughts

I’ve never been a major Star Trek fan, I was always more into Star Wars. I’ve never seen any of the original series, but I did enjoy the Next Generation TV show quite a bit as well as the Star Trek movies 2-4. I guess you could say I got into Star Trek because of its director JJ Abrams. Now, I know a lot of people have strong opinions because of the way he handled the Star Wars franchise, but I enjoyed what he did with them. But to be honest, I was a fan of JJ Abrams long before Star Wars or Star Trek, his was a name I knew well back in the early aughts. I first became a JJ fan back in 1998, when he created the angsty teen favorite, Felicity. Gawd, I loved that show. I know, I know, I know, but I really dug it. Then came LOST, and despite the super weird non-ending, I was engrossed in every single episode. And if that wasn’t enough, then he gave us super spies Sydney Bristow and her father Jack in Alias! By now all you had to do was mention JJ’s name and I was there for it. When he made the jump to the big screen I was there for it with Mission: Impossible III, which revitalized the franchise. After that came Star Trek, and I was not disappointed. From the very first scene this movie gives you action and excitement, as well as plenty of humor and feels. Check out what God showed me in Star Trek! (Then when you finish, you can head on over to the Men at the Movies podcast and listen in on what Paul McDonald and I thought of it!)

SPOILERS for Star Trek here!

In the year 2233, the Starfleet vessel USS Kelvin is investigating an anomaly described as “a lightning storm in space.” The crew finds out that it is actually a gigantic spaceship emerging from a black hole. The ship contains hostile aliens known as Romulans, who kidnap the Kelvin’s captain and murder him. The first officer, George Kirk, evacuates the crew, including his wife, who gives birth to their son, James T. Kirk, during the escape. George is killed defending the fleeing crewmembers.

Years later, a delinquent Jim Kirk is coerced into joining Starfleet, where he quickly rises through the ranks among his classmates. However, he is accused of cheating by one of his instructors, Spock, and is placed on academic probation when the academy receives news of an assault on Spock’s home planet, Vulcan. Jim stows away on the USS Enterprise as the cadets prepare for battle.

Jim hears the phrase “lightning storm in space” used, and runs to the bridge to tell them the ship is flying into a trap. The Enterprise arrives at Vulcan to find many of the other starships destroyed. Nero, the Romulan warlord, kidnaps the Enterprise’s captain (and Kirk’s mentor) Christopher Pike, while Jim partakes in a space jump mission to try and save Vulcan. The mission is successful, however it is too late to save Vulcan, and most of the planet’s population, including Spock’s mother, are killed.

Spock, in his anger, maroons Jim on a small planetoid where he meets an older version of Spock from the future, who shares his history with Nero and how he must be stopped. Jim returns to the Enterprise and takes over the ship from the younger Spock, who releases control of his command due to his feelings of grief. The two work together with the rest of the crew to defeat Nero and rescue Pike, and the Enterprise returns to earth where Jim takes over from Pike as the captain of the Starship Enterprise.

So What Did God Show Me?

-Wow, the opening to this movie is just a work of art. Five minutes in and I’m weeping like someone just took away my teddy bear. Jim Kirk’s father, George Kirk, is faced with an impossible decision. As acting captain of the USS Kelvin, he must stay on the malfunctioning bridge and defend those fleeing in the escape pods, one of which contains his wife who at that very moment is laboring to give birth to their son. His wife, Winona, begs him to join them in the escape pod, that she “can’t do this without him,” but George knows that if he tries to leave with the rest, the attacking Romulan ship, Narada, will destroy them all. George gives up not only his own needs and wants, but his life as well. In staying behind, he was not only obeying his duty as a Starfleet officer, but he was laying down his life so that his wife and son could live. “This is the only way you’ll survive.”

This is what Jesus did for you. He loved us that much, he laid down his life because for him, like George Kirk, there were no other options. He died so that we could have a chance, without his sacrifice we have no chance at all. As you watch this scene, try and ponder on that vast sacrificial love. Remember, George’s love and sacrifice is only a tiny fraction of God’s.

-“You are fully capable of deciding your own destiny. The only question is, which path will you choose? Only you can decide.” Isn’t it interesting the power we can wield in making even the smallest of decisions? Spock was fully prepared to join the Vulcan Science Academy and yet when his mother was maligned, he made the spur of the moment decision to reject his admission and instead pursue a career in Starfleet. Imagine what would have happened if he’d shrugged off the insult and joined the Academy? If Spock had never joined Starfleet, he never would have wound up on the Enterprise. Vulcan would have been completely destroyed, and no one would have escaped. Jim Kirk and the rest of the crew would have been overcome by Nero and the Romulans. But none of that happened…all because Spock got mad.

Our decisions have power. Our choices take us down roads we cannot see the end of. Sometimes feelings of fear or anger can play a big part in those decisions. But it’s important to remember that God has a plan for our lives, and he works them out for good no matter what we do.

-According to Captain Pike, Jim’s father didn’t believe in no-won scenarios. Your heavenly father doesn’t either.

-“You can settle for a less than ordinary life. Or do you feel like you were made for something better? Something special?” What are you made for? What drives you? What sets you on fire? What’s your passion? We are all made for something more. More than 9-5, changing diapers, paying taxes, and doing laundry. Yes, those are all things that we do, but it’s not all we’re made to do, so don’t settle! God has given each of us a specific destiny, and a unique passion to get us there. If you’ve read any of my other blogs you’ve probably heard me talk about Allen Arnold’s book, The Story of With, and what a difference it made in my life. It really helped me zero in on what my passion was, what I wanted to do with it, and that when pursued with God, there are no limits to what you can accomplish!

Maybe you’re not sure what your passion is. That’s ok. Get together with God and talk with him about it. He’s faithful, he will make it known to you. To get you rolling, think on this: If you knew you’d never get paid to perform a certain task, what would you happily do anyway?

-Pike was able to see Jim’s character better than he could himself. Jim was known as a troublemaker, a fighter, a wisecracker, a womanizer. But Pike took the time to go deeper, and discovered that not only was Jim a genius, but he was the son of his hero, George Kirk. Pike knew there was more to Jim than most people saw, and he was willing to offer him a chance, if he was brave enough to take it. Do you have someone like that in your life? Someone who pushes you, encourages you, challenges you? We all need those people in our lives, people to help us grow into who we’re meant to be. The disciples had Jesus. Elisha had Elijah. Joshua had Moses. Timothy had Paul. Perhaps God has given you someone to pour into as well. Why not ask God right now who that could be?

-So I’m curious…what did you guys think of Jim’s “cheating” to pass the Kobayashi Maru test? Yes, he did alter the simulation for a more favorable outcome, but I’m not sure if it counted as a real cheat. The test was programmed to be unwinnable, death and destruction was always going to be the outcome. According to Spock, the test was merely to measure the response of the acting captain in such a scenario. But I like that Jim thought outside the box to find a different answer. He didn’t believe that total loss was the only option in the event. (I wonder, was Jim, in some way, trying to think of a way his own father could have been saved, had he been there?) God designed us as creative beings. He gave us minds and intellect and imaginations to use as weapons when the enemy corners us in our own no-win situations. Can you think of a time when it seemed like there was no way out from what you faced, but inspiration or even straight up intervention from God made a way?

So sure, Jim technically cheated, but I like that he refused to follow the set path that he knew went nowhere. Instead, he creatively broke the norm and made his own way. How is God calling you to break the norm?

-I can’t even imagine the sheer weight of emotion Spock must’ve been feeling to see not only his mother, but his entire planet perish? The “older” Spock, Spock “Prime” feels the guilt of his failure for being unable to save not only Romulus, but also Vulcan. Young Spock feels guilt at being unable to save his mother. “Billions of lives lost…because I failed.” Ugh, I can’t even imagine the guilt and grief he must be feeling…on top of not being able to save Romulus, he loses his own planet, Vulcan, as well. And as a Vulcan who chooses logic over emotions, it must have been extra excruciating to have to deal with such intense feelings.

-Imagine being able to mind-meld like Spock did with Jim…to really understand what others are experiencing or going through. I feel that that would be both extremely valuable and extremely traumatizing. Perhaps it’s better that while we can empathize and even understand (to a point) what others are going through, we can never completely understand others’ trauma, grief, or anger, because everyone’s experience is going to be unique to them. Only God can understand to that extent, and it’s probably better, because while I think it’s a valuable thing to be able to offer compassion and support, I don’t think we were meant to take on others’ feelings as our own like the Vulcans do. Maybe they can handle it because they suppress emotion over logic?

-The planet Vulcan and most of the Vulcan population has been completely destroyed by Nero. Spock, as a half-Vulcan, mostly keeps his emotions under control, but the loss of both his planet and his mother is a weight too heavy for anyone to realistically bear. However, Spock keeps trying to go along as usual, “stuffing” his emotions and pretending he’s fine, when he definitely isn’t. Jim knows this, and intentionally triggers Spock in order to make him face what he’s feeling…his grief, his feelings of loss and helplessness. Also, it’s telling that the loss of Spock’s mother is also the loss of his “human” side…the side that kept telling him it’s ok to feel. It takes his friend, Jim, (who has to overcome his own issues with Spock for the sake of not only the crew and the mission, but their friendship) to practice “tough love” on him, to get him to feel what he needs to feel, in order to embrace the grieving process, which is the first step towards starting to heal.

Thank God for the friends who give us that tough love. I know I have definitely had times when I’ve ignored my own emotions, usually because I felt I had responsibilities that were more important. Thank goodness for my friends who have pulled me aside in those times and been, “No. Nuh-uh. You are stopping, right here and right now to deal with what is going on in your life. Everything else can just wait.” God gave us emotions and the ability to feel for a reason. He wanted us to be able to feel things, good, and yes, even the bad. If you were unable to feel pain in your body, how would you know if you were injured? Imagine if your appendix was ready to burst (which can kill you) and you couldn’t feel it?? It’s completely ok to feel grief, or anger, or sadness, or fear. If you’re struggling with any of those right now, I give you permission to go ahead and feel them. Bring them to God, and let him come alongside you.

-Spock, after beating the crap out of Jim, finally admits he’s emotionally compromised and steps down to let Jim take over as acting captain. This is extremely humbling, especially for a Vulcan, who are supposed to live by logic, not emotion. Spock probably felt like a failure, on top of his utter grief, and ashamed of his “weakness” in front of the crew he’s been put in charge of. A lot of the time, especially if we’re in a leadership position, we feel the need to shut off our emotions, to show others that we can “do it,” that we’re capable. Showing that we are “weak” can be seen as unacceptable. We have to remember that it’s ok to be weak, because God is our strength in weakness! He is not bothered by our weakness, he wants us to humble ourselves and seek him! That way he can come alongside us and uphold us. If we never experienced helplessness, we’d never have a need for God to come into those places, and he loves it when we need him. He is so attracted to our vulnerability. It’s ok to admit we need help, both from God, and those he puts alongside us.

-The last time I watched this movie, I noticed something I hadn’t before. When Spock is beating on Jim, he is almost to the point of choking him to death, and only stops when his father calls out his name. Jim had been needling Spock, trying to get him to react, and react he did-with a passion! Spock was so caught up in the overflow of his emotions he was literally out of control, and it took the voice of his father to bring him “back to reality.”

This is true for us as well. We can be so caught up in our own fear, anger, grief, lies, what have you, that only the voice of our Father, the voice of truth, is able to cut through all of the darkness and depth, straight to our hearts. I know I have made it a priority in my life to learn the sound of my Father’s voice, to be able to tell it from any deceitful impersonation the enemy might throw at me. As a result, I know when my Father is speaking to me (most of the time, anyway) and respond to it. I’m not saying I always hear him correctly, or that I don’t ignore him sometimes when I’m in a bratty mood, but I try.

-After Spock has admitted he is emotionally compromised and steps down from the command of the Enterprise, Sarek, Spock’s father, urges his son to “speak his mind.” Spock responds slowly that “It would be unwise.” I absolutely LOVE Sarek’s next words: “What is necessary is never unwise.” Spock has got to be so full of shame at this point. All his life, when he’s given in to that human part of himself and let his emotions get out of control, he’s been shamed or chastised for it. But now his father is gently telling him that he understands and does not demean him for his loss of control. Sarek, who as a Vulcan keeps his emotions mostly suppressed, expresses his love and gratitude for his son as well as his deceased wife. He knew his son needed to hear him speak these words. No matter what we have done or how we have acted, our heavenly Father will never shame us. Instead, when we are lost in feelings of inadequacy, grief, or guilt, he tells us what we need to hear: that he loves us, and is grateful for us. God is always willing to stand with us, offering help, support, wisdom, and love as we navigate those troubled waters.

-Sarek also shares with Spock that he is grateful his son is half human, as that is what makes him special, and that he will always carry a part of his mother after her death. All his life Spock has been told he is less than, disadvantaged, crippled, a freak. He’s been insulted and bullied about it, belittled and looked down on. It must have been very difficult for Spock to reconcile his love for his mother when all he had known was shame for her part in his existence.

I myself greatly resemble my father. I look like him, talk like him, even make the same kind of faces he did. When I was young, (and even not so young), my mother, (who had divorced my father when I was five) often expressed frustration that she “had divorced my father but still couldn’t get away from him.” She still cared for my father as a friend, but she would often share her frustration with him as a person in front of me, and tease me for being so much like him. This hurt me deeply, as obviously I had no control over how I looked or talked. It was years before I could explain to my mother how her words made me feel, and to ask her to stop.

Our uniqueness is never a flaw or a fault. God designed each of us specifically as we are, we are his delight and give him great pleasure. So whatever kinds of weird traits or funky interests you have, I encourage you to embrace them…God doesn’t make mistakes. He wanted a son like you, a daughter like you, and to him, you are just right.

Closing Thoughts

I’d just like to close out with a short little inspiring story. In Mike Rowe’s new movie, “Something to Stand For”, he tells a story of a young black woman, a lieutenant, who was considering giving up her position and uniform to sing on the Broadway stage. The woman discusses her plan with her doctor, who strongly discourages her from leaving her post, reminding her of how far she has come and what an inspiration she has been to so many. The lieutenant finally changed her mind and agreed to stay on duty.

That woman was Nichelle Nichols, “Lieutenant Nyota Uhura,” who inspired millions of little girls to reach for the stars, and her “doctor” was Dr Martin Luther King, Jr, an unabashed “Trekkie.” You can listen to the story here: “Her Biggest Fan.”