Highlights
- Star Trek characters Picard and Kirk started as flawless leaders, but later movies showed their past failures and self-doubts, leading to redemption arcs.
- Some fans argue that the lack of authentic flaws in the characters' initial portrayal made their later regrets feel forced and disconnected.
- Highlighting subtle flaws earlier on could have made the characters' redemption arcs more emotionally resonant and earned.
Star Trek characters Jean Luc Picard and James T. Kirk were initially portrayed as flawless in their original series before being granted "eleventh-hour redemption arcs," prompting fans to suggest that earlier development by the writers could have enriched their narratives.
Captain Picard of Star Trek: The Next Generation and Captain Kirk of The Original Series were generally portrayed as highly capable and ethical leaders who were role models for crews and viewers alike. However, in the Star Trek movies with older versions of the characters, they grappled with past failures, strained relationships, and self-doubt before ultimately redeeming themselves by the stories’ ends. For example, in Star Trek: Generations, Kirk admits he feels empty without the Enterprise before making the ultimate sacrifice.
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On the r/StarTrek Reddit forum, user majeric argued this feels unearned since the Star Trek characters lacked authentic flaws when first introduced. The Redditor contends that while focusing on external conflicts allowed Picard and Kirk to demonstrate excellence early on, the lack of internal character shortcomings made their later regrets feel tacked on. Additionally, Picard's reunions with Will Riker in Picard Season 3 showcase relationship strains due to his career failures that feel disconnected from his previously spotless Starfleet record.
While the original Star Trek's episodic structure limited prolonged character development for Captain Kirk, his brashness and tendency to let emotions guide his decisions came through at times. Still, such flaws appear more as one-off lessons than ingrained in Captain Kirk's personality. However, some fans argue that Next Generation's shift toward serialized storytelling and more introspective themes allowed for a more nuanced scrutiny of Picard's shortcomings. As Eldon42 pointed out, arrogance and overconfidence surfaced repeatedly, with the episode "Q Who" offering a sobering wake-up call on Starfleet's readiness, while "Tapestry" forces Picard to face youthful recklessness. His difficulty reconciling leadership duties with relationships and inner turmoil become recurring struggles, not just isolated incidents. This likely makes his late-career crisis of faith and redemption arc feel distinctly earned for many fans in ways Kirk's similar movie journey does not.
Ultimately, the post highlights how the Star Trek captains might have benefited from having certain flawed tendencies highlighted earlier, even if subtle. This could have bolstered emotional resonance when life experience forced Kirk and Picard to finally confront any weaknesses that may be persisting or any actions from the past that they come to question through aged hindsight. Having some established cracks allows room for powerful redemption stories to take root for beloved heroes who still should largely stay true to the commanding, moral cores that instilled such inspiration and nostalgia throughout the decades.
The Star Trek franchise is available on Paramount Plus.
Star Trek
Star Trek is a space exploration franchise created by Gene Roddenberry. The series has spanned shows like The Original Series, The Next Generation, and Voyager. More recently, developer Scopely came out with Star Trek Fleet Command, a mobile title where you can be captain of your ship.
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Source: majeric/Reddit
