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Revision as of 03:46, 10 September 2008 by EEMIV (talk | contribs) (→See also)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff) "James Kirk" redirects here. For other uses, see James Kirk (disambiguation).James Tiberius Kirk is a fictional character in the Star Trek universe. He is the lead character in the original Star Trek television series, the animated spin-off, and most of the films based on the series. Canadian actor William Shatner portrayed the character in the forty years since its inception. Producer J. J. Abrams announced that Chris Pine had been cast in the role of Kirk in the 2009 Star Trek film, marking the first time that an actor other than Shatner will portray the character in an official production.
Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry based the character on C. S. Forester's Horatio Hornblower, noting in 1991 that "Captain Kirk is Capt. Hornblower of the sailing ships. was a great hero, and Hemingway said is the most exciting adventure fiction in the human language."
Depiction
Kirk was born and raised in Riverside, Iowa, the son of George Samuel Kirk, Sr. and Winona Kirk. His brother and sister-in-law are introduced and killed in "Operation: Annihilate!", leaving behind a son and, according to "What Are Little Girls Made Of?", two other children. Diane Carey's novels Final Frontier and Best Destiny portray parts of George Kirk's career in Starfleet and also, in the latter, James Kirk's adolescence. At Starfleet Academy, Kirk became the first person to beat the Kobayashi Maru simulation by rewriting the program to make it possible to survive the "no-win" scenario. He received a field commission as an ensign and posted to the USS Republic, then was promoted to lieutenant junior grade and returned to Starfleet Academy as a student instructor. Gary Mitchell (Gary Lockwood), then one of Kirk's students, remarks in "Where No Man Has Gone Before" that one could either "think or sink" in Kirk's course. Upon graduation in the top five percent of his class, Kirk was promoted to lieutenant and served aboard the USS Farragut. Having risen rapidly through the ranks after leaving the Academy, Kirk received his first command while still quite young.
At the age of 31, Kirk received command of the USS Enterprise; Star Trek and the animated spin-off take place during the ship's five-year mission "to boldly go where no man has gone before". Kirk's notable relationships among his crew in the television series are with first officer Spock (Leonard Nimoy) and chief medical officer Leonard "Bones" McCoy (DeForest Kelley).
Dialog in the first Star Trek feature film, Star Trek: The Motion Picture, states that Kirk was promoted to admiral and became chief of Starfleet operations. In The Motion Picture, Kirk takes command of the Enterprise from Captain Willard Decker (Stephen Collins), who objects, claiming Kirk is not familiar with the extensively refit ship. In Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, Kirk takes command of the Enterprise from Spock and pursues his enemy from "Space Seed", Khan Noonien Singh (Ricardo Montalbán). In that movie, Spock dies saving the Enterprise; in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock, Kirk and his officers steal and scuttle the Enterprise and sabotage the USS Excelsior in the course of trying to resurrect Spock. Kirk in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home is demoted to captain for these actions, but also receives command of the USS Enterprise-A. Kirk commands this ship in Star Trek V: The Final Frontier and Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country.
Kirk is a widower, having been married in "The Paradise Syndrome" to Miramanee (Sabrina Scharf), who dies carrying his child. Star Trek II reveals that Kirk fathered a son, David Marcus (Merritt Butrick), with Dr. Carol Marcus (Bibi Besch). Klingons kill David on the Genesis Planet in Star Trek III. Kirk says in Star Trek VI that David's murder affected his ability to trust Klingons; he held them collectively responsible for David's death, but sets aside this prejudice at the movie's conclusion.
Death and "Shatnerverse" resurrection
In Star Trek Generations, Kirk goes missing and is presumed dead when the USS Enterprise-B is damaged. Instead, however, he is transported to the timeless Nexus. Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) finds Kirk and convinces him to leave the Nexus to help stop Tolian Soran's (Malcolm MacDowell) attempt to destroy a star. Kirk enables Picard to sabotage Soran's plans, but plummets with a collapsing bridge span. He dies shortly thereafter. As originally filmed, Soran killed Kirk by shooting him in the back; this scene was changed after negative reactions from test audiences.
In books written by William Shatner, beginning with Star Trek: The Return, Kirk is returned to life by the Romulans and the Borg, and goes on to have further adventures.
Reception
The debut of Star Trek: The Next Generation brought with it comparisons of Kirk's and Picard's leadership styles. Kirk is deemed to be very able to find ways "through unanticipated problems to reach goals" and his leadership style is most "appropriate in a tight, geographically identical team with a culture of strong leadership."
Riverside petitioned Gene Roddenberry and Paramount Pictures in 1985 for permission to "adopt" Kirk as their town's "Future Son". Paramount Pictures wanted $40,000 for a license to reproduce a bust of Kirk, but the city passed on that option, instead using the plaque and the building of a replica of the Enterprise (remaned the "USS Riverside") and The Riverside Area Community Club holds an annual "Trek Fest" in anticipation of Kirk's birth.
References
- "Chris Pine Drops Out Of 'White Jazz' For Kirk Role". TrekToday. 2007-10-15. Retrieved 2007-10-16.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - Tom Knapp (2004-07-31). "C.S. Forester, Hornblower & the Hotspur". Rambles, a cultural arts review magazine. Retrieved 2008-04-28.
{{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - "DVD Verdict Review - Horatio Hornblower: The New Adventures".
- Quote of the Week
- Whitfield, Stephen E. (1986-08-12). The Making of Star Trek. Del Rey.
{{cite book}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - Shatner, William (1994-11-28). Star Trek Movie Memories. HarperCollins. ISBN 978-0006384168.
- Anderson, Brett (2004-11-20). "'Star Trek: Generations-Special Edition' DVD Review". DVDActive.com. Retrieved 2008-05-10.
- Kimmerly, Paul (2006). "Leadership, The Final Frontier: Lessons From the Captains of Star Trek". CrossTalk: The Journal of Defense Software Engineering.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help); Unknown parameter|month=ignored (help) - Kirby, Doug. ""Future Birthplace of James T. Kirk"". Roadside America. Retrieved 2008-09-09.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - Beyette, Beverly (2005-05-15). ""A happy future birthplace hooks up with Capt. Kirk"". The Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2008-09-09.
See also
External links
- StarTrek.com: James T. Kirk
- Riverside Iowa's annual "Trekfest" for it's "future son", James T. Kirk
- James T. Kirk at Memory Alpha
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