Space Pirates and Space Heroes

The driving force of many Science fiction shows often embroils starship commanders pitted against unreasonable space pirates. In Star Wars, Darth Vader represents the dark side of the force. His corrupt emotions makes him a great space pirate. I loved the scene in the Empire Strikes Back when Vader grabbed Emperor Palpatine and flung him down the death star's reactor shaft, all to save Luke Skywalker. It was great. Later we find out who the man behind the mask is. We need our science fictional heroes to seek out and defeat galactic enemies of peace.

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"Fire when ready, Mr Checkov. Lay in a pattern, fire, fire, fire!" is the Kirk attitude! When a ship gets blown to blue blazes or the bad is guy melted by a ray gun, hey thats what you call sci fi exhilaration. My reaction is nearly always, Yessss!!




A great story creates a sense of danger like a threat to the ship or an invasion force beaming aboard just to get the viewer excited! And it works!! I sure didn't feel sorry for Commander Kruge when Kirk shoved him over the cliff on the Genesis planet in Star Trek III. Kirk and Kruge had been fighting for ages and the klingon had it coming. After all, Kruge had Kirk's son David, murdered. Kirk gets his revenge on the ugly Klingon brute who's trying to drag the captain to his death. Finally Kirk has enough! He gives ugly a boot in the face and sends the Klingon warlord flying into the fiery abyss of Genesis flames below. See you sucker! Geeze, those flames sure must have hurt!!!

When the entertaining, clever android, Commander Data in Star Trek's TNG movie "Nemesis", got blown to bits aboard Praetor Shinzon's ship, it was different. I wasn't celebrating when Shinzon's ship went sky high. I was stunned and thinking wheres Data gone, much like Data's Enterprise-D crew mates. Unfortunately there was no escape pod or floating Data in space.

It was a blunt act for the studio to play on the fans. The Trekkies were hit hard. I was left in a state of puzzled, emotional turmoil. My android hero Data was gone. Sniff, maybe its a hit trend. So which sci fi hero is going to be snuffed out next?

I've recently learnt from trektoday that William Shatner aka Captain James T. Kirk is not going to be in Star Trek XI. What a shocker. Spock, Kirk(TOS) and co-stars work a special magic onscreen. So why delay? New isn't always better. You'd think Paramount could make Trek films with new talent anytime. The "current movie talent" TOS and TNG are missed badly...

William Shatner was very disappointed, but Leonard Nimoy aka Spock got a part. It'll be good to see pointy ears again.

Star Trek XI is the movie where the "trio" Kirk, Spock,and McCoy get to meet up as young men, going back to their academy days.

Moving on, in 1978 the Daily Intelligencer caught my interest. Seemingly Cylon Warriors have a Prime Directive and it doesn't concern ethics or non interference with other cultures. Oh No. The Cylon Prime Directive involves seeking out and destroying all earthling lifeforms. Gasp. Imagine watching that, doesn't it send a shiver of excitement down your back?...

Live Long and prosper, trekker earthlings!