| Star Trek 3: The Search For Spock | |
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Released: |
1984 |
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Director: |
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"A Dying Planet. A Fight For Life. The Search For Spock."
"All that they loved, all that they fought for, all that they stood for will now be put to the test... Join us on this, the final voyage of the starship Enterprise."
Summary[]
Prologue[]
- "USS Enterprise, Captain's Personal Log: With most of our battle damage repaired we are almost home. Yet I feel uneasy, and I wonder why... Perhaps it's the emptiness of this vessel? Most of our trainee crew have been reassigned; Lieutenant Saavik and my son, David, are exploring the Genesis planet, which he helped create; and Enterprise feels like a house with all the children gone. No... more empty even than that. The death of Spock is like an open wound. It seems I have left the noblest part of myself back there on that newborn planet."
Limping home.
As a result of Khan's attempt to kill James T. Kirk using the Genesis Device, Spock is dead and a new planet has been created from matter within the Mutara Nebula. Dejected over the loss of Spock, the crew returns to port aboard the Enterprise for essential repairs to their ship, which was severely damaged in the battle against Khan.
A little over two hours away from Earth Spacedock, Kirk asks Pavel Chekov to take the science station--Spock's old post--for a pre-approach scan. He asks Uhura about an inquiry he made on Project Genesis: Uhura replies that there was not yet a response from Starfleet Command. He then gets a status report from Chief Engineer Montgomery Scott, who says automation will be ready for docking, and states he can have the ship repaired for her next cruise within two weeks. Before leaving the bridge, handing Hikaru Sulu the conn, one of the few remaining Starfleet Academy cadets asks if a reception will greet them. Kirk replies they ought to: "This time we paid for the party with our dearest blood."
Act One[]
Kruge learns about Genesis.
Somewhere off in space, a freighter with a female Klingon, Valkris, awaits somebody. That somebody is her lover, the warrior Kruge, who suddenly decloaks in a Klingon Bird-of-Prey. Once there, she transmits data to the Bird-of-Prey, which from brief flashes can be ascertained to relate to Project Genesis. When Valkris reveals that she had seen the data, Kruge reluctantly determines that she must die, and subtlely relays this to Valkris, who understands. After conveying their mutual admiration for each other, Kruge destroys the freighter. This also means he does not need to pay the freighter's crew for their work. He sets course for the Federation-Klingon Neutral zone.
Welcome home, Enterprise.
Enterprise reaches Earth and approaches Spacedock. During the approach, they see a new ship: Template:USS, a part of the "Great Experiment", an attempt at transwarp drive. Although Sulu seems to be in awe of the possible capabilities of the ship, Scotty is less than impressed, commenting "If my grandmother had wheels, she'd be a wagon...". Suddenly, Chekov, who is at the science station, notes that someone has entered Spock's quarters. When Uhura adds that the sealed room's door was forced, Kirk goes to investigate. Inside, he finds Dr. Leonard McCoy, mumbling about locations on Vulcan, particularly Mount Seleya, before fainting. Kirk calls for a medic.
Once Enterprise is docked, they are met by Admiral Harry Morrow, Commander, Starfleet, who states that all crewmembers will be given the highest commendation of the Federation as well as extended shore leave, except for Commander Scott. Scotty will be reassigned to Excelsior as "captain of engineering". When Scotty complains, wanting to stay and help with the refit of the Enterprise, the crew finds out that the ship will not be refit. He also states that Genesis has been quarantined, and only assigned vessels will be permitted to visit in the near future.
Life from lifelessness?
On the Bird-of-Prey, Kruge and his most trusted officers, Maltz and Torg, view the data on Project Genesis. The Klingons are impressed by the power, but Kruge bristles at the idea of the Federation making new planets for themselves. He resolves to travel to Genesis and seize whatever information he can. Kruge regards what he calls the "Genesis torpedo" as a powerful weapon, not a means of creating life.
USS Grissom, with Lt. Saavik and Dr. David Marcus aboard, arrives at Genesis and begins exploring. During the initial scans of the planet's biosphere, its sensors discover Spock's casket on the surface harboring a lifeform that they cannot identify. Saavik and David Marcus tries to convince Captain J.T. Esteban to allow them to beam down and investigate closer. Due to the sensitive nature of Genesis, Esteban keeps Starfleet in the loop with their every move. However, he reluctantly permits them to beam down and check it out.
Kirk reviews the Battle in the Mutara Nebula.
At Kirk's apartment in San Francisco on Earth, he, Sulu, Chekov and Uhura toast "absent friends". Kirk reveals that the Enterprise is to be decomissioned. McCoy is sedated at home, apparently suffering "exhaustion", and promised he would behave himself. A sound at the door is anticipated to be Scotty, but instead it is Sarek, who demands a word alone with Kirk. Sarek is upset that Kirk did not follow what would have been Spock's final wishes, but Kirk is unaware of any particular request Spock would have made, and had no contact with him in the immediate moment of his death. Sarek believed Kirk would hold Spock's katra, his living spirit, but after a mind meld, Sarek does not find it - since they were on opposite sides of a wall, Spock would not have been able to meld with him. Sarek dejectedly says that, since the katra was not passed to Kirk, all of Spock is lost and turns to leave.
Before he reaches the door, Kirk asks him to stay, since he knows that, if the katra is as important as Sarek suggests, one way or another, Spock would have found some way to save it. After reviewing surveillance tapes at the time of Spock's death, they find out that it was Dr. McCoy that received his katra. Although it will be difficult, Kirk swears he will get Spock's body back and return him and Dr. McCoy to Vulcan so they can find peace.
The search is on.
Back at Genesis, Saavik and David transport down to conduct a closer examination of the unidentified lifeform. The duo discovers them to be an evolved form of microbe that had been present on the casket's surface when it was launched from the Enterprise. Opening the casket, they are puzzled to find Spock's body missing entirely, although they recover the burial robe. Before the scientists can speculate further, they are interrupted by what sounds like somebody screaming in the distance, and Saavik and Dr. Marcus set off to find the source.
Act Two[]
"The word is no. I am therefore going anyway."
Kirk's attempt to get the Enterprise back runs afoul of Admiral Morrow. Despite Kirk's plea, Morrow does not give him back Enterprise, and explicitly orders him not to return to Genesis, warning him, as a friend, to stop obsessing over this or it will ruin his career. Kirk determines to do it anyway, and with the help of his crew, puts his plan into work. However, the plan is nearly thwarted before it begins when Dr. McCoy, influenced by the katra, is arrested by Federation Security while attempting to charter a civilian ship to Genesis, independent of his shipmates' efforts. Kirk and Sulu are forced to rescue the doctor. In the process they assault Federation personnel and the trio barely escape from the brig.
Despite being reassigned to Excelsior, Scotty has been secretly making essential repairs to the Enterprise in addition to slaving the ship's controls to the main bridge. The Captain of the Excelsior, Captain Styles makes an offhanded remark to Scotty about looking forward to breaking the speed records of the Enterprise, which doesn't sit well with Scotty at all. Uhura accepts a post as a transporter operator in San Francisco, with the covert task of beaming Kirk and company aboard the Enterprise at the required moment. Kirk and his crew (minus Uhura, who makes her way directly to Vulcan) rendezvous aboard the Enterprise, which is still docked within spacedock.
"Someone is stealing the Enterprise!"
Scotty has set up an automation system to allow the Enterprise to be controlled by just a few people. Although Kirk cannot ask his friends to go further, and that only he and McCoy must continue, Sulu, Chekov and Scotty hear none of it and insist on joining the flight. Unable to stop the Enterprise from opening the bay doors in Spacedock, the Excelsior is ordered to pursue. Styles sends a message to Kirk threatening him that if he goes through with this he will never sit in a captain's chair again. Kirk considers this but refuses to give up on Spock. Styles prepares to send the Excelsior into transwarp to intercept the Enterprise as soon as it goes to warp. However, due to sabotage carried out by Scotty on its transwarp computer drive, the ExcelsiorTemplate:'s transwarp drive fails to activate and comes to a rough halt as the Enterprise escapes at warp speed. Meanwhile aboard the Enterprise Scotty hands McCoy a handful of parts from Excelsior's transwarp drive computer, as a souvenir "from one surgeon to another". Commenting on the excellent work, Kirk jokes that he will recommend his crew for promotions..."in whatever fleet we end up serving."
The Vulcan child.
Unaware of events back in the Sol system, Saavik and Dr. Marcus locate a young Vulcan boy and conclude that it is Spock, somehow regenerated by the same process that created the Genesis planet. Captain Esteban, is reluctant to permit Spock to be beamed aboard the Grissom immediately, and would prefer to contact Starfleet Command to receive instructions. This turns out to be fortuitous; shortly afterward, Kruge's Bird-of-Prey arrives. USS Grissom is unintentionally destroyed by a "lucky shot" from the ship's gunner. Kruge is furious, as he had desired to take the science ship, and its data, intact, and the crew as prisoners. Kruge summarily executes the gunner, vaporizing him with his disruptor. Torg points out to Kruge that there are life signs on the planet and surmises that it is a landing party, which pleases Kruge. Now marooned on the surface and in danger of being captured, Saavik, Dr. Marcus, and Spock flee to more defensible ground.
The cruise of Enterprise to the Genesis planet goes well. As Kirk asks for a scan ahead for any vessels around Genesis, Dr. McCoy, who is at the science station, gives an impression of Spock while reporting that they have not detected any vessels around Genesis yet, to Kirk's amusement.
Vulcan mating season.
Kruge and several members of his crew beam to the surface of the Genesis planet to pursue the surviving crew of the Grissom. Saavik finally finds out why the Genesis planet is changing so rapidly: David had used protomatter in the Genesis device, a substance known to be unstable. The Genesis planet is not likely to remain stable for very long, and it is causing the rapid evolution of the lifeforms on the planet as well as making Spock age rapidly. As night falls on the planet, David guards the location where he, Saavik and Spock are hiding. Spock, now aged to adolescence, begins to experience pon farr. Saavik determines that the only way Spock will make it through this portion of his accelerated growth would be for her to mate with him.
Act Three[]
Sitting ducks.
As Enterprise enters orbit around the Genesis planet, they briefly detect a ship, but it vanishes. They scan the planet, looking for life on it, and attempt to hail the Grissom. Meanwhile, as day breaks at their hiding place, David, Saavik and Spock are captured by the Klingons. Kruge demands to know the secrets of the Genesis Project, but neither David nor Saavik are forthcoming, and tell Kruge that the project was a failure. Shortly after, Kruge returns to his Bird-of-Prey to confront the Enterprise. As they sneak closer, Kirk and Sulu notice spatial distortions caused by the Bird-of-Prey's cloaking device. As soon as the Klingon vessel decloaks, Enterprise reflexively fires two photon torpedoes, both hitting. The advantage proves short-lived however as, after the initial shock of being hit, the Klingons swiftly regain control of their vessel and bear down on the Enterprise. Chekov tries to raise the EnterpriseTemplate:'s shields, but finds the system non-responsive, and Scotty reports that the automation system is overloading under the strain of the unexpected combat situation. The Bird-of-Prey fires one plasma charge, which strikes The Enterprise near the Bridge, causing a series of internal explosions. The crew recovers and Kirk orders return fire; before Scotty can do so though, the helm console sparks and bursts into flames, and Scotty grimly informs Kirk that the automation system has been destroyed by the Klingon blast. The Enterprise is dead in space.
"You Klingon bastards, you've killed my son..."
Kirk hails the Bird-of-Prey, demanding that they surrender within two minutes or face destruction. Kruge determines that Enterprise is less of a threat than Kirk is letting on, and calls Kirk's bluff, ordering him to turn over all information he has on the "Genesis torpedo". He reveals that he has prisoners on the surface. Both David and Saavik speak to Kirk by communicator, and Saavik reveals that Spock is with them, alive. David says that he can't believe that Kruge would kill them for Genesis, since the project was a failure. Kruge challenges that by ordering his men on the surface to kill any one of the prisoners. One of the men stalks behind with his d'k tahg knife unsheathed. He chooses Saavik. However, as he rears back to sink the blade into the Vulcan's back, David jumps backward and attacks the Klingon. Thoroughly outmatched physically, David is knocked down and stabbed through the heart, while both Spock and Saavik do nothing. On board, Kirk hears Saavik pass the news of David's death.
The death of Enterprise.
Distraught over the death of his son, Kirk breaks down, then surrenders. Kruge gives Kirk two minutes to prepare to be boarded. Kirk responds by activating Enterprise's auto-destruct mechanism, with the help of Scotty and Chekov. He chooses Mode 0, the dereliction mode, then quickly beams to the Genesis planet's surface. As they beam off, a boarding party from the Bird-of-Prey—which is everyone left on-board the vessel except for Maltz and Kruge—beams onto the Enterprise. Torg radios to Kruge that the ship appears to be abandoned, which Kruge refuses to believe, suggesting they are hiding. Kruge hears the computer counting down in the background, and realizing what Kirk has done, shouts to Torg in a panic to get everyone out of there. Shortly thereafter, the auto-destruct detonates and a massive explosion tears apart the bridge module, instantly killing the Klingon boarding party. As the Bird-of-Prey withdraws to a safe distance, multitudes of small charges destroy the hull of the Enterprise section by section, and finally larger charges then blow up most of the saucer section and knock the lifeless hull out of orbit, where it burns up helplessly in the Genesis planet's atmosphere while Kirk, McCoy, Sulu, Chekov and Scotty watch from below. The USS Enterprise is no more.
Kirk observes Armageddon.
Sulu detects lifeforms only a few kilometers away, and more worryingly that the planet's structure is beginning to totally destabilize. The Enterprise crew finds Saavik, Spock and David's body, and swiftly dispose of the Klingons guarding them. Kirk taunts Kruge, who is mourning his crew, as a way to goad him into beaming them aboard the ship before the Planet destroys itself. Kruge beams down to the planet instead and holds them all at gunpoint, ordering Maltz to beam up Sulu, Chekov, Scotty, McCoy, and Saavik, but leaving Kirk and Spock. Kruge and Kirk fight; Kruge is prepared to kill himself in the battle. The two eventually end up on a cliff-side overlooking a lava stream, and Kruge nearly falls to his death when part of the cliff breaks off. Kirk offers to save Kruge's life, but he tries to drag Kirk into the chasm along with him, and Kirk finally declares that he has had enough of the Klingon and kicks him off the side of the cliff, where he meets a fiery death in a lava stream below. Kirk retrieves Spock, who is now unconscious but back to around the physical age he was when he died, and tricks Maltz into beaming him on board the Bird-of-Prey by impersonating Kruge. Maltz, the last remaining member of its crew, surrenders, and Kirk orders him to fly them to safety, but Maltz is content to let the ship be destroyed when the planet below explodes. Scotty figures out the Klingon systems, and they set a course for Vulcan as the Genesis planet finally blows itself apart.
The needs of the one.
The Bird-of-Prey lands near Mount Seleya, where it is greeted by Sarek and Uhura. A ceremony is then officiated by the Vulcan priestess T'Lar, who determines that Spock, indeed, is alive. Sarek, stating that his logic is uncertain as far as his son is concerned, requests that Spock's katra be reintegrated with its body in the fal-tor-pan ceremony. McCoy agrees to this despite being warned that there are risks involved. In a brief ceremony, T'Lar initiates a mind meld with Spock and McCoy, and succeeds in restoring Spock's soul. Afterwards, Sarek thanks Kirk, acknowledging him for all he's done for his son, and sending his condolences about Kirk's son's death.
Spock rises and approaches his crewmates. He briefly engages in a conversation with Kirk, as if attempting to piece together his memory. In the end, he gives Kirk his name: "Jim. Your name... is Jim." At this, Kirk smiles. Spock looks back to Dr. McCoy, who regards him knowingly, as the rest of the Enterprise crew approaches their resurrected friend overjoyed.
"...and the Adventure continues..."