Thursday, September 8, 2016

Happy 50th Anniversay Star Trek!!!





Well...it has finally come. Behold...the 50th anniversary of...

 Yup! That's right! As of today, September 8th, 2016 Star Trek is now 50 years old! I remember growing up and having no idea what this franchise was about. Who is Captain Kirk and why is there a pointy eared elf that doesn't smile? How little did I know it would end up having such a strong impact on my life and end up with me investing a lot of my time in this particular blog?

As of this date, fans everywhere are celebrating in their own way what Star Trek means to them and I certainly am going to drink to this great show in a few hours (after looking at some stats first...yay math...if only Spock were here to help me).

On September 1966, the world was introduced to Captain Kirk, Spock, Dr. McCoy and the rest of the crew of the Starship Enterprise. There has never been a show like this before and will never be one just like it again. It not only marked the beginning of a true space opera on television, but it also marked the beginning of a major multi-racial crew. An Asian man steering the ship, a Russian ensign navigator (mind you this is during the height of the Cold War), a Scottish engineer, an African-American communications officer, a country doctor, a galant captain and an alien! Creator Gene Roddenberry had a vision that gave a 1960's world hope that we would survive the struggle of poverty, racism, war, disease and greed into the 23rd century and beyond! Not many people understood it's importance, but it came to be an icon that the whole world would know about down the line.

After three years, NBC cancelled Star Trek and the franchise was thought to be dead, until they started airing reruns as well as coming up with an animated series starring the voices of the original crew. This spawned 13 motion pictures, 4 television spinoffs (not counting the Animated Series as I had already mentioned that), and many comics, books, games and conventions! 

With the release of Star Trek Beyond this year and the exciting news of the up and coming Star Trek: Discovery in 2017, things are looking bright not only for this franchise, but for the fans and newcomers alike. Live long and prosper!

WHAT IS YOUR FONDEST MEMORY ABOUT STAR TREK? DO YOU REMEMBER HOW YOU STARTED TO BECOME A FAN, IF EVER? I'D LOVE TO KNOW IN THE COMMENTS BELOW! 

Thursday, August 18, 2016

Nichelle Nichols (African Diversity in Trek)


The main reason why Star Trek has held up for as long as it did is because we all want to believe that the human race makes it out of the current state we live in. With war, poverty, disease, greed and Trump in the foreground of our future, it's good to know that it's possible to live past this. Having the technology to travel through the stars, communicating with a dozen species and traveling with friends in space is something I couldn't imagine if it wasn't for Star Trek.

Many people find Star Trek to be boring, especially before J.J. Abrams took over with his view of the franchise. This is because it's not all about the action, suspense and war, but about family, friendship, togetherness and us living in a world together as one. Sure Trek has it's share of villains and action-the Borg are a perfect example-but what makes this franchise standout is what the goal of it's all about: exploring our galaxy together and beating poverty.

Not only is Star Trek the first show on television to really give us a utopian view of the future, but it's also a milestone starring a multi-ethic cast of actors. During the 1960s, the Cold War began and then of course Vietnam. People needed hope and looked to television to entertain them during this time of crisis, a lot like television does for us today during our current world struggles. Nichelle Nichols, an African actress with a talent for singing and acting, is perhaps the one lead in the cast to have faced the most problems in the role. 

Beautiful much? Nichelle Nichols as Lt. Uhura
In the third season of the show, Captain Kirk (William Shatner) shares the first interracial kiss with Lieutenant Uhura (Nichelle Nichols) and the only way for the sensor to allow this, was if the characters were under the influence of an alien power so as not to be solely out of love as this would infuriate the studio. According to the website Memory Alpha, the scene "was, at the behest of NBC executives worried that Southern affiliates might refuse to air the episode, filmed with and without the kiss, but Nichols and Shatner consciously sabotaged the non-kiss takes so that there would be no choice but to leave the kiss in the final version." So, it ended up in the episode and thus history was made in the future...if you get what I mean. Nichelle dealt with a ton of racism from the studio when she learned "studio executives were withholding her fantail" during the first seasons of the show. The fact that she had a major fanbase was unheard for an African-American in society. She was set to leave after the first season, but was convinced to stay afterwards when she was told that her role was "too important a cultural impact to leave." The person? Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. She pushed through it and left a lasting impression on many Africans to pursue a careers in acting, namely Whoopi Goldberg and LeVar Burton. 

Not only does Dr. King give her this ever-lasting advice, he also says to her that Star Trek "is the only show that [his] wife Coretta and I allow my children to watch-to stay up and watch." How awesome would it be if your hero, one who speaks up for you and demands equality, walks up to you telling you to continue playing a role that has left so many impressions on people?! In the video below, courtesy of the Archive of American Television, you can watch Nichelle's personal experience with Dr. King and how she is persuaded and convinced to stay on the show.


The benefit of making a science-fiction production, is that you can indirectly address issues currently affecting our society. As stated earlier, interracial marriages and relationships were looked down upon in the 1960s America. That is not to say that relationships did not exist, but it was simply not talked about. Let's not forget about segregation in America. With the experience Nichelle Nichols has, through the tough times and the bleak occurrences, she can now live with being one that so many look up to in entertainment. Brining it all back to Star Trek, creator Gene Roddenberry pushed the boundaries with what was accepted in television and stopped at nothing to ensure that not only Nichelle, but the entire cast got respect to the best of his ability. There are bumps along the way and of course even today as stated earlier we still have issues, but what started in the 60s pushed through and now we have a new Star Trek cast of diversity. Live long and Prosper! 



Nichelle taking a break between shoot









DO YOU THINK STAR TREK WAS A MAJOR IMPACT FOR AFRICAN-AMERICANS ON TELEVISION? WOULD YOU HAVE STAYED ON THE SHOW DEALING WITH RACISM? COMMENT BELOW AND LET ME KNOW YOUR THOUGHTS! THANKS FOR READING!

Sources:

Quotes on Nichelle Nichols:
Memory Alpha 

Image of Uhura at her station:
Star Trek.com

Video Courtesy of
Archive of American Television

Uhura on bike courtesy of:
Huffington Post
Nichelle Nichols On Having First Major Black Female TV Role And That First Interracial Kiss On ‘Star Trek’

Thursday, August 11, 2016

Star Trek: Discovery (The New Series)


I'm so glad that Star Trek is retuning to the small screen! With the announcement that the series head is one that previous wrote and produced epos des of Star Trek in the past-Bryan Fuller-it's safe to say that the Trek we've come to know and love is going to make a return with...


Star Trek has always been meant for the television screen. Don't get me wrong, I love the films with a passion, but in order to see characters grow, having them on weekly basis is the way to go. Plus you can focus on certain characters that two hours just wouldn't be able to cut. That's why the films by JJ Abrams don't have much space to breath in between each other. They are motion pictures, which come out ever four years or so. It's hard to capture the feel of the old school Trek if we only have so much time to watch them grow. Sure, you can take a look at the comics and novels showcasing their adventures between films, but it's not enough if you're just an average movie goer who doesn't follow the material or side stories between films.

As of today, August 11th, Bryan Fuller announced that Star Trek: Discovery will "bridge the gap between Enterprise and the original series." This means that the Prime universe will return. For those of you unfamiliar with what I'm referring to when I say "prime", I mean the universe of Trek that existed before J.J. Abrams' reinvention of the franchise. I'll get into my thoughts on JJ's interpretation in a moment, but now I want to discuss the new direction this show will go than any has before. First, it's going to "absolutely have a gay character" as stated by Fuller. Star Trek has never really been the focus on such diversity other than a small hint of it in the current film Star Trek Beyond where Sulu has a male lover. This is something fresh and new especially seeing that this franchise has been around for 50 years.






The new ship is unlike anything we've seen before and was met with mixed reactions. Upon seeing it, I was a bit surprised and underwhelmed as well, but I may grow to like it. Change isn't always a bad thing. Some say the same thing about these new films.

While I love the new films, they are not really what Star Trek has been about from the beginning. It's not about action, war and suspense. Sure, we have gotten more than a handful of that even before JJ, but it's also about the human condition; how we've managed to survive all these years into the future and have beaten disease, poverty and greed. Sure, we deal with different species in the show that still have the traits we have today, but they are not us as they are different beings (and we also need conflict for entertainment purposes), but you get what I'm trying to tell you. Friendship, family and togetherness and exploring the unknown is in the heart of Trek. This is what makes it so different from Star Wars, which I love to death as well. I feel this is going to return to what Trek is all about.

The new series is going to hit the airwaves with a 2-hour premiere on CBS and then head to CBS All Access for the remaining 12 episodes. Oddly enough, only outside of North America will the show be on Netflix. It seems the market doesn't feel they can really profit on people using their new app, and what with a high percentage of Star Trek fans are in the U.S. it appears they are banking on us to get their All Access program, but you can all read my rant on what I think about that in my previous blogs.

In conclusion, we should all stay optimistic and excited that Star Trek continues to remain relevant in our society no matter what form it's in. Live long and prosper!




ARE YOU EXCITED FOR THE NEW SERIES AS IT GETS CLOSER AND CLOSER TO RELEASE? WHAT DO YOU FEEL ABOUT IT TAKING PLACE BEFORE KIRK AND SPOCK? LET ME KNOW IN THE COMMENTS BELOW!




Sources:

Selected Quotes from:
-Star Trek: Discovery: 'Prime' Setting, Gay Character, Heavy Alien Presence and 11 More Spoilers 
About CBS Reboot

-Star Trek: Discovery logo
Memory Alpha

Video courtesy of 
moviemaniacsDE

Spock GIF
startrekgifs.tumblr.com

Sunday, July 31, 2016

Star Trek Beyond




Star Trek Beyond is here! After three long years and a mess of different directors/writers setting this film up, as of July 22nd, 2016 it's here! Starring Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto and the rest of the intrepid crew of the Starship Enterprise, J.J. Abrams steps out of the director's chair and gives the reigns to Fast & Furious director Justin Lin.

Although I've never been the biggest fan of J.J. Abram's version of Star Trek (seeing as he's not a fan of Trek and more into Star Wars), I've come to get used to this interpretation and I'm left intrigued to see what our young gallant crew has been up to since 2013. Now, Star Trek in it's best form is on television, so in between the films all we really get to show the progress of the crew is through comics and novels. There really isn't much to help us with what exactly going on.

If you're looking for something that has a ton of action, little time for story and a wide range of breathtaking effects, than this movie is for you! Having established the crew of the Enterprise in the last two films, we are now ready to see them during their five year mission into space and when something goes horribly wrong during a rescue mission, our crew is left to fend for themselves while trying to escape the desolate world.

Now, I've only seen the film once and it was during a midnight screening where I was excited but honestly found myself nodding off a bit. It was a long day at work for me where I had to work two jobs and didn't get out until around 11. So, here I am, in Hollywood waiting on my friend and then once the film starts, I find myself nodding off in and out. This is so unlike me! But I am awake through a large majority of the film. I need to see the movie again and certainly will.

Happy 50th Anniversary Star Trek!


Saturday, April 2, 2016

Into Reboot?


I'd like to share my thoughts on the rebooted Star Trek films created by J.J. Abrams. With the box office failure of Star Trek Nemesis, Paramount took a step back from the franchise and let the air settle. In 2005, the prequel series, Star Trek: Enterprise was cancelled. With nowhere else to go, the head of the franchise, Rick Berman, decided to come up with Star Trek: The Beginning. Nothing came of it and Paramount decided to scrap the idea and for the first time since the show's cancellation in 1969, Star Trek was dead.
Upon first reading about this, I was furious and sad. I remember telling my dad, "So, Star Trek is no more." He responded with optimism and didn't really believe that. "It's not dead, it's just going to take a while before they can come up with something new."

Chris Pine (l) as Kirk and Zachary Quinto as Spock
Four years later, Star Trek made a come back on the big screen taking us back to the adventures of Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock. A story focusing on the background of how these two friends meet is something never before seen it Trek and is the right approach to making something even general movie goers to be aware of. In 1991, producer Harve Bennett had the idea for a rebooted story after the failure of Star Trek V, but his idea was scrapped when Paramount wanted to have one last film starring the cast of the original 60s show in time for the show's 25th anniversary. J.J. continued his idea and made this film. This new take was going to take place in an alternate reality and star the characters from the original show but when they are much younger and their first adventure into space. 


Leonard Nimoy returns as Mr. Spock

Seven young and talented actors stepped into the role with approval from each member of the original cast with the exception of the late James Doohan (1920-2005) and DeForest Kelley (1920-1999). Chris Pine stars as Captain Kirk; Zachary Quinto (Heroes) stars as Mr. Spock; Karl Urban (Dredd) is Dr. McCoy and even Simon Pegg (Hot Fuzz, Shawn of the Dead) stars as the new Mr. Scott. You can look up the rest of the cast members here and they are all wonderful. Not only do they look much like younger versions of all the actors, but they don't play them for laughs. Pine doesn't mimic William Shatner's speech patterns and the entire cast does an outstanding job. I would have to say, however, the I am most impressed with Urban's portrayal of Bones. The best! Joining them in the film would be villain Nero, played by the great Eric Bana and a much extended cameo by Leonard Nimoy. Well, he's a little more than just a cameo but he is also not in the film a great deal. The scene with his Nimoy's Spock and Quinto's Spock is unforgettable. A way of passing the old to the new so to speak. Keep an eye out for Winona Ryder as Spock's mother, Amanda Grayson.
 
Both films, Star Trek and Star Trek Into Darkness are quite good in their own light. However, I wouldn't call them Star Trek movies, I would rather just call them action movies that happen to include the name Star Trek in them with elements of what came before. Many of my friends, including myself enjoy these movies and find themselves enjoying Trek a great deal more. I tell my friends to start with these films and then go back to check out what has come before. Maybe that could start them to enjoy a totally new world of Trek.

Now, J.J. Abrams is known for his particular style of directing. He loves using trademarks such as lens flair, shaky camera work and cameos of people he has worked with. Everyone does that, and I have no problem with it. The only thing I have a problem in these new films, is the lack of character development and slow scenes. He feels the need to keep the camera moving at all times even when it doesn't call for it. I can understand that before this film, Star Trek in general had a negative wrap for slow scenes and such, but even movies and films most people enjoy include them. Here, there are too little and too few. I feel like he's trying to make this into more of a Star Wars movie, and that doesn't work. Just because they have the name "Star" in them doesn't mean they are anything alike. At the same time, I do enjoy this re-branding for what it is. I highly recommend it for newcomers of the world of Trek. Including Leonard Nimoy was an awesome touch as a way to link the old with the new. 

For me, if you are someone that is new to Trek, I would highly recommend starting with these new films. They are easy to follow, don't suffer from continuity and feature the young actors of today. Just be aware that if you plan on going backwards to previous productions, it won't be anything like this. They will be far more story-driven and personal. Either way, enjoy and as Morpheus said, "...You have to see it for yourself."

UNTIL NEXT TIME MY FRIENDS!

What are your thoughts on the Star Trek reboots? Do you think J.J. took Trek in the right direction and that it brought new life into a dying franchise? Let me know in the comments below!



Sources:

Kirk and Spock: Google Search

Spock: Screencaps.com

Enterprise warpingrelatingwithme.tumblr.com

Sunday, March 20, 2016

Trekking Back to Television

I've been told that a new Star Trek series is in the works and it won't be related to the J.J. Trek films! My reaction? YES! OH YEAH! YEAH BUDDY! WELCOME BACK STAR TREK! WE MISSED YOU!!!! That being said, I am optimistic and look forward to whatever the producers do with this new concept!

Since the cancellation of Star Trek: Enterprise in 2005, it's been over ten years since Trek was on television. Since that time, we've only had two films, fan fiction and a wonderful show called Star Trek Continues, which is a fan-made series based on adventures of the 60s show. With much speculation and finally confirmation, the new series will hit screens on January 2017 in honor of Star Trek's 50th anniversary.


 
Bryan Fuller on the set of Voyager.

The cast is not confirmed as of this stage, however there are a few veterans with previous Trexperience (haha totally made that word up) working behind it. Nicholas Meyer, director of both Star Trek II and VI is on board as writer and well-known producer Bryan Fuller is labeled as the show's creator. Fuller is no stranger to Trek, as he wrote many episodes for Star Trek: Voyager and Deep Space Nine. Ever since 2009, before the rebooted film, he has been a runner up and expressed interest in doing a new series. Taken from an article in Science Fiction World.net Fuller says, "I told my agent and told the people of J.J. Abrams' team I want to create another Star Trek series and have an idea that I'm kicking around. I would love to return to the spirit of the old series with the colors and attitude. I loved Voyager and Deep Space Nine, but they seem to have lost the '60s fun and I would love to take it back to its origin." Roddenberry's son, Eugene Roddenberry will also have a hand as producer for the new series. From what I understand, CBS is going to air the pilot on their station and then release a season on All Access.

I am mostly looking forward to a return to form in Star Trek. Although the J.J. Abrams aka Abramsverse of Trek is highly successful and brought a whole new cult following with fresh energy and storytelling, it lacks the heart of what Star Trek is about. With explosions, fights and battles with little backbone, these movies appeal more to the general audiences, which I totally get. You can't have a theatrical film and target only the fans. You need to open a broader range and I understand that. I just wish there was more Trek in it, because without that, it's what makes it just a simple action movie. I love the movies, but just as action movies. The first movie was great but the second just relied too much on what came before and rehashed it with only too much action.


So, now that you read my thoughts on the new series, what do you think? Are you looking forward to Star Trek's return to television? Has it been too long for anyone to really care about there being a new show? Let me know in the comments below!

Sources:

Friday, March 11, 2016

Star Trek Timelines


There's a new, quite addicting Star Trek game for your mobile device called Star Trek: Timelines. This is so addicting that I even find myself playing it off and on at work. It is essentially a mix between a MMORPG and a space simulator where you can create your own crew, get a ship and fight battles with enemies. Even though it's free, there are some upgrades that require you to spend money. Certain upgrades can cost as much as $100. Now, I'm a Star Trek fan but I would not spend that much on any app, no matter what it is. There are far more important things to spend that money on such as donating to charity, saving up for a bike, or going on a trip. I'm not going to lie, I was tempted to spend at least $5 but I thought about it, and figured it would only escalate higher and higher. Oh, I need an extra phaser bank! Hmmm...$30? Okay fine...Yeah, no! However, the game is fun and you should check it out! I recommend it!

Let me know what you think in the comments below!

Thursday, March 10, 2016

From Here to Beyond...


With the release of Star Trek Beyond this summer, here is a short summary of all the 12 Star Trek movies. Read at your own risk as there are spoilers. However, if you plan on watching them, I would recommend you do so before reading this. Thanks!

"THE HUMAN ADVENTURE IS JUST BEGINNING."

It has been 2 1/2 years since the end of Kirk's 5-year mission. Positioned on Earth as an admiral, Kirk gets his crew back together on a refitted Enterprise to face a large entity that is headed straight for the planet. Spock, undergoing a purge of all remaining logic on Vulcan is interrupted by the cloud and ends his meditation to join his shipmates. Face to face with the cloud, and discovering it is an old NASA space probe sent centuries earlier, the Enterprise goes in and sacrifices two new crewman who then merge with the cloud thus creating a new life form. Soon after, Kirk, together again with his crew, embark on a second five year mission boldly going where no man has gone before.

The new refitted Enterprise in dry dock.







___________________________________________


"AT THE END OF THE UNIVERSE LIES THE BEGINNING OF VENGEANCE."

Now 52, Admiral Kirk faces his life no longer as the young gallant Captain he once was. Spock, now promoted to Captain of the Enterprise, conducts training missions for new cadets and has Kirk come aboard to observe the mission. Elsewhere, the U.S.S. Reliant is on search for a baron planet to test the new Genesis Device, a tool used to create life from lifelessness. Khan Noonien Singh, a genetic superman from the 1990's and abandoned by Captain Kirk 15 years earlier, is discovered and hijacks the Reliant to exact revenge on the admiral. With many casualties, Kirk commands the Enterprise and defends the ship against Khan. As a last resort, Khan engages the Genesis and once detonated, a shock wave produced by it will not only consume Reliant but also the Enterprise. Sacrificing himself to save the ship, Spock is exposed to radiation and dies. Ejected to the newly formed Genesis Planet, Spock is laid to rest as the ship heads for home.
Khan will do whatever it takes to get his revenge.









___________________________________________


"A DYING PLANET. A FIGHT FOR LIFE. THE SEARCH FOR SPOCK."

With the death of Spock and the defeat of Khan, Admiral Kirk takes the Enterprise back to spacedock for repairs. Feeling lost without his friend, Spock's father, Vulcan Ambassador Sarek, demand Kirk return the body to their home world . Stealing the Enterprise, Kirk and crew travel to the Genesis planet for Spock. Realizing that Spock has planted his memory into Dr. McCoy, both must go to Vulcan to undergo a mind transfusion. Kirk's son, finding Spock on Genesis, is killed by a group of rogue Klingons bent on taking the plans of the Genesis device for themselves. Surrendering, Kirk self-destructs the Enterprise and is stranded on the newly formed planet. After a hand-to-hand struggle with the Klingon commander, Kirk defeats him and beams off the planet, hijacking the enemy vessel and heading straight to Vulcan. The transfer is successful and Spock slowly gains back his memory.

"My God, Bones. What have I done?"






______________________________________________


"HOW ON EARTH CAN THEY SAVE THE FUTURE?"

After several months on Vulcan, and Spock's memory back to normal, Kirk and crew take the Klingon vessel to Earth to face the charges after stealing and destroying the Enterprise. En route, a probe of unknown original cuts off all power to the planet. Earth, barely able to send an emergency signal, Kirk must take his ship back in time in order for the probe to communicate. The only way to respond to the probe is for them to retrieve now extinct humpback whales and bring them back to the 23rd century. Taking a passenger from the past to help, the probe is able to talk to the whales and leaves Earth. Due to their actions, the crew of the late Enterprise have all charges dropped, save for one. Kirk is permanently demoted to Captain as a consequence yet given command of a new Enterprise. Exiting space dock, the Enterprise-A heads out to new worlds and new civilizations boldly going where no man has gone before.

The one with the whales.








___________________________________


 "ADVENTURE AND IMAGINATION WILL MEET AT THE FINAL FRONTIER."



After limping back to Earth, the new Enterprise-A undergoes repairs as Kirk, Spock and McCoy enjoy some long-awaited shore-leave. Meanwhile, on the planet Nimbus III, the " Planet of Galactic Peace", a renegade Vulcan with a special ability to free minds, leads a vast group of followers on a quest to find God. As the Enterprise is ordered to rescue the representatives on Nimbus III, it is all a ploy in order to steal a ship to the planet Sha Ka Ree at the center of the galaxy. The renegade Vulcan is discovered to be Spock's half-brother Sybok. Once reaching the planet, the being discovered is not God at all, but in fact a malevolent creature bent on escaping the world. Sybok dies to allow the Enterprise to escape and shore leave continues for the crew.

Captain Kirk with Sha Ka Ree







 
  

________________________________________


"THE BATTLE FOR PEACE HAS BEGUN."


With retirement just around the corner, the crew of the Enterprise take the their ship out one last time to escort a Klingon Chancellor to Earth for peace talks after one of the planets explodes due to poor environmental conditions. Some in the Federation, however, are against the thought of peace. After a diplomatic dinner, the Enterprise seems to fire on the ship and beams two officers aboard to assassinate the Chancellor. With a trial on hand at the Klingon home world, Kirk and McCoy are found guilty and taken to a penal colony for life imprisonment. Spock conducts an investigation on the Enterprise to discover who indeed is behind the assassination. Able to save Kirk and McCoy, Spock informs that Klingon Bird-of-Prey is responsible for the open fire; in addition, someone on the inside is on the Enterprise itself! Discovering that Spock's new protege is behind the sabotage, Spock mind-melds with her to get the information on the new peace talks location. Defeating the Klingon ship, Kirk and crew beam down to the talks with the help of Captain Sulu of the U.S.S. Excelsior preventing another assassination. Saving the day one last time and allowing the peace talks to go forward, the Enterprise is ordered decommissioned and Kirk takes the ship out for one last spin before retiring permanently from Starfleet.

"FIRE!"









___________________________________


"TWO CAPTAINS. ONE DESTINY."



A few months after retirement, Kirk is joined by Scotty and Chekov for the launching of the new Enterprise-B. During it's maiden voyage, the ship receives a distress call and Kirk sacrifices himself to save the crew. Years later, Captain Picard, commander of the Enterprise-D, must stop a madman from entering a space Nexus which is what attacked the Enterprise-B. Entering this mysterious world where past and future collide, Picard finds Kirk trapped there and they both confront the madman and save the galaxy but not before Kirk dies from a large fall. The crew of the Enterprise-D are stranded on the planet after a battle with Klingon's and the crew are rescued by another ship.

She went before her time...








___________________________________________


"RESISTANCE IS FUTILE"








The Borg, a race of cybernetic beings bent on assimilating every race in existence has reached Earth and it is up to Captain Picard and his Next Generation crew to stop them. Once stopped, a small ship with Borg escapes and goes through time travel. Its destination? Earth, 2063. The year warp drive is tested and first contact with the Vulcans paves the way for the entire Federation. After realizing that some of the Borg manage to beam aboard the Enterprise, Picard holds his ground and stops at nothing to protect his ship. "The line must be drawn here! This far, no further! And I WILL MAKE THEM PAY FOR WHAT THEY'VE DONE!" He exclaims. Meanwhile, a handful of crew members are on Earth trying to assure that Zephram Cochran completes his warp drive test without giving too much away so as to damage the future. On the Enterprise, Picard must face the Borg Queen, whom he deals with six years prior. With Data stopping an attack by exposing himself to organic material-as the Borg cannot survive without their organic parts-he defeats the Queen, thus defeating the Borg, and history can now be made. The warp test succeeds and the Vulcans make first contact with Earth. Upon witnessing history, the Enterprise heads back to the 24th century.

The Enterprise-E commanding the fleet








___________________________________________


"THE BATTLE FOR PARADISE HAS BEGUN."








The Enterprise cuts short welcoming a new race to the Federation and heads to the planet Ba'ku, a planet with the ability to rejuvenate anyone for a life-time. Secretly observing the mission, Data malfunctions and outs the duck blind, not only exposing Starfleet but also revealing technology never seen before to the primitive race. Asked to either retrieve Data or risk having him destroyed, Picard chooses the former option. Once safely capturing the android, things are not what they seem at this planet. Feeling that these people were never meant to be immortal, and with just 600 people, the Federation feels it has the right to take the benefit of this planet to all. Leading to a force relocation without the people even knowing it, Picard leads a rebellion to and goes against his orders for the greater good. Another race, the Son'a, want to exploit the planet's ability as well and stop at nothing to do so. Realizing that the Son'a and the Ba'ku are the same race, a truce is made and both races live once again in harmony. With the plot foiled, Captain Picard and the Enterprise head off into space.

Leaving orbit of the planet Ba'ku.








___________________________________________


"A GENERATION'S FINAL JOURNEY BEGINS."








After a celebration of a newly promoted and newly married Captain Riker and Deanna Troi, Captain Picard faces changes in his career and how things must move on. Meanwhile, the Romulan senate is assassinated due to a coup d'état and a new praetor has taken control, only he is not a Romulan, but rather a clone of Captain Picard himself! On a ploy for peace, the Enterprise is lured into a trap and Praetor Shinzon will stop at nothing to ensure the death of his original. Sacrificing himself to save the Enterprise, Data destroys Shinzon's ship before it can release radiation killing all aboard both ships. With Riker, Beverly Crusher, Counselor Troi and the loss of his dear Lr. Commander Data, Picard faces change but knows that there will be something good to come out of this as Data's newly discovered counterpart has regained some of his memories.


As a last resort, Picard sets a collision course.









___________________________________ 


"THE FUTURE BEGINS."


In the 24th century, Ambassador Spock has failed to protect the planet Romulus and it has thus become destroyed. Engulfed in a blackhole, he, along with a fellow Romulan Nero, enter an alternate 23rd century. James Kirk is born while his father, George Kirk, defends his ship from Nero's attack. Years later, Kirk is at a bar in Iowa where he joins Starfleet thanks to Captain Christopher Pike. Taking a no-win scenario test, he cheats much to the chagrin of Spock, who creates the program. In a court martial for Kirk's actions, Starfleet discovers that Vulcan is under attack and Pike takes command of the Enterprise in the emergency. Facing Nero's ship in a direct attack, Pike is taking prisoner and Vulcan gets destroyed. As Kirk is becoming impulsive, he is forced off the Enterprise and ejected to Delta Vega, where he discovers Spock Prime and learns of his destiny. Once defeating Nero, Kirk is captain of the Enterprise and sets off to the stars.

Enterprise embarking on a new beginning.









 ___________________________________



"DARKNESS IS COMING."


On a bid to save a planet from destruction, Captain Kirk violates the Prime Directive and exposes the Enterprise to the people of Nibiru, a primitive people with no technology. Once returning to Earth, Spock reports Kirk, thus causing him to lose his ship. Suddenly, on a mission to stop a madman after destroying a facility in England, and losing his mentor Christopher Pike to a terrorist attack on the Federation, Kirk regains command of his ship to hunt down this killer. With 72 new torpedoes on his ship, Kirk discovers that each pod contains genetically modified supermen, connected to the madman who reveals himself to be Khan. Captain Kirk sacrifices himself to save the Enterprise while Spock hunts down Khan in revenge. After capturing Khan and taking him into custody, Dr. McCoy uses Khan's blood to bring Kirk back to life. With his crew alive and well, Kirk takes the Enterprise out for it's historic five-year mission. 

Departing the planet Nibiru.












 ___________________________________


Coming July 22nd...



   __________________________________________________________



Which STAR TREK film is your favorite? Do you prefer the adventures of the original crew, Next Generation or the rebooted films? Let me know in the comments below!


UNTIL NEXT TIME!

Credit:
I want to thank each and every source used for this blog, without them, it would just be a bunch of boring plot synopsis. 
  • All GIFS with the exception of Kirk must go toStarfleet ships  If you want a Tumblr page full of awesome images of ships from Star Trek, then this is the place to check out! High recommendation! 
  • GIF of Captain Kirk: Shout out to Trekgate Another great source for GIFS
  • Movie title banners:  Fanart.tv
  • J.J. Enterprise and warp effect: Endlessfacts.com