10 Deleted Movie Scenes That Explain Confusing Moments
6. Why Is Scotty So Upset About Peter's Death? - Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan
The Confusing Moment
If you've seen only the theatrical cut of Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan, you're probably wondering why Scotty (James Doohan) is so cut up about the death of engineer's mate Peter Preston (Ike Eisenmann), who dies from injuries sustained during Khan's (Ricardo Montalbán) attack on the Enterprise.
A crew member died bravely and all, but why is Scotty of all people showing so much outward emotion at this single act of sacrifice?
The Deleted Scene
The Director's Cut explains the connection between Scotty and Peter in its first act, when Scotty tells Kirk (William Shatner) that the boy is "his sister's youngest," therefore making him Scotty's nephew.
Without this information, Scotty bringing Peter to the sick bay and being so utterly struck with grief as he dies feels inconsistent with his character, but a few scant seconds of dialogue make all the difference.