10 Famous Characters Who Acted Totally Out Of Character In Sequels

2. Spock - Star Trek Into Darkness

Keeping in mind that JJ Abrams' Star Trek film series takes place in some semblance of the same universe as the Original Series, a similar case can be made for Benedict Cumberbatch's Khan Noonien Singh in this year's Star Trek Into Darkness. After all, it's kind of difficult to picture the wilful, fearless fallen emperor seen in Wrath of Khan and the earlier TV episode Space Seed working alongside Captain Kirk or agreeing to play a pawn in Starfleet's warmongering scheme, isn't it? But in the name of sanity let's keep this entry contained to the Abrams series. With that in mind, what's Spock playing at? With the obvious exception aside, there is nobody on Earth more perfect for the role of Spock than Zachary Quinto €“ criticisms of the post-2009 films have been levelled on many aspects but rarely on his portrayal. Quinto effortlessly carries the mantel of what is essentially an out-of-space Sherlock Holmes into the 21st century, suitably cold, calculated and emotionless - often at the behest and irritation of his fellow crew mates. Spock keeps his instinctual, emotional human side resiliently suppressed at all times, even in the face of impending death. But there comes a moment in Star Trek Into Darkness in which Spock behaves so out of character that it is nothing short of jarring to anyone au fait with the franchise beyond its recent reboot. This is a symptom of the film's lumbering fixation on homage €“ you already know which moment I'm talking about. 'KHAAAAN!' Yes, the "death" of James T. Kirk. Reticent to leave out the immortal bellow from 1982's Wrath of Khan, Spock is marched uncharacteristically into a seething, raging tirade, baying for Khan's blood and leaving all logic and sense at the door as he descends on the fleeing villain. This is the man who, not an hour of screen time earlier, delivered a stoic, eerily moving speech on how he must rein in his emotions for his own good. He kept a relatively level head when his home planet was destroyed and his mother was killed, ditto when he was about to be reduced to barbecue meat inside an erupting volcano. I don't want to negate Spock's bond with Kirk, but his response in this instance is akin to having Batman blow a guy's brains out with a revolver, or Captain America dropping an F-bomb. It's just not him.