10 Star Trek Re-Shoots That Totally Changed The Ending

3. Star Trek: The Motion Picture - Spock's Spacewalk

Kirk Spock Truster Pack V'ger Star Trek—The Motion Picture
CBS/Paramount

In Star Trek: The Motion Picture, Spock arrives on the Enterprise having attempted the Kohlinar ceremony. This is aimed at purging all emotion, though the vast consciousness of V'Ger overcomes him, leading him to leave Vulcan and return to service. For much of the film's runtime, Spock is cold and distant to his crewmates.

This changes after his spacewalk scene, wherein he encounters the heart of V'Ger. The original version of the scene paints V'Ger in a far more villainous light than the audience actually received in the final ending. Kirk, fearing for his friend, follows him out, only to be attacked by various elements of V'Ger's sensor probes. This version of the scene was deemed problematic, and it was reshot to what finally appears in the film.

This then serves the dual purpose of helping the film's pacing and removing some of V'Ger's villainy. Subsequently, the finale, which sees V'Ger merge with Decker, becomes a more wonderous moment - two being evolving together - than a Human triumph over a cold machine. The film is far better for it.

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Seán is the host and head writer/presenter for TrekCulture, as well as a writer/presenter on WhoCulture and WhatCulture Horror. He has authored two novels, dozens of short stories, and hundreds of articles for WhatCulture. He holds a Master of Arts in Creative Writing from University College Dublin. As part of his work with TrekCulture, Seán has been invited to participate in collaborations with Roddenberry Entertainment, as well as contributing to several Star Trek community projects. An avid fan of Star Trek, Doctor Who, and the horror genre at large, Seán's expertise has helped develop these channels to the successes they are today. As host of the Ups & Downs series on TrekCulture, Seán has become internationally recognised for his positive yet critically informed approach to reviewing every episode of modern Star Trek, ensuring he is one of the go-to voices in the Trek community. Favourite Quote to describe himself: "I'm serious about what I do, just not always about the way that I do it"