Star Trek II - IV: The Spock Trilogy - 10 Things You Never Knew

8. Star Trek II: The Director Wanted Starfleet To Be An Actual Military Service

Enterprise Vs Reliant Star Trek Ii Wrath Of Khan
Paramount

The Wrath of Khan had the largest Trek battle in the franchise to that point as the Enterprise and the Reliant engage in a dogfight in the Mutara Nebula. This came from Nicholas Meyer wanting to show the military capability of the Starfleet crew. Here was a group of veterans being threatened by a man who, while genetically superior, was nowhere near as experienced as them. Phasers were fired and parts of both ships exploded, killing many on both sides. Fires rage through torpedo bays and beams fall from bridge ceilings.

This was exciting Trek in a way that hadn't been shown before. The Motion Picture had opted for admittedly beautiful artistic shots but very little energy. The Original Series had always been hampered by its budget and so nothing on this skill could have been attempted. With the reuse of some shots from the previous film and the creation of new fly-bys, the Wrath of Khan remains one of the most striking films in the franchise.

And of course, Spock's sacrifice. While the ship has been almost crippled by Khan, and the Genesis device counts down, Nimoy gets his wish and Spock heroically sacrifices himself to save the ship. But, there was an issue. Nimoy requested Spock's death and then changed his mind. But the script had been written. So, a teaser ending was shot, showing Spock's casket resting on the surface of the newly created Genesis planet. Could we be seeing a return of the beloved character?

Contributor
Contributor

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"