10 Most Uplifting Star Trek Moments

2. Kirk Is Demoted - But Gets The Enterprise A - Voyage Home

Kirk Enterprise A
Paramount

Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home is the most fun of all of the Trek movies. It has action and comedy, it has heart and it has drama. Kirk gets the girl. Spock swims with Whales and McCoy, well, McCoy gets to school some primitive doctors on their craft.

Honestly, this film alone could make an entire list of uplift moments. The hospital scene is among the best that Trek has ever offered. But, call it sentimentality, the closing sequence of the film never fails to get a rise.

The crew stand on trial for their very legitimate crimes from the previous film. They sabotaged the Excelsior! But, they did it with heart. Then, on the way home, they threw the odds in their favour by saving the planet. Again. So, everything looks rosy. However, one charge is not dropped, that of disobeying the orders of a superior. Kirk may be an Admiral, but we all answer to somebody. As a result of this, his rank is stripped and he is demoted.

But.

Admiral Kirk would have had to return to a desk job at Starfleet headquarters. Captain Kirk is free of that responsibility and is returned to the role he should never have left. With a smile that would melt a Vulcan, he accepts the command of a starship as punishment for his crimes. A slow pan and a cheeky tease later, his shuttle rises above the dome of the Excelsior and the brand new, wrinkle free USS Enterprise NCC-1701-A rises into view. Its soaring. Its warming. Its Star Trek.

In this post: 
Star Trek
 
First Posted On: 
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"