James T. Kirk
From Free net encyclopedia
James Tiberius Kirk, played by William Shatner, was captain of two starships Enterprise (NCC-1701 and NCC-1701-A) in the fictional Star Trek universe. He was the leading character in the original series and the films based on it, first appearing in the episode "Where No Man Has Gone Before". His Starfleet serial number was SC 937-0176 CEC.
Kirk's middle initial was R. in his first appearance, but T. in every appearance thereafter. The full middle name Tiberius first appeared in the episode Bem from the 1974 animated Star Trek series, and subsequently appeared in the introduction to the Star Trek: The Motion Picture novelization. It was explained that Kirk's grandfather Samuel was fascinated by the Roman emperor Tiberius. The name finally appeared canonically in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country.
Kirk's adventures and tactics are legendary in the Alpha and Beta Quadrants and continue to be cited well into the 24th century. He had a relaxed and confident style of command, but didn't suffer fools gladly. He was said to have "quite the reputation as a ladies' man" by Captain Sisko. He had the biggest record in Starfleet's Department of Temporal Investigations, with seventeen temporal violations. He was also noted for blatant violations of the Prime Directive, including occasions where he saved the Pelosians, Baezians, and the Chenari from extinction.
Contents |
Family
A few novels have given Kirk's father the name "George Samuel Kirk, Sr.," although this information is not canon. George Samuel and Aurelan Kirk, Kirk's older brother and sister-in-law, died during the invasion of neural parasites on Deneva in 2267. Kirk's nephew, Peter Kirk, survived. Kirk is known to have at least two children: David Marcus, and the child of Miramanee, a woman he married while suffering from amnesia, which died with her after she was stoned to death. In the "Shatnerverse" series of novels, he has a third child, a son named Joseph.
Biography
Early years
Virtually nothing regarding Kirk's birth has been established in on-screen canon, except for the fact that he was born in the eastern Iowa community of Riverside, in what is today the United States. Even though other real-life towns in the state have laid claim to the future Enterprise captain, Riverside is listed on the official Star Trek web site as Kirk's birthplace [1]. Gene Roddenberry had also given his consent to Riverside declaring itself Kirk's future birthplace, which would perhaps give greater weight to Riverside's claims. His birthdate has never been officially established, but both the official web site and fanon speculation suggest March 22, 2233, based upon the real-life birthdate and age of actor William Shatner.
While a youth on Tarsus IV, he was one of only nine surviving witnesses to the massacre of 4,000 colonists because of utilitarian extermination by Kodos the Executioner so that the colony could survive a devastating famine.
Early career
Image:Shirtless kirk.png He had a distinguished career in Starfleet Academy, becoming the first person to defeat the Kobayashi Maru test that stymied cadets for many decades, even until the 2370s. Whereas any situation would be met by the simulator's overriding dictate that the cadet lose, Kirk won by rewriting the program to allow him to rescue the Kobayashi Maru's crew. For this he received a commendation for original thinking.
However, Kirk was constantly taunted and tormented by an obnoxious upper classman named Finnegan, described by Kirk as the kind of person who would put cold soup in a person's bed or a bucket of water over a half open door. Kirk despised the cackling, maniacal Finnegan and wanted nothing more than to give his arrogant tormenter a thorough beating - years later while on the fantasy planet, Kirk gained a certain degree of satisfaction when he was given the chance to whallop a replica of Finnegan, which proved key to discovering the secret of the planet ("I did enjoy it... the one thing I've wanted to do after all these years was to beat the tar out of Finnegan!").
Kirk began his Starfleet career as a Cadet in 2250. While still a student at the Academy, Kirk was granted a field commission as an Ensign and posted to advanced training aboard the USS Republic in the year 2251. He was promoted to Lieutenant Junior Grade in 2253 and returned to Starfleet Academy as a student instructor. Kirk developed a reputation as a "stack of books with legs" and it was said that in his class "you either think...or sink."
Upon his graduation from Starfleet Academy in 2254, Kirk was promoted to a full Lieutenant and served aboard the USS Farragut, NCC-1647. Kirk gained a tremendous amount of experience aboard the Farragut, commanding his first planet survey and also surviving a deadly attack by a gas cloud alien, in which a large portion of the Farragut's crew (including Captain Garrovick) were killed.
James Kirk's career between 2254 and 2263 has never been established in the Star Trek universe; however fanon has conjectured that he was promoted to Lieutenant Commander sometime around 2255. Further theories also hold that Kirk was promoted to Commander in 2260 and assigned as the Officer-in-Charge for the Enterprise Refit Overhaul, where the ship was completely redesigned and refitted following ten years of space duty under Captain Christopher Pike. Such duties would have made Kirk the ideal choice to become the next Commander of the Enterprise, which he was appointed in 2263 with a promotion to Captain upon Pike's promotion to Fleet Captain.
Captaincy and Admiralty
Kirk became the second official captain of the USS Enterprise, NCC-1701. According to Star Trek: The Animated Series which is not considered canonical, and the official Star Trek website, he was the third, following in the footsteps of Captain Robert April who predated Pike as captain of the vessel. Kirk commanded the Enterprises historic five year mission from 2264-2269, during which time he also forged close friendships with first officer Mr. Spock, Chief Surgeon Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy and Chief Engineer Scott as well as good working relationships with communications officer Uhura and helmsmen Sulu and Chekov, all of whom would be his closest companions throughout his adventures. Upon completion of the Enterprise's mission, he was promoted to Rear Admiral (apparently having skipped the rank of Commodore) and assigned as Chief of Starfleet Operations while the Enterprise under went a 2½-year refit.
However, Kirk was unhappy being an Admiral. As Spock and McCoy both surmised, Kirk was only really happy when he was in command of a starship, out in the middle of the galaxy exploring and having adventures that tested his resolve and ingenuity. Being at a computer console was something Kirk disdained when what he really wanted, as McCoy put it, was to be "out there hopping galaxies!" Spock's assessment was that commanding a starship was Kirk's "first, best destiny... anything else is a waste of material."
In 2271, to combat the V'Ger Crisis, Admiral Kirk accepted temporary command of the Enterprise over Captain/Commander Willard Decker who oversaw its refit while in dry dock. After the subsequent disappearance of Decker, Kirk appeared to take command of the vessel. It has long been suggested that a second five-year mission of the Enterprise followed, however this has never been established in the canon. Nor has speculation that Kirk accepted a voluntary reduction to the permanent rank of Captain for this mission ever been made official. Between 2271 and 2284, therefore, the details of Kirk's career are officially unknown (these dates are, themselves, speculative). What is official is that Kirk retired from Starfleet sometime around 2282 (Star Trek: Generations) and returned to Starfleet, appointed as an Admiral, in 2284. (According to some sources, including the producers of the film, and costume designers, Kirk's rank is Vice Admiral, however as this has never been stated on screen, by strict guidelines of canon all we know officially is that his rank was Admiral).
By 2284, Kirk was in command of Starfleet Academy's training department and briefly took command of the Enterprise in order to pursue his old enemy, Khan Noonien Singh, and retained de facto command of the vessel following the death of Captain Spock. He was later demoted back to Captain after stealing the Enterprise and sabotaging the USS Excelsior NX-2000 in 2285 in order to revive Spock. Kirk was given control of a new USS Enterprise, NCC-1701-A, which he commanded for several years until the vessel was decommissioned ca. 2293.
With Dr. Carol Marcus, he had a son named David, who was killed by Klingons in 2285. He recorded in his log years later that he could never forgive them for the death of his son. This recording was used as evidence against him when a Klingon court convicted him of murdering Klingon Chancellor Gorkon in 2293; he was sentenced to a life term in the prison mines of Rura Penthe but was subsequently rescued and cleared of guilt.
Death and Shatnerverse
In 2293, he was lost (and presumed dead) when the Enterprise-B was damaged by the Nexus, which he entered. In this alternate plane of existence, he was persuaded by Captain Jean-Luc Picard from the year 2371 to return to planet Veridian III in the "real" universe and stop Tolian Soran from sacrificing 230 million lives in order for him to reenter the Nexus. During the final battle with Soran, Kirk was killed and his remains were buried on Veridian III by Picard.
Shortly after Star Trek: Generations, William Shatner and co-writers Judith & Garfield Reeves-Stevens wrote a series of non-canon novels taking place after the events in the movie (nicknamed the "Shatnerverse"), bringing Kirk back from the dead, much like mainstream comic books.
In the novel Star Trek: The Return a Romulan ship transports the body of Captain Kirk from Veridian III shortly after the events in Star Trek: Generations. The Romulans, having a vendetta against Kirk, use an "ancient alien technology" (Acquired via an 'alliance' with the Borg) to bring him back, turning Kirk into a puppet for the Romulans. Kirk faces off against several characters from Star Trek: The Next Generation before being subdued, and is treated by Mr. Spock and Dr. McCoy, who are still alive in the 24th century, McCoy removing an implant that was killing him and Spock mind-melding with Kirk to remove the Romulans' conditioning from his brain.
Kirk meets with Picard once more, and goes on to destroy the Borg homeworld located in the Delta Quadrant, disabling the Collective (albeit temporarily). He is presumed dead in the final explosion, but is transported away at the last second.
Events in the Shatnerverse continue in "Avenger", then in a Mirror Universe trilogy ("Spectre", "Dark Victory", and "Preserver"), then in another trilogy set close to the events of Nemesis ("Captain's Peril", "Captain's Blood", and "Captain's Glory"). During the course of these novels, Kirk has a son named Joseph who he brings up single handedly after his wife gets killed in a ship explosion shortly after Joseph's birth. The latter novels ted to focus on the back story of Joseph and his impact especially shown in 'Captain's...' trilogy
Enterprise TV series
In the summer of 2004, media reports began circulating that the producers of UPN's troubled Star Trek: Enterprise series were in negotiations with William Shatner to reprise the role of James T. Kirk for a special series of episodes. In the fall some newspapers reported that Shatner had been signed to appear, with others quoting Shatner as saying UPN had balked at his asking price. Complicating the issue was Shatner's popularity revival as the star of the hit series Boston Legal for competing network ABC, which occurred at about the same time rumors of a possible Enterprise appearance began to circulate. Shatner also stated during several talk-show appearances that he had written a story outline for an episode of the series. Ultimately, Paramount was not successful in signing Shatner and the series was cancelled at the end of its fourth season, ending speculation of a possible fifth season appearance (which Shatner himself had suggested). Enterprise executive producer Rick Berman, citing "franchise fatigue" on the part of Star Trek fans, later told TV Guide ... "that it was doubtful that an appearance by Shatner would have been enough to keep the franchise afloat." [2]
In March 2005, at the Grand Slam XIII science fiction convention, Enterprise producer Manny Coto revealed that the writers had intended to feature not the original James Kirk, but rather the Mirror Universe Kirk (from the original series episode, "Mirror, Mirror") in a time-travel related storyline. A Mirror Universe story was eventually produced ("In a Mirror, Darkly") but it is not known if this script originally featured Kirk.
Another rumored story idea revealed by Coto would have seen an ancestor of Kirk's serving aboard the Enterprise NX-01 as that ship's never-seen Chef, although it has been speculated that this latter idea might have been a joke.[3] The idea of the Mirror Universe Kirk being featured contradicts earlier statements by Coto that he intended for the original Kirk to appear, although at the time Coto could not say how such an appearance could be rectified with the character's death in Star Trek: Generations.
Memorable quotes
From "Return To Tomorrow"
Kirk: Risk IS our business. That's what this starship is all about. That's why we're aboard her.
From "Assignment Earth"
Gary Seven: Captain, I am a human of the 20th Century.
Kirk: Humans from the 20th Century don't go beaming around the Galaxy, Mr. Seven.
From "Mirror, Mirror"
Kirk: [to Bearded Spock]]: "In every revolution, there is one man with a vision!"
From "This Side of Paradise"
Kirk: All right you mutinous, disloyal, computerized, half-breed, we'll see about you deserting my ship.
Spock: The term 'half-breed' is somewhat applicable, but 'computerized' is inaccurate. A machine can be computerized, not a man.
Kirk: What makes you think you're a man? You're an overgrown jack rabbit, an elf with a hyperactive thyroid.
Spock: Jim, I don't understand.
Kirk: Of course you don't understand. You don't have the brains to understand. All you have are printed circuits.
Spock: Captain, if you'll excuse me.
Kirk: What can you expect from a simpering, devil-eared freak, whose father was a computer and whose mother was an encyclopedia?
Spock: My mother was a teacher, my father an ambassador.
Kirk: Your father was a computer, like his son. An ambassador from a planet of traitors. The Vulcan never lived who had an ounce of integrity.
Spock: Captain, please don't.
Kirk: You're a traitor from a race of traitors, disloyal to the core, rotten like the rest of your sub-human race — and you've got the gall to make love to that girl.
Spock: That's enough.
Kirk: Does she know what she's getting, Spock? A carcass full of memory banks who should be squatting on a mushroom instead of passing himself off as a man. You belong in a circus, Spock, not a starship — right next to the dog-faced boy.
(Spock attacks Kirk, just as he wanted him to do, and the effect of the spores is destroyed.)
From "And the Children Shall Lead"
Kirk: Evil feeds upon the supression of the truth and the exploitation of the innocent.
From "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan"
Kirk: KHAAAANNNN!!!! *echoes*
From "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan"
Saavik: (referring to the Kobayashi Maru test) Then you have faced that situation. Faced death.
Kirk: I don't believe in the no-win scenario.
From "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan"
Kirk: (after repelling Khan's attack on the Enterprise) I did nothing. Except get caught with my britches down. I must be getting senile.
From "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan"
Kirk: (During Spock's funeral) Of my friend, I can only say this: Of all the souls I have encountered in my travels, his was the most (chokes up) -- human.
From "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan"
David Marcus: Lieutenant Saavik was right. You never have faced death.
Kirk: No. Not like this. I haven't faced death. I've cheated death. I've tricked my way out of death. And patted myself on the back for my ingenuity. I know nothing.
From "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan"
Kirk: (quoting from A Tale of Two Cities as they watch the formation of the Genesis Planet): "It is a far, far better thing I do, than I have ever done before. It is a far better resting place I go to than I have ever known..."
Carol Marcus: Is that a poem?
Kirk: No, something Spock was trying to tell me, on my birthday.
McCoy: You okay, Jim? How do you feel?
Kirk: Young. I feel young.
From "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan"
Kirk: Khan - I'm laughing at the superior intellect.
From "Star Trek III: The Search for Spock"
Kirk: What I have done, I had to do.
Sarek: But at what cost? Your ship. Your son.
Kirk: If I hadn't tried, the cost would have been my soul.
From "Star Trek III: The Search for Spock"
Kirk: I have had enough of you!
From "Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home"
Kirk and some of his crew were crossing a street in San Francisco, almost were hit by a car.
Car Driver: Why don't you watch where you're going, dumbass!
Kirk: Well, double dumbass on you!
Last Words:
"It was...fun."
"Oh my..."
External links
Template:Wikiquote Template:Start box Template:Succession box Template:Succession box Template:End box
Template:Star Trek regularsde:Personen im Star-Trek-Universum#Captain James Tiberius Kirk es:James Tiberius Kirk eo:James Tiberius KIRK fr:James T. Kirk it:James Tiberius Kirk nl:James T. Kirk ja:ジェームズ・カーク pt:James T. Kirk fi:James T. Kirk