I think Uhura got it right when she said that it's an alternate reality (or future). I interpreted that to mean that old Spock's world is still there, but new Spock's world has headed off on another trajectory that somewhat parallels the world of canon, but with important and exciting differences. If they were faithful to the canon, what stories would be left to tell after this film? None. Every tale that could be considered part of the canon has already been told.
The canon isn't gone, it's just not a part of this version of the universe.
I totally dig the alternate universe reading, and as a fan fiction reader, am all for the notion of creating multiple possibilities that can coexist. I think that I am more concerned with the connotations of the ending, what Michelle has told me about Abrams, and the overall mainstreaming of subcultures. In the screwed up way that my mind works when my to-do list is whittled down too far, it has become a great big metaphor for what I find problematic about a lot of things and an excuse to ruminate on time travel for two days straight. Rambling again...
Both Uhura and Old!Spock explained it rather succinctly in this film - it's an alternate reality, something that any Trek fan (particularly a TNG fan) would understand. Much like "Yesterday's Enterprise," "Crisis of Infinite Worfs" or the episode where Riker had a son (name escapes me) or "Year of Hell" (on Voyager) all explored the What If of a Universe effected by a small or catastrophic change, as did this film. These paralel realities exist along with what can be called The Acknowledged Trek Universe, or the 40+ Years of Awesome we're used to (well, except Enterprise, which sucked
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I am with you on the wonderfulness of a brand new universe. My favorite quote from TNG is, "Captain, we're receiving 285,000 hails." And I love the notion of Tuvok as the son of Spock and Uhura... so awesome!
I am more concerned about connotations, etc. and unpacking the ending in a way that reflects on the larger cultural context.
I am dreading Enterprise, but I think it has to be done.
Yes, it's an alternate reality, much like a more brightly lit and less sucky mirror-universe that's been created by this movie. And I can accept that for the sake of stories and wanting to tell more of them without getting repetitive.
But the more annoying thing I think is the audacity without earning it. I mean, maybe he does earn it just by making a very entertaining movie, but J.J. Abrams is/was not a fan of Star Trek when he made this. At least I'm almost positive I read that somewhere.
But he directs this "reboot" and suddenly gets the power to create an alternate universe that has implications of negating the series? Seems wrong. I felt the same way with Brett Ratner killing Xavier and Cyclops in the X-Men: The Last Stand when he never read the comics once before filming. Of course that movie was nowhere near as good as this Trek movie, so maybe I can't complain, but that's my problem main problem with the plot.
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The canon isn't gone, it's just not a part of this version of the universe.
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I am more concerned about connotations, etc. and unpacking the ending in a way that reflects on the larger cultural context.
I am dreading Enterprise, but I think it has to be done.
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But the more annoying thing I think is the audacity without earning it. I mean, maybe he does earn it just by making a very entertaining movie, but J.J. Abrams is/was not a fan of Star Trek when he made this. At least I'm almost positive I read that somewhere.
But he directs this "reboot" and suddenly gets the power to create an alternate universe that has implications of negating the series? Seems wrong. I felt the same way with Brett Ratner killing Xavier and Cyclops in the X-Men: The Last Stand when he never read the comics once before filming. Of course that movie was nowhere near as good as this Trek movie, so maybe I can't complain, but that's my problem main problem with the plot.
That said, I can't wait for more movies!
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