Mmm, delicious sacred cows.

[jadedmusings]

I was waiting for this wank. Mmm, it is delicious. Om nom nom. But now I must rant.

You know, the new Star Trek movie? It's an alternate universe. Watching TOS is going to diddly squat as far as canon goes, and as far as what the characters are like. Let's establish a few things:

• Kirk grows up without his father is this canon. His father dies saving several hundred people forced to evacuate the USS Kelvin he was captain of for all of fifteen minutes. Not having a father is bound to have tremendous impact on this Kirk, especially one who died sacrificing himself for the sake of others (including Kirk himself).

• Uhura loves her some Spock this time. I admit, that one really sort of threw me, but in the movie it actually sort of fit. Spock was Uhura's teacher and recognized her talent, and, um, other things I guess.

• Spock is taking a bit more after his human half this time around. Look, the dude is in love with a human (Uhura), his home planet of Vulcan gets imploded, and his mother dies. Original Spock tells new Kirk, "Trust me, I am emotionally compromised." So, uh, yes, Spock can and does show emotion when his buttons are pushed. This version just happens to be a bit more explosive about it.

• Did I mention Vulcan is completely destroyed? Spock says "There are less than 10,000 Vulcans left. I am now part of an endangered species." Do you recall how much important diplomatic shit Vulcans are responsible for in TOS, TNG, and other canon? All that stuff? Never going to happen in this alternate reality because, guess what, they're going to be busy trying to rebuild their entire culture on a new planet. Oh, and there's still the Klingons to contend with, but without a huge federation planet there anymore, that's going to really impact everything. Kind of fucks your shit up, doesn't it?

• The past has been altered and creates a new reality. While the characters are there, nothing is the same as it was. These people have grown up in a reality where the Kelvin was destroyed. It seems minor on the surface, but small splashes still make big ripples. (Man, where's John Delaney to come explain things when you need him? :P)

So, uh, no, I'm not going to go watch TOS to get my characterizations because TOS is not canon in the alternate universe. Nope, the kids aren't going to get off your damn lawn because they're not on your lawn. They're over here enjoying the new version of Star Trek and killing your sacred cows that was made to reinvent Star Trek and bring in a new generation of fans. (It's doing its job, by the way.)

No, I'm not a Trekkie. Do you want to know why I'm not? I found TOS to be boring, cheesy, and campy, even as a kid. As an adult I tried to sit through the original Star Trek movies and found I can't stay awake through the first one and the second one is only mildly entertaining to me (though I love it with the DVD commentary). I loved IV, but, oh my god, that's so wrong of me because IV is a comedy and there can be no comedy in our Star Trek. It's serious fucking business, don't you know?

However, when I was a kid, I liked TNG. I still do. I even liked Nemesis (shut up). Data will always have a special place in my fangirl fantasies heart. I loved DS9, and I even enjoyed Voyager. Yet, because I couldn't tell you what the correct stardate was, or because I dared to say I didn't like TOS, I had hardcore Trek fans tell me I wasn't welcome in their fandom. I, of course, laughed my ass off at the implication when I first encountered it in middle school, but I learned then that Trekkies are an uptight bunch of folks and now it's been proven to me yet again. You all take yourselves way too fucking seriously, just like the Harry Potter fandom you love to rag on. Oh yes, I went there.

You can have your canon and we fans of the new movie can have our whole new canon. Pull the phaser out of your ass and get over yourselves.

Comments

[pwned-kisa.livejournal.com]

The new movie is dead to me. That is all.

[jadedissola.livejournal.com]

*shrugs* Your opinion, but unlike the person I'm ranting about you aren't trying to dictate what is and is not acceptable for new fans to like and/or do. I liked the movie and think it's a great way to do a "reboot," though this technically isn't a reboot in the truest sense of the word.

[catarzyna.livejournal.com]

I love Star Trek but I wouldn't go so far to call myself a trekkie or a trekker. I really enjoyed the new movie. I love sci-fi but I agree too many people get so wrapped up in it that they lose sight of real life. It was entertaining, now on to more important things. :-)

[ryuu-no-namida.livejournal.com]

I thought it was rather brilliant to have an alternate reality. It allows you to reinvent the ENTIRE THING while still keeping your old fans (if they're not too stupid to understand what's going on, you see) and remaining in the canon universe (since alternate realities are canon to the Star Trek thing). I liked the original Star Trek, I used to watch it as a kid, but I also used to watch the old Batman with Adam West (which was awesome, by the way) so I'm not saying it wasn't campy. In fact, that's probably why I liked it. Now TNG I LOVED but I'm not a Trekkie either. I have too many real life things to get to, and other shows to watch. Plus, I never got into anything after TNG.

Anywhatsit, I agree, in both this and HP and other fandoms, some people take themselves way too seriously.