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Star Trek V: The Final Frontier

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"The greatest enterprise of all is adventure."

When a renegade Vulcan captures the Federation, Klingon, and Romulan ambassadors on Nimbus III, the so-called "planet of galactic peace," it can only mean one thing: the vacation is over. Captain James T. Kirk and the crew of the new Starship Enterprise -A are pressed back into service to come to the rescue. But, when the Vulcan has a prior association with Spock, it allows him to seize control of the Enterprise and put it on course for the center of the galaxy where he and his followers believe they find the place from which creation sprung.

• 1.1 Prologue
• 1.2 Act One
• 1.3 Act Two
• 1.4 Act Three
• 2 Log entries
• 3 Memorable quotes
• 4.2 Characters
• 4.3 Merchandise gallery
• 5 Awards and honors
• 6 Apocrypha
• 7.1.1 Opening credits
• 7.1.2.1 Live Action Effects Unit
• 7.1.2.2 Model Unit
• 7.1.2.3 Optical Unit
• 7.1.2.4 Additional Optical Effects
• 7.2.1 Starfleet Galactic Memory Bank references
• 7.2.2 Meta references
• 7.2.3 Unreferenced material
• 7.3 Related topics
• 7.5 External links

Summary [ ]

Prologue [ ].

" You're a Vulcan! "

On the desert planet Nimbus III , a scavenger named J'onn is digging holes in a field. He stops digging and sees, emerging from the dust in the distance, a man riding towards him on a horse . Dismounting from the horse, this man has a strange power to cleanse people of their emotional "pain," which he uses to join the scavenger to his cause. " What is it you seek? " he asks. The man tells him he seeks what he seeks, what all men have sought since time itself began – the ultimate knowledge. To find it, he notes, they will need a starship . J'onn mentions that Nimbus III has no such vessels, but the mysterious man reveals he may have a way to bring one to them. When J'onn asks how he plans to accomplish this, the man throws back his hood, showing the scavenger his distinct pointed Vulcan ears . He then begins laughing.

Act One [ ]

Just hanging around

The recently- demoted Captain James T. Kirk is back on Earth , spending his shore leave free climbing El Capitan in Yosemite National Park in North America. Halfway up he is greeted by Spock , who has followed him wearing levitation boots . Dr. McCoy is watching with binoculars from a safe distance while cursing Kirk's "irresponsibility" for climbing the mountain. In a moment of distraction, Kirk falls off of El Capitan. Spock dives after him. After a terrifying moment for the captain, he's snatched from certain death by Spock who catches him by grabbing his ankle only mere centimeters from the ground.

Spock saves Kirk at the last minute

Out in the galaxy , three ambassadors from the United Federation of Planets , Romulan Star Empire , and Klingon Empire meet alone in Paradise City on Nimbus III for a private conference. The young Romulan ambassador, Caithlin Dar , rides into Paradise City on a horse, and expresses optimism in Nimbus III, which had been billed as "The Planet of Galactic Peace" at its founding twenty years before . However, the Human and Klingon ambassadors, St. John Talbot and General Korrd , are much more jaded and cynical, and point out that it has rapidly devolved to a barren wasteland rife with corruption and debauchery. Talbot points out that they had forbade weapons, but the settlers began to fashion their own projectile weapons . Korrd, in particular, is a decorated and respected Klingon general who fell out of favor with the Klingon High Command, and has become a bitter, apathetic drunk.

Dar and Talbot taken hostage

Their meeting is interrupted when the city compound is overrun by fanatical followers of the Vulcan who informs the ambassadors that they are his hostages. Caithlin Dar defiantly tells the Vulcan that she doesn't know who he is or what he wants but assures him that their three respective governments will stop at nothing to ensure their safety. The Vulcan retorts " That's exactly what I'm counting on. "

Sitting in the Spacedock One , undergoing repairs and refits, the new USS Enterprise -A sits lifelessly under the care of Chief Engineer Montgomery Scott , who notes in the shakedown cruise report that the new Enterprise must have been the product of a team of monkeys – while the warp drive is up to Scott's exacting standards, he laments that half the doors on the ship won't open and that it's his responsibility to repair them, among other disabled systems aboard the ship, primary of which is the ship's transporter . As Scott repairs the helm/navigation console on the main bridge , Nyota Uhura arrives from a turbolift with his dinner – understanding that the extensive repair schedule will cancel their shared plans for shore leave. At that moment, the Enterprise 's mangled red alert system goes off and a voice from Starfleet announces to Scott and Uhura that they have a priority 7 situation at the Neutral Zone. Scott is incredulous that Starfleet would assign the mission to the Enterprise considering that the ship is currently "in pieces" and has less than a skeleton crew aboard. Uhura asks Starfleet if they are aware of the Enterprise 's current status. Starfleet acknowledges and tells Uhura to stand by to copy operational orders and to recall all key personnel.

" Admit it – we're lost! "

Uhura contacts Hikaru Sulu and Pavel Chekov , who are lost hiking in the woods. Chekov is grateful that they'll soon be rescued but warns Sulu not to tell Uhura that they got lost after she instructs them to return to a set of prearranged coordinates. Sulu and Chekov try to explain they're caught in a blizzard and can't see which way they're going. Uhura, monitoring the weather on the sensors, reads nothing but sunny skies and 70 degree Fahrenheit weather and assures them she won't tell anyone about their embarrassing situation as she sends a shuttlecraft to pick them up. " Uhura, I owe you one. Sulu out, " the Enterprise 's helmsman says as he flips shut his communicator .

Meanwhile, Kirk, Spock, and McCoy are sitting around the campfire at Yosemite, where the three discuss their time together and philosophize about life and death around a pot of whiskey -spiked baked beans , roasting " marsh melons ," and singing " Row, Row, Row Your Boat ", although Spock cannot grasp the meaning of the words and thus declines to sing along. McCoy admonishes Kirk for risking his life on crazy stunts, such as falling off El Capitan earlier and McCoy wonders if it crossed Kirk's mind that he should have died when he fell off. Kirk admits it did – but, even as he fell, he knew he would not die. Spock does not understand. Kirk says that he knew he'd survive because the two of them were with him – " I've always known… I'll die alone. " After Kirk's revelation, McCoy offers that the three of them spend so much time together in space, getting on each other's nerves, yet spend their shore leave together. Kirk believes that while other people have families, they don't.

Out in space, the long-lost Earth probe Pioneer 10 is intercepted by a Klingon Bird-of-Prey commanded by the young Klingon warrior Klaa , who easily vaporizes the probe with his disruptors . Klaa tires of shooting space garbage, as he believes it is no test of a warrior's mettle, and wishes for a target that will fight back. The Klingons are soon notified about the hostage situation on Nimbus III as well, which piques Klaa's interest as it is obvious that the Federation will send a ship of their own to deal with the situation and sets his course for Nimbus III.

Back in action

Kirk, Spock, and McCoy's leave is interrupted when Uhura takes the Galileo down to their campsite in Yosemite since the Enterprise 's transporters are inoperative, waking up all three men with the Galileo 's bright landing lights . She informs Kirk of important orders from Starfleet Command . Kirk wonders why she didn't contact him via his communicator but she notes he conveniently forgot it. The Galileo eventually arrives in the Enterprise 's shuttlebay and the problems with the starship are immediately obvious to Kirk as the turbolift malfunctions en route to the bridge, a console shorts out and the viewscreen barely works. Chief of Starfleet Operations Fleet Admiral Bob eventually comes through and orders Kirk to Nimbus III and assess the hostage situation. Kirk tries to decline the mission due to the problems plaguing the ship and suggests another vessel nearby handle the situation. The admiral refuses on the grounds that while there may be other ships out there, none of their captains are as experienced as Jim Kirk. With an " oh, please " dismissal on his lips, Kirk signs off and orders the Enterprise to Nimbus III.

Ghost in the machine

Klaa and his crew discover that the Enterprise has been dispatched to Nimbus III as well. Klaa is well familiar with the Enterprise being Kirk's vessel and wonders what defeating Kirk in battle would do for his reputation. His first officer Vixis marvels that destroying the Enterprise and and defeating Kirk would make Klaa the greatest warrior in the galaxy. Klaa, originally hoping for an engagement with just any Federation starship, is now elated at his chance to fight Kirk and the Enterprise and orders maximum speed. The Enterprise , so plagued with technical problems that Kirk can't even record an entry in the captain's log recorder , finally receives a copy of the hostage tape sent from Nimbus III. In the tape, Dar, Talbot, and Korrd plead with the Federation to send a starship to parlay for their release at once, per the instructions of the leader of the Galactic Army of Light , the Vulcan who enters the frame and begins addressing the Federation. He claims to regret his desperate act and has no desire to harm the hostages but will do so if the Federation does not respond immediately. Spock, taken with the Vulcan, calls up a freeze frame of him on his science station 's monitor and regards it intently. Kirk wonders if Spock is familiar with him. Later, Spock is in solitude in the Enterprise 's observation lounge when Kirk and McCoy join him. Spock recounts for Kirk and McCoy a brief history of Sybok , a gifted Vulcan who at a young age broke with tradition and decided that emotion, not logic, was the key to self-knowledge. According to Spock, Sybok was banished from Vulcan when he attempted to lure other Vulcans to his worldview.

Act Two [ ]

" Imagine that, a passionate Vulcan! "

The Enterprise arrives first at Nimbus III. Paradise City demands to know their intentions but Kirk tells Uhura to respond with static and make them think they are having some difficulties – which is not far from the truth. Kirk tries to simply beam the hostages aboard but Scott tells him that the transporter is still inoperative. The captain realizes they'll have to go down and take them out by force. However, Spock detects the Bird-of-Prey entering the area leaving them 1.9 hours before their weapons come to bear. An assault team consisting of Kirk, Spock, McCoy, Sulu, Uhura, and a detail of security personnel head down in the Galileo leaving Chekov in command of the Enterprise . Despite the primitive scanning equipment of the natives of Nimbus III, their sensors are nevertheless effective and it forces the Galileo to land significantly far away from the settlement.

Meanwhile, Chekov hails Paradise City from the Enterprise and poses as the ship's commanding officer with the intention of distracting the enemy from Kirk's actions. The Vulcan responds and is amused by Chekov's posturing, who orders him to release the hostages or suffer the consequences. Chekov, not backing down, informs the Vulcan that a Klingon vessel is on the way. The Vulcan, unmoved, replies that it's likely that they'll be fairly angry. Chekov tries to impress upon him that the Klingons are likely to destroy the whole planet but the Vulcan knows that a Federation starship would not stand idly by and let the Klingons do that. He then instructs Chekov and his first officer to beam down to his coordinates. Chekov tries to stall the Vulcan as Kirk and Spock realize that they don't have enough time to get to Paradise City on foot. The captain notices a stable of horses through his binoculars and has Uhura perform a seductive dance (with a team of armed security guards out of sight) to distract the wranglers while the assault team steals the horses. The ploy works and the assault team rides into Paradise City. Under the cover of nightfall and covered in cloaks, the assault team looks no different than the wranglers. J'onn believes them to be their lookout party and allows them access to Paradise City. However, J'onn soon becomes suspicious as Spock locates the hostages on his tricorder . The Galactic Army of Light begins to open fire on the assault team with their primitive weapons, but they respond with their Starfleet-issue phasers . The Vulcan becomes aware of the commotion outside and Chekov orders him to surrender at once as he is under attack by superior Federation forces. The Vulcan is incensed as bloodshed is the last thing he wanted. Chekov tries to reason with him but he flees. Kirk fights hand to hand with the Galactic Army of Light's warriors and the fight continues. With a clear entrance into the bar where the hostages are being held, Kirk orders Uhura to bring the Galileo down so they can make a quick escape and goes for the captives. After a brief struggle with an exotic alien dancer, Kirk and Spock free the hostages. However, Korrd and Dar turn their weapons on them and hold Kirk and Spock hostage instead.

Outside the bar, the Galactic Army of Light has also captured the Galileo , Uhura, Sulu, McCoy, and the rest of the security detail. As they loudly cheer their victory, the Vulcan suddenly recognizes Spock among the group and joyfully reveals that he is, in fact, Sybok. However, Spock is not cheered by the apparent reunion and informs Sybok that he is under arrest for seventeen violations of the Neutral Zone Treaty . Sybok and the others laugh at the notion – they clearly have the Enterprise team outnumbered. Spock offers Sybok leniency if he surrenders, but Sybok jovially announces he can't surrender as he isn't through violating the treaty and intends for his next crime to be the theft of something " very big " – the Enterprise herself. Kirk finally speaks up and indignantly inquires if Sybok has staged this entire affair just to get his hands on his ship. Sybok, equally indignantly, wonders who Kirk even is. He clarifies that he is the captain of the Enterprise . Sybok realizes that Chekov had been deceiving him and applauds Kirk's clever tactics but moves on and asks Spock if he would like to join him. Kirk is also curious as to what Spock will say but Spock simply states that he is a Starfleet officer. Sybok understands and states he will just take the Enterprise without Spock's help.

Unaware of the serious situation on the planet's surface, Chekov and Scott are faced with another serious situation – the Klingon vessel is closing on their position. Klaa orders their cloaking device engaged in preparation for their attack on the Enterprise . Scott notes the loss of the Bird-of-Prey on sensors and deduces they must have cloaked. Chekov, knowing his first responsibility is to the ship, orders Scott to raise shields . Scott protests that the shuttlecraft is coming up from the surface but Chekov firmly repeats his order and follows it up with an order to go to red alert . Scott obliges and the Enterprise prepares for battle. The Galileo approaches the Enterprise and while Kirk retains his command of his officers, Sybok and his followers have them all under their command. Talbot informs them that once they have seized control of the Enterprise , they will bring up the rest of the Galactic Army of Light. Kirk, in an untenable position, laments that with the Klingons on their way, they will be lucky to even get back to the ship at all.

" Stand by to execute Emergency Landing Plan… B. "

Chekov hails the Galileo , informs them of the situation and recommends they find a safe harbor until the situation is secured. However, Sybok refuses and orders Kirk to bring them aboard. Kirk desperately tries to explain to Sybok that in order to dock the Galileo , the Enterprise will be vulnerable to a Klingon attack as her shields must be down for at least fifteen seconds to enter the shuttlebay. Korrd tells Sybok that Kirk is speaking the truth but Sybok refuses to return to Nimbus III. He allows Kirk to take whatever action is necessary in order to get the Galileo aboard. Kirk tells Chekov that they cannot return to the planet and cryptically tells him to stand by in executing "Emergency Landing Plan B." Chekov and Scott have no idea what Kirk is talking about but get the general idea when Kirk says that "B" stands for "barricade." Kirk intends to forgo the tractor beam and fly the shuttlecraft in manually in order to minimize the time the Enterprise 's shields will be down. Klaa, meanwhile, has been monitoring the communications channel and realizes that Kirk is on the shuttle and alters his attack course to bear down on the Galileo . The Enterprise lowers her shields just as the Bird-of-Prey decloaks. Sulu engages the shuttle's thrusters and makes a hasty course for the shuttlebay. With no tractor beam, the shuttlecraft blasts into the bay, throwing its occupants to the deck and knocking out its systems. The barricade in the shuttlebay flies up to contain the craft before it crashes through the wall and decompresses additional compartments of the ship. The Bird-of-Prey fires at the Enterprise , but Chekov orders immediate warp speed and she streaks away just as the torpedo misses. Klaa is enraged but impressed at Kirk's cunning and orders his officers to track the Enterprise 's course.

" Warp speed now! "

In the Galileo , the Starfleet officers and the outlaws are in various states of unconsciousness from the crash. Sybok recovers as Kirk does and both note a projectile weapon on the deck. They struggle for it but Sybok gets the upper hand and orders Kirk to change course at once. The captain agrees to take Sybok to the bridge but tries to get the weapon away from Sybok as they disembark from the shuttle. The Vulcan easily outmatches Kirk in physical strength and grabs him in a choke hold. Kirk is able to get the weapon away from him and it slides across the deck to the feet of Spock, who picks it up and orders Sybok to surrender. Sybok refuses and bluntly tells Spock he must kill him. Kirk bellows for Spock to " SHOOT HIM! " but Spock cannot and the weapon is confiscated by Sybok, who is relieved as he thought Spock might have actually done it. J'onn takes an injured Dr. McCoy and Kirk to the brig as Sybok asks Spock to accompany him to the bridge but again Spock refuses. Sybok tells him he has no choice but to join his friends in confinement. Korrd, Dar, and Talbot escort Sulu and Uhura out of the Galileo as Sybok requests a moment alone with them in order to release their pain as he had done to the others. From the observation deck , a disturbed Scott watches as the Galactic Army of Light pour out of the Galileo and out to the rest of the ship and goes into hiding.

In the brig, Kirk is cursing Spock for betraying the entire crew. Spock says it's worse than that – he's betrayed Kirk and does not expect the captain to forgive him. Kirk simply cannot believe it – why wouldn't Spock defend his ship and follow orders and just pull the trigger on the weapon he had on Sybok? Spock claims he could not because Kirk ordered him to kill his brother. Kirk is incredulous and claims he knows for a fact that Spock does not have a brother. Spock agrees that Kirk is technically correct – he has a half -brother . Dr. McCoy tries to make sense of it all – that Spock and Sybok have the same father but different mothers. Spock says that Sybok's mother was a Vulcan princess and upon her death, Sybok and he were raised as brothers. Kirk can't believe Spock never mentioned any of this to them before and Spock apologizes for it. Kirk is fuming but McCoy tells him to stop berating Spock as he could no more kill Sybok than he could kill Kirk. More to the point, they have bigger problems to deal with like escaping from the brig. " I'll say one thing, Spock. You never cease to amaze me, " McCoy says. " Nor I myself, " Spock responds. Kirk, sitting on the brig's toilet , shakes his head.

Sybok assumes command

On the bridge, Sulu and Uhura enter with several of Sybok's followers. Chekov wonders where Kirk is but Uhura tells him not to worry about it – Sybok will explain everything. As Sybok's followers begin to take up positions on the bridge, Sulu begins entering commands into the navigation console. Chekov demands to know what he's doing and Sulu answers that he is plotting their new course. Chekov is incredulous as Sulu has no authority to take that action. Sybok arrives on the bridge as Chekov demands an explanation. All Sulu will say is that Chekov simply has to listen to Sybok. The Vulcan tells Chekov that he won't force him into anything but encourages him to share his pain with Sybok as all the others have and gain strength from it. As a result, Chekov can't help but be taken into Sybok's cause like the rest. In the brig, several efforts to escape prove fruitless as Spock has personally tested the new design of the brig and found it to be "escape-proof." Back on the bridge, Sybok has fully assumed command of the Enterprise as they proceed on their new course at warp 7. As they are now underway, Sybok announces his intentions to the rest of the ship. Via the ship's intercom and computer terminals, Sybok asks the crew of the Enterprise to consider the questions of existence – the same questions that man himself has considered ever since he looked up at the stars and dreamed. They dreamed about a place where questions of existence would be answered. Although modern dogma says that place is a myth, Sybok believes it exists and has taken the Enterprise with the intent of making the greatest discovery of all time – the discovery of Sha Ka Ree , which lies beyond the Great Barrier at the center of the galaxy .

Kirk, Spock, and McCoy watch from the brig. Kirk is alarmed as the center of the galaxy cannot be reached – no ship has ever entered the Great Barrier and no probe has ever returned. Suddenly, a mysterious tapping sound is heard coming from the wall of the brig. Kirk and Spock immediately recognize it as Morse code – the taps spelling out the letters: "S," "T," "A," N," "D," "B," "A," C," "K." As they realize what the message wants them to do, the wall explodes outwards and Scott, from the other side, chides them for not recognizing a jail break when they see one. Sybok, Sulu, J'onn, and some followers enter the brig – Sybok still intent on converting Kirk, Spock, and McCoy to join his cause but realizes they have escaped. He orders Sulu and J'onn to find them. Decks below, Scott tells Kirk that the crew is sympathetic to Sybok and they cannot be trusted now. Spock reminds Kirk of the emergency communications transmitter in the observation lounge but they cannot easily access it as it is in the forward section of the ship, far and away from their current position near the bottom of the secondary hull . Scott tells them they may be able to avoid the search parties if they get there by accessing turboshaft 3 as it is closed for repairs, but warns it's a long and dangerous climb. Kirk tells Scott to finish repairing the transporter because they'll need it if they can contact a rescue ship and head for the turboshaft. As they depart, Scott inadvertently smacks his head off a low-clearance bulkhead and falls unconscious just as the red alert goes off – the search parties consisting of Sybok's followers mobilize to find Kirk, Spock, and McCoy. Sulu and J'onn quickly find Scott's unconscious body and rush him to sickbay . As the trio begin their climb, Spock immediately makes a quick and quiet exit – he realizes that using the levitation boots will be much faster than climbing up all those decks. Kirk and McCoy join him, but their added weight is too much for the boots and they begin to descend back to the bottom of the turboshaft where Sulu and a contingent of Sybok's followers have found them. Kirk orders Spock to use the booster rockets on the boots but Spock warns against it. Kirk is insistent and Spock obliges, but the boosters propel them upward at an incredible rate, nearly right into the top of the shaft. Nevertheless, they exit the shaft and head for the observation lounge.

From the lounge, Kirk sends out a distress call on the emergency channel . Starfleet Command responds, and Kirk informs them that they've been hijacked by a hostile force that has put them on a direct course for the Great Barrier and they require immediate assistance. However, the responding voice is not in fact Starfleet Command, it is Vixis aboard the Bird-of-Prey, impersonating a Starfleet officer. After Kirk signs off, Klaa orders them into the Great Barrier as well with the intent of following Kirk wherever he goes. As the three exit the lounge, they are intercepted by Sybok and his armed followers, who trusts that their message has been received. Kirk claims that he can't expect them to sit by and let Sybok take the Enterprise into the Great Barrier. Sybok claims that what Kirk really fears about the Great Barrier is that it is an unknown and cites numerous examples from Earth's history about similar fears – Christopher Columbus proving the Earth was round, Chuck Yeager breaking the sound barrier , and Zefram Cochrane achieving warp speed. Sybok desperately wants Kirk's respect and understanding and challenges the captain to hear him out. Meanwhile, in sickbay, Scott has recovered and returns to work on repairing the transporter.

McCoy releases his pain

Sybok continues to speak of Sha Ka Ree to Kirk, Spock, and McCoy – that it is Heaven , an Eden . The Klingons, Romulans, and Andorians all have different names for it but they all have a shared concept of it. For the Enterprise , that concept will soon be a reality. Kirk is less than convinced, however – the only reality he knows is that he is a prisoner aboard his own ship and challenges Sybok about the power he has over the minds of his crew. Sybok retorts that he doesn't control minds – he frees them. McCoy, a bit more inquisitive, wonders how this is accomplished. Sybok explains that he forces people to face their pain and draw strength from it. Once that's the done, he continues, fear cannot stop you. McCoy is less than convinced and compares it to brainwashing . Sybok begins to peer into McCoy's pain, claiming it runs the deepest of the three of them – he can feel it, surely McCoy can. An apparition begins to appear in the corner of the room – an elderly man in a bed, sick and dying, calling out to him. McCoy approaches it and discovers that it is his father, David . McCoy begs Sybok not to put him through this memory but Sybok continues. David weakly begs his son to help him – the pain of the disease that is afflicting him is too much to bear and he wishes to be released . McCoy turns to Sybok and laments that with all his medical knowledge, he can't save his father. Sybok whispers to McCoy that's he's a doctor – he should know the reality of that life. McCoy responds that he's also his father's son and deactivates the life support system sustaining him. He watches as his father dies before his eyes. Sybok questions why McCoy did it, who responds that he did it to preserve his father's dignity. But Sybok knows that the act itself wasn't the pain the McCoy carried with him all these years. McCoy admits that it wasn't – the real sorrow was that not long after he euthanized his father, a cure to the disease was found – had he not killed him, he might have lived. McCoy doesn't know if he did the right thing or not and hasn't been able to answer that question all this time. His pain has been released.

Sybok next turns his attention to Spock, claiming each person's pain is unique. Spock claims to hide no pain but Sybok doesn't believe him. Spock allows Sybok to proceed and another apparition appears. The image of Amanda Grayson giving birth to Spock on Vulcan appears. As Spock is born, the midwife presents the child to Sarek, who coldly regards the infant and dismisses him as being "so Human." Kirk regards Spock who is disquieted by the experience. Sybok claims he has done nothing to either Spock or McCoy and wonders if Kirk knew this about either of them. Kirk claims he did not. Sybok offers to help Kirk learn something about himself but the captain refuses. McCoy tries to tell Kirk to be a bit more open-minded about what Sybok is proposing but Kirk can't believe any of it. He knows what his mistakes are and doesn't need Sybok to point them out to him. McCoy tries to tell Kirk that Sybok took away his pain, but Kirk tries to tell him that being a doctor he should know better than anyone that pain can't be taken away with the wave of a magic wand – the good and bad experiences in one's life are what make us who we are. If one loses that, they lose themselves. Kirk is adamant that he doesn't want his pain taken away, he needs it. At that moment, Uhura's voice comes over the intercom, informing them that the Enterprise is in approach of the Great Barrier. Sybok regrets he couldn't help Kirk but believes he has swayed Spock and McCoy to his cause and asks them to join him on the bridge. McCoy agrees to go but Spock still refuses to join – he belongs right where he is, which is by Kirk's side. Sybok doesn't understand but Spock explains that while Sybok is his brother, he does not know Spock. Since the time he was an outcast boy on Vulcan until now, Spock has found himself and his place and knows who he is and he cannot go with Sybok. This rings true to McCoy, who chooses to stay with Kirk and Spock. Sybok, with a smile, allows them to remain. Kirk is still unconvinced that the Enterprise will survive the trip through the Great Barrier. Sybok challenges Kirk to be convinced that his vision was true if they do survive. Sybok claims his vision came from God , who waits for the Enterprise on the other side of the Great Barrier. Kirk cannot believe his ears and claims that Sybok is mad . Sybok, allowing the possibility to exist, says that they will see.

Act Three [ ]

" Amazing. The land… the sky… just as I knew it would be. "

The Enterprise bears down on the Great Barrier. The bridge crew, along with the three ambassadors, Sybok, and his followers, are awestruck by the swirling vortex of blue and green colored electrical energy discharging before them on the viewscreen. Sulu ominously reminds Sybok that it's been said that no ship can survive the Great Barrier but Sybok disagrees – the danger is an illusion. Chekov cannot get any sensor readings on the phenomena – is it there or isn't it? Sybok is convinced it isn't and orders Sulu to enter the Barrier. The Enterprise engages her impulse engines and breaches the barrier. The journey through is not as dangerous as had been predicted as the starship rather easily completes the journey. As the distortion clears, a planetoid appears through the mist, which looks to be made of pure energy. Kirk, Spock, and McCoy watch from the observation lounge and are awestruck, as is the rest of the crew. Sybok is overjoyed – he believes this planet is Sha Ka Ree. Kirk, Spock, and McCoy return to the bridge. Sybok says the ship needs its captain and returns command to Kirk with no conditions as he believes that even though Kirk didn't believe Sybok before, what they have discovered would seem to indicate he was right and Kirk won't refuse to investigate it. His assumption is correct and Kirk agrees to take a landing party down to the planet via a shuttlecraft and asks that the rest of Sybok's followers remain aboard until he has determined exactly what they have found. " Well, don't just stand there. God's a busy man, " he says just prior to entering the turbolift.

" What does God need with a starship? "

The shuttlecraft Copernicus heads down to the planet carrying Kirk, Spock, McCoy, and Sybok. As they descend, Spock discovers that some external force has taken control of the shuttlecraft and lands it for them. Kirk wants to bring a phaser along with him but Sybok recommends he leaves it behind. Kirk agrees and the four make their way down a mountain range. As the crew watches in amazement from the bridge, no one notices on the sensors that Klaa's Bird-of-Prey has entered into sensor range. Sybok calls out to whatever force might be on the planet, saying that they have traveled far but gets no response. With nothing apparently there, Spock attempts to console Sybok but the ground begins to shake. Large pillars explode out of the ground to form a large amphitheater-like enclosure and the sky turns completely dark. As the four move in to investigate, a magnificent blue pillar of light bursts from within the enclosure, far up into the sky and outstretching past the Enterprise in orbit. A booming voice calls out to them. McCoy wonders if it is the voice of God and indeed, a face appears that claims to suit the expectation of such an entity.

The face of God?

The Sha Ka Ree entity in the guise of Sybok

Sybok is convinced and vindicated. The entity claims that the journey to reach him could not have been an easy one. Sybok agrees that it wasn't – it took a starship to breach the Great Barrier. The entity wonders if this starship could carry his wisdom beyond the barrier. Sybok agrees that it could and the entity makes claim to the Enterprise . Sybok jubilantly calls the vessel his chariot. Kirk, however, is less than convinced. Why would God need a starship? The entity continues to boast what it will do with the Enterprise but Kirk presses on and repeats his question. The entity asks who Kirk is. Again, Kirk is incredulous – wouldn't it know if it really were God? Sybok tells the entity that Kirk simply has his doubts. The entity is outraged that Kirk would have the audacity to doubt it. Kirk simply states he seeks proof but McCoy cautions Kirk not to ask "the Almighty" for identification. The entity answers all of Kirk's questions by blasting him backwards with an electrical charge emanating from its "eyes". Kirk, almost mockingly, asks why "God" is angry? Sybok cannot believe that he would attack Kirk like this. Spock presses Kirk's issue on as the entity has not answered anything and repeats the question – "what does God need with a starship?" The entity attacks Spock as it did Kirk. It then turns its attention to McCoy and dares him to doubt it as well. McCoy claims he would doubt any god who would inflict pain for his own pleasure. Sybok claims to the entity that the God of Sha Ka Ree would not do such things. The entity mocks Sybok's vision of Sha Ka Ree as a vision that Sybok created himself and morphs itself into an image of Sybok and demands that he give him the Enterprise or he will destroy all four of them. It is now apparent that the this is not the God of Sha Ka Ree, Spock says, or any other god but merely a malevolent life form imprisoned on this planet behind the Great Barrier and it needs the Enterprise to escape.

" You must save yourselves. Forgive me, brother. Forgive me. "

Sybok confronts "God"

Sybok turns to Spock and cannot believe any of it. He claims his own vanity and arrogance created this situation and now he must do what he has to do to ensure that Spock, Kirk, and McCoy are protected from the entity. He begs Spock to forgive him and holds up his hand in the Vulcan salute . Spock returns it as Sybok asks the entity about his pain. The entity is caught off-guard by the question. Sybok claims it runs deep and attacks the entity. As they struggle, Kirk, on his communicator, orders Sulu and Chekov on board the Enterprise to fire a photon torpedo at the encompassing entity. Chekov protests as Kirk, Spock, and McCoy are too close but Kirk tells him to fire immediately. The Enterprise opens fire and the torpedo obliterates the amphitheater. Spock laments that Sybok has been lost in the blast, but the entity has not been completely destroyed. Kirk and the others make a hasty escape back to the Copernicus but Spock finds that the thrusters have been rendered inoperative as the entity then violently shakes the shuttlecraft. Kirk flips open his communicator and begs with Scott to tell him that he has finally repaired the transporter. Scott replies that it has partial power and might be able to beam up two of them. Kirk tells Scott to bring up Spock and McCoy, the latter of which protests all the way up. Back aboard, Spock instructs Scott to now bring up the captain, but before he can, Klaa's Bird-of-Prey opens fire on the unshielded Enterprise , severely damaging her. Kirk now finds himself face to face with the entity, who has manifested itself in the cockpit of the Copernicus . The captain takes off running with the entity in pursuit.

Spock and McCoy return to the bridge, which is in a state of disarray. Klaa hails them and claims he hasn't destroyed them yet because he has come for James T. Kirk and promises to spare the lives of the crew if Kirk is handed over. Spock claims that Captain Kirk is not among them, he is on the planet below. Klaa wants his coordinates but Spock has a better idea. He asks General Korrd for his assistance as he is Klaa's superior officer. Korrd is skeptical about what good he can do as, while he might have been a great military leader at one time, he is now a "foolish old man." Spock implores Korrd to at least try and rehails Captain Klaa, stating that someone wishes to speak with him.

" So, it's me you want, you Klingon bastards?! "

On the surface of the planet, Kirk is pursued by the entity. With nowhere to hide from it, Kirk stares down his impending death as the entity closes in for the kill when Klaa's Bird-of-Prey closes in and destroys it with a thunderous blast from its disruptors. Kirk realizes that the Klingons have come for him as they target their disruptors in his direction next, but is surprised when they instead beam him aboard. The captain is escorted to the bridge where, to his great surprise, General Koord has ordered Captain Klaa to apologize to Kirk – the attack on the Enterprise was not authorized by the Klingon Empire. Koord entreats Kirk to meet the new gunner of the Bird-of-Prey. From the gunnery chair, Spock spins around and welcomes Kirk aboard – it was Spock who saved Kirk's life from the entity. Kirk tells him that he thought he was going to die, echoing their earlier conversation around the campfire. Spock, likewise, tells him that it was impossible as the captain was never alone. Kirk, feeling like he wants to hug Spock, moves to do so but Spock advises against it – not in front of the Klingons.

Comrades in arms

Aboard the Enterprise , the Starfleet crew hosts a reception in the observation lounge for the Galactic Army of Light, the three ambassadors and Klaa's crew, reflecting on their voyage to the center of the galaxy. Even Klaa himself offers a sign of respect to Captain Kirk, one warrior to another, which Kirk reciprocates. As McCoy and Spock speculate on whether or not God is actually out there, Kirk postulates that while God might not be out in space, perhaps he goes with them wherever they are in the Human heart. As Spock mourns the death of his brother, Kirk comforts him by relating that he once lost a brother. While McCoy may have thought he was referring to his late brother George Samuel Kirk , the captain adds that he was lucky enough to get that brother back, implying Spock, instead. McCoy challenges Kirk's earlier claim at the campfire that "men like us don't have families," but, Kirk concedes that he was wrong – that both Spock and McCoy are his family, and the three of them resume their trip in Yosemite, this time with Spock singing "Row, Row, Row Your Boat" and playing the song on his Vulcan harp .

Log entries [ ]

Memorable quotes [ ].

" Each man hides a secret pain. It must be exposed and reckoned with. It must be dragged from the darkness and forced into the light. "

" 'You'll have a great time, Bones. You'll enjoy your shore leave. You'll be able to relax.' You call this relaxing? I'm a nervous wreck. If I'm not careful I might end up talking to myself. "

" Captain, I do not think you realize the gravity of your situation. " " On the contrary, gravity is the foremost on my mind! "

" Goddamn irresponsible! Playing games with life! "

" Mind if we drop in for dinner? "

" Borgus frat! 'Let's see what she's got,' said the captain. And then we found out, didn't we?! "

" You really piss me off, Jim! Human life is far too precious to risk on crazy stunts! "

" I've always known I'll die alone. "

" It's a song, you green-blooded… Vulcan. You sing it. The words aren't important. What's important is that you have a good time singing it. " " Oh, I am sorry, doctor. Were we having a good time? " " God, I liked him better before he died! "

" Captain. " " Spock, we're on leave. You can call me Jim. " " Jim. " " Yes, Spock? " " Life is not a dream. " " Go to sleep, Spock. " " Yes, captain. "

" You told me you could get this ship running in two weeks. I gave you three! What happened? " " I think you gave me too much time, captain. "

" I could use a shower. " " Yes. "

" Jim, if you ask me – and you haven't – I think this is a bad idea. We're bound to bump into the Klingons, and they don't exactly like you. " " The feeling's mutual. "

" We'll beat those Klingon devils even if I have to get out and push. "

" I miss my old chair. "

" Imagine that. A passionate Vulcan. "

" Hello, boys. I've always wanted to play to a captive audience. "

" Be one with the horse! "

" Forgive you? I ought to knock you on your goddamn ass! " " If you think it would help. " " You want me to hold him, Jim? "

" I'll say one thing, Spock. You never cease to amaze me. " " Nor I, myself. "

" This person didn't by chance have pointed ears and an unending capacity for getting his shipmates into trouble, did he? " " He did have pointed ears. "

" Spock, my only concern is getting the ship back. When that's done and Sybok isn't here, then you can debate Sha Ka Ree until you're green in the face. "

" What are you standing around for?! Do you not know a jailbreak when you see one?! "

" I know this ship like I know the back of my hand. "

" I'm afraid of nothing. "

" I don't control minds. I free them. "

" I don't want my pain taken away. I need my pain! "

" You are mad. " " Am I? We'll see… "

" Are we dreaming? " " If we are, then life is a dream. "

" Is this the voice of God? " " One voice, many faces. "

" Who is this creature? " " Who am I? Don't you know? Aren't you God? "

" Jim, you don't ask the Almighty for his ID! "

" Why is God angry? "

" You have not answered his question! What does God need with a starship? "

" Do you doubt me? " " I doubt any god who inflicts pain for his own pleasure. "

" Stop! The god of Sha Ka Ree would not do this!! " " Sha Ka Ree?! A vision you created. An eternity I've been imprisoned in this place! The ship. I must have the ship! Now… give me what I want! "

" What's wrong? Don't you like this face? I have so many, but this one suits you best. "

" I couldn't help but notice your pain. " " My pain? " " It runs deep. Share it with me! "

" General, I require your assistance. " "My assistance? " " You are his superior officer. " " I am a foolish old man. " " Damn you, sir! You will try! "

" I thought I was going to die. " " Not possible. You were never alone. "

" Please, captain. Not in front of the Klingons. "

" Cosmic thoughts, gentlemen? " " We were, speculating… is God really out there? " " Maybe He's not out there, Bones. Maybe He's right here… the Human heart. "

" I was thinking of Sybok. I have lost a brother. " " Yes. I lost a brother once . But I was lucky, I got him back . "

Background information [ ]

• Co-Writer and Director William Shatner once remarked that he initially intended this movie to be written by thriller and fantasy author Eric Van Lustbader . " My biggest failure [in the making of the film] was I had read some books by Eric Van Lustbader, who had written some wonderful novels about an American in Japan and how out of place he felt. I thought, 'God, that'd be perfect for a Spock movie.' I went to see him and we walked the streets of New York pondering the plot of Star Trek , " Shatner recalled. " He was a fan. I thought, 'God, I've got a bestselling author ready to do a Star Trek .' And then they couldn't agree on the novel rights. So I lost him and my movie was going downhill before it even started. " ( 50 Years of Star Trek , p. 15)
• William Shatner stated in his memoir Star Trek Movie Memories (1995, pp. 278-279) that he came up with the story idea of the search for what turned out to be a false god, while he was watching the at-the-time controversial televangelist couple Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker, on television. He became amazed and disgusted by the idea how such vulgar people had the audacity to purport they alone were the harbingers of God and had become rich from donations by their followers.
• Though Paramount Pictures President Frank Mancuso, Sr. was a religious man, he was sympathetic to Shatner's story outline and green-lit the production of the movie when Shatner pitched his story outline to him in person. ( Star Trek Movie Memories , 1995, p. 282)
• Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry had, since Star Trek: The Motion Picture , no formal creative say in the Star Trek films by that time, only the title of "Executive Consultant". All subsequent movies were vehemently resisted by Roddenberry, particularly The Final Frontier . Roddenerry went as far as to have his attorney Leonard Maizlish prepare legal procedures against Shatner. The legal action did not proceed. Roddenberry's position did not allow for this but Roddenberry declared the film "apocryphal". ( Star Trek FAQ 2.0 , chapter 13; Star Trek Movie Memories , 1995, pp. 283-284)
• The Final Frontier approximated Roddenberry's atheist worldview, and was reminiscent of his own 1975 unrealized movie script The God Thing , a reworked version of which became In Thy Image and then, reworked further, the script for The Motion Picture . Richard Arnold , who was working at Roddenberry's office at the time, was present when the first story outline of The Final Frontier was delivered to Roddenberry as an FYI, later explaining to Shatner why Roddenberry reacted as he did, " So when you came along, though it was years later, with very similar themes, Gene was really hurt. I think it hurt Gene's ego that you finally going to tell the story that he wanted to tell ten years earlier. You were about to succeed where he had failed. At the time, Gene's secretary, Susan was making matters worse by walking around the office stating things like 'I can't believe it! He stole your idea. Bill's an asshole. Bill's a bastard.' So that did not help, and additionally, I know there was a fairly legitimate concern on Gene's part that your sense of humor [in regard to the way the secondary cast was eventually portrayed in the movie] was a little different than had ever been visualized before. " While Susan Sackett's reaction might be construed as personally motivated, she actually had, in all fairness, a point; Shatner himself has related how he had stumbled upon Roddenberry ten years earlier when the latter was busy writing The God Thing , and was on that occasion given a beat-for-beat summary of the story. Some of this may have nestled in Shatner's subconscious. ( Star Trek Movie Memories , 1995, pp. 46-49, 289-291) Though Shatner had implied as much in his memoir, Arnold's remarks confirmed that Shatner had neither consulted nor communicated with Roddenberry even once, during the entire production of the movie.
• Co-Writer/Producer Harve Bennett , partly responsible for the three previous successful Star Trek movies, initially did not want to make the film as both his relationship with several key production staffers, in particular with Leonard Nimoy , had started to deteriorate with Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home . He was also fed up with Roddenberry's interloping. Shatner trusted Bennett, but had a hard time convincing him to come aboard. ( Star Trek Movie Memories , 1995, pp. 283-285)
• Star Trek V , released in June 1989, was the last Star Trek movie to be released in the summer months until 2009's Star Trek .
• Star Trek V was the first Star Trek production to be made in tandem with another ( Star Trek: The Next Generation , whose second season was in production during the filming) and one of only two productions to be made during that time period without any involvement from Rick Berman .
• Star Trek V has provoked controversy among fans. Many consider this movie to be the weakest Star Trek film ever made, although financially, the later Star Trek Nemesis performed even worse worldwide, though it was initially the number one film at the box-office on its first weekend of release and grossed a solid US$17 million. It ultimately earned over $52 million in the US and Canada plus over $17 million overseas. [1] It was not as successful as its predecessor, Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home , which had grossed US$109.7 million in North America alone. ( see also : Star Trek films: Performance summary )
• During the 1988 Writer's Guild of America strike, the film's pre-production and shooting schedule were severely trimmed.
• Paramount decided that Star Trek V would be as comedic as Star Trek IV .
• Star William Shatner made a deal with Paramount that if Star Trek IV was successful, he would be contracted to direct the next film, although according to Star Trek Movie Memories (1995, p. 244), both William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy had what Shatner referred to as "favored nation clauses", in their contracts meaning essentially that what one got, the other got. According to Shatner, it was Nimoy who put the idea of directing Star Trek V in his head during the production of Star Trek IV , telling Shatner that because of their favored nation status, he could successfully demand to direct the next film.
• There was public dissatisfaction with Star Trek: The Next Generation among fans at the time.
• Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) was not contracted to do the effects for the film, due to the unavailability of the company, with the job going to a lesser known company, Associates & Ferren . The result was poor quality, and in some cases, obviously unfinished special effects shots.
• Intense competition during the summer of 1989 with the release of a multitude of blockbusters, including the long awaited Tim Burton Batman film, Lethal Weapon 2 , Ghostbusters 2 , and Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade (according to Harve Bennett in Star Trek Movie Memories – 1995, pp. 395-396).
• Principal photography began on 11 October 1988 and ended on 28 December of the same year. The first scene filmed was Harve Bennett's cameo as Rear Admiral " Bob ". Production began shooting at Yosemite National Park , then moved to the Mojave Desert , then back to Paramount Studios, where they filmed next door to Star Trek: The Next Generation . The last scenes filmed were the Kirk-Spock-McCoy trio's campfire singalongs. ( Star Trek V: The Final Frontier DVD special features)
• On 28 December, the last production day (only a few missing special effects shots were filmed that day), a press conference was held on the set to various newspaper, television, and radio reporters. Producers Harve Bennett and Ralph Winter, director William Shatner , and the entire Star Trek main cast participated, answering questions. ( Star Trek V: The Final Frontier DVD special features)
• The Star Trek V novelization also references and shows Sybok showing the crew how to radically adjust the deflector shields in order to be able to pass through the extreme radiation environment of the Great Barrier .
• Another oddity is the Enterprise 's trip to the center of the galaxy, which should have taken decades but seemed to occur in less than a day. In the novelization of Star Trek V , it is mentioned that Sybok's tinkering allows them to decrease their travel time. The Bird-of-Prey scans the Enterprise during their pursuit and is able to duplicate their rate of travel as well as Sybok's shield modifications allowing them to penetrate the Barrier.
• The film was the "winner" of the 1990 Razzie awards for "Worst Picture," "Worst Actor" (Shatner), and "Worst Director" (Shatner). It also received nominations for "Worst Picture of the Decade," "Worst Supporting Actor" (Kelley), and "Worst Screenplay" (Loughery, Shatner, and Bennett). In 2006, former Mystery Science Theater 3000 co-stars and writers Mike Nelson and Kevin Murphy mocked the film in a downloadable audio commentary track for Nelson's RiffTrax service.
• Because of its failure at the US box office, in some countries this film was not distributed in the theaters, but only on VHS.
• In the United Kingdom the film was released theatrically on 20 October 1989 . The Final Frontier was a modest success, opening at the top of the box office and earning £1,451,378 overall. [4]
• Some of the special effects in this movie are markedly different than those featured in previous Star Trek films. Among other changes, photon torpedoes have a different design and color (the torpedo from the Enterprise was a slightly recolored reuse of V'ger 's "whiplash bolt" from The Motion Picture , and a slightly different effect was used when going to warp speed. The release of Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country , however, marked a return to the effect designs that characterized earlier Trek films.
• ILM, the company which did the special effects for the previous three Star Trek films and TNG : " Encounter at Farpoint ", was unavailable because the company was working on Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade and Ghostbusters II at the time. The result of this is the considerably cheaper-looking effects seen in the film.
• The sequence of "God" chasing Captain Kirk on the Sha Ka Ree planet was originally conceived to be much longer and extensive, but it had to be severely cut as a result of awful-looking special effects.
• In addition, some of the outer space shots are stock footage from the previous films. The shot of the Enterprise in spacedock is from the end of The Voyage Home . Also, a few Klingon Bird-of-Prey shots are reused from Star Trek III: The Search for Spock . The spiraling starfield during Kirk's unfinished log entry is lifted from the opening titles of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan .
• William Shatner's first outline for this film was entitled "An Act of Love" and, according to William Shatner's Star Trek Movie Memories, would have been a much darker tale and would have seen the first true falling out between Kirk and Spock and McCoy. Also, Spock and McCoy would also have joined with Sybok, leaving Kirk alone. This was changed when Nimoy absolutely refused to play that, stating that there was no chance whatsoever that Spock would ever turn on Kirk, especially after what Kirk risked and sacrificed for Spock in Star Trek III . Director Shatner talked to Nimoy, attempting to change his mind, but Nimoy was firm in believing that pain or no pain, brother or no brother, Spock would not betray Captain Kirk. Shatner eventually conceded and had the script adjusted. In the book, Shatner comments that he was aware there was no chance he could know Spock as well as Nimoy would and he certainly couldn't force Nimoy to play the part as written. According to Shatner, on the same day that Nimoy objected, DeForest Kelley also refused, believing that McCoy would not turn against Kirk either and Kelley was as adamant about it as Nimoy was. Shatner said that he didn't know and still doesn't know if changing the script was the right decision to make, but he also conceded that if someone else had come in and written a scenario where Kirk would turn against Spock and McCoy, he too, would "raise the roof" over it. Nevertheless, Shatner said he would still have loved to have seen and been able to play the original version of the scenario.
• The name "Sha Ka Ree" was taken from " Sean Connery ", the actor Star Trek producers originally wanted to play Sybok. Unfortunately, Connery was busy working on Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade , and was unavailable to play the part. ( Star Trek Movie Memories 1995, p. 292)

The "Rock Man" in the deleted scene

• In the original script, Kirk was attacked by ten large "rockmen" emerging from the rock faces of Sha Ka Ree. Unfortunately, with an extremely limited budget (which was responsible for other "high budget" items being removed from the final script, as well as for the use of cheaper effects for the space scenes), only one animatronic " Rock Man ", portrayed by stuntman Tom Morga , was created. The single rockman was filmed attacking Kirk, but the scene was thought too poor to include in the film, although an extremely brief (a few frames) glimpse of the creature occurs in the final print during the scene where "God" fires energy blasts at Captain Kirk. Some test footage of the creature is available in the Special Edition two-disc DVD release. The idea did make it to theaters in the Star Trek parody Galaxy Quest . A few images of Morga as the rockman were later released in the special feature "Tom Morga: Alien Stuntman" on the 2009 box release Star Trek: Original Motion Picture Collection (DVD) .
• Closeups of the El Capitan climbing scenes were filmed on a fake wall made of fiberglass. The real mountain can be seen at distance.
• Closeups of Kirk's fall were actually shot horizontally, then flipped so that they appeared vertical.
• When Kirk returns to the bridge of his ship for the first time, he is given his uniform jacket by a yeoman . The yeoman is played by Shatner's youngest daughter, actress Melanie Shatner , and had been credited for it as such. Incidentally, her two older sisters, Lisabeth and Leslie , had already had uncredited cameo appearances as two of the Only girls in Star Trek: The Original Series episode " Miri ". Upon the conclusion of the movie, daughter Lisabeth wrote a book on her father's experiences making the movie, Captain's Log: William Shatner's Personal Account of the Making of Star Trek V: The Final Frontier .
• Several deleted scenes are available on the Special Edition DVD, including one of Sulu and Chekov visiting the Mount Rushmore monument, with the added face of an African-American woman.
• The novelization has some additional dialogue about Spock and McCoy speculating that the great barrier might not have been meant to keep them out, but to keep "God" in, prompting Spock to say that they may have yet to reach the final frontier.
• As had been the case with Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home , this film sports a rare instance of Trek product placement . Kirk and McCoy wear Levi's blue jeans for the first half-hour of the film, and Levi Strauss & Co. gets a credit at the end of the film.

Kraft Marshmallow Dispenser

• Spock makes an uncharacteristic mistake when he calls "marshmallows" by the name "marsh melons". The novelization shows that McCoy, knowing Spock would want to study what the ship had in the library computer about camping out before going out, paid a computer tech to change all references in the Enterprise computer about marshmallows to "marsh melons." The novel also includes characterizations of McCoy's and Kirk's reactions and McCoy having a silent laugh at Spock's error. In the final picture, McCoy simply stumbles over the pronunciation to continue the joke. Later, in the levitation boots scene on the Enterprise (mentioned below), Kirk again mentions "marsh melons", which some have thought to be the mistake, but is evidence he also recognized Spock's error. When they return to the camp site at the end of the novel, Spock has since then detected McCoy's activity and has had his misinformation corrected.
• The entire movie was filmed on such a tight schedule that many of the shots were set up in a matter of minutes, instead of hours.
• According to Shatner, the campfire scenes had to be shot in closer angles, because time and budget constraints prevented the production team from building the top of the trees on the set.
• The cloak with the numerous medals that Ambassador Korrd wore appeared again in Star Trek: The Next Generation as the cloak worn by the Klingon chancellor . The first chancellor to be seen, K'mpec (who first appeared in TNG : " Sins of The Father "), was also played by Charles Cooper .
• During location shooting, locals were hired to portray Sybok's "army" during his raid on Nimbus III . Because of the severe budget cuts and not enough number of these extras, many of them were re-used in different shots, running through the gates over and over again.
• One of Kirk's famous lines in this film is his prediction that he "will die alone." In the movie Star Trek Generations , Kirk dies after emerging from the Nexus in the 24th century . Although he dies apart from his closest friends (Spock and McCoy), Jean-Luc Picard is with him at his passing.
• Near the end of the film when Spock mentions that he lost his brother, Sybok, Kirk retorts, " Yes. I lost a brother once. I was lucky I got him back. " While Kirk's biological brother, George Samuel Kirk , died in TOS : " Operation -- Annihilate! ", he was clearly making a reference to Spock, who died in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan and was resurrected in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock . (However, Spock and McCoy look visibly surprised when Kirk mentions having lost a brother, creating a potential continuity error as both were present when George died.) This is the second time that Kirk refers to Spock as his "brother". The first time occurred in TOS : " Whom Gods Destroy ". The Star Trek V: The Final Frontier comic book adaptation had Kirk say " I've lost two brothers, but I was lucky to get one of them back. "
• After the Bird-of-Prey destroys "God", Kirk says, " So, it's me you want you Klingon bastards? ", a reference to a scene in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock in which Kirk calls them the same thing after Kruge kills his son, David Marcus .
• Shatner originally wanted Sybok's horse to be a unicorn, adding a more "mythical" approach to the character, but Gene Roddenberry disapproved of it, saying that it would turn Star Trek into a space fantasy instead of science fiction. ( citation needed • edit )
• This is the first Star Trek movie not to be nominated for a Hugo Award for "Best Dramatic Presentation".
• In an interview for the book Captains' Logs , Harve Bennett blamed the movie's failure on Star Trek: The Next Generation .
• Shatner had been so impressed with Production Designer Herman Zimmerman 's work on The Next Generation , that he hired Zimmerman to upgrade the Enterprise interiors for the film. Hence, the upgraded bridge from the movie resembles the bright atmosphere portrayed in The Next Generation . Decades later Zimmerman later jokingly commented after seeing the film, considered so flawed by many, " After the show was over, I was pretty sure I would never do another! " ( The Art of Star Trek , p. 249; Star Trek: 45 Years of Designing the Future )
• The Enterprise -A corridors are from The Next Generation . Except for the turbolift, they were not changed for the movie.
• The Enterprise -A bridge is mostly a new set, except for the turbolifts, Sulu and Chekov's helm console, the handrails, and some of the platforms on which the portions of the bridge stood. According to the Collector's Edition DVD text commentary, a new bridge set was necessary due to the original movie bridge set being mostly damaged by a sudden windstorm while in temporary storage at the Paramount studio parking lot (other sources have the reason for the new bridge set's construction as being because it had been extensively modified for use on TNG to the point that it could not be converted back), and only those few pieces used on the Enterprise -A bridge were salvaged from the original set. Captain Kirk would thus seem to briefly break character when he muses, " I miss my old chair. " The decoration from the salvaged set was also used for the Stargazer bridge and for the battle bridge in TNG.
• Another all-new set was the forward observation lounge where several dramatic scenes take place. According to Michael Okuda , this room was located on the forward-center edge of the saucer section (much like Ten Forward on the Enterprise -D). However, when looking at the exterior of the Enterprise -A, there are no windows which match the location of this room. The plan was to update the filming miniature with the three larger windows, however time and budget constraints forced the producers to omit this change as it was believed they would be unnoticed due to their small size. ( citation needed • edit )
• Nichelle Nichols, an accomplished singer and dancer, provided an authentic performance of the "fan dance" routine in this film; she was outraged when her vocals in the scene were later overdubbed in editing without her approval.

Unreleased Star Trek V: The Final Frontier video game

• A Bandai Nintendo Entertainment System action game was slated to be released in 1989 along with the movie. The game was canceled following the failure of the film at the box office. A prototype has surfaced and is circling the net as a ROM. It is notable for its many basic spelling errors (example: at one point Scotty is named "Scotto") and lack of an ending (the game may have been incomplete at the time it was scrapped).
• This film marked the return of Jerry Goldsmith to the Star Trek franchise. He returned again to compose the music for Star Trek: First Contact , Star Trek: Insurrection , and Star Trek Nemesis , and to compose the theme for Star Trek: Voyager . An attempt was made to bring Goldsmith on to compose for Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country after James Horner turned it down. However, Goldsmith also refused, citing the poor results of Final Frontier .
• Among the items featured in this film which were sold off on the It's A Wrap! sale and auction on eBay were a Starfleet Field Duty Commando division strip [5] and the stunt costume for David Richard Ellis . [6] The rock climbing costume worn by Shatner was also auctioned off. [7] The costume had "Boreal"-brand shoes.
• This is the only one of the first six Star Trek films not to feature any scenes based in and around Starfleet Headquarters in San Francisco .
• The otherwise very Star Trek friendly magazine Cinefantastique has made no mention whatsoever of this production in their publications.
• A draft version of the film's script was submitted on 29 February 1988 . [8]
• This is the first Star Trek film to use the 1986-2002 Paramount Pictures logo.
• CBS aired its one and only Star Trek movie network TV premiere with Star Trek V: The Final Frontier on December 3, 1991, a good three days ahead of Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country opening in cinemas nationwide.

Star Trek V continues the story of the previous film only a short time after its ending, where the Enterprise -A departs for its shakedown cruise. This film begins with the Enterprise back in spacedock and Scott filing in his shakedown cruise report. The previous film, Star Trek IV , is dated to 2286 , when Gillian from 1986 mentions that she has three hundred years of catching up to do, suggesting this film takes place in 2286, or at the latest in 2287 .

In the film, Caithlin Dar makes a reference that Nimbus III was established as a planet of galactic peace 20 years ago, when the Federation and the Klingon and Romulan Empires attempted unsuccessfully to usher into a new era of peace and co-operation. While not explicitly stated, these are references to the Organian Peace Treaty of 2267 at the end of " Errand of Mercy " and the Romulan-Klingon Alliance some time in or before 2268 based on references from " The Enterprise Incident " and " Reunion " These references give Star Trek V a timeframe from 2286 to 2288 .

In the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode " Evolution " (broadcast as the third-season premiere), it is mentioned by Lt. Commander Data that " [there] has not been a systems-wide technological failure on a starship in seventy-nine years. " The episode was the very first filmed TNG installment to air following the June 1989 theatrical release of Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (in September 1989), and this line of dialogue was very likely written by Michael Piller as a "nod" to the events of the most-recent movie, placing the events of the film in the year 2287 (seventy-nine years prior to the year 2366 ).

Another complicating factor is that the film itself makes it quite clear that it picks up just a few weeks after the events of Star Trek IV given how Kirk points out that Scotty said he could have the Enterprise ready in two weeks and Kirk gave him three. Additionally, we are told in Kirk's log entry at the start of Star Trek IV that the movie takes place three months after the end of Star Trek III which in turn picks up immediately where Star Trek II leaves off at. Kirk's birthday, which was celebrated in Star Trek II , was established as March 22 by an okudagram from ENT : " In a Mirror, Darkly, Part II ". Due to these factors, assuming Star Trek II takes place on March 22, 2285, Star Trek III is likely set in April 2285, Star Trek IV is likely set in July 2285, and Star Trek V is likely set in August 2285.

StarTrek.com , Star Trek Chronology , and Star Trek Encyclopedia  (3rd ed., p. 691) use the year 2287, or twenty years after the Organian Peace Treaty. Memory Alpha uses this year, as well.

Characters [ ]

During production of The Original Series , James Doohan took pains to conceal his right hand from the camera, due to it missing a finger as the result of an injury the actor suffered in the Second World War, and when close-ups of Scott's hands were required a body double was used. Thus, Scott canonically was not missing any fingers during the TOS timeframe. In this film, Doohan's injured hand is clearly visible in one scene, ( citation needed • edit ) establishing in canon that, at some point between TOS and Star Trek V , Scott lost a finger, for reasons as yet unrevealed.

Merchandise gallery [ ]

Awards and honors [ ]

Star Trek V: The Final Frontier received the following awards and honors.

Apocrypha [ ]

The novel The Fire and the Rose shows that as Spock began to regret undertaking the Kolinahr , that he remembered what Kirk had told Sybok about how the regrets and the pain one carries with them is part of what makes them who they are and it does help in Spock's decision to reverse the Kolinahr .

The Sha Ka Ree entity is identified in The Q Continuum trilogy as The One, a being that was drawn into this universe through the Guardian of Forever by the entity known as 0 , subsequently being defeated in a confrontation with the Q Continuum and locked away in the galactic center – having been reduced to only a head – until His repentance or the heat death of the universe, "whichever comes first."

Vonda McIntyre 's novelizations of Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan , Star Trek III: The Search for Spock and Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home had Hikaru Sulu 's rank at captain (based on cut material from Star Trek II ) for sake of continuity within the novels. When J.M. Dillard wrote novelization of Star Trek V: The Final Frontier , she included a reference that Sulu had taken a temporary reduction in rank back down to commander in order to serve on the Enterprise , a decision which, when Kirk found out, made him furious at Sulu for not thinking of his own career first, and after giving Sulu hell about that decision, Kirk thanked him afterward.

According to the novel The Sorrows of Empire , McCoy's mirror universe counterpart was also responsible for his father's death, though under dramatically different circumstances: he tortured him to death on the orders of the Terran Empire .

The massively-multiplayer online video game Star Trek Online features Nimbus III as a location players can travel to, including Paradise City and its featured bar. There are other adventures players can partake in out in the neighboring desert wasteland, including one of the first introductions of the Elachi race to non-Romulan players.

Links and references [ ]

Credits [ ], opening credits [ ].

• William Shatner
• Leonard Nimoy
• DeForest Kelley
• James Doohan
• Walter Koenig
• Nichelle Nichols
• George Takei
• David Warner
• Laurence Luckinbill as Sybok
• Gene Roddenberry
• Jerry Goldsmith
• Nilo Rodis-Jamero
• Peter Berger , ACE
• Herman Zimmerman
• Andrew Laszlo , ASC
• Ralph Winter
• William Shatner & Harve Bennett & David Loughery
• David Loughery
• Harve Bennett

Closing credits [ ]

• Kirk – William Shatner
• Spock – Leonard Nimoy
• McCoy – DeForest Kelley
• Scotty – James Doohan
• Chekov – Walter Koenig
• Uhura – Nichelle Nichols
• Sulu – George Takei
• St. John Talbot – David Warner
• Sybok – Laurence Luckinbill
• Korrd – Charles Cooper
• Caithlin Dar – Cynthia Gouw
• Captain Klaa – Todd Bryant
• Vixis – Spice Williams
• J'onn – Rex Holman
• " God " – George Murdock
• Young Sarek – Jonathan Simpson
• High Priestess – Beverly Hart
• Pitchman – Steve Susskind
• Starfleet Chief of Staff – Harve Bennett
• Amanda – Cynthia Blaise
• McCoy's Father – Bill Quinn
• Yeoman – Melanie Shatner
• Glenn R. Wilder
• Don Pulford
• Greg Barnett
• David Burton
• David Richard Ellis (stunt double for Laurence Luckinbill )
• Linda Fetters ( Feline bar dancer )
• James M. Halty (stunt double for George Takei )
• Freddie Hice (stunt double for DeForest Kelley )
• Thomas Huff (stunt double for DeForest Kelley)
• Joyce L. McNeal
• Tom Morga ( Starfleet field security crewman / Rock Man ( deleted scene ))
• Frank Orsatti
• Air Randall
• Bruce Wayne Randall
• R.A. Rondell
• Tom Wetterman
• Scott Wilder ( Starfleet field security crewman )
• Douglas E. Wise
• Burt "Skip" Burnam
• George Fortmuller
• Brooke Breton
• Bill Shepard , CSA
• Bran Ferren
• Keith Peterman
• Phil Caplan
• Kenneth Nishino
• Dick Meinardus
• Dennis B. Seawright
• Jeffrey S. Thorin
• David Ronne , CAS
• John Schuyler
• Stewart D. McDonald, Jr.
• Michael L. Wood
• Mike Edmonson
• Dodie Shepard
• John D. Bronson
• Raymond A. Phelps
• Joseph R. Markham
• Donna Barrett Gilbert
• Hazel Catmull
• Kenny Myers
• Michael Mills
• Jan Alexander
• Edouard Henriques III
• Katalin Elek
• Rolf John Keppler
• Ellis Burman
• Marion Tumen
• Donald O. Nygren
• Richard Hartley
• Carmon H. Howell
• Burton Lindemoen
• Jon A. Falkengren
• John M. Dwyer
• Anthony Brockliss
• Sandy L. Veneziano
• Ronald R. Wilkinson
• Richard Frank McKenzie
• Andrew Neskoromny
• Antoinette Gordon
• Michael Okuda
• Cari Thomas
• Rick Sternbach
• Barton M. Susman
• Kurt V. Hulett
• Richard J. Bayard
• John Matheson
• Gary A. Clark
• James H. Betts
• Linda Miller
• Jeff McGrath
• Michael Mann
• Raymond A. McLaughlin
• Gaston Veilleux
• Corky Randall
• Thomas B. Jones
• Terry Erdmann
• Bruce Birmelin
• George C. Villaseñor
• John A. Haggar
• Christopher E. Bennett
• Reel People, Inc.
• Mark Mangini
• Alan Howarth
• Michael J. Benavente
• Warren Hamilton, Jr. , MPSE
• David A. Whittaker , MPSE
• Wayne Allwine , MPSE
• David Spence
• Ron Bartlett
• Solange Schwalbe Boisseau
• Kenneth Dufva
• Gregory J. Curda
• Andrew Patterson
• Bill Voigtlander
• Sonny Pettijohn
• Destiny Borden
• Angie Luckey
• Ken Johnson
• David Moreno
• Chris Jenkins
• Gary Alexander
• D.M. Hemphill
• Scott Austin
• Marc Okrand
• Arthur Morton
• Bruce Botnick
• Record Plant Scoring
• Valerie Mickaelian Kucera
• Tony Criscione
• Marie Elder
• Paul F. Schlichting
• Eva Marie Friedrick
• Mary Jo Fernandez
• Charlene Bergman
• Kimberly Boyle
• Rebeca R. Brookshire
• Susan Sackett
• Wendell Johnson
• Deborah L. Campbell
• James Collins
• Barbara Harris
• Denali Productions, Inc.
• Robert Carmichael
• Stephen J. Ross
• Susan McCrae
• Rob Sweeney
• Michael Weis
• John McCloud
• Bernie Pock
• Paul Sibley
• Werner Braun
• Jim Bridwell
• Bill Russell
• Sean Plunkett
• Steven Haire
• Nadim Melkonian
• Troy Johnson
• Walter Shipley
• Dean Miller
• Joe Valentine
• Bill Killey
• Bob Stradling
• Associates & Ferren
• Eric Angelson
• James Shelly
• Patricia Barry
• Susan Le Ber
• Susan Coursey

Live Action Effects Unit [ ]

• Frost Wilkinson
• Phil Gosiewski
• Bruce Vaughn
• Phil Cullum
• Paul Jordan
• Seth Nathanson
• Bob Francis
• Miles Ambrose
• Otto Leichliter
• Ron Webster
• Chester Hartwell
• Kinnereth Ellentuck
• Alan D. Webb

Model Unit [ ]

• Peter Wallach
• Edward Lee Rapp
• Michael Sullivan
• Jack Riedel
• Robert Lyons
• Michael Faerman
• Rachel A. Drapkin
• Peterson Tooke
• Paul Michael Clemente
• David V. Mei
• Michael Tabacco
• Valentine Vignes
• Daniel Nauke
• Michael Gerzevitz
• Michael Kellough
• Thomas Quinn
• Noel Sheinberg
• Susan Tremblay
• David Drapkin
• David Bruce
• Maria Konwicka
• Veronica E. Lesser
• Gregory Jein, Inc.

Optical Unit [ ]

• Dick Swanek
• Robert Rowohlt
• John Alagna
• Mitch Wilson
• Robert Schulze
• Tom Snowden
• Louis Goold
• Michael Ventresco
• Gregory Harker
• Valerie Baiardi
• Eddie Stewart
• Stewart Brown

Additional Optical Effects [ ]

• Barry Hyman
• Peter Kiran
• Illusion Arts, Inc.
• Marc Sawicki
• Industrial Light & Magic
• Epic Records, Cassettes and Compact Discs
• Music by: Jerry Goldsmith
• Lyric by: John Bettis
• Performed by: Hiroshima
• Produced by: Dan Kuramoto
• Hiroshima courtesy of Epic Records
• Music by: Alexander Courage
• Dr. Charles A. Beichman , Infrared Processing and Analysis Center Jet Propulsion Lab, Pasadena
• Robert Parker
• Jack Morehead , Superintendent
• Bureau of Land Management
• California Film Commission
• State of California, State Lands Commission
• Madera County Film Commission
• Jet Propulsion Laboratory , Pasadena
• Reebok International, Ltd.
• Jack Daniel's
• Apple Computers
• Monster Cable ®
• International Scientific Instruments, Inc.
• Denton Vacuum, Inc.
• Princeton Gamma-Tech
• Carl Zeiss, Inc.
• de Graf/Wahrman, Inc.
• Base Gamma Electronic Systems
• Kraft, Inc.
• Levi Strauss & Co.
• Todd A-O/Glen Glenn Studios
• Technicolor ®
• Panavision ®
• Charles Bazaldua ( The Loop Group )
• Gene Cross as Sybok's follower
• David Dewitt
• Steven Johnson as Starfleet field security crewman
• Carlyle King (The Loop Group)
• Kevin Lindsay as alien bar patron
• Patrick Michael as Enterprise -A crewman
• Richard Penn (The Loop Group)
• Paige Pollack (The Loop Group)
• Susan Savage
• Gary Schwartz (The Loop Group)
• Carey Scott as voice of a teenage Spock ( deleted scene )
• Mike Smithson as Klingon helmsman
• Nimbus III bar patron
• " Wrinkles "
• Rhoda Williams as alien vocals
• Ilona Wilson as Nimbus III bar patron
• " Ape Face "
• " Bone Head "
• " Dark Eyes "
• " Leather Face "
• " Long Face "
• " Lost Soul "
• " Round Eyes "
• Nimbus III lookout party
• Alien sentry
• Klingon commander
• Seven Starfleet field security officers
• Four followers of Sybok
• Three Nimbus III bar patrons
• Terry Jackson
• David Wendler as stunt double for William Shatner (horse stunts)
• Tom Boyd – Musician: Oboe
• Cogswell Video Services, Inc. – Visual Effects Unit Video Assist Company
• Lynette Eklund – prison alien anatomy pieces artist
• Christopher Gilman and Global Effects, Inc. – Creator and provider of the cool suits
• Karen Hulett – Costume design
• Stuart Land – Prosthetics
• Lisa Logan – Cutter/Fitter
• David Nicksay – Executive Producer

References [ ]

2267 ; adventure ; alcohol ; Almighty ; amusement ; ancestor ; Andorian language ; angry ; animal ; arrest ; arrival ; arrogance ; ass ; attack ; attack course ; attack range ; attention ; audience ; authority ; backpack ; banishment ; barricade ; bath ; bay doors ; bean ; bearing ; betrayal ; belief ; birth ; blizzard ; blowscreen ; binoculars ; bipodal seeds ; brig ; boat ; " Bones "; booster rocket ; bourbon ; bowl ; brainwashing ; brig ; " by the book "; cadet ; campfire ; camping ; " Camptown Races "; capital city ; charge ; chariot ; choice ; cloaking device ; Columbus, Christopher ; command chair ; commander ; commercial ; communicator ; companion ; compliment ; computer library ; confrontation ; con man ; conn ; conspiring ; consul ; contact ; coordinates ; Copernicus ; course ; creature ; cricket ; culture ; cure ; custom ; danger ; darkness ; data ; David McCoy's condition ; death ; degree ; designer ; destination ; devil ; dinner ; disaster ; discovery ; distress signal ; dignity ; doctor ; dogma ; door ; dream ; ear ; Earth ; Eden ; El Capitan ; emergency assistance ; emergency channel ; Emergency Landing Plan B ; emergency sending apparatus ; emotion ; Enterprise -A, USS ; Enterprise -A dedication plaque ; estimate ; eternity ; Excelsior , USS ; Excelsior -class ; existence ; experience ; expression ; face ; faith ; family ; fan dance ; fantasy ; fear ; Federation ; Federation Federal ; feeling ; financing ; fishing ; flat ; flat Earth ; flattery ; flavoring ; footspeed ; forward observation room ; free-climbing ; French language ; friend ; Galactic Army of Light ; galactic core ; Galileo ; Galileo -type shuttlecraft ; garbage ; gate ; generation ; " get a grip on yourself "; ghost ; ghost town ; God ; government ; gravity ; Grayson, Amanda ; Great Barrier ; Great Horned Owl ; green ; guilt ; gunner ; hailing frequency ; half-brother (brother); hand ; heart ; heart attack ; Heaven ; " hello "; high priestess ; " hit the brakes "; hole ; horse ; hostage ; hostage tape ; hour ; Human ; humor ; hydro vent ; ID ; idea ; illusion ; immortal ; impulse power ; information ; ingredient ; intellect ; intelligence ; intention ; intention ; Iowa ; jailbreak ; jet boots ; job ; journey ; junior officer ; kellicam ; Klaa's Bird-of-Prey ; Klingons ; Klingon Bird-of-Prey ; Klingon Empire ; Klingon High Command ; Klingon language ; knowledge ; land ; landing bay ; leader ; letter ; levitation boots ; Levi's ; life support system ; light (artificial); light (natural); logic ; lookout party ; Luna ; lyric ; " macho "; " made love "; madman ; magic wand ; marshmallow ; Masefield, John ; maximum speed ; meaning ; melon ; Melville, Herman ; message ; metabolism ; Milky Way Galaxy ; mind ; miracle ; mister ; mood ; " Moon over Rigel VII "; " Moon's a Window to Heaven, The "; monkey ; Morse code ; mount ; mountain ; muscle ; mystery ; myth ; naked ; " neck of the woods "; " nervous wreck "; Neutral Zone ; Neutral Zone Treaty ; Nimbus III ; Nimbus III moons ; Nimbosian horse ; noise ; " oh my God "; " on board "; " on course "; " on leave "; online ; orbital shuttle ( unnamed orbital shuttle ); Orbital shuttle 5 ; Orbital shuttle 7 ; order ; " out of favor "; outcast ; " Pack Up Your Troubles "; pagan ; pain ; Paradise City ; Paradise Inn ; passion ; person ; phaser ; photon torpedo ; Pioneer 10 ; " piss me off "; place ; pleasure ; pool ; power source ; priority 7 ; princess ; prisoner ; probe ; problem ; pronunciation ; proof ; protective custody ; " put me out to pasture "; quadrant ; quest ; question ; Qui'Tu ; reality ; reason ; record time ; red alert ; renegade ; repairs ; representative ; rescue ship ; research ; respect ; revolutionary ; Rigel VII ; ritual ; rock ; Romulans ; Romulan ale ; Romulan language ; room ; round ; " Row, Row, Row Your Boat " ( rowboat ); San Francisco Fleet Yards ; scholar ; scope ; scotch whiskey ; Scots language ; " Sea-Fever "; second ; secret ; sense of humor ; settlement ; settler ; Sha Ka Ree ; Sha Ka Ree (planet); Shakedown cruise report, USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-A) ; shield ; shipmate ; shore leave ; shower ; sincerity ; sing-along ; skeleton crew ; sky ; sleep ; Sol ; soldier ; son ; song ; song title ; soul ; sound ; sound barrier ; Source, The ; Southern baked beans ; space ; Spacedock One ; speculation ; speech ; speed ; standard orbit ; standard orbital approach ; " stand by "; star ; Starfleet ; Starfleet Charter ; Starfleet Com Net ; Starfleet Command ; Starfleet Galactic Memory Bank ; Starfleet Operations ; starship ; status ; status report ; stream ; strength ; strike team ; student ; success ; superior officer ; surrender ; tall ship ; target ; Tennessee whiskey ; termite ; Terran ; terrorist ; " thank God "; thing ; thousand ; threat ; thruster ; time ; toilet ; tour ; tractor beam ; transmission ; transmitter ; transporter ; transporter beam ; transporter lock ; transporter room ; trash ; treasure ; triangle ; trick ; trigger ; truth ; tunnel ; turboshaft number three ; " under arrest "; understanding ; understatement ; Valhalla ; value ; vanity ; viewscreen ; voice ; violation ; Vorta Vor ; Vulcans ; Vulcan ; Vulcan language ; Vulcan lute ; Vulcan nerve pinch ; Vulcan princess ; warp engine ; warp speed ; warrior ; Watering Hole, The ; weapon ; " wee "; week ; weight ; " whip her into shape "; wildlife ; wisdom ; word ; workout ; year ; Yosemite National Park ; youth

Starfleet Galactic Memory Bank references [ ]

Feira incident ; field commander ; Klingon Imperial Command ; K'Rebeca sector ; Orion ; Shepard sector ; Starfleet Intelligence

Meta references [ ]

Unreferenced material [ ].

Mount Rushmore National Memorial ; Nimbosian ; Rock Man

Related topics [ ]

• Vulcan mythology
• Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (Special Edition)
• Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (soundtrack)

External links [ ]

• Star Trek V: The Final Frontier at StarTrek.com
• Star Trek V: The Final Frontier at Memory Beta , the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
• Star Trek V: The Final Frontier at Wikipedia
• Star Trek V: The Final Frontier at the Internet Movie Database
• Star Trek V: The Final Frontier script  at Star Trek Minutiae
• " Star Trek V: The Final Frontier " at MissionLogPodcast.com , a Roddenberry Star Trek podcast
• 3 Ancient humanoid

Movie Reviews

Tv/streaming, collections, great movies, chaz's journal, contributors, star trek v: the final frontier.

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There was a moment in "Star Trek V: The Final Frontier" - only one, and a brief one, but a genuine one - when I felt the promise of awe. The Starship Enterprise was indeed going where no man had gone before, through the fabled Great Barrier, which represents the end of the finite universe. What would lie beyond? Would it be an endless void, or a black hole, or some kind of singularity of space and time that would turn the voyagers inside out and deposit them in another universe? Or would the Barrier even reveal, as one of the characters believes, the place where life began? The place called by the name of Eden and countless other words? As the Enterprise approached the Barrier, I found my attention gathering. The movie had been slow and boring until then, with an interminable, utterly inconsequential first act and a plot that seemed to exist in a space-time singularity all its own. But now, at last, the fifth " Star Trek " movie seemed to be remembering what was best about the fictional world of "Star Trek": those moments when man and his ideas are challenged by the limitless possibilities of creation.

As I've said, my awe was real. It was also brief. Once the Enterprise crew members (and the Vulcan who was holding them hostage) landed on the world beyond the Barrier, the possibilities of god or Eden or whatever quickly disintegrated into an anticlimactic special effects show with a touch of " The Wizard of Oz " thrown in for good measure. I do not want to give away important elements in the plot, but after you've seen the movie, ask yourself these questions: 1) How was it known that the voyagers would go beyond the Barrier; 2) what was the motivation behind what they found there; 3) how was it known that they would come to stand at exactly the point where the stone pillars came up from the Earth; 4) In a version of a question asked by Capt. Kirk, why would any entity capable of staging such a show need its own starship; and 5) is the Great Barrier indeed real, or simply a deceptive stage setting for what was found behind it? (What I'm really complaining about, I think, is that "Star Trek V" allows itself enormous latitude in the logic beneath its plot. If the Barrier is real, what exactly are we to make of the use to which it is put?) Before we get to ask those questions, "Star Trek V" spends much of its time meandering through some of the goofiest scenes in the entire series. The movie opens with the taking of three hostages on a desert planet, who have been captured for the sole purpose of luring Capt. Kirk and his starship to the planet so that the ship can be commandeered for the voyage through the Barrier. I have explained these plot details in one sentence. The movie takes endless scenes, during which the key crew members of the Enterprise need to be summoned back to their ship in the middle of a shore leave. And that process, in turn, requires interminable scenes of Kirk, Spock and Bones on a camping trip in Yosemite, during which they attempt to sing "Row, row, row your boat" and nearly succeed in sinking the entire movie. If there is a sillier and more awkwardly written scene in the entire "Star Trek" saga than this one, I've missed it.

After the pointless opening scenes, the movie begins to develop a plot of sorts, but it is so confused and inadequately explained that there are times when we simply give up and wait for what's next. That was particularly the case during the inexplicable closing scenes, where the humans and the Klingons seem to join sides after an off-camera speech by a former Klingon leader who had been put out to pasture. Since this leader is identified as having been badly treated by the Klingons in his retirement, how did he suddenly regain the authority to negotiate a truce? And do we really want to see the mighty Klingons reduced to the status of guests at a cocktail party? One of the trademarks of the "Star Trek" saga has been the way the supporting characters are kept alive in little subplots. In "Star Trek V," the Enterprise starts its voyage while the shop is suffering a series of mechanical failures, and that involves countless brief scenes in which Scotty, the chief engineer, emerges from beneath a piece of equipment, brandishes his wrench and says he'll have things fixed in a moment. Two or three of these scenes might have been enough.

Another irritation is the way in which we meet apparently major characters, including those played by David Warner , Laurence Luckinbill and Cynthia Gouw, who are introduced with fanfares of dialogue and then never developed or given anything to do. The entire movie seems crowded with loose ends, overlooked developments and forgotten characters, and there are little snatches of dialogue where some of these minor characters seem to be soldiering on in their original subplots as if unaware that they've been cut from the movie.

"Star Trek V" is pretty much of a mess - a movie that betrays all the signs of having gone into production at a point where the script doctoring should have begun in earnest. There is no clear line from the beginning of the movie to the end, not much danger, no characters to really care about, little suspense, uninteresting or incomprehensible villains, and a great deal of small talk and pointless dead ends. Of all of the "Star Trek" movies, this is the worst.

Roger Ebert

Roger Ebert was the film critic of the Chicago Sun-Times from 1967 until his death in 2013. In 1975, he won the Pulitzer Prize for distinguished criticism.

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Film credits.

Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (1989)

108 minutes

James Doohan as Montgomery Scott

Walter Koenig as Pavel Chekov

George Takei as Sulu

William Shatner as Capt. Kirk

Nichelle Nichols as Cmdr. Uhura

Deforest Kelley as Dr. McCoy

Leonard Nimoy as Mr. Spock

Photography by

• Andrew Laszlo
• Peter Berger
• David Loughery From

From A Story by

Produced by.

• Harve Bennett

Directed by

• William Shatner
• Jerry Goldsmith

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Star Trek V: The Final Frontier

1989, Sci-fi, 1h 46m

What to know

Critics Consensus

Filled with dull action sequences and an underdeveloped storyline, this fifth Trek movie is probably the worst of the series. Read critic reviews

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Star trek v: the final frontier videos, star trek v: the final frontier   photos.

A renegade Vulcan makes Kirk (William Shatner), Spock (Leonard Nimoy), McCoy (DeForest Kelley) and the Enterprise go to a planet at the center of the galaxy.

Genre: Sci-fi

Original Language: English

Director: William Shatner

Producer: Harve Bennett

Writer: William Shatner , Harve Bennett , David Loughery , David Loughery

Release Date (Theaters): Jun 9, 1989  wide

Release Date (Streaming): Dec 16, 2009

Box Office (Gross USA): $52.1M

Runtime: 1h 46m

Distributor: Paramount Pictures

Production Co: Paramount Pictures

Sound Mix: Dolby Stereo, Dolby A, Magnetic Stereo 6 Track, Surround, Dolby Digital, Dolby SR

Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

View the collection: Star Trek

Cast & Crew

William Shatner

Captain James T. Kirk

Leonard Nimoy

Captain Spock

DeForest Kelley

Commander Leonard H. McCoy, M.D.

James Doohan

Captain Montgomery Scott

Walter Koenig

Commander Pavel Andreievich Chekov

Nichelle Nichols

Commander Nyota Uhura

George Takei

Commander Hikaru Sulu

David Warner

St. John Talbot

Laurence Luckinbill

Charles Cooper

General Korrd

Cynthia Gouw

Caithlin Dar

Todd Bryant

Captain Klaa

Spice Williams-Crosby

George Murdock

Cynthia Blaise

Young Amanda Grayson

David McCoy

Harve Bennett

David Loughery

Screenwriter

Brooke Breton

Associate Producer

Co-Producer

Ralph Winter

Executive Producer

Jerry Goldsmith

Original Music

Andrew Laszlo

Cinematographer

Peter Berger

Film Editing

Bill Shepard

Herman F. Zimmerman

Production Design

Nilo Rodis-Jamero

Art Director

John M. Dwyer

Set Decoration

Costume Design

Unit Production Manager

Douglas E. Wise

First Assistant Director

Alexander Courage

Additional Music

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Critic Reviews for Star Trek V: The Final Frontier

Audience reviews for star trek v: the final frontier.

Interesting blend of religion and science fiction. The crew of the Enterprise meets a Vulcan known as Sybock who claims he knows where Heaven is and plays more of the role of a religious cult leader. The performance by DeForest Kelley is one of his best and even William Shatner has a few moments where talent strongly peeks through but still doesn't save this film.

Yes, "What does god need with a Starship?" is a real line that came from this absurd mess of a film. I understand the theme of Star Trek has always been to boldly go where no man has gone before, but 'The Final Frontier' attempts to take the franchise in places it has no business going. William Shatner took the reins of directing after Leonard Nimoy helmed two enjoyable entries in the series in 'Search for Spock' and 'The Voyage Home'. While it's not entirely Shatner's fault that there were heavy production issues with a writers strike and the CGI becoming far too expensive, his direction doesn't do anything to enhance what was already on the page. Apparently according to the producers, this film nearly killed the entire franchise with poor effects, a rehashed and ridiculous plot, and a largely inconsistent tone. This time around, the crew of the enterprise were on leave and enjoying life when they are asked to investigate a hostage situation on Nimbus III. Of course, the hostages just happened to be held by Spock's half-brother, Sybok. Framing Spock as the key to getting through to his brother would have been a nice way for him to finally regain his existence and memory as the Enterprise's second in command, but it never really plays out that way. Sybok manipulates anyone in his path to discover the god in the center of the galaxy and forces the Enterprise crew to take him there. As if the film didn't already struggle to grab my attention, the scenes with 'god' are almost unbearable. The very idea that a Star Trek film would center its plot around a villain taking over the Enterprise with his goons in order to get what he wants has been done so many times before, but throw God in the mix as well? Come on. Luckily, the bond between Spock, Kirk, and Bones is still present to get you through some rough dialogue, as is Jerry Goldsmith's classic score, but 'The Final Frontier' ends up making you wish they would never make another Trek film again. Fortunately, they do get better, but I can't help but sit here in wonderment thinking about just how much the reach of this film far outweighs its grasp. Yikes. +Goldsmith's score +Bond between characters is always there -Lazy script -Absurd villain -God? 4.4/10

The Final Frontier is a decent film, one that leaves a lot to be desired for Trek fans, and here I felt that the film's script was just stitched together too quickly in order to create a follow up to The Voyage Home. Now this isn't an awful film, but it could have been improved upon. I find this entry to be not that bad, but it definitely could have been reworked to make the film standout a bit more. Compared to the previous outings in the series, The Final Frontier will surely divide fans. One reason is for the fact that the story is not that interesting, and the performances are a bit flat. The story itself is sketchy and quite frankly ridiculous, and it makes you question what they were thinking when they green lit the project. There were effective ideas here, but they never really take off, and the film's potential is squandered on a poorly written script, and the end result is one of the weakest films in the franchise. Like I said, I thought it was decent, but it also lacked the sense of wonder, excitement, and adventure than the other films possessed. Fans of the series will surely be disappointed in this fifth film, and you'll want more out of the film by the time the credits roll. If the film's plot would have been improved upon, and the cast would have put a bit more effort into their performances, then The Final Frontier would have been a much better outing than what it turned out to be. I expected much more out of this film, and it's a shame that on-screen result is a decent affair that makes you expect more. The film's flaws are simply due to the fact that the filmmakers simply didn't care about how the film turned out, and they really should have put much more effort into crafting a better story.

This movie was on the cusp of something brilliant, however it only ends up stumbling over its own ambition. It raises excellent questions and sparks superb themes, but the execution of it all is a real let down. Generally considered the weakest Star Trek film in the franchise, the Final Frontier is directed by William Shatner, who's inexperience in such a large director's chair is on full display. There are some good shots and production design, but for the most part, it's mishandled. Shatner does, however, still give an excellent performance as Captain Kirk. The rest of the cast is still great as well, as is the typical Trek fun and humor that the series is known for. The film actually is, believe it or not, not that horrible or unwatchable up until the climax on Sha Ka Ree. There's some good banter between Kirk, McCoy, and Spock, an intriguing sequence on the "Mad Max"-like planet Nimbus III, and the story moves along quite well and holds your attention. Once Kirk and co. get past the Great Barrier, however, everything breaks apart. The visuals grow weak, the story that's been developing the whole movie gets a hugely disappointing resolution, Sybok goes from strong in his beliefs to "oops, I was wrong", and the action gets boring. The big reveal of the film is when Kirk, Spock, McCoy, and villain Sybok get on Sha Ka Ree and encounter who they believe to be God. Kirk gets annoying, questions God, and they find out that it's just some alien posing as God. How'd it get there? How did it communicate with Sybok to make him come here? The movie never explains, and just goes "Oh, it's not God, Sybok dies, Kirk is saved, movie over." Disappointing is not a strong enough word to describe it all. They had potential with this story, and it was playing out decently until you get to what is supposed to be the most exciting point of the film. Shatner drops the ball as director, visuals are subpar, and when it's over, you feel little more than "that's it?" It is not the train wreck that everyone will lead you to believe, but it definitely is a lot weaker than most Star Trek films you can find and is quite an underwhelming experience.

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Star Trek V: The Final Frontier retrospective review

The most derided of all the Star Trek films - but is William Shatner's movie deserving of a bit more love?

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With Leonard Nimoy’s Trek films being both critical and commercial successes, The Final Frontier was William Shatner’s turn in the directorial chair, and it almost killed the franchise.

Starting on the mysterious world of Nimbus III, we meet a Vulcan with a crazy laugh, and the ability to take away peoples pain. Back on Earth Kirk, Spock and McCoy enjoying a holiday at the Yosemite National Park, Scotty is busy trying to get the new Enterprise in working order, while Chekov and Sulu are enjoying a hiking holiday.

The crazy Vulcan, Sybok has a strong faith, and a desire to leave Nimbus III (I’m not quite sure how or why he ended up there) and captures a trio of delegates representing Earth, the Klingons and the Romulans. The crew’s holidays are soon interrupted however, when, as usual, Kirk is the only Captain who can save the day.

On the other side of the galaxy, a bored Klingon commander, Klaa, is tired of shooting down old NASA space probes and after hearing the Kirk and the Enterprise are en route to Nimbus, he decides to test himself against Kirk.

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With the new ship’s transporters playing up, a shuttle is dispatched, leading a rescue party to the surface of the planet. Kirk soon has the hostages in hand, only to realise it was an elaborate ploy on Sybok’s part to capture the Federation starship.

Returning to the ship, them pesky Klingons have got in the way again and the shuttle craft has to do an emergency landing. Kirk has a brief throw-down with Sybok. Spock has the chance to shoot Sybok, but refuses, revealing to Kirk they are, in fact, half-brothers and the trio are taken to brig.

Working his mojo on the rest of the crew, the laughing Vulcan soon has the ship at his disposal and sets course for the Galactic barrier, where, apparently, god lives.

Mr Scott succeeds in busting them out of the brig and they set about trying to retake the ship. They succeed only in telling the Klingons where the ship is headed, before Sybok catches up with them, asking for the chance to heal their pain. We get a nice insight into McCoy’s back story, but Sybok’s attempt with his brother is less successful. Spock, it seems, has found his place in the universe and is content with that.

Our good Captain refuses Sybok, and reminds us that pain is important, that it teaches us a lesson, and makes us who we are.

With the sort of timing only found in Hollywood, the Enterprise then arrives at God’s planet. Sybok, Kirk, Spock and McCoy head down for a tête-à-tête with the Almighty. What they find on the planet though, isn’t the big man upstairs, but, in fact, an alien being looking for a ride, and wanting to join with the ship.

Incurring the wrath of said God-thing, Kirk asks what God needs with a starship. Attacking Kirk and Spock, the being is revealed as a prisoner of the planet and Sybok realises his mistakes and takes on the creature, seeking to heal its pain.

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Scotty finally gets the transporters working, beaming Spock and McCoy to safety, leaving Kirk alone to face the increasingly miffed God-thing. The Klingon Bird of Prey suddenly appears, firing at the monster and beaming Kirk to safety. Back aboard the Enterprise, Klaa apologises for his unwarranted aggression and the two ships go their separate ways allowing the Captain and crew to finish their holidays back on Earth.

The Final Frontier is widely regarded amongst fans as the worst of the series, but I don’t think it’s as bad as that. There was certainly worse to come from the franchise. As with all good Trek , its stand out moments are character led. The camp-fire scene at the start is great, and McCoy’s disdain for Kirk’s mountain climbing is yet another great moment from DeForest Kelley. Also worth mentioning is his scene with his father, the anguish of his father’s death with a cure so close to hand is a great glimpse into his character’s background, away from Starfleet.

The film really falls down with its special effects. Simply put, they’re dreadful. There’s no other word for them. Robbed of ILM’s assistance, (they were busy working on an Indy movie and Ghostbusters II ) Shatner was forced to shop around for the cheapest option possible and it hurts his film.

It puzzles me why Paramount chose to cut so many corners with this film, from cheap special effects to simply cutting large chunks of storyline (Den Of Geek has already covered the cut Rockman sequence ) that could have lifted the film; it shows little faith in Shatner, his story and his direction.

There are problems with the story, though. It’s muddled, to say the least. How does Sybok know about the god monster? How is the Enterprise able to travel across the galaxy so quickly? It also rankles me that, despite Sybok’s powers, the crew are so quick to betray Kirk. The humorous elements feel slightly forced, as if it was shoehorned in to appease those that, after The Voyage Home , were happy to see a Star Trek film.

TFF isn’t great. To be honest, you’re not missing much should you chose to skip straight from IV to VI.

Adam Sloman

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Star trek v: the final frontier.

1989 Directed by William Shatner

Adventure and imagination will meet at the final frontier.

The crew of the Federation starship Enterprise is called to Nimbus III, the Planet of Intergalactic Peace. They are to negotiate in a case of kidnapping only to find out that the kidnapper is a relative of Spock. This man is possessed by his life long search for the planet Sha Ka Ree which is supposed to be the source of all life. Together they begin to search for this mysterious planet.

William Shatner Leonard Nimoy DeForest Kelley James Doohan George Takei Walter Koenig Nichelle Nichols Laurence Luckinbill David Warner Charles Cooper Cynthia Gouw Todd Bryant Spice Williams-Crosby Rex Holman George Murdock Jonathan Simpson Beverly Hart Steve Susskind Harve Bennett Cynthia Blaise Bill Quinn Melanie Shatner Michael Berryman Carey Scott

Director Director

William Shatner

Producers Producers

Harve Bennett Mel Efros

Writers Writers

David Loughery Harve Bennett William Shatner

Casting Casting

Bill Shepard

Editor Editor

Peter E. Berger

Cinematography Cinematography

Andrew Laszlo

Assistant Directors Asst. Directors

Douglas E. Wise George Fortmuller

Executive Producers Exec. Producers

Ralph Winter Gene Roddenberry

Production Design Production Design

Herman F. Zimmerman

Set Decoration Set Decoration

John M. Dwyer

Special Effects Special Effects

Michael Wood

Stunts Stunts

Dick Ziker R.A. Rondell Gregory J. Barnett Frank Orsatti Freddie Hice Don Pulford David R. Ellis James M. Halty Glenn R. Wilder Linda Fetters Howard David Burton Tom Morga Terry Jackson Tommy J. Huff Joyce McNeal Scott Wilder

Composer Composer

Jerry Goldsmith

Sound Sound

Doug Hemphill Gary Alexander Chris Jenkins David M. Ronne

Costume Design Costume Design

Nilo Rodis-Jamero

Makeup Makeup

Kenny Myers Allan A. Apone Janice Alexander Ellis Burman Jr. Katalin Elek Jeff Dawn Wes Dawn Edouard F. Henriques Rolf John Keppler Tina Hoffman Michael Mills Erin Koplow

Hairstyling Hairstyling

Donna Barrett Gilbert Hazel Catmull

Releases by Date

Theatrical limited, 05 sep 1990, 09 jun 1989, 06 oct 1989, 20 oct 1989, 16 nov 1989, 01 jun 1990, 01 feb 1998, 08 mar 2001, 01 apr 2008, 28 may 2009, 26 jun 2015, 18 dec 1992, 05 apr 2003, releases by country.

• Theatrical PG
• Theatrical L
• Theatrical limited TP
• Physical VHS
• Physical U DVD
• Theatrical 12

Netherlands

• TV 12 RTL 5
• Physical 12 DVD
• Physical 12 Blu ray
• Theatrical M/6
• Physical APTA
• TV 11 Kanal 1

106 mins   More at IMDb TMDb Report this page

Popular reviews

Review by Branson Reese 7

This is a tricky one, no two ways about it.

First thing's first: this is a pro-Shatner account. Not saying he's a saint or anything. Every person who ever worked with him has something at least mildly bad to say about him and I'm 90% sure he'll get into NFTs with his remaining time on this earth if he hasn't already. But I believe in meeting people where they are, and a Canadian egotist who was born in 1931 and has logged service as an actor (God's noblest and most difficult profession) in eight separate decades is gonna require some traveling to get to. But I think it's worth the time and effort.

Shatner's got an ego like the Titanic,…

Review by matt lynch ★★★

ill-conceived (charitably speaking), sabotaged by poor planning (with attendant studio-mandated budget cuts) and hubris (Shatner's insistence on directing, then everyone's conflicting script approval) and then driven over a cliff by sheer circumstance (both a WGA and a Teamster strike), there's still an actual STAR TREK movie in here. going on a physical search for God (even a reductive & cheaply dramatized one like this) seems like a natural progression for characters who have literally cheated time and death. the core trio of Kirk, Spock and McCoy still bounce off each other so well (watching them sing "Row, Row, Row Your Boat" i actually find pretty charming, sue me), and i like that this one stops dead in its tracks, more than once, to psychoanalyze the crew (the flashback to McCoy euthanizing his father is particularly intense). there's plenty here with which to be disappointed; it's a mess but not a thoughtless one.

Review by pd187 ★★★★★ 17

my fav trek cuz shatner, moody & vital, does almost none of the stupid military-procedure federation nerd shit trekkies (fascists) love, just lusty dive bar adventures big jokes theological ufo cult debate (anti-psych) & ancient friends fartin round the campfire, anarcho-gnostic cuz life is sacred & profane & but a dream

love sybok, love his white robe & quest for truth, shatner loves him too & gives him an ending youd never give khan or some fucking borg or whatever, not just a sneakdiss to roddenberry's channeled "nine"* but smart pulp & romantic humanism closest to gene's 60s shit ripped off by gunn, proyas, wachowskis, m.night & admitted trekkie qt, as dickean as paul v's total recall, that goldsmith score over alien artifacts & a spacebar full of sexy bighead mutant freaks

critics want a marketable well-oiled machine but this has real moments of cinematic majesty & depth beyond the 2/4/6-numbered "good" ones. kirks last words: "i was wrong"

Review by Ian West ★★★★

“Excuse me... but what does god need with a Starship?”

Review by Matt Singer ★★ 2

Wait, so why is Spock's brother all emotional-like if he's a Vulcan? And why is Uhura dancing naked? And why -- you know what? I don't care.

Review by Mr. DuLac ★ 13

Please Captain, not in front of the Klingons. -Spock

Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home was a big risk that ended up being the most successful project to come out of Star Trek in it's then 20 year history. I think the only explanation for what happened next is that Paramount Pictures got cocky. For The Voyage Home they greenlit the franchise's most absurd plot in it's history, so they probably thought giving the go ahead on a story that involves a religious zealot searching for God with William Shatner at the helm didn't sound like such a bad idea.

Harve Bennett , who had produced and had a hand in writing the last three films, wasn't even interested in participating.…

Review by 20oldboy03 ★★★½ 18

Vor nicht allzu langer Zeit, in einer Galaxy, näher als gedacht: Es herrscht Aufruhr in meinem Gemüht. Nach einem anfänglich arbeitsreichen Arbeitstag bei fehlender Warenanlieferung und der dadurch hervorgerufenen anderweitigen Beschäftigung, freute ich mich auf ein gutes Feierabendmahlzeit mit einhergehendem Film. Aufruhr wegen der Personalknappheit und dem dadurch hervorgerufenen, sich im Endeffekt einredenden Stress, bliebt selbiger auch längst nach der Feierabendmahlzeit. Ich , als Opfer und Geschädigter, begebe mich auf die erholsame Abkehr jedweden Stresses.

Verfolgt von tausenden anderen Filmen, begab ich mich auf die Aufgrabe, alle Filme zu sehen …

Ist der erste Star Trek Film, „Star Trek: Der Film“ das „2001: Odyssee im Weltraum“ unter den Star Trek Werken, „Star Trek II: Der Zorn des Khan“ für mich die…

Review by ALISTAIR LEACH 8

I'm not being funny but I've just realised this is William Shatner's remake of Andrei Tarkovsky's Stalker.

Stalker Three Men travel and camp in a harsh environment with a guide to meet god, the creator etc to be rewarded but they don't have the faith to confront the ultimate power/reason of existence face on.

Or as my preferred reading, a mysterious and impenetrable room is created with "the secret of life and desire" to give people faith in the harshest landscapes. As the notion and "belief" of faith is more important than the actual reality of it.

Star Trek 5 Three Men travel and camp only to meet a guide after travelling to a harsh environment to meet "god", to understand existence, and be rewarded but get attacked by a Klingon Warbird and bad acting instead.

Like i said, it is Shatner's remake

Review by Deckk ★★★ 7

100-word review: A very in-touch-with-his-emotions relative of Spock takes control of the Enterprise to aid his search for God. Everybody gets a turn! Nimoy went twice, so now Shatner gets to direct a Star Trek film. And oh do we get some directional, uhm, choices — looking at you naked Uhura dance. After the brilliantly comedic The Voyage Home , my body was ready for the Star Trek Motion Picture beach (forest camping) episode, featuring actually good rock-climbing, but instead we get the theological episode, which takes a long time to get going and arrive at a convoluted conclusion.

Part of my September 2021 Live Long and Prosper challenge; 5th out of 13 films.

Review by A. J. Black ★★

After the critical and commercial success of The Voyage Home, William Shatner remembered a little clause in his original 1960's Star Trek TV contract that stated he'd have equal share of opportunities Leonard Nimoy had, and vice versa. Since Nimoy had directed the previous two Trek movies, Shatner decided it was time for his crack at the chair and the result was The Final Frontier... widely regarded as the nadir of the Star Trek movie franchise, even to this day. It's an unfortunate legacy that's difficult to disagree with - some Trek films haven't been very good, but none have been as frequently average as TFF. Yet, and perhaps this is a long standing Trek fan who remembers watching this…

Review by Naughty aka Juli Norwood ★★★★½ 4

_________________________________________________________________

Film #31 of the March Madness 80s Sci-Fi Movie Challenge! letterboxd.com/naughty/list/march-madness-80s-sci-fi-movie-challenge/

_________________________________________________________________ .................................................................................................................................... Film #5 in The Star Trek Marathon! letterboxd.com/kikuchisawa/list/the-star-trek-marathon-march-20-31/ ....................................................................................................................................

While the theme of the film didn't really grab me I found this to be perhaps the strongest entry thus far in terms of a character driven plot! And when those characters are Star Trek icons that's a good thing! In my opinion this film was by far the closest spirit wise to the television series!

Between Bone's laughter inducing sarcasm, Scotty becoming one with an inanimate object and Spock's comment to the Captain "Captain Please not in front of the Klingons" I was always one step away from losing myself completely with laughter!

I cannot begin to explain the satisfaction and joy I've experienced while visiting the original Star Trek franchise! I simply must take this journey more often in the future!

Review by Will Menaker ★★ 4

The one they let William Shatner direct.

Not quite as terrible as I remembered but still pretty bad. I may have been premature in rating III as not the worst Star Trek movie, as it's hard to say which is weaker. In this one, Kirk, Spock and Bones use facts and logic to kill the false God at the center of the galaxy, which sounds a lot cooler than it is. The bad guy is Spock's half brother, a rogue Vulcan who uses telepathic abilities and an embrace of primal emotion to run a therapy cult that heals people by confronting and acknowledging their pain. There are some good, corny character moments in this one that focus on the show's central triumvirate eating beans together but that's about it.

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'Star Trek: Discovery' Season 5 Review: One Hell of a Final Ride

Michael Burnham takes her crew on one last spectacular adventure in 'Star Trek: Discovery's fifth and final season.

The Big Picture

• Star Trek: Discovery 's mystery in Season 5 is more lighthearted than Season 4 while still maintaining the series' high stakes.
• Sonequa Martin-Green shines in her role as Michael Burnham, one of Starfleet's best captains.
• Season 5 is well-paced and structured, with each episode offering a satisfying piece of the full puzzle.

Let's fly, one last time. The fifth and final season of Star Trek: Discovery is right around the corner , with Michael Burnham ( Sonequa Martin-Green ) gearing up to take us on the adventure of a lifetime. Discovery premiered back in 2017 and kicked off the current Star Trek renaissance that has seen six new shows brought to life along with a spin-off movie starring Oscar winner Michelle Yeoh . While it's bittersweet to see Discovery come to an end, showrunners Alex Kurtzman and Michelle Paradise have crafted one hell of a ride for the show's final run.

Where Season 4 saw Michael and the crew of the Discovery stitching the federation back together in the wake of a devastating disaster, Season 5 sets up a more light-hearted adventure in the style of an Indiana Jones movie . Despite not knowing Season 5 would be the show's last, the cast and crew behind the series have set up a story worthy of the legacy of Discovery that stays true to the very best of Star Trek. The mystery laid out in the first four episodes of Season 5 stitches the franchise together in a creation myth that tangles Burnham and her crew with destiny itself.

What Is 'Star Trek: Discovery' Season 5 About?

One of Discovery 's biggest strengths is telling a captivating season-long, self-contained story, and it looks like the same stands true for Season 5. The premiere episode sends Michael and her crew on a mission that will bring them face-to-face with some of the most powerful forces in the galaxy. In a race against time, the crew of the Discovery enters a veritable treasure hunt for one of the franchise's greatest mysteries. Legendary filmmaker David Cronenberg returns as Doctor Kovich and acts as the architect for the mission that will likely span the entirety of the show's final episodes. Kovich is as enigmatic as always and Cronenberg's chemistry with Martin-Green is filled with the type of starry-eyed wonder that makes Star Trek so compelling.

In addition to the return of Cronenberg, Season 5 also introduces a few enemies and reluctant allies in the form of Eve Harlow ( The 100 ), Elias Toufexis , and Callum Keith Rennie ( Battlestar Galactica ). Harlow and Toufexis play Moll and L'ak, respectively, with the former both hardened and bold, shaped by a hard life in a challenging universe but knowing exactly how to get what she wants. L'ak is almost blindly devoted to her and that devotion makes him extremely dangerous. Not only are they formidable antagonists, but the duo is also set up as an interesting narrative foil to the relationship between Book ( David Ajala ) and Burnham, which is going through a rough patch following their fallout in Season 4.

While Burnham leads her crew on a planet-hopping scavenger hunt that will have audiences eagerly attempting to crack the riddles within each episode, she also has to deal with another rough-around-the-edges Starfleet captain. Rennie plays Captain Rayner, a war-weary leader with a single-minded focus that has Burnham calling upon 900 years' worth of patience. While they share the same goal, their command styles (and their personalities) couldn't be more different. But part of Star Trek's ethos is learning to look beyond those differences and make connections. Connecting with Rayner certainly won't be easy, but if the early episodes are any indication, it will be worth it in the end.

With Episodes 1-4 written by Michelle Paradise , Alan McElroy , Kyle Jarrow & Lauren Wilkinson , and Sean Cochran Season 5 is remarkably structured. Each episode adds another piece of the overarching puzzle while also providing some stellar character work and thematic connections worthy of a final season. While there are a lot of characters to catch up with, and several narrative threads to keep track of, Discovery Season 5 is well-paced. Each storyline gets the breathing room it needs without making the show feel unbalanced or creating any lulls in the less action-packed sequences.

'Star Trek: Discovery' Season 5 Keeps the Crew at the Heart of the Story

The driving force behind Discovery — and honestly, every Star Trek series — always comes back to the characters. Season 5 keeps Burnham and her crew at the heart of the story , allowing their complex relationships to move the narrative forward in an easy give-and-take. Martin-Green is phenomenal as always, imbuing Burnham with a level of empathy and grace that makes her one of the franchise's very best captains. Not only does Burnham show that it's possible to lead from the heart, but that's exactly what makes her so good . In the new episodes, we'll find out exactly how far Burnham has come since the show's inception as she comes face to face with some of the skeletons in her closet.

Though Season 4 saw Book and Burnham split up after the events with the DMA and Species 10-C, the spark between them is still there. Ajala and Martin-Green's chemistry is electric , and their characters have the kind of connection reminiscent of TNG 's Will Riker ( Jonathan Frakes ) and Deanna Troi ( Marina Sirtis ). Book and Burnham actually working through their issues and digging into the complexities of loving someone who's hurt you feels like a real treat, especially for TNG fans who longed for more depth in that show's episodic narrative.

Book and Burnham aren't the only relationship getting the spotlight in Season 5, either . The romance that sparked between Saru ( Doug Jones ) and T'Rina ( Tara Rosling ) in Season 4 is one of the show's sweet spots and the unconventional alien couple takes some big steps forward in the first four episodes. Meanwhile, love certainly plays a role in the intensity between Moll and L'ak, and Tilly ( Mary Wiseman ) also dabbles slightly in a little rom-com moment with a fellow teacher from Starfleet Academy. If the upcoming Academy-set series is confirmed as a Discovery spin-off, it would be lovely to see this little connection carry over.

The little family unit established between Stamets ( Anthony Rapp ) and Culber ( Wilson Cruz ) and their baby gays, Adira ( Blu del Barrio ) and Grey ( Ian Alexander ), is still present, but time apart has shifted things for the younger couple. While the steps they take make total sense within the narrative of Discovery , it does play into the apparent sanitization of queer relationships within the Star Trek franchise . The latest seasons of Picard and Lower Decks saw previously established queer relationships end, and to see Discovery follow suit (to a degree) is disheartening, as a queer viewer — especially when Star Trek's most comparable counterpart, Doctor Who, is openly embracing the community . We'll have to wait for the full season to play out to know the endgame of these relationships, so hopefully, not all is lost for LGBTQ+ romance in the 32nd century. Tig Notaro 's Jett Reno also makes a return, and Cruz, in particular, gets to flex his acting skills with a very sci-fi twist.

Another drawback of the final season is that it's unlikely we'll ever get the full backstories of the Discovery's bridge crew , like Owo ( Oyin Oladejo ), Rhys ( Patrick Kwok-Choon ), and Detmer ( Emily Coutts ). These characters have been part of the show since it began, but we know little about their lives outside their roles as Starfleet officers. That said, Burnham does connect with these crew members in an episode that is both incredibly Star Trek and one of the series' best.

How Does 'Star Trek: Discovery' Season 5 Hold Up as the End of a Series?

Despite not being planned as the show's final installment when production began on Season 5, it seems to take up the mantle remarkably well. Discovery took a bold turn within the franchise by introducing a serialized narrative when it first premiered, despite all previous series being episodic. That's worked beautifully in Discovery 's favor, as each season has delivered a satisfying story that keeps audiences consistently engaged across all 10 episodes.

On top of a compelling treasure hunt-style story and its complex characters, Discovery Season 5 also delivers some incredible action sequences and truly breathtaking visuals. The scale of the series feels massive in its final episodes, and viewers will no doubt want to rewatch each episode just to take in the beauty of it all. Without giving anything away, the season's plot is tied to a mystery that bridges multiple parts of the franchise together in a way that will have even the most niche Star Trek fan excited. Season 5 appears to be heading towards a very natural full-circle moment for the series — and if Starfleet Academy is confirmed as a spin-off for Discovery , saying goodbye to this chapter might just get a little bit easier.

Star Trek: Discovery

Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 sets up a thrilling adventure while keeping the characters at the heart of the story.

• The show's mystery, while full of high stakes, is more light-hearted than Season 4.
• Sonequa Martin-Green proves once again why Michael Burnham is one of the best captains in Starfleet.
• Season 5 is well-paced and well-structured, with each episode offering a satisfying piece of the puzzle.
• Season 5 delivers breathtaking visuals and heart-pounding action sequences.
• The characters and their relationships drive the plot forward naturally.
• With only 10 episodes remaining, some characters won't get their time in the spotlight.
• Star Trek as a whole appears to be pulling back on LGBTQ+ relationships.

Season 5 of Star Trek: Discovery premieres on April 4, and you can catch up with the first four seasons on Paramount+ right now.

WATCH ON PARAMOUNT+

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Star Trek: Discovery season 5: release date, trailer, cast, plot and everything we know about the final season

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Star Trek: Discovery season 5 marks the final adventure for Michael Burnham and the crew of the U.S.S. Discovery. The series that launched a bright new future for the Star Trek franchise on Paramount Plus , including new shows like Star Trek: Strange New Worlds and Star Trek: Prodigy , is heading into dry dock, but there are still many adventures to look forward to in the last season.

Here's everything we know about Star Trek: Discovery season 5.

Next episode of Star Trek: Discovery season 5

The next new episode of Star Trek: Discovery season 5 arrives Thursday, April 11, on Paramount Plus in the US and UK.

Here's what we know about the April 11 episode:

Star Trek: Discovery season 5 episode 3: "Jinaal" "On Trill, Burnham, Book and Culber must pass a dangerous test to be worthy of receiving the next clue. Adira reconnects with Gray and Saru's first day as ambassador is complicated by his engagement to T'Rina."

Star Trek: Discovery season 5 premiered Thursday, April 4.

Star Trek: Discovery season 5 is available exclusively on Paramount Plus in the US and UK. You can choose one of the following subscription options below if you’re not a subscriber already, and there's a free trial of Paramount Plus if you want to see what the service is all about.

US subscribers can choose between an ad-supported and commercial-free option of the service.

Star Trek: Discovery season 5 episodes

Star Trek: Discovery season 5 episode 1: "Red Directive" "Captain Burnham and the crew of the USS Discovery are sent to recover a mysterious artefact hidden inside an 800-year-old Romulan vessel, but they discover that they are not the only ones looking for it."

Star Trek: Discovery season 5 episode 2: "Under the Twin Moons" "On Saru's last mission as Captain Burnham's Number One, the team ventures to a seemingly abandoned planet to hunt for what might be the greatest treasure in the galaxy."

Star Trek: Discovery season 5 plot

Here's the official plot for Star Trek: Discovery season 5 from Paramount Plus: "The fifth and final season will find Captain Burnham and the crew of the U.S.S. Discovery uncovering a mystery that will send them on an epic adventure across the galaxy to find an ancient power whose very existence has been deliberately hidden for centuries. But there are others on the hunt as well…dangerous foes who are desperate to claim the prize for themselves and will stop at nothing to get it."

Star Trek: Discovery season 5 cast

Star Trek: Discovery season 5 cast members include Sonequa Martin-Green ( The Walking Dead ) as Captain Michael Burnham, Doug Jones ( The Shape of Water ) as Saru, Anthony Rapp ( Rent ) as Paul Stamets, Mary Wiseman ( Baskets ) as Sylvia Tilly, Wilson Cruz ( My So-Called Life ) as Dr. Hugh Culber, David Ajala ( Jupiter Ascending ) as Cleveland "Book" Booker, Blu del Barrio ( The Listener ) as Adira and Callum Keith Rennie ( The Umbrella Academy ) as Rayner.

Star Trek: Discovery season 5 also features recurring guest stars Elias Toufexis ( The Expanse ) as L’ak and Eve Harlow ( The 100 ) as Moll.

Star Trek: Discovery season 5 trailer

Take a look at what's coming in the trailer for Star Trek: Discovery season 5 below:

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Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 Release Date Window, Cast, Trailer and Plot for the Series Finale

Here's what we know so far about Discovery Season 5.

The Starship Discovery has come home. Star Trek’s flagship show will end with Discovery Season 5. Here’s everything you need to know about the upcoming series finale, including release date info, the cast, plot, and more.

How did Discovery season 4 end?

The biggest news from the Season 4 Disco finale is easily the fact that the planet Earth has now rejoined the Federation. Previously, in Season 3, after time traveling to the 32nd century from the 23rd, the crew of Discovery learned Earth had split off from the Federation following the galaxy-wide cataclysm of the Burn. But now, after solving the Burn mystery last season, and averting the planet-crushing DMA this season, Earth is now back in the Federation.

We also learned that the headquarters of the Federation, previously a stationary starbase, is also a giant starship . Showrunner Michelle Paradise told Inverse how the writers decided to make this starbase fly:

“It felt like an organic capability of the ship coming out of the Burn [in Season 3.] It having that capability made sense, given the time and the environment. Then the question was when do we show that and in what story do we make that capability known? Flying to help rescue people from Earth felt like wow — what an awesome way to show that that FHQ [Federation Headquarters] can can travel in that way.”

Mary Wiseman as Tilly in the Discovery finale.

Who is in the cast for Discovery Season 5?

The assumption right now is that the vast majority of the existing cast will return. That would include:

• Sonequa Martin-Green as Captain Michael Burnham
• David Ajala as Clevland Booker
• Wilson Cruz as Dr. Culber
• Mary Wiseman as Ensign Tilly
• Doug Jones as Saru
• Anthony Rapp as Lt. Commander Stamets
• Ian Alexander as Gray Tal
• Blu del Barrio as Adira Tal
• Tig Notaro as Jett Reno
• Oyin Oladejo as Joann Owosekun
• Emily Coutts as Keyla Detmer
• Sara Mitich as Nilsson
• Patrick Kwok-Choon as Gen Rhys
• Ronnie Rowe Jr. as Ronald A. Bryce
• David Cronenberg as Kovich
• Oded Fehr as Admiral Vance
• Annabelle Wallis as the voice of Zora
• Tara Rosling as President T’Rina
• Phumzile Sitole as General Ndoye
• Orville Cummings as Lt. Christopher
• David Benjamin Tomlinson as Linus
• Chelah Horsdal as President Rillak
• Hiro Kanagawa as Dr. Hirai
• Eve Harlow as Moll
• Elias Toufexis as L’ak
• Callum Keith Rennie as Captain Rayner

Whether or not Stacey Abrams will reprise her cameo as the President of Earth is unclear.

Discovery Season 5 trailer

The first trailer for Discovery Season 5 was released at New York Comic-Con in 2022. It teases an expansive galaxy-wide treasure hunt, with stakes that feel massive.

Discovery Season 5 release date

Although it was initially expected that Discovery Season 5 would hit in 2023, Paramount revealed on March 2, 2023, that Discovery Season 5 would actually hit in early 2024, and that this season would be the final season for the series.

View on Instagram

What is the Discovery Season 5 plot?

The cast and creative team of Discovery have been very tight-lipped about the tone and style of Season 5. When Inverse asked Michelle Paradise about Kovich (David Cronenberg), Klingons, and more in Season 5, she politely declined to comment, saying, “I can’t say anything about Season 5.”

Wilson Cruz has mentioned that the “tone” of Season 5 will “shift again” from Season 4, but also noted that thematic changes in between Discovery seasons is something “we usually do.”

Some fans suspect that Discovery Season 5 will have more action centered on Earth since the revelation that Earth has returned to the Federation was so central to the Season 4 finale. Then again, Captain Burnham does talk to the President about more worlds that need exploring, so like the ending of Season 4, Discovery Season 5 has a pretty clean slate.

Stacey Abrams and Sonequa Martin-Green in the Discovery Season 4 finale.

Season 5 is the end of Discovery

Back in 2022, it wasn’t clear how long Discovery would run beyond Season 4. However, in 2021, Doug Jones told Inverse that Discovery did start with a “5-year plan,” and now it seems that the show will, indeed end after five seasons. (Although in the end, all of the DISCO seasons will span seven years.)

Still, whatever “5-year-plan” laid out back in 2016 or 2017 when the show first was created, is surely not the path the series is on now. Series co-creator Bryan Fuller left before Discovery began filming, and Season 1 and Season 2 showrunners, Aaron Harberts, and Gretchen Berg were eventually replaced by Michelle Paradise for the latter half of Season 2 up until the present.

As of this writing, it also appears that Season 5 becoming the ending for Discovery may be a retroactive decision. Although filming is reportedly complete, the Hollywood Reporter claims that “there will be additional filming to help craft a conclusion for the series.”

What that means for the final adventures of Captain Burnham and the crew of the Discovery , for now, remains a mystery that can only be answered in the future.

Star Trek: Discovery is streaming now on Paramount+.

Ryan Britt's new book on the history of Star Trek's biggest changes. From the '60s show to the movies to 'TNG,' to 'Discovery,' 'Picard,' Strange New Worlds,' and beyond!

This article was originally published on March 17, 2022

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• The brash James T. Kirk tries to live up to his father's legacy with Mr. Spock keeping him in check as a vengeful Romulan from the future creates black holes to destroy the Federation one planet at a time.
• On the day of James T. Kirk's birth, his father dies on his damaged starship in a last stand against a Romulan mining vessel looking for Ambassador Spock, who in this time, has grown on Vulcan disdained by his neighbors for his half-human heritage. 25 years later, James T. Kirk has grown into a young rebellious troublemaker. Challenged by Captain Christopher Pike to realize his potential in Starfleet, he comes to annoy academy instructors like Commander Spock. Suddenly, there is an emergency on Vulcan and the newly-commissioned USS Enterprise is crewed with promising cadets like Nyota Uhura, Hikaru Sulu, Pavel Chekov and even Kirk himself, thanks to Leonard McCoy's medical trickery. Together, this crew will have an adventure in the final frontier where the old legend is altered forever as a new version of the legend begins. — Paramount Pictures
• When a Romulan mining vessel attacks the USS Kelvin, Lt. George Kirk substitutes his captain, who goes to meet the Romulan captain on his vessel to negotiate a ceasefire. He orders the evacuation of the damaged starship, including his wife who goes into labor giving birth to their son James Kirk, and crashes the Kelvin against the vessel. Aboard the USS Enterprise, the most sophisticated starship ever constructed, a novice crew embarks on its maiden voyage. Their path takes them on a collision course with Nero, the Romulan captain from the future whose mission of vengeance threatens the Federation. Once humanity would survive, rebellious young officer James T. Kirk and coolly logical Vulcan officer Spock must move beyond their rivalry and find a way to stop Nero before he destroys Earth. — Blazer346
• In 2233, the Federation star ship USS Kelvin is investigating a "lightning storm" in space. A Romulan ship, Narada, emerges from the storm and attacks the Kelvin leaving it defenseless. Narada's first officer, Ayel (Clifton Collins, Jr.), demands that Kelvin's Captain Robau (Faran Tahir) come aboard to negotiate a truce. Robau is questioned about the current star date and an "Ambassador Spock", whom he does not recognize. Narada's commander, Nero (Eric Bana), kills him, and resumes attacking the Kelvin. George Kirk (Chris Hemsworth), Kelvin's first officer, orders the ship's personnel, including his pregnant wife Winona (Jennifer Morrison), to abandon ship while he pilots the Kelvin on a collision course with Narada. Kirk sacrifices his life to ensure Winona's survival as she gives birth to James Tiberius Kirk (Chris Pine). Seventeen years later on the planet Vulcan, a young Spock (Zachary Quinto) is accepted to join the Vulcan Science Academy. He has always been taunted as a half human, half Vulcan by his peers and dislikes references to his human mother in anyway. Realizing that the Academy views his human mother, Amanda (Winona Ryder), as a "disadvantage", he joins Starfleet instead. On Earth, Kirk becomes a reckless but intelligent young adult. Following a bar fight with Starfleet cadets accompanying Nyota Uhura (Zoe Saldana), Kirk meets Captain Christopher Pike (Bruce Greenwood), who encourages him to enlist in Starfleet Academy ("Your dad was the captain of a star ship for 12 mins and saved 800 lives. I dare you to do better"), where Kirk meets and befriends Doctor Leonard "Bones" McCoy (Karl Urban) (He lost everything in the divorce, except the bones in his body) Three years later, Commander Spock accuses Kirk of cheating during the Kobayashi Maru simulation. The simulation required cadet captains to face death and protect the crew in a no win scenario, but Kirk cheats and inserts a sub routine to change the scenario and beat it. Kirk argues that cheating was acceptable because the simulation was designed to be unbeatable. Spock argues that Kirk not only cheated but failed to get the most important learning of the simulation that a captain cannot cheat death. The disciplinary hearing is interrupted by a distress signal from Vulcan. With the primary fleet out of range, the cadets are mobilized, with McCoy and Kirk boarding Pike's ship (Kirk is grounded on account of his academic suspension, but McCoy argues that Kirk is his patient and he wont leave for the mission unless he is allowed to bring Kirk along), the Enterprise. Spock considers Uhura as his favorite student and assigns her to the Enterprise. The enterprise is a few minutes late in departing as the new helmsman Pavel Chekov (Anton Yelchin) & Hikaru Sulu had not released the external inertial dampener and hence the warp drive did not engage. Realizing that the "lightning storm" observed near Vulcan (shortly after which Vulcan was attacked by a Romulan ship and sent a distress signal to Earth) is similar to the one that occurred when he was born, Kirk breaks protocol to convince Pike that the distress signal is a trap. When the Enterprise arrives, they find the fleet destroyed and Narada drilling into Vulcan's core. Narada attacks Enterprise and Pike surrenders, delegating command of the ship to Spock and promoting Kirk to first officer. Kirk, Hikaru Sulu (John Cho), and Chief Engineer Olson (Greg Ellis) perform a space jump onto the drilling platform. While Olson is killed mid-jump, Kirk and Sulu successfully reach and disable the drill, but are unable to stop Nero launching "red matter" into Vulcan's core, forming an artificial black hole that destroys Vulcan. The Enterprise manages to rescue Spock's father, Sarek (Ben Cross), and the high council before the planet's destruction, but not his mother Amanda, who falls to her death before the transporter can properly lock onto her. Out of 6 Bn Vulcans only 10,000 are saved. As Narada moves toward Earth, Nero tortures Pike to gain access to Earth's defense codes. Nero declares his intention to destroy all federation planets, starting from Earth. Uhura is shown to have romantic feelings towards Spock. Spock deduces that the Narada is from the future and has used the black hole technology to create a passage through space time. Nero's presence, beginning with the attack on USS Kelvin has altered the flow of history and created an alternate reality. While in pursuit, Spock maroons Kirk on Delta Vega after he attempts mutiny (Kirk wanted to go after Nero and the Narada, while Spock wants to hook up with the rest of Starfleet in the Laurentian system, as per orders from Captain Pike). On the planet, Kirk encounters an older Spock (from the original time line) (Leonard Nimoy), who explains that he and Nero are from 2387. In the future, Romulus was threatened by a supernova, which Spock attempted to stop with an artificial black hole made of "red matter". However, his plan failed, resulting in Nero's family perishing along with Romulus, while both the Narada and Spock's vessel were caught in the black hole and sent back in time. Spock quickly found they were sent back 25 years apart, during which time Nero attacked the Kelvin, thus changing history and creating a parallel universe. After Spock's arrival, Nero stranded him on Delta Vega to watch Vulcan's destruction as revenge. Reaching a Starfleet outpost on Delta Vega, Kirk and the elder Spock meet Montgomery "Scotty" Scott (Simon Pegg), who helps them by devising a trans-warp beam system, allowing both him and Kirk to beam onto Enterprise while it is travelling at warp speed. Following the elder Spock's advice, Kirk provokes younger Spock into attacking him, forcing Spock to recognize himself as emotionally compromised and relinquish command to Kirk. After talking with Sarek, Spock decides to help Kirk. While Enterprise hides itself within the gas clouds of Titan, Kirk and Spock beam aboard Narada (Uhura reveals her first name is Nyota to Spock). Kirk fights with Nero and Ayel, killing the latter and rescuing Pike, while Spock uses the elder Spock's ship to destroy the drill. Spock leads Narada away from Earth and sets his ship to collide with Nero's ship. Enterprise beams Kirk, Pike, and Spock aboard. The older Spock's ship and Narada collide, igniting the "red matter". Kirk offers Nero help to escape, but Nero refuses, prompting Kirk to give the order to fire, dooming Narada to be consumed in a black hole that Enterprise is only barely able to escape. Kirk is promoted to captain and given command of Enterprise, while Pike is promoted to rear admiral. Spock encounters his older self, who persuades his younger self to continue serving in Starfleet, encouraging him to do, for once, what feels right instead of what is logical. Spock remains in Starfleet, becoming first officer under Kirk's command. Enterprise goes to warp as the elder Spock speaks the "where no one has gone before" monologue.

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Published Apr 2, 2024

What to Expect from The Final Season of Star Trek: Discovery

The cast details everything you need to know to get ready for the Season 5 premiere this week!

Getty Images / StarTrek.com

The highly anticipated fifth and final season of Star Trek: Discovery arrives this week!

This season finds Captain Burnham and the crew of the  U.S.S. Discovery  uncovering a mystery that will send them on an epic adventure across the galaxy to find an ancient power whose very existence has been deliberately hidden for centuries. But there are others on the hunt as well… dangerous foes who are desperate to claim the prize for themselves and will stop at nothing to get it.

Ahead of the premiere, StarTrek.com had the opportunity to speak with series cast Sonequa Martin-Green (Captain Michael Burnham), Doug Jones (Saru), Anthony Rapp (Paul Stamets), Mary Wiseman (Sylvia Tilly), Wilson Cruz (Dr. Hugh Culber), David Ajala (Cleveland "Book" Booker), Blu del Barrio (Adira), along with this season's recurring guest star Eve Harlow (Moll) and executive producer and co-showrunner Michelle Paradise . With their help, here's what you can expect from their characters this season!

In case you need a quick refresher before we dive forward, we've got a handy Where We Left Off guide !

Now let's fly!

Sonequa Martin-Green on Season 5 Stakes and Captain Michael Burnham's Relationship Status

"Red Directive"

StarTrek.com

"This season, we can expect a wild ride," teases Sonequa Martin-Green. "One of the things that they wanted to do was that they wanted to have a tonal shift. They wanted it to be adventurous, they wanted it to be fun, they wanted it to be kind of like the Indiana Jones season. And so we really did that. We really did that. The artistry is on another level."

"In every department, you will see some really incredible things coming to life," continues Martin-Green. "In Season 5, we did some stuff we should not have been able to do; we did some stuff that we've never done before. I'm really proud of every department, of every cast member, of every crew member, every writer, every producer, every post-production coordinator, and supervisor, and worker. We took it to the next level without even knowing that it was our last season. When everyone sees it, I think that they'll see what I'm talking about. It's culminating because of that; it is just on another level. It's a huge, huge season. People have a lot to look forward to."

Addressing where Michael Burnham and Book find themselves at the start of this season, Martin-Green explains, "Book and Burnham, they are the classic, old Facebook status of 'It's complicated.' They've got a lot to work through. That's where we pick up with them, having not been speaking as regularly as they normally do. Of course, we see that he was sent off at the end of Season 4. Now they are back in each other's midst, and they have got a lot to talk about and a lot to wade through. It's very complicated between them. There's obviously still that love, that deep love, that bond, that respect, but they've got a lot to work through."

Doug Jones on Saru's Next Step

"Under the Twin Moons"

Reflecting on Saru's journey across the entire series, Doug Jones reveals, "Saru had been captain of the ship for Season 3. And Season 4, he then kind of took a step to First Officer again, because of his loyalty to Michael Burnham, and the special task we were on throughout the season."

"Well, now he’s [re-evaluating] his purpose there," adds Jones. "Has it run its course? His relationship with President T’Rina, played by the lovely Tara Rosling. She does come into the equation with how he makes his decision."

Anthony Rapp on Paul Stamets' Legacy and Season 5 Baddies

Episode 506

"This season, you can expect a new level of inquiry for Paul about what's next for him in terms of the work that he wants to do," hints Anthony Rapp. "He's an incredibly driven and brilliant human being with this mind, that's some level of genius. You get to see him like stretch himself in new ways."

What does the Discovery crew make of arrival of this season's antagonists — Moll (played by Eve Harlow) and L'ak (played by Elias Toufexis)?

"I really love the description of this kind of Bonnie and Clyde," shares Rapp. "It was fun for us, or for me, I could speak for myself, to have these kind of iconic touchstone archetypes brought into our show. Their energy as people; [Eve Harlow and Elias Toufexis] brought a beautiful energy to the company to being a part of our show and being a part of our story. And then their work was exceptional. To have this, this idea of this kind of like maverick couple that's on the run is a cool one. And there's a reason it's iconic. And I think that the way that our writers threaded it through our story was really well done."

Mary Wiseman on Sylvia Tilly's Career Focus

"Tilly's in a great place," notes Mary Wiseman. "She's found a certain kind of assurance from going off to teach at Starfleet Academy, and coming back feels like coming home. You're a little cooler and a little more adult. And people call you 'Miss.'"

However, that's not without some challenges. "But she kind of also feels stuck with the problem about how to get through to these kids that have grown up in this era where there isn't the sort of interconnectedness, galaxy-wide communication, and transportation possibilities that there were when she was growing up," highlights Wiseman. "And she's kind of noticing it in the kids' behavior, and inability to interact or team build. And so that's something that she kind of wants to work on and figure out how to help them out with that."

Wilson Cruz on Dr. Hugh Culber's New Experiences

Episode 505

"Where we first find Culber in Season 5, he's in a really good place," notes Wilson Cruz. "He's really embodied this new version of himself, and is ready and willing to take on whatever he's confronted with."

Cruz continues, "This season, he is confronted with an experience that forces him to ask even more existential questions that kind of blows his mind. It starts him on knowing about all of the mysteries of the universe. This whole mission really makes him question a lot of things. We see him process a lot of that throughout the season."

David Ajala on Cleveland "Book" Booker's Love for Burnham and Season 5 Action Sequences

Episode 503

Following the events of Season 4, Book must walk away from Burnham. Reflecting on his actions and headspace at the start of this season, David Ajala states, "It's interesting, because, if we're talking about the gift of grace, Book has definitely received grace from Michael Burnham. Even though Book made the decision that he thought was right, it was not even honorable, but he felt duty bound to do what he did. He was still afforded grace by Michael Burnham, to be welcomed back with open arms. The journey of someone like Cleveland Booker, who was very driven by keeping his autonomy, and also serving his purpose on the planet, which was to help endangered species, to be a part of Starfleet, it was never something that was within his remit. But then to come full circle in Season 5, and to see him, organically incorporate himself within that team is a wonderful story."

"Where we left off in Season 4, revisiting and coming back for Season 5, it's a different territory for both of them," explains Ajala. "And yet, they both have to acknowledge that they're in different spaces, but then still show a level of care for one another. This grey area is new territory."

As for the Indiana Jones -level of excitement the series explores this season, Ajala details, "I love action, I love being able to be physical, to express myself. Having said that, I love the way action is used in the right way. And because this is the final season, we could have taken like one to potentially three episodes to kind of warm into it. But with the first episode, we were straight in with high octane, big action sequences, and just a real spectacle to observe."

Blu del Barrio on Adira's Growing Confidence

"Adira starts out in a pretty solid looking place," reveals Blu del Barrio.

"On the outside, they look and seem really good," adds del Barrio. "They have a lot more responsibilities on the ship. And they're taking their work very seriously, and just very happy to be like more integrated. But underneath the surface, they're struggling a little bit more with some emotional stuff and some major personal stuff."

Eve Harlow on the Arrival of Star-Crossed Lovers and Joining the Cast of Discovery

During NYCC 2022 , audiences got to learn about this season's baddies. Moll and L'ak are former couriers turned outlaws. Moll is highly intelligent and dangerous, with an impressive strategic mind and a sharp wit. She goes into every situation with a clear plan and stays focused and clear-headed on her goal, even when things go awry. She’s not easy to intimidate, and will face down anyone who stands in her way in order to get what she wants. Whereas L'ak is tough, impulsive, and fiercely protective of his beloved partner, Moll. So long as he knows she’s safe, he doesn’t care about collateral damage or its consequences — a perspective that makes him very dangerous at times and will put him on the opposite side of Captain Burnham and the crew of the U.S.S. Discovery when they come into conflict.

Speaking directly to StarTrek.com on Star Trek: The Cruise VII, Eve Harlow divulges, "Moll is badass, and she and L’ak are an interspecies couple. It’s kind of breaking all the rules, which is why they’re on the run. It’s very much like Romeo and Juliet or Bonnie and Clyde because they’re star-crossed lovers."

On her experience of joining this series for its fifth season, Harlow offers tons of praises, "These are some of the kindest, just most welcoming people I've ever met. I feel like I just talk about how much I love Sonequa a lot, but I will keep talking about how much I love her. She is the best leader I've ever experienced on set."

"[When I reflected on] who on-set is most like their character in real life. Without skipping a beat, Elias and I, at the same time, were Sonequa. She is that captain, and she treats everyone like an equal. I've just never been on a set where everyone, the crew is so appreciated. She knows everybody's names. She knows what they do. She knows their family life, what's going on with them. She genuinely cares, and being around that, that spirit is infectious. Every single time I was on set. I was so high energy; I was just so happy to be here. And it's because of the people who were working on that show."

Michelle Paradise on Season 5's New Faces

"Elias [Toufexis] and Eve [Harlow] play L’ak and Moll who are our two new bad guys this season," states Michelle Paradise. "We talked about them as kind of a Bonnie and Clyde unit. We hadn't had a couple before as our antagonist. In turn, they're obviously formidable foes for our heroes. But we also really wanted to make sure that they felt well-rounded, and that they weren't just one note, bad guys. We understood the why of what they were doing the depth of their love for one another. People will be surprised that they may start rooting for these bad guys, actually. But they'll never want them to win more than our heroes, of course. It’s a lot of fun to have them."

L'ak and Moll aren't the only new faces this season. Rayner, also previously announced at NYCC 2022, is a gruff, smart Starfleet captain who holds a clear line between commander and crew — he leads, they follow. Rayner’s all about the mission, whatever it may be, and he doesn’t do niceties along the way; his feeling is, you get the job done and apologize later. He has a storied track record of wartime success, but in times of peace, he struggles. Collaboration is not his strong suit. That said, if it serves the greater good he’s willing to learn... but it won’t be easy.

"And then Callum Keith Rennie plays Captain Rayner," elaborates Paradise. "What's interesting about him is that he is going to be a bit of an antagonist, but not in a bad guy way. He's going to push Burnham, and we'll get to see new sides of Burnham and new growth in Burnham because of her interactions with him. It's a really interesting dynamic there. That's one of the things that we always look at, if we're going to bring in any new guest characters, is how can they impact our regulars? And how can they help our regulars grow over the course of the season or change or help us see new sides of them, and these three do that beautifully."

Get ready for Discovery 's final adventure when Season 5 premieres with the first two episodes later this week!

Get updates by email.

Christine Dinh (she/her) is the managing editor for StarTrek.com. She’s traded the Multiverse for helming this Federation Starship.

Star Trek: Discovery Seasons 1-4 are streaming exclusively on Paramount+ in the U.S., the UK, Canada, Switzerland, South Korea, Latin America, Germany, France, Italy, Australia and Austria. Seasons 2 and 3 also are available on the Pluto TV “Star Trek” channel in Switzerland, Germany and Austria. The series streams on Super Drama in Japan, TVNZ in New Zealand, and SkyShowtime in Spain, Portugal, Poland, The Nordics, The Netherlands, and Central and Eastern Europe and also airs on Cosmote TV in Greece. The series is distributed by Paramount Global Content Distribution.

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• Star Trek: Discovery Season 5: Everything We Know Before the Premiere

When Paramount+ brought Trek back to television in September 2017 with Star Trek: Discovery's double-decker premiere event , it broke ground on a road that would see the rebirth of the Trek franchise.

Six years later, Star Trek: Discovery has saved the galaxy multiple times; traveled through the mycelial network, to the Mirror Universe and back, forward in time nine hundred years , and beyond the edge of the known universe; and spawned the highly successful spin-off Star Trek: Strange New Worlds .

In March, Paramount+ announced the fifth season will be the USS Discovery's final mission. We've gathered all the intel on what it'll entail, who's on board, and when you can expect to buckle up and hold on as Michael Burnham and her crew let 'er fly one last time.

What can we expect from the Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 plot?

After making first contact with an extra-dimensional species and convincing them to stop sending their galactic mineral extractor through our galaxy, destroying planets and star systems willy-nilly, you'd think our intrepid time-traveling spacefarers would've earned a rest.

But no, the teaser for Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 hints at a treasure hunt for a sought-after power that could -- you guessed it -- destroy the universe.

According to Paramount+, " The fifth and final season will find Captain Burnham and the crew of the USS Discovery uncovering a mystery that will send them on an epic adventure across the galaxy to find an ancient power whose very existence has been deliberately hidden for centuries. "

Of course, it's not so easy as just following the clues and bringing it home. There have to be obstacles and competitors. " But there are others on the hunt as well … dangerous foes who are desperate to claim the prize for themselves and will stop at nothing to get it. "

Who will be a part of the Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 cast?

All of the core cast from Star Trek: Discovery Season 4 are expected to return for this last hurrah.

Cast Members Returning for Star Trek: Discovery Season 5

That certainly includes Captain Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green), Chief Science Officer Saru (Doug Jones), Chief Medical Officer Hugh Culber (Wilson Cruz), Paul Stamets (Anthony Rapp), Cleveland Booker (David Ajala), Sylvia Tilly (Mary Wiseman) and Adira (Blu del Barrio).

We also expect to see the return of recurring characters Starfleet Admiral Vance (Oded Fehr) and Federation President Laira Rillak (Chelah Horsdal), although probably not the United Earth President (Stacey Freakin' Abrams -- yeah, that actually happened) due to other obligations.

It's unlikely Burnham would embark without her bridge crew, so Lieutenants Detmer (Emily Coutts), Owosekun (Oyin Oladejo), Rhys (Patrick Kwok-Choon), Bryce (Ronnie Rowe), and Nilsson (Sara Mitich) should all be present and accounted for at launch.

And no Discovery adventure would be complete without Lt. Linus (David Benjamin Tomlinson) repping the Saurians and Commander Jett Reno (Tig Notaro) showing up for curmudgeons everywhere.

In addition, the footage that we've seen from Season 5 indicates Kovich (David Cronenberg) will be central to the plot's action. That looks like fun.

New Cast Members for Star Trek: Discovery Season 5

Newcomers L'ak ( The Expanse 's Elias Toufexis) and Moll ( The Night Agent 's Eve Harlow) are exciting additions to the cast, competing with Burnham's crew on this treasure hunt.

Having seen Harlow hunt on The Night Agent as assassin Ellen, they could definitely prove problematic.

Harlow's Moll is described as "highly intelligent and dangerous, with an impressive strategic mind and a sharp wit. She goes into every situation with a clear plan and stays focused and clear-headed on her goal, even when things go awry.

"She’s not intimidated by Captain Burnham or the crew of the U.S.S. Discovery and will face down anyone who stands in her way in order to get what she wants."

Sci-fi fan favorite Callum Keith Rennie as Vulcan Starfleet officer Raynor will also be spending time with us in space.

From The Umbrella Academy to Jessica Jones to The Man in the High Castle, Rennie consistently owns his space with confident intensity and will be someone to watch as the season unfolds.

Who is the Main Villain of Star Trek: Discovery Season 5

Now that the strike is over I can finally share this: I have my own #StarTrek ship! That's absolutely bonkers to me brain. #StarTrekDiscovery pic.twitter.com/SKQREtWNhm — ᴇʟɪᴀꜱ ᴛᴏᴜꜰᴇxɪꜱ 🖖 (@EliasToufexis) November 9, 2023

Elias Toufexis has been quick to announce to the world that he, an avid Trek fan, has his own Star Trek ship, crowing about it on social media as soon as the SAG-AFTRA strike ended.

At the 57-Year Mission Convention in Las Vegas, Toufexis confirmed that L'ak is Season 5's "main villain."

La'k is the romantic in the duo, it seems, described as "tough, impulsive and fiercely protective of his beloved partner, Moll. So long as he knows she’s safe, he doesn’t care about collateral damage or its consequences."

How many episodes will there be in Star Trek: Discovery Season 5?

The March press release revealed that the entirety of Star Trek: Discovery will consist of 65 episodes. Seeing as the Season 4 finale was the 55th episode in the series, we can deduce that Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 will be ten episodes long.

Will the writers' and actors' strikes affect the release of Star Trek: Discovery Season 5?

Paramount+ renewed Star Trek: Discovery for its fifth season in January 2022. Production began in June of that year, and the entire season was considered complete before the end of 2022.

The announcement in March 2023 that Season 5 would be the final season caught the production team by surprise. It required executive producer and director Olatunde Osunsanmi to return to Toronto to shoot new scenes to transform the season finale into a series finale.

All this was done before the strikes began, and the season is, as they say, in the can and ready for release.

When will Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 premiere?

At the Paramount+ panel at CCXP in São Paulo, Brazil, they announced that Season 5 will return in April 2024.

In addition, an exciting new trailer and cast image was released.

How will Star Trek: Discovery end?

There are no crystal balls or time portals to consult, but long-time fans will recall that we've already seen what happens to the USS Discovery and her sentient computer, Zora, after the crew is gone.

There is no cushy place in a Starfleet museum for Zora, and it's unlikely she'd be happy there anyway.

On Star Trek: Short Treks Season 1 Episode 2 , long after she'd grown used to solitude, Zora picks up a man adrift in space and saves his life.

In a parallel tale to the story of Odysseus on Calypso's island -- note the minisode is also titled "Calypso" -- the man, Craft, grows to love his rescuer but ultimately has to leave her.

So, will we see the crew abandon Discovery as part of their mission to find this ancient power?

Will our intrepid heroes splinter their paths and seek new worlds and strange pursuits?

Can the Federation and Starfleet remain aspirational as an entity wholly independent of Earth or any planet?

Who will save the galaxy when Burnham and Saru and their posse resign their commission?

While you mull these and many other questions, check out the footage from Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 Paramount+ released at SDCC 2023.

Have your say, Star Trek Fanatics!

Is there enough action there to tide you over until the premiere?

Can Burnham keep up this adventuring pace? Will Kovich suit up and show her how it's done?

Hit our comments with your thoughts and theories on what the future holds for the USS Discovery et al.!

Diana Keng was a staff writer for TV Fanatic. She is a lifelong fan of smart sci-fi and fantasy media, an upstanding citizen of the United Federation of Planets, and a supporter of AFC Richmond 'til she dies. Her guilty pleasures include female-led procedurals, old-school sitcoms, and Bluey. She teaches, knits, and dreams big. Follow her on X .

I am neither one for following orders nor giving them. The solar winds are my mistress and I follow her wherever she beckons. Mudd Permalink: I am neither one for following orders nor giving them. The solar winds are my mistress and I... Added: October 30, 2017

Burnham: Words aren't enough, are they? Nine hundred and thirty years. Saru: I trust that what matters most will have endured. Permalink: I trust that what matters most will have endured. Added: November 11, 2020

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Screen Rant

I love that star trek: discovery season 5's premiere cut to the chase.

Star Trek: Discovery season 5 opens with a bold storytelling tactic that sets it apart from previous years' season-long mysteries, and it's awesome.

Warning: SPOILERS for Star Trek: Discovery Season 5, Episode 1 - "Red Directive"

• Star Trek: Discovery season 5 changes its formula by revealing the treasure right away, leading to a fast-paced chase.
• The Progenitors' technology is the galaxy's greatest treasure, connecting back to a dropped TNG plot thread.
• This season streamlines the storytelling, focusing on a thrilling adventure and unity themes for fans old and new.

Star Trek: Discovery season 5's premiere episode, "Red Directive", cuts right to the chase, and it's fantastic. Discovery has a history of taking time to set up the mysteries at the heart of its season-long arcs, with necessary introductions of new threats that require investigation on the part of Captain Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) and the crew of the USS Discovery. Discovery 's second, third, and fourth seasons followed a relatively typical formula, with clues doled out throughout the season promising answers to the central questions: Who is the Red Angel? What caused the Burn? Why is the DMA destroying planets?

Each season of Star Trek: Discovery tightens the mystery formula a little more, so the subsequent season manages to top the last. Discovery season 4's Dark Matter Anomaly story was the series' best to date, with high stakes for the fate of the galaxy and the relationship between Michael Burnham and Cleveland Booker (David Ajala), and a signature Star Trek moral dilemma at the center of it all. Promotional material for Star Trek: Discovery season 5 promised that the USS Discovery's crew would race others in a sprawling search for the "greatest treasure in the galaxy" , so the natural question that premise raises should be "What is the treasure?" But it isn't.

Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 Returning Cast & New Character Guide

Star trek: discovery season 5's premiere answered the season's mystery right away, knowing what the treasure is so soon changes discovery's pace for the better..

Unlike previous seasons, Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 1 , "Red Directive", answers the season's mystery right away, instead of dragging clues out throughout the season. The greatest treasure in the galaxy is the technology used by ancient humanoids, now called the Progenitors, to create life, which was then seeded across the galaxy to become all the sentient humanoid species in the Star Trek universe, including humans. With that question out of the way, Discovery can get right into the action, as each member of the USS Discovery crew leans into their strengths to stop adversaries Moll (Eve Harlow) and L'ak (Elias Toufexis) from getting their hands on the first clue.

Discovery is no longer strictly a mystery -- it's a chase.

It's a great change of pace for Star Trek: Discovery season 5 to just hit the ground running. As Captain Michael Burnham tells the enigmatic Dr. Kovich (David Cronenberg) near the end of "Red Directive", Burnham can't work in the dark, and the same is true for Discovery as a show. Sure, Michael can find workarounds to get the answers, like asking Lt. Sylvia Tilly (Mary Wiseman) to do some digging into the Federation secret archives, but it's best when the cards are on the table, and everyone has the same information. Knowing that the target is Progenitor technology from the start means Discovery is no longer strictly a mystery -- it's a chase.

Discovery Season 5's Treasure Connects to TNG Directly

Tng's dropped plot thread gets woven into the fabric of discovery season 5's grander themes..

Star Trek: Discovery season 5 isn't just any chase, either; it's a sequel to Star Trek: The Next Generation season 6, episode 20, "The Chase", which explains the similarities between Star Trek 's humanoid species by giving them a common ancestor. Discovery 's Kovich specifically namedrops Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) when sharing information with Captain Burnham. Starfleet's archival footage is lifted directly from TNG , with Picard joined by Klingon, Cardassian, and Romulan representatives as they learn about the Progenitors creating life and seeding it across the galaxy. One previously nameless Romulan, Doctor Vellek (Michael Copeman), is highlighted as the brilliant scientist whose work forms the basis of Discovery 's first clue.

Dr. Kovich's crash course in 24th-century history refreshes "The Chase" to get new and old fans alike up to speed.

Connecting Star Trek: Discovery season 5's story directly to a revelation from TNG that was never properly followed up on is a great way to get the audience - especially Star Trek diehards - invested from the start. Dr. Kovich's crash course in 24th-century history refreshes "The Chase" to get new and old fans alike up to speed, and suggests revisiting the Progenitors fits right in with Discovery 's deeply overarching themes of unity and hope. Rather than drawing a single mystery out for the entire season, Star Trek: Discovery season 5 looks like it'll be a fast-paced adventure with individual clues leading to the actual greatest treasure in the galaxy: an amazing Star Trek story.

Star Trek: Discovery season 5 streams Thursdays on Paramount+.

Star Trek: Discovery

'Star Trek: Discovery' season 5 episode 2 sows the seeds of seasonal plot threads (Under the Twin Moons recap)

Warning: Spoilers ahead for "Star Trek: Discovery" season 5, episode 2

So, as you will have gathered from watching Star Trek: Discovery's episode 1 of season 5 ,  it would appear that the primary plot is based on a past episode of "The Next Generation" (TNG). Yes indeed, no new "Star Trek" show is safe from nostalgia — and very specifically — TNG-era nostalgia. Any storyline, from any previous incarnation of " Star Trek " could've been used, but it cannot denied that it feels like we're being given what Terry Matalas and the other executive producers who are still obsessed with living in the past want, which is to relive their teens. 

The thing is, there's nothing wrong with TNG and if you watch the episode that all of this seems to be stemming from, "The Chase" (S06, E20) it's actually a pretty good installment. And in fact, it has a " Babylon 5 " quality and uses dialogue and straightforward set pieces to tell an interesting, nuanced story. (Aside from at least from one significant plot hole that is not explained.) But that was then — April 1993, to be precise — and this is now. And while it might have been fun to revisit this in a TNG-era movie for example, this ship really has passed. If you're need a refresher on how to watch Star Trek: Discovery, you can check out our Star Trek streaming guide for Paramount Plus .

Watch Star Trek on Paramount Plus: Get a one month free trial  

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The episode "The Chase" is a fun explainer as to why all the humanoid aliens look the same. Obviously, it's all to do with budget in the real world, but in the Star Trek universe it's because a super-advanced race of aliens — unofficially referred to as Progenitors — opted to scatter different parts of our DNA across the galaxy, which when fully evolved over millions of years time, came to form humans, Klingons, Cardassians, Romulans and the rest. When DNA strands from all of these races are combined, it unlocked a ancient holographic message. 

Related: 5 things Star Trek: Discovery season 5 needs to fix

"Life evolved on my planet before all others in this part of the galaxy. We left our world, explored the stars, and found none like ourselves. Our civilization thrived for ages, but what is the life of one race, compared to the vast stretches of cosmic time?" the unnamed humanoid alien said. "We knew that one day we would be gone, that nothing of us would survive. So, we left you. Our scientists seeded the primordial oceans of many worlds, where life was in its infancy ... The seed codes also contained this message, which we scattered in fragments on many different worlds. It was our hope that you would have to come together in fellowship and companionship to hear this message."

The potential of this was pretty big, but it was never followed up. It was rumored there might even be a connection to the Changling race and it was talked about in chat groups ... 15 years ago . And while this was a certainly an opportunity left open-ended, ready to be revisited after having been found by writers scrambling for ideas, it's also interesting to note that "The Chase" was directed by Jonathan Frakes, who as we know, is still very much involved with Nu-Trek.

Back to "Discovery" season 5, episode 2 and possibly the biggest single, burning question is, will Captain Rayner (Callum Keith Rennie) met a death as utterly pointless as Captain Shaw, Huw and Cristóbal Rios? And now with Captain Saru (Doug Jones) leaving the USS Discovery and Raynor taking his place as first officer, Captain Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) now at least has an antagonist close by for this adventure.

This second episode feels a little less lost than the season premiere, although it relies rather heavily on the classic bureaucracy trope, something, you'd have to believe we'd really been able to get past in the 32nd century. Guess not. Staying with Rayner though, if his appointment to become the new First Officer of the USS Discovery just turns out to be another underused, Tarka-style antagonist, it will be a spectacular missed opportunity. But, "Discovery" does keep us guessing, that much is certain. Who'd have thought an socially awkward alien would cause all the dilithium in the galaxy to explode ? 

There are some interesting set pieces in this episode, but let's hope we don't dwell on the whole breadcrumb-trail to alien artifacts theme too long. Also, where the blazes does the energy and the matter come from to instantly form replacement phasers? Just wonderin' like. But, on the plus side, Grudge is back and so is Zora.  

In other "Star Trek" news, production on the new "Star Trek: Section 31" television movie starring Michelle Yeoh has started principal photography. Paramount Plus posted a pic on Instagram and Variety released a still. In addition to Yeoh, the cast includes Omari Hardwick ("Powers"), Kacey Rohl ("Hannibal"), Emmy Award winner Sam Richardson ("Ted Lasso"), Sven Ruygrok ("One Piece"), Robert Kazinsky ("Pacific Rim"), Humberly Gonzalez ("Ginny & Georgia") and James Hiroyuki Liao ("Barry").

However, the most interesting news is that the story appears to be set in the "lost era" of "Star Trek" — between the events of the Kirk-era movie, "Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country" and the TV series TNG. Arguably the most underused and interesting field of opportunity within the "Star Trek" franchise...and Kacey Rohl ("Arrow") has also joined the project as a young Rachel Garrett, the future captain of the USS Enterprise-C, from the epic TNG episode "Yesterday's Enterprise" (S03, E15) where the character was previously portrayed by Tricia O’Neil.

The fifth and final season of "Star Trek: Discovery" and every episode of every "Star Trek" show — with the exception of "Star Trek: Prodigy" — currently streams exclusively on Paramount Plus in the US while "Prodigy" has found a new home o n Netflix.  

Internationally, the shows are available on Paramount Plus in Australia, Latin America, the UK and South Korea, as well as on Pluto TV in Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Switzerland on the Pluto TV Sci-Fi channel. They also stream on Paramount Plus in Italy, France, Germany, Switzerland and Austria. In Canada, they air on Bell Media's CTV Sci-Fi Channel and stream on Crave.

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‘Star Trek: Discovery’ S5 Review: Final Season Is Its Best

This season has a brisk pace and the sense of fun that in the past has been crushed under the weight of grave galactic stakes..

Star Trek: Discovery occupies an interesting place in the celebrated franchise. It was the first Trek series of the streaming era, the first to debut behind a paywall, the first produced after J.J. Abrams’ big screen reboot, and the first to put a woman of color in the captain’s chair. Discovery redefined the look and feel of the franchise on television, bringing Trek into the modern world of feature-level photography, effects, and pace of story. It blazed a trail for a new generation of Trek media, like direct spin-off Strange New Worlds and the upcoming Section 31 TV movie. It is also not terribly popular amidst the old guard of Trekkies, nor is it a mainstream hit or a critical darling. Discovery has struggled to find its footing from the very beginning and is still uneven after years of retooling. I do not consider its cancellation after five seasons to be a tragic loss for television. However, Discovery may still have one “first” left to achieve: It may be the first Star Trek series whose final season is its best. 

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(A quick personal note to the handful of Trekkies who just clutched their pearls: Season 4 of Enterprise is not better than Season 3, it merely has more familiar stuff for fans to point at with childlike glee. And you’ve likely already read my thoughts on Picard ’s final season .)

Even as a critic of the show, I have to acknowledge that every season of Discovery has started with a bang. It’s the nature of a serialized, season-long story arc to kick off with something resembling the first act of a feature film, and Season 5 is no different. The opening chapter, “Red Directive,” is a fast-paced space adventure packed with flashy action set pieces. The illustrious Captain Michael Burnham ( Sonequa Martin-Green ) and her crew are on the trail of Moll (Eve Harlow) and L’ak (Elias Toufexis), a spacefaring Bonnie and Clyde who have stumbled across a secret with enormous implications for the future of the galaxy. Just like the previous three seasons, this sets Team Disco off on another cosmic scavenger hunt, jumping to a new world each week to find the next clue to the season’s grander mystery. 

Historically, this is where Discovery has run into trouble. While each chapter tends to have its own contained adventure plot or even a classic Trek “message of the week,” they’re rarely that memorable and they advance the season’s overarching storyline without adding much depth. This season, though, has a brisk pace and a sense of fun that, previously, has been crushed under the weight of grave galactic stakes. Paramount has promoted this season as having an Indiana Jones energy to it , and that’s a fair comparison. The characters are enjoying themselves more, and for the first time since Season 2, the story isn’t built around some unfathomable tragedy. T o my best recollection, none of the episodes provided in advance to critics feature any crying. That’s four consecutive episodes, possibly a new track record.

This is not the only way in which Discovery ’s new season throttles back on the show’s occasionally cloying sentimentality. The season premiere introduces a new character, Captain Rayner ( Callum Keith Rennie ), a gruff pragmatist who serves as a contrast to Burnham’s soft-spoken, personable, firmly feminine command style. At first, Rayner appears to be a straw man representing aggro, entitled white male authority, a trope Discovery goes to often. As the season progresses, Rayner acquires some depth and even some likability. It’s fun to watch this grumpy old guy interact with a cast full of characters who are totally in touch with their feelings. Most importantly, Rayner provides something that the series has needed ever since Burnham took command of Discovery: a professional peer with whom to disagree and occasionally compromise. It’s an essential role that her first officer, Saru ( Doug Jones ), has become too adoring and loyal to play. Burnham has earned the devotion of her crew, but watching her gracefully manage dissent only enhances her aura of strength and leadership.

Even though production was wrapped before Discovery was canceled (with additional shooting after that announcement to tie up loose ends), Season Five feels like a finale from the very beginning. A few characters are moving on with their lives, pursuing new interests and relationships. There are more fun, non-intrusive callbacks to Treks past than in the last two seasons, which makes it feel a bit like a victory lap for the streaming era’s flagship show. Above all, there is a sense of ease, as if the cast and crew have finally got their engine running smoothly and can cruise to the finish line. It’s the energy a series possesses at its peak, a point to which fans will often look back and say “They probably should have stopped there.” Barring a significant misstep in its final six episodes, Star Trek: Discovery will never be past its prime, and that’s a distinction its creators can wear with pride. 

• SEE ALSO : How Opera’s Crisis Can Become an Opera Renaissance

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Star Trek: Discovery Ends an Era With Season 5

The showrunners and stars on how they’re taking the disco to the final frontier one last time..

Seven years ago, Star Trek: Discovery debuted as the seventh Star Trek series in the illustrious and long-running science fiction franchise. Discovery, or Disco as it is affectionately known, was also the first Trek anything to debut on a streaming service. Its success made episodic Star Trek viable again after a 12-year dry spell, and now fans have a robust lineup of all kinds of Trek series on Paramount+ as a result.

But all starship missions eventually come to an end. So with Season 5 of Discovery, Captain Michael Burnham and her USS Discovery crew embark on their final adventure. We spoke to some of the creative team about what’s coming for Burnham, Book, Saru and more.

Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 Images

From Season Finale to Series Finale

After the turmoil and complex resolution of the Dark Matter Anomaly story arc in Season 4, the fifth season opens with many Discovery characters contemplating both personal and professional change.

While showrunners Alex Kurtzman and Michelle Paradise told IGN that they didn’t go into writing the season knowing it would be the show’s last, their instincts to create transition points for much of their ensemble ended up lending itself to a consequential final season.

“Alex and I talked about it,” says Paradise. “And this season we explore such big themes and such big ideas. And in some ways, it felt like if [the end] were going to happen, this was the right season for that to happen because it feels almost like an ending.”

While the showrunners didn’t find out that this was the last season of the show until they had already finished shooting the body of the season itself, the studio wanted to give Captain Burnham and the Disco crew a proper send-off. And so they let Paradise, Kurtzman, and the team fine-tune the Season 5 finale so that it could also serve as a series finale.

“The studio and the network were kind enough to allow us to go back and shoot some additional material so that we could wrap up the series itself,” continues Paradise. “So I feel like if people didn't know that, they would come in thinking that we had planned from the beginning to make [it] the final season. And it's exciting that the way it ends feels satisfying and fulfilling in that way.”

For Sonequa Martin-Green, who stars as Captain Burnham, wrapping up the show was the culmination of an experience for the actress that she’ll always feel lucky to have had.

“My goodness, the journey of growth, the journey of evolution – you can parallel Burnham's life with my own, this time that I had as Michael Burnham and then as Captain Michael Burnham,” says Martin-Green. “My goodness, I'll never be the same again. And I am just grateful because I feel that God blessed me with an opportunity to act out some of the things that he was teaching me.”

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The Captain Conundrum

A starship operates only as well as its captain, which bodes well for both Discovery and Captain Michael Burnham, who is arguably hitting her professional stride at this point in aiding Earth’s re-entry into the Federation. Personally, it’s a little more complicated as she’s still wrestling with the open-ended separation from her partner, Cleveland "Book" Booker (David Ajala), after he chose to leave and help those impacted by the Dark Matter Anomaly last season.

“Stepping into Season 5, that relationship is fractured, and will it heal?” ponders Ajala. “Knowing these two individuals, I think they will put their best foot forward to try and make it happen. But there's still creases in the relationship. However, the two of them believe in each other. And so far as there's life in Book's body, he will always support all of Michael Burnham's endeavors. And likewise, she would do the same for him. So having said that, these two were just meant to be kindred spirits.”

Surprisingly, matters of the heart are also top of mind for Discovery Captain… err, First Officer Saru. But first, Doug Jones, who plays the Kelpien character, told us that rank issue is also complicated.

“I had reached captain status in Season 3, and I was captain of starship Discovery,” explains the actor. “And then in Season 4, with our special mission that we were on with the 10-C and exploring all that… I felt that I was needed and that Michael Burnham, with our brother/sister supportive relationship, that I would not be a captain, but be her Number One. Is it logical to keep two captains on the bridge of a ship? Can it go on forever? Should it go on forever? So Season 5 is an exploration of what else can Saru do.”

And what would any new position mean for the deepening relationship between Saru and the Vulcan President of Ni'Var, T’Rina? First introduced in Season 3, T’Rina has become an increasingly important part of Saru’s life.

“I have been courting the lovely President T'Rina this whole time, played by Tara Rosling, whom I adore,” says Jones. “And so, yes, that's evolving at the same time as the career. Can they evolve together? Can we find a blend in the two? That's our struggle, and that's our little issue to get through. It's kind of like a Hallmark movie.”

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The Disco’s Crew Highs… and Cast Lows

One of the strengths of Disco has been its varied crew of characters with their own stories and arcs that have kept audiences invested in the show. One of the best relationships that has unfolded across all five seasons has been the partnership between Paul ​​Stamets and Hugh Culber, played by Anthony Rapp and Wilson Cruz.

In this last season, Cruz said their unique relationship continues to grow, but Culber will get his own solo adventure that will surprise long-time viewers.

“I'm excited for people to see a different, new side of Culber,” says the actor. “I can say that. He has definitely experienced a lot of insane things in the five seasons and Season 5 is definitely up there with it. So I'm excited for [fans] to see him in a new light.”

With Lt. Silvia Tilly, actress Mary Wiseman remains a little giddy about her character’s love for her Captain, Oh Captain Burnham, and an upcoming memorable away mission together.

“I'm excited for people to see Tilly go on a very special adventure with her best friend, Michael Burnham,” says Wiseman, while Blu del Barrio promises that, much like Culber, their character Ensign Adira Tal will get to experience a shift that will challenge how everyone sees them going forward.

“Adira [goes] on a mission that they would probably, maybe from the past seeing Adira since they joined the ship, would probably imagine anybody else on the ship being in that position before they were in that position,” says del Barrio.

Of course, series ending also mean some of the cast’s wish-list episodes or arcs will remain unexplored. While much has been covered by the cast over the past seven years, there are a few clear, if good-natured grievances to be aired about what might have been if Discovery continued to cross the galaxies.

“How is it that we did not get the musical episode!?” laughs Cruz, clearly referring to the Strange New Worlds musical episode from last year. “I'm pissed off, O.K.!”

“I did not ever get to have a mirror Universe Adira and I'm so sad about that,” adds del Barrio. “It breaks my heart!”

But as any true Trekker knows, never say never with any crew in the Star Trek universe…

For even more on the new season, check out our Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 review for Episodes 1-4.

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