[ash_scotland88]

It's probally been brought up (my theory that is) and I know its allready been discussed in great length (how they got their ranks so quickly).
But we know that theres some supership, right? Well, maybe all/most of starfleet have been destroyed by it, we have after all seen a graveyard scene of ships.
So all or most of experienced crews are dead or on deep space assignments, so what they do is promote the just graduated star fleet accedemy students to run the newest and nearest ship to earth.
Only flaw is why wouldnt admirals stand in to captain it, or engineers that designed the engines be the engineering crew (would make sense for repair purposes)

Thoughts?

It may also explain why Kirk is in a black shirt if he took some general training course instead of speciality and therefore wouldn't have been assigned a station/post untill his skills are better known. (ignoring the reasong thats allready been given of him beingrebelious and getting kicked out or what ever it is).



ps it may be clear I havnt been keeping up with the latest gossip and news so my thery could be miles out/old

[vuedoc]

I think anything is plausable at this point. The only real mystery is Kirk going from troublemaker to captain so quickly. It is very probable that the other characters were at the academy from an earlier time and that the Enterprise may not even be their first assignment. It is also conceivable that more qualified cadets are in receipt of higher ranks upon being commisioned i.e. Lieutenant J.G. or higher as opposed to just an Ensign. If McCoy joined Starfleet when he was older and already had been a practicing physician, he might have been commisioned as a Lieutenant Commander right from the start.

[MrQ1701]

Originally Posted by vuedoc

...... If McCoy joined Starfleet when he was older and already had been a practicing physician, he might have been commisioned as a Lieutenant Commander right from the start.

This actually happens in the U.S. military. That is why there are lots of top heavy brass at military hospitals.

[kevin]

Originally Posted by vuedoc

I think anything is plausable at this point. The only real mystery is Kirk going from troublemaker to captain so quickly. It is very probable that the other characters were at the academy from an earlier time and that the Enterprise may not even be their first assignment. It is also conceivable that more qualified cadets are in receipt of higher ranks upon being commisioned i.e. Lieutenant J.G. or higher as opposed to just an Ensign. If McCoy joined Starfleet when he was older and already had been a practicing physician, he might have been commisioned as a Lieutenant Commander right from the start.

Bear in mind that the film is likely to cover several years, so depending on what happens in the script, although we see him go from Cadet to Captain, we can't tell for sure yet how much time that takes him.

[horatio]

Well lack of captains after a lot of deaths is a good explanation, could also be that Pike dies and Kirk takes command kinda like Picard on the Stargazer. Could also be a battlefield promotion, if someone is good, why not let him command a ship?
Rank in Trek always seemed to beless important than in today's military, skill seems to be more important. Kirk has the skill to command a starship, so make him captain, which is rather a job than a rank along this kind of thinking.

[TJJones]

Originally Posted by MrQ1701

This actually happens in the U.S. military. That is why there are lots of top heavy brass at military hospitals.

Medical officers, IIRC, are commissioned at the rank of lieutenant (Navy/CG)/captain (others) after completing their MD and military training. They're required to have a level of authority when dealing with medical issues, and the advanced rank is a way support that.

[Zardoz]

In war, promotions happen fast. They have to.

[Saquist]

Intresting.

[Magnate Ataxia]

It is impossible to tell reayy until we have all seen it. It is very evident though that they are not following the traditional stories of the crew because Kirk spent time on other ships in lower ranks...like when he first met the space creature he eventually killed...the one he hesitated in firing at and killed his then Captain Garovick

[starbase63]

The new movie takes place in an alternate timeline, Magnate, where the rules of the Chain of Command may work under different principles.

Thing is, if Pike dies, "The Cage" will not happen in the Abramsverse (unless Pike dies after that point), and neither will "The Menagerie."