[Queenie]

Quick question...

How did Kirk actually cheat on the Kobiashi Maru test?

[PoorPorthos]

It's supposed to be unwinnable, as demonstrated in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Kahn. You leave the freighter, the freighter crew dies. You intercept, you are surrounded by decloaking Klingons. You focus on fighting, you'll lose and the freighter will explode, you help the freighter, you'll be a sitting duck and die.

Kirk cheated by hacking the programming and making it so that he created a scenario where he could win. Hence why Bones and Spock (in ST2 and 3) remind him that he always cheats death, instead of facing it.

[StarTrekXIfan]

I like the fact that Kirk cheats on the test, after all it's deliberately unwinnable so it shows Kirk likes to think outside the box as well as proving he will do what ever it takes to save peoples lives. I like his 'I don't believe in no win scenarios' attitude.

[kevin]

It's also why he could never win the KM without cheating the way he did. Facing death was not an option for him.

[horatio]

Originally Posted by kevin

It's also why he could never win the KM without cheating the way he did. Facing death was not an option for him.

Until TWOK. I think the only time that theme has been readdressed again was in TUC when he ponders on Rura Penthe about the political future, beyond his own not so bright personal future. He does not give up but acknowledges that he could die in this icy place.

[kevin]

It took a long time, but then - death is unavoidable eventually for everyone. Even Kirk knew he could only dodge it so long.

[ispeedonthe405]

I was totally down with a reboot and scoop of fresh, hip Trek. Even though I was 13 when TNG premiered, which should have made it "my" Trek, I couldn't get into it or any of the spinoffs that followed. Too sterile, too dull. I say down with technobabble! Bring back the kind of Star Trek where escaping from a prison cell means beating the crap out of the guards.

On that level the movie works. I didn't even mind the ADD pacing and the blur that obscures every third frame because it was fun to watch. And hey... Beastie Boys in the soundtrack? Right on.

But come on, dude. When the Architect -- I mean, Spock -- showed up and explained the problematic plot, I actually threw up a little in my mouth. This is the plot? Really?

There is no such thing as a supernova which "threatens the entire galaxy", JJ. Seriously. It was like finding a brussel sprout in my popcorn: yum, yum, yum... blech! How did that get in there? And how stupid is Nero? How much LESS work would it have been to warn his people and give them 129 years to avert tragedy rather than hatch this elaborate plot to destroy a bunch of other planets? What sense does that even make? I don't care how angry you are; it's just dumb.

The style was fine. In fact, I would even say it was enjoyable. But the substance... was nonexistent. On balance this movie is just another empty, Abrams shell of a story. The real tragedy is that it succeeded in terms of $$, which means this is the sort of thing we have to look forward to. Sigh.

[kevin]

Originally Posted by ispeedonthe405

On balance this movie is just another empty, Abrams shell of a story. The real tragedy is that it succeeded in terms of $$, which means this is the sort of thing we have to look forward to. Sigh.

In which case I think the real question is -

Why then could the runners of Star Trek up until now not make a 'real' Star Trek film that also had the mass popularity of the film Abrams has made?

Why did they have to, apparently, lose Star Trek to make it viable?

[omegaman]

Originally Posted by ispeedonthe405

I was totally down with a reboot and scoop of fresh, hip Trek. Even though I was 13 when TNG premiered, which should have made it "my" Trek, I couldn't get into it or any of the spinoffs that followed. Too sterile, too dull. I say down with technobabble! Bring back the kind of Star Trek where escaping from a prison cell means beating the crap out of the guards.

On that level the movie works. I didn't even mind the ADD pacing and the blur that obscures every third frame because it was fun to watch. And hey... Beastie Boys in the soundtrack? Right on.

But come on, dude. When the Architect -- I mean, Spock -- showed up and explained the problematic plot, I actually threw up a little in my mouth. This is the plot? Really?

There is no such thing as a supernova which "threatens the entire galaxy", JJ. Seriously. It was like finding a brussel sprout in my popcorn: yum, yum, yum... blech! How did that get in there? And how stupid is Nero? How much LESS work would it have been to warn his people and give them 129 years to avert tragedy rather than hatch this elaborate plot to destroy a bunch of other planets? What sense does that even make? I don't care how angry you are; it's just dumb.

The style was fine. In fact, I would even say it was enjoyable. But the substance... was nonexistent. On balance this movie is just another empty, Abrams shell of a story. The real tragedy is that it succeeded in terms of $$, which means this is the sort of thing we have to look forward to. Sigh.

[chator]

Originally Posted by Queenie

Quick question...

How did Kirk actually cheat on the Kobiashi Maru test?

How many times have you seen the movie? Because the movie doesn't actually show him rigging the simulator, it may seem like he's only being accused of cheating. That, and i don't think he admits to it. But Kirk is brought to trial by Starfleet for creating a subroutine in the Kobayashi Maru simulator test that allows him to win in the scenario. The test is supposed to be un-winnable! That's why winning it lands him the accusation of cheating.