Ms. Smarty Pants Know It All

After much delay, I have finally managed to see Star Trek (the next regeneration). I agree with most of the things said about the film so I won’t repeat it in detail. Yes, the acting is fine. Yes, the action is well-paced. I really enjoyed it overall.

[Note: In most of my write-ups, I try to not give away any important plot points or story elements. This one, however, focuses on a specific detail of the movie's plot so please consider this your fair spoiler warning.]

Beyond all this though, I found the idea of the accidental time traveler the most interesting aspect of the movie. Most stories with a time travel element presupposes that the traveler is smart enough to have figured out time travel.

In this Star Trek movie, the Romulan time traveler is essentially just some working stiff. He is the captain, but his portrayal is pretty “hick”-like.

So once he goes back in time, when his planet is safe and sound, instead of heading there to warn about the impending super nova, he goes and exacts some preemptive revenge instead.

There’s something very stereotypically redneck about this.

Perhaps it’s because he is a miner that it all brings to my mind our own West Virginian mining culture and the feuds associated with this region of the country.

There’s also a political commentary element involved with the villain being so angry and scared that he lashes out blindly with violence rather than really doing what’s best for his people.

So by the end of the movie, the Vulcans are almost wiped out and the Romulans remain in danger. One would hope that the Federation can now take the steps necessary to save the Romulan people, despite the abhorrent actions of one of their members.

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