J.J. Abrams’Star Trek(2009) has a secret callback to Captain James T. Kirk’s (William Shatner) first adventure inStar Trek: The Original Series. Although a fewepisodes ofStar Trekaired before it in 1966, “Where No Man Has Gone Before” was produced as the second pilot for Star Trekafter NBC rejected Gene Roddenberry’s original pilot, “The Cage.” “Where No Man Has Gone Before” shows visual signs ofStar Trekstill being in progress, such as differentStarfleet uniforms from the color-coded tunicsthat became iconic inStar Trek.
AlthoughStar Trek(2009) was a reboot that set the new adventures ofCaptain James T. Kirk (Chris Pine)and the Starship Enterprise in an alternate reality that became known as the Kelvin Timeline, J.J. Abrams' blockbuster contains numerous ties back toStar Trek: The Original Series. Along with familiarStar Trekcharactersand planets like Vulcan, there are hidden Easter eggs for longtime Trekkies to spot. One of those isthe name of the world Commander Spock (Zachary Quinto) stranded Kirk onwhen the Vulcan banished him from the Enterprise.
Star Trek 2009 Has A Secret Callback To Captain Kirk And An Original Series Planet
There’s A Delta Vega Planet In The Vulcan System
James T. Kirk was stranded on a planet named Delta Vegaby Spock in J.J. Abrams’Star Trek(2009), and the name of the frozen world is a callback toStar Trek: The Original Series' second pilot, “Where No Man Has Gone Before.” Delta Vega inStar Trek(2009) is an ice planet not unlike Hoth inThe Empire Strikes Back(J.J. Abrams is a lifelongStar Warsfan), complete with a monster that chased Kirk not unlike the creature in the J.J. Abrams-producedCloverfield.
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On Delta Vega, Kirk encountered Ambassador Spock (Leonard Nimoy),who was stranded there by thetime-traveling Romulan villain Nero(Eric Bana). Due to its proximity to Vulcan, Spock was forced to watch Nero destroy his homeworld. Spock then took Kirk to a research facility where they found Montgomery Scott (Simon Pegg) and Keenser (Deep Roy). After Spock gave Scotty his own equation for transwarp beaming, Kirk, Scotty, and Keenser were able to beam back to the Starship Enterprise.
Delta Vega In Star Trek: The Original Series Is Very Different From J.J. Abrams' Movie
Kirk Fought Gary Mitchell On Another Delta Vega
InStar Trek: The Original Series,Delta Vega is a different planet entirely. Located a few light days warp travel from theGalactic Barrier at the edge of the galaxy,Delta Vega was chosen by the Starship Enterprise to strand Lt. Gary Mitchell (Gary Lockwood) and Dr. Elizabeth Dehner (Sally Kellerman). Exposure to strange energies in the Galactic Barrier gave Mitchell and Dehner psychic powers and made them a danger to the USS Enterprise.
Delta Vega is the final resting place of Lt. Gary Mitchell and Dr. Elizabeth Dehner.
Captain Kirk fought Lt. Gary Mitchell to the deathon Delta Vega inStar Trek: The Original Series' “Where No Man Has Gone Before.” The Delta Vega seen inStar Trek: The Original Seriesis a planet with mountains and exotic vegetation instead of the frozen landscape inStar Trek(2009). Another key difference isTOS' Delta Vega is the final resting place of Lt. Gary Mitchell and Dr. Elizabeth Dehner.
Kirk’s Enemy Gary Mitchell & TOS' Delta Vega Aren’t In J.J. Abrams' Star Trek
Chris Pine’s Captain Kirk Lived A Different Life Than William Shatner’s
Chris Pine’s Captain Kirk lives a different life fromWilliam Shatner’s Captain KirkinStar Trek’s Kelvin Timeline. Whileit’s likely Gary Mitchell lives in the Kelvin Timeline, he doesn’t become Kirk’s friend (and enemy) in J.J. Abrams' universe. There’s also no indication that during Kirk’s five-year mission aboard the USS Enterprise betweenStar Trek Into Darkness andStar Trek Beyondthat they visited the Great Barrier or the planet Delta Vega nearby.
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Presumably, both planets named Delta Vega exist inStar Trek’s Prime Timeline and J.J. Abrams' alternate Kelvin Timeline, since they are in separate regions of the galaxy. In the Kelvin Timeline, Delta Vega in the Vulcan star system remains even though the planet Vulcan itself has been destroyed. Delta Vega wasn’t named outright inStar Trek(2009), but it’s a subtle callback appropriately connecting J.J. Abrams' reboot to the beginnings ofStar Trek: The Original Series.
