This article contains references to sexual assault.
Star Trek: Nemesishas a moment that is even more disturbing than one of the most uncomfortable scenes inStar Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country. Near the end ofStar Trek VI,Lieutenant Valeris (Kim Cattrall)is revealed to be an on-board conspirator in the murder of Klingon Chancellor Gorkon (David Warner). Captain Spock (Leonard Nimoy) forces Valeris into a mind meld to confirm her guilt and retrieve the names of her co-conspirators. Spock is successful at obtaining the information, but not before Valeris pulls away and Spock asserts his control over her.
Most of theStar Trek: The Next Generationmoviesavoided uncomfortable moments like the one inStar Trek VI, but that changed withStar Trek: Nemesis.During one of Deanna Troi’s (Marina Sirtis) romantic scenes with Commander William Riker (Jonathan Frakes), the image of Riker is replaced with that of Shinzon (Tom Hardy), as Shinzon and the Reman Viceroy (Ron Perlman) launch a joint psychic attack on Troi. Deanna calls out for Shinzon to stop, and pushes him away, but Shinzon continues, calling Deanna “Imzadi” like Riker did, and insisting that no one will ever know Troi the way Shinzon does.
Star Trek: Nemesis' Violation Of Troi Is Even Worse Than Spock In Star Trek VI
However,Nemesis’psychic violation of Troi is worse than Spock’s of Valeris inStar Trek VI.Spock’s non-consensual mind meld is tough to watch, because Spock is supposed to be a hero, but it is an act of desperation meant to prevent a war. It’s not easy for Spock to learn what Valeris knows. Meanwhile, Deanna’s vulnerable, loving moment with Will, her new husband, is violated by an interloper who enjoys it — and it’s not even the first time inStar TrekthatDeanna Troi has been assaulted, psychically or sexually.
Spock did what had to be done, butDeanna Troi did not have to be psychically sexually assaulted for the plot ofNemesisto work.The scene inNemesisis filmed with brutal realism that centers on Troi’s pain. It only serves to establish how terrible Shinzon and the Viceroy are, after they’ve already demonstrated they’re the villains. As a capable empath, Troi shouldn’t actually need Shinzon’s psychic link to find him.Nemesisgiving Deanna this sensationalistic, unnecessary rape scene implies Troi is only allowed to be heroic in response to being a victim first.
Why Star Trek VI & Star Trek: Nemesis Included 2 Disturbing Scenes
Star Trek Movies' Non-Consensual Scenes Are Viewed Differently In Hindsight
Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered CountryandStar Trek: Nemesisboth included disturbing scenes as a way of pushing theStar Trekfranchise further. The former already explores elements like Captain James Kirk’s (William Shatner) racism towards Klingons, which ultimately humanizes theUSS Enterprise-A captain.The moral question of whether Spockshouldperform a mind meld on Valeris isn’t dragged out;Nimoy’s performance says all it needs to.Nemesispushed the action elements that had made the previousTNGoutingStar Trek: First Contacta hit with fans — butNemesiswas a tonal failure.
Nicholas Meyer: “The scene where Spock is doing the Vulcan mind meld on Valeris to get information sort of looks like waterboarding to me, and doesn’t make me very happy to see it.”
Star Trek VIdirectorNicholas Meyer regretted Spock’s mind meld scene, and compared it to “waterboarding”. Given the opportunity for a do-over, Meyer would have approached it differently.There’s no such regret on record fromNemesisscreenwriter John Logan, director Stuart Baird, or producer Rick Berman.It’s sadly unsurprising, given Berman’s mistreatment of women inStar Trek.Marina Sirtis called Baird “an idiot"when asked aboutNemesisat a UK convention. That lack of perspicacity fromStar Trek: Nemesis’filmmakers is just another reason that its scene is the more disturbing one.
