Summary
- Lt. Kirk's rise to Commander in SNW could spark resentment among fellow officers like Lt. Sam Kirk and Benjamin Finney.
- SNW has the chance to explore Finney's grudge against Kirk, setting up his role in Kirk's future court-martial in TOS.
- Finney's revenge plot against Kirk due to a past incident could play out in SNW season 3, impacting Kirk's career.
Star Trek: The Original Series. Lt. James T. Kirk (Paul Wesley) is just about to become Commander aboard the USS Farragut, as part of his meteoric rise to the USS Enterprise's center seat. While Kirk's ambition and determination may impress his superiors, it does also create some resentment among his fellow officers. Even Lt. Sam Kirk (Dan Jeannotte) clearly harbored some resentment toward his brother's rise, rooted in his belief that Jim was always the favorite son of their father, George Samuel Kirk.
Someone else who is watching the rise of James T. Kirk during Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is a figure who will play a key role in Kirk's future court-martial. Lt. Commander Benjamin Finney (Richard Webb) was a minor Star Trek: The Original Series character who held a grudge against Kirk. At this point in the SNW timeline, Kirk and Finney are estranged, following an incident on the USS Republic. However, Finney would later find himself aboard the starship Enterprise in TOS, providing Strange New Worlds an opportunity to explore the character further, and set up his role in Kirk's court-martial.
Every Time Kirk Was Court-Martialed In Star Trek (& Why)
Star Trek's Captain James T. Kirk is known for breaking the rules, but here are the times when his daring to disobey resulted in a court-martial.
Strange New Worlds Season 3 Can Set Up Kirk's Court Martial In Star Trek: TOS
There could be a good story in Kirk reflecting upon his rapid rise through the ranks during Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3. As he settles into the Number One position aboard the USS Farragut, Kirk may be forced to reflect on the officers that he's leap-frogged in order to get ahead in his career. One of those officers is Benjamin Finney, who framed Kirk for murder in Star Trek: The Original Series, season 1, episode 14, "Court Martial". In that episode, Finney had succumbed to jealousy and resentment, which drove him to frame Kirk and attempt to destroy the Enterprise.
Every Kirk Court Martial In Star Trek (And Why) |
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|---|---|
"Court Martial" |
Perjury and the murder of Benjamin Finney |
Star Trek IV: The Voyager Home |
Theft and destruction of the USS Enterprise, sabotage of the USS Excelsior |
Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country |
Murder of Chancellor Gorkon |
Star Trek (2009) |
Cheating on the Kobayashi Maru test |
A Star Trek: Strange New Worlds episode that forces Kirk to recount the story of his and Finney's estrangement could be a good way to set up "Court Martial". The Star Trek: The Original Series episode is a good one, but Finney's psychotic rage over Kirk's perceived slight from years earlier feels like a huge leap. Strange New Worlds could revisit the breakdown in Finney and Kirk's friendship, showing how their own Starfleet careers drastically diverged after the fateful incident aboard the USS Republic. This would perfectly explain why Finney goes to such remarkable lengths to have the Enterprise taken off Kirk in TOS.
Who Is Benjamin Finney In Star Trek & How He Could Fit Into Strange New Worlds Season 3
James T. Kirk and Benjamin Finney met at Starfleet Academy and became firm friends, so much so that Finney named his daughter Jame after Kirk. Finney had the same level of ambition as Kirk, but not the aptitude to achieve it. While the two friends were serving together aboard the USS Republic, Kirk was forced to report that Finney had left a circuit exposed to the ship's atomic matter piles. This could have caused the destruction of the USS Republic, and so Kirk had no option but to include it in his log. Finney was reprimanded for his carelessness, dashing all his hopes for promotion.
Finney remained in Starfleet, and began plotting his revenge against Kirk, so he'll presumably be keeping tabs on the young officer during Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3, awaiting an opportunity to carry out revenge. Star Trek: The Original Series confirmed that Finney was assigned to the USS Enterprise at some point before 2267, which suggests Kirk was completely unaware of his former friend's intentions. This means that Finney could appear in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3 as an estranged friend of Paul Wesley's Kirk, who is looking for some way to torpedo the rising star's career.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3 is currently in production.
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Star Trek: Strange New Worlds follows Captain Christopher Pike, Science Officer Spock, and Number One in the years preceding Captain Kirk's tenure on the U.S.S. Enterprise, as they venture across the galaxy to explore new worlds.
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Set in the 23rd century, this iconic science fiction series follows the starship USS Enterprise and its crew as they embark on exploratory missions across the galaxy. The series examines themes of diplomacy, ethics, and the unknown, often highlighting diverse cultures and futuristic technologies.
