Warning: SPOILERS for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 2, Episode 6 - "Lost in Translation"
Summary
- George Kirk's presence in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds highlights his significant impact on both James and Sam Kirk in the Prime Timeline, unlike in the alternate Kelvin Timeline.
- The tension between James and Sam is rooted in their father's favoritism, as James follows closely in George's footsteps, while Sam chose a different career path in Starfleet.
- George Kirk's legacy in the Prime Timeline is larger than his death in the 2009 Star Trek film, as he lives to see James become Captain of the Enterprise, and his influence shapes the Kirk brothers' destinies.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds gave the father of Lt. James T. Kirk (Paul Wesley) and Lt. Sam Kirk (Dan Jeannotte) an even greater importance than his death in J.J. Abrams' Star Trek 2009 movie. George Kirk is name-dropped by the Kirk brothers in Strange New Worlds season 2, episode 6. James beamed aboard Sam's ship, the USS Enterprise, to reunite with his older brother, but old sibling tensions sourced from their father quickly flared up.
George Kirk's career in Starfleet inspired both of his sons, Sam and James, to . In Strange New Worlds season 2, episode 6, "Lost in Translation," James and Sam had an argument in the USS Enterprise's Port Galley over James currying their father's favor by following more closely in George's footsteps. Sam is deeply insecure because he chose the Starfleet career path of Xenobiology instead of Command like James, who is rocketing up the ranks of Starfleet. The Kirk brothers' conversation in Strange New Worlds hammers home that their father George is still alive in Star Trek's Prime Timeline, unlike in the alternate Kelvin Timeline of J.J. Abrams' Star Trek movies.
How Strange New Worlds Made Kirk’s Father More Important In Starfleet Canon
Lt. Commander George Kirk (Chris Hemsworth) famously perished at the start of J.J. Abrams' Star Trek 2009, but the living George has an even greater impact on both James and Sam Kirk in the Prime Timeline, as seen in Strange New Worlds. George was the youngest-ever First Officer in Starfleet, a feat just outdone by James, who has just been promoted to Number One of the USS Farragut in Strange New Worlds season 2, episode 6. This rankles Sam greatly since it means that their father will always favor James as George doesn't have a high regard for Sam's career path in Starfleet Life Sciences.
George Kirk being alive in Star Trek's Prime Timeline makes him even more significant and impactful than his death was in J.J. Abrams' Star Trek 2009. George's death was the catalyst for James T. Kirk (Chris Pine) taking a dare from Captain Christopher Pike (Bruce Greenwood) to "do better" than his heroic father. Abrams' Star Trek doesn't show Sam Kirk or how George's death impacted him, but their father's legacy is much greater in Strange New Worlds. Sam doesn't use his full name, George Samuel Kirk, out of deference to his father, while Star Trek Prime canon says that George Kirk also lives to see James T. Kirk (William Shatner) become Captain of the Enterprise.
Who Was Kirk’s Father In J.J. Abrams’ Star Trek?
Lt. Commander George Kirk was First Officer of the USS Kelvin, and his death and the destruction of his starship are what birthed the alternate Kelvin Timeline in J.J. Abrams' Star Trek. George's wife Winona (Jennifer Morrison) was pregnant with their second son, who they agreed to name Jim after her father and not Tiberius after George's father. (Tiberius became James' middle name instead). The Kelvin Timeline's Captain Pike greatly ired George Kirk and wrote his Starfleet dissertation about the Kelvin. As Pike told James to inspire him to enlist in Starfleet, his father "was Captain of a starship for 12 minutes... He saved 800 lives including your mother's and yours."
One abandoned story concept for J.J. Abrams-produced movie would have seen Chris Hemsworth somehow return as George Kirk to team up with his son, Captain James T. Kirk. It's unlikely this will now happen or that George Kirk will be resurrected if Star Trek 4 gets made. However, the shadow of George Kirk looms over both Sam and James T. Kirk in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, and their destinies will go in very different directions in their personal desires to please their father.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 2 streams Thursdays on Paramount+.