What if Kirk had merged with V'ger at the end of TMP?

[Hartzilla2007]

In the Improve The Motion Picture Thread the possibility of Kirk being the one to or trying to join with V'ger has been brought up. I was wondering what would be the reaction to this had Kirk merged with V'ger in the end and how that would affect the later Star Trek films?

 

[ClayHefner]

I believe something like that would have been awesome.
Losing a regular would have made this even more memorable than introducing two new, unintersting characters and killing them off in the end.

However, would Spock not make much more sense?

He's called by V'ger, shows the most interest in V'ger's nature, has some kind of identity crisis of his own. His motives and how far he will go is a topic in the movie anyway.
The question is whether this would work without someone like Ilia. An Uhura-probe maybe?

 

[Bruno]

The question is whether this would work without someone like Ilia. An Uhura-probe maybe?

Then they could have had the first inter-racial evolutionary ascension in movie history!

As for how it would affect future films...

Kahn: And tell me, where can I find James Kirk...

Chekov: Admiral Kirk is gone. To another plane of existence.

Kahn: Gone?...really?...(sigh)...Alright, well then, thanks for the info. Have a good day...

 

[GalaxyClass1701]

I believe something like that would have been awesome.
Losing a regular would have made this even more memorable than introducing two new, unintersting characters and killing them off in the end.

However, would Spock not make much more sense?

He's called by V'ger, shows the most interest in V'ger's nature, has some kind of identity crisis of his own. His motives and how far he will go is a topic in the movie anyway.
The question is whether this would work without someone like Ilia. An Uhura-probe maybe?

Yes it would have been, but then you have Search for Spock!

 

[Grant]

If that had happened, Decker would have tried to do his best "KHAN" screan in TWOK.

 

[Aragorn]

Then V'Ger would be one more notch on his bedpost?

 

[Mysterion]

Then Decker would take command of Enterprise and you'd have the Phase II tv-series.

 

[Ssosmcin]

There's no reason why Kirk couldn't come back in the next movie, if Shatner felt left out. Five minutes in, he materializes at his own memorial service.

Bones: "Jim! What happened?"
Kirk: "I learned all that is learnable."
Spock: "The totality of all knowledge in the Universe?"
Kirk: "That's right."
Bones: "My God, Jim, that's incredible. Do you know what mankind can do with that knowledge?"
Kirk: "Sure."
Uhura: "There's so much I want to know."
Sulu: "So do - " Bad edit takes the rest of his line.
Chekov: "Keptin, vat is the meaning of life?"
Kirk: "I forget."
Scotty: "You...forget?"
Kirk: (shrugs) "Sorry."
McCoy: "Jim, why are you back on Earth?"
Kirk: "I missed you guys."
They assemble in a group hug, the camera pulls back...
Kirk: "So...nobody tried to find me?"
Chekov: "Keptain Spock vas planning - "
Kirk: "Captain Spock?"
Spock: "Uh, I left something in the car..."

Dissolve to the Enterprise and we start a bold new adventure.

 

[RoJoHen]

It would be weird, to say the least. Almost like what would have happened in TNG is Patrick Stewart hadn't returned in Season 4.

I'm sorry, but Star Trek is about the Enterprise and her Captain. If Kirk had been lost at the end of TMP, I would not want to watch any sequels unless he somehow managed to come back.

 

[Valin]

As for how it would affect future films...

Khan: And tell me, where can I find James Kirk...

Chekov: Admiral Kirk is gone. To another plane of existence.

Khan: Gone?...really?...(sigh)...Alright, well then, thanks for the info. Have a good day...

Khan (looking up at the sky): "Kiiiiiiirrkkk!"

 

[FalTorPan]

Given Kirk's history with supercomputers and robots, if V'ger had half of its apparent intelligence, it would never have approached Earth at all.

 

[JonnyQuest037]

Uhura: "There's so much I want to know."
Sulu: "So do - " Bad edit takes the rest of his line.