Why Does Saavik Say Behind On Vulcan?

[Mojochi]

Does anybody know of a reason why Saavik remains behind on Vulcan when the Enterprise crew returns to Earth on their "Voyage Home"? Surely she was not only there during the Genesis events, but also the murder of David, and has valuable eyewitness testimony needed for the upcoming court-martial, but she's also Starfleet, and will likely be reassigned

Why didn't she come back with them?

Edit: Gah... I typoed the title!

 

[Nightowl1701]

In real life: Nimoy, Bennett and Meyer wanted the reset button hit by the end of the movie, putting the Magnificent Seven back on the bridge of a resurrected Enterprise. There was simply no room, in that ending or in the movie's story itself, for Saavik. Robin Curtis hadn't exactly won over the fans like Kirstie Alley had anyway.

In the film universe: They were going to reveal she was pregnant with Spock's child (from their pon farr encounter on Genesis in TSFS), but thought better of it after filming and viewing the scene. (Would have opened up a whole can of gagh no one wanted to deal with.) As she wasn't charged with anything and could be viewed as reasonably impartial due to being (part) Vulcan, a simple taped deposition (that Saavik gave Kirk in said deleted scene) would suffice. And no one could blame her for taking an extended leave on Vulcan after what happened.

 

[Timo]

...The question then becomes, why did Spock have to go? He wasn't charged with violations, either. If he rather illogically simply chose to go anyway, we get back to wondering why Saavik wouldn't be driven by similar emotions into also volunteering.

Timo Saloniemi

 

[Melakon]

Why Does Saavik Say Behind On Vulcan?

Because Vulcan dictionaries don't contain the word "ass".

 

[Nightowl1701]

If you recall, Spock coming aboard the HMS Bounty was a last-minute decision. He'd clearly recovered as much as he was going to on Vulcan, and felt that perhaps being in a semi-familiar environment (a spaceship bridge) with his friends would help bring him the rest of the way back. Whether that worked or not, he would still "stand with (his) shipmates."

In the novelization by Vonda McIntyre (where Saavik wasn't pregnant, as that would've put Vonda in an impossible "Is Spock or David the father" dilemma), Saavik did offer to join them, but Kirk wouldn't hear it; she'd become a living reminder of the son he'd lost.

 

[Therin of Andor]

Harve Bennett also stated (in Starlog) that Saavik coming along for the trip to 20th Century Earth would have meant yet another Vulcan to keep her identity hidden from the natives. The tearing of Spock's robe to make a headband is funny once.

 

[Commishsleer]

Saavik was pregnant with Spocks baby
And she was keeping it secret from Spock.but Amanda knew.
Thought it would be better to hide it from Spock until he was fully recovered.
We'll anyway this is the plot of my next never-to-be-written fanfic mega fiction.

 

[Smellmet]

...The question then becomes, why did Spock have to go? He wasn't charged with violations, either. If he rather illogically simply chose to go anyway, we get back to wondering why Saavik wouldn't be driven by similar emotions into also volunteering.

Timo Saloniemi

At the trial at the end Spock says 'I stand with my shipmates' so I guess that was his stance from the beginning.

 

[Green Shirt]

Simple. It wasn't safe flying in Federation space in a Klingon ship. Kirk couldn't guarantee her safety.

 

[Enterprise1701]

How is it that the Vulcan security forces didn't arrest Kirk and co on behalf of Starfleet? Vulcan is Federation space!

 

[Nightowl1701]

Because Ambassador Sarek had granted the crew (starting with Uhura, who rushed to the Vulcan Embassy on Earth straight from Starfleet Command in another deleted scene) political asylum. As long as Kirk and company were on Vulcan soil, they had diplomatic immunity and Starfleet couldn't touch them. To arrest them anyway would've been a major interstellar incident and ignite tensions between Vulcan and Earth, not to mention be highly unpopular with the citizenry Federation-wide (but esp. Earth) who by then likely considered Kirk the greatest hero who ever lived. The gang could've stayed in exile on Vulcan indefinitely, but chose to go back and face the music.

 

[Mojochi]

But how can you have asylum on a founding Federation world? I think he's got a valid question. In fact, wouldn't there be assloads of Federation posts on or about Vulcan? Why did no one even show up. I'd assume there's high ranking Federation officers all over that world & through the system. Why are they taking a half wrecked Klingon rust bucket home, anyhow? You are in the heart of the Federation

 

[Nerys Myk]

But how can you have asylum on a founding Federation world? I think he's got a valid question. In fact, wouldn't there be assloads of Federation posts on or about Vulcan? Why did no one even show up. I'd assume there's high ranking Federation officers all over that world & through the system. Why are they taking a half wrecked Klingon rust bucket home, anyhow? You are in the heart of the Federation

Because the people writing the films often forget Vulcan is a Federation member.

 

[Captain Clark Terrell]

...The question then becomes, why did Spock have to go? He wasn't charged with violations, either. If he rather illogically simply chose to go anyway, we get back to wondering why Saavik wouldn't be driven by similar emotions into also volunteering.

But Saavik didn't have the history with the Enterprise crew that Spock had. Also, as Spock was trying to get his memory back, perhaps he thought that spending time with his friends would help him get back in the swing of things quicker.

--Sran

 

[Nightowl1701]

But how can you have asylum on a founding Federation world? I think he's got a valid question. In fact, wouldn't there be assloads of Federation posts on or about Vulcan? Why did no one even show up. I'd assume there's high ranking Federation officers all over that world & through the system. Why are they taking a half wrecked Klingon rust bucket home, anyhow? You are in the heart of the Federation

Because, while a Federation member, the Vulcans are a proud people who cherish a certain level of autonomy and privacy. You've never seen a Federation starbase, drydock or shipyard anywhere in Vulcan's orbit, have you? 'Offworlders,' while not exactly forbidden, are not actively invited to Vulcan and aren't always welcome. And again, you go actively meddling in the affairs of a highly-ranked Vulcan official at your own peril.

And as for the 'half-wrecked Klingon rust bucket', it's a rare chance for the Starfleet Corps of Engineers to get their hands on an intact Klingon vessel including a cloaking device (which, up to that point, Klingons aren't known for packing) 'that cost us a lot.' A peace offering, if you will, that might help mitigate the Federation Council's sentencing (esp. once the ship's computer is mined for all its' data on Kruge, his crew and their mission). And don't think for one second that Starfleet just let the Bounty sit on the bottom of San Francisco Bay for even a day - one tractor beam is all it takes.

 

[Captain Clark Terrell]

^That's a great point! For all we know, the same shuttle that rescued the crew also towed the BOP back to Starfleet Headquarters. Maybe Starfleet learned something from their efforts that Spock and McCoy later used to rig the torpedo that hit Chang's ship.

--Sran

 

[cardinal biggles]

Because Ambassador Sarek had granted the crew (starting with Uhura, who rushed to the Vulcan Embassy on Earth straight from Starfleet Command in another deleted scene) political asylum. As long as Kirk and company were on Vulcan soil, they had diplomatic immunity and Starfleet couldn't touch them. To arrest them anyway would've been a major interstellar incident and ignite tensions between Vulcan and Earth, not to mention be highly unpopular with the citizenry Federation-wide (but esp. Earth) who by then likely considered Kirk the greatest hero who ever lived. The gang could've stayed in exile on Vulcan indefinitely, but chose to go back and face the music.

I could have sworn it was a cut scene, but it turns out it was another Vonda McIntyre addition — Admiral Cartwright goes to Vulcan and personally delivers orders to Kirk for him and his crew to return to Earth and face charges.

...The question then becomes, why did Spock have to go? He wasn't charged with violations, either. If he rather illogically simply chose to go anyway, we get back to wondering why Saavik wouldn't be driven by similar emotions into also volunteering.

At the trial at the end Spock says 'I stand with my shipmates' so I guess that was his stance from the beginning.

There's also this exchange with Amanda during the memory testing scene at the beginning:

Amanda: Where must you go?
Spock: To Earth. To offer testimony.
Amanda: You do this... for friendship?
Spock: I do this because I was there.
​

Though by the end of the film, Spock has reconnected with his human side, so at that point his motivation may have become the sense of friendship his mother hoped he would feel again.

 

[2takesfrakes]

Saavik was pregnant with Spocks baby ...

I'm glad Lenny didn't include this side-note in "his" STAR TREK movie, though he seemed infatuated with the concept. Kirk having an illigitimate son was enough, for me. Then when Chekov ended up presenting Sulu's surprise daughter out of a clear blue sky (lovely and charming though she may be), it felt like they were dipping into that storyline-well too often, in light of the pregnant Saavik rumours.

 

[cardinal biggles]

Perhaps, although it did lead to an excellent Peter David novel.

 

[Timo]

I could have sworn it was a cut scene, but it turns out it was another Vonda McIntyre addition — Admiral Cartwright goes to Vulcan and personally delivers orders to Kirk for him and his crew to return to Earth and face charges.

Yeah, that was such a departure from the movie that I expected it to turn out to be a dream sequence... With Cartwright merely the manifestation of Kirk's conscience or something equally weird.

I'm sure Vulcan has loads of humans, including Starfleet people on official business. But I'm also sure that the odds of one getting anywhere near Mount Seleya without the combined personal blessings of Sarek, T'Lar and for all we know T'Pau are a flat zero.

Timo Saloniemi