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Star Trek V: The Final Frontier
Star Trek V: The Final Frontier
On Nimbus III in the Neutral Zone, also called the "Planet of Galactic
Peace", there is misery and trouble. The planet was jointly colonized by
the Romulans, the Klingons, and the Federation, but none of them take
responsibility for it. Thus, it is a place of lost hope, violence, and
decay - until a Vulcan named Sybok arrives. He meets one of the inhabitants
and tells him that he can feel the man's pain, and that they can face it
together. When this is done, the man becomes a devoted follower of Sybok.
They set out to convert others to their cause - the search for ultimate
knowledge. But this search will require a starship...
In Yosemite National Park, on Earth, Kirk, McCoy, and Spock are taking
some shore leave. Kirk is attempting to free-climb El Capitan (3500 ft. of
sheer granite cliff - with no ropes). Spock floats nearby, using
rocket-powered boots to hover, talking to Kirk as he climbs. Spock's
critique of his climbing technique flusters Kirk and causes him to make a
mistake. He slips off the rock face, plummeting toward the ground. Spock
dives after him, and manages to catch him just before he hits. Later that
evening, as they sit around a campfire, Kirk says that he was not afraid of
dying - he has always known that he would die alone, and both Spock and
McCoy were with him.
On Nimbus III, Sybok and his new army of followers march on the
capital city (the only city on the planet), Paradise City. Without firing a
shot, he captures the consuls of the colonizers of the planet - St. John
Talbot of the Federation, General Korrd of the Klingon Empire, and Caithlin
Dar, a Romulan. The consuls all protest their captivity, telling Sybok that
their governments will do everything required to free them. "That's exactly
what I'm counting on," Sybok says with a very un-Vulcan smile.
Kirk and his crew are abruptly called back from shore leave, to
investigate the Nimbus III situation. Kirk arrives on the Enterprise-A to
find the ship is nowhere near ready for an extended mission. The
transporters and turbo lifts don't work yet, and many other systems are
marginal. "Doesn't anything work on this ship?" Kirk asks Scotty. Scotty
assures him that the ship can make the journey. As they leave Earth, Kirk
finds out that the Klingons have also dispatched a ship to Nimbus III, news
he is not happy to hear.
The Enterprise arrives at Nimbus III. Chekov pretends to be the
captain and starts standard negotiations with Sybok for the release of the
hostages. At the same time, Kirk, Spock, McCoy, Sulu, Uhura, and some
others launch a rescue mission on the capital. They get inside the fortress
and try to rescue the hostages, only to be captured themselves when the
hostages all turn out to be converts to Sybok's cause. As Sybok inspects
his new captives, he recognizes Spock, and Spock him. The two Vulcans are
half-brothers -Sybok was Sarek's first son by a Vulcan priestess. But while
Spock dedicated himself to logic, Sybok pursued the elusive goal of
emotions. He also began his search for Sha Ka Ree, the mythical planet that
is supposed to be the home of God. Now he claims to know where it is, and
he wants to use the Enterprise to get there.
The Enterprise crewmen, Sybok, the consuls, and some of Sybok's men
all pile into Kirk's shuttle and begin the trip up to the Enterprise. Sulu
pilots the shuttle into the hanger manually, purposely crashing the shuttle
into the emergency barriers. In all the confusion, Spock gets a phaser on
Sybok, but refuses to shoot him. Before Kirk can grab the weapon, Sybok's
men recover from the crash and recapture everyone.
Kirk, Spock, and McCoy are put into the same cell in the brig of the
Enterprise. Sybok comes in and tells them that he believes Sha Ka Ree is
located beyond the barrier at the center of the galaxy, where no starship
has ever gone and returned. And because of them, he now has the means to
find the mythical planet - to meet God himself.
The rest of the Enterprise's crew is allowed to continue running the
ship, with Sybok and his men firmly in control and the course set for the
center of the galaxy. Scotty manages to free Kirk, Spock, and McCoy, who
climb through the interior ducting of the Enterprise. Using Spock's rocket
boots again, they manage to reach the forward observation deck, where an
emergency transmitter is hidden. They send out a message about Sybok and
his plans for the Enterprise, hoping Starfleet Command will hear it - but
the Klingon ship headed to Nimbus III also hears the message, and changes
course to follow them.
Just as they finish, Sybok and his men enter the room and recapture
them. Sybok wants to convert them to his cause - starting by making McCoy
face his greatest pain. McCoy find himself back in a hospital room, where
his terminally ill and suffering father begs him to shut the machines off
that are keeping him alive. After an agonizing decision process, McCoy
turns the machines off and watches as his grateful father dies in front of
him. With Sybok's understanding and help, McCoy faces the guilt - that a
cure for his father's condition was found just 6 months later - and
forgives himself after all these years. McCoy now claims that Sybok is not
an enemy.
Sybok next turns to Spock, and forces him to witness his own birth
through young Sybok's eyes, seeing his father's immediate alienation from
his new son. Spock seems unperturbed by this revelation, trying to make
Sybok face his own pain, but Sybok quickly stops that and turns toward
Kirk.
Kirk resists Sybok's efforts, despite McCoy's encouragement. "I don't
want my pain taken away. I need my pain," Kirk says, claiming that it is
part of what makes him the person he is. Sybok leaves Kirk alone, and turns
to leave. Spock refuses to go with him, saying "I have found myself and my
place." When McCoy hears this, he also realizes that his loyalty is to
Kirk, not to Sybok, and he refuses to leave as well.
The Enterprise approaches the barrier at the center of the galaxy.
The crew fears that the ship will be destroyed, but Sybok's unswerving
faith in his mission keeps them in line. The ship penetrates the energy
field, and manages to pass through without serious damage. Kirk, Spock, and
McCoy, still in the forward observation room watch as the ship enters a
black cloudy region that covers the center of the galaxy. Just as Sybok
predicted, they find a lone planet in the center of the cloud. Could this
really be Sha Ka Ree - or Eden as Sybok claims?
With his journey complete, Sybok returns command of the Enterprise to
Captain Kirk. Since they are already there, and the planet is a mystery,
Kirk decides to continue the investigation, but this time it will be "by
the book", he tells Sybok. Kirk, Spock, McCoy, and Sybok descend to the
planet in a shuttle craft, while Scotty continues repairs on the
transporters.
With most of the bridge crew still under Sybok's control, they all
stare at the viewscreen, watching the shuttle's descent. Unnoticed on a
screen at an unattended defense station, a graphic of a Klingon ship
flashes with the warning "Klingon Vessel in Quadrant".
The shuttle craft lands in a desiccated desert, on a dead planet. The
four explorers begin walking. Several hours later, while the sun is
setting, they suddenly see huge rock formations erupting out of the sand,
forming a ribcage-like stone cathedral. They enter and see a shaft of
blue-green energy rise from the center. The energy transforms itself into
the head of a huge being, a vision (different to each observer) of God
himself.
"You are the first to find me," God tells them. They tell him of
penetrating the barrier in a starship. Then he says that with their
starship, he will leave this place and spread his influence throughout the
universe. Sybok is awestruck, convinced of the righteousness of the cause
and the power of God. But Kirk asks God a question, "What does God need
with a starship?" When the energy being asks Sybok "Who is this creature?",
Kirk defiantly says "Who am I? Don't you know? Aren't you God?" In a fury
at being challenged, the being lashes out, striking Kirk to the ground with
a bolt of power. McCoy reiterates the question "What does God need with a
starship?", challenging the being further on its treatment of Kirk. Before
their eyes, the being changes from the benevolent face of God into a
furious visage of hate that looks just like Sybok. They all begin to
retreat, but Sybok turns and faces the being with a grin, saying "I can
feel your pain... let me share it with you" and he flings himself into the
energy vortex. The two struggle, will against will, giving Kirk, Spock, and
McCoy time to escape. Finally, the combined energy of the two sink into the
ground. Kirk calls the Enterprise and orders a photon torpedo launched,
which strikes the stone cathedral and vaporizes it and the surrounding area.
Kirk, Spock, and McCoy run for the shuttle craft, but the energy
creature reappears and follows them, crippling the shuttle before they can
take off. Kirk calls to the Enterprise, but Scotty's jury-rigged
transporter fix can only accommodate two people. Kirk orders Spock and
McCoy beamed up, against their protests. Just as Scotty is about to beam up
Kirk, the Enterprise is hit by the newly arrived Klingon ship. Spock
raises the shields to battle the Klingons, but is therefore unable to beam
Kirk back to the ship.
Kirk is stranded on the planet with the energy creature, and it's
attacks intensify. He runs, looking for hiding places, but it is always
near, getting closer. It finally traps him on a rocky pinnacle, just as the
Klingon Bird of Prey decloaks, looming over him. It seems he will be
destroyed by both of his enemies...
But instead of the sound of disruptors, the whine of a transporter
beam envelops Kirk, and he is beamed aboard the Klingon ship. Kirk expects
to be killed, but when he enters the bridge, he sees Spock in the command
chair. While on the Enterprise, Spock realized that General Korrd (the
Klingon consul still on board) outranked Captain Klaa of the new ship. He
persuaded Korrd to take command of the Bird of Prey and rescue Kirk.
The two starships blast away from the planet, leaving the deranged and
hostile energy creature trapped there. While still onboard the Klingon
ship, Klaa is reinstated as Captain by the General, but only after he
apologizes to Kirk for attacking his ship without reason.
On the way back to Nimbus III, Kirk holds a reception on the
Enterprise to celebrate the success of their mission in rescuing the
hostages, and to reiterate the possibilities of cooperation. The three
consuls are inspired by the possibilities, and are eager to resume their
work building a lasting peace between the three great powers.
Kirk, Spock, and McCoy are back in Yosemite, finishing their shore
leave. Sitting around a fire at night, Kirk reveals that he actually
thought that he was going to die, alone on the desolate planet, just as he
always knew it would be. McCoy interjects that he was sure that Kirk would
survive, "because you were never alone."
Plot Synopsis : Copyright 1994 David R. Landis. All rights reserved.
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