The...Real...Death...of...Kirk

Awesome Trek Death:

Crap Trek Death:

It was mentioned on the quasi-weekly Star Trek Podcast called Make It So (yeah...you read that right) that they thought that Kirk's death should have been cooler...since falling off a scaffold is just lame.  Also...in Star Trek V, Kirk said that he knew that when he died, he would be alone.  Trapped under a scaffold 12 feet from Picard is not “alone”. This doesn't really matter, as we will be pretending that Star Trek 5 did not happen. (This is not merely subjective...but because the setting of the black hole at the Galactic Core is part of the following alternative Death...of...Kirk)

Anyhoo...here is an alternate that I came up with...

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As a reminder for those that have already been assimilated (get it?) and for those not steeped in Star Trek lore (get it...again? Lore was Data's brother...ah, forget it...if you've gotten this far, you know all this), here are a few Star Trek facts (spoilers or more likely reminders) that will come in handy:

• In the television series, Star Trek (1966):
• We meet James T. Kirk of Iowa, Starfleet Captain of the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701), the flagship of the United Federation of Planets. He is awesome. His actions are awesome. His results are awesome. His Judo chop is awesome. His bare chest and dreamy eyes are awesome. He is a hero who first and foremost champions freedom, passion, dignity and, most importantly, irresolute contempt for and utter resolve in the face of tyranny. He stands up to bullies not because it is fun (which it is), but because it was the right thing to do and he is willing to give up his life to protect those he cared about most. Like I said...awesome.
• We also meet Spock, Bones, Uhura, Sulu, Scotty and Checkov. They, too, are awesome. (Seriously, though...we love them all, but this commentary is about Kirk and his "death")

• In the movie, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982):
• It is discovered that Kirk has a son, David. His mother is Carol Marcus. They have developed a technology called "The Genesis Device". It manipulates radiation to terraform a planet nearly instantly for immediate habitation. This will just happen to kill any living thing there...so it is meant to be used only on dead planets. Khan, an old adversary of Kirk, tries to use it as weapon. Kirk kills Khan with an awesome space battle followed by Khan being engulfed in Genesis Explosion. Kirk and pals get away just in the nick of time...except Spock. He dies. But he is only mostly dead. So, it would take a miracle to save him.

• In the movie, Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (1984):
• Despite the expectation that ST:II would be the last even ST movie, apparently they did not stop. So....in ST:III, Spock's dead body which had been launched into the Genesis planet is miraculously, uh, i mean, scientifically brought back to life. A Klingon, Commander Kruge (played fantastically by Christopher Lloyd) kills Kirk's son, David, while David is saving Spock's life. Kirk kills Kruge with an awesome kick to the head followed by Kruge falling into and being engulfed in hot lava from the unstable planet created by the Genesis device. Kirk and pals get away just in the nick of time...except David. He's dead. But he stays dead. The only thing to do is go through his pockets for spare change. (Please send all hate mail about this joke to ThePrincessBride@RobReiner.com)

• In the movie, Star Trek V: The Search for Spock's Brother (1989):
• Captain James T. Kirk states that he knows that he will die alone.  Kirk and pals get away just in the nick of time...except Spock's Brother. I think. I really don't remember much about this movie. It's not important...just remember that Kirk states that he will die alone. That is all we need to know from that movie. As I said, the rest didn't happen

• In the movie, Star Trek VI: The Quest for Peace (1991):
• In an accident presented as a metaphor for the 1986 Chernobyl meltdown, the Klingon Empire receives a fatal blow with the loss of resources, and they are forced to surrender their ancient feud with the freedom loving Federation and vie for peace...their only chance for survival.  
• A conspiracy within the Alpha Quadrant of the Galaxy of rogue Humans, Romulans and Klingons joining together to ensure that peace efforts fail.  The rogue Humans do this because they don't trust the Klingons, the rogue Klingons do this because they would rather die than surrender, and the rogue Romulans do this to ensure that the Humans and Klingons continue fighting, to maintain the balance of power...presumably until one beats the other, leaving the victor weak and ripe for Romulan conquest.
• Kirk finally comes to terms with his hatred and fear of Klingons. Kirk and pals discover and reveal this unwholesome alliance, which paves the way to lasting peace between the Federation and the Klingon Empire. Kirk and pals get away just in the nick of time...and no one dies. Except for the guy that played Sark in Tron, the guy that played Captain Von Trapp and that guy that will eventually play Odo. (Yes, I know these fantastic actors' names...I am just trying to be funny. Except Odo...I can really never remember how to spell Aber...Abenwah...Abersune...ah, forget it!)
• A peace treaty gets signed there at Khitomer in 2293 (Stardate 9521.6), which will lead to the end of the impending death of the Klingon Empire as an expansionist power. They would be forced the dishonor of accepting help from their greatest rival, The United Federation of Planets, and would eventually stabilize their relations to the point where a Klingon warrior would become the chief tactical officer of the flagship of the Federation.

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So, here starts the part I made up:

In the wake of the events of Star Trek VI, a Klingon, the son of Commander Kruge blames Kirk not only for the death of his father, but for the impending death of the Klingon Empire due to the peace treaty recently signed at Khitomer.

An opportunity arises that will allow him to avenge the death of his father and the once glorious empire:

• Kruge will kidnap Dr. Carol Marcus, and use a mind reading device to gain the Genesis device technology.  Marcus will be found with her memories wiped with no knowledge of her identity or who Kirk is.
• Kruge’s intention is to launch the device into the black hole at the center of our Galaxy.  The Genesis radiation activated within the Event Horizon of Black Hole at the Galactic Core will de-stabilize all matter and life in the galaxy within and re-form it into an entirely new Galaxy.  The ship launched into the black hole at the center of the galaxy and will, of course, survive and act as an Ark filled with the finest of the Klingons prepared to enter this new Galaxy to be re-populated entirely by the revitalized Klingon Empire.
• We find out in addition to killing Marcus to get the Genesis technology, he also wanted to use this as a personal lure to force Kirk to seek out revenge, and in his emotional state get captured. His final stab at Kirk will be to make sure Kirk will be held on the ark, so he can, as the last human witness the final glory and victory of the Klingon Empire.
• During the abduction of Dr. Marcus, the dishonor of Kruge Jr.'s plan is discovered by his crew, and a violent rift is formed. Some revolt and are killed. Except for one, unbeknownst to the marauders.

As I said...Kirk will be told of Marcus’ condition and will seek out whoever caused the damage. The Enterprise-A responds to the loss of communications at Dr. Marcus' laboratory. The remaining Klingon honor-loyalist tells Kirk and crew he will only explain what happened if he could communicate with the Klingon High Council. Their hand forced, they comply. Both the Federation and the Klingons get informed of Kruge's plot.

Kirk pursues. The Klingon reveals that he WAS a loyalist to Kruge, and uses an sub-warp transmitter that he injects into Kirk to give Kruge Jr.'s ship coordinates to transport Kirk to the Klingon brig.  Once, Kirk is off the Enterprise, the Klingon detonates microexplosives in his bloodstream crippling the Enterprise, preventing their pursuit until repairs can be made.

But a violent rift within the Klingon Empire really does ensue.  One side agrees that the plan in the only hope to restore glory and honor to the Empire and the other believes that the destruction of their enemies in this manner is a cowardly and dishonorable effort as it does not allow them to die in battle.

A great battle for the fate of the Galaxy would ensue.  

Realizing the existential threat of Kruge Jr.'s actions the major Alpha Quadrant fleets, the Federation, the Romulans and the Klingons all set aside their differences to defeat this common enemy, the Followers of Kruge...willing to sacrifice themselves to give Kruge Jr. time to pass his ship into the Event Horizon.

The combined fleets defeat the Kruge followers, but their sacrifice works. Kruge's vessel, although damaged from the battle, does enter the Event Horizon.  But the damage to the vessel damages Kirk's cell, so he is able to escape. He attacks Kruge's remaining crew as he makes his way to the bridge.  Kruge activates the device. Kirk makes it to the bridge and kills Kruge Jr. Kirk deactivates the device, saving the Galaxy, but no before some of the Genesis raditation has already been released.

He will read, "Final Captain's Log" knowing that it will never be heard by anyone, because he is inside the black hole...totally alone.  The log will repeat that the Genesis radiation was meant to be detonated at the center of the Black Hole recreating the universe. Without the full activation of the sequence, this does not happen. But the mere presence of the Genesis materials caught within the event horizon provides enough energy to collapses the Black Hole into a massive celestial explosion re-igniting into a giant bright star with Kirk at the center.  

The light from the new great sun, the brightest star in existence, can be seen by all living things in the galaxy and will be seen until the end of time.

And THAT is an awesome Trek Death.