Star Trek II The Wrath of Khan on DVD
Story by Harve Bennett and Jack B. Sowards
Screenplay by Jack B. Sowards
Directed by Nicholas Meyer
Cast: Admiral James T. Kirk-William Shatner, Mr. Spock-Leonard Nimoy, Dr. Leonard McCoy-DeForest Kelley, Montgomery Scott-James Doohan, Hikaru Sulu-George Takei, Pavel Andreivich Chekov-Walter Koenig, Nyota Uhura-Nichelle Nichols, Khan Noonian Singh-Ricardo Montalban, Lt. Saavik-Kirstie Alley, Dr. Carol Marcus-Bibi Besch, Dr. David Marcus-Merritt Butrick, Captain Clark Terrell-Paul Winfield, Kyle-John Winston, Commander Beach-Paul Kent, Peter Preston-Ike Eisenmann, Jedda-John Vargas, Cadet-Nicholas Guest, Madison-Russell Takaki, March-Kevin Sullivan, Crew Chief-Joel Marstan, Bridge voice-Teresa E. Victor, radio voice-Dianne Harper, radio voice-David Ruprecht, computer voice-Marcy Vosburgh
Stardate 8130.3
Released June 4, 1982
In 2285 at Starfleet Academy, Admiral Kirk is busy training new cadets. Among
the cadets is Saavik, a young protégée of Spock's, who feels that she has
failed the Kobayashi Maru—a no-win scenario test used to evaluate potential
commanders. Kirk advises the young Vulcan that all commanders at some point
must face a "no-win" situation. Saavik, displaying her willingness to
become a reliable commander, pilots the U.S.S. Enterprise out of spacedock
on a routine cadet training exercise.
Meanwhile, Dr. Carol Marcus, an old love of Kirk's, and her
son, David, complete the final computer simulation of the Genesis project—a
program designed to grant life where there is none—on the space laboratory Regula
I. However, Dr. Marcus is concerned that Genesis could also be used as a
weapon. At the same time, the U.S.S. Reliant arrives at Ceti Alpha VI
with a mission to check for signs of life on the planet, a possible test site
for Genesis. Curious, Captain Terrell and Chekov beam to the surface where they
are confronted by Khan Noonien Singh, the former tyrant of Earth's Eugenic
Wars, exiled to the planet in 2267 by Captain Kirk. With the aid of
mind-controlling Ceti eels implanted in Terrell and Chekov, Khan gains control
of the Reliant.
At the Regula I space laboratory, Dr. Marcus is contacted
by the Reliant and told that Ceti Alpha VI has met the conditions
required for testing of the Genesis Device; the Reliant will therefore
now take the Genesis Device, months before the scheduled test. Furious at this
encroachment by Starfleet, Dr. Marcus contacts Kirk on the Enterprise,
expressing her outrage at the Admiral and Starfleet for their militaristic
intentions. Although Kirk, McCoy, Uhura and Sulu are leading a training mission
for the Starfleet cadets, the crew decides to head to Regula I to investigate
Dr. Marcus' complaint. When they arrive, the Enterprise is inexplicably
fired on by the Reliant. Khan finally reveals himself from the bridge of
the Reliant, demanding that Kirk give him the Genesis information. Kirk pulls a
brilliant bluff, allowing the Enterprise precious computer time to
secretly lower the shields of the other starship. The Enterprise then
damages the Reliant, forcing the captured starship to withdraw for the
moment.
When Kirk and company board Regula I, the crew is shocked
to find that the scientists have been tortured and killed. They follow
transporter traces to the interior of the planetoid below, finding Chekov and
Captain Terrell alive and seemingly well in an underground dwelling. Just then,
David Marcus pulls a surprise attack on Kirk, believing the Admiral to be the
cause of all of the station's trouble. Carol is then forced to reveal that Kirk
is David's father. Surprised and bewildered by the sudden turn of events, Kirk
and David form an uneasy truce. Carol then shows Kirk and crew the Genesis
torpedo.
Unbeknownst to Kirk and the rest of the group, Terrell,
still under the influence of the Ceti eels, secretly gives Khan the coordinates
of the torpedo. Khan quickly beams the valuable device aboard the Reliant,
then orders Terrell to assassinate Kirk. Terrell, however, cannot bring himself
to kill the Admiral. Instead, Terrell turns his phaser on himself. When Chekov
also resists Khan's orders, the Ceti eel exits his ear and is subsequently
destroyed. Khan, thinking he is stranding Kirk and his crew on the planet,
departs Regula I. Carol Marcus then shows Kirk the Genesis cave, where an
entire biosystem has been created. She explains that this amazing breakthrough
means that barren planets can now be made safely habitable for colonists. Kirk,
impressed but concerned for his crippled starship, regains contact with the
Enterprise and has the landing party and scientists beamed aboard.
Meanwhile, a repaired Reliant under Khan's control
obsessively searches for the U.S.S. Enterprise. Left without warp drive
in the previous skirmish, the U.S.S. Enterprise hides in the Mutara
Nebula. Kirk then deliberately goads Khan, hoping to throw the former tyrant
off balance, while the rest of the crew searches for the Reliant in the
static of the nebula cloud. Eventually, the U.S.S. Enterprise is
successful in fatally disabling the other starship. But Khan, in his desperate
hunger for revenge, arms the Genesis torpedo, knowing full well that both ships
will be destroyed upon its detonation. With the Enterprise doomed
without warp power, Spock suddenly enters the starship's radiation chamber to
repair the warp drive. McCoy tries to stop the determined Vulcan, but Spock
takes the upper hand and touches the doctor's forehead cryptically, murmuring
"Remember." Just as the Genesis torpedo explodes, destroying Khan and
the Reliant with it, the Enterprise zips into warp. The crew and ship
have been spared, yet Spock, dying of severe radiation, has willingly given his
own life.
With the Enterprise safely away, McCoy tells Kirk to
come to the ship's engine room. There, a stunned Kirk must bid an emotional
farewell to his dearest friend. Kirk need not mourn, says Spock, for his
sacrifice was logical. "The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the
few, or the one" he tells his captain. Spock dies, but in contrast to a
new birth -- the new living star and planet formed from the nebula and Genesis.
A sullen and mournful funeral is held for Spock, and, accompanied by Scotty
playing "Amazing Grace" on his bagpipes, Spock's coffin is sent to
rest upon the new planet.
With Khan defeated, David Marcus finally makes peace with
his father. Kirk and the U.S.S. Enterprise then go to Ceti Alpha V to
pick up the abandoned Reliant crew, and the ship heads for Earth. Kirk,
though saddened at the loss of his friend, is hopeful for the future, because
as Spock once said, "there are always possibilities."
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