30 Years Later, Star Trek Gives Kirk & Spock The Ending They Always Deserved

Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner) and Spock are touchingly reunited in a new Star Trek short film titled 765854 - Unification, 30 years after Kirk died in Star Trek Generations. The Roddenberry Archive and OTOY, in association with Paramount, released Unification on November 18, 2024, to commemorate the 30-year anniversary of the premiere of Star Trek Generations. The 8-minute Unification is the fourth short film by OTOY available at the Roddenberry Archive (roddenberry.x.io) via the Apple Vision Pro app.

Star Trek Generations saw Captain James T. Kirk sacrifice his life when he teamed up with Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) to stop Dr. Tolian Soran (Malcolm McDowell) from destroying the planet Veridian III. In 2016, Star Trek Beyond included the canonical death of Spock after Leonard Nimoy passed away the prior year. Shatner's Kirk and Nimoy's Spock never shared the screen again after 1991's Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country.Unification gives Kirk and Spock one last, touching moment together. Watch the short film below:

Kirk & Spock Reunite In Emotional Star Trek Short Film

765874 - Unification Is The Ending Kirk & Spock Deserve

765874 - Unification crosses Star Trek timelines and universes to bring Captain Kirk and Spock together once more. The death of Captain Kirk in Star Trek Generations canonically takes place in 2371, and Ambassador Spock is shunted into the alternate Kelvin Timeline of J.J. Abrams' Star Trek (2009) movie in 2387 when the Vulcan failed to prevent the Romulan star from going supernova. Spock arrived in the Kelvin Timeline in 2258, and he lived on New Vulcan until his death in 2263.

Before Unification, circumstances made it impossible for Kirk and Picard to meet. After all, Star Trek Generations explained that Captain Kirk was believed dead in 2293, but he actually survived in the interdimensional space ribbon called the Nexus until he leaves with Captain Picard in 2371, which resulted in his death. Spock never saw the Prime Timeline's Kirk again after 2293, and the Vulcan was not present to see his best friend's brief foray and death in the 24th century.

Unification shows a resurrected Captain Kirk traveling into J.J. Abrams' Star Trek Kelvin Timeline to see Spock (played by Lawrence Selleck) on his deathbed on New Vulcan. Kirk and Spock then share a moment Star Trek canon has denied them, as the iconic duo face the horizon together. Unification is a powerful and emotional testament to the friendship between Kirk and Spock that Star Trek is built upon.

Star Trek’s Unification Short Film Explained

There Is A Lot To Unpack In 765874 - Unification

Unification incorporates multiple aspects of Star Trek continuity, and there is a lot to absorb. Along with the resurrected Captain Kirk, Unification includes Spock, Saavik (Robin Curtis), Gary Mitchell (Gary Lockwood), who was Kirk's friend-turned-enemy in Star Trek: The Original Series' second pilot, "Where No Man Has Gone Before," J.M. Colt (Mahe Thassia) from Star Trek's original pilot, "The Cage." Jorg Hillebrand, a renowned researcher on Star Trek: Picard season 3, broke down Unification on his X account (@gaghyogi49):

Amazingly, the resurrected Captain Kirk reunites with Saavik and her son with Spock, Sorak (Mark Cinnery). Kirk then meets Yor (Gordon Tarpley), a time soldier from the Kelvin Timeline introduced in Star Trek: Discovery season 3. Yor gives Kirk the means to cross into the Kelvlin Timeline. After meeting his younger selves, Captain Kirk and Admiral Kirk, Jim steps into Spock's chambers on New Vulcan to be with his beloved Vulcan friend. Production designer Dave Blass confirmed on X that Kirk travels into the Kelvin Timeline.

How Star Trek’s Unification Short Film Was Made

William Shatner Is An Executive Producer

Unification is an astounding technical achievement and a labor of love to celebrate the iconic Captain Kirk, Mr. Spock, and the 30th anniversary of Star Trek Generations. William Shatner and Susan Bay Nimoy served as executive producers. Working with OTOY, Mr. Shatner helped ensure the technical and creative accuracy of Captain Kirk. Sam Witwer performed the role of Kirk in costume; Witwer studied and mimicked Shatner's exact movements, aided by physical and digital prosthetics. Lawrence Selleck did the same to recreate Spock.

OTOY and VFX studios combined digital and physical prosthetics to recreate iconic Star Trek characters, with live-action location photography, virtual production, and CG set extensions to create the vistas of Veridian III, New Vulcan, and other locations seen in Unification. In addition to Michael and Denise Okuda, and Dave Blass from Star Trek: Picard season 2 and 3's work on production design, Academy Award-winning Star Trek composer Michael Giacchino provided Unification's score.

Is Star Trek’s Unification Short Film Canon?

Does 765874 - Unification Actually Count?

765874 - Unification is a respectful and profoundly affecting work by Star Trek professionals who are also diehard fans, but is it actually canonical? Star Trek defines official canon as events that happen or are referenced in Star Trek's television series and movies. Ancillary work like Star Trek novels, comics, and fan films exist outside the official canon, or exist in their own continuities, but occasionally, Star Trek TV shows and movies can incorporate ancillary projects into canon.

With William Shatner returning to help perform and oversee the accuracy of Unification's recreation of Captain Kirk, it's tempting to want to regard the short film as Star Trek canon. After all, Unification incorporates several beloved (and surprising) Star Trek characters from across the franchise, legendary Star Trek creators behind the scenes, and the end result is the poignant Kirk and Spock reunions fans have longed to see for three decades. 765874 - Unification is a beautiful ode to Star Trek, a stunning technological achievement, and it's a lovely farewell to Kirk and Spock by William Shatner.