Stаr Trek Knows It: Cарtаіn Kіrk's Deаtһ Reаlly Dіd Let tһe Hero Down

Captain Kirk’s death let the iconic hero down–and Star Trek knows it. After a lifetime of adventure as captain of the Enterprise, Kirk was killed in Star Trek: Generations. For years, fans speculated on what Kirk’s death might actually look like, but when it finally happened, segments of fandom were outraged. While the initial anger settled, the debate rages on, and Star Trek: Lower Decks #4 chimes in on the issue.

Star Trek: Lower Decks #4 is written by Ryan North and drawn by Jack Lawrence. The Cerritos initiated a warp bubble that accidentally began a chain reaction in another universe that would destroy it. Two aliens from that dimension come aboard the ship, seeking revenge. Captain Freeman convinces them to let the crew find a solution, but they are unable to do so. As Freeman tries to get back on the aliens' good side, Mariner invokes Captain Kirk’s belief in a “no-win scenario,” saying that until he fell off a bridge, he had a good streak going.

Captain Kirk's Death Did Not Go Over Well With Star Trek Fans

Star Trek Fans Felt Kirk Deserved Better

Captain Kirk is an absolute legend both in the Star Trek universe and in pop culture as a whole, and fans felt this should have dictated how he died. Kirk saved the Federation many times, be it from V’Ger, Klingons or a probe that only talks to whales. He was an exemplary officer who led by example and inspired absolute confidence in his crew. He in turn inspired them, and many went on to become command officers. With his record, many Star Trek fans felt Kirk should have died in a blaze of glory, saving the galaxy one last time.

Mariner’s joke keeps with Star Trek: Lower Decks’ gentle skewering of the franchise, but also points to an uncomfortable truth: Kirk did not get a good death. As seen in 1994’s Star Trek: Generations, Kirk was trapped in an extradimensional “Nexus” for 70+ years, before being rescued in the 24th century by Captain Jean-Luc Picard. The two Enterprise captains team up to stop the film’s villain, Doctor Soran, from destroying a nearby planet. During the confrontation, Kirk is hit by Soran’s phaser, and he falls from a bridge. Captain Kirk took his last breath in the presence of Picard.

Yet by dying with Picard at his side, Captain Kirk managed to avoid a deep-seated fear of his: that he would die alone. Kirk very much believed this would be his fate, expressing it several times throughout the franchise. There was no rational reason for Kirk to think he would die alone, but it was a belief that persisted. While Captain Kirk’s death may not have lived up to fan expectations, he did not die alone, which potentially takes some of the sting out of his death.

Captain Kirk's Controversial Death Gets Called Out By Lower Decks

The Call-Out Reflects an Ongoing Star Trek Debate

Captain Kirk’s death in Generations, while disappointing to some, was far more realistic. There is an expectation in pop culture that great heroes like Kirk die as they live: saving lives and saving the world. Movies, television and literature are rife with examples of this trope, and many thought it would apply to Captain Kirk. In the real world, good people die senseless deaths. However, this is not a set rule, and one that begs to be subverted. While Kirk’s death was not entirely in vain–Soran was defeated, it still felt like a huge let-down and was viewed as senseless by many in 1994, and still is today.

Kirk’s death, while not as hotly contested today as it was over 30 years ago, is still a topic of debate, and Star Trek: Lower Decks #4 calls this out. Mariner mentions a “no-win scenario”--a term Kirk often used. She mentions falling off the bridge, and her comment about his amazing streak is a gentle barb at fans’ perceptions of his death. While Star Trek fans continue to debate Kirk’s death, the franchise knows he got a bum deal.