Bibi Besch played Dr. Carol Marcus in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, but she didn't reprise Carol in any subsequent Star Trek: The Original Series movie. Directed by Nicholas Meyer, Star Trek II was released in 1982 and brought several new aspects to Star Trek. Along with the death of Spock (Leonard Nimoy), Star Trek II introduced the newly 50-year-old Admiral James T. Kirk's (William Shatner) lost love, Carol, and their son, David Marcus (Merritt Butrick). While David's story came to a sad end in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock,Carol didn't come back at all.
Dr. Carol Marcus is the inventor of Project Genesis and the Genesis Device, a technology she developed alongside David. Project Genesis was intended to address the problems of hunger and overpopulation in the United Federation of Planets. Genesis was a terraforming technology that could transform a dead planetary body into a world capable of sustaining human life. The Genesis Device was stolen and weaponized by Khan Noonien Singh (Ricardo Montalban), who detonated it, inadvertently creating the unstable Genesis Planet. But through Carol, Star Trek II gave Admiral Kirk a meaningful relationship that ended badly and needed resolution.
Why Bibi Besch’s Carol Marcus Didn’t Return In Star Trek III
Bibi Besch was disappointed not to be asked back for Star Trek III
Bibi Besch's Dr. Carol Marcus was entirely written out of Star Trek III: The Search for Spock by producer Harve Bennett, who penned the screenplay. Although Bennett initially earmarked Carol to return in Star Trek III's outline, he felt the character was extraneous, and Harve excised the elder Dr. Marcus to cut back on the sequel's budget. Bennett also couldn't account for how Carol wouldn't know that David used protomatter in the Genesis Device to make it unstable. Director Leonard Nimoy agreed that Carol's presence complicated Star Trek III, so Bibi Besch wasn't invited back to reprise her role.
According to The Making of the Trek Films edited by Edward Gross, Bibi Besch had a hard time accepting being left out of Star Trek III: The Search for Spock. Although Besch sent Harve Bennett a letter after she saw Star Trek III, telling the producer she understood why Carol wasn't in the film, Bibi remained disappointed that Carol's story with Kirk never got to continue in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home or the next two Star Trek movies. Bibi Besch passed away in 1996, but she is still fondly remembered as Carol Marcus by Star Trek fans.
No Carol Marcus Left Kirk & His Son's Star Trek Story Incomplete
Kirk and Carol never get closure over David's death
The problems of Carol Marcus being left out of Star Trek III: The Search for Spock and the rest of the Star Trek: The Original Series movies are compounded by how David Marcus was killed off in Star Trek III. David joins Lt. Saavik (Robin Curtis) to explore the Genesis Planet, where they discover the resurrected Spock. But Klingons soon arrive on Genesis and hold David, Saavik, and Spock hostage. Kruge (Christopher Lloyd) orders David's execution, which Admiral Kirk is helpless to stop.
Star Trek Generations originally planned to bring Carol Marcus back in the Nexus, but this was changed to a new character named Antonia at Paramount's request.
Bibi Besch was disappointed that the Star Trek movies never allowed Carol and Kirk to have closure over David's death. Kirk barely has time to mourn David in Star Trek III, although Jim gets revenge on Kruge for killing his son. Yet Kirk's main focus in Star Trek III is to rescue Spock and get him to Vulcan. David's death isn't raised in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, and the loss of his son is an undercurrent for Kirk in his subsequent Star Trek movie appearances. Star Trek never addressing how Carol felt about David's death is a glaring omission.
Carol Marcus’ Star Trek Legacy Continued After Wrath of Khan
Star Trek Into Darkness brought back Carol Marcus
J.J. Abrams' Star Trek Into Darkness was a remake of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. Set in the alternate Kelvin timeline, Star Trek Into Darkness repeated or inverted many aspects of The Wrath of Khan, including bringing back Carol Marcus. Alice Eve played Carol Marcus, the daughter of corrupt Starfleet Admiral Alexander Marcus (Peter Weller), in Star Trek Into Darkness. This version of Carol doesn't have a romantic relationship with Captain James T. Kirk (Chris Pine), but Dr. Marcus became a source of controversy for one scene where she strips to her underwear.
Like Bibi Besch in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, Alice Eve wasn't asked back as Carol Marcus in Star Trek Beyond. However, Carol Marcus' legacy continues in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. The prequel to Star Trek: The Original Series name-dropped Carol as Lt. James T. Kirk's (Paul Wesley) pregnant girlfriend. If Carol Marcus returns in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3 or 4, it would only be the character's second appearance since Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan in Star Trek's Prime Timeline, and Carol's third appearance overall.
