Warning: SPOILERS for Star Trek: Prodigy Season 2
Summary
Dal R’El (Brett Gray) learned a lesson inStar Trek: Prodigyseason 2 that I wish Captain James T. Kirk (Chris Pine) did inStar Trek Into Darkness. Dal was the self-styled Captain of the USS Protostar. Initially knowing nothing about Starfleet or how to command a starship,Dal made many mistakes, but his instincts and innate compassion forged loyalty with his friends.Together, the young heroes saved Starfleet at the end ofStar Trek: Prodigyseason 1, and they upped the ante by saving everyStar Trektimeline inStar Trek: Prodigyseason 2.
I never minded how Captain James T. Kirk rocketed to the center seat of the USS Enterprise in J.J. Abrams’Star Trek(2009). In fact, I enjoy it. Originally not even assigned to the flagship of the United Federation of Planets,Cadet Kirk stowed away on the Enterprise but endedStar Trek (2009) as her Captain, thanks to his heroism in saving Earth from the Romulan time-traveler Nero (Eric Bana). InStar Trek Into Darkness, however, Kirk was demoted for violating the Prime Directive, but he regained his Captaincy as he led the Starship Enterprise on a revenge mission against Khan Noonien Singh (Benedict Cumberbatch).
Captain Kirk and the USS Enterprise uncovered a conspiracy by Admiral Alexander Marcus (Peter Weller) to use Khan to militarize Starfleet and start a war with the Klingons inStar Trek Into Darkness.
Star Trek: Prodigy Season 2 Ending & Shocking Season 3 Set Up Explained
Star Trek: Prodigy season 2 brings the time travel saga of the USS Protostar full circle. Here’s what happened and what it all means for season 3.
Star Trek: Prodigy’s Dal Learned A Lesson Captain Kirk Didn’t In Star Trek Into Darkness
Dal is willing to wait to become the Captain he’s meant to be.
Dal R’El has many admirable qualities, and one of his best came to light inStar Trek: Prodigyseason 2’s finale when he realized it wasn’t the right time for him to be Captain of the newProtostar Class USS Prodigy. Instead, Dal made the mature decision to be the First Officer to Prodigy’s new Captain, Gwyndala (Ella Purnell). I was moved by how Dal was haunted by the fact that he wasn’t ready to be a Starfleet Captain throughoutStar Trek: Prodigyseason 2, and admitting,“That chair never belonged to me,“shows how much Dal has grown in such a short time - and what a worthy Captain he will be one day.
Kirk even admitted, “I have no idea what I’m supposed to do. I only know what I can do.”
In contrast to Dal R’El,I think Captain James T. Kirk is infuriating inStar Trek Into Darkness. Kirk brazenly violated the Prime Directive to rescue Spock (Zachary Quinto), and while he did it to save his friend,Jim refused to see how his immaturity was a detriment to the USS Enterprise and its crew.Although Kirk did the right thing and did not spark a war with the Klingons to kill Khan, it was glaring how James was out of his depth inStar Trek Into Darkness. Kirk even admitted,“I have no idea what I’m supposed to do. I only know what I can do.“At theend ofStar Trek Into Darkness,Kirk didn’t really deserve to remain Captain of the Enterprise, and he never learned Dal’s lesson, “That chair never belonged to me.”
Captain Kirk died saving the Starship Enterprise in Star Trek Into Darkness but was quickly resurrected by Khan’s ‘magic blood’, while Spock defeated Khan and saved the day with his crew.
Why Kirk Stayed As Captain Of USS Enterprise Even If He Didn’t Deserve It
Kirk has to be Captain of the Enterprise.
WhenStar Trek Into Darknessis over, Captain Kirk doesn’t instill confidence that all will be well as the USS Enterprise embarks on a five-year mission under his command. But, of course, I realized that there was no way Kirk wouldn’t be Captain of the Enterprise.From a commercial standpoint, Kirk has to be Captain because that’s what audiences know him as, even though his behavior inStar Trek Into Darknessmade him unworthy of the center seat. Kirk did very little to show me he deserved to be Captain of the Enterprise inStar Trek Into Darkness, but it’s also unthinkable thatKirk and Spockwould switch places as First Officer and Captain the way Dal R’El and Gwyndala did inStar Trek: Prodigyseason 2.
Captain Kirk nearly accepted a Vice Admiral position to leave the Starship Enterprise and lead the starbase USS Yorktown inStar Trek Beyond- another promotion he wasn’t ready for but wisely declined.
However,I was glad to see Chris Pine’s Captain Kirk behave more maturely inStar Trek Beyond.Kirk was still a risk-taker and action hero, but Pine’s performance hewed much closer to William Shatner’s Captain Kirk inStar Trek: The Original Series. I was hopeful that the USS Enterprise-A would be in good hands withCaptain Kirk if there’s aStar Trek 4because by that point, Kirk had grown enough to be fit as Captain of the Enterprise. But Kirk would have benefited by making the mature decision Dal R’El made inStar Trek: Prodigyto give up the Captain’s chair until he properly earned it.
