The William Shatner Scene That Wasn’t

Big Bill wasn’t in Star Trek. I have mixed feelings about this. Or I did. Before I saw the movie I was doubtful that William could be incorporated into Star Trek without the cheese coming along with him. It would have been happy cheese no doubt (isn’t all cheese happy cheese?) but I was ready to leave some of the shlock behind when I went to see J.J. Abram’s version of the Trek.

Apparently, according to the writers of the film, Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci, there was a scene in there for Bill, but it was chopped out.

Their quotes, from an exclusive interview with io9.

Orci: We wrote it, it was in the script.

Kurtzman: The very last scene when Spock and Spock meet each other, finally. And elder Spock is convincing young Spock that he couldn’t interfere, because it would have diverted [Kirk and Spock] away from their friendship. And that their friendship is the key to the whole sort of shebang.

Orci: He gave him a recorded message from Kirk.

Kurtzman: He [elder Spock] said, “Don’t take my word for it.” And he handed him [younger Spock] a little holographic device and it projected Shatner. It was basically a Happy Birthday wish knowing that Spock was going to go off to Romulus, and Kirk would probably be dead by the time…

I think that handled like that the scene would have been fine. Did they need it? J.J. apparently thought not and well, he’s the boss now. I stand with him.