The Death of the U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701

[aTOMiC]

Star Trek TOS: Star Trek III: The Search for Spock

The death of the U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701

"My god, Bones. What have I done?"

She was a beloved Star Trek character who had been a part of our lives since the very first moment, and like Spock in the previous film, her final curtain call had arrived. It was established earlier in the film that Starfleet had no plans to repair or refit the Enterprise after her battle with Khan and the Reliant. Therefore, her future was likely dim regardless. However, the circumstances Kirk and his friends found themselves in were dire enough that it seems no other action was possible.

The destruction of our Enterprise, the Enterprise we had loved since childhood, the Enterprise that we declared the coolest spaceship in film or television history, the Enterprise we sketched in our notebooks at school and have endlessly doodled with fond recollection – the loss of that Enterprise was an emotional gut-punch that resonates with us even today.

KIRK: Computer. This is Admiral James T. Kirk requesting security access. Computer. Destruct Sequence One, code one, one-A.
SCOTT: Computer. Commander Montgomery Scott, Chief Engineering Officer. Destruct sequence two, code one one-A, two-B.
CHEKOV: Computer. This is Commander Pavel Chekov, acting science officer. Destruct sequence three, code one-B, two-B, three.
COMPUTER VOICE: Destruct sequence completed and engaged. Awaiting final code for one-minute countdown.
KIRK: Code zero, zero, zero, ...destruct zero.
COMPUTER VOICE: Destruct Sequence is activated

KIRK: My god, Bones. What have I done?
McCOY: What you had to do. What you always do. Turn death into a fighting chance to live.

This scene reminds me of the real World War II era Enterprise, Yorktown Class, CV6. It was the inspiration for Gene Roddenberry to use the name for his fictional spaceship, replacing his first choice, Yorktown. She survived the most brutal and destructive war in the history of humanity. She was one of the most highly decorated warships of the United States Navy with 20 battle stars. There were times during the Pacific War when she was the only carrier in the theater defending us against our enemies. Despite her prestigious history and honorable record, it wasn't enough to save her from being scrapped in 1958. She was replaced by the world's first nuclear aircraft carrier, CVN-65, but it wasn't the same.

NCC -1701-A was a fine ship but she couldn't replace our first love.

[SoulBiter]

Dang right. When I watched relics I have to say I felt it with Mr Scott. This was not my fav episode of STNG by any stretch but the 'feels" I get from this every time I watch it make the episode better than it would have been otherwise.

SCOTT: The Enterprise. Show me the Bridge of the Enterprise, you chattering piece of
COMPUTER: There have been five Federation ships with that name. Please specify by registry number.
SCOTT: NCC One Seven Oh One. No bloody A, B, C, or D.
COMPUTER: Program complete. Enter when ready.

That's right. No bloody letters, show me the real Enterprise!!!

Then Scotty takes visual look around the bridge takes a seat at his old station and raises a glass

SCOTT: Here's to you, lads.

I want to raise a glass myself every time I watch it.

[Fist and Faith]

I like that episode just because it has a Dyson Sphere. IIRC, a complete one? Not just Dyson Rings like in Discovery.

[SoulBiter]

Yep complete!!