'Star Trek Into Darkness': Cumberbatch's Identity, Carol Marcus, And A New 'Trek' Villain Theory
Alice Eve is... Carol Marcus
Forget Benedict Cumberbatch and Klingon intrigue; it was revealed that Alice Eve is playing Carol Marcus, and that opens a very specific door into the past of Star Trek lore — specifically, The Wrath of Khan.
In 1982's The Wrath of Khan, Marcus (played by Bibi Besch) is the molecular biologist who shares a past and a grown son with Kirk. She creates the Genesis Device, which is stolen by Khan Noonien Singh (Ricardo Montalban); later, her son is killed by Klingons.
The Marcus of STID is younger than she is in Wrath of Khan, of course, so Abrams' film will catch her at an earlier point in her story, according to Eve. And while there was no sign of a Genesis Device in any of the Star Trek Into Darkness preview materials, the opening nine minutes do feature Spock using a volcano deactivator, which houses three colored cubes of chemical compounds and a power source in a handheld case, and which can be used to neutralize an erupting volcano by creating an opposite effect — a freezing reaction.
Is STID merely setting up the Khan storyline to come, maybe one or two movies down the line? Have Abrams, Damon Lindelof, Alex Kurtzman, and Bob Orci taken character and plot threads from throughout Trek canon to create a new twist on a familiar character in Harrison?
I'll leave you with this: Speaking with Eve on the rooftop of Bad Robot, I was impressed when she directly quoted the Star Trek: TOS episode "Charlie X." (It precedes "Where No Man Has Gone Before," AKA the Gary Mitchell episode of ST: TOS.) In it, "Charlie X" is Charlie Evans, a young man the Enterprise rescues from his solitary life on the planet Thasus who has been given godlike powers.
"Charlie X" meets the Gary Mitchell storyline in the (non-canon) fan mini-series Star Trek: Of Gods and Men, which envisions an older, vengeful Charlie taking revenge on Kirk by going back in time to effectively kill him, creating an alternate timeline in which Mitchell has taken over the galaxy with the help of the alternate timeline version of another canon Trek character: Starfleet captain John Harriman.
Harriman... Harrison... Harriman... Harrison...
If we're talking canon (from which Cumberbatch's character is supposedly taken), Harriman appeared in Star Trek: Generations, played by Alan Ruck; he's the captain of the Enterprise-B and the man responsible for Kirk's eventual demise. The wild theorizing ends there, alas; from what we've seen of Star Trek Into Darkness, Cumberbatch's Harrison is an unfamiliar character whose true nature has yet to be revealed.
What do YOU think, my Trekkies? Lay all your theories down in the comments below.
RELATED ARTICLES:
'Star Trek Into Darkness' Nine-Minute IMAX Prologue: Doom, Gloom, and Benedict Cumberbatch
'Star Trek Into Darkness' Should Be The Re-Hash Of Khan
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Comments
JOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHNN!!!!!
Nicely done. :)
Nerd alert: while "Charlie X" did, in fact, air before "Where No Man Has Gone Before," but "No Man" was filmed before and chronologically takes place before ... in fact, it was the show's second pilot and the first episode with Kirk. (The first pilot, "The Cage," featuring Capt. Pike, was deemed "too cerebral.")
Believe me, I had this talk with MLer Ross Lincoln (fellow Trek nerd at ML HQ) and figured you guys would know this, and I know you know this, so I'd leave it at that without unnecessary additional footnotes. But yeah.
Everyone is forgetting that Peter Weller is also in this film and his role has not been explained either. I'm beginning to suspect that all this focus on Cumberbatch as the villain is misdirection. He may play someone dangerous but he's not THE baddie. I would guess Weller is playing the guy who's pulling all the strings. And maybe Cumberbatch's character is just his puppet.
This is my thought, Mark.
I like the idea of Weller as Mitchell, with Harrison acting as his agent for some reason. But is it crazytalk to think they'd go outside of canon towards OGaM territory?
Secondary thought is if the above is true, Khan is being set up for the next film. We'll see Kirk & Carol get it on in STID but the rest of their story won't play out until later.
And FWIW, there is one additional piece of info we were shown but asked not to discuss, so everything I've written comes from what Abrams & Co. have said are fair game. Also, all the footage looked fantastic.
Weller is too old to play Mitchell.
Thus guaranteeing that Harrison gets to make the Heroic sacrifice at the end of the movie, providing a practical example of Spock's 'needs of the many' maxim.
I think at this point, any of these theories are viable: Charlie X (Evans), Gary Mitchell, Garth of Izar or Khan. Although the more, I read about this, the less likely I think it's Khan. Either Charlie Evans (wanting revenge against Kirk for letting that Thasians take him back) or Gary Mitchell would make sense, especially with the opening scene of the 9 minute preview where the villain claims to be able to save the sick child. Only Charlie or Gary would have that power.
Wrong: Dr. Bashir would have that power; he's an augment, after all. (Still unborn, I know.)
You are forgetting Trelane (the Original Q, you might say).
I don´t know what to think. somehow I have two theories. One, he is Khan but using a nickname or he is not Khan but still that Harrison name is fake...
Two: he is not the ultimate bad guy but he is preparing the field for the real bad person...
As far as I know there will be two new movies of Star Trek after the 2009 movie.
So, I don´t know what it´s going to happen in STID and that is why I am eagerly awaiting for it.
Why would Charlie - or Gary Mitchell, forgetting for a moment that the comics have dealt with him - be seeking revenge for something which hasn't happened yet? Why does helping a sick child mean that "godlike" powers must be employed?
Doesn't necessarily mean godlike powers are involved; nothing I've seen so far supports that concretely. Maybe science tech/some device is involved somehow, which brings the Carol Marcus character into mind. I can see them pulling elements from familiar characters & stories without going full-on replicating exact details.
Sorry, Jen, I should have replied under PTL008's comment. I think that science, technology, or just better insight into the problem might be reason enough for someone to step forward and say "I can help you."
I agree. Also, in one of the non U.S. trailers, after Harrison offers to save the childs life, he holds in his hand what looks like a vile of blood. Khan was genetically modified. The properties in his blood could have cured the girl.
A back story of the relationship between Kirk and Marcus and the "reason" Khan ends up at "City Alpha 5" from Wrath of Khan just makes sense. If not, im sure someone is kicking their own ass for not thinking of it first. it appeals to old and new Trekkies. Im a huge fan of the old and new movie, I love how the first film lets you see the Kobiashi test mentioned in earlier films. However, if sticking to the new last film, the past has been altered, opening up for similar but very different paths. Cant wait!!!
Todd: that's Ceti Alpha V. From one nerd to another :)
I think everyone is reaching waaay too hard here. What if this villain is exactly who they say it is—John Harrison? There was a recurring crewman with the name "Harrison" in the original Trek series (no first name ever used). Maybe the writers decided to put him front and center in this new timeline and give him an axe to grind, and it's as simple as that.
It's Khan or ought to be Khan.
People are saying, with Carol Marcus and some other things, that this is setting up for The Wrath Of Khan in the next movie, or the movie after that. People need to lay off the amphetamines. The Wrath of Khan requires first the rescue and then marooning of Khan to have any weight. Also, Khan is pissed off for 20 years or so before they meet again, the weight of the story depends entirely on the passage of time. You could argue the whole movie is about getting old, certainly Carol Marcus is critical in delivering that there. Nobody should even be wanting to see a wrath of khan remake anytime soon, or it would be stupid and weak, like a lot of the movies were. There is a lot of good ground to cover and make great things from, but jumping straight to wrath of khan would be like humping your birthday cake the day before your birthday.
Lindelof???
Hopes of an intelligent script making any logical sense... dashed.
The reason I think its Gary Mitchell Is that JJ Abrams revealed a few months ago "it could be a horta, or Harry Mudd, or Gary Mitchell...in fact its one of those" (paraphrased)...
Also, the introduction of Carol Marcus, in THIS timeline, fits well because in Where No Man Has Gone Before Kirk responds to Mitchell's revelation of a jokey set-up between his friend and a
'little blonde technician' with "you planned that? I almost married her!"
I don't think that was Abrams. I found that referenced, from an article on badassdigest.com. It was in an e-mail from "an informant placed close to the production." I hope it's not Mitchell, and I can't see why they'd rehash a story that's already been dealt with in the alternate universe.
Marcus has to be introduced. I think any good writer would sit down and make a list of people with whom Kirk would be linked by destiny in any universe (an idea they set up in the last movie). Spock was one. I think Khan is one. Mitchell might have been, but again, that story has been told twice. I would think that his son would be another, and he has to meet Carol Marcus for David to be conceived.
"...he(kirk) has to meet Carol Marcus for David to be conceived."
really? think about it.
and... i'm thinking mitchell or charlie x.
For the Abrams Trek reboot to be successful it must remain in the canon universe. It is only the stories that can be turned on their ear. As far as Kahn is concerned, he is already drifting through space in the Botany Bay. A space ship launched from Earth in the 1990's, a LONG time before Nero disrupted the time line. If Kahn was to appear in a way other than being found drifting through space it would not fit into the canon universe and ultimatley put off millions of Trekkies, who then would not be inclined to spend millions of dollars on the new reboot offerings. I say none of you are thinking outside the box, or paying attention for that matter. In the first Abrams Trek what did he do? He killed Kirk's father, killed Spock's Mother, Captain Pike is not left as vegetable that talks with a flashing light and Oh yeah, he BLEW UP VULCAN virtually wiping out that race! I say the best story line for Kahn is that Abrams kills him before Kirk even meets him and can maroon him on Ceti Alpha V. Maybe future Spock on his way to the Vulcan refugee planet swings by the ole Botany Bay and blows it out space, thereby saving Kirk in the new time line from losing his son? Also saving his new time line self from having to die? The upside to killing Kahn is that Abrams then wouldn't have to deal with a remake of a classic. I believe Abrams wants to keep the original Trek universe, but he doesn't want to be limited to re-hashing or re-doing the same old tired stories. That's why he blew up Vulcan. As a life long Trekkie, I hope Abrams goes the same route with Kahn.
Ha! If Abrams does that he better sweat getting phone calls from the CIA. Harriman is an old, old name. Same as Walker and Bush are. =/ Unless... *gasp* Abrams is sabotaging the Star Trek franchise for the NWO! Bazinga.
Harrison? Harris son? Harry's son? That's it! It's Harry Mudd's son. And Weller is Harry Mudd!
Just joking, no really, I'm joking. I think it's Gary Mitchell... but....
Ok, so John Harrison is played by Benedict Cumberbatch, Dr. Carol Marcus by Alice Eve, and we have left over some interesting unknowns. What about Peter Weller playing Gary Seven, Heather Langenkamp playing Roberta Lincoln, Nazneen Contractor playing Isis, Nick Tarabay playing Khan (Minor introductory role but sets the stage for future movies) , Noel Clark and Nolan North are probably Klingons. Perhaps both John Harrison and Gary Seven are Aegean agents sent to earth to shape the future for mankind. Maybe one (or both) are rebelling against the wishes of the (protectorates) the Aegeans??? and humanity will be plunged into darkness.
Having loved the first Abrams Star Trek movie, will I be able to understand and enjoy the new one even without prior knowledge of all these characters and episodes you guys are talking about? I'd hate to think I need to do homework before seeing it.
It seems to me that Mr. Abrams is playing with the "Star Trek" world here and there, giving some of it reverence, other parts of it a fresh spin. Spock created the 'Kabayashi Maru" maneuver in the first one so that's a different take on the origins of that familiarity, right? Perhaps Mr. Cumberbatch is playing Khan, albeit in a different way, and under a different name until otherwise explained. The "Carol Marcus" element suggests that there is a connection to "The Wrath of Khan." I think that would be very, very interesting. But whatever they're doing, I will be there opening day as that trailer is simply amazing.
I know I'm late to the party here and perhaps this was mentioned... but did anyone else see those cryogenic tubes at 55 seconds or was that just me?
OK Khan was alive and well long before Kirk & Spock so why does everybody keep bringing up Khan? How does Khan suddenly jump ahead in time to take on young James T?? Now I don't know how this alternate timeline nonsense affects it but it just wouldn't make any sense. Actually this whole reboot of ST is a hot mess and makes no sense and i made me a retired trekkie!
I'm afraid you've all been infected with a severe case of STID. The symptoms include pining for men with pointy ears and messed up foreheads. The disease is incurable, but it can be managed with a daily cocktail of STNG, STOS and DS9.
Like the man said, sound and fury...... This is not star trek by any stretch of the imagination, wonder what gene would say about all of this ?
I agree. This is so far out in left field of the Star Trek universe, I think I see it at the corner of right field.
Perhaps Benedict Cumberbatch's character is really a Klingon that has been surgically altered to appear human in order to allow him to sabotage Starfleet HQ.
I have a couple of left-of-field alternate identities for "John Harrison"...Captain Garth of Izar before or during his going mad...and a time-travelling, younger version of (wait for it) Jean-Luc Picard (Jean is of course the French form of John; as for the last name, well, consider the pronunciation of the first two syllables in "Harrison" and remember that I said YOUNGER version of Picard), one whose 24th century was altered, negatively, even more than the current version of the 23rd.
I suppose I could throw in Lazarus as well :)
"...he(kirk) has to meet Carol Marcus for David to be conceived."
really? do you realize how idiotic that is? think about it.
and... i'm thinking mitchell or charlie x.
i'm sorry... i replied to the wrong comment.
He is not Khan!!!! (Hint the eyes) {He can get into your mind, he can destroy with his mind}
Episode 07 season 1 - By DC Fontana
CHARLIE X (Charlie Evans)