Like basically every current Star Trek fan, I love the character of Captain Pike as Anson Mount portrays him. I wonder, though, to what extent he is actually the same guy from ā€œThe Cage.ā€ If we had only that episode to work from (which the Discovery and SNW writers initially did), we would know that he is broody, that he struggles with the responsibility he bears for the lives of others, and that he is remarkably able to conjure up emotions like anger and hate on command. Does any of that fit with Pike as we know him now?

One way to answer this question would be to imagine a very literal remake of the original pilot recast with the current actors. Everyone else would basically make sense, but I think seeing the current Pike act out his scenes would be jarring and even a little upsetting.

Iā€™m sure we can come up with in-universe explanations ā€“ he was having a particularly bad day, heā€™s grown as a person, etc., etc. ā€“ but it does seem like the current-day writers are departing pretty abruptly from the ostensible basis for the character. What do you think?

  • Value Subtracted@startrek.website
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    1 year ago

    Yeah, I think heā€™s absolutely the same person.

    Firstly, ā€œThe Cageā€ portrays him at what I think is pretty unquestionably a low point - it wouldnā€™t be fair to assume heā€™s normally that angst-ridden.

    BOYCE: Chris, you set standards for yourself no one could meet. You treat everyone on board like a human being except yourself, and now youā€™re tired and you-

    PIKE: You bet Iā€™m tired. You bet. Iā€™m tired of being responsible for two hundred and three lives. Iā€™m tired of deciding which mission is too risky and which isnā€™t, and whoā€™s going on the landing party and who doesnā€™t, and who lives and who dies. Boy, Iā€™ve had it, Phil.

    The Pike we meet in ā€œDiscoveryā€ is a couple of years removed from the mission on Rigel VII, and has been able to bounce back a bit. All the same, his character is practically defined by his faith in Starfleetā€™s mission, and his willingness to make sacrifices in the pursuit of that mission, while also being acutely aware of the toll that takesā€¦

    • T156@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      The Pike we meet in ā€œDiscoveryā€ is a couple of years removed from the mission on Rigel VII, and has been able to bounce back a bit. All the same, his character is practically defined by his faith in Starfleetā€™s mission, and his willingness to make sacrifices in the pursuit of that mission, while also being acutely aware of the toll that takesā€¦

      We also know that by Strange New Worlds, heā€™s effectively retired to a small farm out in some snowy place, and decided to put his Starfleet career behind him.

      It took an admiral effectively kidnapping him for him to even consider getting back in the Captainā€™s Chair.

  • Corgana@startrek.website
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    1 year ago

    Iā€™ve always preferred to skip ā€œThe Cageā€ and considered ā€œThe Menagerieā€ the definitive view of Pikeā€™s enterprise. It may appear to be a subtle distinction, but I think viewed through this lens the answer to your question becomes a much stronger ā€œYesā€.

      • Corgana@startrek.website
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        1 year ago

        ā€œThe Cageā€ shows us a brief glimpse at a gruff, no-nonsense Pike who appears closed off if not straight-up unfriendly. ā€œThe Menagerieā€ shows us the same person but presented through the framing of not only a very well respected starfleet captain, but someone Spock would personally risk his entire career for. In this context TOS Pikeā€™s rough edges get considerably softened, which brings what we see of the character much more in line with what weā€™ve come to expect in SNW.

        • VindictiveJudge@startrek.website
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          1 year ago

          ā€œThe Cageā€ also technically isnā€™t part of continuity while ā€œThe Menagerieā€ definitely is. Also helps to smooth out some other stuff, like Pike making sexist comments in ā€œThe Cageā€; that isnā€™t part of ā€œThe Menagerieā€ so it didnā€™t happen in continuity.

          • NuPNuA@lemm.ee
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            1 year ago

            Didnā€™t they literally use clips from ā€œThe Cageā€ in a previously on in Discovery? Iā€™d say that cononised it.

  • vettnerk@lemmy.ml
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    1 year ago

    When James Bond was no longer portrayed exclusively by Sean Connery it was pretty jarring. But I got used to it, and after a while I didnā€™t really think much of it.

  • Tenebris Nox@feddit.uk
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    1 year ago

    Jeffrey Hunter is pretty wooden in the role (as are almost all the actors in The Cage). He comes across as a flat, somewhat listless characters with issues with women. Anson Mount plays the role with a much better sense of the humanity of Pike.

    Iā€™d love to see a literal remake but there are scenes that just wouldnā€™t work (eg. the creepy scene where the young female ensign speaks to him).

  • khaosworks@startrek.websiteM
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    1 year ago

    Exhibit A would be the Pike that we see in SNW: ā€œAmong the Lotus Eatersā€ who damn nearly killed Zac Nguyen while a blank slate, before his memories and restraint were restored.

    So yes, that Pike from 5 years ago is still under there. He grew as a person.