star trek kirk quotes

36 Iconic Captain Kirk Quotes For Star Trek Fans

Famous Captain Kirk Quotes from Star Trek

Funny captain kirk quotes.

James T Kirk is one of the most iconic characters from the 'Star Trek' media franchise, he first appeared in 'Star Trek: The Original Series', serving as captain of USS Enterprise.

He leads his team on a mission to explore new worlds and planets as he says, "boldly go where no man has gone before." He leads his team from the front and sometimes takes risks to get what he set out for.

Captain James T Kirk and 'Star Trek' became a cultural phenomenon through the decades. It inspired many fans to create spin-offs too.

The 'Star Trek' franchise and the series, movies, several spins off, and animated series have a cult following. When the original Captain James T Kirk breathes his last, he says, “Oh my,” an expression which says how he feels about passing away from this world to another.

After William Shatner, the role was recently reprised by Chris Pine from 2009 to the present. Pine’s portrayal could be seen as a bit reckless, but he is a go-getter and plays the role with aplomb.

If you like this article of Captain Kirk quotes, you could also read Captain Picard quotes and Spock quotes .   

When he talks about getting into the Warp speed, Captain James T Kirk sometimes said, "Ahead warp factor one". Many such Captain James T Kirk quotes are spread across the Star Trek Franchise and have become a part of the people’s everyday language.

Let’s read some of the best Captain Kirk quotes to Scotty and some other 'Star Trek' quotes.

1. “How we deal with death is at least as important as how we deal with life.”

- Captain James T Kirk.

2. “They used to say that if man was meant to fly, he’d have wings. But he did fly. He discovered he had to.”

3. “Genius doesn’t work on an assembly line basis.”

4. “Without freedom of choice there is no creativity. The body dies.”

5. “You know the greatest danger facing us is ourselves, an irrational fear of the unknown. But there’s no such thing as the unknown — only things temporarily hidden, temporarily not understood.”

6. “Intuition, however illogical, Mr. Spock, is recognized as a command prerogative.”

7. “We’re human beings with the blood of a million savage years on our hands! But we can stop it. We can admit that we’re killers . . . but we’re not going to kill today. That’s all it takes! Knowing that we’re not going to kill — today!”

8. “It’s a mystery. And I don’t like mysteries. They give me a bellyache, and I got a beauty right now.”

- Star Trek, Season One: The Man Trap.

9. Captain James T. Kirk: “You suspect some danger?”

Mr. Spock: “Insufficient facts always invites danger, Captain.”

Captain James T. Kirk: “Well, I’d better get some facts.”

- Star Trek, Season One: Space Seed.

10. Capt. Kirk: “Bones, you ever hear of a doomsday machine?”

Dr. McCoy: “No, I’m a doctor, not a mechanic.”

- Star Trek, Season Two: The Apple.

11. James T Kirk: “If Spock were here and I were there... what would he do?”

McCoy: “He’d let you die.”

- 'Star Trek'.

12. “Let me explain what’s happening here. You are a criminal. I watched you murder innocent men and women. I was authorised to end you, and the only reason why you are still alive is because I am allowing it...So shut your mouth!”

13. “There will always be those who mean to do us harm. To stop them, we risk awakening the same evil within ourselves. Our first instinct is to seek revenge when those we love are taken from us. But that’s not who we are."

14. "We are here today to re-christen the USS Enterprise and to honour those who lost their lives nearly one year ago. When Christopher Pike first gave me his ship, he had me recite the Captain’s Oath.

Words I didn’t appreciate at the time. Now I see them as a call for us to remember who we once were and who we must be again. And those words?

Space... the final frontier. These are the voyages of the Starship Enterprise, her five-year mission to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilisations. To boldly go where no one has gone before.”

15. James T Kirk: “Vice Admirals don’t fly, do they?”

Commodore Paris: “No. They don’t.”

James T Kirk: “No offence Ma’am, but... where’s the fun in that?”

16. “Conquest is easy. Control is not.”

17. “Love sometimes expresses itself in sacrifice.”

18. “There’s another way to survive — mutual trust and help.”

19. “I haven’t faced death. I’ve cheated death. I’ve tricked my way out of death and patted myself on the back for my ingenuity; I know nothing.”

 - 'Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan '.

20. “... the prejudices people feel about each other disappear when they get to know each other.”

- 'Elaan Of Troyius'.

21. “Perhaps man wasn’t meant for paradise. Maybe he was meant to claw, to scratch all the way.”

- 'This Side Of Paradise'.

22. “Leave bigotry in your quarters; there’s no room for it on the bridge.”

-  'Balance of Terror'.

23. “Our species can only survive if we have obstacles to overcome. You remove those obstacles. Without them to strengthen us, we will weaken and die.”  

24. “What is a man but that lofty spirit, that sense of enterprise, that devotion for something that cannot be sensed, cannot be realized but only dreamed, the highest reality?”

25. “We prefer to help ourselves. We make mistakes, but we’re human–and maybe that’s the word that best explains us.”

26. “One of the advantages of being a captain, Doctor, is being able to ask for advice without necessarily having to take it.”

There are many discussions about Captain Kirk’s leadership style. It is said that Captain James T Kirk was a hands-on leader who made sure his team was safe and always won against the bad guys.

He understood how to lead by example. In a spin of the series 'Star Trek: The Next Generation', Jean Luc Picard was the USS Enterprise captain from 1987. Let’s read some more quotes by Captain Kirk.

27. “Risk is our business. That’s what this starship is all about. That’s why we’re aboard her.” - Captain James T Kirk.

28. “All I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by. You could feel the wind at your back in those days. The sounds of the sea beneath you, and even if you take away the wind and the water it’s still the same.

The ship is yours. You can feel her. And the stars are still there, Bones.”

29. “Worlds may change, galaxies disintegrate, but a woman always remains a woman.”

30. “I don’t believe in no-win scenarios.”

31. “The odds are against us and the situation is grim.”

32. “A meeting is an event where minutes are taken and hours wasted.”

33. Mirror Spock: “One man cannot summon the future.”

Captain James T. Kirk: “But one man can change the present.”

34. “We’re a most promising species, Mr. Spock, as predators go. Did you know that?

I don’t. Not anymore. And maybe in a thousand years or so, we’ll be able to prove it.”

35. “I have to take him back inside myself. I can’t survive without him. I don’t want to take him back. He’s like an animal. a thoughtless, brutal animal. And yet it’s me. Me!”

36. Captain James T. Kirk: “You’d make a splendid computer, Mr. Spock.”

Spock: [taken aback] “That is very kind of you, Captain!”

Here at Kidadl , we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly quotes for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for [Captain Kirk quotes for Star Trek Fans], then why not take a look at Battlestar Galactica quotes or [ Babylon 5 quotes ].

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Bachelor of Arts specializing in English and Drama, Master of Arts specializing in Performance: Design and Practice

Luca Demetriou Bachelor of Arts specializing in English and Drama, Master of Arts specializing in Performance: Design and Practice

Experienced in writing and sub-editing, Luca holds a Bachelor's in English Literature and Drama from the University of Birmingham, where he served as the culture editor at Redbrick Paper. He is currently pursuing a Master's in Performance: Design and Practice at the University of the Arts in London, showcasing his passion for the arts, performance, and history. With a keen interest in traveling, Luca enjoys exploring new cultures and experiencing diverse perspectives.

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Star Trek: Best Captain Kirk Quotes, Ranked

Star Trek's Captain Kirk is an iconic character in television history who has delivered some truly quotable lines over the course of his adventures.

Being a captain can't be easy. There are hundreds of people counting on them to make the right decisions that will keep them alive. Being the captain of the U.S.S. Enterprise – the flagship of the United Federation of Planets – must come with even more stress. But fans of Captain James T. Kirk in Star Trek would rarely see that pressure get to him.

Along with his decisive thinking, strategic planning, and sense of humor, Captain Kirk often kept his ship and his crew alive with nothing more than his words. The boy from Iowa lived by the ideals of the future, using his beliefs not only to navigate the universe but to deal with the dangers he and the crew faced. With his confidence and words, Captain Kirk showed us all just how great humanity could be.

Updated on September 13, 2023 by Joshua M. Patton: William Shatner is the iconic originator of Captain James Tiberius Kirk, the first captain of the USS Enterprise that Star Trek fans fell in love with. However, in the nearly 60 years of history behind Gene Roddenberry's created universe, he's not the only actor to portray the character. With Chris Pine donning the signature gold shirt in the film trilogy set in "the Kelvin Timeline," and Paul Welsey taking on the role in Strange New Worlds, Kirk's wit and wisdom continues to expand.

RELATED: A Complete Guide to Scotty From Star Trek

20 “Hang On Tight And Survive. Everybody Does.”

[T]here are a million things in this universe you can have and a million things you can't have. It's no fun facing that, but that's the way things are.... Hang on tight and survive. Everybody does.

The first season episode "Charlie X" saw the Enterprise welcome a young man named Charlie aboard the ship who had spent years surviving alone. Charlie had been modified by aliens to survive their harsh planet, which gave him incredible abilities like telepathy that he used to force the crew into uncomfortable situations.

Charlie struggled with acclimating to his new way of life onboard the Enterprise where he didn't get everything he wanted, and despaired about going on with his life. Kirk was able to make him see that he could push through, surviving one day at a time like the rest of humanity.

19 "Either We're Going Down or They Are"

Attention crew of the Enterprise, this is James Kirk. Mr. Spock has resigned commission and advanced me to acting captain. I know you are all expecting to regroup with the fleet, but I'm ordering a pursuit course of the enemy ship to Earth. I want all departments at battle stations and ready in ten minutes. Either we're going down... or they are. Kirk out.

The mission of Starfleet is one of peaceful exploration and curiosity, but no matter which actor is playing Captain James T. Kirk, he's always read to fight when its necessary. In 2009's Star Trek when Earth is threatened by the time-traveling Romulan villain Nero, he takes command of the USS Enterprise to save the planet.

The version of Kirk in this film is much different than the one fans know, yet even after living a life of loss and aimlessness, once Kirk ended up where he belonged -- in the Captain's chair -- he became the man fans know and love. He will avoid a fight whenever he can, but if he can't? No one can stop him from saving the day.

18 "Don't Skip Good Hot Dogs"

My advice? Don't skip good hot dogs when you can get them.

Strange New Worlds Season 2 featured another time-travel romp, this time offering an alternate future version of James T. Kirk who wasn't part of Starfleet or the Federation, but rather the United Earth Fleet. His timeline was one of devastation and war. While La'an Noonien Singh, Khan's descendant , and the Enterprise Chief of Security, is trying to puzzle out their mission in the past, Kirk reminds her to take advantage of the good things that come her way.

17 “What Is a Man?"

What is a man but that lofty spirit, that sense of enterprise, that devotion for something that cannot be sensed, cannot be realized, but only dreamed, the highest reality?

The crew of the Enterprise was faced with a heavy decision when they encountered a planet full of androids that wanted to serve humanity by replacing their bodies with artificial ones and granting them eternal life in the second season's "I, Mudd."

However, Kirk was able to talk some of the curious members of his crew out of the decision by pondering exactly what it is that makes them all human – listing many of the reasons that humanity ventured into space in search of the unknown in the first place, which could never be replicated by the artificial androids.

RELATED: 15 Best Star Trek Games, Ranked According To Metacritic

16 “I Need My Pain!”

You know that pain and guilt can’t be taken away with the wave of a magic wand! They’re the things we carry with us, the things that make us who we are. If we lose them, we lose ourselves. I don’t want my pain taken away, I need my pain!

Star Trek V: The Final Frontier explored the ongoing Star Trek search for God that made a number of crew members question their faith and the surrounding reality, especially when members of the crew were "cured" of negative emotions like pain and guilt.

However, Kirk refused to undergo the same process as he felt that those feelings helped shape who we are and who we become, which ultimately allows humanity to make the right decisions. He was right, as the God-like being was later revealed to be an evil being who was trapped and manipulating others to facilitate his escape.

15 "The Prejudices People Feel..."

The prejudices people feel about each other disappear when they get to know each other.

Tasked with ensuring that the arranged marriage of the leaders of two warring planets takes place without interference, Captain Kirk and the crew of the Enterprise find themselves dealing with an angry bride, a nervous groom, and a group of Klingons who plan to sabotage the event.

Kirk's words come from a more mature and evolved version of mankind that has worked past its biases based on skin color, religion, or gender. He knows as all humans in Star Trek do, that the only way to move forward is to work together. To see the things we have in common and celebrate the things that make us different.

14 "Sometimes A Feeling Is All We Humans Have"

Sometimes a feeling is all we humans have to go on.

When the Enterprise finds itself caught up in a centuries-long planetary war where the casualties are decided by a computer program, Captain Kirk knows that the only way to bring about peace is to remind the people of the planet what war really is. By leaving the outcomes of battles to a computer, the people have done away with the lasting scars of war and come to accept the ritual deaths as something of a sacrifice that must be done.

Kirk risks everything by destroying the war computer, forcing the leaders of the world to decide if it is better to continue their war with actual destruction and devastation or if the time has come to talk peace. In his gut, Kirk knows they will make the right choice.

RELATED: The 25 Most Powerful Star Trek Species, Ranked

13 "His Was The Most... Human"

"We are assembled here today to pay final respects to our honored dead. And yet it should be noted that in the midst of our sorrow, this death takes place in the shadow of new life, the sunrise of a new world; a world that our beloved comrade gave his life to protect and nourish. He did not feel this sacrifice a vain or empty one, and we will not debate his profound wisdom at these proceedings. Of my friend, I can only say this: of all the souls I have encountered in my travels, his was the most... human."

In all fiction, there are few friendships as iconic as that of Captain Kirk and Mister Spock. It is impossible not to think of one when you think of the other. These two men, one an emotional human the other a rational Vulcan, will always be the greatest duo in Star Trek .

When Spock gave his life for the crew of the Enterprise in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan , Kirk was left to write a eulogy not only for his Science Officer but his closest friend in all the universe. His words ensured that there wasn't a dry eye in the theater.

12 "Believe In Yourself"

You either believe in yourself, or you don’t.

A captain needs confidence, and that's something Kirk has in spades. He knows that if he doesn't believe in the mission, then his crew won't believe in it either, and if he doesn't believe in himself, they won't be comfortable following him.

Even more important is the knowledge that without believing in oneself, there is no hope for improvement. And if a person can not improve, then what is the purpose of existence? To Captain Kirk, there is no more important thing for a person to have than faith in themself.

RELATED: Star Trek Uses Shields and Deflector Screens Better Than Any Other Sci-Fi Property

11 "If Man Was Meant To Fly, He'd Have Wings..."

They used to say that if man was meant to fly, he’d have wings. But he did fly. He discovered he had to.

From the story of Icarus to the stories of superheroes today, mankind has always been inspired by the idea of flight. The idea of a man soaring through the skies seemed like an impossible task, but in less than 60 decades, humanity went from a 12-second 120-foot flight to sending the first man into space.

What Captain Kirk is saying here is that humanity has always stepped up to the challenge, and we always will. It won't be easy, and we'll fall down often, but in the end, we will succeed because we must.

10 "There's No Such Thing As The Unknown..."

There's no such thing as the unknown, only things temporarily hidden.

The unknown can be scary. The idea that just out of sight, hiding in the darkness is something that can hurt us is what most horror is built around, and for good reason. Be it the monster in the closet or the alien from Venus, we fear that which we do not know.

But if we think like Captain Kirk, the unknown isn't something to be frightened by. The unknown becomes something exciting to discover. The unknown is out there, just waiting to be found. Suddenly, that fear becomes a feeling of optimism.

9 "Genius Doesn’t Work On An Assembly Line Basis."

Genius doesn't work on an assembly line basis. Did Einstein, Kazanga, or Sitar of Vulcan produce new and revolutionary theories on a regular schedule? You can't simply say, today I will be brilliant.

When Captain Kirk and the crew are sent to evaluate a supercomputer that could make their jobs redundant, he quickly sees the flaw in the plan. A computer may be able to react faster than a person, but it can never invent or show discretion.

It can never create or devise a plan that isn't preprogrammed, leaving it open to failure by a lack of improvisation. As Kirk sees it, all great things are created by those who think beyond what is and see what may be. It is the living being who can do this and no computer, no matter how great, will be able to replicate that.

RELATED: Star Trek Fleet Command Celebrates 5 Years With an In-Game Special Event

8 "We're Human, And ... That Best Explains Us."

We prefer to help ourselves. We make mistakes, but we're human, and maybe that's the word that best explains us.

Star Trek captures the strength of the human race better than most other shows. As Kirk says, we make mistakes, but we don't just lay down and give up. We move forward even as we stumble, working to make things better. To make ourselves better, and in turn, make the world better.

Captain Kirk is no stranger to making mistakes, but he knows that each mistake must be learned from, and what was learned must be used to make improvements, all so new mistakes can be made, and new lessons learned.

7 "How We Deal With Life"

How we deal with death is at least as important as how we deal with life.

As the captain of the Enterprise, Kirk knows that he, and any other captain that is to follow him, will be forced to make life and death decisions on a regular basis. In his time, Kirk has seen more death than he would have preferred, and many of those deaths he holds himself responsible for. Still, Kirk knows that he can not let those deaths keep him from moving forward. He knows that if he and his crew were to give in, all those who died for them would have died in vain.

6 "That's What I Was Born Into"

Better to die saving lives... than to live with taking them. That's what I was born into.

This moment from Star Trek: Beyond was something of a full-circle moment for the Kelvin Timeline Captain Kirk. His father died saving his life and the lives of an entire starship crew. When facing off with Balthazar M. Edison, who was trying to destory a massive starbase, he truly became the kind of hero his father was.

Star Trek is about hope and optimism. The big-budget blockbuster needs of the 21st Century movies may have gotten in the way of that message, but in Star Trek: Beyond the audience finally gets to hear a Jim Kirk who sounds familiar.

5 "Sometimes You Can't Avoid a Fight"

Did it ever occur to you that sometimes you can't avoid a fight?

The Season 1 finale of Strange New Worlds was a time-travel adventure showcasing what would happen if Captain Pike stayed on the USS Enterprise. In trying to avoid a fight with the Romulan Star Empire, he ended up starting a devastating war.

This message from Kirk, played by Paul Wesley, shows that even the Prime Timeline version of the character knows when to seek peace and when to give villains the fight they are looking for. It's better to face an enemy than to leave them to harm others because one didn't.

RELATED: Why This Redshirt Was Fine and the Redshirt Myth Is a Lie

4 “I Don't Believe In The No-Win Scenario.”

I don't believe in the no-win scenario.... I don't like to lose.

One of the best movies in the long-running franchise, 1982's Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan introduced a number of oft-repeated quotes and inspired an altered take on the story in the modern reboot franchise. Kirk's ability to see every angle and find a way to win against all odds was best displayed by his quote about no-win scenarios, as well as the reveal that he was able to beat the training exercise known as the Kobayashi Maru – which was designed to be unbeatable in order to make cadets face their potential death in service to the Federation..

3 "You Can Let Death Win, Or You Can Fight Back"

Our job puts up against death more than is fair, and we may not like it, but we do have to face it. And right now, death is winning. It claimed your family. It claimed your friend. It convinced you to forget them because it is less painful than holding onto their memories. Now you can you let death win, or you can fight back. Hold onto them.

Another Season 2 episode of Strange New Worlds featured an adventure with James T. Kirk and Nyota Uhura , where the latter was experience visions and mental distress. He was the first person to believe what was happening to her was real.

When Uhura began to lose hope, because of the loss of her family a few years earlier, Kirk inspires her the way only the future captain could. Echoing Shatner's "I need my pain," line, he tells her that the memories of those we've lost are not burdens but blessings.

2 "Khaaaaaan!"

Khan, you have Genesis, but you don't have me! You were going to kill me, Khan, it was your sole purpose. You'll have to come down here to do it!

While it isn't the longest or most profound line that Captain Kirk ever delivered, his scream of rage and frustration in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan is easily one of the character's most quoted and spoofed lines from Star Trek .

The line comes after Khan successfully takes the Genesis Device while also stranding Kirk and his crew inside a planetoid as revenge for Kirk doing the same to Khan and his crew. Kirk's protest is filled with such raw emotion that it quickly became one of the most memorable scenes from the Star Trek movie franchise and was even reimagined for the reboot trilogy.

1 "To Boldly Go"

This is the final cruise of the Starship Enterprise under my command. This ship and her history will shortly become the care of another crew. To them and their posterity will we commit our future. They will continue the voyages we have begun, and journey to all the undiscovered countries, boldly going where no man... where no one has gone before.

These words have been said by many a Star Trek captain, but Captain Kirk was the first. And while the exact words have changed over the years to be more inclusive, what Kirk said in the opening of every episode of Star Trek over fifty years ago still captures the hearts, minds, and imaginations of millions today.

The idea that humanity will one day travel among the stars, discovering new life and new civilizations, boldly going where no one has gone before is a concept that fills the world with the hope of a better tomorrow. The kind of tomorrow that Captain Kirk was a part of. The final time he said these words, in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country he changed things around, ditching both the gendered language and the idea that the Enterprise crew was Starfleet's only explorers.

50 Captain Kirk Quotes on Hope and Humanity

This list of the best Captain Kirk quotes will give you reasons to remain optimistic in life!

Star Trek is one of those franchises that shaped many generations.

The genius portrayal of history and the future made it one of the most phenomenal shows among other works of science fiction. It also comes in other media, such as comic books and video games.

Captain Kirk, a notable commander who demonstrates competent leadership, gave fans of Star Trek some pretty valuable life lessons to live by and reflect on.

The integrity he shares in every scene is refreshing to hear in a world of injustice and abuse.

More than that, he reminds us that doing things with fairness and goodness will help us defeat all obstacles life may throw.

It can be challenging to maintain the same values as Captain Kirk’s. So, to help you out, we’ve gathered some of his most meaningful quotes!

Continue to the list below.

And don’t forget to check out these Star Trek quotes and Spock quotes .

Best Captain Kirk Quotes

1. “Death. Destruction. Disease. Horror. That’s what war is all about. That’s what makes it a thing to be avoided.”

2. “A balance of power—the trickiest, most difficult, dirtiest game of them all, but the only one that preserves both sides.”

3. “There will always be those who mean to do us harm. To stop them, we risk awakening the same evil within ourselves. Our first instinct is to seek revenge when those we love are taken from us. But that’s not who we are.” 

4. “How we deal with death is at least as important as how we deal with life.”

5. “A captain of a ship, no matter his rank, must follow the book.”

6. “Without freedom of choice there is no creativity. The body dies.”

7. “In every revolution, there’s one man with a vision.” 

8. “Leave bigotry in your quarters; there’s no room for it on the bridge.” 

9. “Most legends have their basis in fact.”

10. “The more complex the mind, the greater the need for the simplicity of play.”

11. “Where I come from, size, shape, or color makes no difference—and nobody has the power.”

Famous Captain Kirk Quotes

12. “The prejudices people feel about each other disappear when they get to know each other.” 

13. “Sometimes a feeling is all we humans have to go on.” 

14. “These are the voyages of the starship enterprise. Its continuing mission: to explore strange new worlds. To seek out new life and new civilizations. To boldly go where no man has gone before.”

15. “Love sometimes expresses itself in sacrifice.”

16. “Hang on tight and survive. Everybody does.” 

17. “There’s another way to survive—mutual trust and help.”

18. “A little suffering is good for the soul.”

19. “You either believe in yourself or you don’t.”

20. “Conquest is easy. Control is not.” 

21. “I haven’t faced death. I’ve cheated death. I’ve tricked my way out of death and patted myself on the back for my ingenuity; I know nothing.”

22. “You know the greatest danger facing us is ourselves, an irrational fear of the unknown. But there’s no such thing as the unknown—only things temporarily hidden, temporarily not understood.”

Also read: Famous Quotes

Captain Kirk Quotes for Those Who Need Help Embracing Their Flaws

23. “To be human is to be complex. You can’t avoid a little ugliness—from within—and from without.”

24. “You know that pain and guilt can’t be taken away with the wave of a magic wand! They’re the things we carry with us, the things that make us who we are. If we lose them, we lose ourselves. I don’t want my pain taken away, I need my pain!”

25. “We prefer to help ourselves. We make mistakes, but we’re human—and maybe that’s the word that best explains us.”

26. “If I can have honesty, it’s easier to overlook mistakes.”

27. “Perhaps man wasn’t meant for paradise. Maybe he was meant to claw, to scratch all the way.”

28. “You’re not going to admit that for the first time in your life you committed a purely human, emotional act?”

Wise Captain Kirk Quotes That’ll Strengthen Your Will 

29. “Risk—risk is our business. That’s what this starship is all about. That’s why we’re aboard here.” 

30. “Our species can only survive if we have obstacles to overcome. You remove those obstacles. Without them to strengthen us, we will weaken and die.” 

31. “There are a million things in this universe you can have and there are a million things you can’t have. It’s no fun facing that, but that’s the way things are.”

32. “Don’t let them promote you, don’t let them transfer you, don’t let them do anything that takes you off the bridge of that ship, because while you’re there, you can make a difference.”

33. “Genius doesn’t work on an assembly line basis. Did Einstein, Kazanga, or Sitar of Vulcan produce new and revolutionary theories on a regular schedule? You can’t simply say, ‘Today I will be brilliant.’”

34. “They used to say that if man was meant to fly, he’d have wings. But he did fly. He discovered he had to.”

Also read: Quotes to Live By

Captain Kirk Quotes to Understand Human Behavior

35. “What is a man but that lofty spirit, that sense of enterprise, that devotion for something that cannot be sensed, cannot be realized but only dreamed, the highest reality?”

36. “We humans are full of unpredictable emotions that logic cannot solve.”

37. “Intuition, however illogical, Mr. Spock, is recognized as a command prerogative.”

38. “A species that enslave other beings is hardly superior—mentally or otherwise.”

Captain Kirk Quotes That’ll Guide You Toward a Moral Life 

39. “We’re human beings with the blood of a million savage years on our hands, but we can stop it! We can admit that we’re killers, but we’re not going to kill today. That’s all it takes—knowing that we’re not going to kill today.”

40. “Of my friend, I can only say this. Of all the souls I have encountered in my travels, his was the most human.”

41. “I have to take him back inside myself. I can’t survive without him. I don’t want to take him back. He’s like an animal. a thoughtless, brutal animal. And yet it’s me. Me!”

Short Captain Kirk Quotes for You to Remember

42. “A dream that became a reality and spread throughout the stars.”

43. “I don’t believe in a no-win scenario.” 

44. “One man can change the present.”

45. “Well, I’d better get some facts.”

Funny Captain Kirk Quotes

46. “A meeting is an event where minutes are taken and hours wasted.”

47. “Did I ever tell you you play a very irritating game of chess, Mr. Spock?”

48. “There seems to be no sign of intelligent life anywhere.”

49. “It’s a mystery. And I don’t like mysteries. They give me a bellyache, and I got a beauty right now.”

50. “Excuse me—excuse me. I’d just like to ask a question. What does God need with a starship?”

Also read: Funny Quotes

Did These Quotes Give You Reasons to Be Hopeful?

It is easy to feel hopeless in a world where we wake up to a series of ugly news. We sometimes ask, “What is our reason for living?”

Things may get confusing, but Captain Kirk helps us realize there is hope if we defy wrong and choose fairness above everything. By policing ourselves and being careful with our decisions, we get to save what’s left of humanity. And, maybe in the future, we’ll create a kinder world.

While we cannot control the actions of others, we have our values to guide us with our responses. Don’t just blindly follow what the majority is doing if you know in your heart that it’s wrong. Instead, stand firm with your beliefs and live a life with integrity.

These are only a few reasons that made Captain Kirk one of the wisest and most iconic characters in Star Trek. No matter how many years it’s been since Star Trek’s first release, his words will always remain relevant. So, when you think the world is hopeless, feel free to reread this list!

Who’s your favorite character in Star Trek? What other lessons did you learn from Captain Kirk? Let us know, and comment below!

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Karen Danao

Hi, I’m Karen , a content curator and writer for Quote Ambition; I’m also a marketing and advertising professional. Beyond the keyboard and the screen, I’m someone who’s out to enjoy every bit that life has to offer!

Poetry, philosophy, history, and movies are all topics I love writing about! However, my true passion is in traveling, photography, and finding common ground to which everyone from different cultures can relate.

With the many places I’ve been to, I found that love, inspiration, and happiness are some things that bring people together. No matter how different we are on the outside, I’m a true believer that our emotions don’t lie; if you dig deep into our psyche, we’re all the same inside.

This belief was further amplified when I joined Quote Ambition. Through the quotes I’ve read, collected, organized, and written about, I found that humans are resilient, creative, and compassionate.

We take from each others’ hearts and courage, and it’s through our individual experiences that we learn how to rise above our challenges and pain. In so many ways, Quote Ambition is a platform that allows people from all over the world to gain the inspiration they need anytime, anywhere!

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James T. Kirk's Best Star Trek Quotes, Ranked

James T. Kirk is the most iconic Star Trek captain, and he's had some great quotes over decades of appearances.

• James T. Kirk, portrayed by William Shatner, is the most iconic Star Trek captain due to his memorable performance and delivery of his lines, which added drama and elevated his speeches.
• Despite popular belief, Kirk never actually said the famous line " Beam me up, Scotty " in the original Star Trek series, but he did come close when he ordered, " Mr. Scott, beam us up " in the episode "The Cloud Minders."
• Kirk's refusal to help his old enemies, the Klingons, in "The Undiscovered Country" showcases his powerful moment of bitterness and highlights that prejudice can still exist in the future, even as humanity has evolved.

Debate continues to rage among Star Trek fans as to the best captain of the Enterprise . Was it the stoic Jean-Luc Picard , the adventurous Christopher Pike, or even the divisive Jonathan Archer? While it's unlikely that this argument will ever be settled, one thing is certain. The Enterprise 's most iconic Star Trek captain, at least in popular culture, was James T. Kirk (William Shatner), who commanded the ship in several series and movies.

Star Trek: The Kzinti, Explained

Kirk's legendary status is no doubt due in part to Shatner's interesting (and frequently hammy) performance. His distinctive enunciation gives even Kirk's most routine lines a sense of drama and elevates his better speeches into some of the best of the franchise.

8 "Mr. Scott, Beam Us Up."

The cloud minders (star trek: the original series season 3, episode 21).

While fans of both Star Trek and Star Wars seem keen to set themselves apart, both franchises have something in common: misremembered dialogue. Just as Darth Vader didn't say, " Luke, I am your father, " nor did Kirk ever say the line, " Beam me up, Scotty, " in the original Star Trek series. Despite this, the phrase is one of television's most iconic memes.

Following the resolution of a conflict on the planet Ardana in The Cloud Minders, Kirk orders, " Mr. Scott, beam us up. " This is about the closest he gets to say the infamous catchphrase, although Shatner purposefully included the phrase in his later Star Trek novels as a nod to fans.

7 "Khan!"

Star trek 2: the wrath of khan.

A line notable for its delivery rather than its writing, Kirk's cry of fury following Khan's seizure of the Genesis device in Star Trek 2: The Wrath of Khan is one of the franchise's best-known moments. It's a prime example of Shatner's tendency to chew the scenery, but it feels justified within the context of the movie.

Star Trek: The Legacy of Khan, Explained

Wrath of Khan is widely regarded as Star Trek 's best feature film, partly because of how it develops Kirk as a character, taking into account how the passage of time has changed him since The Original Series . It's fitting, therefore, that Shatner is able to channel some of that earlier hamminess, even as his character grows beyond it.

6 "Let Them Die."

Star trek 6: the undiscovered country.

Some of Kirk's most insightful moments occur in The Undiscovered Country , the final film to feature the complete Original Series cast. Environmental devastation endangers the Klingon Empire, and Spock hopes to use the opportunity to usher in an era of détente between the Federation and the Klingons. Kirk, whose son was killed by a Klingon, feels differently on the subject.

Kirk is uninterested in aiding his old enemies; when Spock points out that the Klingons might die without their aid, Kirk's response is to let them. It's a powerful moment of bitterness from the Starfleet icon, and shows that while humanity has bettered itself in the future, its prejudices are far from extinct.

5 "We Can Admit That We're Killers, But We're Not Going To Kill Today."

A taste of armageddon (star trek: the original series season 1, episode 23).

• " All right, it's instinctive. But the instinct can be fought. We're human beings with the blood of a million savage years on our hands, but we can stop it. We can admit that we're killers, but we're not going to kill today. That's all it takes. Knowing that we won't kill today. "

The Original Series frequently tackled then-contemporary issues through a science fiction lens, and these stories are among the franchise's most successful. "A Taste of Armageddon" features a bloodless war between two alien states: rather than fighting directly, they rely on computers to strike one another.

The Enterprise crew identifies that the abstract nature of the war means that it can never end (a riff on the Vietnam War ). Kirk urges the aliens to make peace, pointing out that while life may be predisposed toward violence, it's possible to evolve beyond those urges.

4 "I Need My Pain."

Star trek 5: the final frontier.

• " You know that pain and guilt can't be taken away with the wave of a magic wand. They're the things we carry with us, the things that make us who we are. If we lose them, we lose ourselves. I don't want my pain taken away! I need my pain. "

Star Trek 5: The Final Frontier is widely considered to be one of the worst Star Trek movies, but that doesn't prevent it from containing one of Kirk's best lines. William Shatner assumed an unprecedented amount of control over the film, from contributing the premise to directing and starring. This workload, coupled with sleep deprivation from a busy routine, was bound to result in a subpar end product.

Star Trek: Who Is Sybok?

Despite this, Shatner excels when Sybok, a Vulcan, offers to take away the negative experiences that burden him. Although the experience will leave Kirk at peace with himself, he rejects the treatment, reasoning that all of his decisions, right and wrong , are central to his character. It's a standout moment in an otherwise lackluster story and demonstrates that even the franchise's weakest entries contain gems.

3 "Risk Is Our Business."

Return to tomorrow (star trek: the original series season 2, episode 20).

• " Doctor McCoy is right in pointing out the enormous danger potential of any contact with life and intelligence as fantastically advanced as this, but I must point out that the possibilities, the potential for knowledge and advancement, is equally great. Risk! Risk is our business. That's what this starship is all about. That's why we're aboard her. "

After encountering a race of non-corporeal aliens on a deserted planet, Kirk and the crew of the Enterprise are faced with a dilemma: should they loan their bodies to the aliens in return for advanced scientific knowledge? Doctor McCoy opposes the plan.

In order to convince the medical officer , Kirk delivers an impassioned speech about the nature of the Enterprise 's mission and humanity's drive toward progress. He argues that exploratory risks must be taken in order for the human race to prosper, neatly summing up the entire premise of the Star Trek franchise.

2 "Second Star To The Right, And Straight On 'Til Morning."

Star Trek 6: The Undiscovered Country managed to balance a plot that examined then-contemporary issues with a sci-fi twist and a loving send-off to The Original Series ' heroes. Kirk's final order as the captain of the Enterprise is a touching reminder of the starship's exploratory past, and gives a sense that the adventure is only just beginning.

6 Weirdest Star Trek Easter Eggs

The times are changing for the entire Federation, and Kirk recognizes this, but he indulges in one last joyride. The future may be uncertain for Kirk and his crew , but they can still take joy in the wonders of the galaxy.

1 "I Don't Believe In The No-Win Scenario."

• " I changed the conditions of the test - got a commendation for original thinking. I don't like to lose [...] I don't believe in the no-win scenario. "

Kirk's refusal to accept defeat is central to his character arc in The Wrath of Khan , in which it is revealed that he hacked a Starfleet Academy test rather than accept the intended failure. Saavik, a Vulcan officer on the Enterprise , points out that this means that Kirk has no experience of losing. Kirk claims that he doesn't need to know what it's like; he always finds a way out.

Spock's heartbreaking sacrifice at the end of the movie teaches Kirk an important lesson, changing his character forever. Kirk's quote in The Wrath of Khan not only demonstrates the captain's daring command style but also serves to foreshadow the development he must still undergo.

MORE: Star Trek: Kirk's Biggest Mistakes & Failures

Star Trek: Captain Kirk's 15 Best Quotes, Ranked

W hen Gene Roddenberry's Star Trek: The Original Series launched into the 23rd Century back in 1966 aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise, Starfleet Captain James Tiberius Kirk was at the helm. Tagged as the youngest starship captain in Starfleet history, Kirk took command of the Enterprise for a five-year mission, three of which were broadcast in TOS . Kirk's youth and arrogance made him more daring than the majority of his Starfleet colleagues, pushing him to take risks and chances others wouldn't dare.

Originally portrayed by William Shatner , the actor breathed an unforgettable amount of life into Captain Kirk. As charismatic as he was willful, there wasn't a man or alien alive who could tell Kirk what to do, and though this often got him into trouble, his strong moral compass was generally enough to get him out of it. Shatner played Kirk for 28 years, appearing in all 79 episodes of TOS , all but one of Star Trek: The Animated Series ' 22 episodes, and the first seven Star Trek films. He even went on to write dozens of Star Trek novels over the years, which saw the resurrection of Kirk's character and return to active duty.

Captain Kirk's hold over the Star Trek universe still has power to this day. With the franchise launching the three-movie reboot known as the Kelvin Timeline in 2009, Chris Pine took over as James Kirk. While many agree he did a stellar job filling some pretty big shoes, others worried he didn't possess the same amount of maturity Shatner's Kirk displayed. In 2022, Paul Wesley stepped into the role in the Paramount+ series, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds , and so far he seems to have found a unique balance between Shatner and Pine that will definitely be remembered.

Along his journeys through the stars, Captain Kirk met challenges head-on, rarely backing down from anyone or anything that dared to stand in his way. He had a reputation as a ladies' man, looking for romance wherever he went, but above all other things he loved his ship and his crew. Given the length of his career, it's no surprise that Kirk left fans with a lot of wisdom that will linger on for centuries to come.

"Sometimes a feeling is all we humans have to go on."

When Kirk and the crew encounter a planet embroiled in a centuries' long war in Season 1, Episode 23, "A Taste of Armageddon," he discovers the people have lost sight of what war truly is. With outcomes dictated by a computer, people seem to accept things as the computer plans them. Kirk determines that the best way to end the cycle is to destroy the computer.

It's a risky maneuver, but Kirk is a man of risk. After destroying it and stopping the war, Spock is surprised that his hunch panned out. Kirk isn't ashamed to admit to being led by his intuition. After all, sometimes gut feeling is all a human can rely on.

"A species that enslaves others is hardly superior -- mentally, or otherwise."

When Kirk, Uhura and Chekov find themselves thrust into a gladiator arena on Triskelion, the Grand Master Thrall informs them they will be trained to entertain the Providers. As Kirk gets to the bottom of who the Providers are, he discovers they are actually three disembodied brains who believe themselves superior. Kirk offers the Providers a deal, stating that if he and his officers defeat an equal number of thralls, they must release all the thralls and teach them to govern themselves.

Intrigued, the Providers agree, but only if Kirk will fight three thralls on his own. There was a lot on the table in this episode, including powerful thoughts about self-governance, the right to freedom from oppression and slavery and the audacity of anyone believing themselves superior enough to enslave others.

"Hang on tight and survive. Everybody does."

When the Enterprise encounters a 17-year-old boy named Charlie who'd been left alone to survive on an abandoned planet, they take him aboard. They soon discover that Charlie was augmented by aliens before he was left there, and struggles to control his supernatural abilities. Kirk mentors Charlie to the best of his ability, but the best advice he offered the boy was to hang on tight and survive.

Even in the darkest of days, there are only two options: give up or keep going. Captain Kirk is not a man who would give up, no matter the odds. It's only natural this would be his advice.

"If I can have honesty, it's easier to overlook than mistakes."

Everyone makes mistakes. Even Captain Kirk knows perfection is an impossibility. Still, it's human nature to fear the repercussions of mistakes. That fear often leads to lying or trying to cover up a mistake, rather than owning up to it. It's far easier to overlook a mistake than a lie. Lies lead to distrust, which can sometimes never be corrected, but mistakes are fixable.

"Conquest is easy. Control is not."

In the Season 2, Episode 4 episode "Mirror, Mirror," Kirk, Uhura, and Scott find themselves trapped in a parallel universe much darker than their own. At odds with this parallel version of Spock, Kirk must consider his actions carefully to avoid disaster or exposure. When Spock pushes him to consider killing Chekhov in the agony booth, he backs up his recommendation with the fact that in order to maintain the stability of the Empire, they must continue to exhibit a certain amount of terror.

Kirk's observation about conquest and control actually elicits a sly death threat from Spock, who reminds him he would make for a most dangerous adversary. But Kirk makes a good point. It's all too easy to conquer, but holding onto that which has been taken is no easy task.

RELATED: Star Trek Voyager: Captain Janeway's 10 Best Quotes, Ranked

"I don't believe in the no-win scenario."

One of the most memorable Kirk quotes from Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, remains the iconic "KHAAAAAAN!" However, there were a lot of poignant moments from the captain, including his refusal to believe in no-win scenarios. The odds he constantly faced out there among the stars put him up against so many challenges, but his quick-thinking and wit almost always got him out of those dangerous situations. Adopting Kirk's philosophy on the no-win scenario is incredibly inspiring, and applicable in pretty much every situation.

"Leave bigotry in your quarters; there's no room for it on the bridge."

When it came to the Romulans and the Klingons, the people of Kirk's time harbored a lot of enmity and mistrust, and with good reason. But when Lieutenant Stiles insinuates that Spock could be a Romulan spy in Season 1, Episode 8, "Balance of Power," Kirk isn't having it. He's worked along Spock long enough by this point that despite his quirks, he trusts the Vulcan officer implicitly. Those unprofessional enough to bring bigotry onto his bridge won't be tolerated.

"They used to say that if man was meant to fly, he'd have wings."

Each time the world advances, there are those who cling firmly to the past because people don't like change. But Captain Kirk knows well how necessary change is to the continued evolution of humanity and technology. Maybe man wasn't born with wings, but as Kirk pointed out, "But he did fly. He discovered he had to." Man made his own wings, and those wings took humanity into the skies and then straight to the stars.

Coming from a different angle, it's easy to see how that old quote can be thwarted. Man did have wings, after he made them for himself. So long as there are challenges to overcome, humanity will face them with aplomb.

"Intuition, however illogical, Mr. Spock, is recognized as a command prerogative."

The balance between Spock's logic and Kirk's intuition built the framework for their friendship as they came to understand and accept each other's differences. That didn't always stop Spock from pointing out the foolishness in Kirk's belief in things like gut feelings, intuition, and luck. Kirk understood perfectly well there was no logic in relying on his gut, but it all too often led him to the right place or conclusion. He was the captain, after all, which made it his prerogative to follow his gut wherever it might lead.

"There is no such thing as the unknown, only things temporarily hidden."

Fear of the unknown has long been one of humanity's greatest driving forces. Fear prohibits people from taking chances, from moving forward, from making changes. It's impossible to see what might lie ahead, so the tendency to cling to the familiar sometimes overpowers the necessity to take chances. If the perspective is shifted from the unknown to things temporarily hidden, the concept loses some of its terror. Sure, monsters could be temporarily hidden, but so could opportunities and treasures. It's impossible to tell until we leap forward and take a look.

RELATED: Star Trek: Captain Picard's 15 Best Quotes, Ranked

"How we deal with death is at least as important as how we deal with life."

During his tenure as captain, Kirk faced innumerable life-and-death situations. He recognized the importance of both life and death. That each should be approached with respect and care is a given, but it goes so much deeper than that for Kirk. It is human nature to grieve in the face of death, but as a Starship Captain, he didn't always have that luxury. He felt the responsibility for those who died on his watch very deeply, but he also knew it was essential to respect their sacrifice.

"Love sometimes expresses itself in sacrifice."

When a mysterious entity known as "The Companion" attempted to trap Kirk and his crew on an abandoned planet to be playmates with the warp drive's lost inventor Zephram Cochrane, the captain finds himself in a philosophical conversation with the entity on the nature of love. It cannot understand love because it has no physical body or means to share loving expression and intimacy.

While trying to reason with it to let Cochrane go, the Companion claims it can't because it loves him. Much to McCoy's annoyance, Kirk explains that sometimes sacrifice is the best way to show love, but the still entity doesn't quite understand the age-old adage: "If you love something, set it free." In the end, she finds a way to experience love by taking over the body of a dying woman to keep her alive. That way, they can both learn about love together.

"Without freedom of choice there is no creativity. The body dies."

The necessity for freedom of choice has been an ongoing topic of debate for centuries. Captain Kirk's thoughts on the matter may seem dramatic on reflection, but there is definite merit in his observation. When facing a society that thrives on obedience, he recognizes the lacking creativity as people simply go through the motions being dictated to them. Are they even alive anymore? Empowering oneself by taking power away from another is one of the most awful forms of oppression, and one James Kirk won't put up with, no matter where he finds it.

"To boldly go where no man has gone before."

These days, the Star Trek franchise has corrected this famous quote in order to be gender-neutral. Back in the 1960s, however, it was more about traveling taking a risk to travel among the stars. Even now, the end of Kirk's famous speech about "Space: The Final Frontier," is often heard in speeches celebrating the bravery of those preparing to set out on a new life path. Promotions, graduations, and any situation that requires taking a chance is an opportunity to put one of Captain Kirk's most famous lines to use.

"The prejudices people feel about each other disappear..."

Perhaps one of the most important things Captain Kirk ever said, "The prejudices people feel about each other disappear when they get to know each other," remains relevant across time. Traveling the stars, and interacting with other species, there are bound to be fears and prejudices around those interactions. Getting to know one another peels away layers of prejudice until all we see standing before us is life, and all life is deserving of respect. Our preconceived notions about others who are different from what we know should be cast aside and forgotten.

Of course, Kirk is from the future, where humanity has allegedly evolved. But there were many instances where he and his crew encountered other races and species that provoked prejudice. Even now, just hearing the word Romulan is enough to make fans crinkle their noses in distaste, but in the end, Romulans are people too. They're different, and their opinions may not coincide with the other views, but they are still living beings, and that makes them complicated.

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15 Best Captain Kirk Quotes: Wisdom from the Legend

Captain James Tiberius Kirk, or Captain Kirk, is one of the most popular characters in the Star Trek franchise. He was played by William Shatner. Many Star Trek fans (us included!) love him for being brave and funny, and even when the space adventures were tough, he knew how to stand up and make everyone laugh. Here, we'll explore the best Captain Kirk quotes, starting from the Original Series and throughout all seven films.

We chose the funniest and most inspiring ones. Let's space travel through these quips and have a blast.

Top 15 Captain Kirk Iconic Quotes (Ranked)

1. "leave bigotry in your quarters; there's no room for it on the bridge.".

Captain Kirk's got a friendly reminder here – he's saying that when we're on the starship's bridge, there's no space for hate or prejudice. He believes only kindness and respect are allowed (and not just on Star Trek!). [ 1 ] Whenever we work together, we're like a big cosmic family, and treating each other right is the only way. This lesson can be applied greatly to everyday life - not just in the Star Trek universe.

Read: Top Star Trek Gift Ideas

2. "They used to say that if man was meant to fly, he'd have wings."

Captain Kirk's got a playful thought here – he's saying that even though we don't have wings, our clever ideas will still make us soar high. We may not be able to fly, but using our imagination to build our own wings is enough to take us on exciting adventures.

3. "Without freedom of choice there is no creativity. The body dies."

Captain Kirk's dropping a thought bomb here – he's saying that without freedom of choice, we won't be able to keep our creativity alive and kicking. Life is akin to having a buffet of options to pick from! Like our bodies need air to breathe, our creativity needs choices to thrive. Moving forward, the next time you're stuck between two difficult choices, remember that your creativity will get something positive out of it. [ 2 ]

Check out our favorite Star Trek toys here . 

4. "I don't believe in the no-win scenario."

In Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, Captain James Kirk reveals that he doesn't buy into the idea of no-win scenarios because all challenges are opportunities in disguise. With the right attitude, we can tackle anything (and everything!) that comes our way and learn the best lessons even from the most dismal scenarios.

This is an important lesson we can apply to our daily lives, whether or not we're part of the Star Trek universe.

5. "How we deal with death is at least as important as how we deal with life."

In Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, Captain James Kirk says that how we handle saying goodbye is just as important as how we live our lives.

He believes in ensuring we end each chapter of our lives with a smile and a warm hug. Cherishing moments and dealing with tough times are part of life's journey. Let's make sure we give life and goodbyes the attention they deserve – with love, grace, and heart. [ 3 ] We love the  Star Trek 2.5" Kawaii Cube Plush: Captain Kirk  because it's like carrying the Captain inside our pocket, as a reminder that every day can be a great adventure. Here, Captain Kirk is in a cute, kawaii-style design.

6. "To boldly go where no man has gone before."

Captain Kirk's all pumped up here, inviting us to join in on an amazing adventure with the rest of the Star Trek gang. He's talking about exploring places no one's ever set foot in. Let's treat each adventure with as much enthusiasm as a child going through the motions of his new life and go where no man has ever gone before.

7. "There Is No Such Thing as the Unknown, Only Things Temporarily Hidden."

Captain James Kirk says that what we call the unknown, for now, are only things temporarily hidden. The fear of the unknown is one of the greatest danger to man, but remember that this is only temporary. So, like when you uncover what's behind the curtain in a game of peek-a-boo, life's mysteries eventually reveal themselves when the timing's right.

Kirk's reminding us that even in the cosmic game of hide-and-seek, curiosity's the key to discovering what's behind the greatest danger of our fear of the unknown.

8. "Love Sometimes Expresses Itself in Sacrifice."

In Star Trek II, Metamorphosis, Captain James Kirk says that love isn't just about the mushy stuff in the face of a mysterious entity known as "The Companion." Love is about making sacrifices and hard decisions. [ 4 ] Think about it this way: it's like sharing your last piece of chocolate (even though you really, really want to eat it!) because you care about them and know they'll appreciate it more.

Learn how to watch Star Trek in order here . 

9. "The Prejudices People Feel About Each Other Disappear..."

In Star Trek: The Original Series, Captain James Kirk refused to let judgment and biases cloud his opinion of others. Instead, he believes in getting to know someone else because taking the time to understand each other can create real magic – connections that go beyond the surface and bring people closer together.

There is no such thing as prejudices if we understand one another's motivations.

10. "Sometimes a Feeling Is All We Humans Have to Go On."

In Star Trek: The Original Series, Captain James Kirk here reminds us that it's okay for human beings to listen to first instinct and gut feeling if we have insufficient facts.

Those instincts we humans have are like little stars that guide us towards the highest reality and making difficult decisions.

11. "Intuition, however illogical, Mr. Spock, is recognized as a command prerogative."

In The Final Frontier, Captain James Kirk's having a fun chat with his buddy Mr. Spock here. He's saying that even if your intuition seems strange or illogical, as the Captain, he's got the green light to use it.

It's like having a secret weapon in his command toolkit, and the best part is each individual uses it differently according to their past experiences. If you'd like to listen to Captain Kirk talk all day, check out the  Star Trek Captain Kirk 6" Tall Vinyl Talking Bluetooth Speaker . Apart from speaking iconic William Shatner lines, this Bluetooth speaker pairs easily with our phones to give us the best music whenever we're working out or cooking.

12. "If I can have honesty, it's easier to overlook than mistakes."

Captain James Kirk tells us that he believes in mutual trust - when other people are honest with him, he's more likely to let little mistakes slide.

It's like having an understanding friend willing to give you a pass if you have a word with him about the truth instead of lying about your mistakes and making things more complicated. In both Star Trek and the real world, honesty and mutual trust is always the best policy, and it can go a long way in smoothing out any bumps you may experience on the road.

13. "Conquest is easy. Control is not."

Captain Kirk's words offer a friendly reminder that achieving a conquest might be straightforward, but the real challenge lies in managing and maintaining self-control. True mastery of any craft involves more than the initial win; it's about the ongoing effort to always control and steer things in the right direction.

14. "Hang on tight and survive. Everybody does."

Captain Kirk's giving us a pep talk here – he's saying that when things get tough, hang on tight and keep pushing forward. Challenges are just bumps in the road, and there is no problem we can't overcome without emerging as someone stronger on the other side.

15. "A species that enslaves others is hardly superior - mentally, or otherwise."

Here, Captain James Kirk is saying that being better than others isn't about making yourself superior, but treating everyone with kindness and respect.

Become the hero who stands up for what's right, not someone whose subjects cower in fear. A leader's greatness comes from understanding and valuing his subjects, not from trying to control or dominate.

What was Captain Kirk's motto? Captain Kirk's iconic motto is: "To boldly go where no man has gone before." It captures the spirit of exploration and adventure that defined his character in the Star Trek franchise. What are some Captain Kirk catchphrases? Captain Kirk had some memorable catchphrases, like "Beam me up, Scotty!" when he wanted to return to the starship, and "I'm givin' her all she's got, Captain!" from Scotty, the chief engineer. He's also known for saying "KHAAAN!" during overly dramatic moments. Are there funny Captain Kirk quotes? Yes, there are plenty of funny Captain Kirk quotes, courtesy of his super playful side. One funny quote we always like to quip is, "I'm not a magician, Spock, just an old country doctor." He often adds humor to tense situations to lighten things up. What did Captain Kirk say instead of engage? Instead of saying "engage," Captain Kirk sometimes uses the command "Punch it!" to instruct his crew to go to warp speed. What did Captain Kirk say at the end of each episode? At the end of most Star Trek episodes, Captain Kirk would often give a speech summarizing the lessons learned or the themes explored in the episode. He likes leaving the viewers with these nuggets of wisdom so they have something to ruminate and mull over until the next episode. What were Captain Kirk's last words? In the movie "Star Trek: Generations," Captain Kirk's last words when he faced death were: "It's the least I could do for the Captain of the Enterprise. It was... fun. Oh my."

He lay crushed and bleeding from the mouth as he uttered these words. These famous last words show that Captain James put others' needs before himself and did his duty for the Captain of the Enterprise.

And there you have it! The journey through the best quotable lines from Captain James Kirk himself has taken us to galaxies of great inspiration and insight. Captain James Kirk showed us in each episode that adventure is more than just starships and aliens – this one man explains it's about courage, friendship, and the human spirit reaching for the stars. His wisdom is like a guiding star, lighting our way through the unknown. We carry authentic  Star Trek merchandise  for your ultimate satisfaction. We offer fast and free shipping to all orders within the contiguous United States with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

References :

• https://www.forbes.com/sites/luisromero/2022/11/15/five-reasons-leading-with-respect-is-the-best-option/
• https://ideas.ted.com/3-science-based-strategies-to-increase-your-creativity/
• https://www.helpguide.org/articles/grief/coping-with-grief-and-loss.htm
• https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/in-the-name-love/201009/does-love-involve-sacrifice-or-compromise

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25 Quotes from ‘Star Trek’ Space Philosopher Captain Kirk

There are two types of people in this world — those who love William Shatner as the “Priceline Negotiator,” and those who love him as space philosopher and Adonis Captain James Tiberius Kirk. We tend to side with the latter. No one pauses during a speech like old Jim, commanding his fleet with the wisdom of an ancient sage (when he wasn’t busy wooing space’s female population). Today is Shatner’s 84th birthday, so join us in remembering these philosophical musings from one of pop culture’s greatest characters.

“ Genius doesn’t work on an assembly line basis. . . . You can’t simply say, ‘Today I will be brilliant.'”

“A little suffering is good for the soul .”

“How we deal with death is at least as important as how we deal with life .”

“Conquest is easy. Control is not.”

“Without freedom of choice there is no creativity. The body dies.”

“There are a million things in this universe you can have and there are a million things you can’t have. It’s no fun facing that, but that’s the way things are.”

“Hang on tight and survive . Everybody does.”

“You either believe in yourself or you don’t.”

“You know the greatest danger facing us is ourselves , an irrational fear of the unknown. But there’s no such thing as the unknown — only things temporarily hidden, temporarily not understood.”

“Death. Destruction. Disease. Horror. That’s what war is all about. That’s what makes it a thing to be avoided.”

“We’re human beings with the blood of a million savage years on our hands! But we can stop it . We can admit that we’re killers . . . but we’re not going to kill today. That’s all it takes! Knowing that we’re not going to kill — today!”

“A balance of power — the trickiest, most difficult, dirtiest game of them all, but the only one that preserves both sides.”

“They used to say that if Man was meant to fly , he’d have wings. But he did fly. He discovered he had to.”

“Most legends have their basis in fact.”

“There’s another way to survive — mutual trust and help.”

“The prejudices people feel about each other disappear when they get to know each other.”

“ Intuition , however illogical, Mr. Spock, is recognized as a command prerogative.”

“Sometimes a feeling is all we humans have to go on.”

“Galloping around the cosmos is a game for the young.”

“A captain of a ship, no matter his rank, must follow the book.”

“Most people are afraid of being alone.”

“You go slow, be gentle. It’s no one-way street — you know how you feel and that’s all. It’s how the girl feels, too. Don’t press. If the girl feels anything for you at all, you’ll know.”

“Beauty . . . survives .”

“ Love sometimes expresses itself in sacrifice.”

“If I can have honesty , it’s easier to overlook mistakes.”

• More to Explore
• Series & Movies

Captain Kirk's Wisest Quotes

Some of Captain Kirk's most powerful moments.

Captain Kirk has said some amazing things over his career. Here are some of the most powerful and inspirational statements he's made.

Stay tuned to StarTrek.com for more details! And be sure to follow @StarTrek on Facebook , Twitter , and Instagram .

Captain Kirk Quotes

You know the greatest danger facing us is ourselves, an irrational fear of the unknown. But there’s no such thing as the unknown – only things temporarily hidden, temporarily not understood.

– Capt. James T. Kirk

Mirror Spock: One man cannot summon the future. Capt. James T. Kirk: But one man can change the present.

We’re human beings with the blood of a million savage years on our hands! But we can stop it. We can admit that we’re killers…but we’re not going to kill today. That’s all it takes! Knowing that we’re not going to kill – today!

Our species can only survive if we have obstacles to overcome. You remove those obstacles. Without them to strengthen us, we will weaken and die.

A balance of power, the trickiest, most difficult, dirtiest game of them all. But the only one that preserves both sides.

Sometimes a feeling is all we humans have to go on.

There are a million things in this universe you can have and there are a million things you can’t have. It’s no fun facing that, but that’s the way things are.

Hang on tight and survive. Everybody does.

Death. Destruction. Disease. Horror. That’s what war is all about. That’s what makes it a thing to be avoided.

Beauty…survives.

We prefer to help ourselves. We make mistakes, but we’re human – and maybe that’s the word that best explains us.

Without freedom of choice there is no creativity.

Maybe we weren’t meant for paradise. Maybe we were meant to fight our way through, struggle, claw our way up, scratch for every inch of the way.

The prejudices people feel about each other disappear when they get to know each other.

Genius doesn’t work on an assembly line basis. You can’t simply say, ‘Today I will be brilliant.’

They used to say that if Man was meant to fly, he’d have wings. But he did fly. He discovered he had to.

We are the Borg. Lower your shields and surrender your ships. We will add your biological and technological distinctiveness to our own. Your culture will adapt to service us. Resistance is futile.

– The Borg

Love sometimes expresses itself in sacrifice.

Capt. James T. Kirk: You’d make a splendid computer, Mr. Spock. Spock: [taken aback] That is very kind of you, Captain!

I haven’t faced death. I’ve cheated death. I’ve tricked my way out of death and patted myself on the back for my ingenuity; I know nothing.

– Admiral James T. Kirk

What does God need with a starship?

There’s another way to survive – mutual trust and help.

You either believe in yourself or you don’t.

I don’t believe in the no-win scenario.

Capt. James T. Kirk: We’re a most promising species, Mr. Spock, as predators go. Did you know that? Capt. James T. Kirk: I don’t. Not any more. And maybe in a thousand years or so, we’ll be able to prove it.

How we deal with death is at least as important as how we deal with life.

If I can have honesty, it’s easier to overlook mistakes.

I have to take him back inside myself. I can’t survive without him. I don’t want to take him back. He’s like an animal. a thoughtless, brutal animal. And yet it’s me. Me!

We humans are full of unpredictable emotions that logic cannot solve.

Worlds may change, galaxies disintegrate – but a woman is always a woman.

Star Trek’s Best Captain Catchphrases

By Ryan Britt

Each Star Trek captain had a distinct identity, perhaps best illustrated by their choice of catchphrase to illustrate their personality.

The OG Captain Kirk was known for his command, “Execute!” In Star Trek V: The Final Frontier , he uses the decisive phrase twice .

Slightly less cool was Edward Jellico, captain of the USS Enterprise-D, who liked to tell Riker and Troi to “Get it done!”

An inexplicable standing ovation resulted when Kirk uttered his less-used “Take us out!” among reporters in Star Trek Generations .

Generations also found Captain Picard using a phrase he wasn’t usually known for: “Just do it!”

Captain Lorca kept it simple in Star Trek: Discovery . When he wanted to activate the spore drive, he commanded, “Go!”

Star Wars may have originated the phrase “Punch it!” but in the 2009 Star Trek reboot movie, Captain Pike used the command twice.

Anson Mount’s Captain Pike prefers “Hit it!” which is likely to be heard again in Strange New Worlds in 2021 or 2022.

Captain Freeman of the animated Star Trek: Lower Decks experiments with catchphrases, including “It’s warp time!” and “Warp me!”

Captain Janeway of Star Trek: Voyager said “Do it!” in a forceful way that almost commanded immediate compliance.

Michael Burnham debuted her Starfleet captain catchphrase recently on Star Trek: Discovery , commanding, “Let’s fly!”

Captain Jean-Luc Picard corners the market on catchphrases with his Star Trek: The Next Generation usage of “Make it so!”

This utterance is second only to Picard’s other well-known command, perhaps Star Trek ’s greatest catchphrase: “Engage!”

READ MORE:  Star Trek: Strange New Worlds and Optimistic Science Fiction

READ MORE:   Star Trek: Strange New Worlds and Optimistic Science Fiction

READ MORE: Star Trek: Picard ’s Possible Discovery Crossover

Star Trek: The Original Series

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Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country

Captain James T. Kirk: Captain's log, stardate 9522.6: I've never trusted Klingons, and I never will. I could never forgive them for the death of my boy. It seems to me our mission to escort the Chancellor of the Klingon High Council to a peace summit is problematic at best. Spock says this could be an historic occasion, and I'd like to believe him, but how on earth can history get past people like me?

Captain James T. Kirk: They're animals.

Captain Spock: Jim, there is an historic opportunity here.

Captain James T. Kirk: Don't believe them. Don't trust them.

Captain Spock: They're dying.

Captain James T. Kirk: Let them die!

Captain James T. Kirk: Has it occured to you that this crew is due to stand down in three months? We've done our bit for king and country! You should have trusted me.

Captain James T. Kirk: Bones, are you afraid of the future?

Commander Leonard 'Bones' McCoy, M.D.: I believe that was the general idea that I was trying to convey.

Captain James T. Kirk: I don't mean this future.

Commander Leonard 'Bones' McCoy, M.D.: What is this, multiple choice?

General Chang: We need breathing room.

Captain James T. Kirk: Earth, Hitler, 1938.

Captain Spock: Logic, logic, logic. Logic is the beginning of wisdom, Valeris, not the end.

Captain Spock: What you want is irrelevant, what you have chosen is at hand.

Captain Spock: What we require now is a feat of linguistic legerdemain and a degree of intrepidity.

Chancellor Gorkon: You don't trust me, do you? I don't blame you. If there is to be a brave new world, our generation is going to have the hardest time living in it.

Captain Spock: There is the old Vulcan proverb: only Nixon could go to China.

Captain Spock: If I were human I believe my response would be "go to hell."... If I were human.

Captain Spock: Mr. Scott, I understand you are experiencing difficulties with the warp drive?

Captain Montgomery 'Scotty' Scott: There's nothing wrong with the bloody...

Captain Spock: Mr. Scott, if the Enterprise responds to hails and returns to Starbase, there is a good chance that we will never see Captain Kirk or Doctor McCoy alive again.

Captain Montgomery 'Scotty' Scott: Could take weeks, sir...

General Chang: I can see you Kirk. Can you see me?

Captain James T. Kirk: Chang.

General Chang: Oh, now be honest, Captain. Warrior to warrior. You do prefer it this way, don't you, as it was meant to be. No peace in our time. "Once more unto the breach, dear friends."

General Chang: "I am constant as the northern star..."

Commander Leonard 'Bones' McCoy, M.D.: I'd give real money if he'd shut up.

Captain James T. Kirk: Captain's log, stardate 9529.1. This is the final cruise of the starship Enterprise under my command. This ship and her history will shortly become the care of another crew. To them and their posterity will we commit our future. They will continue the voyages we have begun and journey to all the undiscovered countries, boldly going where no man... where no one has gone before.

Commander Pavel Chekov: Course heading, Captain?

Captain James T. Kirk: Second star to the right and straight on 'til morning.

Commander Leonard 'Bones' McCoy, M.D.: What IS it with you, anyway?

Captain James T. Kirk: Names, Lieutenant.

Lieutenant Valeris: I do not remember.

Captain Spock: A lie?

Lieutenant Valeris: A choice.

Captain James T. Kirk: Captain's Log, stardate 9529.1. This is the final cruise of the Starship Enterprise under my command. This ship and her history will shortly become the care of a new generation. To them and their posterity will we commit our future. They will continue the voyages we have begun, and journey to all the undiscovered countries, boldly going where no man... where no *one* has gone before.

Brigadier Kerla: This is Brigadier Kerla speaking for the High Command. There has been an incident on Praxis. However, everything is under control, we have no need for assistance. Obey treaty stipulations and remain outside the Neutral Zone. This transmission ends now.

Captain Hikaru Sulu: An "incident"?

Commander Janice Rand: Do we report this, sir?

Captain Hikaru Sulu: Are you kidding?

Ambassador Nanclus: Mr. President, they are vulnerable... there will never be a better time.

Colonel West: Quite frankly, Mr. President, we can clean their chronometers.

Captain James T. Kirk: You're a great one for logic. I'm a great one for rushing in where angels fear to tread. We are both extremists. Reality has brought us somewhere in-between.

Kirk: Spock, you want to know something?, Everybody's Human.

Captain Spock: I find that remark... insulting.

Captain Spock: The lieutenant was the first Vulcan to be graduated at the top of her class.

Captain James T. Kirk: You must be very proud.

Lieutenant Valeris: I don't believe so.

Commander Leonard 'Bones' McCoy, M.D.: She's a Vulcan all right.

Captain Montgomery 'Scotty' Scott: ...then we're dead.

Captain Spock: I've been dead before.

Commander Pavel Andreievich Chekov: Guess who's coming to dinner.

General Chang: Indeed. The record shows that Captain Kirk once held the rank of Admiral. And that Admiral Kirk was broken for taking matters into his own hands in defiance of regulations of the law. Do you deny being demoted for these charges? DON'T WAIT FOR THE TRANSLATION. Answer me now.

Martia: They'll respect you now.

Kirk: That's a comfort. I was lucky that thing had knees.

Martia: That was not his knee.

Martia: Not everyone keeps their genitals in the same place, Captain.

General Chang: Cry havoc, and let slip the Dogs of War.

Captain Kirk: Note to Galley; Romulan Ale no longer to be served at diplomatic functions.

Captain Kirk: Checkov you know anything about a radiation surge?

Commander Pavel Chekov: Only the size of my head

Captain Kirk: I know what you mean

Chancellor Gorkon: Well... I see we have a long way to go.

General Chang: To be... or not to be?

Admiral Cartwright: I don't know whether to congratulate you or not, Jim.

Federation President: Let us redefine progress to mean that just because we can do a thing, it does not necessarily mean we must do that thing.

General Chang: "Tickle us, do we not laugh? Prick us, do we not bleed? Wrong us, shall we not revenge?"

Chief in Command Smillie: Sir, those men have literally saved this planet.

Federation President: Yes Bill, I know. And now they're going to save it again... by standing trial.

Kirk: I'm going to sleep this off. Please let me know if there's some other way we can screw up tonight.

Captain Spock: Doctor, would you care to assist me in performing surgery on a photon torpedo?

Commander Leonard 'Bones' McCoy, M.D.: Fascinating!

Cmdr. Nyota Uhura: You are Crewman Dax?

Crewman Dax: Yes Commander. What is the problem?

Commander Pavel Chekov: Perhaps you have heard Russian epic of Cinderella? If shoe fits, wear it!

Captain Spock: Mr. Chekov...

Captain Hikaru Sulu: In range?

Helmsman Lojur: Not yet sir.

Captain Hikaru Sulu: Come on, come on.

Helmsman Lojur: She'll fly apart!

Captain Hikaru Sulu: *Fly her apart then!*

Commander Leonard 'Bones' McCoy, M.D.: I'm gonna find myself a black pot of coffee

General Chang: Ahh... parting is such sweet sorrow. Don't we hear the chimes at midnight?

Captain Montgomery 'Scotty' Scott: That Klingon b*tch killed her father.

Uhuru: You understand, we have lost all contact with the Captain and Dr. McCoy.

Captain Spock: Yes, at the moment, they are surrounded by a magnetic shield. However, if I know the Captain, by this time, he is deep into planning his escape.

Chancellor Gorkon: You have not experienced Shakespeare until you have read him in the original Klingon.

Commander Leonard 'Bones' McCoy, M.D.: Why, that cunning little Vulcan!

Captain James T. Kirk: People think the future means the end of history, well, we haven't run out of history just yet.

Chancellor Gorkon: You haven't heard Shakespeare until you've heard it in the original Klingon.

General Chang: "taH pagh, taH be?"

Kirk: What are we all doing here?

McCoy: Maybe they're throwing us a retirement party.

Scotty: That suits me. I just bought a boat.

Scotty: This had better be good. I'm supposed to be chairing a seminar at the Academy.

Chekov: Captain, isn't this just for top brass?

McCoy: If we're all here, where's Sulu?

Kirk: *Captain* Sulu, on assignment. Where's Spock?

Admiral Cartwright: Arrest those men!

McCoy: Arrest yourself.

Spock: Good morning. Two months ago, a Federation starship monitored an explosion on the Klingon moon, Praxis. We believed it was caused by overmining and insufficient safety precautions. The moon's decimation means a deadly pollution of their ozone. They will have depleted their supply of oxygen in approximately 50 Earth-years. Due to their enormous military budget, the Klingon economy does not have the resources with which to combat this catastrophe. Last month, at the behest of the Vulcan ambassador, I opened a dialogue with Gorkon, Chancellor of the Klingon High Council. He proposes to commence negotiations at once.

Admiral Cartwright: Negotiations for what?

Spock: The dismantling of our space stations and starbases along the Neutral Zone, an end to almost 70 years of unremitting hostility which the Klingons can no longer afford.

Chancellor Gorkon: I offer a toast. The undiscovered country...the future.

Everyone: The undiscovered country.

Spock: Hamlet, Act 3, Scene 1.

Gorkon: You have not experienced Shakespeare until you have read him in the original Klingon.

Chang: taH pagh taHbe' [Klingons laugh] "To be or not to be?" That is the question which preoccupies our people, Captain Kirk. We need breathing room.

James Kirk: Earth. Hitler, 1938.

Chang: I beg your pardon? [pause]

Gorkon: Well...I see we have a long way to go.

Chang: [over the Enterprise public address speakers] I am constant as the Northern Star...

Leonard McCoy: [to Spock, while fixing a photon torpedo to track down Chang's warship] I'd give real money if he'd shut up.

[The Enterprise and Excelsior crews have just averted the assassination of the Federation president]

Azetbur: What's happened? What's the meaning of all of this?

James T. Kirk: It's about the future, Madame Chancellor. Some people think the future means the end of history. Well...We haven't run out of history quite yet. Your father called the future...the undiscovered country. People can be very frightened of change.

Azetbur: You've restored my father's faith.

Kirk: And you've restored my son's.

[The Enterprise crew see Sulu and the Excelsior bridge crew]

James T. Kirk: Captain Sulu! As much to the crew of the Enterprise, I owe you my thanks.

Capt. Hikaru Sulu: Nice to see you in action for one more time, Captain Kirk. Take care. [Excelsior leaves]

Commander Leonard McCoy: By God, that's a big ship.

Montgomery Scott: Not so big as her captain, I think.

Commander Pavel Chekov: So, this is goodbye.

Kirk: I think its about time we got underway ourselves. [sits on captain's chair]

Commander Nyota Uhura: Captain, I have orders from Starfleet Command. We're to put back to Spacedock immediately...to be decommissioned. [long pause as Kirk contemplates the order]

Spock: If I were human, I believe my response would be...go to Hell. [Kirk looks at Spock] If I were human.

Chekov: Course heading, Captain?

Kirk: Second star to the right... and straight on till morning.

Kirk: Where’s my damn torpedo?

McCoy: She’s ready Jim! Lock and load!

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Star Trek (2009) quotes

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15 best star trek movie quotes.

The 13 Star Trek movies offer an out of this world wealth of memorable lines and phrases. Here's 15 of the best Star Trek movie quotes.

• "Out there... thataway": Kirk's final line in Star Trek: The Motion Picture hints at future voyages.
• "Space is disease and danger wrapped in darkness and silence": McCoy's line in Star Trek (2009) reveals his views on space.
• "The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few": Spock's quote in Star Trek II and Star Trek Into Darkness reflects a key theme in the franchise.

The Star Trek movies are endlessly quotable, with many famous words, passages, and phrases working their way into regular use. With thirteen entertaining and varied movies to select from, we're looking at fifteen of the best quotations - the most meaningful, significant, and recognized. From funny to sentimental, tragic to terrifying, witty to wily to wise, there's a wealth of delectable dialogue from a range of unique and extraordinary characters. From the first Star Trek movie in 1979 to the most recent in 2016 , there have been many adventures, pitfalls, triumphs, friendships, foes, and memorable mumbles. Let's look at 15 of the best.

Several honorable mentions that also deserve praise include " What you had to do. What you always do: turn death into a fighting chance to live ," Star Trek IV ( McCoy, DeForest Kelley), " I am not pleading for my life. I am pleading for yours, " Star Trek: Insurrection (Picard, Patrick Stewart), " Like you always say, if something's important, you make time," Star Trek: Generations (Scotty, James Doohan), and " Please Captain, not in front of the Klingons, " Star Trek: The Final Frontier ( Spock, Leonard Nimoy). Each line invokes a sense of memory and meaning, adding to Star Treks rich tapesty. Without further ado, here are the 15 best Star Trek movie quotes .

10 Star Trek Quotes That Are Hilarious Out-Of-Context

15 "out there... thataway.", admiral james t. kirk - star trek: the motion picture.

Star Trek: The Motion Picture is the first of the franchise's many movies, reuniting the iconic Original Series cast . James T. Kirk (William Shatner), now promoted to Admiral, takes temporary command of the USS Enterprise to investigate the mysterious and powerful V'Ger. Stylish, artistic, and visually magnificent, The Motion Picture teams outward interstellar exploration with inward, emotional development, pairing linear travel with relational distance. Kirk's final line in the movie, delivered with warmth and fulfillment alongside an aimless gesture towards space, is a nostalgic nod to past adventures and hints at voyages yet to come. It's the suggestion that, with those we love, we can take on the universe .

14 "Well, a double dumbass on you!"

Admiral james t. kirk - star trek iv: the voyage home.

Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home ( the one with the whales ) pairs many warm comedy moments with adventure, action, and an exciting, dramatic pace. With the Enterprise destroyed, the Star Trek crew travels back in time with a Klingon ship to alleviate issues caused by an alien probe attempting to communicate with Earth. In 1986 San Francisco, Kirk and his friends must adapt to 20th-century technology and avoid drawing attention. Almost immediately, a car nearly runs the Admiral over, and Kirk fires this hilarious insult straight back at the driver . He explains to the others that the past's language was more colorful, leading to an increasingly (however mild) foul-mouthed Spock in an awkward attempt to blend.

Among others, particularly notable quotes from this movie include: " Everybody remember where we parked, " " I'm from Iowa, I only work in outer space ," and Chekov's (Walter Koenig) " nuclear wessels ."

13 "Space is disease and danger wrapped in darkness and silence."

Dr. leonard mccoy - star trek (2009), star trek (2009).

This solid introduction for the character of Dr. Leonard McCoy (Karl Urban) in J.J. Abram's Kelvin-verse Star Trek (2009) effortlessly presents the complexities of the beloved irascible medic alongside the impressive acting chops of DeForest Kelley's McCoy successor. Urban's experience in this scene is impressively understated - simultaneously dismissive, cantankerous, vulnerable, and friendly, it's a strong performance for the actor and character alike. Here, the audience glimpses McCoy's motivation and weaknesses while setting up a nickname and a life-long friend. After McCoy is removed from the Academy shuttle's tiny stall with no windows, he sits next to James T. Kirk (Chris Pine) and promptly explains that *space is bad*.

12 "KHAAANNNN!"

Admiral james t. kirk - star trek ii: the wrath of khan & spock - star trek into darkness.

The foreboding return of Khan Noonien-Singh (Ricardo Montalban) in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan led to some of the darkest moments in the franchise's movie history . Having experienced hardship and a destroyed ecosystem since the neighboring planet Ceti Alpha VI exploded, a vengeful Khan blames Kirk for the death of his wife. Later, believing Kirk is stranded on Regula I, Khan torments Kirk with threats of abandoning him on the empty planet. Kirk's frustrated shout is mirrored in Star Trek Into Darkness , when upon witnessing Kirk's death, Spock yells out Khan's name, no longer in control of his emotions.

Wrath of Khan Director Slams J.J. Abrams' Star Trek Into Darkness Remake

11 "to absent friends.", admiral james t. kirk - star trek iii: the search for spock & kirk - star trek beyond & picard - star trek: nemesis.

Among the most bittersweet of Star Trek 's best lines , " To absent friends " first appeared in Star Trek III: The Search For Spock following the death of Captain Spock (Leonard Nimoy) in the franchise's previous movie. A grieving Admiral Kirk toasts Spock's memory, also feeling the absence of Doctor Leonard McCoy (DeForest Kelley). A similar toast in Star Trek Beyond by Captain James T. Kirk (Chris Pine) initially referenced the sad loss of Leonard Nimoy. With the tragic death of Anton Yelchin, the line became even more poignant. In Star Trek: Nemesis , Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) toasts Data (Brent Spiner) following the heroic sacrifice that saved the Captain's life.

10 "If I were human, I believe my response would be, 'Go to Hell.' If I were human."

Spock - star trek vi: the undiscovered country.

Star Trek: The Undiscovered Country is a tale of hurt, discrimination, betrayal, and forgiveness. Two months after an incident on the Klingon moon Praxis, the Klingons formally request Federation aid. But the path to lasting peace is uncertain, with personal grudges and agendas muddying the prospect. Also notable as The Original Series ' final movie (despite overlap in Star Trek Generations ), the final scene sees orders to return to Earth for decommissioning. After an emotional pause, Spock voices his opinion of those orders. It's all over with the knowledge that " everything ends " set against the camaraderie, the success of their critical mission, and the many remembered missions that went before .

This is the final cruise of the Starship Enterprise under my command. This ship and her history will shortly become the care of another crew. To them and their posterity will we commit our future. They will continue the voyages we have begun and journey to all the undiscovered countries, boldly going where no man, where no one, has gone before.

9 "My crew is my family, Kirk. Is there anything you would not do for your family?"

Khan - star trek into darkness, star trek into darkness.

Star Trek Into Darkness introduces the Kelvin-universe Khan Noonien-Singh (Benedict Cumberbatch). Fleeing to the Klingon homeworld after a deliberate attack on Starfleet's Kelvin Memorial Archive ( a secret Section 31 facility ), Khan surrenders to Kirk upon learning about the 72 advanced torpedoes in his possession and is brought to the Enterprise's brig. Questioned about his actions, Khan tells Kirk to open one of the torpedoes. Used by Admiral Marcus (Peter Weller) for nefarious purposes, Khan had concealed 72 of his augment siblings inside the torpedo tubes and initiated a campaign against Section 31. Seeing a similar loyalty in Kirk, Khan pointedly drives home the message of 'because family' .

8 "Don't let them promote you. Don't let them transfer you. Don't let them do anything that takes you off the bridge of that ship, because while you're there... you can make a difference."

Captain james t. kirk - star trek generations.

Star Trek Generations is notable as the movie that saw the on-screen meeting of the franchise's two most iconic captains and also as Kirk's last hurrah. Caught in the Nexus through a hull breach while modifying a deflector during the Enterprise-B's maiden voyage, Kirk is assumed killed. Seventy-eight years later, Picard seeks Kirk's help to stop Dr. Tolian Soran (Malcolm McDowell) and save the Veridian system. During their ensemble, Kirk reflects on his career and, realizing the limits and discomfort of his admiralty position, advises Picard to maintain a command role . Their mission is ultimately successful, but Kirk loses his life when a bridge collapses on top of him.

Star Trek Generations Had 1 Final Kirk Milestone Besides His Death

7 "we will find hope in the impossible.", spock - star trek beyond.

When the Enterprise is ambushed and destroyed by aggressive hive ships during a rescue mission to Altamid in Star Trek Beyond , the crew is stranded on the planet or rounded up and taken captive. With Captain Kirk and Commander Spock separately struggling with private doubts over their respective roles in Starfleet, they are drawn together with their friends to rescue the crew and overcome Krall (Idris Elba) and his " bees." When Kirk questions how they will resolve the situation, an injured Spock responds, " We will find hope in the impossible," s uccinctly summarizing the franchise's warmest foundation .

6 "The line must be drawn here! This far, no further! And I will make them pay for what they have done."

Captain jean-luc picard - star trek: first contact.

Star Trek: First Contact sees Captain Jean-Luc Picard and the crew of the Enterprise-E traveling back in time to prevent the Borg from changing Earth's future. Six years on, Picard is still haunted by his assimilation into the Borg's Collective and frustrated by the Federation's " too many compromises [...] too many retreats. " In a private but destructive moment with Lily Sloane (Alfre Woodard), Picard refuses to sacrifice the USS Enterprise-E for their cause and draws a metaphorical line in the sand . It's a decisive, rageful juncture that aligns history with the future and counters past victimhood with individuality, fortitude, and moral courage.

5 "In his quest to be more like us, he helped show us what it means to be human."

Captain jean-luc picard - star trek: nemesis.

In Star Trek: Nemesis , Data saves Captain Jean-Luc Picard and sacrifices himself to destroy the Romulan and Reman threat. Speaking later with B-4 (Brent Spiner) , an earlier android prototype found on Kolarus III, Picard explains that he " wanted you to know what kind of man he was." This best-quote entry alludes to the profound emotional impact Data had on the lives of the Enterprise-D/E crew and the weighty absence his loss would create. It's a meaningful and fitting tribute. For an android whose greatest dream was to become more human, Picard's warm words credit Data as humanity's example.

But his wonder, his curiosity about every facet of human nature allowed all of us to see the best parts of ourselves. He evolved; he embraced change, because he always wanted to be better than he was.

4 "I don't believe in a no-win scenario."

Admiral/captain james t. kirk - star trek ii: the wrath of khan & star trek (2009).

The only Starfleet cadet to ever beat the infamous Kobayashi Maru training simulation , designed as a no-win scenario to test the skill and nerve of command track cadets in critical conditions, Kirk received a commendation for Original Thinking. Asked about his solution to the test on Regulus I in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan , Kirk explains that he doesn't believe in no-win scenarios. Also, explaining that " I don't like to lose, " Kirk sets up a tragic context for the terrible loss he later faces. In Star Trek (2009), Kirk's Kelvin-universe counterpart employs a similar solution, reprogramming the simulation's coding to allow for a successful outcome .

Can You Beat Star Trek's Kobayashi Maru Test? [Flowchart]

3 "better to die saving lives than to live with taking them. that's what i was born into.", captain james t. kirk - star trek beyond, star trek beyond.

In Star Trek Beyond , Chris Pine's Captain James T. Kirk comes full circle, having made some semblance of peace with his late father's memory and sacrifice and succeeded him in age and rank. In the movie's showdown with Krall, aka Balthazar Edison (Idris Elba) , Kirk refutes Krall's " Peace... is not what I was born into ," with a self-awareness and acceptance that completes the three-movie familial arc, develops Kirk's character growth, and amplifies Starfleet's core values . It's a powerful line, skillfully delivered with an understanding of the multi-layered levels of its meaning.

2 "The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few."

Spock - star trek ii: the wrath of khan & star trek into darkness.

Initiating a running theme in Star Trek 's second and third movies, Spock's " Logic clearly dictates that the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few " is punctuated with Kirk's, " or the one," and pays off as deeply meaningful in Spock's pivotal and distressing death scene in Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan (and later resurrection in ST3). The quote originates from Charles Dickens' A Tale of Two Cities, a birthday present to Kirk from Spock at the film's beginning. Spock in Star Trek Into Darkness repeats the line, believing he will perish in Nibiru's volcano. Significantly, the sentiment meaningfully channels Star Trek 's three respected words: " Let me help."

1 "I have been and always shall be your friend."

Spock - star trek ii: the wrath of khan & star trek (2009).

Perhaps the most tragic moment in the Star Trek movies comes at the end of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan with the death of Captain Spock. Sacrificing himself to restore the warp drive and save the crew, Spock is subjected to a lethal level of radiation and sadly perishes after a heartwrenching goodbye. Spock tells Kirk not to grieve and that his choice is logical, adding this meaningful tribute to their long friendship. In Star Trek (2009) , when (Prime) Spock encounters the young James T. Kirk in the Kelvin universe, he explains that he knows the cadet's identity as they had always been friends.

'Star Trek: Discovery' Season 5's Captain Rayner Ran His Ship Like a Pirate

Callum Keith Rennie also discusses coming into 'Discovery's final season, getting into prosthetics, and how much he has in common with Rayner.

The Big Picture

• Callum Keith Rennie's Captain Rayner brings conflict and depth to Star Trek: Discovery 's final season.
• Rennie discusses his experience on Star Trek: Discovery , praising the supportive cast and crew, despite the initial challenges of joining an established series for its last season.
• In Season 5, Episode 4 "Face the Strange," Burnham and Rayner must work together within a time bubble to save the universe.

As Captain Michael Burnham ( Sonequa Martin-Green ) embarks on one last adventure with her crew, Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 is bringing a few new characters along for the ride. Chief among those newcomers is the blunt, war-worn Captain Rayner. Played by Battlestar Galactica alum Callum Keith Rennie , Rayner is Burnham's new second in command on the Discovery , taking over after Saru ( Doug Jones ) took a different position at Starfleet.

Having lived through The Burn, Rayner doesn't have time for niceties and butts heads with Burnham almost immediately — so naturally, she takes it upon herself to give him a second chance when Starfleet is ready to cut him loose. Last week's episode saw him, rightfully, put in his place a bit as Tilly ( Mary Wiseman ) attempted to help him connect with the crew, much to his chagrin. In Season 5 Episode 4, "Face the Strange," Rayner and Burnham are thrown into a time bubble, forcing them to work together if they ever want to get back to the correct timeline and prevent the universe from being destroyed.

Ahead of the episode, I sat down with Rennie to dig into Rayner's backstory, what we can expect from him in the rest of the season, and what it will take for Rayner to truly connect with the crew of Discovery . During our conversation, we also discussed Rennie's history with sci-fi, what it was like joining Discovery for the show's final season, and what he's taking away from the whole experience.

Star Trek: Discovery

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Taking place almost a decade before Captain Kirk's Enterprise, the USS Discovery charts a course to uncover new worlds and life forms.

Rennie is no stranger to science fiction, having had roles in such series as The Umbrella Academy , Jessica Jones, and Battlestar Galactica. As Battlestar Galactica was the series that turned me into a sci-fi fan, and perhaps Rennie's most recognizable role, I had to ask him about being a part of such massive and beloved franchises within the genre. "It's amazing," he said. For Rennie, even though Battlestar was also a reboot of a classic series , the show's success was a lot less predictable than the mainstay that is Star Trek . He explained, "Like, say Battlestar , when I started on that I had no idea where that one was gonna go. Discovery was already very established , but I actually didn't let any of that into my [head], because I went, “That's not gonna help.” So, I didn’t. Now, I'm feeling the world of it. Now, I'm sensing what the world of Discovery is and how many people love it, and how it fits. "

Discovery also isn't his first experience with Star Trek , "I watched the original. That was my thing, and that was it," Rennie told me. While he may have missed some of the series' in between, saying, "There's big chunks of time where I just didn't watch a lot of TV, so I missed all of the other stuff," he'll always make time for The Original Series when he comes across it, "even if the old Star Trek comes on, I'll still watch it because that was my Star Trek . Jim Kirk, and all of that. "

While we've gotten a pretty good sense of who Rayner is in these first four episodes, most of his backstory remains a mystery. Rennie revealed that "some backstory comes up in a few episodes." Part of his gruff exterior will be explained as we'll "get a sense of why he's maybe got a chip on his shoulder and has some unprocessed resentments about a bunch of things that maybe have played out in his work in a negative way."

Rennie Calls 'Star Trek: Discovery's Latest Episode "Amazing"

"Face the Strange," is such a classic Star Trek episode, employing the ever-entertaining sci-fi trope of sticking our main characters in a time loop, both to put an obstacle in their path as well as to bring them face to face with some of their own demons. For Rennie, the episode really put the science in science fiction. "It was like, 'Whoa! What's happening? I don't get it.' There's just so much science stuff and talk, so much jumping about to places and history and stuff." But he had high praise for his fellow castmates as well as the crew behind the camera." Lee [Rose] being the director, you're in great hands. Being in scenes with Sonequa, you know that you're gonna be in it , and it was great. I watched it again last night, and there’s just an amazing amount of stuff in there. It was just an amazing episode. "

In this episode, Burnham and Rayner are tossed back in time to the first season of Discovery , bringing them both face to face with the version of Burnham who's fresh off her own demotion in Starfleet . Throughout the episode, it becomes quite clear that Burnham and Rayner have a lot more in common than either of them might have realized. When asked if this experience might put them more on equal footing, Rennie confirmed that "he's learned an understanding of the crew." He went on to point out that we haven't seen the relationship that Rayner had with his own crew.

He explained: "We're not on the Antares talking about his crew, which I think is an important part that we missed, where you go, 'How did I see my people on my particular ship? And how well did I know them?' No one's asking me how well I knew everybody because I did, but if I've only been there a brief time, you're only gonna have facts." He admits that it is important for Rayner to connect past the surface level. "Through that particular episode, you learn and go, 'Yes, it is good to know what people are up to and where they're from,' because in that particular instance, it saved us. So, I learned a thing, and I give a, 'Yes. Got it. Thank you.'"

Rayner Will Have to Shorten the Distance Between Himself and the Discovery Crew

While it doesn't sound like we'll be getting any flashbacks to Rayner's time on the Antares Rennie believes that he'd spent a similar amount of time with that crew as Michael has with hers. "We didn't get to inhabit that, I get to make it up in my own mind," he said. "But for me, it was more like a pirate ship that I had. " While Rayner comes off as the more stubborn, stick-to-the-mission Captain between him and Burnham, Rennie doesn't think he was quite so strict on his own ship. He said:

"That's the way I perceived it. It wasn't some rigid, completely stoic, boss fest, but a little bit of a wild card ship. We're gonna go into things that nobody else wants to go into, or knows how to deal with, but we would. "

While the walls around Rayner are still pretty high, Rennie explained that we will see him "shorten the distance" he's put between himself and the crew of the Discovery. "There's a great bit, there's an episode where Burnham leaves me again to take control of the ship. There's an interaction with everybody in a certain way because they don't like me yet. [Laughs] And I need some help a little bit, but I've created a distance, and I have to shorten that distance between everybody." He went on to say there are plenty of "fun dynamics" to look forward to and Rayner's insistence on keeping everyone at arm's length will likely come back to bite him.

Star Trek has quite a long list of original alien species created for the franchise, and Rayner just happens to be a Kellerun, a race that hasn't been seen since Deep Space Nine . In classic Trek fashion, Kelleruns appear mostly human with the most visible difference being the shape of the ears. As he follows in the footsteps of the likes of Leonard Nimoy and any actor who has ever played a Vulcan or a Romulan, I asked Rennie about getting into prosthetics for the role. "Those guys are great. Rocky [Faulkner] was great, Nicola [Bendrey] was great." While it was certainly an extra step the process was brief enough that it didn't bother him to come to set a bit earlier than usual. "That was probably an hour, and I really didn't think about that enough to go, 'Oh, that's right. I have to get up earlier.' But I think we got it down to an hour and a bit for just the ears because there’s a lot of stuff on them."

Despite the agonizing wait of sitting in front of a mirror for an hour, Rennie noted that Faulkner and Bendrey made the make-up experience as fun as it could possibly have been. He said: "I don't love just sitting there looking at myself for an hour, but there's music and great company and coffee, and it became a really sweet part of the day, and then another sweet part of the day where I download. " It wasn't his first time getting into prosthetics, but his previous experience had been brief. After playing Rayner across an entire season, Rennie admitted by the end, removing the glue actually started to feel like you'd expect pulling costume glue off your ears to feel. "There was a point near the end where the glue-on, glue-off became quite painful for a while."

The Support of the Cast and the Fans Are Highlights of Rennie's 'Star Trek' Experience

While this is Rennie's first season on the show, it's the final bow for Star Trek: Discovery . When asked what he'd be taking away from this experience, he had nothing but high praise for the cast and crew. As a newcomer on a well-established show, jumping into the fifth season had a bit of a learning curve. "I found that coming into the show was difficult for me because it was unlike a show that I'd been on before. It was already very well established." He went on to say:

"I pat myself on the back because I made it through, and there was this wonderful group energy that helped me do that. The good naturedness of the show was something that I maybe haven't worked on. There was a wholehearted goodness about it, which was quite nice, which overlapped into how people treated each other and mutual respect. Also, I kind of blocked out all Star Treks in my mind, so I'm there not thinking of Star Trek history. I'm just doing scene-to-scene and working on this stuff, and then it finishes, and then I forget that there's an incredible vast following of the show that somehow you are now part of it like that. All of that, this is all relatively new to me."

As a new addition to an already established group, I pointed out that it seemed as though Rennie's experience mirrored that of his characters, and he agreed. "I'm excited for people to see the season. And then, coming into it playing, “I don't want to be liked. It doesn't matter if I'm liked. I'm there to do my job, like Rayner, and I'm doing it. And then there's the after-effect of an incredible fan base that seems to be very supportive ."

You can watch our full conversation in the player above, and catch the latest episode of Star Trek: Discovery now on Paramount+.

'Star Trek: Discovery' Season 5 Review: One Hell of a Final Ride

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• Spock Prime : James T. Kirk!
• James T. Kirk : Excuse me?
• Spock Prime : How did you find me?
• James T. Kirk : Whoa... how do you know my name?
• Spock Prime : I have been and always shall be your friend.
• James T. Kirk : Wha...
• [ shakes head ]
• James T. Kirk : Uh... look... I-I don't know you.
• Spock Prime : I am Spock.
• James T. Kirk : Bullshit.
• Leonard 'Bones' McCoy : Are you actually suggesting they're from the future?
• Spock : If you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.
• Leonard 'Bones' McCoy : How poetic.
• Leonard 'Bones' McCoy : Permission to speak freely, sir?
• Spock : I welcome it.
• Leonard 'Bones' McCoy : Do you? OK, then. Are you out of your Vulcan mind? Are you making a logical choice, sending Kirk away? Probably. But, the right one? You know, back home we have a saying: "If you're gonna ride in the Kentucky Derby, you don't leave your prize stallion in the stable."
• Spock : A curious metaphor, doctor, as a stallion must first be broken before it can reach its potential.
• Leonard 'Bones' McCoy : My God, man, you could at least ACT like it was a hard decision.
• Spock : I intend to assist in the effort to reestablish communication with Starfleet. However, if crew morale is better served by my roaming the halls weeping, I will gladly defer to your medical expertise. Excuse me.
• Leonard 'Bones' McCoy : [ as Spock leaves ] Green-blooded hobgoblin.
• Leonard 'Bones' McCoy : How the hell did they do that, by the way? And where did the Romulans get that kind of weaponry?
• Spock : The engineering comprehension necessary to artificially create a black hole may suggest an answer. Such technology could theoretically be manipulated to create a tunnel through space-time.
• Leonard 'Bones' McCoy : Damn it man, I am a doctor, not a physicist!
• Spock Prime : What if I told you that your transwarp theory was correct, that is is indeed possible to beam onto a ship that is traveling at warp speed?
• Scotty : I think if that equation had been discovered, I'd have heard about it.
• Spock Prime : The reason you haven't heard of it, Mr. Scott, is because you haven't discovered it yet.
• Scotty : I'm s... Wha... It... Are you from the future?
• James T. Kirk : Yeah, he is. I'm not.
• Scotty : Well, that's brilliant. Do they still have sandwiches there?
• Leonard 'Bones' McCoy : I may throw up on ya.
• James T. Kirk : I think these things are pretty safe.
• Leonard 'Bones' McCoy : Don't pander to me, kid. One tiny crack in the hull and our blood boils in thirteen seconds. Solar flare might crop up, cook us in our seats. And wait'll you're sitting pretty with a case of Andorian shingles, see if you're still so relaxed when your eyeballs are bleeding. Space is disease and danger wrapped in darkness and silence.
• James T. Kirk : Well, I hate to break this to you, but Starfleet operates in space.
• Leonard 'Bones' McCoy : Yeah. Well, I got nowhere else to go. The ex-wife took the whole damn planet in the divorce. All I got left is my bones.
• Vulcan Council President : You have surpassed the expectations of your instructors. Your final record is flawless, with one exception: I see that you have applied to Starfleet as well.
• Spock : It was logical to cultivate multiple options.
• Vulcan Council President : Logical, but unnecessary. You are hereby accepted to the Vulcan Science Academy. It is truly remarkable, Spock, that you have achieved so much despite your disadvantage. All rise.
• [ the Vulcan Council stands in honor of Spock, who now looks slightly pissed ]
• Spock : If you would clarify, Minister: to what disadvantage are you referring?
• Vulcan Council President : Your human mother.
• Spock : Council... Ministers, I must decline.
• Vulcan Council President : No Vulcan has ever declined admission to this academy!
• Spock : Then, as I am half-human, your record remains untarnished.
• Sarek : Spock, you have made a commitment to honor the Vulcan way.
• Vulcan Council President : Why did you come before this council today? Was it to satisfy your emotional need to rebel?
• Spock : The only emotion I wish to convey is gratitude. Thank you, Ministers, for your consideration.
• [ In a tone reserved for telling someone to 'Go to Hell' ]
• Spock : Live long and prosper.
• [ Spock notices a elder Vulcan walking in the docking bay ]
• Spock : Father!
• [ the elder Vulcan turns and is revealed as Spock Prime ]
• Spock Prime : I am not our father.
• [ Young Spock, now recognizing who he is, approaches ]
• Spock Prime : There are so few Vulcans left, we cannot afford to ignore each other.
• Spock : Then why did you send Kirk aboard when you alone could have explained the truth?
• Spock Prime : Because you needed each other. I could not deprive you of the revelation of all that you could accomplish together, of a friendship that will define you both in ways you cannot yet realize.
• Spock : How did you persuade him to keep your secret?
• Spock Prime : He inferred that universe-ending paradoxes would ensue should he break his promise.
• Spock : You lied.
• Spock Prime : Aww... I... I implied.
• Spock : A gamble.
• Spock Prime : An act of faith. One I hope that you will repeat in your future in Starfleet.
• Spock : In the face of extinction, it is only logical that I resign my Starfleet commission and help rebuild our race.
• Spock Prime : And, yet, you can be in two places at once. I urge you to remain in Starfleet. I have already located a suitable planet on which to establish a Vulcan colony. Spock, in this case, do yourself a favor: Put aside logic. Do what feels right.
• [ Spock Prime turns and leaves ]
• Spock Prime : Since my customary farewell would appear oddly self-serving, I shall simply say...
• [ Shows Vulcan hand salute ]
• Spock Prime : Good luck.
• Scotty : I like this ship! You know, it's exciting!
• Spock : I am as conflicted as I once was as a child.
• Sarek : You will always be a child of two worlds. I am grateful for this, and for you.
• Spock : I feel anger for the one who took Mother's life - an anger I *cannot* control.
• Sarek : I believe... that she would say, "Do not try to." You asked me once why I married your mother. I married her because I loved her.
• Spock Prime : To stop Nero, you alone must take command of your ship.
• James T. Kirk : How? Over your dead body?
• Spock Prime : Preferably not.
• [ last lines ]
• Spock Prime : [ closing monologue ] Space: the final frontier. These are the voyages of the starship Enterprise. Her ongoing mission: to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life-forms and new civilizations; to boldly go where no one has gone before.
• James T. Kirk : Your ship is compromised, too close to the singularity to survive without assistance, which we are willing to provide.
• Spock : [ speaking privately ] Captain, what are you doing?
• James T. Kirk : Showing them compassion may be the only way to earn peace with Romulus. It's logic, Spock. I thought you'd like that.
• Spock : No, not really. Not this time.
• Nero : [ replying to the offer of assistance ] I would rather suffer the end of Romulus a thousand times. I would rather die in agony than accept assistance from you.
• James T. Kirk : You got it! Arm phasers. Fire everything we've got!
• James T. Kirk : Now, what is it with you, Spock? Hm? Your planet was just destroyed, your mother murdered, and you're not even upset!
• Spock : If you are presuming that these experiences in any way impede my ability to command this ship, you are mistaken.
• James T. Kirk : And yet you were the one who said fear was necessary for command. I mean, did you see his ship? Did you see what he did?
• Spock : Yes, of course I did.
• James T. Kirk : So are you afraid or aren't you?
• Spock : I will not allow you to lecture me about the merits of emotion.
• James T. Kirk : Then why don't you stop me?
• Spock : Step away from me, Mister Kirk.
• James T. Kirk : What is it like not to feel anger... or heartbreak... or the need to stop at nothing to avenge the death of the woman who gave birth to you?
• Spock : Back away from me.
• James T. Kirk : You feel NOTHING! It must not even COMPUTE for you! You NEVER loved her!
• [ Spock snaps and attacks Kirk, nearly killing him ]
• Sarek : SPOCK!
• [ Spock regains control ]
• James T. Kirk : [ on Spock ] Who was that pointy-eared bastard?
• Leonard 'Bones' McCoy : I don't know, but I like him.
• Spock : [ standing across Lt. Uhura before he and Kirk are about to be beamed onto the Romulan warship ] I will be back.
• Lt. Nyota Uhura : [ leaning in ] You better be! I'll be monitoring your frequency.
• Spock : [ actually quite emotional ] Thank you, Nyota.
• James T. Kirk : [ after Uhura leaves ] So her first name's Nyota?
• Spock : I have no comment on the matter.
• Sarek : Speak your mind, Spock.
• Spock : That would be unwise.
• Sarek : What is necessary is never unwise.
• Leonard 'Bones' McCoy : Well, congratulations, Jim. We've got no captain and no god-damned first officer to replace him.
• Kirk : Yeah, we do.
• [ Kirk sits himself into the captain's chair ]
• Leonard 'Bones' McCoy : What?
• Hikaru Sulu : Pike made him first officer.
• Leonard 'Bones' McCoy : You gotta be kidding me!
• Kirk : Thanks for the support.
• Lt. Nyota Uhura : I sure hope you know what you're doing...
• Lt. Nyota Uhura : [ sarcastically ] ... CAPTAIN.
• Kirk : So do I.
• Scotty : Except, the thing is, even if I believed you, right, where you're from, what I've done - which I don't, by the way - you're still talking about beaming aboard the Enterprise while she's traveling faster than light, without a proper receiving pad.
• Scotty : [ to Keenser ] Get off there! It's not a climbing frame!
• Scotty : [ back to Spock Prime ] The notion of transwarp beaming is like trying to hit a bullet with a smaller bullet whilst wearing a blindfold, riding a horse.
• [ Spock writes on a paper ]
• Scotty : What's that?
• Spock Prime : Your equation for achieving transwarp beaming.
• Scotty : [ to himself ] He's out of it
• Scotty : [ reads the equation ] Imagine that! It never occurred to me to think of SPACE as the thing that was moving!
• Spock Prime : You are, in fact, the Mr. Scott who postulated the theory of transwarp beaming?
• Scotty : That's what I'm talking about! How do you think I wound up here? Had a little debate with my instructor on relativistic physics and how it pertains to subspace travel. He seemed to think that the range of transporting something like a... like a grapefruit was limited to about 100 miles. I told him that I could not only beam a grapefruit from one planet to the adjacent planet in the same system - which is easy, by the way - I could do it with a life form. So, I tested it out on Admiral Archer's prized beagle.
• James T. Kirk : Wait, I know that dog. What happened to it?
• Scotty : I'll tell you when it reappears. Ahem. I don't know, I do feel guilty about that.
• Spock : [ Kirk has been appointed captain, and the Enterprise is preparing to depart. Spock enters the bridge ] Permission to come aboard, Captain.
• James T. Kirk : Permission granted.
• Spock : As you have yet to select a first officer, respectfully, I would like to submit my candidacy. Should you desire, I can provide character references.
• James T. Kirk : It would be my honor, Commander.
• Spock : [ on intercom ] Dr Puri, report.
• Leonard 'Bones' McCoy : It's McCoy. Dr. Puri was on Deck 6. He's dead.
• Spock : Then you have just inherited his responsibility as Chief Medical Officer.
• [ McCoy looks at a burning medical room full of casualties from the attack ]
• Leonard 'Bones' McCoy : Yeah, tell me something I DON'T know!
• James T. Kirk : [ still suffering from the vaccine ] My mouth is itchy. Is that normal?
• Leonard 'Bones' McCoy : Well, those symptoms won't last long. I'm going to give you a mild sedative.
• James T. Kirk : Oh, I wish I didn't know you.
• Leonard 'Bones' McCoy : Don't be such an infant.
• [ He jabs Kirk with a hypodermic needle ]
• James T. Kirk : OWW! How long's it supposed to...
• [ he suddenly collapses on the bed ]
• Leonard 'Bones' McCoy : [ Shaking his head ] Unbelievable.
• Spock : Acting Captain's Log, Stardate 2258.42. We have had no word from Captain Pike. I've therefore classified him a hostage of the war criminal known as Nero. Nero, who has destroyed my home planet and most of its six billion inhabitants. While the essence of our culture has been saved in the elders who now reside upon this ship, I estimate no more than 10,000 have survived. I am now a member of an endangered species.
• Spock : [ volunteering for what could be a suicide mission ] Romulans and Vulcans share a common ancestor. Our cultural similarities will make it easier for me to access the ship's computer to locate the device. Also, my mother was human, which makes Earth the only home I have left.
• James T. Kirk : I'm coming with you.
• Spock : I would cite regulation, but I know you will simply ignore it.
• James T. Kirk : See? We are getting to know each other.
• Christopher Pike : [ whistles to break up fight between cadets and Kirk ] Outside! All of you! Now!
• Christopher Pike : [ to Kirk ] You all right, son?
• Kirk : [ Looks at him upside down and stunned ] You can whistle really loud, you know that?
• James T. Kirk : You know, coming back in time, changing history... that's cheating.
• Spock Prime : A trick I learned from an old friend.
• [ With an uncharacteristic smile, he gives the Vulcan salute to Kirk ]
• Spock Prime : Live long and prosper.
• Spock : [ to Kirk ] Out of the chair.
• [ Kirk rushes onto the bridge, urging the ship to stop. Three-way arguing ensues between him, Spock, and Pike ]
• Spock : I can remove the cadet...
• James T. Kirk : Try it!
• Christopher Pike : Kirk!
• James T. Kirk : This cadet is trying to save the bridge!
• Spock : By recommending a full stop, mid-warp, during a rescue mission?
• James T. Kirk : It's not a rescue mission. Listen to me, it's an attack!
• Spock : Based on what facts?
• James T. Kirk : That same anomaly, a "lightning storm in space" that we saw today, also occurred on the day of my birth, shortly before a Romulan ship attacked the U.S.S. Kelvin. You know that, sir, I read your dissertation. That ship, which had formidable and advanced weaponry, was never seen or heard from again. The Kelvin attack took place at the edge of Klingon space, and at 2300 hours last night, there was an attack: forty-seven Klingon warbirds destroyed by Romulans, sir, and it was reported that the Romulans were in one ship, one massive ship.
• Christopher Pike : And you know of this Klingon attack how?
• [ Kirk glances at Uhura ]
• Lt. Nyota Uhura : Sir, I intercepted and translated the message myself. Kirk's report is accurate.
• James T. Kirk : We're warping into a trap, sir. The Romulans are waiting for us, I promise you that.
• [ Unsettled, Pike looks at Spock ]
• Spock : The cadet's logic is sound. And Lt. Uhura is unmatched in xenolinguistics, we would be wise to accept her conclusion.
• Christopher Pike : You know, I couldn't believe it when the bartender told me who you are.
• James T. Kirk : Who am I, Captain Pike?
• Christopher Pike : Your father's son.
• James T. Kirk : [ Turns toward the bar ] Can I get another one?
• Christopher Pike : For my dissertation, I was assigned the U.S.S. Kelvin. Something I admired about your Dad: he didn't believe in no-win scenarios
• James T. Kirk : Sure learned his lesson!
• Christopher Pike : Well, it depends on how you define winning. You're here, aren't you?
• James T. Kirk : [ as beer is brought to him ] Thanks.
• Christopher Pike : You know that instinct to leap without looking, that was his nature too. And in my opinion it's something Starfleet's lost.
• James T. Kirk : [ laughing ] Why are you talkin' to me, man?
• Christopher Pike : 'Cause I looked up your file while you were drooling on the floor. Your aptitude tests are off the charts, so what is it? You like being the only genius level repeat offender in the Midwest?
• James T. Kirk : Maybe I love it.
• Christopher Pike : Look, so your Dad dies. You can settle for a less than ordinary life, or do you feel like you were meant for something better? Something special? Enlist in Starfleet.
• James T. Kirk : [ scoffs ] Enlist!
• James T. Kirk : [ laughs ] You guys must be way down on your recruiting quota for the month!
• Christopher Pike : If you're half the man your father was, Jim, Starfleet could use you. You could be an officer in four years. You could have your own ship in eight. You understand what the Federation is, don't you? It's important. It's a peacekeeping and humanitarian armada...
• James T. Kirk : Are we done?
• Christopher Pike : I'm done.
• Christopher Pike : [ Gets up ] Riverside Shipyard. Shuttle for new recruits leaves tomorrow morning, 0800.
• Christopher Pike : [ pause ] Now, your father was captain of a Starship for 12 minutes. He saved 800 lives, including your mother's and yours. I dare you to do better.
• James T. Kirk : So what kind of combat training do you have?
• Hikaru Sulu : Fencing.
• James T. Kirk : [ hurling to his death with Sulu ] Kirk to Enterprise. We're falling without a chute. Beam us up!
• Transport Chief : I'm trying. I can't lock onto your signal.
• James T. Kirk : Beam us up!
• Transport Chief : You're moving too fast!
• Pavel Chekov : I can do zat! I can do zat!
• Christopher Pike : Russian whizkid, what's your name? Chanko? Cherpov?
• Pavel Chekov : Ensign Chekov, Pavel Andreievich, sir.
• Leonard 'Bones' McCoy : Wait a minute, kid. How old are you?
• Pavel Chekov : Seventeen, sir.
• Leonard 'Bones' McCoy : Oh... oh, good, he's seventeen.
• Spock : Doctor... Mr. Chekov is correct.
• Spock : We are traveling at warp speed. How did you manage to beam aboard this ship?
• James T. Kirk : Hey, you're the genius. You figure it out.
• Spock : As acting captain of this vessel, I order you to answer the question.
• James T. Kirk : Well, I'm not telling, "Acting Captain." What, did...?
• [ Kirk smiles ]
• James T. Kirk : What, now, that doesn't frustrate you, does it? My lack of cooperation? That-that doesn't make you angry...
• Spock : [ Spock turns to Scotty ] Are you a member of Starfleet?
• Scotty : I, um, yes. Can I get a towel, please?
• Spock : Under penalty of court martial, I order you to explain to me how you were able to beam aboard this ship while moving at warp.
• Scotty : Well...
• James T. Kirk : Don't answer him.
• Spock : You will answer me.
• Scotty : [ pause ] I'd rather not take sides.
• Kirk : [ highly agitated and suffering side effects from McCoy hypospray ] Uhura! Uhura!
• Lt. Nyota Uhura : Kirk? What are you doing here?
• Kirk : The transmission from the Klingon prison planet. What exactly...
• Lt. Nyota Uhura : Oh, my God, what's wrong with your hands?
• Kirk : [ waves off the question with his bloated hands ] I-i-it's... Look, who is responsible for the attack...
• Lt. Nyota Uhura : What?
• Kirk : ...and was the ship walullaa?
• Lt. Nyota Uhura : And was the ship... WHAT?
• Kirk : [ to McCoy ] Whass happening to my mouth?
• Leonard 'Bones' McCoy : You got numb-tongue?
• Kirk : NUM-TUNG?
• Leonard 'Bones' McCoy : I can fix that!
• [ hurries off to find another hypospray ]
• Lt. Nyota Uhura : Was the ship what?
• Kirk : Womulan!
• Lt. Nyota Uhura : What? I...
• Kirk : WOMULAN!
• Lt. Nyota Uhura : Romulan?
• Kirk : Yeah!
• Lt. Nyota Uhura : Yes!
• Kirk : Yes?
• [ Bones injects him with another hypospray ]
• Kirk : ACK! ACK!
• [ trying to say 'stop it' ]
• Kirk : STAHHMIT!
• Lt. Nyota Uhura : [ During the Kobayashi Maru test ] We are receiving a distress signal from the U.S.S. Kobayashi Maru. The ship has lost power and is stranded. Starfleet Command has ordered us to rescue them.
• James T. Kirk : [ clearly enjoying himself ] "Starfleet Command has ordered us to rescue them... CAPTAIN."
• Leonard 'Bones' McCoy : [ rolls his eyes ] Two Klingon vessels have entered the Neutral Zone and are locking weapons on us.
• James T. Kirk : [ Smugly ] That's okay.
• Leonard 'Bones' McCoy : "That's okay?"
• James T. Kirk : Yeah, don't worry about it.
• Test Administrator : Did he say "Don't worry about it?"
• Test Administrator : Is he not taking the simulation seriously?
• Pavel Chekov : Ensign Authorization code: nine-five-wictor-wictor-two!
• [ Authorization is not recognized ]
• [ as the Narada pursues Spock, he suddenly whips the ship around and heads directly for it ]
• Nero : What's he doing?
• Spock's Ship's Computer : Ambassador Spock, you are on a collision course.
• Nero : [ panicking ] FIRE EVERYTHING!
• Admiral Richard Barnett : This is Commander Spock. He is one of our most distinguished graduates. He's programmed the Kobayashi Maru exam for the last four years. Commander?
• Spock : Cadet Kirk, you somehow managed to install and activate a subroutine in the programming code, thereby changing the conditions of the test.
• James T. Kirk : Your point being?
• Admiral Richard Barnett : In academic vernacular, you cheated.
• Lt. Nyota Uhura : I'm impressed. For a moment there, I thought you were just a dumb hick who only has sex with farm animals.
• James T. Kirk : Well, not only.
• Burly Cadet #1 : This townie isn't bothering you, right?
• Lt. Nyota Uhura : Oh, beyond belief, but it's nothing I can't handle.
• James T. Kirk : You could handle me, if that's an invitation.
• Burly Cadet #1 : Hey, you better mind your manners.
• James T. Kirk : Oh relax, cupcake, it was a joke.
• Burly Cadet #1 : Hey, farm-boy, maybe you can't count, but there are four of us and one of you.
• James T. Kirk : So go get some more guys and then it'll be an even fight.
• Hikaru Sulu : The fleet has cleared spacedock, Captain. All ships ready for warp.
• Christopher Pike : Set a course for Vulcan.
• Hikaru Sulu : Aye-Aye, Captain. Course laid in.
• Christopher Pike : Maximum warp. Punch it.
• [ One by one, the rest of the star fleet jumps into warp drive, leaving the Enterprise behind. Sulu frowns at the console, puzzled ]
• Christopher Pike : Lieutenant, where is Helmsman McKenna?
• Hikaru Sulu : He has lungworms, sir. He couldn't report to his post. I'm Hikaru Sulu.
• Christopher Pike : And you are a pilot, right?
• Hikaru Sulu : Very much so, sir.
• [ he trails off, hitting buttons ]
• Hikaru Sulu : I'm, uh, I'm not sure what's wrong here.
• Christopher Pike : Is the parking brake on?
• Hikaru Sulu : Uh, no. I'll figure it out. I'm just...
• Spock : Have you disengaged the external inertial dampener?
• Hikaru Sulu : [ Embarrassed. Without looking at anyone, he punches in the correct sequence ] Ready for warp, sir.
• Christopher Pike : Let's punch it.
• Lt. Nyota Uhura : [ Having just learned that she is assigned to the Farragut ] Commander, a word?
• Spock : Yes, Lieutenant?
• Lt. Nyota Uhura : Was I not one of your top students?
• Spock : Indeed you were.
• Lt. Nyota Uhura : [ the scene cuts to another location, where Uhura is still hounding Spock ] And did I not, on multiple occasions, demonstrate an exceptional aural sensitivity, and I quote, "an unparalleled ability to identify sonic anomalies in subspace transmissions tests?"
• Spock : Consistently, yes.
• Lt. Nyota Uhura : And while you are well aware of my own qualified desires to serve on the U.S.S. Enterprise, I'm assigned to the Farragut?
• Spock : It was an attempt to...
• [ he glances around, keeping his voice low ]
• Spock : ...avoid the appearance of favoritism.
• Lt. Nyota Uhura : [ Adamantly ] No. I'm assigned to the Enterprise.
• Spock : [ He adjusts his roster list ] Yes, I believe you are.
• Lt. Nyota Uhura : Thank you.
• James T. Kirk : [ to Spock ] The test itself is a cheat, isn't it? I mean, you programmed it to be unwinnable.
• Spock : Your argument precludes the possibility of a no-win scenario.
• James T. Kirk : I don't believe in no-win scenarios.
• Spock : Then not only did you violate the rules, you also failed to understand the principal lesson.
• James T. Kirk : Please enlighten me.
• Spock : You of all people should know, Cadet Kirk, a captain cannot cheat death.
• James T. Kirk : [ reminiscing ] I of all people...
• Spock : Your father, Lieutenant George Kirk, assumed command of his vessel before being killed in action, did he not?
• James T. Kirk : I don't think you like the fact that I beat your test.
• Spock : Furthermore, you have failed to divine the purpose of the test.
• James T. Kirk : Enlighten me again.
• Spock : The purpose is to experience fear, fear in the face of certain death, to accept that fear, and maintain control of oneself and one's crew. This is the quality expected in every Starfleet captain.
• James T. Kirk : [ Stepping aboard the bridge as its official captain ] Bones! Buckle up!
• [ the U.S.S. Enterprise is being sucked into a black hole, seconds away from doom ]
• Scotty : I'm giving her all she's got, Captain!
• [ the bridge ceiling begins to crack as the ship's drawn closer ]
• James T. Kirk : All she's got isn't good enough! What else ya got?
• Scotty : Um... Okay, if we eject the core and detonate, the blast could be enough to push us away! I cannae promise anything, though!
• [ the viewing window starts to rupture ]
• James T. Kirk : DO IT, DO IT, DO IT!
• James T. Kirk : Stardate: 2258.42... or, uh, 4... Whatever. Acting Captain Spock has marooned me on Delta Vega, in what I believe to be a violation of Security Protocol 49.09 governing the treatment of prisoners aboard a star...
• [ Kirk breaks off abruptly before completing the word starship as the howl of a predatory animal is heard, possibly heading his way ]
• James T. Kirk : I relieve you, sir.
• Christopher Pike : I am relieved.
• Young Spock : I presume you've prepared new insults for today.
• Vulcan Bully #1 : Affirmative.
• Young Spock : This is your thirty-fifth attempt to elicit an emotional response from me.
• Vulcan Bully #2 : You're neither human nor Vulcan, and therefore have no place in this universe.
• Vulcan Bully #1 : Look. He has human eyes. They look sad, don't they?
• Vulcan Bully #2 : Perhaps an emotional response requires physical stimuli.
• [ shoves Spock ]
• Vulcan Bully #2 : He's a traitor, you know, your father, for marrying her, that human whore.
• [ Spock beats up the bully ]
• [ through a mind meld with Kirk ]
• Spock Prime : Billions of lives lost because of me, Jim, because I failed.

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