star trek nero theme

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STAR TREK - OST 2009

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Star Trek (Music From the Motion Picture)

The theme from the original Star Trek television series, which started airing in 1966, was written by the veteran orchestrator and composer Alexander Courage, and the show’s creator, Gene Roddenberry, and is as instantly identifiable as Spock’s pointy ears. The excellent composer Michael Giacchino provides the score here for yet another descendent of the much-loved sci-fi show: the 2009 feature, Star Trek, directed by J.J. Abrams. (The pair had previously collaborated on television and film projects including Alias, Lost, Mission: Impossible III, and Cloverfield.) From the soundtrack’s opening moments, Giacchino shows he’s a welcome addition to the roster of composers who have contributed to Star Trek’s musical legacy. The album begins with a French horn playing the new film’s main theme, moves on to the explosive “Nailin’ the Kelvin,” then settles into the serene, yet dramatic, “Labor of Love.” “Nero Death Experience” (Giacchino loves punning titles) effectively utilizes a large chorus, blasts of brass, and other elements, and “Ending Credits” nicely incorporates both the original TV theme and Giacchino’s musical material.

January 1, 2009 15 Songs, 44 minutes ℗ 2009 Paramount Pictures

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Published Aug 26, 2022

Everything You Need to Know About Nero

Who is the Romulan captain with an axe to grind towards Spock? Let’s explore the Kelvin timeline and find out!

StarTrek.com

Welcome back to the Star Trek Villain Showdown as it heads towards the ultimate final face-off between Khan and Gul Dukat !

Before we get to the epic battle between those two nefarious foes, we’re showcasing a few honorable mentions who kept our Federation crews on their toes. There’s the fanatical Kai Winn Adami who wreaked havoc on Deep Space 9 along with Gul Dukat. We also got Spock’s wayward half-brother Sybok . Now we’re diving into the Kelvin timeline to meet the Romulan miner turned vengeful captain, Nero , and his sole mission to destroy Spock’s home world and family.

Who Was Nero?

Nero , portrayed menacingly by the brilliant Eric Bana, opens Star Trek (2009) at the helm of the Romulan mining vessel turned warship the Narada as it emerges from a black hole and immediately launches a vicious assault on the Federation ship the U.S.S. Kelvin .

Upon learning the stardate—2233—and discovering Captain Robau ’s lack of knowledge of Ambassador Spock , Nero lashes out and kills Robau in anger. As the Narada continues its full-scale attack on the Kelvin , the now acting captain George Kirk sacrifices his life by plotting a collision course with the Narada in order to give the 800 survivors of the crew, including his wife Winona and newborn son James T. Kirk , a fighting chance at escape and survival.

Why Was Nero Searching for Spock?

Nero arrives in 2233 through the black hole from over 150 years in the future. Following his assault on the Kelvin , Nero and his vessel waited another 25 years before the arrival of Ambassador Spock, providing him ample time to sit with grief over the loss of his wife, unborn son, and home planet Romulus.

In the year 2387, Nero, off-world on a mining expedition, faced the destruction of his family and Romulus due to an adjacent supernova. Ambassador Spock, in his Vulcan Science Academy Jellyfish vessel, attempted to neutralize the supernova’s effects with a black hole created with red matter. However, Spock was unsuccessful in reaching Romulus before its annihilation.

Nero directs his all-consuming rage towards Spock, who had sought to mitigate disaster, and the Federation, who did not aid in the dying planet’s evacuations. Unbeknownst to Nero, former admiral Jean Luc Picard left the Federation to command a rescue armada to aid in the evacuation of 18 billion Romulans off their planet, as explained on Star Trek: Picard ’s “Remembrance .”

Nero’s Incursion Creates an Alternate Timeline — The Kelvin Timeline

The crew aboard the U.S.S. Kelvin were not familiar with the Romulans as first visual contact with the race would not occur until 2266, as seen in The Original Series ’ “ Balance of Terror ” episode.

The singularity event pulls Nero and his crew on the Narada , as well as Spock and his Jellyfish , into its red matter-created black hole, sending them into the past. While Nero arrives in 2233, Ambassador Spock finds himself in 2258, setting up a time paradox with the younger Commander Spock , first officer to Captain Christopher Pike , aboard the not yet christened U.S.S. Enterprise .

It’s Nero’s actions in 2233 that trigger the creation of an alternate reality, dubbed the "Kelvin" timeline, changing course and the history for the Federation and the last of the Romulan Empire’s present future in the Prime Universe.

The Assault on Earth and Vulcan

In order to inflict the same amount of pain onto his adversary Spock, Nero seeks to punish the half-Vulcan, half-human ambassador by having him witness the destruction of his two home worlds — Vulcan and Earth. Nero believes destroying Vulcan and the Federation will ensure a future for Romulus, one where they are the ultimate power in the universe.

When Ambassador Spock arrives in 2258, Nero and his crew are ready to intercept. Marooning the elder Spock to Delta Vega, Nero forces him to witness the destruction of Vulcan with Spock’s supply of red matter.

As the Federation dispatched several starships to aid the Vulcan planet, Nero spots the Enterprise and wants the younger Spock, of the Kelvin timeline, to witness Vulcan’s destruction and know it was brought by his hands as well.

The Enterprise is unsuccessful in thwarting Vulcan’s destruction, as the red matter created a black hole at the center of the planet. This caused the planet to implode on itself. Both the young and elder Spock face the mass genocide of their people, including the loss of their mother, Amanda Grayson .

It is Nero’s deep desire to attack Spock’s people and planet that ultimately cements his short-lived present. Now on the radar of both the Federation and the U.S.S. Enterprise , Pike, Spock, George Kirk’s son Jim , and the rest of the crew will stop at nothing to stop Nero from doing what he did to Vulcan to Earth and other Federation planets. It’s this narrow-minded pursuit to kill Spock that has Nero and the Narada engulfed by the red matter he sought to exploit when he attempts to destroy Earth. Refusing aid from Captain Kirk and the Enterprise after his ship is fatally damaged, Nero declares he’d rather witness Romulus suffer a thousand times and goes down with his ship.

Holding a Mirror to Spock

In Star Trek (2009), Nero and his actions present a treacherous mirror of the Romulans to Spock and Vulcans. In fact, Romulans and Vulcans descended from the same ancestry ; Romulans are distant cousins from Vulcans who rejected Surak and his teachings that led Vulcans to master their emotions via logic. Those who rebuked those teachings would become what we now know as Romulans. The Romulans were a very moral people with an absolutist view of what’s right or wrong. As such, they were incredibly xenophobic and isolationists, which was why and how they went unnoticed by the Federation for as long as they did.

In the film, both Nero and Spock grapple with the loss of their loved ones and witness the destruction of their entire home worlds. However, how they react to the all-consuming grief and despair sets them both on mirrored paths. While Nero pursues the road of narrow-minded revenge, both the young and elder Spock head down the path of hope and survival, ensuring their Vulcan history and the remaining surviving Vulcans can rebuild an enduring future.

Where does Nero rank for you on the never-ending list of nefarious Star Trek foes? Let us know @StarTrek on social! And come back to StarTrek.com next week as we had to the Star Trek Villain Showdown finals as Khan goes head-to-head with Gul Dukat!

Christine Dinh (she/her) is the managing editor for StarTrek.com. She’s traded the Multiverse for helming this Federation Starship.

Star Trek: Picard streams exclusively on Paramount+ in the U.S. and is distributed concurrently by Paramount Global Distribution Group on Amazon Prime Video in more than 200 countries and territories. In Canada, it airs on Bell Media’s CTV Sci-Fi Channel and streams on Crave.

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

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Soundtrack Information

Varese Sarabande (302 066 966 2 / VSD-6966)

Release Date: May 5, 2009

Conducted by Tim Simonec

Formats: CD, Digital

• Star Trek (2009)
• Michael Giacchino

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The brash James T. Kirk tries to live up to his father's legacy with Mr. Spock keeping him in check as a vengeful Romulan from the future creates black holes to destroy the Federation one planet at a time.

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The brash James T. Kirk tries to live up to his father's legacy with Mr. Spock keeping him in check as a vengeful Romulan from the future creates black holes to destroy the Federation one pl... Read all The brash James T. Kirk tries to live up to his father's legacy with Mr. Spock keeping him in check as a vengeful Romulan from the future creates black holes to destroy the Federation one planet at a time. The brash James T. Kirk tries to live up to his father's legacy with Mr. Spock keeping him in check as a vengeful Romulan from the future creates black holes to destroy the Federation one planet at a time.

• J.J. Abrams
• Roberto Orci
• Alex Kurtzman
• Gene Roddenberry
• Zachary Quinto
• 1.6K User reviews
• 534 Critic reviews
• 82 Metascore
• 27 wins & 95 nominations total

Top cast 99+

• Spock Prime

• (as Zoë Saldana)

• Amanda Grayson

• George Kirk

• Winona Kirk

• Captain Robau

• Officer Pitts
• (as Antonio Elias)
• All cast & crew
• Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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Did you know

• Trivia In the scene where Kirk is taking the Kobayashi Maru test, he is eating an apple, which is also what he is eating while recounting his tale of taking the Kobayashi Maru test in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982) . (According to director J.J. Abrams in the Blu-ray audio commentary, this was not intended to be a reference to The Wrath of Khan. At one point, he was simply told that lead actors seem cocky eating apples.)
• Goofs After Spock boards the Vulcan ship on board the mining vessel, Kirk is seen walking through some pipes. His Starfleet phaser has switched to a Romulan gun (longer barrel and no lights), before switching back to the Starfleet one again in the next scene. He actually acquires the Romulan gun a few scenes later.

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.

• Crazy credits The first part of the closing credits is styled after the opening credits of Star Trek (1966) , where the starship Enterprise blasts off into space as a monologue describes its mission, and then the cast names appear as the famous "Star Trek" theme music plays.
• Connections Edited into De wereld draait door: Episode #4.157 (2009)
• Soundtracks Theme from 'Star Trek' TV Series Written by Alexander Courage & Gene Roddenberry

User reviews 1.6K

• jmariani-59799
• Jul 12, 2021
• If this premise is that an alternate timeline created when Nero traveled back in time, then what happened to James Kirk's older brother, Sam, aka George Samuel Kirk Jr.?
• How can Spock's mother still be alive years later (original series) when she dies earlier on in this movie ?
• What is Star Trek about?
• May 8, 2009 (United States)
• United States
• Official Facebook
• Star Trek: The Future Begins
• Vasquez Rocks Natural Area Park - 10700 W. Escondido Canyon Rd., Agua Dulce, California, USA (Vulcan)
• Paramount Pictures
• Spyglass Entertainment
• See more company credits at IMDbPro
• $150,000,000 (estimated)
• $257,730,019
• $75,204,289
• May 10, 2009
• $385,681,768

Technical specs

• Runtime 2 hours 7 minutes
• Dolby Digital
• 2.39 : 1 (original ratio)

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I’m Glad Voyager’s Tom And B’Elanna Are No Longer Star Trek's Only Successful Romance

I don't care if modern star trek breaks established canon, star trek officially brands a surprising deep space nine hero as a war criminal.

What really happened before Leonard Nimoy's Spock traveled back in time for J. J. Abrams' 2009  Star Trek movie, and what was the Vulcan's true connection to Eric Bana's villainous Nero? When rebooting the  Star Trek movie franchise, Abrams sought to connect his new series to the franchise's history, but also wanted to break free from around half a century's worth of continuity. The director's solution was time travel. The Spock of the original  Star Trek series goes back into the past alongside a small band of angry Romulans and drastically changes history, inadvertently creating a new reality dubbed the Kelvin Timeline .

Predictably, the time mechanics of the 2009  Star Trek movie create some confusion, and this is perhaps partly because the film only shows the tip of the iceberg. The rest of Spock's journey and the primary motivation for Nero's hatred is explored elsewhere, most notably in the  Countdown graphic novel by the movie's writers, Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman . On screen, Leonard Nimoy explains to Kirk that he comes from 129 years in the future, a time threatened by the existence of an exploding supernova that could erase the entire galaxy. The shockwaves destroyed Romulus first, but Spock managed to prevent further damage by using red matter. Unfortunately, this wasn't enough for a group of Romulan miners lead by Nero, and the resulting battle dragged Spock's Jellyfish ship and Nero's Narada into the black hole the Vulcan had created.

Related: Star Trek Just Improved The Original Series' Pilot

The full story sheds more light on the matter. Prior to the emergence of the supernova, Spock was acting as the Federation's ambassador to Romulus, despite some reservations about a Vulcan holding this role. After learning of the impending cataclysm, Spock suggested his red matter plan to the Romulan senate, but his concerns were dismissed as over-zealous and paranoid. Trusting his own scientific mind, Spock knew that Romulus was in grave danger and teamed up with one of planet's miners, Nero, to carry out his plan despite the senate's decision.

Having witnessed the power of the supernova while on a mining expedition, Nero is gravely concerned about his planet's future, and Spock promises to do all he can to protect Romulus. Nero leaves his wife and child in order to aid Spock's red matter mission. The pair travel to Vulcan where, unsurprisingly, the council also oppose Spock's plan, and Nero threatens to hold each member responsible should Romulus fall. Fortunately, a certain Jean-Luc Picard is the Federation's ambassador to Vulcan and he opts to aid Spock and Nero's quest, enlisting Geordi La Forge to craft Spock's Jellyfish ship, as seen on the big screen. Ultimately, of course, Spock acts too late to save Romulus, Nero attacks him in anger, and both are sent back in time.

This full version of Spock's time travel and Nero's backstory serves several purposes. Firstly, Eric Bana's Nero becomes a far more rounded villain. The  Countdown backstory explains why Nero is so bitter towards the Federation and gives him an extra motivation to destroy Vulcan, punishing those who hindered the potential salvation of his home planet, rather than simply to make Spock feel his pain. Seeing Nero as a working family man before all the facial tattoos and wanton violence also adds much depth to his character and establishes a more personal connection with Spock. The two had a deal, promises were made and, as far as Nero is concerned, they were not kept.

The prequel story also helps tie J. J. Abrams' Kelvin Timeline into the Prime Timeline by introducing more connections than just Leonard Nimoy's Spock. The revelation that a character from  Star Trek: The Next Generation built the Jellyfish, for example. Moreover, Picard is likely sharing in Spock's shame and guilt at not having been able to stop the destruction of Romulus. This may well feed into the forthcoming  Star Trek: Picard series, in which Romulans appear to play a significant role. Tellingly,  Countdown writer, Alex Kurtzman, is acting as showrunner for Patrick Stewart's upcoming series.

Related: Star Trek: What Happens To Earth Religions In The Future?

Another key addition to the story of the 2009  Star Trek movie is that Spock knew full well his mission to stop the singularity was a one-way trip. It's suggested in the film that Spock was essentially dragged into the past by Nero. This is only half true, and the comic story makes it clear that Spock had no intention of escaping, making his sacrifice all the more heroic.

More: Star Trek: The Last Time Two Shows Were On At Once

• SR Originals

Star Trek: 10 Best Scenes from the Reboot Trilogy, Ranked

When Star Trek returned to big screens in 2009 with a brand-new cast, producers and directors, Paramount likely hoped it would spawn far more than three films. However, that movie, along with Star Trek Into Darkness and Star Trek Beyond were all that came from the big-budget reboot of Gene Roddenberry's universe. While the film series was controversial, there are plenty of great Star Trek scenes in the reboot trilogy. While rumors still linger that a fourth Star Trek film in the Kelvin Timeline is coming, it's been eight years since the crew of the bigger, chunkier USS Enterprise last took flight.

There are legitimate fan complaints, specifically in how the storytelling seems to eschew the hopeful, aspirational aspect of the future. Still, looking at the previous Star Trek films, they also tried to tell "feature size" stories, which meant action, space battles and, sometimes, terrible losses. The new cast didn't have the advantage of a television series preceding them, either. Still, the Star Trek reboot trilogy wasn't all misses, as there were some hits as well. This list breaks down some of the best scenes from the films that highlighted the bigger on-screen action and the quiet, character-driven moments that always made Star Trek so great.

George Kirk Takes Command of the USS Kelvin

Star trek, 2009.

Trevor Roth on Star Trek: Section 31, Michelle Yeoh & the Legacy of the Franchise | SDCC 2024

If any moment in the new trilogy of Star Trek films is important, it's the scene which gives the "Kelvin Timeline" its name . In the Prime Universe, George Kirk's son was born on Earth in Iowa. In the Kelvin universe, because of the Narada coming back in time, the USS Kelvin was dispatched to investigate. George Kirk was promoted to acting Captain when Nero killed the Kelvin's actual commanding officer. He had to oversee the ship's evacuation and buy them time to escape.

This scene is controversial for how it changes the Star Trek canon, but it's nonetheless a great scene. Chris Hemsworth is the young George Kirk and through his performance, audiences can infer how much of the Captain Kirk they knew came from his influence. It is also a quintessentially iconic Star Trek moment. A captain sacrifices everything, including his future with his wife and child, to do his duty and protect his crew .

Scotty Meets Jaylah After the Destruction of the USS Enterprise

Star trek beyond, 2016.

One area of complaint fans had about the Star Trek Kelvin Timeline movies was they did not truly embrace the exploratory side of this universe. In fact, the only true "first contact" viewers get to see is when Simon Pegg's Montgomery Scott first meets Jaylah (Sofia Boutella), the alien woman stranded on Krall's planet. It is an impeccable sci-fi action sequence, and Pegg's humorous take on Scotty works perfectly here.

Jaylah becomes an important part of the film, because she took control of the USS Franklin, the 22nd Century Starfleet vessel Krall was in command of when he was still Balthazar M. Edison (Idris Elba). This scene perfectly establishes the character as one who is eager to fight but not unwilling to make alliances . As far as first contacts in Star Trek go, there have certainly been worse ones throughout the various timelines.

Captain Kirk and Mister Spock's First Away Mission to Rescue Christopher Pike

Typically, a Star Trek away mission involves beaming down to some unknown planet and exploring. Since the first film in the Kelvin Timeline didn't offer much chance for exploration, the first away mission Captain James T. Kirk and Mister Spock went on together was a run-and-gun shootout with Romulans. The entire sequence is a meticulous action piece, with moments of camaraderie and levity where needed.

Despite Kirk and Spock being at each other's throats (literally in the scene where Spock relieves himself of command) this sequence provides some respite. While not yet good friends, the seeds of their eventual dynamic are visible here . From Kirk's cool end-around move from when Spock is doing the mind-meld to the banter on the Prime Universe Spock's Jellyfish ship, it's a taste of what will come. In another nod to The Original Series , Captain Kirk gets into an old-school fight with the hostile aliens. At least Chris Pine was able to keep his shirt on.

Mister Spock and Doctor McCoy Share a Sincere Moment

Star trek's new spock actors praised by leonard nimoy's son.

Leonard Nimoy's Son, Adam Nimoy, praises Zachary Quinto and Ethan Peck's unique portrayals of his father's Star Trek character, Spock.

In The Original Series and through all the films, the playfully hostile dynamic between Doctor Leonard McCoy and Mister Spock is a highlight. As Karl Urban evoked the late DeForrest Kelly with his performance, it was never better than when he was picking on Spock. After seeing Vulcan destroyed in the first film, Zachary Quinto's Spock was a softer touch than Leonard Nimoy's, at least at that age. Still, their banter was a highlight.

After the USS Enterprise was destroyed and crashed on Krall's planet, a sequence of scenes with McCoy and Spock showed the other side of their friendship. In the final moments before they were reunited with Kirk and Scotty, Spock and McCoy shared an important moment. Spock told McCoy that he cared about him, and the good Doctor was pleased he was in this "certain death" moment with his frienemy . At least, until Spock was beamed away.

James T. Kirk and Hikaru Sulu Fight on the Drilling Platform

The 2009 Star Trek film was the first time Gene Roddenberry's universe was realized on screen with a massive budget. This meant gigantic action sequences that other films never had the chance to pull off. One of the best was the fight on the Narada's drilling platform over the planet Vulcan. In a nod to The Original Series , John Cho's Hikaru Sulu went on the mission because of his skill with a sword, even though it was just fencing. He and Jim Kirk were air-dropped onto the platform in an effort save Vulcan.

While they weren't able to prevent the planet's destruction, this is still a great action sequence. S ulu is able to outsmart the Romulans, and he also saves Kirk . Similarly, Kirk's act-first-think-later heroism is on display after he dives off the platform to rescue Sulu as they both plummet to Vulcan's surface. It was a thrilling and fun sequence in the film, raising spirits before the heartbreak of watching Vulcan's destruction.

James T. Kirk Sees the USS Enterprise for the First Time

Star trek 2009.

In Star Trek: The Original Series and the films that followed, it became clear there was only one thing that Captain James T. Kirk ever truly loved. While the Kelvin Timeline failed the Enterprise as a character , it was still a spectacular starship. With the help of Michael Giacchino's rousing score, the moment that Jim Kirk, Doctor McCoy and, thereby, the audience first see the new USS Enterprise is a fantastic one. Even though she wasn't yet his starship, it's clear the moment Kirk first saw the Enterprise was still special.

The vessel's design was different than fans were used to, but it still maintained that iconic Matt Jefferies-created silhouette . While not the six-minute-long introduction the USS Enterprise received in Star Trek: The Motion Picture , this moment was still for the starship lovers in the audience. This version of the Enterprise was truly massive in scope and scale . While Star Trek fans have their favorites, there is no denying that the Kelvin Timeline Enterprise had an impressive debut in the movie.

Mister Spock Gives Captain Kirk a Pep Talk After the Enterprise Is Destroyed

Each season of star trek: picard proved captain kirk was right.

When Captain James T. Kirk met Jean-Luc PIcard he gave him some Starfleet career advice, and each season of Star Trek: Picard proved him correct.

For USS Enterprise fans, Star Trek Beyond is a tough film to watch, since she is destroyed in the first act. However, as important as sci-fi's most beautiful starship is to Star Trek , the vessel isn't what made it last 60 years. The most important part of any story in this universe is the relationship between the characters, and the most important relationship is the one between Kirk and Spock. In a film that has both Kirk and Spock ready to leave Starfleet behind, the moment they are reunited on Krall's planet is everything that's special about this friendship.

It's fair to say the Kelvin Timeline films lacked much of the aspirational outlook on the future as the series. However, that doesn't mean those ideals weren't present at all. At their lowest point, with no working ship, a captured crew and Spock grievously injured, the movie distills Star Trek down to what it's always been. Spock tells Kirk that together they will do what they always do: find hope in impossible moments . It hearkens back to Star Trek III: The Search for Spock when McCoy tells Kirk that what he does best is "turn death into a fighting chance to live."

The Prime Universe Spock Meets His Kelvin Timeline Counterpart

Even if fans believe there is nothing about the new cast that was redeeming, the Star Trek reboot trilogy is special because it gave them Leonard Nimoy as Spock one last time . The Kelvin Timeline began because both Spock and the Narada were flung into the past. This meant that the Prime Universe's Spock was present in this new timeline. He gave the younger Jim Kirk the assistance he needed to achieve his destiny. Yet, one of the best scenes in the Star Trek trilogy is when he does the same for his younger counterpart. After all, he'd also just lost his planet and his mother, without the benefit of all the life experience the Prime Spock had attained over nearly two centuries of adventure.

The short scene began with the younger Spock mistaking the elder Spock for their father, Sarek. While every member of the new Star Trek cast faced pressure because of their iconic predecessors, only Zachary Quinto had to act opposite the person who defined their characters. It's a truly heartwarming scene because of the interplay of their performances, which is ironic given that it's between two emotion-lite Vulcans. Nimoy's Spock is every bit as sharp and witty as fans know, and Quinto's Spock is easily identifiable as a less refined version of that character .

The USS Enterprise Breaks the Prime Directive in the Coolest Way

Star trek into darkness, 2013, every enterprise captain in star trek, ranked.

There is no ship more venerated in Star Trek than the Enterprise, and many officers have served as captain, but how do they rank against each other?

The second film of the reboot trilogy, Star Trek Into Darkness , made many mistakes. Trying to remix the iconic Star Trek II: Wrath of Khan story was ill-conceived at best. Despite being a great actor, Benedict Cumberbatch was not the right casting choice to play a character named Khan Noonien Singh . Still, for all the downsides of this film, it's a fun watch nonetheless. One reason is because of the pitch-perfect opening scene in which Kirk, McCoy, Spock and Uhura (Zoë Saldaña) try to save a pre-warp alien species from an exploding volcano.

The scene is loads of fun. Kirk and McCoy's ill-fated run across the planet's surface to distract the locals is hilarious. Spock's part of the mission is equal parts classic Star Trek sci-fi technobabble and self-sacrifice . It's also the second-best reveal of the USS Enterprise in the Star Trek reboot trilogy. Seeing the ship emerge from the ocean is incredibly cool. It's completely understandable why the aliens would toss away their sacred scroll in favor of worshipping the impressive vessel that saved them from annihilation .

The USS Enterprise Arriving to Save Spock from the Narada

While this moment is technically part of the away mission in which Captain Kirk and Mister Spock save Christopher Pike, it deserves its own entry. Even with the big budget upgrade in the original series of films that began with Star Trek: The Motion Picture and finished with Star Trek: Nemesis , fans never got to see ship combat like this. As Spock prepares to collide with the Narada, he can't be certain it is not a suicide mission. Even though audiences know Spock isn't going to die, seeing the USS Enterprise arrive in the nick of time is thrilling .

Nero figures out the danger Spock poses to the ship, which is why he orders them to "fire everything." If the Red Matter in the ship's hold detonates , the Narada has no hope of survival. Watching the phasers obliterate the Narada's weapons is also thrilling, giving viewers a perspective on space combat they never had before. This is yet another moment where Michael Giacchino's score elevates what's on screen. The rousing Star Trek theme only adds to the triumph of this moment.

Star Trek, Star Trek Into Darkness and Star Trek Beyond are available to own on Blu-ray, DVD and digital, and streams on Paramount+ and PlutoTV.

The Star Trek universe encompasses multiple series, each offering a unique lens through which to experience the wonders and perils of space travel. Join Captain Kirk and his crew on the Original Series' voyages of discovery, encounter the utopian vision of the Federation in The Next Generation, or delve into the darker corners of galactic politics in Deep Space Nine. No matter your preference, there's a Star Trek adventure waiting to ignite your imagination.

Created by Gene Roddenberry

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• Star Trek Movies
• Star Trek Movies: Kelvin Universe

Why Nero is the BEST Star Trek Movie Villain

• Thread starter Philip Guyott
• Start date Jul 20, 2016

Philip Guyott

Fleet captain.

• Jul 20, 2016

While I think this guy makes a strong argument I'd point out that he makes it better than the movie does. I really do think they were going for all or most of that in the movie but it wasn't made clear enough that most people would get it on the first watch. Besides there's more to being a good villain than just illustrating what a hero could become. Nero is still bland enough that even though he has potential he wouldn't make it into my list of great Star Trek villains.  

Zonker said: While I think this guy makes a strong argument I'd point out that he makes it better than the movie does. I really do think they were going for all or most of that in the movie but it wasn't made clear enough that most people would get it on the first watch. Click to expand...

Zonker said: Besides there's more to being a good villain than just illustrating what a hero could become. Click to expand...

The King of Kings

I loved Nero. Eric Bana did a great job bringing the character to life.  

fireproof78

Fleet admiral.

Philip Guyott said: Yes, a common problem with a lot of modern sci-fi’s, especially JJ films, is that they have lots of great themes and characters with real depth to them, but then they get overshadowed by all the pew, pew, pew! Furthermore the whole nature vs. nurture theme was already explored in Star Trek Nemesis between Picard and Shinzon. I never really thought before about how Star Trek Nemesis and Star Trek 2009 are very similar in this respect. They both have villains whose whole sole purpose is to illustrate what the hero could become. Click to expand...

saddestmoon

I dunno, that video starts out by talking about how Nero seems like a typical revenge villain...and then goes on for several minutes about things that don't change that stance. Just because Spock and Nero show examples of how a different reaction to loss leads to different consequences (duh) doesn't mean Nero isn't still a typical revenge villain. Nature vs nurture, serenity vs rage...all good topics for discussion. Nero is still the same character you thought he was the first time you watched the film. ...Not that there's anything wrong with that. Revenge Villains are awesome when done right.  

Cute but deadly

• Jul 21, 2016

All that stood out about Nero to me was that he's very angry. Bana didn't bring any kind of nuance to him.  

I guess that depends. I felt like he was more nuanced, and played Nero as a haunted man who had a psychotic break.  

Tiberius Jim

Vice admiral.

Thing aspect of Nero that I liked was that he wasn't this smirking, mustache-twirling cliche the whole time. My favorite part has to be when the Enterprise comes upon the Narada and what's left of the fleet, and Nero pops up on screen with this nonchalant, "Hello Christopher, I'm Nero." with all the menace of an IT guy from Dell about to help you with your technical difficulties, but also with an aire of confidence. He didn't need to be all Snidly Whiplash about it because he knew he had the upper hand.  

Shalashaska

The video's title is such clickbait. Because Nero may or may not have some resemblance to Spock, he must be the BEST villain in the franchise, even BETTER or more nuanced than great villains like Khan and Chang! I feel like he was just there to give the Enterprise crew a problem to solve in the background while the story continued focusing on Kirk's rise to the captain's chair and getting the original crew back together.  

Shalashaska said: ...Khan and Chang! Click to expand...

{ Emilia } said: All that stood out about Nero to me was that he's very angry. Bana didn't bring any kind of nuance to him. Click to expand...

Tosk said: I dunno, that video starts out by talking about how Nero seems like a typical revenge villain...and then goes on for several minutes about things that don't change that stance. Just because Spock and Nero show examples of how a different reaction to loss leads to different consequences (duh) doesn't mean Nero isn't still a typical revenge villain. Nature vs nurture, serenity vs rage...all good topics for discussion. Nero is still the same character you thought he was the first time you watched the film. ...Not that there's anything wrong with that. Revenge Villains are awesome when done right. Click to expand...

Rear Admiral

I like Bana, but Nero, as presented in the film, is pretty 2 dimensional. The thing is, the Trek movies prior to FC were never about the villian. TMP the "villian" was a giant space probe come to meet and join with its creater. Which it does, in an ultimately peaceful and mutually agreed upon way. The "danger" is incidental, like a force of nature, not directed. TWOK is the most villian driven TOS film, but the villian and the hero never even meet face to face - it's more about the themes of ageing, loss, revenge.... TSF has Kruge, but the Enterprise crew doesn't even meet him until an hour into the movie and he's easily dispatched by Kirk with a boot in the face. He's not the driving force behind the movie, he is the B plot. TVH has a probe looking for whales, not trying to destroy Earth. It's at the very start of the movie and the very end. It finds whales, it leaves. Like TMP it isn't a villian, but another "force of nature" . TFF has Sybok as a villian in the beginning but even Kirk, who is not under his spell, sides with him in the end and they adventure together looking for God. And then fight a growly bearded special effect for ten minutes. TUC has the conspiracy, a Co - ordinated group of extremist political opponents of which Chang is the face to Kirk and Co, but he's not really key until the final fight. The rest of the movie is political manuvering and a jail break, of which we hardly see Chang in. The movies about the end of Spaces cold war, not fighting a bad guy. GEN has Malcolm McDowell, and he is the driving force, but really he's just an excuse to get Kirk and Picard to team up. It's not until FC with the Borg Queen that defeating the villian is the entire point of the movie. Something that repeats in all the movies following.  

OpenMaw said: I think Bana did, but the biggest failing to his character is in the editing room . Indeed, and for an origin story about a large ensemble, it's better to have a straightforward adversary. However, I don't think Nero's problem was that he was straightforward or simplistic, I think they just made him look like a complete idiot via the editing of the late 1st early 2nd act when he's just out of the movie and then magically back in. Click to expand...

fireproof78 said: I'm probably one of the few that reads in a lot more to Nero's character than most. To me, he had a psychotic break with reality watching his entire world, including his wife, destroyed after being promised help. Given reactions to contemporary disasters by victims this isn't unreasonable. Click to expand...

Secondly, I take the Rure Penthe scenes as part of the his backstory. Nero spent the time in the prison trying to calculate where they were, and where Spock might be. Click to expand...

• Jul 22, 2016

why he is the best to me. 2 reasons. Hi Christopher, Am Nero Fire Everything  

Paradise City

I only had a vague clue as to what Nero was about or what his grudge was whilst watching the film. He was certainly struggling for space with the bunch of other things that was going on. I only got an idea of the character when I looked him up on wiki when I got home. I could excavate what nuance there was to Nero or surmise his motivations from reading the plot online but frankly if these things don't project themselves to me on-screen the film, from my perspective, has misfired..  

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Why Eric Bana's Nero Is The Most Dangerous Villain In Star Trek History

When J.J. Abrams rebooted the original characters of "Star Trek," it kicked off an interesting era for the brand. His trilogy of films came before Paramount+ streaming created a monopoly on content all things Trek and had a universe all its own. To use our favorite Vulcan's iconic quote, it was fascinating. Starring Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto as the beloved duo of James T. Kirk and Spock, the films use an alternate timeline that created a series of movies all its own. This alteration allowed die-hard fans to not feel their legacy had been tarnished while also helping attract new fans.

Abrams also did this by introducing the Romulan villain, Nero (Eric Bana). After a supernova destroys his entire planet, a black hole created by Red Matter pulls Nero and his ship back in time to the day of Kirk's birth. This singular change creates a domino effect that permanently affects the course of events. Regardless if it was purposeful or not, Nero's actions do something almost unprecedented in "Star Trek" history, making him one of the most formidable villains.

Nero changed Star Trek canon forever

For almost 60 years, "Star Trek" has had some of the most legendary villains that will live on in infamy. The Borg Queen is one who never gets old because of the existential dread she inspires. As the leader of the Borg hive, her only interest is in simulating people into her extensive network and erasing all sense of identity. Captain Jean-Luc Picard's (Patrick Stewart) temporary assimilation causes residual trauma that never leaves him. Khan reappears in "Star Trek: Into Darkness" and "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds," because of his relevance to the Eugenics Wars. But no matter how singular these villains are, Nero has done something they have not.

Nero traveling back in time and destroying Vulcan is so savage and permanent that other villains pale in comparison. Not only does he enact genocide against the Vulcans, but his damage to the "Star Trek" timeline can never be corrected. The timeline in the reboot has changed the course of Kirk and Spock forever. Kirk has to live with the death of his mentor Christopher Pike (Bruce Greenwood), even though he lives on in the prime timeline. This change was so severe that in "Into Darkness," Kirk is the one who dies from radiation, and not Spock as portrayed in "The Wrath of Khan." This substantial change can only be compared to another antagonist in "Star Trek" history –  Q (John de Lancie) is a villain who returns time and again after being introduced in "Star Trek: The Next Generation."

Only Q has had as much of an impact

John de Lancie has only appeared in "Star Trek" a dozen or so times as Q, but that is the beauty of his character. As an omnipotent god-like being, he can come and go as he pleases, and there is no way to defeat him. He is such a hallmark of the series, that he even returned for Paramount+'s "Star Trek: Picard" as a touchstone for the former captain. As soon as de Lancie heard the plan for his character, he was on board. "I asked how they were going to deal with the age and that type of stuff. And [showrunner Terry Matalas] said, 'We will [make it happen] and more importantly, we want you how you are now,'" de Lancie told The Hollywood Reporter . 

No one could doubt that Q is a more endearing villain than Nero. The actor has been a part of the "Star Trek" universe for decades and is as welcome as "The Next Generation" crew. And that is why Nero is that much more insidious. Though Q can rewrite realities and play the Enterprise crew like pieces on a chessboard, he is ultimately a trickster figure. He never does anything that cannot be undone — even if it's just by the grace of his power. Nero has no such aspirations. He has no redemption. He only wants to cause suffering, and in a universe that values its utopian society, there is nothing worse than that.

Nero, Number One

After the destruction of the USS Kelvin , the crew of the Narada realize they have been sent back through time. Nero sees this as an opportunity to strike at Spock, but the Klingons have other ideas...

• 2 Memorable quotes
• 3.1 Main characters
• 3.2 Minor characters
• 5.1 Background information
• 5.2 Cover gallery
• 5.3 References
• 5.4 External link

Summary [ ]

The Narada is drifting in the Neutral Zone , seconds after the destruction of the USS Kelvin . An argument has broken out aboard. Ayel , Nero 's trusted first officer , thinks they should go home to Romulus but Nero disagrees. " Romulus isn't safe. Not until the Federation lies in ruins and the red matter is under our control " he says. Turning to the dead body of Captain Robau , Nero is adamant they will find Spock and it's only a matter of time before his ship appears through the black hole as well. As crewman Xandr announces the life support systems are back online, Nero gives the command to assemble the crew in one hour, before retreating to his quarters.

Alone, Nero reflects on what Ayel said before. Romulus is safe in this time period and they could go back there. He could watch his grandparents grow up; he could maybe even see himself born again, see his love born again ... But " No. " he says, " Romulus is dead. And I died with it' ".

The Klingons attack the Narada

An hour later, Nero is summoned to the bridge. His crew has been assembled as per his earlier instructions. He tries to convince them that their mission remains the same, that Romulus is not safe and if they stop, they will endanger it again. As he pauses Baratt speaks out, saying the gods had granted them a miracle, a second chance. Nero argues that the gods allowed Romulus to be destroyed in the first place and it will happen again unless they do something about it. Some of his crew are not convinced so Nero allows them leave in a shuttlecraft . But it doesn't get far before Nero fires two torpedoes at it, destroying the craft. " Nothing will stop us from our goal ", he utters.

Back on the ship, Nero states their priority is to locate the time and place Spock will appear but before he can finish, several Klingon ships decloak and begin firing on the Narada . Captain Kor of the Klothos appears on the viewscreen, demanding to know who they are. Nero tells him they are a simple mining ship requiring assistance. Kor doesn't believe him and declares he is taking the Narada in the name of the Klingon Empire .

Nero, Ayal and the rest of the crew put up a valiant effort against the Klingons as more and more warriors beam aboard. But ultimately, they prove too much. Kor overshadows a beaten Nero, complimenting him on a courageous effort. Before the Romulan can respond, one of Kor's men finds Robau's body, holding up a piece of his torn Starfleet uniform. Kor now knows Nero lied to him. " Tell me, Romulan. " he growls, " How many simple mining ships have dead Starfleet captains in their cargo holds? ". " Burn in hell, Klingon ", Nero responds. That is not the answer Kor was looking for and with one swift swoop, he knocks Nero to the ground, " You first, Romulan. "

Some time later, Nero awakens in a darkened room, the only light source shining in his face. A one-eyed Klingon named Kloth appears, bragging his crew were not as durable as him. He tries to force Nero to talk, but the Romulan doesn't say a word. Kloth calls Nero by name and reveals he knows lots about the Narada thanks to the crew who were not so quiet. Nero still remains silent, but Kloth is patient. " Welcome to Rura Penthe! " he says, " Where you'll spend the rest of your miserable life' ".

TO BE CONTINUED...

Memorable quotes [ ]

" No surrender! "

" Welcome to Rura Penthe "

" Romulus isn't safe. Not until the Federation lies in ruins and the red matter is in our control. We will return to Romulus as saviors. Not before. "

" We are the only hope Romulus has. We have the power to destroy Vulcan and the Federation once and for all . To abandon our cause and seek a safe haven back on Romulus would be a betrayal of those we left behind. "

" We're outnumbered and outgunned. Perhaps we should... " " We fight . If this is how it ends, so be it . All of you get ready. No surrender!' "

" Tell me, Romulan. How many simple mining ships have dead Starfleet captains in their cargo holds? " " Burn in hell, Klingon. "

" You're a long way from Romulus, Nero. You're a long way from anywhere . Welcome to Rura Penthe . "

Characters [ ]

Main characters [ ]

Minor characters [ ], creators [ ].

• Based on Star Trek , created by Gene Roddenberry
• Tim Jones and Mike Johnson
• Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman (story)
• David Messina (line art, cover art)
• Giovanna Niro (color art)
• Neil Uyetake (letter art)
• Scott Dunbier

Appendices [ ]

Background information [ ].

• A preview of this issue was included in a 2009 San Diego Comic Con edition of " Countdown, Number One ".
• The issue sold an estimated 11,467 copies in comic specialty stores in August 2009 . [1] These figures do not cover copies sold in bookstores, etc.
• This issue states Xandr and Barrett as being two of the Narada crew.
• Three covers were produced for this issue – a standard cover by David Messina , a retailer incentive photo cover, and an exclusive photo cover released at the 2009 Fan Expo Canada, as seen below.
• Despite taking place 34 years before his smooth-headed appearance in TOS : " Errand of Mercy ", Kor is depicted with cranial ridges in the story.

Cover gallery [ ]

References [ ]

captain ; cargo hold ; cloaking device ; disruptor ; Federation ; Hell ; Human ; Kelvin , USS ; Klingon ; Klothos , IKS ; life support ; mek'leth ; mining vessel ; Narada ; Neutral zone ; red matter ; replicator ; Romulan ; Romulus ; Romulan shuttlecraft ; Rura Penthe ; shields ; Starfleet ; torpedo ; transporter ; uniform ; warp drive

External link [ ]

• " Nero, Number One " at Memory Beta , the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
• 1 Bell Riots
• 3 Daniels (Crewman)

Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, Found Art

There are spoilers ahead. You might want to solve today's puzzle before reading further! Found Art

Constructor: Beth Rubin

Editor: Jared Goudsmit

What I Learned from Today’s Puzzle

• TERI (24A: Nava Mau's role in "Baby Reindeer") Baby Reindeer is a seven-episode miniseries that premiered on Netflix in April of this year. The show was created by Richard Gadd, who stars in Baby Reindeer as Donny Dunn, a character based on himself. Nava Mau portrays TERI, a therapist Donny met on a dating site.
• STAR TREK: VOYAGER (38A: Sci-fi series with Captain Kathryn Janeway) STAR TREK: VOYAGER originally aired from 1995-2001. The show focuses on the adventures of USS VOYAGER, captained by Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew). USS VOYAGER was stranded in the Delta Quadrant on the far side of the galaxy, and is trying to make its way back to Alpha Quadrant. Although I was able to fill in STAR TREK fairly easily, I needed the help of crossing answers to vill in VOYAGER. My STAR TREK knowledge mostly dates back to 1970s reruns of STAR TREK: The Original Series (1966-1969)!
• AUDI (3D: Q8 automaker) AUDI launched the Q8, a mid-size luxury crossover SUV, in 2018. I'm not really up on car models, but fortunately, there aren't an abundance of four-letter automakers.
• EDIE (7D: Journalist Huggins) EDIE Huggins (1935-2008) was a TV reporter on Philadelphia, Pennsylvania's WCAU-TV for 42 years. She was inducted into the Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia Hall of Fame in 2002.

Random Thoughts & Interesting Things

• ANDIE (17A: "Maid" actress MacDowell) Maid is a 10-episode miniseries released on Netflix in 2021. The show is inspired by a memoir by Stephanie Land, Maid: Hard Work, Low Pay, and a Mother's Will to Survive . The main character is Alex – portrayed by Margaret Qualley – a young mother with a two-year-old daughter, who gets a job as a maid. ANDIE MacDowell portrays Alex's mother, Paula Langley. In this interview with NPR , ANDIE MacDowell talks about drawing on her own childhood experiences to play her Maid character. Fun fact: ANDIE MacDowell and Margaret Qualley are mother and daughter in real life, as well as in the show.
• UCLA (34A: Bruins' college) The Bruins are the sports teams at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). The team's mascots are Joe and Josie Bruin . In the 1950s, the UCLA Bruins used live bears as mascots. Fortunately, their current bear mascots are humans in costumes.
• Person 1: "Okay, you guys, we have to be careful. Someone here is possessed by an OWL."
• Person 2: "Who?"
• Person 1: "That's the thing, we don't know..." (Looks suspiciously at Person 2.)
• BEBOP (45A: Jazz style with complex harmonies) The BEBOP style of jazz developed in the 1940s. Unlike the earlier dance-oriented swing music-style of jazz, BEBOP was not intended for dancing. The freedom from this constraint meant musicians could play at faster tempos and include complex chord progressions. The term BEBOP is an onomatopoeic word (a word that imitates the sound it describes) derived from the nonsense syllables used in scat singing.
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• ELBA (48A: "Luther" actor Idris) Luther is a BBC TV series in which Idris ELBA stars as the title character, Detective Chief Inspector John Luther. The TV series originally aired from 2010-2019. Idris ELBA reprised the role for a 2023 movie that was a continuation of the series, Luther: The Fallen Sun .
• ENID (50A: Name hidden in "scre en id ol") This clue had me wondering if there is an ENID who is a "screen idol." There is a 2009 TV movie called ENID . It's a biographical film about children's author ENID Blyton. Helena Bonham Carter plays the title character.
• OSCAR THE GROUCH (52A: Muppet with a pet worm named Slimey) I am a fan of OSCAR THE GROUCH, the curmudgeonly Sesame Street character who lives in a trash can. OSCAR has an orange pet worm named Slimey . When Slimey originally appeared as a character (OSCAR said that he found him in the mud), he communicated only with squeaks, but in later episodes he was given a voice. In addition to Slimey, OSCAR THE GROUCH also has a number of pet elephants ! (Apparently OSCAR's trash can is bigger inside than it appears, somewhat like Mary Poppins' carpet bag.) Sometimes the elephants' trunks are visible sticking out of the trash can, but most often the elephants are heard but not seen. I couldn't resist taking a photo of my OSCAR THE GROUCH figurine checking out his name in the puzzle.
• NERO (61A: Fictional detective Wolfe) Cozy mysteries are my genre of choice, and I have an entire bookshelf dedicated to books about NERO Wolfe, so I was delighted to see this clue. NERO Wolfe, a creation of the author Rex Stout, is the ultimate armchair detective, rarely leaving his luxurious brownstone on West 35th Street in New York City where he reads books, tends his orchids, drinks beer, and eats gourmet meals. He relies on his assistant, Archie Goodwin, to do any necessary legwork, and to goad him into working when the bills need to be paid. Rex Stout (1886-1975) wrote 33 novels and 41 novellas and short stories about NERO Wolfe between 1934 and 1975. The NERO Wolfe stories have been adapted for TV, movies, and the stage. (I enjoy the quirkiness of NERO Wolfe, though I will say his attitudes toward women leave something to be desired.)
• EYRE (65A: Jane in a Bronte novel) Charlotte Brontë originally published Jane EYRE in 1847 under the pen name Currer Bell.
• CHAI (1D: Noon ___ (Kashmiri tea)) Noon CHAI is made with gunpowder tea (green tea leaves rolled into small pellets), milk, and baking soda. It is also called Kashmiri tea, as it originated in Kashmir (a region of the Indian subcontinent).
• LAND (2D: About 29% of Earth's surface) It seems like I most commonly see this statistic as 71% of the Earth's surface is covered by water. It was fun to see it turned around to 29% of Earth's surface is LAND.
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• TESLA (39D: Inventor Nikola) Nikola TESLA (1856-1943) was an inventor and engineer known for his contributions to the design of modern electricity supply systems and alternating current (AC). One of Nikola TESLA's inventions was the TESLA coil, an electrical resonant transformer circuit. TESLA invented the coil in 1891. Although they've been used in a variety of applications, today the main use of TESLA coils are for entertainment and educational purposes.  Tesla coils can even be used to play music.
• PIRATE (46D: Seafarer who might say "Arrr!") PIRATE is making back-to-back appearances in the puzzle. Yesterday we saw PIRATE clued as [Make unauthorized copies of software].
• DONOR (51D: Universal ___ (person with O negative blood)) Since blood that is type O negative has no antigens (surface proteins found on red blood cells), it will not trigger an immune response following a blood transfusion, even if the recipient has a different blood type. Only 7% of the population are universal DONORs , that is, have type O negative blood. That means people with that blood type are in demand as blood DONORs. Hooray for science in the crossword!

Crossword Puzzle Theme Synopsis

• I DIDN'T HEAR THAT (20A: "Please repeat what you said)
• STAR TREK: VOYAGER (38A: Sci-fi series with Captain Kathryn Janeway)
• OSCAR THE GROUCH (52A: Muppet with a pet worm named Slimey)

FOUND ART: The word ART is FOUND hidden in each theme answer: I DIDN'T HE AR T HAT, ST AR T REK: VOYAGER, and OSC AR T HE GROUCH.

The hidden or FOUND word is a classic USA Today theme type. It is well executed here with three great theme answers. Thank you, Beth, for this enjoyable puzzle.

For more on USA TODAY’s Crossword Puzzles

• USA TODAY’s Daily Crossword Puzzles
• Sudoku & Crossword Puzzle Answers