Star Trek: Lower Decksanswered a big question about Captain James T. Kirk’s (William Shatner) retirement 28 years afterStar Trek Generations. Kirk met Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) in 1994’sStar Trek Generations, but the historical team up of the greatestCaptains of the Enterpriseresulted in Kirk’s death at the hands of Dr. Tolian Soran (Malcolm McDowell). However,Star Trek Generationsgave a glimpse into the brief, restless retirement of Captain Kirkand when that happened.
Star Trek Generationssaw Captain Kirk enter the Nexus, an interdimensional space ribbon where time has no meaning. When Captain Picard found Kirk, Jim believed he had just arrived moments earlier. In Kirk’s recollection, he was aboard the USS Enterprise-B performing a daring rescue when the bulkhead disappeared. Next thing Kirk knew, he was chopping wood outside the home he retired to in Idaho. Kirk was puzzled at his surroundings becausehe sold this home “years ago”- but to whom wasn’t revealed untilStar Trek: Lower Decks.
Star Trek: Lower Decks Reveals What Happened To Kirk’s Home In Star Trek Generations
Captain Sulu Bought Kirk’s Home
Star Trek: Lower Decksseason 3, episode 8, “Crisis Point II: Paradoxus” included the surprise revelation thatCaptain Hikaru Sulu (George Takei) bought Captain Kirk’s Idaho home. Kirk identified the house and barn as belonging to his uncle inStar Trek Generations, so it was always in the Kirk family before Sulu purchased it. Ensign Bradward Boimler (Jack Quaid) visited Sulu’s home and barn in a dream while he was in the holodeck LARPing his movie, “Crisis Point II: Paradoxus”. Sulu even joked that Kirk"had to go time travel or something. The man could never relax."
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While Boimler was dreaming when he met Sulu at Kirk’s former Idaho home, Bradward is an expert on Starfleet history and trivia.It’s probable that Boimler knew Kirk once lived in Idaho and sold his home to Suluwhen he decided to end his retirement. After all, Boimler knew about theNexus inStar Trek Generations. It’s safe to callStar Trek: Lower Decksestablishing Sulu bought the home in Idaho the Nexus took Kirk to inStar Trek Generationsas canon.
Kirk’s Star Trek Retirement Timeline Explained
When Did Kirk Retire And Go Back To Starfleet?
Star Trek Generations' time travel between the 23rd and 24th centuries via the Nexus can be confusing, as iswhen, exactly, Captain Kirk retired from Starfleet.When Kirk realized that the Nexus brought him to the past on the day he told his lover, Antonia (Lynn Salvatori), that he was going back to Starfleet, Jim dated it as"nine years ago"from the date he believed it to be: 2293. This was the year the prologue ofStar Trek GenerationswhenCaptain Kirk was"killed"aboard the USS Enterprise-B took place.
2265-2270
2270s
Kirk Returns To Starfleet
2284
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, Star Trek III: The Search For Spock
2285
2286
2287
2293
Star Trek Generations - Kirk’s Death
2371
According to Kirk’s math inStar Trek Generations,he ended his retirement in 2284, one year before the events ofStar Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. This means everyStar Trekmoviestarring Kirk starting withThe Wrath of Khantook place after the scene Kirk and Picard played through in the Nexus inStar Trek Generations.It’s unclear when, exactly, Kirk decided to retire from Starfleet, but it was afterStar Trek: The Motion Picture,which took place at some point in the 2270s. It’s also unknown how long Kirk was retired, but we know he lived in the house in Idaho he later sold to Sulu.
Why Captain Kirk Couldn’t Retire In Star Trek
Captain Kirk spent his prime years in outer space, exploring and saving the galaxy with Starfleet.Kirk defined himself by his first, best destiny when he was Captain of the USS Enterprise.Although Kirk had multiple lovers, as Captain, Jim chose to commit himself to his starship and his crew. This means Kirk never married, and he only had one child, David Marcus (Merritt Butrick), who he fathered with Dr.Carol Marcus (Bibi Besch). But Kirk also acquiesced Carol that she raise David alone.
Kirk did not get to know David until he was an adult inStar Trek II: The Wrath of Khan,and their brief reunion was cut short when David was murdered by Klingons inStar Trek III: The Search for Spock.
Although Kirk believed he deserved the peace and quiet of retirement, Jim still yearned to be on the bridge of the Starship Enterprise where he could"make a difference.“Admiral Kirk also turned 49 inStar Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, which meansJim attempted to retire when he was still in his 40s, which was far too young for a man of Kirk’s ambition and virility. Ultimately, Kirk still felt he could make a positive impact as a starship captain, and he was right.
Some of Kirk’s greatest heroics happened after he ended his retirement.
Admiral Kirk stopped Khan Noonien Singh (Ricardo Montalban), saved a resurrected Spock (Leonard Nimoy) from the self-destructing Genesis Planet, rescued Earth by bringing back humpback whales from 1986, prevented a falseGod (George Murdock)from escaping his prison at the center of the galaxy, andCaptain Kirk was pivotal in ensuring that peace between the Klingon Empire and the United Federation of Planets was achieved. Some of Kirk’s greatest heroics happened after he ended his retirement.
Kirk’s Retirement Set The Standard For Other Star Trek Captains
Star Trek Captains' Retirements Followed Kirk’s Model
Captain Kirk’s attempt at retirement became the model for otherStar TrekCaptains who tried to step away from Starfleet for a quiet life on Earth, only to don their uniforms and return to space once again. InStar Trek: Strange New Worlds' premiere, Captain Christopher Pike (Anson Mount) contemplated quitting Starfleet for his Montana ranch. Admiral Jean-Luc Picard was restless and unhappy when he was retired inStar Trek: Picard. Only Admiral Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) seemed pleased to retire to her Indiana farmhouse before Starfleet needed her back at theend ofStar Trek: Prodigyseason 2.
It’s possible Captain Sulu raised his daughter, future USS Enterprise-B helmsman Demora Sulu (Jacqueline Kim), in the Idaho home Hikaru purchased from Captain Kirk.
Kirk, Picard, Janeway, and Pike all hoped a rustic home on Earth would be a happy change of pace from warping across the galaxy. The exception to this plan wasCaptain Benjamin Sisko(Avery Brooks). Before he became one with the Prophets at the end ofStar Trek: Deep Space Nine,Sisko planned to build a house and retire on his beloved Bajor, not Earth.Sisko likely would have bucked his fellow Captains' trend and been happy on Bajor, but the Prophets had other plans. Ultimately, it’s a positive thing revealed byStar Trek: Lower Decksthat when Kirk decided to give up his uncle’s house in Idaho, that house went to Sulu and stayed within his USS Enterprise family.
