Character Analysis
In the Original Series, Nyota Uhura was the communications officer aboard the Enterprise's bridge. While she had her moments, she didn't get to do much in your average episode. Send a communication here, pick up a communication there. You know, comm stuff.
Yawn.
In The Search for Spock, Uhura has her moment to shine when she pulls a gun on a fellow Starfleet officer. We're guessing that's not in her communications officer job description.
All joking aside, Uhura joins the rest of the crew to support the film's themes of loyalty and friendship. She takes a job in the Old Station transporter room, a place her fellow officer refers to as the "hind end of space." (Ew.) But the position is just a ploy to keep Starfleet from noticing Kirk's plan.
When Kirk arrives at the station, Uhura illegally teleports him and the rest of the crew to the Enterprise, so they can commandeer it. Having already committed treason with this act, she doubles down on her loyalty to the crew and draws a gun on her fellow officer:
UHURA: You wanted adventure, how's this? The old adrenaline going, huh? Good boy. Now get in the closet.
LIEUTENANT: Okay.
UHURA: Go on. Go on.
LIEUTENANT: I'll just get in the closet.
Not only does Uhura show her loyalty here, but she displays strength, confidence, and character in the way she handles "Mr. Adventure." She proves herself an asset to the team, and she didn't even need to get naked and dance with palm fronds in the desert.
Yeah…more on that when we get to The Final Frontier….