Kirk and Spock might not be sipping prune juice and chatting about the good old days, but they're still dealing with the consequences of aging in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country. Here's the deal: the original crew of Enterprise is about to be decommissioned. On top of that, with peace brewing between the Federation and Klingon Empire, both Kirk and Spock are having their assumptions about the world upended. Ultimately, Kirk and Spock realize that while it's impossible to prevent yourself from aging, it is possible to keep yourself from becoming rigid and complacent.
Questions about Old Age
- How has Kirk developed over the course of the series? In what ways is he different from when he began?
- What effect has aging had on Spock?
- In what ways are Spock and Kirk dealing with similar issues about their age? Are they dealing with them differently? Explain.
- Does Kirk make peace with his place in the world by the end of the movie? Why or why not?
Chew on This
Although Kirk can't stop himself from aging, his challenge in the film is to prevent his thought processes from becoming rigid.
Kirk lets go of his negative feelings about aging once he commits to letting the next generation of leadership take over.