Pike’s Office, Original Ending (1:52) This original version of the meeting in Pike’s office underwent several rounds of reshoots as the filmmaking team worked to find just the right tone and balance for Kirk’s relationship to the Admiral. In the final version of the film, the sentiments expressed in this scene were split into two longer, separate acts, with the ‘kind’ Pike making an appearance in a San Francisco bar before the two men are called in to Starfleet Headquarters. Original dialogue in white; cut dialogue in orange. — INTERIOR PIKE’S OFFICE —

Spock has just been dismissed. Kirk is alone with the Admiral. PIKE

You have any idea what a pain in the ass you are? KIRK

(Nods) I think so, sir. PIKE

So tell me what you did wrong.

What’s the lesson to be learned here? KIRK

Never trust a Vulcan. PIKE

See, you can’t even answer the question! You lied on an official report — you lied! You think the rules don’t apply to you because you disagree with them! KIRK

With all due respect, sir, I thought that’s why you talked me into signing up in the first place. It’s why you gave me your ship. PIKE

And now it’s the reason I’m taking her back. Kirk, shocked, turns to face Pike. PIKE

Effective immediately, I’m reinstating myself as captain of the Enterprise. KIRK

What was I supposed to to, let Spock die? PIKE

It’s not about Spock. KIRK

Then what is it about?

You’re punishing me for saving someone’s life, Admiral! PIKE

No! I’m teaching you, like I should have done a long time ago.

I’m transferring Spock; you’ll be my first officer. Kirk falls silent as he takes in the news. Slowly, he moves to sit in one of the office’s chairs; Pike sits as well, facing him. PIKE

You think you’re infallible. That you can’t make mistakes. But the moment is gonna come when you’ll realize that you were wrong about that… and you’re gonna get yourself and everyone under your command killed. Kirk looks the Admiral in the eye, listening to his every word. PIKE

There’s greatness in you, Jim, but there’s not an ounce of humility. You want that chair back? You’re gonna have to show me you respect it. Pike pauses, making sure Kirk understands what he’s being told. PIKE

Dismissed. Into Darkness editors Maryann Brandon and Mary Jo Markey discuss the recutting of this conversation in the iTunes commentary track: Mary Jo Markey: “There was a need to reestablish the father/son [relationship between Pike and Kirk], so we had to create dialogue between them and a dynamic between them where you felt like Pike was stern and still his admiral, but he also believes in this young captain, and he’s terribly disappointed that [Kirk] chose to break the Prime Directive. Pike takes the ship away, but he also needs to give Kirk hope that he will personally take him under his wing — and he still believes in him. It wasn’t until we landed on actually having an additional scene that didn’t take place in the office; it really needed a breather to land. And in the original scene, he took the ship away from Kirk — we changed it so that Starfleet took it away and that Pike couldn’t do anything about it.” Maryann Brandon: “We tried to do this thing where Pike took the ship away, and then he tried to be sort of fatherly to Kirk. Finally we just gave up and realized that it had to be two separate scenes.” . . .