UPDATED: Morrison clarifies

Actress Jennifer Morrison has clarified her comment made at Calgary Expo, saying she was “joking.” See follow-up article for more.

Original Article

The ‘Star Trek 4’ follow-up to 2016’s Star Trek: Beyond was recently announced as moving ahead, with Paramount looking to S.J. Clarkson to direct. Chris Hemsworth is is set to return as George Kirk, who was last seen sacrificing himself to save his crew in the opening scene of 2009’s Star Trek, a powerful moment that led to the safe escape of his wife Winona (Jennifer Morison) and his newborn son, James T. Kirk. Little else is known about the plot of ‘Star Trek 4,’ but Morrison may have just dropped a small clue.

George Kirk’s supposed death?

At Calgary Expo last weekend, actress Jennifer Morison held a panel that mostly dealt with her starring role as Emma on Once Upon a Time, however moderator (and Star Trek Voyager star Garrett Wang) began by talking about the opening scene of Star Trek, where Morrison said something interesting. Here is the exchange:

Wang: As an actor, I think it is incredibly difficult to play the role of a mother who just gave birth to James Tiberius Kirk, knowing that your husband is 36 seconds away from death, basically… Morrison: [interjecting] Supposed death. Wang: Supposed death, right. Morrison: [smiling] Just saying.

Did George Kirk survive the battle with the Narada?

Morrison’s interjection seems small, but raises a big question. George Kirk’s scene in 2009’s Star Trek (which you can watch on YouTube) has no hints that he survived the battle, so why would Morrison make a point of correcting Wang with the “supposed death” comment? The film is almost ten years old, and George Kirk’s death was never in dispute before, which raises speculation that Morrison has been approached to appear in the newest Trek movie, along with Hemsworth.

If Morrison’s comment is to be taken at face value, it also opens up the possibility that George Kirk didn’t die. Perhaps the Romulans, or someone else beamed him off the Kelvin at the last second. Since the Narada attack, George may have been held prisoner, possibly by the Klingons, who (in deleted scenes) captured the Narada after the battle with the Kelvin and held the crew on the prison planet Rura Penthe.

The presumption on how James and George Kirk will team up has been that the ‘Star Trek 4’ will involve time travel and it’s possible Morrison is simply referring to that. That being said, if George Kirk did survive the Narada attack, that does not preclude the film also involving time travel and in fact it could help allow for the actor’s age difference as Hemsworth, now 34, shot Star Trek when he was 24.

Then again, maybe Morrison’s comment means nothing, and she has no notion about the fate of George Kirk. But, we are Trekkies and it is fun to speculate.

Watch Morrison’s curious interjection

You can watch the exchange on George Kirk’s death below (via Tahirah Lowe on YouTube). Garret Wang mentions he saw 2009’s Star Trek ten times and cried ever time he watched the opening scene with Hemsworth and Morrison.

Stay glued to TrekMovie.com for all news, whispers and more about the future of Star Trek movies. You can keep tabs on all updates on the next movie via our Star Trek XIV category.