Why Christopher Pike Is Actually the Ideal Starship Captain
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- Опубліковано 4 чер 2024
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▶Chapters:
00:00 - Introduction
02:07 - This Pike, Not That Pike
07:16 - Pike's Tragedy
09:37 - A Tease for a Show That Didn't Exist
12:25 - "Lift Us Where Suffering Cannot Reach"
19:09 - Pike and His Crew / "Memento Mori"
24:51 - Pike's Finest Moment
29:57 - Pike's Kinda/Sorta Happy Ending
32:11 - Shoutouts, Plugs and Announcements
#startrek #startrekstrangenewworlds #startrekdiscovery #videoessay - Розваги
Yeah if you told me that Mount's Pike was genetically engineered cell by cell in a lab to be the textbook-perfect zenith of Starfleet captains, I wouldn't be shocked
That's illegal in the Federation. :P
@@MadSpectre47 tell that to Julian Bashir
@Dodge Morningstar nah, it’s just that the human brain is structured similarly enough between people that similar inputs will result in similar outputs. moreover the human brain is not an island but actually an interconnected network between every human brain on earth, and every animal brain beyond that. with the advent of the internet the neural connections have become more deeply woven, and so large swaths of the population give up processing power to the collective. the thought existed, it was always going to exist, it just needed to be said out loud. obsidian did it first.
@@bryanflynn2855 I have a hunch he knows.
@@jackboren431
I believe that Richard Bashir knows that by THIS time.
😉
Introducing Pike to Discovery was a brilliant move after Lorca was revealed to be a secret villain. We in the audience immediately knew to trust Pike because we trust Spock’s judgment and know Spock was loyal to Pike in The Menagerie.
can you be the computer core for my computer suffering to be my computers cpu? please pretty please
This Pike uses "good dad" as his leadership style and it works so well.
A lot of credit goes to the actor. Anson Mount is majorly gifted. He plays funny so well--he had me in stitches as the cowardly courtier. I am very much looking forward to SNW Season 2.
I really liked him even in the atrocious Inhumans.
He's a remarkably charismatic actor.
He was the straight-man in the Lower-Decks crossover. Beautiful comic timing.
@@jabpoke Honestly it's why the Lower Decks crossover works so well. I don't think it would have worked as well with anyone other then Mount.
Not too mention Pike's catchphrase: "Hit it!" You know the producers had to be work shopping that line, and Mount's delivery gets me every time.
I also wouldn't be surprised if it turns out that they used part of those discussions/workshops for dialogue in ST:Discovery where Saru and Tilly are having problems coming up with one.
I love Ortegas saying: "Captain? Say the thing. :D"
@@StuartQuinn how's about "Speed me up!", lol, or "Let's get there!"
I like Spock’s hysterical “I want the ship to go - now.”
@@Yibambe. They need a Canadian captain to say "Pitter-patter".
I think my favourite part of Pike's character is his leadership style: he doesn't just boss folks around, he plays to people's strengths and helps them live up to their potential by kind of amplifying their voice with his. When he leads a group, he leads them all to do better than the sum of their parts. Now, most Starfleet captains demonstrate this, but I think Pike does so more than others.
My second-favourite part is his major dad vibe. A meeting over breakfast? He's such a dad.
Yes, Kirk - as played by Shatner - has to be in the action all the time and Picard as little as possible. Pike seems to make his involvement more considered, a really good balance - not afraid to let his crew take initiative but always poised to get involved, somehow without letting them thnk they have failed in any way. Awesome
By far the most 'likeable' captain to watch of them all.
Christopher Pike really is the Star Trek equivalent of Steve Rogers.
Still waiting for that Sisko/Pike cooking show. 🤣
Federation’s Test Kitchen 🥘
Watching Strange New Worlds inspired me to rewatch the Menagerie from the original series and, even in the Beep Chair, I can see some of the characterization from Mount in this Pike, particularly in the fact that TOS Pike absolutely refuses to cooperate with Spock's plan, beeping No after No in protest, because it would mean risking Spock's career in Starfleet and even his life if he is found guilty by the court martial. Even after all he went through and all the pain he continues to suffer, he is still willing to sacrifice his own wellbeing for the good of his crew and for the safety of his friend.
Shit, I haven't watched anything with Pike in it and that's still making me tear up...
Especially since he "knows" that trying to avoid his fate dooms Spock and "He's got things to do."
Pike is probably my favourite as he is a you said “superman without powers”, sometimes I don’t need someone with a dark story or morally grey decision making, sometimes I just want to see a good person do good things without the desire of compensation.
That's part of why I like Doctor Who so much, while the Doctor definitely has dark backstory and has done some grey things, his whole personality is about not letting that get to him and still seeking out to do the right thing whenever he needs to and then vanish without reward
@@CT-1118 i really think the doctor is too dark and regretful to be compared to superman
@@CT-1118 I love the ending of The Doctor Dances, where the Doctor is ecstatic that for once everyone lives, something that rarely happens in his experience.
Reminds me of some lyrics from a filk song, "Some Kind of Hero" by Leslie Fish:
"For some kinds of heroes are lunkheads like me,
Who only do things that they’re told;
And some kinds of hero are out for the glory,
They’re heroes on purpose, and bold
Some become heroes for bravery, sure,
And some just because all is lost;
But a few are the heroes like Molly and Jed,
Who give without counting the cost"
When I had a leadership job, I kept a poster of the Enterprise near my desk. Not just because it was cool, but to remind me of who my leadership exemplars were. Typically I would lean more "What would Picard do?": remain calm in crisis, listen to my team members ideas, utilize their talents and strengths, and give them their earned recognition.
Then SNW Pike came along and while Picard was great he was also emotionally distant from his crew, while Pike inserted himself as a part of the team he led. I realized that I needed to work on that.
Star Trek has many examples of good leaders, and it even acknowledges that different leadership styles are needed in different situations, as shown in the SNW season 1 finale and pretty much all of DS9.
@@Ares99999 There is a future plot point, integrating an unavoidable decision with his unavoidable fate.
@@Ares99999 3? You seem to have overlooked Janeway.
Well said.
DS9's"in the pale moonlight" was on of my favorite examples
😭 are you hiring??
I love your sense of humor. I particularly loved “It’s like Steve Rogers showed up to take charge of the Suicide Squad.”
The hair of Captain Pike makes him one of my favorite captains in Trek for some reason. His epic hair fits his epic personality.
Captain Pike's hair does receive a lot of attention... its certainly the most spectacular of any Starship Captain that we have seen leading the show. Genetically, I think Shatner's might have been closer to his immediate successors(and Saru's hair is comparable). Janeway had a variety of hairstyles that was somewhat seasonal, Burnham has gone through a few styles as well, but female hair when its longer can be styled in any number of feminine, culturally appropriate yet commanding ways. Archer and Lorca's hair were "normal" but, Mount and his associated hair may be as signature as his command style.
Isn't it just Conan O'Brian hair?
yes, hair style should be added as prerequisite for a great captain
This is also one of the many things that make Strange New Worlds such a great prequel: it adds a lot to the original material, and changes your entire viewing of The Menagerie. It really gives you a lot to think about, like, was Spock planning this for ten years? Has Spock been wracking that Vulcan mind for a decade to come up with a way to cheat fate? And then it makes you think about Star Trek II, and all the other things Spock did to cheat fate throughout the series. Strange New Worlds is a great prequel because it's not only great on its own, but it also makes already great source material even better. I love this show.
And it wouldn’t have been possible if Disco hadn’t laid the seeds by having Pike make that choice and thus allowing SNW more space to develop and explore it. Disco and SNW both did great moves as prequels to expand and enrich the materials we already knew.
Indeed it's brilliant, my favourite series after TOS which is my #1
“It’s like Steve Rogers showing up to take charge of the Suicide Squad.” Wow…. Idk why, but I not only love this comparison/analogy, I can totally agree with it. :)
Agreed, and now that I've heard it, it's the best and most succinct explanation of what "Disco" really is.
In other words, not Star Trek.
One of the best things about the beep chair is the reference in Farscape -- Crichton communicates with one of the ship's Diagnostic Repair Drones by having it blink once for yes and twice for no. He subsequently refers to the drone as "DRD Pike."
I am just about to begin a rewatch of Farscape - I must look out for that.
I have never watched Farscape even though I am a fan of each and every single actor on that show. I've been putting it off for years, and I see how much love it has from it's fans. I need to give it a go!!
Oh i have to rewatch for just that!
Anson Mount has brought to life a beloved but completely unknown character, and he has become my favorite Star Trek captain of all time.
His portrayal of Pike has been almost perfect, and I can not wait for season 2 of SNW.
Instead of planet Mejallus, Pike opts for Talos 4 instead.
That planet reminds me of the one Picard visited who wanted to put Wesley Crusher to death for wrecking a small green house. Picard just took his away team and beamed back to the ship.
@@jv-lk7bc
No indeed.
His brief appearance in TOS made him shockingly memorable.
@@alanpennie8013 agreed 'The Cage' is my favourite Star Trek episode, so SNW is a dream come true for me as a big fan of the Christopher Pike character.
After season 2, he further cemented his place as my favorite Trek captain ever. But its the entire crew also. I don't want them to rush to add the legacy characters. This entire crew deservest many more espisodes and time for us to watch them, don't 'discard' them too quickly as placeholders for legacy characters like Sulu and McCoy. This current crew is good enough to stand on its own (maybe even better/more interesting than the legacy characters.)
The superb writing for Pike from his first appearance onwards, and Mount's wonderful performance bringing him to life are definitely high points for modern Trek.
Ever since I first saw The Cage, and saw Pike lay it all out to his doctor in his quarters, he's been my favourite captain. The now slightly non-canonically aligned but otherwise excellent book "Burning Dreams" by Margaret Wander Bonanno further cemented him as my favourite. Then Bruce Greenwood was note perfect throughout his whole appearance in the Kelvin films, and made me wish the Kelvin timeline had him as captain for most of its run with Kirk as his apprentice, as it were. I was a devastated as Kirk when he was killed.
Then Discovery's second season came along and Pike was just, as you said, the ideal of what a Starfleet Captain should be, the absolute anti-thesis to everything Lorca was. I didn't think my love for the character get any stronger until seeing him on Discovery and then Strange New Worlds.
It makes me somewhat smugly satisfied that I've known how good Pike was for about 30 years, and now all the doubters are finally catching up :P
Agreed, seeing The Cage back on VHS I loved the episode and actually consider it as my favourite Star Trek episode. So when SNW was announced I was over the moon with excitement, and man did the show deliver!
I absolutely adore this Pike. In addition to being such a great Starfleet captain, he's also such a great man. I mean that in the sense that he's probably the best depiction of non-toxic masculinity I think I've ever seen in media. He's fatherly, but not in a paternalistic or patronizing way. The way he checks in with his crew and makes sure everyone is doing okay, it's so plain to see how much he cares, and he doesn't feel the need to hide it or downplay it at all.
Totally agreed. Anson Mount as Pike somehow achieved a sort of male perfection, purely masculine in all the physical ways that count, but emotionally aware of the needs of those around him and whom he is responsible for. Plus he loves to cook, which is, unfortunately, still seen as a feminine task in a derogatory sense by many people out there.
Funny how literally every female characters in Nu Trek have toxic masculinity traits.
@@pierreo33 💯
@@cloudwatcher608
Harry Palmer (Len Deighton's working - class version of Bond) was probably the first action hero who was fond of cooking.
And that was before TOS.
Of course Lalo Salamanca seems to be a pretty good cook.
And he's as toxic as anyone could be.
Thank you for this. Pike's story is amazing. Anson Mount is a gift to Star Trek.
Very much expected to hear you say "then Voyager debuted, and fans were then faced with the question, 'who is your favourite captain, Kirk, Picard, or Sisko.'"
I like Janeway more than Sisko and no one will change my mind.
Ok, I got a genuine LOL moment right there. Thanks, I needed that!
Sisko was a war criminal
Totally agree with you. One thing I would like to add: The way he is laid out as a character, Pike at least was in danger of becoming too much of the stereotypical "good guy". Unfailing, always making the right choice, always in control... yadayadayada. Which might have resulted in an one-dimensional and thus uninteresting character. For once, the writers were smart enough to avoid this by making him flawed and conflcited with himself, but also Anson Mount's portrayal is what in my opinion hugely contributes to making Pike such an appealing, interesting and captivating character.
This is what annoys me about Discovery. Michael is always dying on her cross, nearly every episode.
@@Shay-ik1xq and yet she is also flawed and conflicted too
Given what we know about Starfleet, is it too much to expect that a Captain of an Interstellar Space Ship would know how to handle himself.
Love Anson Mount as Pike. Love that moment that Pike has with Spock in SNW:
"You're important to me, Spock."
"As you are to me, Captain. Chris."
How about when Spock says I think I owe you for something...
I love your analysis of Mount’s Pike. You totally nailed it with his Captain America like vibe. I think one more huge example of him being the ideal captain and Federation officer is in Spock Amok (he completely sold that “radical empathy” theory). He has the charisma of Kirk, the restraint and wisdom of Picard, and badassness of Sisko, all rolled into one.
Disco 2 and STNW made Pike my favorite captain in the entire series. Knowing his fate he still sticks to his duty. And then they show him as human by faltering. He tries to run from it, he tries to change it but when he realizes doing so will change everything for the worse, he sticks to his morals and continues to be the captain he is.
While Trek fans knew about Pike’s fate, it was quite another thing to actually *see* it happen, and seeing it happen to him in the DIS ep, “Through The Valley Of Shadows” was like a sucker punch to the heart and soul, which was made even more powerful and memorable thanks to Anson Mount’s perfectly nuanced performance as a man who has to come to grips with his own fate, but realizes that he must put his own future on the line in order to insure that others have a future, as well.
He’s just so good, and was perfectly cast as Captain Pike.
Without a doubt, Anson Mount’s version of Pike has become my favorite Trek Captain, followed closely by Sisko. And the thing is, they couldn’t be any more different. I can’t imagine Pike making some of the morally dubious choices Sisko had to make. Not can I see Sisko letting the future proceed, accepting his fate the way Pike does.
That scene where he thinks they're dead and then find out otherwise is one of those hat stands out in my brain as an example of exceptional acting among all the television or movies I've ever watched.
The interpretation I hold to is that the crystal didn't *change* anything, it just showed him what the consequences of his actions would be. "If you keep being a good person, you will suffer unimaginably. The wages of virtue are death." And he tries to turn away from this end, but realizes that he can either die by losing the good in him, or by offering himself as a sacrifice.
And he chooses that, three times.
In the last episode of SNW he finally understands that he would face this even if he hadn't known, but most of the season was him understanding why he is important.
Also, the consequences may not change, but you can choose how you respond to them. I hope we will see some of that in the future.
I still don’t think Discovery gets enough credit for the work its writers did in crafting Pike’s character in such a perfect way and setting such a strong foundation for SNW to continue and taking a character that was doomed to be a footnote in Trek history and turning him into the shining star of this franchise. There really is no this version of Pike that we love or SNW without the hard work of Disco.
And another sign of Pike’s compassion is how you see him adapting his captaincy style to deal with different crews. With his own crew in SNW, you see a bigger level of openness and fun, but when he’s with the Disco crew, you see him adjusting his style to suit a very traumatized and skittish crew, he’s open but he doesn’t push, he doesn’t hover, he knows to give that crew the time to get used to changes. The fact that Pike has two very different crews (both Disco and Enterprise) ready to fight to the death for him is the perfect showing of how his compassion guides his leadership styles with understanding.
Also, while Spock risking everything for Pike makes perfect sense after everything we’ve seen, we should also remember that in the finale, Pike actually avoids changing his fate and the fate of many others so that Spock doesn’t die like in that alternate timeline. And Spock knows this. Spock knows that Pike gave up his future so Spock could live, so for Spock, an incentive exists to do everything he can to ensure Pike has a happy future. Spock knows that he lives because his captain gave up everything for him.
In a very real sense, Pike was more of a parental (father) figure to Spock than his own father. So, realizing that Pike has willingly given up his future in order for Spock to have a future, this is why he was fully prepared to sacrifice himself and his career in order to give Pike the opportunity to spend the remainder of his life in the best way possible in the best place possible.
@@jv-lk7bc I’m not minimizing anything, if anything, it’s what Disco did for Pike that’s often minimized or dismissed. The Pike of The Cage and the Pike from Disco are night and day. Sure Roddenberry set up Una and that’s great but let’s also not forget he literally had Pike say “I just can’t get used to a woman on the bridge” - this is a character in the far advanced future saying this.
Disco practically revamped Pike as a character and made him far more charismatic and likable and with a sense of healthy masculinity that even a lot of male characters created today can lack. When you compare the two Pikes, Disco’s Pike is basically like a new character who just also happened to share Pike’s name. I remember back in the days watching The Cage and the Menagerie, and lots of people did not like Pike and hence they didn’t want to see him on Disco, and those people were entirely having their mind changed because of how Disco changed their viewpoint of who this character is and how he’s written.
I’m just saying that should be acknowledged, especially in terms of the success of Pike as a character. If Disco hadn’t revamped the character and created something anew, there is no SNW. If they had only stuck to what Roddenberry made, this character would have not worked as well as he did. Disco’s Pike is pretty much his own character, occasionally sprinkled in with some quirks of The Cage’s version of Pike when those plot points come up.
@@CaptainPikeachu - Basically, the Trek fandom got lucky when the character of Christopher Pike was given a major makeover in Discovery Season 2, because the Pike of The Cage was a decent guy, but there were times when he came off as being bit stiff and a little too self-righteous at times, along with that cringe-worthy remark about him not able to get used to a woman on the bridge which seemed a bit odd for a character who’s supposed to be in the far advanced - and more enlightened - future to say (interesting side note, in SNW, the bridge crew is primarily female).
The Pike of Discovery is more laid-back, charismatic, likable and adaptable, but he knows when to take charge, and he does it effectively. It also helps when you have a talented actor who can take what the writers created, add little bits of their own personality into the character, and make the character so unforgettable that you want to see more of them, and Anson Mount has done a marvelous job of taking an iconic, but relatively obscure character in Star Trek and bringing him to life.
No one has noticed that Pike was also in the new Star Trek movies and had character development in there-how the Discovery writers wrote a good Pike when the rest of the cast were awfully written and acted is truly amazing..
@@catman3697You can thank Alex Kurtzman then for Kelvin timeline Pike and that character development.
Pike enjoys unusually strong plot armor. He knows he will not be relieved of command. He knows he's doomed. He knows his ship is not. So he can trust his crew to make decisions, like when he tells Spock to make the targeting call in the "Serene Squall" episode. So he can develop his crew into the people they become. Spock, Uhura, and maybe Scotty in the next season, will all become the crew members we know and love because of Captain Pike.
That is a good point.
The show is using the usually negative features of prequels in intriguing ways.
Good for it.
It's less meh than it appears to be.
Sure. But he just knows he ain't going to die, but he doesn't know about his crew. In the end he just has to make the calls he sees fit, but he always risks the lifes of his crew.
I think so much of what makes Pike great is Anson Mount, himself. He seems like he's just as solid a guy as the man he brings to life on screen.
Anson Mount portrays a Captain Pike I have no trouble believing Spock would risk the death penalty to help in The Menagerie. And by all accounts, Anson Mount himself is just about as good a guy as his Pike is.
The Menagerie makes it seem like Spock just learned about Pike being in the Beep Chair, and that he came up with his plan to take Pike to Talos rather quickly. But we now know from Strange New Worlds, since Pike tells Spock about it, that Spock had years to think about that, and certainly had it planned out for some time.
Hmmm... 🤔
That's an insightful observation--- one I wish that I'D thought 💭 of!
Maybe that is the MAIN reason why Spock was able to execute his plan so efficiently!
Honestly, it makes more sense that Spock was able to pull off this plan so well with the added context that he knew about Pike's accident before it happened so of course he was able to figure out.
I think that Pike's sacrifice was even greater than Spock's. death is to be avoided whenever possible, but inevitable.
What Pike's chose for himself was both evitable and worse than death.
And the writing isn't all it takes to have such a great character. It also takes great acting.
I agree. Spock's death is clearly noble and clearly needed to save the ship and crew. Pike's sacrifice might turn out to be regarded as not particularly noble (he doesn't know for sure that it will) and although he knows he will survive it - he has no idea of how others will see it or whether he saves everyone or there are still lots of casualties.
Also spot on about the acting (considered, realistic and 'alive' - not over the top!)
He reminds me of my literal favorite line from all of Star Trek, from Tasha Yar in TNG's Yesterday's Enterprise: "I've always known the risks that come with a Starfleet uniform. If I'm to die in one...I'd like my death to count for something."
You are 100% correct about him taking the crystal. It's such a strong moment. When I was watching the last episode of SNW, I kept thinking "Please, don't ruin this, he must not avoid his fate". Luckily, they didn't ruin it!
I really agree with everything you've said here about Pike. And the fact that he DOESN'T know about the Talos IV ending makes it much more poignant.
Strange New Worlds is a blessing for Star Trek, and being able to know the backstory and friendship Pike and Spock had for each other, really does put a whole new tragic spin on The Original Series. Anson Mount is truly wonderful in making what was a largely overshadowed character (due to Kirk's magnificence mainly) to possibly my favourite in Trek.
He is the captain and leader Discovery needed at their worst time and the ending of S2 was deeply emotional.
Also let's be real his hair is utterly perfect in every episode, even after a major battle!
Something that really draws your eye to how good a Captain that Pike is is in The Elysian Kingdom because of what a complete 180 it is when he becomes the character of the Chamberlain. In the storybook role he is cowardly and conniving and doesn't hesitate to turn traitor against his King and kingdom to save his own hide. It brings his noble qualities into sharp relief when you see him embody the complete opposite of who he is.
That whole episode was a treat. Just everyone chewing the scenery and hamming up their characters and having fun.
Anson Mount was one of three things I liked from the Inhumans show, so when I heard he was going to be Christopher Pike, I was hyped as hell. So glad to see him be such a captain, such a badass, such a man!
Setting aside the never-ending debate whether Starfleet is a military organization (it totally is), I am comfortable asserting that most military veterans would love having a commanding officer like Captain Pike.
I have loved Anson Mount's acting abilities since seeing him in "Hell on Wheels" (if it's still available on Netflix, I highly recommend it). He comes across very grounded on his IG profile.
I am all aboard the Pike Hype Train.
Speaking as one, yes. On a realistic note, that moment of relief he expresses on the bridge would be something that would get around the ship (and were I on the bridge to see it, I would have made certain it did) because it tells the crew something important. The captain will do his damnedest to bring you back alive because he cares.
I think most people would like to have a boss like Pike.
Thank you for making this video. Strange New Worlds is my favorite Trek show, and Pike's speechin the first episode, as well as the season as a whole convinced me to go to university to study astrophysics. Anson Mount's version of Pike means a lot to me, and while I can't wait for season 2 to come out, videos like this one make the wait a little easier.
"Nobody dies on this mission" sends chills through me every time I watch this.
He quickly became my favorite captain. Loving SNW. Also has the best hair of any captain.
Captain Pike has such superb writing in this series. Strange New Worlds is on par with Deep Space Nine for me in terms of storytelling. I almost wish these characters were subjected to sustained crisis like in DS9, but thats another show. SNW is going to be great especially if they do more like its first season.
Shoutout to Sulu. Sulu has been very good in the captains chair.
I was disappointed he wasn't mentioned.
I mean, to be fair to Lorca, being played by Jason Isaacs pretty much condemned him to a villain reveal sooner or later.
I have been struggling with depression & a 'friend' who betrayed my trust. Watching & listening to your assessment of Pike gives me hope. Pike already beat out my top spot for favourite captain, as soon as DIsco S2 was aired. But the way you analyzed the character, & the words you used I found encouraging. I'm pleased I clicked on this video today.
That's so good to know. Thank you for sharing this. I 'm not sure Mr Shives realises how his warmth and humanity leak through his videos and puts all the sentient people who watch them in touch with their feelings. Pike is absolutely the best. I was so delighted when they announced SNW with Mount as Pike, but the writing of the character in SNW is awesome, delivering on all the things Steve has pointed out. I'm pretty sure it will turn out to be the best series ever (despite Steve's adherence to DS9)
Please be assured that there are lots of really good people around and that you will meet them and learn to value yourself more. There's a TV movie in the UK called "Marvellous" about the real life of a guy called Neil Baldwin, who has learning difficulties and what seems to be a miserable life. He gets some support from the manager of his favourite football team and tries to get an education but keeps getting knocked back. He remains undaunted and another guy who befriends him asks how he can stay so upbeat. Neil replies, "Because I thought about it and decided to be happy." It inspired me to do the same thing - decide to be happy, rather than allowing myself to be self-pitying. I really hope you can do the same.
Pike quickly became my favourite captain. His care for his crew, being personally invested in their well-being, and working to uplift them was inspirational and aspirational
That title is sure to juice up the algorithm! I work in disability services. Pike’s future, written 50 years ago, is so complicated and ultimately BS. With how we understand disability services today, a better ending for Pike would be a quest to find a kickass beep chair and continue working. Narrative gold.
It's one of those story elements you just have to accept. In the 60s, during the original run it made sense, but today, just in terms of the fictional technology they've shown is present in the setting, it seems silly they don't have at least a better communication method. I mean, in the present you have Hawking alone as an example of what's possible, so the Beep Chair seems kind of silly.
Yes! The show using Pike's disability for horror or pity is the one problem I have with the portrayal. It isn't consistent with how we live now, and with Star Fleet engineering and medicine could easily be dealt with, and it wouldn't necessarily have to change canon.
Well... Maybe... The chair could definitely be more mobile, but it doesn't really need to be in ship corridors. And if he's 100% paralyzed as described then even being able to directly read "yes" and "no" out of his brain is something of a minor miracle by the standards of today's technology. Spending the rest of his days with a telepathic race might well be his best option.
@@keith6706 Hawking wasn't nearly as badly off as Pike though. As described, Pike's motor function is at zero. The chair is keeping his heart and lungs working. I don't think he even blinks voluntarily... Being able to read yes and no is kind of a good start at that point. Might have gotten better over time if the Talosians hadn't stepped in, but telepathy would just be way easier.
I wonder if you could do Nana Visitor or Cirroc Lofton’s podcasts
I think I could pull myself together, if they invited me.
Nana Visitor has one too? I missed that.
I love how Tay is just old school. Treats UA-cam like a regular old social network. What a bad ass.
Mount's version of Cpt. Pike shows what is possible when a new generation of writers knows and appreciates the source material and it also shows how an actor who also knows and appreciates his character's origins can (at times) make a prequel every bit as good as the original series. If you look, you can see a part of Pike in EVERY Captain of the Enterprise that followed in his footsteps.
For me, in STSNW the circle is completed. My soul is satisfied. We get the deeper story; the shared history of a relationship that may be capable of enduring beyond even death. Now we know as you pointed out why Spock risked his career for "Captain; my Captain". It is at last logical. Even as the bond between Spock and James T. Kirk develops into another enduring friendship this first friendship must be honored. Christopher pike was Spock's first t'hyla. Thank you. I have waited for this for three decades. Thank you.
Yes, yes, yes! Absolutely on the nail!
Let's not forget Pike also found out via an alternate-future version of himself that he could also avoid his fate... by passing it along to Spock. Which he also refused to do.
A certain person in a blue police box would say, the accident is a fixed point. but maybe not the person who has it
I think that something we all forget about is that the captains - and the crew - reflect the current status quo of society. Shatner's Kirk is of course different from other portrayals of the character because, in the 1960s, Shatner was a reflection of leaders of his time period. Just like Piccard is a reflection of a more thoughtful, sensitive 1980s and 1990s leader, and so on. Television shows and movies reflect the times that they are made so viewers can identify with the character and their circumstances. We wonder how we would act in those circumstances, and it's a reflection of where we are by examining the actions of the fictional characters and whether we agree with them.
I'm not sure I agree with that - afterall we had Picard, Sisko & Janeway all at the same time but with different command styles. And now we have Pike, Burnham, for a while Saru and of course Picard again all showcasing different command styles again (not to mention Dal & Freeman from the two animated shows)
I don't even have a favorite color, so I'm not about to pick a favorite captain. I love them all. I think I'd most want to work for Saru, If I were trapped in a galaxy far away from home, I'd want to be on Janeway's ship. From a moral perspective, I think Picard always gets it right. Cisco demonstrated great balance of commanding the station and being a loving father. They are all wonderful, complex, fascinating individuals.
"Like having Captain America command the Suicide Squad" - you summed that up perfectly.
Honestly when they put Pike in command of Discovery in season 2 I felt it was kinda unfair on Saru (who deserved that chair).
But he very quickly grew on me.
Absolutely a great Captain.
I fell hard for Pike in that second season of Discovery. While I didn't like Discovery as a whole, there were some gems in there and he was the brightest one for me. It was great to see someone in authority willing to joke about with the crew (I have a huge fondness for main characters in stories being fun, like Luffy from One Piece, he's my favourite. Or Mal from Firefly, people you can joke about with in the lighter moments and can take a joke without thinking everything is a paranoia inducing play to take their captaincy) and right from the get go him coming on to the bridge and humbling himself, pointing out faults of his past, his asthma diagnosis from childhood and so on just to make the crew a little more comfortable with him, the guy had me.
Seeing he was able to put aside his ego, listen to advice from any and all sources and even be willing to go the extra mile to give a man he barely new, faith in something even was charming as heck. The guy is strong willed, kind, compassionate, loyal (maybe more so than most others, given he saw his fate and still remained on course due to his belief in Starfleet and what it stands for) and not above saying he is not the expert in the room on all things and opens up the floor for others who may have greater insight or knowledge... Yeah he's a textbook captain for me.
Plus he's just a damn good looking chap. I almost hate how much prettier he is than me. Almost.
That's just my two pennies on the subject before I even begin the video. Now to enjoy~
I saw Pike's reaction to the Gorn ship's destruction as surprise because by then he'd thought his plan had failed. But I still came away with the idea that it was his plan all along, just one that he'd thought unlikely to begin with and which he'd accepted was now over, so he'd moved to plan B. Then suddenly plan A works and he's not mentally prepared for it, hence the surprise.
I believe, he's testing his sealed fate. It's his biggest plot armor. He's untouchable, he can't die until the predestination
Pike's fate might be sealed with his sacrifice and view of an alternate reality if he changed the timeline resulting in Spock's death. I still believe there is always hope. First Contact movie with TNG crew changed the past in subtle ways with some Borg left behind in the past to be discovered on other series, perhaps there is another way to change the outcome. It is up to the writers though. Kirk still needs to become captain of Enterprise eventually.
Ironically, as Pike, he will, eventually, end up unable to speak, as is the fate of his character, Black Bolt, in "Inhumans" and "Dr. Strange: M.O.M."
"The ones who walked away from Megallus" *chef kiss* *chef kiss* *chef kiss*
Unlike any of his predecessors, Pike's ego isn't so fragile, brittle that he explicitly segregates himself from his crew.
He hasn't the insecurity.
He knows when not to show his cards.
Janeway sequestered herself from the crew.
Picard was so pompous, he was unapproachable.
Kirk treated them like his charges in daycare.
Siscko simply evaded most personal contact.
Pike tells jokes and feeds them homemade soup.
That takes personal discipline and a level of humanism to which other captains don't seem to aspire.
It's also the least militaristic interpretation of a Star Fleet captain in the history of the franchise.
I'd be proud to have a grandson like him.
Who wouldn't be?
@@coriolass Ben Shapiro, Matt Walsh, Tucker Carlson? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 🤡🤡🤡
the captain’s ego is actually a fantastic trait in my opinion. i like how each captain avoids people in a different way.
i think pike’s behavior is more becoming but i love the other captains for their standoffishness as well
I agree except for the Sisko part, he regularly held cookouts in the ward room and his quarters, and the crew felt comfortable enough discussing their personal lives openly on the bridge of the Defiant. DS9 felt the most like a family to me prior to SNW
@@GrannyGamer1 fairplay
I love the way Mount’s Pike, who embraces his own no-win scenario because of his love for those around him, contrasts with Kirk’s refusal to accept no-win scenarios and drive to change the conditions of the test. We can see the influence of both on Spock when he sacrifices himself but leaves his katra with Bones.
This idea of yours is genius! It makes total sense.
There's a reason why the Christopher Pike Medal of Valour is one of Starfleet's highest awards!
23:43 That reaction on Pike's face is exactly the look on my face when I make a shot in pool that I totally played for, honestly I did, no it wasn't a fluke, shut up.
I absolutely agree. Sisko is my favorite captain too, but Pike (as depicted by Anson Mount) is the ideal captain. He embodies the values and morals of the Star Fleet and the Federation. The Steve Rogers comparison is also totally valid. He is the Steve Rogers / Captain America of Star Trek.
I agree so much with this, I went back and I'm rewatching SNW.
and I think one of the things that adds to his humanity that you didn't mention, is the beginning of ep 1 for SNW, where he's sunken into a depression from seeing his future death, and he's avoiding everything. but he chats with his friend, Spock, and listens.
Listening to ones friends when you're in the wrong is really important. IMO. but yeah, he's the best Captain.
This is your best video so far. Its packed with emotion and wonder towards the combination of great acting and fabulous writing in SNW. I cant wait for season 2 and thank you Steve for so many great videos .
I always thought Pike vs the Gorn ship was Pike actually using his knowledge of his own future against the Gorn. He suspected he might survive the encounter since he has a date with the beep chair and that reaction, that look, is him coming to terms with what he's done. He is learning to embrace his fate and even turning it into a positive in this instance
@Queer Beaver That's a very interesting take. I hadn't thought of it that way. 🤔
On Pike and Ortegas - it is always good when someone who has dad jokes finds someone who appreciates them. I too like there chemistry and shared sense of humor.
That is also what makes him an ideal Captain. He has relationships with each of them. He also respects them as people and for their positions. He asks for their input when he needs it because they are the best at their jobs. In the end it is his decision but he gathers input and encourages it.
The thing that really sold me that SNWs was going to be great is the amazing difference between Pike's introduction in Disco S2E1, compared with SNW S1E1's intro. Pike is still an excellent Captain; capable, professional, and personable- but that amazing confidence you saw in Disco is just not there. In SNW he's shaken and he's shaken hard. The show doesn't spell it out, but in the writing and acting, we can see the difference as clear as day. That difference struck me so much and I knew we were at the beginning of something special.
After he wakes up, he doesn't even need a second for his brain to catch up
It's subconscious for him. The instinct to save others, to help the helpless comes to him naturally.
Even with his brain still throbbing his body kicks into gear before the rest of him even needs to catch up
If you did a bruce greenwood video, I'd watch it, hell I might even become a patron if I knew I could vote on it.
Spock has been my favorite character in Star Trek since I was a small child. Discovery threw a monkey wrench in that with Saru and Pike. I'm really glad you included Spock and his extraordinarily out of character actions in The Menagerie and how Pike has to be an incredible person for Spock to to be driven to break every rule and betray his current captain to honor the wishes of his previous captain.
Strange New Worlds made me feel 4 years old again, as if Star Trek was BRAND NEW to me! And yet, it felt so familiar too. Even if we didn't have other (in my opinion) great shows right now, Strange New Worlds is FREAKING EPIC! The only difference between me now and me at 4, I have 35+ years worth of Trek love now, and Strange New Worlds hit every emotional button, was beautiful and I can not wait for more!
"He's Superman without the super-powers."
Damn. Call James Gunn. Anson Mount for 'Kingdom Come' Superman.
Man, until Picard, Lower Decks, _especially_ Prodigy, and _especially especially_ Strange New Worlds… Disco really had the best first season of a Trek series since the original ❤️
I recently finished "Burning Dreams", which I quite enjoyed. The part of the book that occurs after Borath and the time crystal is still somewhat salvageable, but will likely fall further out of continuity in coming years. But I found it an interesting contrast between Anson Mount's Pike, and a version of the character still based largely on Jeffery Hunter's portrayal.
Where Contemporary Pike is haunted by foreknowledge of his destiny, Classic Pike is haunted by the burdens of command and his uneasiness with the demands that service to Starfleet has on his life. But also with regard to his relationship with women. He is haunted by his memories of Vina, as one of very few romantic interests that he'd established a genuine emotional connection with. He has an uneasy relationship with women in the workplace, which you mentioned in a previous video could have been intended as a much needed mid-20th century role model, who much like men in the audience at the time, were just going to have to get used to it. There's a piece in the book where Number One and Colt are talking about Vina, and Pike tells them to "take it up with the ladies sewing circle" or words to that effect. And while not at all out of character for Classic Pike, who balked about being unaccustomed to women on the bridge, it was way, way out of character for contemporary Pike, who is quite at ease being one of only few men on a bridge full of women. Contemporary Pike is a much more idealized, and much needed 21st century role model.
What they do have in common, though, is that they can't escape their destiny. Their principles won't let them. While Classic Pike doesn't have the foreknowledge granted to Contemporary Pike by the time crystal, his romantic partner at the time, Siddhe, has a premonition. She doesn't tell him, because she knows it won't make a difference. He can't let those cadets die, even if he knew.
Pike has to be the most wholesome of the captains. Like, on the Box of Wheaties, hand you a Werther's Original wholesome.
How could you say something so controversial, yet so brave?
Amen. I havent felt such a reaction to a starship captain since Kirk.
Other than Rogue One, Mount's Pike (as well as SNW in general) is so far achieving the nirvana of prequels - expanding on what we already know of a franchise by making the existing lore better.
Thus far my favorite Pike moment is... Him doing pirate speak. Followed by Una's pained, "Please stop." while trying to keep a straight face. All while Ortega tries to keep from laughing.
With each new episode I updated my friend about the greatness of Pike. How quickly he had an argument for the "best" captain. And by the end telling him that Pike is the man that I'd most want to work for.
He's cooler than Fonzie. He doesn't switch modes for when he's on the bridge, in his quarters, or wherever. He just rolls out of bed being a great relatable man. But when a situation is serious and he pulls on the boss hat, that man could easily get me to run headlong into a brick wall. He speaks teamwork into existence.
Support groups form in his wake. So people can help each other deal with not getting to be around him anymore.
Pike cleans his hotel room.
If I had to do a captain, It's going to be Janeway and I can't imagine how she'll command this situation! But if I had to do a second captain on a date yet to be determined
It's the hair, isn't it?
Oh yeah, Anson Mount's Pike is _awesome._ You nailed it, man.
SNW the best _Star Trek_ series since DS9? _HELL YES._
Now I'm off to go watch _Strange New Worlds_ again.
When Pike whispers to himself, as Discovery disappears into the wormhole, “goodbye family,” some significant tears ran down this face.
"He's superman without the powers." This is such a great description I love it!
But like, what if though. I hear James Gunn might be looking for a new actor to play older Superman/Clark Kent... Anson Mount would be PERFECT for that role!
That Steve Rodgers line absolutely got me 🤣 but when you're right you're right. I'm so grateful that this Pike is getting all the love. He made season 2 of Discovery for me and I'm enjoying him just as much in Strange New Worlds. Thank you as always for the witty and high quality essay keep on keeping on 🖖
Anson Mount's Pike has definitely become my FAVORITE ST captain!! 😁🖖 Mount's Pike has all the best qualities of all other captains combined.
I love your channel, btw. Thank you for being awesome!! 😉
The only part of Memento Mori that I didn't like was the fact that we couldn't read everyone's memorial badges.
A captain who works in tandem with his crew, both as friends and colleagues, is a great captain indeed. Building rapport with your crew is in my opinion, the best way to foster trust. Show them that you can lead them out of difficult situations, but also show them that it's their teamwork that helped you do so.
Damnit, I didn’t want to tear up this early in the morning! 🥹
Captain Pike is an amazing star fleet captain, and definitely a saving grace for Disco.
Great video.
Yes! A Nowhere Man reference! What a mind-bending show that was!
"Lift Us Where Suffering Cannot Reach" is a great retelling of "The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas." How do you respond to knowing you can have Utopia, if it only costs the suffering of one chosen person? Can you live with that on your conscience? Pike's answer is both personal, as he can't accept letting someone else suffer for his own survival, and a Starfleet answer: We aren't allowed to interfere here.
I appreciate your appreciation for Strange New Worlds
100% onboard.
Pike might actually replace my current favourite captain, but he's definetely a character each other captain should strife to emulate.
Thanks for a great video.
🖖
Love the subtle acknowledgement to The Ones That Walk Away from Omelas.