Captain Kirk and AI Bury The Hatchet?

Yesterday marked the 30th anniversary of the demise of Captain James T. Kirk in the hugely underwhelming “Star Trek: Generations,” and to mark the occasion, The Roddenberry Archives released a short film revealing, perhaps, the journey Kirk saw ahead of him when he uttered that mysterious “Oh, my…” with his last breath.

In the short, William Shatner shares the Kirk role with Sam Witwer, with cameos from actors and characters covering multiple Trek timelines and realities, thanks to the miracles of CG and AI. Michael Giacchino, composer for the JJ Abrams-led Trek films, provides the music. Besides taking a bit of the sting (I mistakenly typed “stink,” which also works) out of “Generations,” the video also provides a rare collaboration between Kirk and artificial intelligence, normally at odds given the demise of entities including Landru, M-5, Nomad, Vaal and (arguably) V’Ger at the hands of our hero. In this era defined by unending grudge matches, bitter rivalries and general disharmony, it’s heartwarming to see long-term adversaries uniting to create something positive.