The new Timeline

[Graham Kennedy]

They do seem to fast track to an amazing degree - Kirk graduated in three years and was appointed Captain of the flagship that day!

Another possibility : there is precedent in TOS for ranks to be granted to academy cadets. I forget the details, but there's a reference to Kirk being a Lieutenant whilst still at the academy. I gather there are rare real world examples of similar things happening. Possibly Chekov is officially still an academy trainee but was posted to the Enterprise with a temporary Ensign grade as part of an advanced training course?

[Aaron]

They do seem to fast track to an amazing degree - Kirk graduated in three years and was appointed Captain of the flagship that day!

Another possibility : there is precedent in TOS for ranks to be granted to academy cadets. I forget the details, but there's a reference to Kirk being a Lieutenant whilst still at the academy. I gather there are rare real world examples of similar things happening. Possibly Chekov is officially still an academy trainee but was posted to the Enterprise with a temporary Ensign grade as part of an advanced training course?

Where No Man Has Gone Before, Gary Mitchell makes a comment about Lt. Kirk's teaching methods as Kirk was instructing at the time. So he was already a commissioned officer who was teaching at the Academy. Things like that happen a lot in RL, someone has to train the cadets after all.

[IntrepidPrincess]

One of the benefits of having seen it six times

LOL.

Did they have like a "25 years later" kind of thing?

All I remember was "3 Years Later."

I don't think there was any "25 years later". There was just a point when Nero spoke of having waited 25 years for Spock to come through. He may have mentioned it more than once. And we know that Kirk was born the day Nero came through. That's a good time reference.

[Graham Kennedy]

As I said before. I don't have the line memorised perfectly, but when Nero's ship arrives at the coordinates Spock is due to emerge from his crew asks what they will do next. Nero says something like "We'll do what we've done for these last 25 years. We'll wait."

That, and the stardates work out in line with it.

[Lazar]

I wonder how he and his crew occupied their time.

[Graham Kennedy]

I kinda wondered about that myself. Did they really just sit there doing nothing for 25 years?

There's a deleted scene where you see Nero in a Klingon prison. So he did *something* with his time...

[dagadget]

I kinda wondered about that myself. Did they really just sit there doing nothing for 25 years?

There's a deleted scene where you see Nero in a Klingon prison. So he did *something* with his time...

Cadet to Captain now that is incredible. being familiar with naval training, there is no way that a Midshipman could graduate from his training and become Captain of say an Aircraft Carrier no matter how good the training is. Nero spent time in a Klingon prison is understandable, he did after all cause a loss of many of the Klingon ships. Now adding the strength size and weapons stuff on his mining ship, that will be interesting to see. after all that's a lot newer tech than what Star Fleet has when Nero arrives and destroys the Kelvin ........

[Sionnach Glic]

Well, Kirk was made out to be some kind of unusualy good cadet.

[Nickswitz]

No, he was a horrible cadet, he just knew everything he needed, I don't think koyaboshi mary was the first time he got fought doing something wrong.

[Granitehewer]

I kinda wondered about that myself. Did they really just sit there doing nothing for 25 years?

There's a deleted scene where you see Nero in a Klingon prison. So he did *something* with his time...

something or someone.....aka st:6 mister testes-knees........

[Sionnach Glic]

No, he was a horrible cadet, he just knew everything he needed,

What makes you think that? Pike outright stated that Kirk was above average, and was wasting his life. That he was promoted to captain of the nEnterprise also suggests that Kirk was an exceptional student. They're not just going to hand over command of the freaking flagship to anyone.

I don't think koyaboshi mary was the first time he got fought doing something wrong.

And? How does this suggest that he was a poor cadet?

[Lt. Staplic]

I don't think he was meaning bad as in not bright or talented, but rather that he found himself in trouble a lot.

[Sionnach Glic]

I don't think he was meaning bad as in not bright or talented, but rather that he found himself in trouble a lot.

No, he was a horrible cadet, he just knew everything he needed,

He seems to be implying he was a poor cadet, and knew just enough to get by.

[Nickswitz]

By horrible cadet I meant what Staplic said, and he seemed to know a lot, but nonetheless, everything he needed.

I'm not saying he was stupid in anyway, just worded it incorrectly, sorry.

[Graham Kennedy]

From the movie, I would guess Cadet Kirk would be rather like Maverick from the Top Gun movie. Naturally brilliant - Pike said his aptitude tests were "off the charts" and called him a "genius" - but a bit wild and rowdy. I can see him getting top marks in every class... and I can also see him getting demerits (or whatever Starfleet gives) over doing things his way rather than the Starfleet way.

But Pike did say that Kirk's kind of "look before you leap" attitude was something Starfleet had lost. Perhaps others in Starfleet felt that way too, and were willing to tolerate Kirk's cowboy attitude since he does tend to get results with it.