Star Trek Confirms Captain Kirk’s Staggeringly High Kill ...

Star Trek Confirms Captain Kirk’s Staggeringly High Kill Count

William Shatner as Captain Kirk in Stark Trek Wrath of Khan

By Shaun Corley Published 24 minutes ago Shaun Corley is a Staff Writer for ScreenRant, a position he has held for five years. While he enjoys many types of comics and graphic novels, he has a particular interest in the licensed Star Trek titles. Sign in to your ScreenRant account Summary Generate a summary of this story follow Follow followed Followed Like Like Thread Log in Here is a fact-based summary of the story contents: Try something different: Show me the facts Explain it like I’m 5 Give me a lighthearted recap

Warning: contains spoilers for Star Trek: The Last Starship #2!

Star Trek has just confirmed Captain Kirk’s staggeringly high kill count. One of the greatest captains in Starfleet history, Captain Kirk’s exploits are legendary. Now Kirk, revived in the 30th century, must work to save the galaxy, but as seen in Star Trek: The Last Starship #2, he must first come to terms with a dark part of his legacy.

Star Trek: The Last Starship #2 is written by Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly and drawn by Adrian Bonilla.

Star Trek Captain Kirk Kill Count

While talking to the newly resurrected Kirk, Admiral Sato asks how many died under the Captain’s command. Kirk spits back “117,” but Sato corrects him, saying the number is closer to 12,000, taking other factors into account.

Captain Kirk is Back to Save the Star Trek Galaxy One Last Time

Will Kirk's Legacy Be Enough to Save the Federation?

Star Trek: The Last Starship, the new flagship title of the line, uses Captain Kirk’s heroic legacy as a springboard to heal a broken galaxy. Set in the 30th century and shortly after the catastrophic “Burn,” The Last Starship sees Kirk, resurrected by a mysterious Borg faction, who hope to use him as a symbol for the galaxy to rally around.

The Burn, as recounted in Star Trek: Discovery’s third season, occurred when all dilithium around the galaxy exploded. As seen in The Last Starship #1, the Burn happened at the worst possible moment, as the Federation was on the verge of encompassing the entire galaxy. This moment, which honored Kirk’s legacy, was darkened by the Burn.

If anyone from Federation history is appropriate to use in such a fashion, it is Captain Kirk. Kirk helmed the Enterprise for two five-year missions, making first contact with many different species as well as saving the Federation several times. It is no wonder Kirk is regarded as a Starfleet legend.

Yet there is a dark side to Captain Kirk’s legacy, as Admiral Sato points out. Sato asks about Kirk’s body count as a way of making the captain see he (Kirk) is a man of war. The Admiral is trying to convince Kirk to join the mission to save the Federation, and the Captain’s war-like instincts are perfect for it.

Sato gets through to Kirk by invoking the number of people who died on Kirk’s watch. The number is much higher than the Captain anticipated, and he is taken aback by the sheer quantity. Admiral Sato, to drive his point home, tells Kirk that he (Sato) has no deaths on his conscience.

Captain Kirk's Actions Had a Ripple Effect Across the Star Trek Universe

Space Exploration is Dangerous, Making It a Miracle Kirk Did Not Lose More People

William Shatner as Captain Kirk on an orange planet in Star Trek The Original Series

12,000 people is a lot, and it speaks volumes to how dangerous Kirk’s five-year mission was. Space exploration is by default a dangerous prospect even under the best of circumstances, even in the 30th century. Anything can go wrong with a starship at any time, consigning travelers to gruesome ends.

When the large number of hostile races the Federation has encountered are factored in, then the galaxy becomes even more dangerous.

When the large number of hostile races the Federation has encountered are factored in, then the galaxy becomes even more dangerous. Across the centuries, the Federation has made enemies in this galaxy and beyond. The Klingons, the Romulans, the Cadassians and the Borg all had an ax to grind with the Federation at various times.

Starfleet missions are so dangerous to ship personnel that Star Trek fans have made memes about this aspect of the show. The infamous “Red Shirts” meme plays on the large number of Security staff killed in Kirk’s first five-year mission. IDW is currently publishing a miniseries devoted to the Red Shirts.

Yet the deaths do not stop at ship personnel. Sato reminds Kirk that his actions had consequences, and sometimes they led to the deaths of innocent people. Kirk, after “saving the day,” could warp away to the next destination, and did not have to stay behind to see what happened next.

Star Trek shows such as Lower Decks have poked fun at the aftermath of the Enterprise’s visits, showing that sometimes things go right back to the way they were before Kirk arrived. Admiral Sato does not give specific examples of how Kirk indirectly killed people, leaving it up to the imagination of fans.

Star Trek: The Last Starship #2 is on sale now from IDW Publishing!

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