- 4 minutes ago
Star Trek news....
Category
🎥
Short filmTranscript
00:00Star Trek Cannes was an experiment. Though not the first audio drama in the Trek universe,
00:05this was a swing fully endorsed and supported by Secret Hideout and CBS. The cast was strong,
00:11the production was excellent, and the response has largely been positive. The project was first
00:17announced by Nicholas Meyer, who of course directed Star Trek II, Star Trek VI, and co-wrote
00:22Star Trek IV. As he heralded the wrath of Cannes, he seemed the best positioned to further explore
00:29the madman's journey and life. However, that version of the story was announced as a short
00:35television arc, no more than three episodes. It went through several changes after this.
00:42By the time it was given its first full trailer in February of 2025, it had morphed to become the
00:49nine-episode audio drama that we finally received, with episodes airing weekly from the 8th of
00:56September, Star Trek Day. The cast included some newcomers to the franchise, like Naveen Andrews
01:01as Cannes, Ren Schmidt as Lieutenant Marla MacGyvers, and Sonya Cassidy as Dr. Rosalind Lear. Returning
01:08to Trek were actors like Maury Stirling as Ivan, Tim Russ as Ensign Tuvok, and George Takei as
01:16Captain Hikaru Sulu. Audiences have been crying out for stories set within the so-called Lost Era
01:24for quite some time, so discovering this prequel would also serve as a sequel to Star Trek
01:30Generations' increased excitement exponentially. What then did we learn from this tale, and
01:37was it a worthwhile endeavour overall? I'm Sean Ferrick for Trek Culture, and here are the
01:4210 huge revelations from Star Trek Cannes.
01:46Number 10. The True Nature of Marla MacGyvers' Death
01:52Lieutenant Marla MacGyvers was introduced in Space Seat, serving aboard the Enterprise as
01:57an historian. She was assigned to join the away mission to the SS Botany Bay, though the
02:03audience is quickly shown that Captain Kirk does not know who she is. By the events of
02:10The Wrath of Cannes, MacGyvers had been given an off-screen death. Actress Madeline Rue was
02:16unable to return as she suffered from multiple sclerosis. Cannes' tragedy was then fuelled by
02:22his grief. He hated Kirk, blaming him for the death of his beloved wife. Cannes adds a greater
02:29depth to this death. Yes, she did fall victim to the Seti eels, becoming infected with their
02:36larvae while relaxing in a natural hot spring. The series demonstrates that infection is
02:43always fatal, more on this later, though MacGyvers was pregnant at the time. Rather than lose both
02:51mother and child, Cannes agrees to sacrifice Marla so that their baby can be delivered. This occurs
02:58years before the Reliant arrives in orbit over the planet, during which time Cannes helps raise their
03:05daughter, Callie. MacGyvers' death is one of the thousand paper cuts that erodes Cannes' sanity over
03:12the years. While Kirk bore no direct responsibility for her fate, Cannes' rage and grief causes him to
03:21group all of his ills together, giving them the form of James Tiberius Kirk. MacGyvers' death was a tragedy,
03:30though the fallout from her death was a mixture of misplaced blame and unfortunate coincidences.
03:389. Cannes wasn't always a beloved leader
03:42In both Space Seed and The Wrath of Cannes, the fearless leader boasts that the men and women who
03:50follow him had sworn to live and die under his command centuries earlier. Their loyalty seems absolute,
03:56endless and without question. For Chekhov and Tyrell, they discovered this quickly, while the crew of
04:03the Enterprise found similar responses. However, while on SETI Alpha 5, Cannes quickly found his
04:11authority being challenged. First was an augment named Hugo, caught stirring some of the followers
04:17into questioning Cannes' authority. He wondered aloud how they could have twice found themselves exiled,
04:25once from Earth, then later from the Enterprise. For this, he blamed Cannes' lack of leadership.
04:32Hugo was quickly silenced, banished by Cannes, but then murdered by Ivan. Ivan himself seemed loyal to a
04:41fault until Cannes began to show, in his opinion, weakness. When presented with the opportunity to
04:48take dominion over another group of survivors on the planet, Cannes instead chose to ally with them,
04:55something Ivan found unforgivable. Ivan was not alone, though he was in the minority. He openly challenged
05:04the man and lost, was banished for 5 years, then returned with support during the attempt to escape
05:11off-world. Though Ivan overplayed his hand, he certainly wasn't alone. Cannes may have been telling
05:17the truth about that loyalty, but it seems that no loyalty is ever absolute. 8. Chekhov has more strength
05:28than we ever knew. Commander Pavel Chekhov was a singular officer by the wrath of Cannes. While
05:36behind the scenes, the story of Walter Koenig's accidental exchange with Ricardo Montalbán's Cannes is
05:42now legendary, the audio drama further muddles this already puzzling piece of canon. Nicholas Meyer has long
05:51since joked that Chekhov was indeed on the Enterprise in Space Seed and had held Cannes up while waiting for
05:58the bathroom. This, he contends, would make anyone memorable. By the time Chekhov had been promoted
06:05to First Officer of the Reliant, he had clearly taken some incredible strength tests, excelling in all of
06:12them. He remains, to date, the only person to ever survive infection by a seti eel. Star Trek Cannes establishes
06:22that infection is always fatal, with several of Cannes people, genetically engineered to be stronger
06:29than average humans, falling victim to these parasites. Lieutenant MacGyver's, with no such
06:35augmentation to even give her a hope, never stood a chance. When Chekhov and Tyrell unwittingly beam into
06:43Cannes' lair, they are deliberately infected with these larvae, making them susceptible to suggestion,
06:50leading to their betrayal of their comrades. While Tyrell fights back, turning his phaser on himself
06:57rather than Kirk, Chekhov is seemingly saved by the larva's self-sacrifice. With no apparent explanation,
07:06that particular larva chooses to leave his body, saving him from certain death. While this is good for fans of
07:13Walter Koenig and Chekhov, it does leave us scratching our heads as to the altruistic nature of that eel.
07:21Number seven, the cause of Seti Alpha 6's explosion. Among the many things that Cannes blames James Kirk
07:30for is the hellish nature of his new home. While Seti Alpha 5 was described as habitable,
07:37although a bit savage, somewhat inhospitable by Spock in 2261, it still offered Cannes and his people hope.
07:45Six months after their arrival, Seti Alpha 6 exploded, changing the orbit of Seti Alpha 5.
07:52This laid waste to the planet's surface, forcing the survivors underground. The explosion of the planet
07:59was foreseen, but was still expected to take centuries. Ursula, the chief of medicine for the
08:05colony, was aware of that planet's instability, but was initially unconcerned about an explosion
08:11that she would never live to see. While the question of how the Reliant failed to notice a missing
08:18planet in the Wrath of Cannes doesn't receive an answer, the cause for said missing planet is revealed.
08:25The Elborians, another group that crash lands on Seti Alpha 5, are responsible for Six's destruction.
08:34Their ship was damaged in transit, requiring them to find an emergency landing zone. The type of engine
08:41that they used could devastate matter, though they couldn't jettison it for fear of becoming stranded in
08:47deep space. Left with little options, they allowed their propulsion system to destroy Six, which they
08:54knew was uninhabited. Their ship crash lands on Five, which in turn leads to several years of tension and
09:00secrets between them and Cannes group. Number 6. Did Kirk really know?
09:07The wrap-around story for Star Trek Cannes focuses on Dr. Rosalind Lear, a researcher who petitions
09:14Starfleet to allow her to travel to Seti Alpha 5. She contends that Kirk, recently deceased by this
09:20point, marooned Cannes on the planet while in full possession of the knowledge that Seti Alpha 6 was
09:27unstable. While we just previously discussed the exact cause for why Six exploded when it did, Lear's
09:34investigation raises the question, did the Enterprise conduct an adequate scan of the system
09:40before depositing Cannes there? Captain Sulu is incensed at the mere suggestion that Kirk knowingly
09:48condemned these people to suffering, though even he concedes that it would be better to be sure.
09:55Kirk's logs, as indeed all deceased captain's logs, were classified upon his death. Lear's research
10:03reveals that Kirk didn't know, nor could he have known, that Six would explode when it did. While the
10:10Enterprise did detect anomalies within the core of Six, they weren't enough to disqualify the system
10:17from colonisation at that point. It was little surprise to the audience that Kirk wasn't aware
10:23of what would happen to Cannes and his people, but the question is given greater depth when one considers
10:29Kirk never did bother to check on Cannes, nor did Starfleet. In fact, the series only highlights how
10:37forgotten they truly were. With all of the information sitting in its history banks, the Reliant still
10:45failed to notice a missing planet, nor was there any flag on the SETI Alpha system at all. Kirk may
10:52not have been responsible for Cannes' fate, but there is still plenty of blame to pass around.
10:585. Sulu's Anger but Dedication to Duty
11:04Captain Hikaru Sulu suffered at the hands of Khan Noonien Singh twice. From his point of view,
11:11Khan's death was no tragedy, nor had he any real interest in exploring what drove the man who tried
11:19to kill him. Sulu was the one tasked with shunting the Enterprise up to maximum speed after Spock's
11:25sacrifice and he was present at the funeral of that great man. So, when Dr. Lear petitions
11:33Starfleet to declassify Kirk's logs with the aim of proving the man guilty of condemning Cannes,
11:40Sulu is enraged. The last thing that he has any interest in doing is vindicating the madman who killed
11:47so many of his colleagues. While Sulu's anger is evident throughout his appearances in Star Trek
11:55Cannes, so too is his sense of duty and the difference between right and wrong. He may
12:01have agreed to take Lear to SETI Alpha 5 to disprove her theory, but he does take her. He volunteers
12:09the
12:09Excelsior for the mission, even staying for longer than a ship might normally remain in orbit of a dead
12:16planet. He comes into mild conflict with Ensign Tuvok over Lear's investigation, ordering the young
12:23Vulcan to keep tabs on her. Clearly, he is not happy about any of this, but as shown he allows
12:31Lear
12:32to complete her work, no matter the personal cost. He may be human, but Hikaru Sulu remains a stalwart
12:40Starfleet officer. Number 4. Joachim's Blind Loyalty
12:46Judson Scott may not have received on-screen credit for his role as Joachim, Cannes' right-hand man in
12:53Star Trek II The Wrath of Cannes, but he was a stark presence on both SETI Alpha 5 and the
12:59USS Reliant.
13:00His death genuinely moves the audience, while also displaying his loyalty to Cannes right to the very
13:07end. There is an eased and relaxed nature, almost smug, in the way he acts in the film. In Star
13:15Trek
13:16Cannes, Joachim is a much younger man, barely older than his teens. His father, Joachim, is killed
13:23soon after their arrival on the planet, leaving the young man an orphan. Cannes cares for him,
13:29shows him favour, and even gives him a symbol of strength, his own dagger. Joachim's mother,
13:37deceased before the series begins, is revealed not to have been augmented in any way. This leaves the
13:44young man in an in-between state, a child of two worlds, while also leaving him open to ostracisation
13:50from the other youths in the camp. Cannes' confidence in him elevates his position, resulting in not only
13:57his loyalty, but also helps to bring him into good stead with Erika, one of the young women present.
14:03Joachim displays his loyalty time and time again, not least in his utter lack of hesitation when Cannes
14:11orders him to disembark the venture, their one attempt at an escape from the planet. Cannes
14:17nominates him to lead in his stead, only to take this mantle back. Joachim loves Cannes like a father,
14:24ready to say yes in any situation, though not above asking questions when needed. He obeys his orders,
14:30but in both the audio drama and the film, it is little surprise that he offers Cannes the chance
14:36to simply leave it all behind. His loyalty may cost him his life, but it was always Cannes to spend.
14:443. They Weren't Alone on Seti Alpha 5
14:49When Cannes, MacGyvers and the rest of the crew of the Botany Bay were deposited on Seti Alpha 5,
14:54they were alone, save for the local wildlife. While that came with its own set of challenges,
15:00the destruction of Seti Alpha 6 offered both an ecological disaster and a meeting of minds with
15:06a new group. The Elborians, a telepathic race, crashed on Seti Alpha 5, having inadvertently
15:13caused the destruction of the other planet. Del Monde, their leader, quickly established contact
15:18with Cannes, telepathically ensuring that the Augment knew they meant no harm, but were certainly
15:25capable of it. The Elborians had been chased from their own world in a similar fashion to Cannes and
15:32his people. They were searching for like-minded people, though they were left wanting. They were
15:38linked to each other in what they called a pandem, a hive mind of individuals. Through this they shared
15:45thoughts, hopes, fears, joy and pain. Del Monde and Cannes struggled to meet each other on the same
15:53playing field, the former seeking peaceful coexistence, while the latter sought to dominate.
15:58Had Cannes allowed himself to trust, there may have been a chance for a functioning colony,
16:05or even a genuine attempt at salvation. Instead, Cannes elects to deceive Del Monde at almost every turn,
16:14up to and including the attempted rescue mission and escape. The Elborians, in their guilt for Seti
16:21Alpha 5's situation, pledge to create a craft capable of helping four individuals get off world,
16:28then begin a search for a rescue mission. Cannes co-opts this plan, intent only on saving his daughter
16:36Callie and himself. Cannes may once have had capacity to think of the greater good, but his treatment of
16:43Del Monde and the Elborians overall proved just how far he had fallen by that time.
16:50Number 2. Ivan the Terrible. At the time of their arrival on Seti Alpha 5, Cannes was supported
16:58by his chief lieutenant, Ivan. Ivan is voiced by Maury Stirling, who previously appeared in the
17:05Enterprise episode Exile as Tarkin. From the start, Ivan is single-minded in both his ferocity and intent.
17:14He sees all augments as rightful leaders in any situation, with Seti Alpha 5 being no exception.
17:21He is quick to murder Hugo for speaking against Cannes, and to protect Cannes whenever needed. He is
17:27absolute in his hatred of the Elborians, killing one simply because he could. Though this causes the
17:35cracks between Cannes and he to shatter, he is unrepentant. He is absolutely loyal to augmented
17:42superiority. Once Cannes begins to weaken, in his eyes, that means Cannes has no more right to lead them.
17:50Another cause for their rift is his aversion to Lieutenant MacGyver's. Her status as human,
17:57un-augmented, sickens him. Taking any kind of direction from her, even when her expertise can
18:04help the colony, is too much to bear. Her attempts to stand her ground with him go nowhere, and by
18:10the
18:11time of his exile, there is only hatred on his part. Ivan is a symbol of all that humanity fears
18:18about
18:19augments. He truly believes in their position as rulers and is committed to eventually breeding
18:25humanity out. On Seti Alpha 5, he finds a new planet to conquer, though his narrow vision leads
18:33him to his final conflict. His death at Cannes' hand only serves to solidify Cannes' position with the
18:41remaining augments. In the end, Ivan may be responsible for the madness that engulfs some of
18:47those survivors, and is directly responsible for at least some of the discontent between the augments
18:54and the Elborians. 1. The Bloodline Carries On
19:00The biggest revelation from Star Trek Cannes is, of course, the existence of Kali Noonien Singh,
19:08the daughter of Cannes and Marla MacGyvers. First introduced under the guise of Dr. Rosalind Lear,
19:14her seemingly single-minded focus of blaming James Kirk morphs as the season continues. Though a resolute
19:23character, she is difficult to root for initially, doing little to endear herself to those around her.
19:28As we discover, that is very much in keeping with her true mission, which is to discover why her
19:35father never came to find her and spent his energies on revenge. The realisation that Cannes
19:43believed her dead, killed in an explosion that seemingly destroyed her and the venture, allows
19:49her a measure of peace. Yes, her father spent his final days hunting Kirk to avenge himself upon him,
19:56but this was done in ignorance of her survival. He hadn't abandoned her, he was grieving her.
20:02While Lear finds peace with this, Tuvok, who had attempted to understand her, Cannes and the mission,
20:10came to see the impossible position her augmented genes would put her in. The treatment and prejudice
20:17against augmented humans continues to be a theme that Star Trek explores, here presented through
20:23the lens of the first augmented characters introduced in the original series. While Star Trek Cannes opens
20:30some doors for stories as yet untold, it also carefully treads the line of giving Cannes Noonien
20:37Singh and his followers greater depth without absolving them of their sins. It may be a secret
20:45that many of those in Starfleet are unaware of, but it is a tale worth telling after all.
20:57Hi, I'm Duncan Relic, no relation, and I collect relics from before the burn. Thanks to a temporal wormhole,
21:06I now have an unlimited supply of Trek culture t-shirts, and I'm selling them to you.
21:15You could be wearing this stylish down and up t-shirt. Or, how about this fish watching design?
21:22Bright yellow on black, the colours I'd use in thumbnails, I'll tell you that for nothing.
21:27I plan to take these designs and transfer them via quantum duplication onto hats, mugs, and posters.
21:36So look out for those.
21:42Treat this unlimited supply as a limited time deal. Get your t-shirt quick. Who's your daddy?
21:59That is everything for our list today folks. Thank you so so much for watching along. I hope you enjoyed
22:05this video and I hope that you enjoyed Star Trek Cannes. If you would like to see more audio dramas,
22:09see more audio dramas, hear more audio dramas like that, make sure that you show up and show support
22:15for it because that's how they're gonna give the green light to more of them. You have been awesome,
22:19you have been wonderful. Make sure that you live long and prosper until I see you again. Make sure
22:23that you're following us on the various socials. We're at TrekCulture, at TrekCultureYT. I am at
22:26Sean Ferrick. Please make sure that you're subscribed, liking, and sharing. Until I see you again, be kind,
22:32be loving, be open to that love back to our friends in Sudan, in Congo, in Palestine, and Ukraine.
22:38Know that we love you and we are praying for a quick end to any and all hostilities. You are
22:45amazing.
22:46Thank you so much.
Comments