The appearance of William Shatner in Star Trek: Enterprise, which didn’t happen, would have provided an explanation for Captain James T. Kirk’s enigmatic weapon from the Mirror Universe after a span of 38 years. Captain Kirk perished in Star Trek Generations following his encounter with Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) and their joint journey into the 24th century. Nevertheless, the executive producers of Star Trek: Enterprise considered a proposal from Shatner and writers Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stevens, which would have seen Shatner portray Kirk’s malevolent counterpart from the Mirror Universe.
Season 2 of “Star Trek: The Original Series” featured the groundbreaking episode titled “Mirror, Mirror,” which unveiled the Mirror Universe – an alternate reality where humans established the Terran Empire instead of the United Federation of Planets. In this episode, Captain Kirk and several members of his crew from the USS Enterprise were exchanged with their counterparts from the Mirror Universe. In this alternate world, Captain Kirk discovered that his malevolent doppelganger possessed a device aboard the ISS Enterprise called the Tantalus Field, which he utilized to eliminate adversaries.
The Tantalus Field remained a mystery in later Star Trek tales from the Mirror Universe, and Captain Kirk’s sinister technology was never brought up again. If William Shatner had guest-starred on Star Trek: Enterprise, though, we would have learned more about the Tantalus Field, and it could have been crucial to how evil Kirk interacted with Captain Jonathan Archer and his crew aboard the NX-01 Enterprise.
William Shatner’s Rejected Star Trek: Enterprise Appearance Would’ve Explained Kirk’s Tantalus Field
The Tantalus Field Still Has No Canonical Explanation In Star Trek
As per an interview with Manny Coto, former showrunner of Star Trek: Enterprise season 4, in The Center Seat: 55 Years of Star Trek by Peter Holmstrom, the Tantalus Field was a significant concept similar to the pitch made by William Shatner and Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stevens. Shatner’s character, Tiberius Kirk, would have been alive but stuck in a 22nd century pocket universe due to the Tantalus Field. Here’s a quote from Coto:
“The Tantalus Field was essentially our version of the ‘Kirk in the future’ story that had been proposed by Bill Shatner and the Reeves-Stevens. In our take, Captain Kirk, still alive, would be trapped in a 22nd century pocket universe created by the Tantalus Field.
In the classic “Mirror, Mirror” episode, the antagonist Kirk utilized a mechanism known as the Tantalus field. By pushing a button, his adversaries would seemingly disappear. However, in this storyline, it’s suggested that instead of causing their demise, the Tantalus field transported all who opposed him to another dimension or pocket universe, keeping them alive. At the episode’s conclusion, it appears that the good Kirk managed to persuade the evil Spock to take command from the evil Kirk. This would lead one to assume that at the end, the evil Spock might have used the Tantalus field to send Kirk away and assert control over the Enterprise.
As a seasoned movie critic, I’d express it like this:
“In William Shatner’s proposed ‘Star Trek: Enterprise’, we could have delved deeper into the intriguing clash between Mirror Spock and Mirror Captain Kirk, following their encounters beyond the events of ‘Star Trek: The Original Series’ episode, ‘Mirror, Mirror.’ Previous explorations in ‘Star Trek: Deep Space Nine’ hinted at Spock’s reformist efforts within the Terran Empire. Shatner’s ‘Star Trek: Enterprise’ concept would have provided a compelling narrative on how Spock employed the Tantalus Field, a pivotal tool, to exile Captain Tiberius Kirk, who sought to thwart Spock’s Vulcan agenda.
Why William Shatner’s Star Trek: Enterprise Appearance Never Happened
Shatner Might Have Saved Star Trek: Enterprise
It was an intriguing scenario that never came to fruition – William Shatner appearing in Star Trek: Enterprise. In a recent interview on The Shuttlepod Show in 2022, Star Trek executive producer Rick Berman explained the unfortunate reason behind this non-occurrence. As per Berman, the plan was shelved by Paramount due to the significant amount of money that Shatner demanded for his guest role. Here’s a quote from Berman himself:
“Paramount vetoed the idea because of how much Shatner wanted for his guest spot.
We drew up a rough plan and presented it at the workplace. Upon initial review, they only offered general feedback. They liked it a lot. Later, someone from Bill’s group or a representative contacted us, and I won’t disclose the specific figures, but the offer was significantly larger than the studio had initially anticipated.
Paramount may have chosen to terminate Star Trek: Enterprise, not because of cost issues with William Shatner, but because they believed his presence could potentially revive the series. In reality, it’s debatable whether Shatner’s involvement would have saved Star Trek: Enterprise from cancellation by the UPN Network.
Star Trek: Enterprise Season 4 Did A Mirror Universe Story Without William Shatner
The Mirror Universe Also Returned In Star Trek: Discovery & Star Trek: Section 31
In the fourth season of Star Trek: Enterprise, showrunner Manny Coto had a strong affinity for the Mirror Universe and crafted a tale set in this alternate reality without the involvement of William Shatner. The two-part story, titled “In a Mirror, Darkly”, unfolded entirely within this distorted universe. In this narrative, Commander Jonathan Archer plotted to seize power in the Terran Empire by capturing the USS Defiant, a 23rd century Constitution Class starship that had crossed over from the Star Trek Prime timeline.
Instead of continuing the storyline about the Tantalus Field from “Mirror, Mirror” in Star Trek: Enterprise season 4’s “In a Mirror, Darkly,” it actually served as a continuation of a different Star Trek: The Original Series episode, “The Tholian Web.” In this alternate universe, we learn what happened to the USS Defiant after its disappearance in “The Tholian Web.” In the Mirror Universe, Captain Archer unsuccessfully tried to commandeer the USS Defiant until he was double-crossed by Ensign Hoshi Sato (Linda Park), who seized control of the starship and claimed herself as the new Empress of the Terrans.
Despite William Shatner not reprising his role as Tiberius Kirk, the Star Trek universe has ventured multiple times into the Mirror Universe. For instance, Star Trek: Discovery introduced Emperor Philippa Georgiou (Michelle Yeoh), a ruler of the Terrans prior to the era of Star Trek: The Original Series’ “Mirror, Mirror.” Additionally, Star Trek: Section 31 unveiled how Georgiou ascended to the position of Terran Emperor and depicted Philippa thwarting the Mirror Universe’s attack on the Federation in the early 24th century.
William Shatner Still Hints He’s Making A Star Trek Comeback
But Not In The Mirror Universe
20 years following the cancellation of “Star Trek: Enterprise” in its fourth season, there’s a possibility that William Shatner may reprise his role as Captain Kirk in Star Trek. In February 2024, at Fan Expo Vancouver, Shatner disclosed that a writer from an upcoming Star Trek series reached out to him about returning. Shatter expressed, “I’ve been asked to come back as Kirk numerous times. For Kirk to return, it must signify something. It has to be the right show. However, I was so captivated by this writer that I said, ‘Let’s discuss things after I’m done in Vancouver.’
It’s unclear if William Shatner’s return to Star Trek as Captain Kirk will materialize, but he recently reprised the role for the first time since 1994 in the short film 765874 – Unification. Shatner teamed up with actor Sam Witwer and visual effects company OTOY to revive Captain Kirk and reunite him with Spock. If Shatner does indeed return to Star Trek, it won’t be as Tiberius Kirk, and the solution to the Tantalus Field mystery from his rejected Star Trek: Enterprise pitch will stay outside of the show’s official continuity.
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2025-05-06 02:21