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Why we shouldn’t compare Jeffrey Hunter’s Captain Pike to Anson Mount’s

BBG News

As a gamer who has spent countless hours navigating the vast galaxies of Star Trek, I can’t help but feel a deep sense of empathy for Jeffrey Hunter and his portrayal of Captain Pike. In the 1960s, the world was indeed a different place, and it seemed to have caught up with our beloved Starfleet captain.

In the initial Star Trek: The Original Series pilot (later known simply as Star Trek) during the 1960s, Jeffrey Hunter portrayed Captain Christopher Pike. As a character from that era, Pike appeared uncomfortable with women on his bridge, exuded an undisputed command presence, and seldom sought crew input. This was how his character was written at the time, reflecting societal norms of the 1960s despite the series being set in a future era.

A recent Screenrant post discusses Pike’s biggest change from Star Trek, calling it “his best.” And that is his attitude toward women. But Pike’s way of leadership and his acceptance in today’s society is understandably different than it was in the 1960s because of the time period we’re in now. On top of that, Hunter didn’t have much time to embody the role of Captain Pike. So we really didn’t get a chance to get to know him beyond a cancelled pilot that we saw parts of in “The Menagarie.”

As a gamer, I can’t directly compare the Original Series’ Captain Pike with Strange New Worlds’ version since the former lived and passed in the 60s. However, if we consider the context and the advancements made in storytelling since then, it’s fair to say that modern Pike, played by a different actor, offers a fresh perspective on the character. The sixties indeed posed challenges for both Captain Pike and Captain Kirk, but the evolution of Star Trek allows us to explore their stories more deeply now.

If the initial pilot episode of The Original Series had been approved for a series, we could have witnessed a different version of Captain Pike develop throughout the seasons. We might have observed his character maturing as he adapted to the altered circumstances within Starfleet. Just as we’re content with Captain Kirk commanding the Enterprise in the 1960s and Captain Pike in this era, we missed out on seeing how Hunter’s Pike would have evolved or led the ship. I can only imagine that he would have performed well had he been given the chance to grow and develop his character.

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2024-11-13 00:22

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