The Failure in Kirk's Success

I keep thinking about the recent Trek movies. I don't know why, but I can't get them out of my head and how much I'm disappointed in them. One of the things that keeps bothering me is Kirk. Not Chris Pine's portrayal of him- that's fine, but his hero's journey. In the Original Series, Kirk was successful through force of will. He broke rules because he thought it was right. He fought monsters and won because he was very good at that double-fisted smash move. He did things well and was rewarded for doing them.

The new Kirk is portrayed as someone whose destiny it is to follow in his alternate universe version's footsteps. The end result is a Kirk who never really earns his place. He's the Destined Hero, someone that shouldn't exist in Trek or, if it does (e.g. Benjamin Sisko) it's accompanied by a more more philosophical look at it- one that questions out understanding of reality (e.g. Benjamin Sisko is the destined hero because he was the one who revealed to the prophets that he was their destined hero and oh my goodness non-linear time is confusing.) Now, for a while that's where my annoyance ended. They broke something Trek-like.

Recently I've reconsidered that its even a little bit worse that that. Kirk is the poster child for privilege now. This is a guy who keeps getting every chance. Pike gives him a shot in the bar because of his father. He gives him command of the Enterprise because of a lucky guess. Spock Prime interferes with the timeline and tells him to take command again because of alternate universe Kirk. Prime manages to get Kirk yet another chance after he's demoted for breaking the Prime Directive just because of a feeling.

Kirk gets every goddamn chance to succeed and we're supposed to be happy when he does. Of course he does. Everyone keeps letting him! People refuse to let him fail because he's the special boy. He didn't actually work his way up to his status, he kept being placed in the exact position to be the guy who gets the glory when there's success. The original Kirk would fail and work his way back to success. He was flawed and worked past his flaws. He was a great captain because he was a great captain, not because everyone else believed he should be. The only time I can remember Kirk being handed a role for success because of who he is was Star Trek 6- he was given the ambassadorial position because he was so renowned as a dude who hated Klingons. He was given the role because his personal failings made his success more meaningful, not because he was a great man destined for greatness.

New Kirk never worked past anything personal to succeed. His failure to uphold the Prime Directive didn't come into play when fighting Admiral Robocop. His brash and lewd behavior wasn't an impediment to beating up Tattoo Romulan. New Kirk gets to be the same jackass he always was, but in a position for everyone to constantly praise him. Nothing learned, nothing gained, just the enthusiastic support of his peers because he happened to be the captain of the flagship of the Federation at the right time.

Ergh.