Movie Villains

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March 18, 2003

Sybok

By the fifth movie in the Star Trek frachise, the actors and plotlines seemed to be aging exponentially. Who could forget the ever-changing Shatner hairpiece, the ever-expanding Scotty waistline, or the ever-frightening naked Uhura vocal performance in the desert? (Yecchh...) Meanwhile, in search of some villains for Star Trek V: The Final Frontier, all the writers could come up with were: a mysterious half-brother of Spock, another loud Klingon commander, and God himself. Let's take a look at that half-brother...

Sybok (Laurence Luckinbill) makes his first appearance on the surface of Nimbus III as Kirk and company are hoping to negotiate for the release of diplomatic hostages. However, the hostages are a red herring as the mastermind behind the ruse, Sybok, reveals his intentions: to take over the brand-new Enterprise-A for a little trip to a place called "Sha Ka Ree," or as we know it, Heaven. After some much-needed prodding, Spock reveals their connection. The only thing that's good for is not killing Sybok when he has the chance.

This guy certainly falls into the "cult leader/religious fanatic" category of movie maniacs. Sybok is incredibly gifted and influential, as most "prophets" prove to be. He has an incredible telepathic ability to reveal deep-seeded pain and regret from the subconcious of a person and use it against them, brainwashing them into thinking he's healed them, lifting a terrible burden from their shoulders. Ultimately, it is Sybok who has been brainwashed, deceived by a strange entity posing as God to deliver a means of escape. Sybok ends up sacrificing himself to help the crew of the Enterprise escape. Had he embraced logic instead of emotion in the first place, perhaps he would not have been exiled from Vulcan, and perhaps he'd still be alive.

Posted by Destro at March 18, 2003 12:46 PM