Star Trek III: The Search for Spock

Star Trek III: The Search for Spock is a 1984 motion picture released by Paramount Pictures. The film is the third feature based on the Star Trek science fiction franchise. After the death of Spock (Leonard Nimoy) during the events of The Wrath of Khan, the crew of the USS Enterprise returns to Earth. When James T. Kirk (William Shatner) learns that Spock's essence or katra is held in the mind of Leonard McCoy (DeForest Kelley), Kirk and company steal the Enterprise in order to return Spock's body to his home planet; the crew must contend with hostile Klingons bent on stealing the secrets of a powerful terraforming device.

After positive critical and commercial reaction to The Wrath of Khan, Paramount commissioned a new film. Nimoy took over directing duties, the first Star Trek cast member to do so. Producer Harve Bennett wrote the script starting from the end and working back, and intended the destruction of the Enterprise to be a shocking development. Bennett and Nimoy collaborated with effects house Industrial Light & Magic to develop storyboards and new ship designs; ILM also handled the film's many special effects sequences. James Horner, The Wrath of Khan's composer, returned to expand his themes from the previous film.

The Search for Spock opened June 1, 1984. In its first week the film broke Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom's gross records, making $16 million in almost 2000 theaters across the United States. The film went on to make $76 million in the domestic box office and a total of $87 million worldwide. Critical reaction to The Search for Spock was mixed; critics called the film a compromise between the first and second films. The Search for Spock was released on multiple home video formats, including VHS, DVD, and Blu-ray high definition discs. Nimoy would go on to direct The Search for Spock's sequel, Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home.

The starship Enterprise limps back to Earth following a battle with the superman Khan Noonien Singh, who had tried to destroy the Enterprise by detonating an experimental terraforming device known as Genesis. The casualties of the fight include Admiral James T. Kirk's Vulcan friend, Spock, whose casket was launched into orbit around the newly-formed planet created by the Genesis Device. On arriving at Earth Spacedock Doctor Leonard McCoy begins to act to strangely. Starfleet Admiral Morrow visits the Enterprise and informs the crew the ship is due to be decommissioned; a return visit to the Genesis planet is forbidden due to political fallout over the Device.

David Marcus—Kirk's son, a key scientist in Genesis' development—and the Vulcan Saavik return to the Genesis planet aboard the science vessel Grissom and, to their surprise, discover a life form on the surface. Marcus and Saavik transport to the planet and find that Spock has been resurrected by the Genesis Device's effects, although his mind is not present. Marcus, pressed by Saavik, admits that he used unstable "protomatter" in the construction of the Genesis device, with the result that Spock is rapidly aging and the planet will be destroyed in mere hours. Meanwhile, a Klingon commander named Kruge intercepts information about Genesis. Believing the Genesis Device a potent weapon, he takes his cloaked ship to Genesis, destroys the Grissom, and captures Marcus, Saavik, and Spock.
Spock's father Sarek confronts Kirk about his son's death. The pair learns that before he died, Spock transferred his "katra" or living spirit to McCoy. Both Spock's katra and body are needed to lay him to rest on his homeworld, Vulcan, and without help McCoy will die from carrying the katra. Disobeying orders, Kirk and his officers spring McCoy from detention, disable the USS Excelsior, and steal the Enterprise from Spacedock to return to Genesis. In orbit on arrival at the Genesis planet the Enterprise is attacked and disabled by Kruge. In the standoff that follows Kruge orders one of the hostages on the surface be executed and in a brief struggle David is killed defending Saavik. Kirk and company feign surrender, and activate the Enterprise's self-destruct sequence, killing the Klingon boarding party while transporting to the surface. Promising the secret of Genesis, Kirk lures Kruge to the planet and has him beam his crew to the Klingon vessel. As the Genesis planet disintegrates, Kirk and Kruge engage in hand-to-hand combat; Kirk emerges victorious after kicking the Klingon off a cliff. Overwhelming the last member of the Klingon crew, Kirk and his officers set a course for Vulcan. Spock's katra is reunited with his body in a dangerous procedure called fal tor pan. The ceremony is successful and Spock is resurrected alive and well, though his memories are extremely fragmented. At Kirk's prompting, Spock remembers his name and recognizes the crew.