Be it via time travel or even more convoluted plot points, it's a major tradition in Star Trek lore for different generations of Starfleet officers to meet and share the screen.
On Monday, Paramount announced Captain Kirk (Chris Pine) will meet his father, the late George Kirk (Chris Hemsworth) in the fourth film of the rebooted franchise. How the Kirks will react to each other is any Trekkie's best guess — but there's plenty of examples to look back on in Trek's 50 year history to see what happens when generations collide.
It's a big universe out there — and anyone can to bump into another at any moment.
Scotty Meets the Enterprise-D ('Star Trek: The Next Generation,' Season 6, Episode 4)
When the Enterprise-D answers a distress call from the USS Jenolan, the crew finds more than what they bargain for. Montgomery "Scotty" Scott has been trapped in the transporter system for decades. As the Scottish engineer adjusts to life in the future (it's harder than he expected), the Enterprise deals with a Dyson sphere — and ultimately relies on Scotty's know-how to get them out of a jam.
Sarek Meets Picard ('Star Trek: The Next Generation,' Season 3, Episode 23)
Vulcan ambassador Sarek (Mark Lenard) is on the Enterprise to establish trade relations between the Legarans and Federation, but his mind is deteriorating — and (gasp!), he's becoming emotional. The only chance to save the negotiations is for Picard to mind meld with the ambassador in this season three episode, "Sarek," so that the Vulcan can borrow the Captain's sense of control.
Spock Meets Picard ('Star Trek: The Next Generation,' Season 5, Episodes 7 and 8)
Spock (Leonard Nimoy) truly did live long and prosper — all the way until the 24th century, where it's revealed he's a Starfleet ambassador. Picard goes uncover to save ambassador Spock from the Romulans after the Vulcan is goes missing.
Only the Nexus could allow these two greats to meet. The two Enterprise captains team up to save the day from TolianSoran (Malcolm McDowell), with Kirk (William Shatner) ultimately dying in one of the most controversial and debated moments in Star Trek history.
The Enterprise-D Meets Zefram Cochrane ('Star Trek: First Contact,' 1996)
The Enterprise-D finds itself centuries in the past after following the Borg through a time vortex. While Picard tries to find a way to destroy his nightmarish enemy once and for all, Geordi (LeVar Burton), Riker (Jonathan Frakes) and Troi (Marina Sirtis) are tasked to make sure humanity's first warp dive flight happens — spending time with the man behind it, the legendary Zefram Cochrane (James Cromwell).
Janeway Meets Q: ('Star Trek: Voyager,' Season 2, Episode 18)
Captain Janeway learns the annoyance Captain Picard routinely went through when Q (John de Lancie) comes to visit Voyager — and attempts to court the captain, hoping to convince her to become the mother of his child. Apparently being "single for billions of years" gets lonely after awhile.
Tuvok Meets Sulu ('Star Trek: Voyager,' Season 3, Episode 2)
When Tuvok (Tim Russ) has issues with his memories, Captain Janeway (Kate Mulgrow) offers to mind meld with him in the 1996 episode. In a flashback sequence, Janeway sees Tuvok’s time aboard USS Excelsior, serving under the legendary Captain HikaruSulu (George Takei). The episode marks the most recent time Takei has played Sulu onscreen, though he has said he would be open to reprising the role.
Geordi Meets Chakotay ('Star Trek: Voyager,' Season 5, Episode 6)
In a dark, alternate future, Chakotay (Robert Beltran) runs afoul of USS Challenger Captain Geordi La Forge while trying travel back in time to save 150 lives on the Voyager ship. And under different circumstances, they totally could have been friends.
Riker and Troi See Archer ('Star Trek: Enterprise,' Season 4, Ep 22)
Having troubles deciding whether or not to disobey orders, Riker is advised by Troi to revisit the moments leading up to Jonathan Archer’s (Scott Bakula) great unifying speech at the Federation Charter Signing in the holodeck. This served as the series finale of Enterprise, angering fans that the show was sent off with an episode set on the Enterprise-D's holodeck.
It was a meeting of the minds. At the end of 2009's Star Trek film, Spock (Zachary Quinto) meets Spock Prime. After Spock Prime urges his younger self to stay in Starfleet, the elder Spock goes on to help rebuild the decimated Vulcan society, while the younger Spock continues to have adventures with the Enterprise.
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