Would it help if I operate on Decker? Put a point on his ears?

[Up to Star Trek: The Motion Picture]

Shooting Script
and Revisions

With a shooting script finally in hand, shooting began in August of 1978. However, due to dissatisfaction with the third act of the movie, rewrites, additions and revisions would continue right up to the end of shooting. Additional input would end up coming from Harold Livingston, Gene Roddenberry, Robert Wise, Leonard Nimoy, William Shatner and even ideas from Production Designer Andrew Probert. The rewriting between Roddenberry and Livingston would become very heated, and eventually Roddenberry would be removed from the production. He would start arbitration proceedings with the Writer's Guild for story credit shortly after.

"Near Final" is the Baseline, changes start there, moving downwards to the July 9th original Shooting Script. Scenes without major changes are merged. If you have any revisions not listed here, please let me know!

[Wishworld]

[The Book of Xand]

[The Girl in the Mirror]

[The Long Road Home]

[Manpower]

[The Many Lives of Genevieve]

[Voices of Authority]

Voyage of the Alexandria]

Document Information

Plot Points ►

[Cover to the Shooting Script for Star Trek: The Motion Picture]

Shooting script

Written by Gene Roddenberry and Harold Livingston

July 19, 1978 with Revisions up to October 17th and a "Near Final" script with no date.

Sources: Reproduction scripts and a collection of small revisions.

Three Klingon cruisers confront an unseen adversary and are destroyed by it. Before destruction, the Klingon captain sends a report to the Klingon Command.

Epsilon 9 monitors the Klingon ships' destruction. They determine that the object is headed for Earth.

Near Final Draft

Spock's meditation during the Kholinar ritual is interrupted when an alien consciousness reaches out to him. At the ceremony where he receives a symbol of total logic, he pauses. After a mind meld, the Masters realize that this consciousness has touched his repressed human half. Spock fails his Kolinahr ritual.

Added:
Adds a Vulcan Master naming the ritual "Kohlinar." Removes references to the Masters also feeling V'Ger reaching out.

Kirk meets with Sonak in a San Francisco Tram Station. Kirk is annoyed that he's not on the ship. Kirk orders Sonak to report to him in one hour aboard the ship.

Kirk beams up to a Space Office Complex due to transporter problems on the Enterprise and meets up with Scotty.

Near Final Draft:

Scotty flies Kirk over to the Enterprise. The object is less than three days from Earth.

Added
Scott and Kirk's conversation on the shuttle is rewritten to sound more natural.

Removed:
Dialogue during the the shuttle trip is removed.

Scott is called away to engineering. An ensign offers to take Kirk on a tour of the ship, but Kirk declines

Kirk takes the turbolift to the bridge, drinking in that he's back on the Enterprise.

Kirk enters the bridge and briefs the bridge crew on the situation. Asks to have the Enterprise crew assemble on the recreation deck for a mission briefing. As he leaves, Sulu, Uhura and an Alien talk amongst themselves about Decker's reaction to Kirk being assigned to captain the Enterprise.

Near Final Draft

[Not in script]

Kirk goes to Engineering to tell Decker he's taking over the captain's seat.

Suddenly a the console bursts into flares. Scotty calls the transporter room to tell them to cancel the current transport, but they're unable to.

A transporter accident kills Sonak and another person.

Decker and Kirk meet in a corridor. Kirk assigns Decker science officer duties.

The Enterprise crew meets on the Recreation Deck for a mission briefing. Enterprise is the only ship in it's way. Starfleet assumes there's a vessel at the heart of the cloud. They hope there's a life form that will listen to reason. Epsilon 9 cuts in to report on the object, describing it as 82 AUs in diameter, but is destroyed during the briefing.

Ilia joins the bridge crew. Decker and Ilia meet again for the first time in ages. She shows suprise that he's assigned first officer, knowing he was meant to be the Enterprise's captain. Uhura then announces that the last crewmembers are beaming aboard, but one is refusing the step in the transporter. Kirk goes down to the transporter room to get the last crewmember aboard. Sulu, obviously taken by Ilia, clumsily stutters and stumbles while showing her the navigation system. Ilia reassures him. Decker apologizes for Kirk's attitude. Ilia reassures him she wasn't insulted.

Kirk makes it down to the transporter room in time to talk to a yeoman. The a yeoman reports that Dr McCoy insisted they go first so he could see how the transporter scrambled their molecules. McCoy beams up to the Enterprise. He's unhappy at being drafted aboard by Kirk, but decides to join the crew as ship's doctor.

The Enterprise launches from space dock.

Kirk orders warp drive. Scotty and Decker suggest further work on the engine before doing so. Decker says that assuming warp works, they'll reach the intruder in 20.1 hours. Ilia agrees. Kirk again orders warp drive. As the ship goes into warp, an engine problem creates a wormhole, sucking an asteroid into the wormhole as well. The Enterprise escapes by destroying the wormhole, but not before Decker countermands Kirk orders for phasers, and uses photon torpedoes instead. Despite escaping, warp drive is unusable. Sulu reads out a new rendezvous with V'Ger however, Ilia is preoccupied with Decker. He repeats his report and Ilia snaps out of it, confirming the new rendezvous.

Near Final Draft

In his office, Kirk has a confrontation with Decker about why his phaser order was countermanded. Decker replies that the refit of the ship caused the phasers to be powered down. Kirk and Decker begin to bury their hatchet when Kirk realizes Decker has more knowledge of the ship than he does.

Removed:
McCoy ribs Kirk about Decker being a Spock substitute and that Decker is a better Captain than Kirk right now.

Near Final Draft

After Decker leaves, he meets Ilia, who chides him for leaving Delta IV without saying goodbye.

Changed
This conversation is completely revised to focus on Decker and Ilia's relationship, versus Decker neing upset that Kirk has taken the ship from him.

Near Final Draft

Back in Kirk's office, Kirk attempts to shoo McCoy out of his office, to which he replies that he's about to make a decision on Kirk's command fitness. McCoy points out that Kirk is being overbearing and may be obsessing about having the Enterprise back. Uhura reports that a shuttle is requesting permission to dock with the Enterprise.

Changed
This conversation is completely revised to make it seem that Kirk is not aware that he is using this emergency to get the Enterprise back. Earlier drafts have Kirk arguing that the ends justify the means. Changes "I don't like the Kirk you're showing me, Bones. You can put the mirror down." to "Your opinion has been noted, Doctor. Is there anything further"/"I hope not." from an earlier draft. General tightening of dialogue.

Note:
Oddly, the dialogue in the Special Longer Uncut version is a mix of the Near Final Draft and the August 17th Revisions, which signals another revision after October 17th.

Spock arrives on the ship, taking over the science position. He offers to help in Engineering to fix the engine issue. His demeanor is even colder than usual.

With the engines working, the ship finally goes into warp.

Kirk, Spock and McCoy meet in a briefing room to discuss why Spock is aboard. Spock demands Dr. McCoy leave. Kirk refuses. Spock is sensing something akin to a pattern of perfect logic calling out to him. When Kirk presses the point, Spock refuses, claiming personal privacy. Kirk brings up the Kolinahr ritual, which causes Spock to betray a little emotion, something McCoy pounces on, saying "that flicker of emotion confirms our guess - you failed." Spock says that the object may be the only way for him to purge his human half. McCoy again needles him on the subject, about how perfect logic would mean inner peace, but no beauty. Spock actually begins to confront McCoy physically when Kirk stops him. Kirk orders Spock to let him know when V'Ger contacts him.

Near Final Draft

The Enterprise meets up with the forcefield cloud, a factor twelve energy field. Spock detects a feeling from the object from the object of puzzlement and soon after, the Enterprise is attacked. The ship attempts to veer away, but the "whiplash" bolt follows them. Chekov suffers a burn injury during the onslaught. The ship's fire control systems begiv spewing foam wherever fire erupts from the attack. Ilia leaves her station to help. Chapel arrives going to Chekov where Ilia is already working to stop his pain. Chapel begins working on his burn.

Added:
Spock detects a feeling from the object of puzzlement with the Enterprise attacked soon after. A scene of Ilia going to help Chekov was added. Ilia's scene of her and Chapel assisting Chekov were added.

Removed:
A scene of fire in a corridor was removed. A scene of power flickering in Sickbay was removed.

Near Final Draft

Spock determines that the object is attempting to contacting them but at such a high rate of speed it went unnoticed until now. Another officer takes Chekov's position. A second attack is launched, but Spock sends a friendship message at the same speed which causes the object to end the attack. Ilia announces time to the cloud boundary. Kirk, Spock and Decker discuss whether the intruder could understand humans well enough to stop the attack after the friendship message. Kirk asks for a tactical plot and suggestions from the crew before entering the cloud.

Changed
Scott's report on the deflector power was simplified even further, changing "Captain, we are overloading" to "Systems are overloading." Kirk's quip about the friendship message being understood was given back to Spock. A scene discussing V'Ger's mindset behind ending the attack was added. Decker's suggestion to enter the cloud was changed to Spock suggesting they enter, and Decker suggesting it's an unwarranted gamble. Kirk's orders go back to simply "Steady as she goes."

Near Final Draft

The Enterprise enters the cloud, viewed from the viewscreen. The ship flies through the cloud to an object at the center. Uhura mentions that the ship could hold a crew of tens of thousands. McCoy responds with it also being able to handle a crew of a thousand ten miles tall. Chekov returns to his seat, relieving the officer at the station. Spock informs Kirk that the object is generating a forcefield grater than the radiation of Earth's sun. Kirk asks Sulu to bring them to one hundred kilometers distance. The Enterprise flies over the craft.

Added:
Kirk's request to reduce magnification.

Changed
Changes from Decker reporting strong magnetic and gravity fluctuations and that the cloud is the intruder's forcefield to Kirk mentioning that no ship could make a forcefield of this magnitude and Spock responding that his instruments are fluctuating. McCoy's line of "Or just a few -- ten miles tall." is changed to "Or just one thousand ten miles tall." Spock's evaluation of the ship changes from "Clearly a vessel, Captain" to "The vessel is generating a forcefield measurably greater than the radiation of Earth's Sun."

Near Final Draft

As the ship gets closer to the bow of of the object, the object sends a probe over to the Enterprise. Two security guards are sent to the bridge. One brandishes a phaser at the probe. He is hit by a tendril of the probe and vanishes. The computer begins communicating back and forth with the object on its own, sending the records of the main computer. Spock smashes the science station, the probe attacks him, before dissapearing and taking Ilia with it.

Added:
Chekov asking if the probe may be one of the crewThe probe begins searching through the main computer. Spock smashes the science station. Decker mentions they could have cut it off at the main computer. The probe begins to menace Spock when Ilia yells at Spock not to move. Decker tries to reach for Ilia. Decker saying "This is how I define unwarranted!" added.

Removed:
All mentions of a "Tschaa...!" sound effect, as well as mentions of the "Eye" from previous drafts are removed. Kirk asks Spock for an evaluation of the probe. Uhura mentioning that the probe is trasmitting a signal back to the alien ship. Viewing the probe's data on the viewscreen is removed. Scene of the probe inadvertently touching Ilia and suddenly becoming interested in her, with the viewscreen diagrams suddenly changing to diagrams of her was removed.

Changed
The one security burned to ash is changed to him simply being enveloped in a "Purple glow (of implosion)" and vanishing. "It doesn't seem interested in us -- only the ship!" changed from Decker to Kirk.The probe freezes Ilia into immobility before it takes her away. Her "light pencil" she was using at her station was changed to a Tricorder.

Near Final Draft

[An alternate version of this scene occurs earlier in the script]

Near Final Draft

The object immediately grabs the Enterprise in a tractor beam, pulling it inside. DiFalco takes the helm. Kirk attempts to pull out of the tractor beam but stops when told they don't have the power to escape. Decker suggests firing directly on the tractor beam emitter to escape, but Spock asks where they would escape to. McCoy orders medical observers to all decks. Once inside, Decker asks why bring them inside? The Enterprise attempts to go farther in, but is cut off. Spock is unable to use his sensors as they're all being reflected back.

Added:
Decker announcing that the ship is under attack and to man all defensive stations added.

Near Final Draft

Ilia reappears in her quarter's sonic shower. Kirk, Spock and McCoy determine she is the probe from the object made into a mechanized Human there to study humans. They begin questioning her asking what happened to the original Ilia. "That unit no longer functions."She says she is here to learn more about the "servo-units" infesting the Enterprise. From her, the three learn who V'Ger is, and that he's going to Earth to find and join with The Creator. They convince her to have a medical exam to find out what she is.

Removed:
Scenes of Ilia starting the conversation by addressing the Kirk-unit directly and Kirk ordering McCoy be brought to the room were removed.

Changed
Kirk and Chekov entering the quarters is changed to Kirk and a security guard. The scene of Ilia's reveal is functionally the same, although written differently.

Near Final Draft

Ilia is given a medical exam where they determine she's a completely robotic version of Ilia. When Decker enters, she seems to soften up to him.

Kirk, Spock and Decker leave the room agree that if the probe has Ilia's memory patterns, they may be able to use her feelings of loyalty to help get information from V'Ger. Ilia breaks down the door demanding Kirk help her in her study. He assigns her to Decker, instead.

Near Final Draft

[Not in script]

Near Final Draft

Spock steals a space suit.

Changed
This scene is drastically different in the August 9th Revision. Kirk and Spock suit up for their trip inside V'Ger. McCoy objects to the trip thinking V'Ger will swat them like flies. Kirk and Spock exit the Enterprise and make their way inside the "maw" of V'Ger.They are in awe at the vastness of the interior. Unknown change to the time until V'Ger reaches earth (now at eight hours).

No earlier revision to compare changes.

Near Final Draft

[An alternate version of this scene occurs later in the script]

Near Final Draft

[An alternate version of this scene occurs later in the script]

Near Final Draft

Decker walks Ilia through the Recreation Deck to reawaken Ilia's memory as Kirk and McCoy watch. Decker manages to temporarily trigger a reaction, however it's gone in an instant. Ilia views a plaque showing other ships named Enterprise. When asked why the ship needs humans, Decker replies that Enterprise couldn't function without humans. Ilia says V'Ger needs to understand this before the Enterprise and humans can be reduced to memory patterns in V'Ger. Decker lets the Ilia probe in on the plan to resurrect her memory. Ilia agrees as it would help to understand humans.

Added
Kirk and McCoy watch as Decker shows the Ilia Probe around the Rec Deck. Uhura contacts them to let them know that Starfleet has them on their viewers being three hours from Earth.

Changed
This scene is drastically different in the shooting script. The recreation deck being sparsely populated with crew is changed to being empty. Decker walks Tasha through the Recreation Deck. He tries to take her hand, and she pulls away with enough force to push him back. He tries again, and this time she lets him. Decker is surprised at how warm her hand is, and she mentions she is an exact copy of Ilia. He tried to convince her that living things are meant to feel, and she pushes back the only purpose in life is to gather information. He pushes on her asking if that's V'Ger's purpose.

Spock leaves to explore V'Ger on his own. Uhura reports that Starfleet has visual contact on V'Ger, Sulu adds that V'Ger is moving into an Earth orbit. Chekov reports that a thruster suit has been reported missing. Kirk suits up in a spacesuit to catch up with Spock. Flying out to meet him.

Ilia, Decker and Nurse Chapel walk into Ilia's quarters to attempt to resurrect Ilia's memory using a headband given to her by Decker when they were together on her home planet. Chapel helps her put it on. It's successful. Decker immediately asks Ilia for help communicating with V'Ger. Ilia can't help, but offers what info she can: V'Ger does not know who or what the creator is, but only that it's on the third planet. Ilia asks why two carbon units have entered V'Ger. McCoy says they want to contact V'Ger. Decker asks if V'Ger objects, but V'Ger just wants to determine their purpose. McCoy mentions their purpose is to survive. Ilia responds that that is also V'Ger's purpose, by finding and joining with the creator. She asks to continue her observations.

Near Final Draft

Kirk and Spock fly to a wall along the V'Ger interior, nearly getting hit with energy as they do so. Spock begins to realize that V'Ger may be a living machine, when a cloud begins to congeal around the two. Both blast their way out before the cloud coalesces into energy which could have killed both of them. Spock believe that was a test from V'Ger. Kirk flies out to catch up with Spock, who is attempting to contact V'Ger on his own. However, on his way to Spock, he attracts the attention of a swarm of crystalline "sensor bees" which begin to swarm and crush his suit. He calls out to Spock for rescue, who gives no reply, apparently ignoring him. Kirk calls for help from the Enterprise who call out to Spock to rescue him. Again, Spock ignores the call. The Enterprise begins preparing a rescue team. Spock, and all Spock can hear is the labored breathing from Kirk's intercom. He finally makes the decision to free kirk, phasering the sensor bees off Kirk. Kirk calls off the rescue teams, and demands Spock tell him what he's doing out here. Spock replies he is looking for answers. Kirk, realizing Spock hesitated in rescuing him, asks "Answers to what, Spock? Our dilemma? Or your personal one?" Spock does not answer. Deciding to find out who or what V'Ger is, the two head towards a hole in the nearby wall where the sensor bee swarms seem to be floating through. The hole opens only long enough to allow a swarm through, then closes. Kirk time their entry to go through the hole before it closes on them. They enter a cave of crystalline walls with a row of large spheres extending into the distance. Spock realizes the sensor bees are adding crystals on the walls. Touching one of the crystals, an image of Klingons and their vessels appears, followed by Epsilon 9 and its personnel. More images show the security guard killed by the earlier probe and Ilia. V'Ger's weaponry doesn't destroy objects, but dematerializes and stores them in V'Ger's memory. Kirk asks where the crew that would make use of this memory bank is. Spock comes to the conclusion that V'Ger isn't a ship, but a life form of it's own, a living machine. Spock decides to mind meld with one of the spheres to contact V'Ger. Kirk warns him saying that if this is V'Ger's memory, his mind is likely enormous. Spock tries anyways, and the mind meld overloads him, with images of V'Ger's travels in both a gigantic and minute scale.

Changed
This scene is drastically different in the shooting script. The enter a cave of crystalline walls extending into the distance. Spock finds what may be a major powerline and scans it with a tricorder, and then scans a crystal with it. He determines they're in a living machine, and these crystals are memory storage. Spock decides to mind meld with one of the crystals and it overloads him. Kirk pulls Spock from the wall.

Near Final Draft

[Not in script]

Near Final Draft

Spock wakes up in sickbay and reveals what he's learned in his mind meld: V'Ger is a living machine, as is the population of its home planet. Spock begins to pass out, and Kirk shakes him, drawing McCoy's ire. It has amassed incredible knowledge, but no answers as to whether there is anything more to its existence. Uhura reports that V'Ger has been visible for twenty seven minutes. Sulu reports that V'Ger is slowing down as it gets closer to Earth. Kirk is amazed that V'Ger is a machine, sent by machine planet, looking for it's creator. He asks the location of Decker and Ilia, who are in engineering.

Changed
This scene is drastically different in the shooting script. Spock is awake in sickbay, mumbling about what he saw during his meld, knowledge without feeling, and that that was what awaited him if he continued to seek pure logic.

Kirk decides to inform the Ilia probe it knows V'Ger is a living machine. He sets up what sounds like a public PA announcement, but only delivers it to Engineering where Decker walks Ilia on her tour of the ship. Decker asks why V'Ger was created. Ilia responds with V'Ger's core programming: To learn all that is learnable and deliver that information to the Creator on the third planet. Scotty seems genuinely amused at the novelty of a living machine. Ilia turns to Scotty saying that that, logically, Enterprise shouldn't need humans at all. Scotty says that if he was acting logically, he'd be showing her the inside of a scrap compactor.

Near Final Draft

[An alternate version of this scene occurs later in the script]

Near Final Draft

The Enterprise is now in contact with Starfleet Command. However there is interference from a signal V'Ger is sending to Earth. V'Ger is waiting a response from the creator, which it doesn't get.

Changed
While the action of this scene is roughly the same, the details of this scene are drastically different in the original shooting script with more of an emphasis on Spock's telepathic and mystical imagery from V'Ger. The Enterprise is now in contact with Starfleet Command. However there is interference from a signal V'Ger is sending to Earth. Spock speculates that the V'Ger island is the brain of V'ger as Tasha worries The Creator has not answered.

Near Final Draft

V'Ger releases larger versions of the whiplash energy towards Earth to destroy the humans on Earth who, it believes, have repressed the creator. Kirk bluffs Ilia into thinking they know why the Creator hasn't responded, but refuse to tell her unless V'Ger removes the weapons now in Earth orbit.

Additions
The Near Final drafts mentions that all Earth defenses have gone dead. The explanation of the neutron bombs is expanded and spread to multiple characters instead of Admiral Nogura and Rand, V'Ger seeing humans as not-true life forms is expanded as well. The crew's comparison of V'Ger to a child, and the bluff that they have the information V'Ger needs is added.

Changed
While the action of this scene is roughly the same, the details of this scene are drastically expanded from the original shooting script. Admiral Nogura informs the Enterprise of V'Ger entering Earth orbit, and ejecting the neutron bombs. The time to destruction of Earth goes from fifty-eight minutes to twenty two (with nineteen and fifteen as alternates).

V'Ger agrees, but only once Kirk reveals the information, calling Kirk's bluff. Kirk tells her they can only release the information to V'Ger itself, and V'Ger begins pulling the Enterprise to the core of the vessel. The Enterprise is pulled into an adjoining chamber, on it's way to V'Ger's core. Kirk orders self destruct on his command. An engineering officer asks why self destruct. Scotty explains the explosion will take V'Ger out. A pan around the bridge reveals the ships status. Spock quietly weeps at his station for the destruction of V'Ger. Spock attempts to explain V'Ger's wish to meet it's creator. Forward motions stops. The Enterprise lands at the edge of the ship's core. Kirk asks Scott if the self-destruct is prepared, and it is. Spock stops him - they have twenty-two minutes before the devices will activate. That's twenty-two minutes to try and find a way to help V'Ger and Earth. Decker concurs.

[The Near Final Script is missing pages here]

Near Final Draft

Spock and Kirk realize V'Ger is trying to force the Creator to come to V'Ger and physically join with him. V'Ger becomes impatient and demands, through Ilia,the information Kirk has promised. Decker attempts to calm her, but she knocks him down when he surprises her with a touch. Uhura calls back to the team. Starfleet command does not have the response code due to the Cold War secrecy of the 80s. Starfleet is attempting to contact the archives for the code. Decker asks what will happen when the meld happens. Ilia sadly replies that it will take her from him. McCoy and Spock try to figure out what will happen during the meld as V'Ger expected a machine, not a human. Kirk says there's no way to know. Everything in vicinity could be reduced to data patterns for V'Ger.

Additions
Speculation of what might happen to the ship and crew when V'Ger gets it information is added.

Removed
Kirk, knowing there is not much time left, asks V'Ger to allow him to return to Earth, to get the proof that humans are The Creator. He and Tasha are immediately transported by V'Ger to Starfleet command, leading into the next scene. Decker Spock and McCoy, still at the V'Ger core, are trying to manually guess the return code. As Spock works on the broken circuitry, a flash of light strikes Spock directly while another pushes Decker aside. Decker realizes that V'Ger chose him and rejected Spock, leading Spock to wonder what the function of the V'Ger island is.

Changes
While the action of this scene is roughly the same, the details of this scene are drastically expanded from the original shooting script. The realization that V'Ger wants to merge with the creator comes much sooner.

Near Final Draft

[Not in script]

Near Final Draft

[Not in script]

Near Final Draft

Uhura responds with the response code. Kirk sends it via tricorder, but just before the final sequence, V'Ger shorts out its own antenna leads. Spock explains V'Ger has done this to force the Creator to come to V'Ger and physically join with him. Decker decides to punch in the code himself via the ground test computer, starting V'Ger's transformation into a higher being. Ilia runs towards Decker and disappears in s a flash of light. As the melding occurs, a spectacular series of visuals flash around them. Decker's body expands, larger and larger, glowing brighter and brighter until the core begins to dissolve into brilliant and lovely patterns as it slips away to another dimension. The rest of the crew rush back to the Enterprise before V'ger completely dissolves from view.

Changes
While the action of this scene is roughly the same, the details of this scene are drastically expanded from the original shooting script. Kirk and Tasha are still on Earth and Decker, McCoy and Spock are still on the bridge when Uhura relays the response code to V'Ger where they discover V'Ger's reciever circuitry being altered. They leave to patch in the code manually at the V'Ger site. Kirk suggests Spock punch in the code, but he was earlier rejected. Decker beams to the V'Ger site from the ship, and decides to merge with V'Ger.

V'Ger's transformation completes as the ship flowers open into a whole new shape which fades away, leaving the Enterprise in it's place.

Near Final Draft

Spock, McCoy and Kirk reflect on what they've just been through and V'Ger's new future. Kirk excitedly says that "We were its answer!" Spock agrees that what V'Ger needed was a human quality to move on. Starfleet orders the Enterprise back to space dock, which Kirk immediately ignores. Scotty comes to the bridge and Kirk let's him know it's time for a proper shakedown of the ship. Scott offers to take Spock back to Vulcan, but Spock says his task is now complete. Kirk orders Sulu to head out: "Thataway."

Removed
Ilia appears on the bridge, alive and well, explaining that Decker allowed the ship and her to survive the transformation.

Changed
Starfleet recalls the ship for inspection and repairs, which Kirk ignores.

September 21st Revision

Changed
Kirk orders "Navigator maintain course, Helmsman, steady as she goes."

August 21st Revision

Changed
"Sarek the Vulcan" and "Amanda the Earth Woman" to "Sarek of Vulcan," and "Amanda of Earth." The ritual sands are changed from a place where Vulcans fought each other, to where "they cast out their animal passions." The masters are more chiding at Spock being distracted by V'Ger.

August 21st Revision

Changed
Makes changes that show Kirk is questioning why Sonak is not aboard as Science Officer, versus questioning if Sonak is the new science officer. The Enterprise goes from taking 14 hours to launch to 20, and adds Kirk saying it will be ready in 12. The conversation is much more terse in the later revisions.

August 21st Revision

Changed
V'Ger's arrival at earth is now three days away, versus five.

August 6th Revision

Changed
Makes unknown changes to Kirk standing in the turbolift.

No earlier draft available.

August 6th Revision

Changed
Makes unknown changes to Kirk's dialogue about Epsilon 9, dialogue between Sulu, Uhura and an Alien Ensign.

No earlier draft available.

August 8th Revision

Unknown changes to scene are in red:

The turbolift halts and Doctor Chapel enters not seeing Kirk as she's tending to medical cultures. She apologizes for overriding the turbolift as the cultures she's delivering to Sickbay are perishable. Kirk replies saying she has the turbolift's priority. Chapel congratulates Kirk on being assigned as Captain to this mission, but Kirk asks if she feels congratulatory about being assigned to the mission. She replies that she's mostly been focusing on her first assignment as Ship's Doctor, but that she feels McCoy would have been a better choice and been drafted to this mission, giving Kirk an idea.

No earlier revision to compare changes.

August 15th revision

Changed
Dialogue changes telling Decker that Kirk is taking over the center seat, and Decker is now an executive officer. Kirk tells Decker to start his duties, rather than have him report to the bridge directly. Previous revisions imply that he is relaying these orders, versus issuing the orders himself.

October 17th Revision

Changed
V'Ger's cloud size from "larger than the solar system" to "82 AUs in diameter"

Removed:
Dialogue between Kirk and Branch.

August 8th Revision

Changed
Unknown changes to the revelation of Decker and Ilia's relationship as well as Sulu's stumbling around Ilia.

No earlier draft available.

August 8th Revision

Changed
Unknown changes to the dialogue between the Yeoman and Kirk.

No earlier revision to compare changes.

August 17th Revision

Changed
Unknown changes to Kirk and Scotty's dialogue about getting back to warp as soon as possible, time it would take for V'Ger to arrive at earth and Decker, McCoy and Kirk heading to Kirk's quarters.

No earlier revision to compare changes.

August 17th Revision

Changed
Unknown changes to dialogue between Decker and Kirk about using photon torpedoes and phasers.

No earlier revision to compare changes.

August 21st Revision

Changed
Changes dialogue from Spock requesting only communication and interaction directly related to duty, to Uhura's "It's how we all feel, Mr Spock."

August 28th Revision

Removed:
Quips from McCoy and Decker about the size of the cloud were removed.

Added:
McCoy calling for a medical alert was added. Decker taking over Chekov's station is added.

Changed|
Small changes to the interaction between the crew on seeing V'Ger and from Decker about V'Ger's weaponry. "Factor twelve energy" changed to "Twelfth power." Decker's recommendation that the Enterprise veer away from directly confronting V'Ger until communications are established, and Kirk's pushback were changed to Decker telling Kirk that his responsibility as Executive officer is to offer alternatives. Line about pulling up forcefields and deflectors was moved from Chekov to Kirk. Chekov is burned by a "lash of flame" instead of just flame.

September Revision (no date)

Added:
Scenes of the crew reacting to the cloud added.

August 28th Revision

Removed:
Uhura calls out to Kirk when the intruder appears. Mention of the probe's eye staring at the security men and desdainfully looking away when it destroys them. Kirk making a ship wide announcement to avoid contact with any alien intruders. Scenes in engineering where Scott watches another probe examining the engineering equipment, in sickbay where Chapel keeps an eye on another probe as she works on injured crew, Uhura reporting that there are four probes aboard the ship are removed. Uhura reporting the other probes have disappeared are removed.

Changed

Description of the probe having an eye looking at various characters in the center of it's being changed to an eye on the end of a tendril. A scene of both security officers enter the bridge and are immediately burned to a pile of ash when they brandish their phasers is changed to one of the officers firing on the probe, who then burns him. The other puts his phaser away. Spock's explanation of the probe is simplified. Some dialogue about Spock being able to determine the probe's transmitting frequency is made more natural and rearranged. General equations and information on the screen is changed to be specific information about the Enterprise. When the probe touches Ilia, mentions and dialogue about the probe translating Ilia into mechanical designs are changed to just examining her into data.

Added:
Ilia is using a light pencil when she is taken away that clatters on the floor, in earlier drafts, she is simply taken away.

October 2nd Revision

[Not in script]

October 2nd Revision

Added:
More description as the Enterprise is pulled into V'Ger. DiFalco appears on the bridge, bewildered by what's on the screen. Decker begins running through the bridge stations checking their status. Spock contemplates on the feelings he's sensing from V'Ger.Decker suggests a maximum phaser strike to break free, Spock says "break free to where?" Decker replies suspiciously of Spock. Uhura exclaims that they're being pulled inside. Decker, Kirk and Spock discuss why they're being brought inside. Uhura mentions the photic-sonar readings show the aperture is closing. Kirk ordering full stop added Sulu mentioning the next chamber, and that the forcefield patterns were closing off the chamber. Orders involving the conn and station keeping just before Kirk leaves the bridge were added.

Removed:
Decker announcing that the ship is under attack again and an order to go to red alert and general quarters removed. A debate between Uhura, Decker and McCoy about being swallowed by V'Ger was removed. Kirks' order to remove anyone who can't seem to handle this emergency and McCoy suggesting a shipwide announcement (with Kirk's reply of "What the hell do you suggest I say to them?") removed.

Changed
Decker taking the helm is changed to DiFalco being summoned to the bridge. A longer scene of Kirk demanding Scotty give him more power, Spock mentioning they don't have the power to escape, Scotty reporting that the engines are overheating and Kirk reducing power and moved to earlier in the script and simplified. Mentions of "maw" changed to "iris" (Roddenberry preferred "maw", Livingston preferred "iris"). Kirk ordering medical observers to monitor all divisions changes to McCoy ordering it. The scenes Enterprise being released, sensor scans being attempted and approaching the other side of the chamber were greatly simplified. A scene of the Enterprise closing in on the other side of the chamber, and having "teeth" crushing down to prevent further movement was changed to powerfield patterns closing off the next chamber. Spock being unable to analyze what they're seeing in the chamber changed to sensor scans being reflected back and that the sensors are useless. He tries to speculate when an alert sounds.

Notes:
This revision contains the follow note from Anita Terrian: "Starting with page 75 dated 10/2/78, the balance of your script will be revised with new page numbers. It is now in the process of being rewritten. Therefore, the following new pages are to into your script even though there is a gap in the sequence of page numbers. This will be remedied when you recieve the balance of new script pages numbered consecutively. Thanks for your cooperation."

October 9th Revision

Added:
Ensign Lang asking for an explanation of "Carbon-based units?" is added.

Changed
The Ilia Probe's description of who she is is changed to her discussing her mission on the ship. The Ilia Probe's demand to know why the Enterprise stopped transmitting to V'Ger is changed to Kirk and the Ilia Probe's back and forth about who is V'Ger is. The Ilia Probe's declaration that Ilia no longer fucntions is moved earlier. McCoy's suggestion of taking Ilia to sickbay is given to Spock.

October 9th Revision

Removed:
Chekov naming the probe "Tasha" after the "Tschaa" sound it made, her explanation that Ilia's form works better for her, Decker's anger that he's right about this being the same probe and a mention of the Ilia Probe having memories of him was removed.

Changed
The scene originally began with Decker already in the room. He now enters mid-examination. Much of the medical/technical jargon was simplified. Decker being upset that the probe before them was what killed the security guards is changed to him being mesmerized by seeing the Ilia Probe.

October 17th Revisions

Added:
Spock implies that Decker's relationship with Ilia could be exploited with the Ilia Probe. Kirk pleads with Decker to try and manipulate the probe. Decker accepts his assignment, and Spock and Kirk worry about this being their only way to get information about V'Ger.

Changed
All references to Tasha changed, usually from Tasha to "Ilia" (with quotes). The Ilia probe is now more impatient.

July 19th Shooting Script

Decker walks Tasha down a corridor where she notices security everywhere. She demands and explanation from Decker of their function. Decker refuses hoping that Ilia's memories will fill in the information, however Tasha grabs his arm in a painful drip demanding to know. Again, he pushes that if she has Ilia's memory patterns, that she should already know their function, and telling her information she already has would be inefficient. She lets him go.

July 19th Shooting Script

Decker walks Tasha through Engineering on her tour of the ship. She asks Scotty what his function in Engineering is, and he asks why she's here. Can't V'Ger get around on his own? Decker and Ilia move on to the Recreation Deck once Tasha accesses Ilia's memories of Scotty.

July 19th Shooting Script

Kirk and Spock fly to a wall along the V'Ger interior, nearly getting hit with energy as they do so. Spock begins to realize that V'Ger may be a living machine, when a cloud begins to congeal around the two. Both blast their way out before the cloud coalesces into energy which could have killed both of them. Spock believes that was a test from V'Ger.

July 19th Shooting script:

[An alternate version of this scene occurs earlier in the script]

July 19th Shooting script:

[Not in script]

August 9th Revision

In a turbo-lift, Tasha and Decker head towards the bridge. Uhura reports that Kirk and Spock are headed to Sickbay. Sulu reports that V'Ger is slowing down as it gets closer to Earth. Decker orders Sulu to remain on conn, as he is busy with Tasha. He again tried to get information out of her, but she refuses as her function is to record information. However, he is able to get some info by appealing to the memory patterns in her. Kirk makes a log entry that explains the ship is now in contact with Starfleet command. Spock is in sickbay. And Decker hasn't reported any progress with Tasha.

Changed
Unknown changes to time to earth (now at 2.1 hours), stardate and entering the solar system.

No earlier revision to compare changes.

July 19th Shooting script:

[An alternate version of this scene occurs earlier in the script]

August 9th Revision

The interior barrier of V'Ger opens, inviting the Enterprise inside. Decker believes that V'Ger, through accessing Ilia's memory patterns, is learning more about Earth. Spock confirms this by saying he's felt V'Ger has learned something about humans and their connection to Earth. Spock begins to faint, so Kirk has him sit in the Captain's chair. Spock guides the ship through the opening. The opening takes them through a dense fog as Spock tells them he saw a star sized planet of living machines in his meld, and pieces of V'Ger's journey.

Changed
Unknown change to V'Ger's deceleration time.

No earlier revision to compare changes.

July 19th Shooting script:

[An alternate version of this scene occurs earlier in the script]

July 19th Shooting script:

Kirk, Spock, McCoy, Decker and Tasha leave the ship and walk towards the center of the core island that the Enterprise is butted up against. As they make their way to the central core, they suddenly come across the lifeless body of Ilia, preserved in a cube. Tasha says the body is being preserved for further examination. The five enter the core island of V'Ger to reveal V'Ger is actually Voyager 6. Kirk asks Uhura to contact Starfleet command to get any and all information on the Voyager series spacecraft. Sulu responds that he knows about Voyager 6's mission, and will try to get more information. The machine planet it landed on after getting lost built the vessel for it to complete it's programming. Spock understands the images he's been experiencing as V'Ger's repair and upgrade. Sulu checks back in that he has all the Voyager information needed to allow V'Ger to release it's information. Kirk tries to convince V'Ger that Humans are The Creator by making it possible for V'Ger to complete its programming. Tasha is hopeful, hoping that if humans ARE the creator, they could make her human as well.

July 19th Shooting Script

Kirk and Tasha make it to the Pre-Computer area of the Archives section, and finds microfilm from 1980s NASA. They're unable to display the film as they don't have a projector, however Tasha scans the film herself, finding the response code. Kirk sends the signal directly to Uhura.

July 19th Shooting script:

Spock, McCoy and Decker and back on the bridge, searching for Voyager 6 schematics as Spock felt something did not look right in the circuitry hatch when he opened it. McCoy questions Decker's assignment with Tasha and that it must have been difficult. He responds that he left Delta IV because of her, and the probe at times felt almost like Ilia.Spock mentions that Tasha mentioned "Becoming One With The Creator." Decker replies that V'Ger for all its magnificence seems to WANT something terribly. McCoy seethes that something that wants to kill millions could be magnificent. Decker retorts that V'Ger has achieved what humans could never have done in ten thousand centuries. Spock asks pointedly "What has it ACHIEVED, Mr. Decker?"

August 8th Revision

Changed
Makes unknown changes to Spock meeting the Female Vulcan Master.

No earlier draft available.

August 6th Revision

Changed
Makes unknown changes to Kirk's arrival at Starfleet HQ and confrontation with Sonak.

No earlier draft available

August 6th Revision

Changed
Makes unknown changes to Scott's dialog on the shuttle, shuttle pod maneuvering and dialogue during the Enterprise fly-around.

No earlier draft available

August 8th Revision

Changed
Makes unknown changes to dialogue about the transporter sensor, Kirk's captain's orders and his rationale for taking the Enterprise back.

No earlier revision to compare changes.

August 9th Revision

Changed
Unknown change to time to V'Ger's arrival at Earth.

No earlier revision to compare changes.

August 6th Revision

Changed
Unknown changes to Ilia's demeanor talking about her oath of celibacy and Kirk's reply about McCoy refusing to beam up.

No earlier revision to compare changes.

August 14th revision

Changed
Changes "Full reverse warp drive!" to "Get us back on impulse power! Full reverse!"

Two August 17th Revisions

Changed
Two versions of the script with the same revision date list V'Ger's arrival at Earth as "a full day and a half" and "more than a day."

September 1st Revision

Added:
Kirk asks for alternatives from Decker, who says they're 20 hours from Earth and have no choice but to enter the cloud. Kirk orders Sulu "Steady as she goes."

August 28th Revision

Added:
Kirk ordering Sulu to "Hold relative position here."

Removed:
Sulu calling out the captain on seeing V'Ger removed. Sulu comparing V'Ger to Manhattan removed. Decker reacting that he knew the object would look like this was removed. Kirk's request to Spock for more "impressions" from V'ger removed. A conversation between Spock, Decker and McCoy about being the first to see the object and progress on decoding V'Ger's messages are deleted.

Changed
Changes from Sulu reporting his helm control and power systems are normal and Spock reporting increasingly severe electro-magnetic disturbances higher than anything he's encountered to Decker reporting strong magnetic and gravity fluctuations and that the cloud is the intruder's forcefield. Spock's announcement that the vessel is seventy eight kilometers long is given to Decker. Spocks evaluation of the ship changes from "I am unable to evaluate" to "Clearly a vessel, Captain." Uhura's report that they cannot contact Stafleet is changed to an order from Kirk to transmit to Starfleet, where she reports she cannot. Kirk bringing the ship to fifty kilometers then out to one thousand kilometers and McCoy's response changed to bring the ship to a parallel course then out to 100 kilometers with no reply from McCoy. The flyover of V'ger is expanded with more detail.

August 9th Revision

The Enterprise has been held in front of the object for twelve hours, allowing crew to stand down for a bit and get some rest. Spock reports that he's finally managed to decode the object's communications with the Enterprise. It's only responded to communications made with ultra-high frequencies. He plays the first message - the object asking the Enterprise's place of origins and intentions. It is here that the crew finally has the name revealed to them. Spock programs the computer to translate the object messages on the fly and they begin a back and forth with the object directly, learning it is heading to Earth, the home of The Creator. The computer begins communicating back and forth with V'Ger on its own, sending the records of the main computer. Spock smashes the science station when the computer refuses to shut off. He is severely injured.

Changed
Unknown changes to captains log, time held by V'Ger, time to Earth, and recreation deck activities.

No earlier revision to compare changes.

October 2nd Revision

Changed
The Ilia Probe appearing in Kirk's quarters is changed to the Ilia Probe appearing in an officer's quarters (possibly Ilia's) on deck four.

Removed:
Scenes of Kirk and Chekov appearing on the deck, meeting with security, Chekov ordering no weapons and locating the intruder in the sonic shower were removed.

August 8th Revision

Changed
Unknown changes to Kirk's entrance into the Recreation Deck.

No earlier revision to compare changes.

August 8th Revision

Changed
Unknown changes to Kirk's questions and orders for warp drive, Scotty's response, directions on McCoy observing all this, the Enterprise's launch into warp speed, Kirk's order for full reverse, Ilia's dialogue in the wormhole, Decker belaying the phaser order, dialog between Kirk and Scotty, and Kirk telling Decker to follow him to his quarters.

No earlier revision to compare changes.

August 28th Revision

Changed
Minor changes to the explanation about the rate and speed of V'Ger's transmissions. "Friendship messages" changed to "Linguacode." Scott's report on on deflector power simplified to just "Captain, we are overloading. We cannot withstand another attack, sir...!" Ilia's countdown to impact is simplified. Spock's quip about the friendship message being understood was simplified and given to Kirk.

Removed:
An exchange about the main computer not being able to send a high enough speed message was removed, as was an explanation of why he could not send a message immediately.