Star Trek Generations " " Two captains . One destiny . " " In the late 23rd century , the USS " Enterprise " - B is on her maiden voyage , and Kirk is no longer in the captain ' s chair . The ship must rescue El - Aurian refugees from a mysterious energy ribbon , but the rescue seemingly costs Kirk his life . Seventy - eight years later , one of the El - Aurian survivors leads the crew of the " Enterprise " - D into a deadly confrontation with the Duras sisters as he plots to re - enter the paradise of the ribbon that nearly destroyed him years prior . Summary . Prologue . 23rd century ( 2293 ) . A bottle of Dom Pérignon , vintage 2265 , cracks against the hull of the new at the starship ' s christening . On the drydock facility , gathered civilians and applaud the christening . On the " Enterprise " - B bridge , three guests of honor , of the first crew of the original " Enterprise " , Captain s James T . Kirk , Montgomery Scott and Commander Pavel Chekov , emerge from the turbolift and are immediately surrounded by reporters asking the three legends of Starfleet questions . Their frantic questioning is interrupted by " Enterprise " - B ' s commanding officer , Captain John Harriman , who says there ' ll be time for that later – and welcomes the new arrivals to the bridge . He then tells Kirk how he ' s pleased to have a group of living legends aboard and how he read about their exploits when he was in grade school . After a rather awkward moment , Kirk asks if they can look around , and Harriman obliges . As the three men disperse , Chekov sees a young female Starfleet ensign and calls out her name . Kirk is asked by a reporter about how he feels for the first starship " Enterprise " in thirty years to be launching without him in command . Kirk says he ' s fine with it and that he ' s happy to be able to send the " Enterprise " - B on her way . Before he can be grilled further , an " Enterprise " - B crewman asks the reporter to let Kirk look around first and Kirk stares longingly at the captain ' s chair . Chekov then calls Kirk over and introduces him to the " Enterprise " s helm officer , Ensign Demora Sulu . Demora tells Kirk that her father has told her some " interesting " stories about him , which surprises Kirk that Hikaru Sulu is her father . Chekov reminds Kirk that he ' s met her before – which Kirk remembers , but didn ' t think it to be that long ago . Chekov tells Kirk it was twelve years previous . Kirk shakes Demora ' s hand and tells her , " " It wouldn ' t be the " Enterprise " without a Sulu at the helm . " " She thanks Kirk and Chekov tells her that her father must be very proud of her . She says she hopes so . As Demora returns to the helm , Chekov marvels at her , remarking to Kirk that he was never that young . Kirk agrees , but tells Chekov that he was younger . Scott walks by and remarks that the new " Enterprise " is a " damn fine ship . " Kirk tells Scott he ' s amazed that Sulu found time to have a family . Scott says that just as Kirk would say , " " If something ' s important , you make the time . " " He then wonders if that might be what Kirk ' s problem is and that he might be finding retirement a little bit lonely . Kirk remarks that he ' s glad Scott is an engineer – because with tact like that , he ' d make a lousy psychiatrist . Just then , Harriman steps up and tells Kirk and Scott it ' s time to go and if they would please take their seats . Kirk – somewhat reluctantly – and Scott move away from the captain ' s chair and Harriman starts to order the ship out of dock . But then , Harriman turns and asks Kirk to give the order to get them underway . At first Kirk begs off , but Harriman persists . Kirk continues to try to get out of it , but Harriman insists and with the reporters all there , Kirk finally stands and orders to the helm , " " Take us out . " " After everyone on the bridge applauds , Chekov says " " very good , sir " " and Scotty remarks " " brought a tear to my eye " " in regard to his choice of words , whereupon Kirk tells them both to be quiet . Then , the " Enterprise " - B leaves drydock on its maiden voyage around Earth ' s solar system . As the " Enterprise " - B cruises out of drydock and into open space , Kirk , Chekov , and Scott complete a full tour of the ship . Upon returning to the bridge , they ' re asked how it feels to be back after having seen the whole ship to which they all rather awkwardly reply " " Fine . " " Harriman informs the reporters that the " Enterprise " s course today will take them out just beyond Pluto and then back to spacedock , " " Just a quick run around the block . " " Just then , a distress call comes in over the com . The voice on the distress call notes that their ship , the , is one of two ships in their convoy that are currently trapped in a severe gravimetric distortion . They cannot break free and need immediate help . Ensign Sulu tells Captain Harriman that the ships are only three light year s away . At first hesitant , Captain Harriman asks that the " Enterprise " signal the closest spacedock ; they ' re in no condition to mount a rescue . At this , Kirk jumps up from his chair and stares at Harriman . The captain tells Kirk that they don ' t even have a full crew aboard . The operations officer notes that they are the only ship in range . Faced with this , Harriman reluctantly orders the " Enterprise " into action , having the ship be accelerated to maximum warp . Kirk nervously shifts around in his chair . Scott notices this and asks if there is something wrong with his chair , implying that he knows of Kirk wanting to take over the situation . Not far out , they encounter the two El - Aurian refugee ships , the " Lakul " and the , caught in a strange energy ribbon . Faced with gravimetric distortions that threaten to destroy his ship , Harriman – at the urging of Captain Kirk – resolves to take the " Enterprise " into the ribbon . Once they get close enough , the ship finds both ships being battered by the energy ribbon . Kirk immediately suggests that the " Enterprise " use its tractor beam to pull the ships away , only to be told ( much to his disbelief ) that it hasn ' t even been installed yet , not until Tuesday . Harriman then tries a couple of safe maneuvers to try and free the ships , but to no avail before the " Robert Fox " explodes , killing all 265 people onboard . Admitting that he ' s out of his depth , Harriman turns over control of the situation to Captain Kirk who immediately leaps into action and suggests they attempt to get close enough to meet transporter range and beam the El - Aurians off the " Lakul " . When Harriman points out the hazards , Kirk replies that danger is part of a Starfleet officer ' s life , especially if one is aboard the " Enterprise " and sitting in the chair . Harriman orders the ship in , however the initial attempt is made difficult as the El - Aurians life sign s phase in and out of the space - time continuum . Scott begins a transport from the " Lakul " as it , too , explodes . He manages to save 47 – out of 150 . Shortly afterward , the " Enterprise " herself gets trapped by the energy ribbon . In sickbay , Chekov and two of the reporters attempt to help wounded refugees as the ship is rocked by the gravimetric distortions ( as the " Enterprise " s medical staff also hasn ' t arrived ) . A distraught , middle aged man is particularly violent in his desire to return , and has to be sedated by Chekov . Also among the refugees is Guinan , whom Chekov notices in distress and takes her to somewhere where she can lie down . On the bridge , Kirk , Scott , and the " Enterprise " crew frantically work to free the ship to no avail . Scott determines that a photon torpedo blast would free the ship . . . but once again , torpedoes have not been installed . " " Don ' t tell me . . . Tuesday ? " " , Kirk retorts to Harriman . Scott suggests using the navigational deflector to simulate the effect . Initially Harriman volunteers to go to deflector control to make the necessary modifications , and asks Kirk to take command , but after Kirk savors the moment of sitting in the captain ' s chair one last time , he quickly realizes it ' s no longer his place and tells Harriman that he will go instead . In the bowels of the " Enterprise " , Captain Kirk charges to the rescue , climbing into the guts of the ship to modify the main deflector . The ship shakes and shudders under the stresses of the ribbon . When Kirk finishes the modifications , Harriman orders the deflector activated , creating a resonance burst that pushes the " Enterprise " free . As the ship moves away , an arch of energy lashes out , opening a gash along the hull . When they get free , they find out in the damage report from Ensign Sulu that the hull breach was located in the engineering section on decks 13 , 14 and 15 – including the very section Kirk himself was in . Failing to contact Kirk by communication , a horrified Harriman and Scott rush to the scene . When they get there , joined shortly by Chekov , they find nothing but mangled technology and empty space , with no sign of Kirk . Chekov incredulously asks if anyone was in here , and all Scott can muster is a grim sounding " Aye " . Scott , Chekov and Harriman stare somberly through the enormous breach as the damaged " Enterprise " begins its journey back home . Act One . 24th century ( 2371 ) . 78 years later , Captain Jean - Luc Picard , Commander William T . Riker , and the rest of the crew of the have gathered on the ship ' s holodeck . Acting as the crew of a 19th century sailing ship ( also named " Enterprise " ) , the Starfleet officers celebrate the promotion of Lieutenant Worf to Lieutenant Commander . As a rite of passage , Worf is made to jump on the plank and retrieve his hat , and is purposefully sent into the water when Riker orders the computer to remove the plank . While the rest of the crew laughs , Data admits to Doctor Crusher that he doesn ' t understand why Worf falling into freezing cold water is so amusing to people . Beverly tells him that it ' s just a bit of harmless fun , and he should try and get into the spirit of things and ' do something unexpected ' . Data tells her he understands , then suddenly pushes her overboard , falling into the sea taking Worf back in with her . Data turns expecting laughing , only to find the faces of his horrified crewmates telling him that was ' not funny ' , leaving the android even more confused . Savoring the simpler times the holographic ship represents , Captain Picard receives a personal message from Earth on the holodeck arch . While reading the communiqué , Picard ' s expression changes to one of obvious distress , which Deanna Troi picks up on . Picard looks out to sea in silence , and when Troi asks him if he is all right , he just replies that he ' s fine and abruptly leaves the celebration . Just after he ' s gone , a call comes in from the bridge : the Amargosa observatory is under attack . Arriving at the observatory orbiting the Amargosa star , Picard and company take their positions on the bridge still dressed in formal naval uniforms . Finding the station suffering from severe damage and casualties , a still visibly upset Picard orders Riker and an away team to search for survivors and retreats to his ready room after snapping at Riker to " just do it " when his first officer tries to get more specific orders , confirming Counselor Troi ' s suspicions that something is seriously wrong . Beam ing to the devastated Federation installation , Riker , Worf , Doctor Crusher and security officers find an El - Aurian scientist , Dr . Tolian Soran , injured among the wreckage . Elsewhere , Worf locates the remains of one of the station ' s attackers : a Romulan . In his quarters , Data and Chief Engineer Geordi La Forge are hard at work , despite frequent interruptions by the android ' s cat , Spot . Data ponders his difficulty with humor and other Human emotions and comes to the conclusion that he cannot continue to grow without the aid of Dr . Soong ' s emotion chip . Despite the risks it poses to his positronic brain , Data urges La Forge to install the chip . La Forge reluctantly agrees . Meeting with Picard in his ready room , Riker reports that its obvious from the initial investigation that the Romulans attacked the station looking for something but have left no clues as to what , but a recovered tricorder may yield answers . Picard tells Riker this may indicate that the Romulans are increasing their presence in that sector and orders him to contact Starfleet Command . Riker is surprised , given that this is normally done by Picard himself , but agrees before reporting that Dr . Soran urgently wishes to meet with the captain . Picard complies , but coldly rebuffs Riker when inquired as to what is wrong . Later in Ten Forward , Data is all smiles with his new emotion chip activated . He and La Forge approach Guinan at the bar and sample a new beverage from Forcas III . Immediately , Data experiences an emotional reaction : he hates it ! As the two officers sample more of the revolting beverage , Captain Picard enters and finds Dr . Soran among the crowd . Soran implores the captain to let him return to the observatory to continue a critical experiment – time is running out . However , Picard is clearly not in the mood for an argument and tells him bluntly that he can only return once his officers have concluded their investigation . However Soran cryptically tells Picard that " " time is the fire in which we burn and right now , my time is running out . We leave so many things unfinished in our lives . . . I ' m sure you understand . " " This eerie statement breaks through Picard ' s stony resolve and he agrees to see what he can do . After Picard leaves Soran checks his pocket watch and starts to look around , and is shocked when he spots Guinan behind the bar and makes a quick exit . As he leaves , Guinan senses that something isn ' t right , but Soran is gone by the time she looks around . In engineering , Commander Riker checks on the status of the analysis of the retrieved Romulan tricorder that Farrell is examining . Worf reports that the Romulans were searching for a compound called trilithium , a substance capable of destroying a star . Riker doesn ' t understand why the Romulans would ransack a Federation facility for it , but orders Data and La Forge to have the observatory searched . On the station , Data and La Forge use tricorders to search for trilithium . As they perform their scans , Data laughs incessantly and tells stupid joke s , including one he had heard Riker tell seven years previously during the Farpoint Mission that he just finally understood . Despite the distraction , La Forge finds a large hidden doorway that the android is able to open . Behind the door is a secret lab , filled with solar probe s that show signs of trilithium . Data is doing nothing but laughing now and when an annoyed La Forge finally asks him to knock it off , Data says , while laughing , that he can ' t help it and something must be wrong and starts reeling in pain , before collapsing as his neural net has been overloaded by the emotion chip . Unable to contact help through a dampening field protecting the lab , La Forge is confronted by Soran , who knocks the engineer out and turns a phaser on Data , who is filled with fear and begs him not to shoot . In the captain ' s quarters , Picard sits with his family photo album . Counselor Troi enters and he begins to tell her about his brother and nephew and his plans to get together with them on Earth in San Francisco the following month so he could show René Starfleet Academy . As he affectionately describes his nephew he breaks down in tears and tells Troi that both Robert and René have burnt to death in a fire . Troi comforts him and Picard tells her that when he was growing up , he was always told about the Picard family line and his famous ancestors . When Robert got married and had a son he no longer felt the responsibility to carry on the family line and as he has got older and felt time creeping up on him he took comfort in the fact that his family would go on . But now it won ' t and once Jean - Luc is gone , there will be no more Picards . The somber mood is interrupted when suddenly the Amargosa star flashes brightly . Arriving on the bridge , Picard and Troi learn that the observatory has launched a trilithium probe in the sun . The star has collapsed , all fusion reactions arrested , creating a level - 12 shock wave that will destroy the system . With the away team still on the station , Picard orders Riker and Worf to retrieve Data and La Forge . On the observatory , Riker and Worf find Data and La Forge held hostage by Soran who responds to the appearance of the " Enterprise " officers with phaser fire . Suddenly , a route to La Forge opens and Riker asks Data if he can get to the engineer , but the android is clearly paralyzed by fear and tells him he can ' t . Entering coordinates into a computer , Soran disappears in the transporter effect with La Forge . . . transporting aboard a Klingon Bird - of - Prey , de - cloaking near the observatory and warp ing away . As the away team returns to the ship with Data , Picard orders the " Enterprise " to warp just as the shock wave obliterates the Amargosa observatory . Act Two . On the bridge of the Klingon getaway ship , the Duras sisters , Lursa and B ' Etor are admonished by Soran for allowing the Romulans to attack the Observatory ( it emerges that the trilithium was stolen from a Romulan outpost by the sisters ) , reminding them that their plans to use trilithium to conquer the Klingon Empire are dependent on him . The El - Aurian demands they set course for a planet in the Veridian system and the sisters grudgingly comply . In the bowels of the ship , Soran holds La Forge captive . Marveling at the engineer ' s VISOR , Soran interrogates La Forge to learn all he knows about trilithium . Back on the " Enterprise " , Dr . Crusher has done some research into Soran ' s background , telling Commander Riker that he was one of the survivors rescued by the " Enterprise " - B eighty years ago after the Borg destroyed their world and that Guinan was also on the passenger manifest . To learn more about the scientist , Captain Picard visits Guinan in her quarters . There she describes the energy ribbon as the " Nexus " , a blissful realm where time has no meaning , and a place Soran must be trying to get back to . The experience left such an impact on Guinan that she suspects it has turned Soran into a dangerous threat . As he is trying to get back to the Nexus , this raises the question : Why destroy a star ? Picard leaves after thanking Guinan for her help , but she warns him that if he goes into the Nexus , he will not care about anything . Not his ship , Soran , nothing . All he ' ll want is to stay in the Nexus – and he will not want to come back . In the cavernous stellar cartography section of the " Enterprise " , Picard and Data work in front of a huge projection of space , and Picard asks for everything affected by the destruction of the Amargosa star . Data is clearly distracted and doesn ' t immediately respond , and when Picard asks the android if he ' s all right , Data admits that he is feeling intense guilt over his failure to save Geordi in the observatory . One of the things affected was that the had to make a minor course correction due to a change in the gravitational field . Picard asks Data to chart the ribbon ' s course . Data stands up and tells Picard that he cannot continue with the investigation , and asks to be deactivated until the emotion chip can be removed . Picard tells him that he is not willing to allow it and tells Data he must attempt to integrate the emotions into his life . Data tries to argue with this , but Picard matter - of - factly tells him that he will not be deactivated as he is a Starfleet officer on his ship and orders him to continue to perform his duties . Data agrees to try , and resumes his position at the console . Picard tells him that it takes courage to try and that courage can also be an emotion . Data is able to chart the ribbon ' s course , and Picard asks if the Amargosa star ' s destruction was taken into account when he charted the course . Data tells him that he didn ' t , and makes the adjustment . However , when this is done , it becomes clear that the gravitational change has altered the ribbon ' s course . Unable to fly into the ribbon with a ship , Soran is attempting to make the ribbon come to him , and they find that the ribbon comes close to Veridian III . Data then simulates the course if the Veridian star was destroyed , and this causes the ribbon to come into direct contact with the planet . Now they know where Soran is going . Data points out that if the Veridian star is destroyed , it will also produce a shock wave that will destroy the system , similar to the one produced by Soran at Amargosa . This will claim the lives of the 230 , 000 , 000 people living on Veridian IV . Knowing they have to stop Soran , Picard orders Worf to take the " Enterprise " to the Veridian system at maximum warp . Finished with the interrogation , Soran returns to the bridge of the Klingon vessel as they enter orbit of Veridian III . Soon , the " Enterprise " also arrives , transmitting a message to the cloaked ship demanding the return of La Forge . Irritated by the interruption , Soran orders the sisters to destroy the " Enterprise " but they remind him that their Bird - of - Prey would stand no chance in battle against a " Galaxy " class starship . Soren has a solution in mind to give the sisters the edge , an idea which involves La Forge ' s VISOR . . . On the bridge of the " Enterprise " , the Klingon vessel decloaks on screen and Lursa and B ' Etor greet the captain . Claiming they have merely had La Forge as a guest aboard their ship , they agree to a " prisoner exchange " , taking Picard in his place . First , however , they agree to allow Picard to beam to Soran ' s present location , somewhere on the planet ' s surface . As the captain beams down , a stricken La Forge rematerializes on the " Enterprise " transporter pad and promptly collapses . Dr . Crusher and Nurse Alyssa Ogawa rush to his aid . Appearing on an arid desert mountain top , Picard finds Soran hard at work on a solar probe launcher . Attempting to reach the scientist , Picard is blocked by a huge force field . Keeping his distance , the captain appeals to Soran , but the El - Aurian is unconvinced . On the Enterprise , Data visits La Forge to apologize for being too frightened to help him on the observatory , but Geordi assures the android he understands and notes that Data is now acting a lot more like a Human . Full of happiness , Data reports to his station to aid in the search for Picard and is so jubilant he plays his console like a piano as he scans for lifeforms causing the whole bridge crew to stare at him . In space , the Duras sisters watch their viewscreen and see from the perspective of Geordi La Forge ' s modified VISOR . They watch impatiently as he moves from sickbay , to his quarters , then finally to engineering . As the engineer checks several readouts , the sisters discover what they have been looking for – the exact shield modulation of the " Enterprise " . With this new knowledge , they will be able to fire through the " Enterprise " ' s shields . On the " Enterprise " bridge , the search for Captain Picard on the planet below is interrupted as the Bird - of - Prey opens fire with photon torpedo es , which pass straight through the shields to hit the secondary hull . Disruptor blasts likewise pass directly through , hitting the portside nacelle . The " Enterprise " returns fire , but the Klingons ' shields hold up against phaser fire . The bridge is engulfed in explosions , injuring the conn officer . Riker orders Counselor Troi to take the helm and to get the ship out of orbit , but the Duras sisters ' assault is relentless and they pursue the helpless " Enterprise " , firing non - stop . Riker asks Worf if their ship has any exploitable weaknesses , and Worf remembers that their Bird - of - Prey is an older model that was retired because of defective plasma coil s . Riker asks Data what effect an ionic pulse aimed at the plasma coil would have . Enthusiastically , Data realizes that the pulse would trigger the ship ' s cloaking device , disabling its shields and weapons . As the Duras sisters continue their onslaught , Riker orders Worf to target their primary reactor with photon torpedoes ; they will only be vulnerable for a few seconds at best and this is the " Enterprise " s only chance . Making a few quick modifications , Data triggers the pulse just as a direct hit from the Klingons causes an aft bridge terminal to explode , hurling the hapless crewmember manning it over the tactical station and down on the command chairs . Aboard the Bird - of - Prey , Lursa and B ' Etor triumphantly order the weapons targeted at the " Enterprise " s bridge to deal the death blow , when their bridge officer reports with alarm that their cloaking device is engaging and their shields are dropping . The sisters are allowed only a few seconds of horrified realization , before the " Enterprise " fires a single photon torpedo , and their vessel is completely destroyed , killing Lursa and B ' Etor in a fiery explosion . The " Enterprise " crew stares silently at the remains of the destroyed ship , as Data triumphantly exclaims " " Yes ! " " Meanwhile , on Veridian III , Picard carefully walks around the force field ' s edge as Soran continues to work on his probe . Picard nonchalantly throws a small rock into the force field , prompting Soran to look up and ask if Picard hasn ' t got anything better to do . At that , Picard sits down and Soran resumes working . While Soran is distracted , Picard notices a small hole in the rocks and tosses another rock through it and sees the force field doesn ' t cover it , providing a hole . Picard waits for Soran to move away so he can try to get through that hole unnoticed . In engineering , La Forge finds a new problem : the magnetic interlock s have been ruptured , and while he ' s reporting this to Riker , plasma coolant begins violently leaking out of the warp core and La Forge tells Riker that he can ' t shut it down and gives an estimate of five minutes until a warp core breach , rolling out of engineering just in time before the isolation door comes down to the floor . On the bridge , Riker orders Troi to evacuate everyone to the saucer section and Data to prepare to separate the ship . The crew and their families hurry to evacuate their doomed starship with Dr . Crusher leading her staff and patients out of sickbay and La Forge guiding the crew to safer locations . As the breach nears critical and with the crew cleared of the stardrive section , the ship separates and begins to move out of range . However , the core breaches prematurely , completely destroying the damaged stardrive section of the " Enterprise " and creating a shock wave that disables all helm controls and pushes the saucer into the atmosphere of Veridian III . On the bridge , the " Enterprise " crew watches in horror as they begin to plummet toward the surface of the planet . Data , for the first time , swears . As Picard climbs through a hole in Soran ' s force field , he jostles the rocks which set off the field . Soran , spotting Picard caught in the hole , fires his weapons , sending rocks raining down on the captain . Careening out of control towards the planet , the bridge crew desperately attempt to regain control of what ' s left of their starship as the rest of the crew seeks safety as best they can on the lower decks . Data is able to route the remaining auxiliary power to the lateral thrusters in an attempt to stabilize the " Enterprise " s descent as Riker warns the crew to brace for impact . As the ground rushes towards them on the viewscreen , the saucer impacts off a rised peak in the terrain , forcing it back in the air . As the crew fights to regain control , the saucer nosedives into a large hill , destroying all remaining ship functions and knocking the crew to the deck . With their fate now left to chance , the bridge crew protects themselves any way they can as the " Enterprise " skids through a heavily forested area , cutting a large swath of destruction . Fires burn and structural supports rain down from the top of the bridge as the crew weathers the horrific ride . With one final violent lurch forward , the momentum slows and the saucer finally comes to a stop . Data and Troi regain their senses first and survey the damage . What was once an immaculate nerve center for the flagship of the Federation is now completely destroyed ; the large viewscreen has been shattered , consoles and displays are burnt out , chairs ripped out from the floor and the only light comes from the broken top of the bridge dome as the blue Veridian sky shines in from above . The USS " Enterprise " is down . Miles away from the crash site , Dr . Soran looks out over the rugged terrain of Veridian ' s desert only to be surprised by Picard who attacks him outright . The two men struggle , and Picard manages to disarm Soran quickly , but is knocked back by Soran ' s blows and thrown down a hill , landing face down in rock and sand as the Nexus appears in the sky . Picard recovers , and tries again to get up to the launcher to stop the countdown . . . however he is too late as Soran ' s launcher engages and his solar probe streams into the sky . Watching from the surface , Picard is horrified as the probe finds its target and the star is destroyed , darkening the sun in seconds . Soran climbs to a high platform and throws his arms into the air as the Nexus changes its course . Sweeping down toward the ground , the ribbon envelops everything , taking Soran and Picard with it . Gliding away from the planet and out into space , the Nexus departs the system just before the shock wave hits , which destroys the entire planet , taking the " Enterprise " saucer section , its crew , as well as the rest of the solar system , with it . Soran has succeeded . Act Three . " " What . . . where is this ? ! Where am I ? " " Captain Picard ' s voice echoes as he transitions from the real world to the Nexus . A hand reaches toward him from space and removes his blindfold to suddenly find himself in a Victorian - style house where his wife and children greet him on Christmas morning . Picard quickly allows himself to be absorbed into the fantasy , enjoying a perfect life with a wonderful family . René , also present , gives Picard a gift . Picard happily receives it , then remembering what happened gives his nephew a loving hug before sending him to help his aunt . Later Picard strolls through his home , into a study and to large bay windows overlooking snow - covered trees , decorated with colorful lights and bulbs . Standing at the windows , Picard finds himself staring into a strange , surrealistic world , the bulbs on the trees containing small stars that flash brilliant bursts of light and begins to realize something is wrong . Suddenly , he turns to find Guinan standing behind him in the study . The El - Aurian bartender tells the captain that she exists both here and in the real world , a part of herself she left behind so many years ago – an echo of her former self . Picard is unable to believe how perfect the fantasy is around him , knowing that although he never had a family , he knows the children are his own . Guinan tells him in the Nexus time has no meaning , he can travel to any point in his children ' s past or future as he wishes . With the appearance of Guinan , Picard is at first divided , tempted by the prospect of staying in the Nexus and living out this fantasy life . But he soon realizes that action must be taken to save the hundreds of millions of people who would be killed if Soran destroys the Veridian star and asks Guinan if he can leave the Nexus . Guinan tells him that the timeless nature of the Nexus would allow him to go any place , any time . Picard knows exactly where he wants to go : the mountaintop on Veridian III to stop Soran from destroying the star , but he will need some help . As she already exists in the real world , Guinan tells the captain that she cannot go with him . But she says there is somebody who can help , who as far as they are concerned , just arrived in the Nexus themselves . . . Suddenly Picard finds himself standing outside a rustic cabin in the woods , daylight shining down through the trees . A few feet away , James T . Kirk stands , chopping wood with an axe . Seeing Picard , Kirk smiles , " " Beautiful day . " " Picard agrees and helps Kirk chop wood . Kirk is then drawn inside the cabin , hurrying into the kitchen where eggs are burning on the stove . Kirk tells Picard to come on in , this is his house – at least , it used to be . He had sold it years prior . Picard steps inside and into the kitchen , helping Kirk prepare a fresh set of scrambled Ktarian egg s on the stove . Picard hesitates momentarily , then introduces himself as captain of the " Enterprise " , from what Kirk would consider the 24th century . Kirk is too distracted by the memories of the past to fully take what Picard says on board , excited to be in his old home , with his beloved dog Butler , who seemingly died years ago . A woman calls down to him and he instantly knows who it is : Antonia , a lost love . While Kirk is preparing breakfast , Picard asks " " How long have you been here ? " " Kirk isn ' t quite sure ; one second he was aboard the " Enterprise " - B , the next thing he knew , the bulkhead in front of him disappeared and he was here , chopping wood , right before Picard walked up . Picard then tells Kirk that history records him as dying while saving the " Enterprise " - B and that both of them are caught in some kind of temporal nexus . He then tries telling Kirk of the dire situation on Veridian III , but as Kirk tries to get his head around the situation , he realizes that he has gone back to the day he told Antonia he was leaving her to rejoin Starfleet . . . but this time he won ' t make the same mistake , now he intends to go upstairs and propose to her . The two argue , as Picard tells him that as a Starfleet officer he has a duty to help him , but Kirk argues that all duty ever got him in the end was an empty house and figures the galaxy owes him a favor . Kirk then enters Antonia ' s bedroom . Picard follows Kirk up the stairs and after a moment ' s hesitation , opens the bedroom door and walks into a barn on Earth . " " This is not your bedroom , " " Picard half asks Kirk , who says that it is even better : his uncle ' s barn in Idaho . Noting this as a spring day eleven years prior – the day he met Antonia – Kirk grabs a saddle , jumps onto a horse , and gallops out into rolling hills . Picard , no stranger to horseback riding himself , grabs a saddle and rides after him . Ahead of Picard , Kirk and his horse come to a deep ravine . Without equivocation , Kirk jumps the ravine , then turns around and jumps it again , stopping to consider it . As Picard rides up , Kirk knows something is wrong : " " I must have jumped that fifty times , scared the hell out of me each time . Except this time , because it isn ' t real . Nothing here is . Nothing here matters . " " He looks up and sees Antonia on the horizon , waiting . " " She isn ' t real either . " " Kirk moves his horse next to Picard and gives the new " Enterprise " captain a once over . " " Captain of the " Enterprise " , huh ? " " The two men sit on horseback and discuss the situation . Kirk admits that he does not miss the house or the family he never had , he misses his days on the " Enterprise " , and gives Picard some advice ; to never retire , accept a transfer , or get promoted out of the command chair of the " Enterprise " , because it is only as the Captain of the " Enterprise " that they can truly make a difference . Picard appeals to Kirk , " " Come back with me , make a difference again . " " Kirk considers it , then agrees , " " Who am I to argue with the captain of the " Enterprise " ? " " " " I take it the odds are against us and the situation is grim , " " Kirk says . Picard admits that it is . Kirk continues , " " You know , if Spock were here , he ' d say that I ' m an irrational , illogical Human being for taking on a mission like that . . . " " and then grinning , adds , " " sounds like fun . " " Together , they ride off and a beam of light envelops them as they exit the Nexus . The immediate past replays ; the " Enterprise " - D saucer section crash - lands and Picard crawls through the hole in the force field . Soran stands on the Veridian III mountaintop and checks his pocket watch when a figure steps toward him . Soran looks up at the man and scowls , " " Just who the hell are you ? " " Behind him , Picard appears , " " He ' s James T . Kirk . Don ' t you read history ? " " Soran knows he is in trouble and jumps away , down onto the rocks below and makes a quick retreat . Picard heads for the launcher as Kirk sets off in pursuit of the El - Aurian . Rounding a corner , Kirk is caught by Soran who shoves a phaser in his face . " " Actually I am familiar with history , " " Soran growls , " " and if I ' m not too mistaken . . . you ' re dead ! " " Picard jumps down behind Soran , catching him off guard long enough for Kirk to get in several blows . Kirk and Soran fight , exchanging punches until Kirk is able to throw Soran off a cliff . Grabbing onto a dangling rope , Soran saves himself , entering a command into his PADD that cloaks his rocket launcher . Suddenly the rope snaps and Soran drops suddenly , then jolts to a stop , losing his control PADD which falls onto a metal bridge spanning a chasm . Realizing they must decloak the launcher to prevent it from launching , Kirk and Picard run onto the bridge toward the PADD . A volley of phaser fire flies through the air , narrowly missing the two Starfleet captains and slicing the bridge in half . Picard is thrown clear , but Kirk hangs on to what is left of the bridge . With all his might , Picard pulls Kirk to safety and the two collapse on the ground , noticing the PADD intact on the other half of the bridge , a deep chasm away . They then see the Nexus begin to appear in the sky . Kirk volunteers to go , telling Picard to get to that launcher and prepare to deactivate it once it is decloaked . Picard maintains Kirk will never make the jump himself and that they should work together to get the PADD . Kirk reminds Picard that they " are " working together and to trust him . He tells Picard to call him " Jim . " Picard smiles and heads for the launcher . Gingerly stepping out onto the broken bridge , Kirk stands at the edge , preparing to jump over the chasm to the other half . As the delicate bridge collapses under his weight , Kirk leaps , catching himself on the other half of the bridge and grabbing hold of the PADD . Entering in a command , Kirk decloaks the rocket launcher and begins to climb up . But it is too late . The bridge buckles and careens down the rock face , taking Kirk with it . Running up a platform and onto the launcher , Picard frantically works the controls , trying to prevent it from launching . Aiming his phaser at Picard , Soran demands the captain step away from the launcher . Picard jumps down and runs around a rock face and out of sight . Soran heaves himself onto the launcher , just in time to read the display screen : the locking clamps are engaged . Soran only has time to recognize his doom as the launcher fires and explodes in an enormous fireball that covers the entire area in a thick cloud of smoke and dust . With the Veridian sun still intact , the Nexus passes the planet , never making contact . Emerging from the cloud , Picard makes his way down into the chasm where the bridge has collapsed . Digging through the twisted metal wreckage , Picard uncovers Kirk , laying broken among the debris . Kirk is bloody and faint , " " Did we do it ? Did we . . . make a difference ? " " Picard assures him they have and thanks the captain . " " The least I could do , " " Kirk says , " " for the captain of the " Enterprise " . " " He manages a weak smile , " " It was . . . fun , " " then turns and faces his destiny , " " Oh my . " " Burying Kirk on the mountaintop as the sun sets , Picard stands and keeps silent vigil . The following day , he begins trekking through the desert until a locates him and picks him up . At the saucer crash site , Starfleet ships have begun a salvage effort . In the ship ' s destroyed cargo bay , crewmembers carry belongings and patients out while Deanna Troi and Data use tricorders to search for survivors . Data tells Deanna that after experiencing so many emotions , he believes that he will be able to control his feelings in future so he has decided not to remove the emotion chip . As Deanna wishes him luck , her tricorder detects a faint lifeform in the wreckage . Tearing through the debris , Data finds his cat , Spot , alive and well . As he cradles his pet in his arms , Data begins to break down in tears . When Deanna asks if he ' s all right , Data tells her that he believes the emotion chip is malfunctioning as he is happy to see Spot , yet is crying . Deanna kindly reassures him that the chip is working perfectly . In what is left of Picard ' s ready room , Commander Riker and Captain Picard retrieve the Picard family album under broken pieces of the room ' s furniture and move out onto the bridge , a burnt - out shell of its former glory . Riker laments that the " Enterprise " went before her time , and Picard relates to his first officer his thoughts , " " Someone once said that time was a predator that stalked us all our lives , but I rather believe that time is a companion that goes with us on the journey , and reminds us to cherish every moment because they ' ll never come again . " " They stand near the center seats and survey the damage . Picard holds his family album close and smiles , " " What we leave behind is not as important as how we lived . After all , Number One , we ' re only mortal . " " Riker grins mischievously , " " Speak for yourself , sir . I plan to live forever . " " Riker is disappointed that he will no longer have the chance to command this " Enterprise " and stands near the ruined captain ' s chair , but Picard assures his first officer that he very much doubts that this will be the last ship to bear the name . After nearly eight years of calling the " Enterprise " - D home , Picard and Riker take one last look around their destroyed starship and Picard signals the " Nebula " - class starship " Farragut " for two to beam up . The " Farragut " , along with a and an starships go to warp leaving Veridian III behind , and while the " Enterprise " - D may be gone her legacy , like the name , will live on . Memorable quotes . " " I remember reading about your missions when I was in grade school . " " " " Oh , really ? " " " " It wouldn ' t be the " Enterprise " without a Sulu at the helm . " " " " I was never that young . " " " " No . You were younger . " " " " Finding retirement a little lonely , are we ? " " " " You know , I ' m glad you ' re an engineer . With tact like that , you ' d make a lousy psychiatrist . " " " " Captain , is there something wrong with your chair ? " " " " Tractor beam . " " " " Hmm ? " " " Tractor " beam . " " " " We don ' t have a tractor beam . " " " " You left spacedock without a tractor beam ? " " " " It won ' t be installed until Tuesday . " " " " Don ' t tell me , Tuesday ? " " " " Risk is part of the game , you wanna sit in that chair . " " [ sarcastically ] " " Удивительно ! [ Surprising ! ] You and you , you ' ve just become nurses . Let ' s go . " " " " Scotty , keep things together ' til I get back . " " " " I always do . " " " " If there ' s one thing I ' ve learned over the years is never to underestimate a Klingon . " " " " Just imagine what it was like . No engines . No computers . Just the wind and the sea and the stars to guide you . " " " " Bad food , brutal discipline . No women ! ! " " " " The best thing about a life at sea , Will was that no one could reach you . " " " " Number One , will you begin an investigation ? I ' ll be in my ready room . " " " " Sir , I . . . " " " " Make it so . " " " " I thought you – " " " " Just do it ! " " " " I hate this ! It is revolting ! " " " " More ? " " " " Please . " " " " They say time is like the fire in which we burn . " " " " Open sesame ! " " " " You could say . . . I have a magnetic personality . " " " " Helm , warp one . Engage ! " " " " I hope , for your sake , you were initiating a mating ritual . " " " " Without my research , the trilithium is worthless , as are your plans to reconquer the Klingon Empire . " " " " It was like being inside joy . " " " " All you ' ll want is to stay in the Nexus . . . and you ' re not gonna want to come back . " " " " Normal is what everyone else is , and you are not . " " " " Part of having feelings is learning to integrate them into your life , Data . Learning to live with them . No matter what the circumstances . " " " " Human females are so repulsive ! " " " " I have not been behaving like myself lately . " " " " No Data , you haven ' t . You ' ve been behaving like a Human . " " " " There ' s no time for this . Eliminate them . " " " ( incredulous ) " That is a starship ! We are no match for them ! " " " " Perhaps it ' s time we gave Mr . La Forge his sight back . . . " " " " You must think I ' m quite the madman , hmm ? " " " " The thought had crossed my mind . " " " " There was a time when I wouldn ' t hurt a fly . Then the Borg came . " " " " It ' s like a predator . It ' s stalking you . " " " " Time has no meaning there . The predator has no teeth . " " " " He bathed . Now he ' s roaming the ship . He must be the only engineer in Starfleet who doesn ' t go to engineering ! " " " " Lifeforms , you tiny little lifeforms , you precious little lifeforms . Where are you ? " " " " Now , you ' ll have to excuse me , Captain . I have an appointment with eternity and I don ' t want to be late . " " " " Ohhhhhh , shit ! " " " " Go on . . . go on without me . " " " " Kirk . . . James T . " Kirk " . " " " " Something ' s missing . " " " " You say history considers me dead . Who am I to argue with history ? " " " " You are a Starfleet officer . You have a duty . " " " " I don ' t need to be lectured by you . I was out saving the galaxy when your grandfather was in diapers . Besides which , I think the galaxy owes me one . " " " " This not your bedroom . . . " " " " No , it ' s not . . . it ' s better . " " " " You know , maybe this isn ' t about an empty house . Maybe it ' s about that empty chair on the bridge of the " Enterprise " . Ever since I ' ve left Starfleet , I haven ' t made a difference . . . " " " " Captain of the Enterprise ? " " " " That ' s right . " " " " Close to retirement ? " " " " Not planning on it . " " " " Let me tell you something . Don ' t . Don ' t let them promote you . Don ' t let them transfer you , don ' t let them do anything that takes you off the bridge of that ship , because while you ' re there , you can make a difference . " " " " Who am I to argue with the captain of the " Enterprise " ? " " " " You know , if Spock were here , he ' d say I was an irrational , illogical Human being for taking on a mission like that . Sounds like fun . " " " " Just who the hell are you ? " " " " He ' s James T . Kirk . Don ' t you read history ? " " " " I thought you were heading for the launcher . " " " " I changed my mind . Captain ' s prerogative . " " " " We have to work together ! " " " " We ARE working together ! " " " " Good luck , Captain . " " " " Call me Jim . " " " " Did we do it ? Did we . . . make a difference ? " " " Oh , yes . We made a difference . Thank you . " " " " Least I could do . . . for the Captain of the " Enterprise " . " " " " It was . . . fun . . . Oh , my . " " " " I am happy to see Spot , and yet I am crying . Perhaps the chip is malfunctioning . " " " " I think it ' s working perfectly . " " " " I ' m going to miss this ship . She went before her time . " " " " Someone once told me that time was a predator that stalked us all our lives , but I ' d rather believe that time is a companion who goes with us on the journey and reminds us to cherish every moment . . . because they ' ll never come again . " " " " What we leave behind is not as important as how we lived . After all , Number One , we ' re only mortal . " " " " Speak for yourself , sir . I plan to live forever . " " " " Somehow I doubt this will be the last ship to carry the name Enterprise . " " Background information . Development . Executive Producer Rick Berman was approached by Paramount Pictures executives ( first by Brandon Tartikoff , and subsequently by his immediate successor Sherry Lansing ) in the fall of ( during the series ' sixth season ) in regards to a seventh " Star Trek " film . While the studio intended " Star Trek VII " to be a TNG vehicle , Berman and Tartikoff felt the outing was an opportunity to " pass the baton . " In , Berman and the studio commissioned two stories and three writers . A fourth , TNG writer and co - creator Michael Piller , passed , objecting to what he viewed as " competition " for the assignment . As written by former TNG writer / producer Maurice Hurley , the film had Captain Picard recreating Captain James T . Kirk ( William Shatner ) on the holodeck to help him solve a dilemma involving an interdimensional species wreaking havoc by crossing into our realm . Then - current TNG writing staffers Ronald D . Moore and Brannon Braga , whose script was ultimately greenlighted , chose to feature Kirk appearing in the flesh , as well as ( initially ) the entire " " cast . Though Moore and Braga at first bandied about ideas which involved the two " Enterprise " crews battling each other , the pair of writers quickly abandoned this concept . Ron Moore explained , in : Braga and Moore nonetheless continued searching for a major " event " to anchor the film . Recalled Moore : As proposed by Moore and Braga , the film would feature Kirk and his TOS shipmates in a prologue , with Kirk later appearing at the film ' s climax . Berman later recalled the process : Berman and the studio pursued the Moore / Braga story . Early drafts of the script took shape under the guidance of Rick Berman and with input by Shatner . The film ' s villain , " Moresh " , was later changed to Dr . " Soran " to avoid recalling , the infamous cultist . A first draft script was completed during TNG ' s sixth season hiatus , dated . As of 1 October of that year , the scripted prologue contained Kirk , Spock , McCoy , Scott , Uhura , Sulu , and Chekov . The script was in its third draft by , and the third draft ' s first revised pages ( colored blue ) were added to the screenplay on that date . ( " Information from Larry Nemecek " ) The early scripts featured large action set pieces that were later removed . Among them was the Romulan attack on the Amargosa observatory , cut when TNG writer ( and co - creator ) Jeri Taylor suggested something more " charming " . Another major revision to the script revolved around the Duras sisters and their crew : surviving the destruction of their ship , they would have battled the " Enterprise " - D crew in the jungles of Veridian III . The producers eventually chose to pair the appearances of the TOS cast down to two select cameos . This decision was made by , when the fourth draft of the script was issued , with Kirk , Spock , and McCoy in the prologue . ( " Information from Larry Nemecek " ) The producers then sought their guest stars . While William Shatner agreed to appear pending script approval , Leonard Nimoy and DeForest Kelley – the two preferred cameo appearances – were less eager to return . Stating that they had felt their characters made sufficient exits in , both actors declined to appear in " Star Trek VII " . Leonard Nimoy – having been offered the director ' s chair – reportedly requested script changes , but was rebuffed . In his memoir " Star Trek Movie Memories " , William Shatner wrote : In an interview with Trekmovie . com ' s Anthony Pascale in , Nimoy explained the issues he had with the " Generations " script and why he declined to appear . After proclaiming that " there was no Spock role in that script " , he elaborated : After DeForest Kelley and Leonard Nimoy declined to appear , the final draft of the film ' s script was submitted on . Its prologue featured Scott and Chekov along with Kirk , as it stayed from then on . ( " Information from Larry Nemecek " ) Later drafts of " Generations " and the full TNG finale were written simultaneously . This often led the writers to mix the stories up . In their joint commentary for the " Star Trek Generations ( Special Edition ) " DVD , they admitted that they felt " All Good Things . . . " turned out to be the superior effort . During the scripting stages , however , the studio had few qualms and preproduction proceeded even as filming on " Star Trek : The Next Generation " was winding down and " Deep Space Nine " continued . Preproduction . With the start of preproduction , Berman battled the studio over budget figures , the film cut in cost to an estimated US $ 35 million . Hopes for location shooting in Hawaii and Idaho were dropped in favor of more local shoots in Hollywood , Marina del Rey , Pasadena , Lone Pine , and the Valley of Fire State Park near Las Vegas , Nevada . By , Moore and Braga ' s script reflected budget and cast changes . In place of first choice Leonard Nimoy , veteran TNG and DS9 director David Carson was hired , in turn recruiting veteran cinematographer John Alonzo of " Chinatown " and " Scarface " fame . Herman Zimmerman – who designed the initial TNG and DS9 sets – was called back into service on the film , working with Alonzo and illustrator John Eaves to refresh the aging TV sets . Budgetary constraints reined in some of the proposed sets ; the new stellar cartography set reduced from three levels to two . As with most of the previous " Trek " movie installments , visual effects giant Industrial Light & Magic was hired to produce space and spaceship shots , while TNG mainstay CIS Hollywood was brought in for phaser shots , transporter effects , cloaking and decloaking transitions and the Picard family Christmas ornament . Last minute decisions included the hiring of actor Malcolm McDowell as the man who would ( as far as the final draft script ) gun down Captain Kirk , reportedly later receiving death threats from obsessed fans . The actor ' s nephew and DS9 star Alexander Siddig later said during an interview that McDowell thought the script was " shit " . McDowell had previously explained his reason for accepting the role : Sets . Despite its reuse of sets built , in some cases as early as for , production designer Herman Zimmerman and his art department – namely John Eaves – began designing and redesigning as early as . One of the first and most elaborate sets generated from Paramount ' s motion picture art department was the two story stellar cartography room . Initially conceived of after a visit to Griffith Park ' s Laserium in Los Angeles , the room was imagined as a large sphere , eventually becoming a more budget - friendly cylinder . John Eaves described the process in his book , " " : While a hoped - for floating platform proved to be too expensive and impractical , the set was realized with a combination of large , back - lit graphics and blue - screen projection created at ILM . The set was created in sections with wild walls that could be moved in and out . Lighting elements were integrated into the ceiling requiring little modification from shot to shot . A small section of " Enterprise " - D corridor was erected behind the upper level platform . Also conceived of in December , the " Enterprise " - B ' s deflector control room was designed to be a large , vertical area dominated by large machine elements , a second - level observation balcony and access panels built into the stage floor . Again , as the film ' s budget tightened , the design team returned to the drawing boards in to design a smaller , vertical access shaft . David Carson recalled : Regarding the most visible section of the " Enterprise " - D , the main bridge , Zimmerman and Eaves took the opportunity to alter the set . Echoing modifications it received in the TNG episode , the bridge gained additional computer stations situated along the port and starboard bulkheads . John Eaves : Worf , however , did finally receive a chair to sit on at his post . The set was also repainted and recarpeted with handrails added near the doors to the observation lounge and aft turbolift , working video monitors were incorporated into many of the ship ' s status displays . The captain ' s ready room , adjacent to the bridge , received a new , larger fish tank built into the wall and a larger window . Other sets aboard the " Enterprise " received only minor reworking . Engineering was connected to another corridor set by removing the " plugs " from the walls . The four red - alert lights in the hallway of the engineering set were also illuminated during the engineering scenes , even when the ship was not in battle , as well as some of the beige beams being painted a darker copper colour around the engineering pool - table . Overhead lighting was reduced in all of the sets , with display screens popping from the darkness . Of the modifications , Zimmerman said : Following the end of production , the interior sets of the " Enterprise " were struck and replaced with those belonging to a new starship , the , for the upcoming series . Of the original sets , only small sections of the corridors , sickbay , transporter room and engineering were left standing , although the new sets were constructed directly over the basic framework and floor plan originally designed and built for the aborted " " . Of those remaining sets , only a small piece of the " Enterprise " - D sickbay ( the ceiling ) remained in use during the most recent series . However , the " Enterprise " - D observation lounge set ( the only TNG set not used for the film ) was spared the wrecking ball and saved against future need , eventually appearing ( in modified form ) as the observation lounge of the " Enterprise " - E in " First Contact " and " Nemesis " . The interior of the Amargosa observatory was a redress of the " Enterprise " - B main bridge , which was itself a redress of the " Enterprise " - A main bridge from " Star Trek VI " . Details built into the observatory set were meant to imply that it had been built around the time of TOS , with jeweled buttons and labels similar to those used on the original " Enterprise " . A half - globe map of the cosmos used in the " Enterprise " - D stellar cartography lab on the TV series appears in the wreckage of the observatory , along with an elevator from Data ' s lab . Costumes . As his first task when recruited for the preproduction phase of " Star Trek Generations " , John Eaves created several new combadge designs , first creating a flip - top version like the communicator s of TOS . Told to first review tapes of TNG to become more familiar with the new show , Eaves ultimately redesigned Rick Sternbach ' s oval - shaped communicator badge that appeared in the TV series and early DS9 , refining it into the oblong - backed design later used in DS9 , VOY and later TNG movies : , , and . Costume designer Robert Blackman , working simultaneously on the outgoing , current and incoming series as well as the film , reworked Starfleet ' s uniforms . The uniforms , however , were all scrapped at the last minute for fear of introducing too many new facets to the universe . Unaware of the change , Playmates Toys went ahead with production of action figures for the film , depicting the TNG cast in the unused uniforms . The producers opted instead to use a combination of the uniforms from " Star Trek : The Next Generation " and the uniforms from the early episodes of " Star Trek : Deep Space Nine " and throughout " Star Trek : Voyager " . Because of the time was so short for filming , Jonathan Frakes and LeVar Burton had to borrow Avery Brooks and Colm Meaney ' s costumes respectively . The new Starfleet uniform worn by Patrick Stewart was auctioned off in the It ' s A Wrap ! sale and auction along with LeVar Burton ' s . Also auctioned off was Dr . Soran ' s costume upon arriving on the " Enterprise " - B . Effects . Between the release of " Star Trek VI : The Undiscovered Country " and the preproduction phase of " Star Trek Generations " , several advancements had been made in the art of motion picture visual effects . Primarily spurred by steps forward in computer - generated animation in films like , " Generations " marked the first " Star Trek " production in which many starships were rendered digitally by ILM . Despite this advancement , physical models were utilized for the majority of effects shots . Unpacking the original six - foot model they built for in , the ILM effects team completely overhauled the " Enterprise " - D . In order to stand up to high - resolution film cameras and a big screen project , the starship was repainted and redetailed , receiving a new interior lighting scheme . Once again resulting from budgetary cuts , several stock footage shots of the " Enterprise " - D were interspersed with new model photography and CG imagery , specifically during the first captain ' s log segment and the start of the saucer separation sequence ; an error resulting from this was that the insignia on the nacelles was not the new insignia shown on the U . S . S . " Defiant " . Stock footage from the previous film was also used to depict the destruction of the Duras sisters ' Bird - of - Prey , as well as that ship ' s escape from Amargosa . Also reusing the original miniature from , ILM and John Eaves were tasked with redesigning the ship to be used as the " Enterprise " - B : For the single shot of the " Enterprise " - B at warp , footage of the " Excelsior " from the previous film was re - used . A computer - generated model of the " Enterprise " - B was also created for scenes that required it to interact with the digital Nexus energy ribbon . An all - new miniature was created by ILM , designed by John Eaves , to represent the Amargosa stellar observatory . The model was later reused with minor alterations in DS9 ' s as the wormhole relay station . The " Enterprise " - B model also turned up on that series as the . ( ) Yet another refurbished model appeared as the drydock the " Enterprise " - B was moored in , repainted and reconstructed from its first appearance in " Star Trek : The Motion Picture " . Arguably one of the film ' s most memorable sequences , the crash of the " Enterprise " - D was shot almost entirely live by ILM . Storyboarded by Mark Moore , the shots were achieved through the creation of a twelve - foot model of the " Enterprise " - D saucer section and a large landscape model . Suspended by large cables , the saucer model was repeatedly flown into the landscape , shot with high speed cameras and then slowed down in post production and mixed with several composite shots of Veridian III . A major sequence in the script , the crash of the " Enterprise " saucer section was inspired by drawings of an emergency saucer landing in the " " . Following the crash , effects master John Knoll and his team donned Starfleet uniforms to appear as crew members of the " Enterprise " - D , standing on a large blue tarp draped over the ILM parking lot . Footage of the team was later integrated into shots of the " Enterprise " hulk and the Veridian landscape . Production . With production on TNG ' s final season still underway , cameras rolled on " Generations " . Principal photography began on . ( " Information from Larry Nemecek " ) Scenes focused on Scotty , Chekov and Kirk aboard the USS " Enterprise " - B and the later deleted orbital skydiving sequence . A ten - day hiatus followed the conclusion of production on " The Next Generation " before that series ' cast went to work . Shot on a relatively short schedule , the film was slated for only fifty days of production . The last day of the main filming was . ( " Information from Larry Nemecek " ) Location filming in the Valley of Fire was required for reshoots , which took place over eight days in September . ( " Information from Larry Nemecek " ) For these reshoots , Director David Carson ' s production offices temporarily moved to a Las Vegas hotel . Suffering through the 110 - degree heat and dust storms of the Nevada desert , the behind - the - scenes crew quenched their thirst with Gatorade until the sports drink began attracting bees . Carson was forced to wear an eye patch for at least one day of filming when his cornea was damaged during a surprise sand storm . More comfortable filming days were spent in Pasadena at the Nexus fantasy Picard home , a week aboard the " Lady Washington " for Worf ' s promotion in Marina del Rey , and in the mountains of Lone Pine for Kirk ' s cabin – a real residence that acquired a new kitchen and staircase built specifically for the shoot . Reshoots . Completing principal photography in the summer of , rough cuts of " Star Trek Generations " were screened for test audiences . Despite generally favorable reactions to the bulk of the film , audience comments reflected negatively on the film ' s finale . In their joint DVD audio commentary , Ronald D . Moore and Brannon Braga recalled a feeling of disconnect washing over the audience , " " We ' d lost them . " " Returning to the motion picture head Sherry Lansing ' s office on the Paramount Lot , Rick Berman , Moore and Braga were told , " " You have a great movie , but a bad ending . " " The production was given a budget of US $ 5 million and told to reshoot the ending , specifically scenes in which James T . Kirk is shot in the back by Soran . Forced to utilize the same location , the writers struggled to insert a brand new finale into the framework already established . In late , the production crew and cast of " Generations " returned to the Valley of Fire and James T . Kirk was killed all over again . Having recently grown his hair for another project , Patrick Stewart wore a specially fashioned hairpiece which covered his longer hair during these scenes . Additional shots at the Pasadena " Picard family home " location were also required to clarify plot elements . Ronald D . Moore commented : Deleted Scenes . Along with the original ending , several minutes of footage were left on the cutting room floor . Some of this footage is available on the " Star Trek Generations " ( Special Edition ) DVD . Most of the deleted scenes were minor character moments set following the crash of the " Enterprise " - D . Among the deleted material were sequences involving Dr . Crusher and Nurse Ogawa returning to sickbay , Geordi La Forge and Worf piloting a damaged shuttlecraft to rescue the captain , additional footage aboard the " Enterprise " sailing ship and an alternative version of the Nexus Christmas segment . Scripted and shot at the request of William Shatner , the film ' s original opening featuring Kirk skydiving from orbit to find Scotty and Chekov waiting on the ground below was also cut , replaced with the champagne bottle opening . The original script also called for a more extensive torture scene between Soran and La Forge , involving Soran injecting nanoprobes into La Forge ' s chest which caused extreme pain equivalent to a major heart attack . While this scene did not appear in the movie , Soran ' s comment of " his heart just wasn ' t in it " references the torture as does Doctor Crusher ' s medical examination where she discusses that she has " removed the nanoprobes " and that La Forge has suffered some myocardial damage . Official Site . The official website for " Star Trek Generations " , created on 28 October 1994 , was the first site on the internet to officially publicize a feature film . After being personally approved by then - Paramount Motion Picture chairman Sherry Lansing , the site was constructed by a team at Paramount Media Kitchen in Palo Alto , California , using press kit materials , videotapes of the film ' s trailer , and two - dozen slides . The site was an immediate success and prompted Paramount and other motion picture studios to create sites for their own films . Two versions of the official site were available for view , a graphics - rich version and a text - only version . Upon entering either version , the viewer was taken to a brief synopsis of the film followed by a greeting and an explanation of the site . From there , the viewer could watch the two movie trailers , view production stills , and listen to clips and music from the film . A behind - the - scenes page included sections on the history of " Star Trek " , cast and crew biographies , production notes , film credits , and a downloadable interactive multimedia kit . In addition , there was a " Star Trek " shop promoting " Star Trek " merchandise and an input page where viewers could send comments via forms or e - mail . The site was a collaborative production of Paramount Pictures , Viacom Consumer Products , and Viacom Interactive Services . The site credits are as follows : The site was last updated on 23 November 1994 . It has since been removed and a section at StarTrek . com has become the film ' s . StarTrek . com , before its recent overhaul , provided a copy of the original 1994 site , along with commentary . Portions of it are still accessible . Reaction . The release of " Star Trek Generations " was widely covered in the news media , Patrick Stewart and William Shatner appearing in character on the cover of " Time Magazine " in the winter of . On its opening weekend , the film reached number one at the box office with a first weekend gross of US $ 23 , 100 , 000 . Critical reception , however , was mixed . The film earned a split decision from ; Gene Siskel gave the film thumbs up , while Roger Ebert gave it thumbs down . Writing for the " Chicago Sun Times " , Ebert said of the film , " " The " Star Trek " saga has always had a weakness for getting distracted by itself , and " Star Trek Generations , " the seventh film installment , is undone by its narcissism . " " Giving the film two stars out of a possible four , Ebert concluded : The film review website calculated a 47 % overall approval rate for " Generations " . BBC reviewer Tom Coates ranked the film at two out of a possible five stars , " Generations " feels like three lacklustre episodes of the TV series mashed together with one of the earlier " Star Trek " movies . Devotees may find it necessary ( if depressing ) viewing , but there ' s little here for anyone else . " " FILM . COM ' s Lucy Mohl however said of the film , " " The meeting of Patrick Stewart ' s Jean - Luc Picard and William Shatner ' s James T . Kirk is worth the price of admission or video rental : it ' s the clash of the titans , Shakespeare meets the Sixties . " " Regarding some of the oft - mentioned plot discrepancies within the film , Ronald D . Moore commented : Moore and Braga further elaborated on this during the film ' s DVD commentary , saying that the question kept coming up and they even asked themselves , " " Why would they go back to a point when their life would be in danger ? Why not just go back a couple of months or so , find Soran in the bathroom or somewhere and take him out ? " " They also said that questions like that apply to films like and you have to just hope that your film is compelling enough that the audience does not start asking questions like that . The film went on to gross a total of US $ 75 , 668 , 868 in the US , totaling US $ 120 , 000 , 000 worldwide . Awards and honors . " Star Trek Generations " received the following awards and honors . < tabber > Links and references . Hide = Click on Show to display the full credits . < / tabber > References . 2281 ; 2282 ; 2284 ; 2286 ; 2293 ; 2364 ; 2371 ; all hands ; alternate timeline ; Amargosa ; Amargosa observatory ; Amargosa system ; antimatter containment ; Antonia ; Badge of Office ; barn ; " bat ' leth " ; ; Battle of Trafalgar ; Battle of Wolf 359 ; battle stations ; Bolian ; " Bones " ; Borg ; ; " brace for impact " ; Breen ; ; ; champagne ; Christmas ; cloaking device ; clown ; colorful metaphor ; communications station ; crew quarters ; damage report ; dedication plaque ; deflector control ; deflector dish ; diaper ; dill weed ; disruptor ; doll ; Dom Pérignon ; drydock ; drydock shuttle ; " Du ' cha " ; duotronic s ; Earth ; Earth Broadcasting Company ( EBC ) ; El - Auria ; El - Aurian ; emotion chip ; ; ; " Enterprise " , USS dedication plaque ; ; ; " Enterprise " - B , USS dedication plaque ; ; ; Farpoint Mission ; Farpoint Station ; ; Federation ; Federation News Network ( FNN ) ; Ferengi ; fly ; Forcas III ; force field ; ; " Galileo " - type shuttlecraft ; gigawatt ; GNN ; God ; grade school ; gravimetric distortion ; gravimetric field ; graviton field ; " " ; ; holodeck ; horseback riding ; House of Duras ; humor ; Idaho ; ionic pulse ; joke ; Kirk ' s uncle ; Klingon s ; Klingon Bird - of - Prey ; Klingon Empire ; Ktarian egg s ; Kurlan " naiskos " ; ; Leandra ; Livingston ; locking clamp ; magnetic interlock ; maiden voyage ; main engineering ; Martian colonies ; mating ritual ; maximum warp ; ; MCH ; megahertz ( MHz ) ; ; ; NAR - 30974 ; NCC - 7100 ; ; Nexus ; NFT ; Nobel Prize ; number one ; ; oregano ; Papa ; photon torpedo ; Picard family album ; ; ; plank ; plasma coil ; plasma coolant ; Pluto ; pocket watch ; polarity ; prosthesis ; quantum implosion ; RADAR ; refugee ; ; Romulan s ; Romulan tricorder ; San Francisco ; saucer section ; saucer separation ; Saurian brandy ; science station ; shield modulation ; Spacedock Shuttle ; sickbay ; solar probe ; Soran ' s children ; speaker ; Spock ; Spot ; Starfleet Broadcasting ( SFB ) ; Starfleet ; Starfleet Academy ; Starfleet Command ; Starfleet uniform ; Stellar Cartography ; subspace scan ; ; System J - 25 ; temporal energy ; Ten Forward ; time ; tricorder ; trilithium ; trilithium weapon ; Tuesday ; type 3 disruptor ; Type 6 shuttlecraft ; Type 7 shuttlecraft ; Veridian ; Veridian system ; Veridian I ; Veridian II ; Veridian III ; Veridian IV ; Veridian V ; Veridian VI ; VISOR ; " walk the plank " ; warp core breach ; warp plasma ; YPS pulse fusion Unreferenced material . crystalline trench ; lava ; orbital skydiving ; rafting