Star Trek II: Wrath of Khan Online Analysis

Hopefully, I’m not being annoying. I just want to point out that the storyform you guys came up with for “Wrath of Khan” is the exact same one the dramatica group found for “Looper”

Just goes to show how you can take a single story form and create a hundred different stories with it.

Time to eat some humble pie. I’m having a hell of a hard time figuring this out, but here’s my best shot at trying to illustrate the story engine for Wrath of Khan…

OS Domain: Activity
a space battle

OS Concern: Obtaining
The super humans seek freedom from exile. Their leader seeks revenge. The scientists seek to create habitable worlds out of dead planets.

OS Issue: Self Interest
Regarding genesis, is it in everyone’s best interest to have so much power, to be like gods? The science team suspects it was never in their best interest to work with starfleet. The second in command wonders if it’s in their best interest to go after the enterprise when they’ve already escaped exile.

OS Problem: Pursuit
Khan pursuit of revenge ends up killing him and his minions.


MC Domain: Situation
Kirk is an aging starfleet admiral

MC Concern: The Future
Kirk is concerned over whether he should command a starship again

MC Issue: Delay
Kirk delays making a choice, taking back the captain’s chair only for the duration of the mission, he doesn’t commit to it

MC Problem: Pursuit
Kirk keeps returning to moment in his life when he was able to cheat death, reprogramming the simulator to cheat death and win


IC Domain: Fixed Attitude
The needs of the many, outweigh the needs of the few, or the one

IC Concern: Innermost Desires
Spock’s primary concern is the well being and safety of the ship

IC Issue: Hope
Spoke pins his hope on Kirk leading them safely through the mission

IC Problem: Logic
Spock addresses every problem through the prism of logic, always taking a cold and analytical approach


RS Domain: Manipulation
friends / fellow officers (captain ~ admiral)

RS Concern: Changing One’s Nature

RS Issue: Commitment

RS Problem: Conscience


I have to admit the relationship through line still flies pretty much over my head. I understand the theory, but taking the knowledge and applying is still beyond me. Can anybody help?

Spock has no ego to bruise!

I know this movie by heart. If you haven’t heard the Mike Daisey monologue about the movie, you should seek it out.

The word is given.

You would have to factor Dr Marcus into the relationship story. Their dialogue deals with matters not related to Khan’s vengeance.

I’m a fan of this movie, too. Thank you, OP. Spock seems to be part of the relationship story before Dr Marcus steps in. His gift of the book merits that. This nicely bookends at the end when we have finished the objective story and Kirk references Spock’s gift, perhaps finishing the subjective relationship story.

Anything else is a waste of material.