Nutrek's Characterization of James T. Kirk: Kelvin Movies vs. SNW

Nutrek's Characterization of James T. Kirk:
Kelvin Movies vs. SNW

I've observed an interesting pattern with the way Nutrek characterizes and depicts one of the most iconic characters in the franchise, James T. Kirk.  To preface this (and get it out of the way first), I know that Kelvin Kirk has a majorly different history and backstory than classic prime timeline Kirk, mainly due to Kelvin Kirk's childhood and upbringing being so radically different than prime Kirk's (see Star Trek 2009), and as such they are essentially different characters.  

The Kelvin timeline Kirk's character (this also applies to many of the Kelvin timeline characters, but mainly Kirk) is heavily based on the cultural stereotypes of James T. Kirk, many off which come primarily from the Star Trek movies not The Original Series.  The primary characterizations of Kirk in the Kelvin movies is of Kirk as a maverick, loose-cannon, womanizer, cowboy captain.  While this is not wholly inaccurate to TOS Kirk, it is obviously much closer to movies era Kirk, who maneuvered his way back into command of the Enterprise (Star Trek: The Motion Picture), who stole the Enterprise and violated Starfleet orders to retrieve Spock's body (Star Trek II), who seemed to fall for just about any woman who came along (Gillian Taylor in Star Trek IV, Martia in Star Trek VI-granted he was using that to get information and find a way to escape).  Granted Kirk was a notorious womanizer in The Original Series as well.  

Kirk in Strange New Worlds (so far) skews much closer to Kirk as seen in early TOS and in his pre USS Enterprise years as referenced in "Where No Man Has Gone Before" (Gary Mitchell recalling Kirk at the academy as studiously serious "a stack of books with legs" "in his class you either think or sink", and in "Court-Martial" where it is revealed that he reported a more senior officer, Ben Finney for a potentially dangerous breach of protocol and in the process made an enemy of Finney.  In "Obsession" we learn about Kirk's time on the Farragut, his relationship with Captain Garrovick, and the responsibility he feels for the deaths of Garrovick and many of the Farragut crew at Tycho IV.  These events helped shape Kirk into the character we see at the beginning of TOS: centered, certain, in charge, but willing to bend (or yes even break) rules if a situation necessitated it.  As early as "Where No Man Has Gone Before" and "The Corbomite Maneuver" we can see Kirk leading the crew with authority and confidence, but also knowing when to cross the line or not cross the line, when to bend or not bend, to break or not break the rules.  This command skill and tact come from years of Starfleet service and experience, learning, gaining experience, and honing those skills to become the captain of the USS Enterprise.  Comparing this to the maverick cowboy that Kelvin Kirk is shown to be (especially in Star Trek 2009 and Star Trek Into Darkness) one can see a stark difference.  In Star Trek 2009 Kelvin Kirk is promoted from suspended cadet (facing disciplinary action for cheating on the Kobayashi Maru no-win scenario-something that happened in both the prime and Kelvin timelines) to Captain and given command of the USS Enterprise, a totally unrealistic promotion.  Star Trek Into Darkness begins with Kirk blatantly violating the Prime Directive on Nibiru, something that TOS Kirk would never have done, and getting temporarily demoted for it.  And Kelvin Pike acts surprised?  Really?  You put a cadet with disciplinary issues in command of the flagship and something like this happens.  This is why it takes years if not decades to rise through the ranks to captain.  The SNW Kirk, so far, is growing as a person, making friendships, gaining some command experience, and learning first hand what it means to be responsible for a ship and the crew aboard it.  The series being incomplete, the future will show how these things combine with what we know of pre-TOS Kirk from TOS to forge James T. Kirk into the great USS Enterprise captain that we know he will become.