I don't know how many STID fans are here, but I know it's generally considered to be a step down from the 2009 film. Much of that lies with the fact it was hamstrung by largely rehashing The Wrath of Khan. While I enjoyed the film, the Khan connection always annoyed me, especially given the fact a more compelling story could have been made with most of the same existing ingredients. Here are some changes I think could have made it a bit stronger.

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• Benedict Cumberbatch isn't Khan pretending to be someone named John Harrison, he's just...John Harrison. A fugitive and ruthless mercenary, he served as a sort of a personal assassin and shadow operative for Admiral Marcus for years. After a mission goes wrong, Marcus disavows him and leaves him for dead to protect his own reputation. This leads to Harrison seeking revenge, which leads to Marcus finding out he's still alive.
• Admiral Marcus isn't looking to start a war with the Klingons at the expense of Kirk and his crew, he just wants to kill Harrison because he knows too much. Marcus stages and frames Harrison for the attack that kills Pike, which still sets Kirk on a revenge mission. Marcus orders Kirk to kill Harrison on sight, but when he doesn't, that's when Harrison spills the beans he's been doing Marcus's dirty work.

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With those two changes in place, the movie can almost play out the exact same way (minus the magic blood stuff) with Kirk setting out for vengeance, Harrison revealing there's more to the story than originally thought and Marcus chasing after Kirk and his crew when they prove themselves to be liabilities to him. You still get Marcus using Kirk's anger and willingness to break the rules as an opportunity for personal gain and you can still hit similar story/action beats and touch on similar themes. Even the film's title would still be applicable, as Kirk is embarking on an unsanctioned mission that several crew members object to, which then culminates with them finding corruption within Starfleet. Does that make sense? If that sounds like a horrible idea, then I'm sorry, but I just think there was a more solid way to make this film without shoehorning in a classic villain.

Forgive me if this has already be discussed.

I just finished re-watching the 3 Kelvin ST movies, and I can't stop wondering about some incoming threats.

What happens when V'Ger arrives? How do you think that plays out?

Did Carol Marcus get pregnant with David? Do they initiate Project Genesis?

What about the Alien ship looking for whales?

Does Sybock go to the center of the galaxy?