[PapaBear3625]

The new Kirk, having won the day through impossible fighting skill, genius IQ, daring good looks, and sheer force of will, is promoted from Cadet (E-2) to Captain (O-6) and given command of Enterprise. I couldn’t help myself – I burst-out laughing. Abrams – impatient with how the real world works and a child of I Want It Now! – simply discards any sense of reality and ends this story with Kirk in command of Enterprise without having had to bother with inconveniences like advancing through the ranks by proving competence and maturity and receiving the endorsement of his superiors – a process which actually take 21-22 years in the real military. Presto! We have Jimmy Kirk, boy genius, in command. This may seems fine in Abram’s world of Hollywood dementia, but all it did was make the audience at this showing laugh.

It does not matter how much tactical brilliance an officer has -- NO rational military organization put somebody in command of a capital ship with a crew of hundreds and enough firepower to sterilize a planet, unless they have good reason to have absolute confidence in his judgment and maturity.

[Sherman Logan]

Well, GA Custer was promoted directly from first lieutenant to brigadier general at the age of 23, then immediately won a crucial battle, arguably setting the stage for the Union victory at Gettysburg.

[jude24]

It does not matter how much tactical brilliance an officer has -- NO rational military organization put somebody in command of a capital ship with a crew of hundreds and enough firepower to sterilize a planet, unless they have good reason to have absolute confidence in his judgment and maturity.

Well, of course. That's why Star Trek was fantasy - not reality. A young, impetuous Kirk (whether played by Shatner or the new kid) would never be a star ship captain. But Star Trek has always required suspension of disbelief.

[Sherman Logan]

Actually, I thought the bridge command group standing around wondering who was captain now, then acquiescing in Kirk’s assumption of command without the slightest right to do so even more idiotic.

On any naval ship, there is never the slightest confusion over who is next in the chain of command.

[Melas]

Major spoiler alert:

It made plenty of sense to me in light of the fact that the older Spock has full knowledge of Kirk’s lifetime in the other timeline.

[Chet 99]

In the original “real” world of Star Trek, Kirk was the youngest man to ever make Captain - in his mid 30s! Now in La La Land of 2009, it is as a brawling 20-something punk.

[Oztrich Boy]

The idea of “rebooting” the franchise with a younger, edgier teen cast was rejected by the makers of “Wormhole X-treme”

[longtermmemmory]

Spock of the future told them to...