History YMMV / StarTrekIntoDarkness

* WhatAnIdiot:
** Even if [[CloakAndDagger Section 31]] of Starfleet Intelligence is a bunch of WellIntentionedExtremist SecretPolice imperialists, how could they be so stupid as to [[spoiler:threaten to kill the family of the amoral superman who at one point had conquered a quarter of Earth]]?
** [[spoiler:Kirk falsified his Captain's Log and failed to inform his by-the-book second officer that he had done so or what he said instead. Oddly enough he seems convinced Spock stabbed him in the back by not guessing this. There actually is a deleted scene explaining it (Spock was present when he made the false log), but in the final cut there's no explanation.]]
** Great work on storming the bridge of the [[spoiler:''Vengeance'']], Kirk! I'm sure that ''one stun round'' will be more than enough to incapacitate the ''genetically enhanced, virtually unkillable super soldier'' whom you already know is capable of enduring a beatdown that would cripple a normal man. Sure, he didn't have a lot of other options, but he could at least have gone for a double tap.
** [[spoiler:Admiral Marcus for thinking he could control a man who was basically an emperor in his own time period.]]

** The [[http://i.imgur.com/PhtOMun.jpg Random Cool Hair Redshirt Girl]], whose name isn't even given. But she has cool hair. The ongoing IDW comic series has retconned her to be this universe's version of [[http://en.memory-alpha.wikia.com/wiki/Zahra Yeoman Zahra]]… [[RaceLift somehow]].

* FunnyAneurysmMoment: Chekov being told to put on a RedShirt doesn't feel the same after Creator/AntonYelchin died following the filming of [[Film/StarTrekBeyond the next Star Trek film]].

* MagnificentBastard: Khan Noonien Singh is a superhuman with incredibly high-intelligence. Though believed to be genocidal and seeking to dispose of any race not on the same superiority level as his own kind, the tie-in comic ''Star Trek: Khan'' reveals Khan to have been a beloved and benevolent leader over his people despite being a conqueror. Preserved along with his crew for hundreds of years in cryo-sleep, Khan is awoken by the warmongering Admiral Alexander Marcus and as Commander John Harrison is forced to design the fighter starship the ''USS Vengeance'' and torpedos to go with it. Khan rebels by inciting a bombing of the secret Defense division and then mowing down several Starfleet officers, including Admiral Christopher Pike, in an ambush where he specifically targets Marcus. Khan learns his crew still lives in their pods in the torpedos he hid them in and surrenders himself to Captain James T. Kirk and the ''USS Enterprise''. Khan then provides the info of the Vengeance and helps Kirk take it over, brutally kills Marcus and then attempts to escape and fights off Lieutenant Spock after nearly crashing the damaged ship into Starfleet Headquarters.

** Despite its writers' {{Anvilicious}} attempts to decry militarization and aggression, quite a few people who saw the movie ended up rooting for [[spoiler:[[WellIntentionedExtremist Alexander Marcus]]]] and his goal in militarizing Starfleet for a war against the Klingon Empire. Seemingly, [[spoiler:Marcus']] only detraction is that he went about it in the manner of a standard GeneralRipper, to the point that he brought [[spoiler:[[BigBad Khan]], an infamous genetically engineered warlord that nearly took over the Earth long ago, out of [[HumanPopsicle cold storage]] to utilize as a slave ([[TooDumbToLive thinking he could actually control Khan]])]], as well as attempted to purposely start said war with the Klingons (using the oblivious crew of the ''Enterprise'' to do so no less) as opposed to letting it happen naturally. Even [[spoiler:Marcus's]] actor [[spoiler:Creator/PeterWeller]] [[WordOfStPaul roots for his character, saying he disliked how the public viewed him as a villain and has this to say about him]].

** Website/SFDebris [[https://sfdebris.com/videos/startrek/film12.php criticizes the film as a high-budget ripoff]] of ''Wrath of Khan'', where any number of relatively small changes to events or lines would have addressed many of the common criticisms of the film.
** The film also [[https://www.alternatehistory.com/forum/threads/miscellaneous-star-trek-thread.400203/page-29#post-13896192 arguably]] missed an opportunity to make a point about the way ''Star Trek'' scapegoats Augments for the Eugenics Wars and WorldWarIII even as late as ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'', one that would have fit very well into UsefulNotes/TheWarOnTerror allegories.

* CryForTheDevil: [[spoiler:Khan]] in this movie is a monster; he admits he is, and Admiral Marcus isn't wrong when calling him [[spoiler:a war criminal]]. Then we find out that [[spoiler:Marcus used Khan to create weaponry, threatening the lives of his people, who are in cryogenic tubes, to get him to cooperate. Khan actually has a NotSoDifferent moment when he and Kirk says they would do anything to keep their crew alive]], and you can see a hint of DeathSeeker when he tells Marcus, [[spoiler:"You should have let me sleep" before killing him]]. In the climax, he goes MyGodWhatHaveIDone when [[spoiler:his threatening the ''Enterprise'' leads to Spock bluffing by firing the missiles that have his family in them, and you can tell he's running from Spock in full DespairEventHorizon mode, not even bothering to wipe out any of the {{Innocent Bystander}}s or using them as a HumanShield. His fate -- to be put back to cryogenic sleep-- is both karmic and fitting, as he got exactly what he wanted]].

* WTHCostumingDepartment: This is literally the only entry in the franchise, movie or television, even in alternate universes, where Starfleet uniforms have included hats.

** Kirk getting reprimanded for his actions towards the beginning also qualifies. [[RealityEnsues Turns out that when you're a cocky, inexperienced captain of a starship who keeps breaking the rules]], [[spoiler:you eventually get removed from command]].

* ContestedSequel: There's [[BrokenBase a lot of debate]] amongst the fandom over this film borrowing elements from the older ''Star Trek'' films, [[spoiler:Khan being the main villain and now white, the ChekhovsGun that is Khan's blood, and Kirk's [[DisneyDeath 5-minute death]].]]
* CriticalDissonance: ''Into Darkness'' is currently sitting at an 87% on Rotten Tomatoes[[note]]In 4th place behind ''Film/StarTrek2009'' (95%), ''Film/StarTrekIITheWrathOfKhan'' (92%), and ''Film/StarTrekFirstContact'' (90%)[[/note]], with the consensus from the critics being that it is a very good, but not ''as good'' followup to the first film. It's also one of the highest rated on Website/IMDb (7.7/10, tied with ''The Wrath of Khan'' for second place behind the 2009 movie). Fan reactions have been mixed: some agreed; some thought it was an EvenBetterSequel; and one [[http://www.theguardian.com/film/2013/aug/14/star-trek-into-darkness-voted-worst Star Trek convention]] voted it the worst ''Trek'' film of all time.

** Noel Clarke is onscreen for all of five minutes, has virtually no dialogue, and [[spoiler:dies before the plot fully kicks off]], but he makes [[TearJerker quite an impression]].

** The film also arguably missed an opportunity to make a point about the way ''Star Trek'' scapegoats Augments for the Eugenics Wars and WorldWarIII even as late as ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'', one that would have fit very well into UsefulNotes/TheWarOnTerror allegories.[[https://www.alternatehistory.com/forum/threads/miscellaneous-star-trek-thread.400203/page-29#post-13896192]]

* LateArrivalSpoiler: There's a comic regarding Harrison's past called [[spoiler:''Star Trek: Khan'']] that outright spoils John Harrison's true identity by putting [[Creator/BenedictCumberbatch his actor right on the cover, and of all subsequent issues]].

* LateArrivalSpoiler: There's a comic regarding Harrison's past called [[spoiler:''Star Trek: Khan'']] that outright spoils "John Harrison"'s true identity by putting [[Creator/BenedictCumberbatch his actor right on the cover, and of all subsequent issues.

** This isn't the first film where ''Creator/PeterWeller'' plays a character who [[spoiler: [[Film/RoboCop1987 "dies" from head trauma.]]]]

* BaseBreakingCharacter: James T. Kirk. While most will agree he had good character development over the course of the two movies, many more will debate whether said development is enough to actually make him a credible Captain, pointing out that he still lacks several of his Prime Universe counterpart's qualities. [[spoiler:By the conclusion, a lot were arguing that it would've made more sense for ''Spock'' to be Captain instead.]]
** Whether Creator/BenedictCumberbatch version of Khan was an effective villain or whether he should have just been an original character.

* LateArrivalSpoiler: There's a comic coming out in October regarding Harrison's past called [[spoiler:''Star Trek: KHAN'']]. Pretty blatant example, eh?

** [[spoiler:Long before the movie came out it was speculated that Khan was going to be the villain. When Harrison revealed his true identity as Khan a lot of people were not surprised.]]

** Due to the disastrous handling of the extras for the [=BluRay=] release, Paramount is now offering a [[http://www.thedigitalbits.com/columns/my-two-cents/062314_0600 new box set]], which includes the IMAX scenes in the film and loads of special features. It also includes the 2009 film with all of the goodies from the 3 disc set as well. They are also working on offering a discount for owners of original ''Into Darkness'' discs as well.

** A franchise film swears their villain is an original character despite fan speculation that the villain will be a new version of an old favourite, then having a twist which reveals it was the old favourite villain all along. This is either Into Darkness or the Bond film ''Film/Spectre''.

** A franchise film swears there villain is an original character despite fan speculation that the villain will be a new version of an old favourite, then having a twist which reveals it was the old favourite villain all along. This is either Into Darkness or the Bond film Film/Spectre.

* CriticalDissonance: ''Into Darkness'' is currently sitting at an 87% on Rotten Tomatoes[[note]]In 4th place behind ''Film/StarTrek2009'' (95%), ''Film/StarTrekIITheWrathOfKhan'' (92%), and ''Film/StarTrekFirstContact'' (90%)[[/note]], with the consensus from the critics being that it is a very good, but not ''as good'' followup to the first film. Fan reactions have been mixed: some agreed; some thought it was an EvenBetterSequel; and one [[http://www.theguardian.com/film/2013/aug/14/star-trek-into-darkness-voted-worst Star Trek convention]] voted it the worst ''Trek'' film of all time.

* WTHCastingAgency: The RaceLift. As mentioned, intentional on the part of the filmmakers. Having said that, Cumberbatch's performance was [[SubvertedTrope almost unanimously praised and/or anticipated]], even from people (like Creator/GeorgeTakei) who criticized his casting. If you're going to whitewash a role, you might as well get one of the finest actors of the age in the bargain.

* BestKnownForTheFanservice: Often brought up by critics discussing the film's flaws. Carol Marcus is in her underwear for only one short clip which only lasts a few seconds: she changes clothes, Kirk peeks, we see. Blatant {{Fanservice}} that could have been left on the cutting room floor without affecting the plot at all? Yes, no doubt. But it is only one scene.

** It is not clear if Thomas sends Admiral Marcus the message saying that John Harrison is responsible for the archive bombing because it was part of Harrison's overall plan and he wanted to reveal himself or if this was Thomas's attempt to make some good out of the situation by telling Marcus who is responsible.

* ValuesDissonance: [[spoiler:Khan's RaceLift was because of this. Had Khan--whose name might suggest that he is Muslim to people who have little knowledge of Sikhs--been cast by an Indian or Middle-Eastern actor, "John Harrison's" overtly terrorist actions may have led to further UnfortunateImplications with the character.]]

** In the climax, would Khan [[spoiler:have tried to wipe out the ''Enterprise'' whether or not Kirk ordered Scotty to incapacitate him once they dethroned the Captain?]] After all, he doesn't seem surprised when [[spoiler:he recovers too fast for Scotty or Kirk to defend themselves]], but there is a hint of disappointment. He also has VillainRespect by telling Kirk that he likes a man who has a conscience. Perhaps [[spoiler:he would have kept his word]], or maybe not.