Carol Marcus
From Hidden Frontier
| CHARACTER BIOGRAPHY | |
| Dr. Carol Marcus | |
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| Full Name: | Carol Marcus |
| Species: | Terran |
| Gender: | Female |
| Eye Color: | Blue |
| Hair Color: | Blonde |
| Affiliation: | Federation |
| Family | |
| Marital Status: | Single |
| Children: | Dr. David Marcus (son) |
| Career | |
| Occupation: | Molecular Biologist |
| Previous Assignment: | Project Genesis, Spacelab Regula I |
Doctor Carol Marcus was one of the leading molecular biologists in the Federation. She devoted her life to her research.
Contents |
Biography
First Encounter with James T. Kirk
During the late 2250s or early 2260s, Carol became involved with a young Starfleet officer named James T. Kirk, and in 2261 she gave birth to their son, David. However, she felt that they had no basis for a lasting relationship, with Kirk traveling around the universe while she worked in a lab, so she asked that Kirk leave her alone to raise the boy. That they both cared more for their careers than they did for each other was never disputed. As Carol saw it, she and Kirk lived in entirely different worlds, and she wanted her son to be raised in hers.
Project Genesis
Carol continued with her work. She enjoyed much success, and in 2284 she proposed the most ambitious and potentially dangerous of her plans to the Federation, dubbed "Project Genesis". Once her proposal was accepted for Federation funding, she began a three-stage development process, accompanied by a highly skilled team of scientists which included her son, Dr. David Marcus.
The Wrath of Khan
She and her team made remarkable progress and by 2285 they were ready to try out their new invention. However, before they could find a suitable planet on which to test the Genesis Device, Khan Noonien Singh and his band of "supermen" intervened, bringing Kirk back into her and David's life.
Though she didn't share her son's mistrust of Starfleet, she was incensed when told that her project and all her files were to be taken by the crew of the USS Reliant, under orders of Kirk. She was determined to fight this unexpected incursion into her territory, though she was willing to give her former lover the benefit of the doubt. When it turned out to be Khan, not Kirk, who stole the Genesis Device, she gratefully accepted Kirk’s assistance.
Throughout the quest to save the device from Khan’s evil plans, it was apparent that, although Carol Marcus still felt affection for Kirk, her true love was her work. Even as havoc was erupting all around, she gazed on the glory of the Genesis Planet forming exactly as her specifications and years of research had indicated it would. The Genesis Project appeared to be a success, and her pride in her work was unmistakable.
The encounter with Khan gave Carol the opportunity to tell David who his father was and to mend some old wounds between her and Kirk.
Lasting Impact
Almost a century later, in 2374, Captain Kathryn Janeway referred to Dr. Marcus in her Captain's log when she was in search of the omega molecule, and forced to face enforcing the Omega Directive. In her log she noted that in spite of her apprehensiveness, she knows now how Carol Marcus must have felt when she developed the Genesis Device, watching helplessly as science took a destructive course. Janeway, however, noted that unlike Marcus, she had at least chance to prevent it from happening. (VOY 4.21 - "The Omega Directive")
Appearances
Star Trek Canon
Dr. Carol Marcus was played by Bibi Besch for her appearance in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.
| Series/Episode | Episode Title |
| Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan |
Hidden Frontier Universe
Dr. Carol Marcus was played by Melissa D. Wilson in her appearances on Star Trek: Grissom.
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| This article incorporates material from Memory Alpha, the free online Star Trek reference. More extensive information on Carol Marcus can be found there. |
