'Star Trek' Actor Calls Film's Terrorist a 'Freedom Fighter'

Simon Pegg, now charged with bringing Star Trek’s Scotty to life, calls the terrorist villain in the new franchise sequel a “freedom fighter.”

But the comic actor best known for Shaun of the Dead leaves the least kind words for the militarist Starfleet general in the film.

Mild spoilers ahead …

Star Trek Into Darkness finds the Enterprise crew chasing a Starfleet member turned terrorist (Benedict Cumberbatch) into Klingon territory for wiping out a section of London as well as members of Starfleet command.

Pegg, whose character in Star Trek Into Darkness objects to using the Enterprise’s military might to kill said terrorist, says the film’s storyline ties directly to recent American foreign policy.

“In the face of overwhelming militaristic might, you can argue John Harrison is in fact kind of a strange dichotomy between freedom fighter and terrorist, and the militarized Starfleet is slightly more the heavy handed aspects of American foreign policy,” Pegg says. Admiral Marcus (played by Peter Weller) has weaponized the Enterprise because he thinks war with the Klingons is inevitable, and Pegg believes there’s an argument to be made for his view. But, he adds, “There is always diplomacy, and there is always an alternative to violence….

Tell that to the Greatest Generation.

Pegg goes on, bashing President George W. Bush anew in claiming the U.S. president was itching to start a war with Iraq, supporting fellow Trek co-star Cumberbatch’s contention that the movie is a commentary on Bush’s foreign policy.

There is a parallel with the terrorist activities of Osama bin Laden and the decision to attack Iraq. Iraq had nothing proven to do with 9/11, and yet [President] Bush used that as an excuse to start a war with those people. You can always see the Klingons as like Iraq and John Harrison the proxy for Osama bin Laden.”

Admiral Marcus certainly seems like a stand-in for former Vice President Cheney. “Absolutely,” Pegg laughs. “He’s definitely a Republican.”