Star Trek: Into Darkness is a film with a multiplicity of themes and moral dilemmas, and it can be argued that each character adheres to a particular ethical theory. For Spock, the ethical theory adhered to is rules-based utilitarianism. Kirk seems to adhere to an ethic of care. Khan, by contrast, appears in many cases to be motivated by a combination of a deceptive form of retributivism, a form of psychological selfishness, and a form of care ethics. In this article, I will analyze the ramifications of these views in the context of each character's statements and actions, and evaluate what evidence can be drawn to support these arguments. There is plenty of evidence for the argument that Spock adheres to utilitarianism. For example, on the planet Nibiru, an M-class planet with a primitive pre-warp civilization, Spock is willing to die to save the Nibirans. It is not simply a question of the fact that he is ready to sacrifice himself to save the species, but also of the particular justification he gives for this action: "the needs of the greatest number outweigh the needs of the few.” Spock's reasoning is an example of utilitarian ethics. If it dies, the net utility is much less than if the entire species perished. It is clearly the consequences that matter in this case: he weighs the consequences of his actions and attempts to choose the action that will lead to the highest overall net utility. In fact, Spock does not want to be saved, because he says that such an action would "violate the Prime Directive", the directive not to interfere with the development of other species. It is clear that Spock adheres to the Prime Directive because of the harmful consequences it could have on the development of other species. It's not that the Prime Directive is good in itself,...... middle of paper...... comply with orders, then no one would follow them. The overall message of Star Trek: Into Darkness is that ethics are complex, with multiple possible interpretations and often no clearly defined lines between good and evil. Spock often reasons from a utilitarian perspective, and yet at the same time he seems to hold to the Kantian principle of never lying. Kirk saves Spock, violating the Prime Directive by reasoning according to an ethic of care, but later risks his life apparently for utilitarian reasons. Khan cares deeply for his crew, but is often willing to do just about anything to achieve his own interests, without regard for the well-being of others. This is the ultimate message of the film: that ethics is complex, that different situations can often call for different ethical viewpoints, and that ethical decisions must be carefully considered...