A crucial piece of Mr. Sulu's (George Takei) backstory was planned for Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, but the scene was never finished and was sadly cut from the film. Takei portrayed Hikaru Sulu, the helmsman of the USS Enterprise, in Star Trek: The Original Series, Star Trek: The Animated Series, and all six Star Trek movies starring the TOS cast. But Star Trek IV's moment meant to shed light on Sulu's origins was lost.
In Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, Sulu's role was perfunctory and similar to his tasks in the previous Star Trek movies: sit at the helm of the Klingon Bird-of-Prey stolen by Admiral James T. Kirk (William Shatner) and pilot it as he did the Starship Enterprise. Sulu flew the Klingon warbird, nicknamed the S.S. Bounty, back in time to 1986 so that Kirk and his crew could exact their crazy plan to find two humpback whales and bring them back to save the Earth in the 23rd century. Sulu joined his crew on their excursion in San Francisco, but Takei didn't get to enjoy the spotlight moment intended for Sulu.
