[Update: Check out our top 10 questions from the Star Trek 2 trailers!]

Nearly two weeks ago Paramount Pictures provided the first official look at the return of Captain Kirk and the young crew of the starship U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701 via the one-minute Star Trek Into Darkness announcement trailer. In that short span of time, we were able to see nearly all of the main crew along with two new characters played by Alice Eve and Benedict Cumberbatch, inter-spliced with action sequences and large-scale destruction.

Then came the 9-minute preview attached to most IMAX screenings of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey this weekend, offering a showcase of the crew's ability to work together against nearly impossible odds six months after the events of the first film while on a mission to save a primitive world. The brand new two-minute Star Trek Into Darkness teaser trailer offers the biggest tease yet.

With questions surrounding the aliens Benedict Cumberbatch's character eliminates in the announcement video (they're Klingons) and the identity of Alice Eve's character being answered (she's playing Dr. Carol Marcus), the big mystery on everyone's mind is that of the film's primary antagonist. While rumors and denials surround the most commonly speculated characters of Gary Mitchell and Khan Noonian Singh - from original Star Trek series canon - the official name released for Cumberbatch's menacing villain (and that featured in some extra secret footage our own Vic Holtreman witnessed) is John Harrison, a name unfamiliar to the Trek faithful.

There was a character named Harrison on the Enterprise in the original series however, and that same character was on the bridge of the Enterprise in the infamous 'Space Seed' episode where Khan was introduced. Throughout his career on the ships five-year mission, he took on quite a few roles and at different points in time wore all three uniform colors.

Star Trek Into Darkness John Harrison

The teaser only raises more questions about Harrison's goals and motivations, and who, if any, of the characters from the Star Trek universe he really could be playing.

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Official Star Trek Into Darkness plot synopsis:

In Summer 2013, pioneering director J.J. Abrams will deliver an explosive action thriller that takes ‘Star Trek Into Darkness.’ When the crew of the Enterprise is called back home, they find an unstoppable force of terror from within their own organization has detonated the fleet and everything it stands for, leaving our world in a state of crisis.

With a personal score to settle, Captain Kirk leads a manhunt to a war-zone world to capture a one man weapon of mass destruction. As our heroes are propelled into an epic chess game of life and death, love will be challenged, friendships will be torn apart, and sacrifices must be made for the only family Kirk has left: his crew.

Into Darkness is directed by J.J. Abrams off a screenplay by Alex Kurtzman, Damon Lindelof and Roberto Orci. It stars Chris Pine, Benedict Cumberbatch, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana, Karl Urban, John Cho, Anton Yelchin and Simon Pegg.

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Star Trek Into Darkness opens in theaters (regular and IMAX 3D) on May 17th, 2013.

Follow Rob on Twitter @rob_keyes.

Source: Apple