15 times Star Trek Altered the Timeline
In the Star Trek universe, the Prime Directive prohibits Starfleet personnel from interfering with the internal development of alien civilizations. They violate the directive over and over, but even worse, they interfere constantly with the space-time continuum. You can’t really blame the Enterprise crew, or even the writers, because time travel makes for wonderful stories. But it does mess up the continuity of several TV series and a dozen feature films. The Deep Space Nine episode “Trials And Tribble-Ations” even had the DS9 crew interacting with the characters in the 1960s series!
Plenty of Trek episodes dealt with time travel before DS9, but “Trials And Tribble-Ations” is the first to show characters traveling back to the events of a previous series; in a way, it serves as a prototype for the direction the new movie franchise would take, dipping in to the nostalgia of the original series while still maintaining its own voice. The plot here is largely an excuse to let the crew of DS9 interact with some of their “heroes,” as the episode uses footage from the classic original-series entry “The Trouble With Tribbles” intermixed with matching footage from the present. The effect is hugely entertaining, allowing the show to both mock and pay homage to the flaws and wonders of its predecessor. As a bonus, “Trials” also introduces the Department Of Temporal Investigations, a group dedicated to maintaining the internal logic of history. They mostly serve as a framing story, but the existence of the department is a helpful reminder that time travel and the shenanigans that result from it are an integral part of the franchise.
The A.V. Club counts 14 other instances that time travel threw the Star Trek universe off-kilter. They always manage to “set things right” by the end, but who knows what changes they made in their timeline that the characters will never realize?
(Image credit: Nick Wanserski)
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Comments (0)
It would be nice to bed down beneath unknown stars just once in my life.
It wasn't that long ago that missionaries en route to Africa or wherever would pack their belongings in a coffin, knowing their remains would either return in that same coffin or be buried where they died. Granted, their mission was a bit different than any would be Mars traveller, but the drive to pioneer is pretty strong, no matter the mission.
Most (all) of the engineering and technology is already available for a two-way trip.
But if it had to be a one way trip, I volunteer Chaney or Bush or both (but preferably the destination should be Pluto just to be safe).
Let's put it this way: If the guys running NASA were in charge of the western expansion following the Louisiana Purchase, we'd still be on the east side of the Mississippi.
I've thought for years that I'd take that step and go to Mars, the moon or wherever given the chance.
I hope you're the patient type.
We all pretty much decided we would go for it.
I'm a pretty solitary man. If I thought my sacrifice would pave the way for the future, I'd do it. Spend my last days in a nursing home or spend them seeing things no one has ever seen before? There is no question.
Oh, I agree whole-heartedly! I've also debated the finer points of being abducted would I go and see the Universe or would I scream like a maniac and make a mad dash for the exits. Also, being a pretty solitary guy I would also think I could use my life for better things like paving the road to Space. You put it quite eloquently! :)
In fact, if we sent all the religious freaks off this planet, the more peaceful this planet will be.