Top 10 things Star Trek needs to revisit in the 32nd century...
Love it or hate it, Star Trek Discovery has delivered to fans a whole new and largely unexplored era of Star Trek.
I feel like as a life long Star Trek fan since I was a small child drinking earl grey tea because "That's what Captain Picard drinks", I think I have earned the right to enjoy whatever Star Trek I want and still criticize the shows. Star Trek Discovery has had a lot of problems in my opinion. I don't hate the show. I love it in a way because it is more Star Trek. I have some problems with how the narrative has been handled over it's 5 seasons, but over all I can enjoy it where and when I want.
If there is one think Star Trek Discovery did do...it was finally push the story FORWARD. I don't know what it is with Hollywood but they sure are sometimes scare to go forward in a story. I don't know why but it feels like prequels and reboots are all they ever make. How many times is a sequel a spin off or a prequel that doesn't "really" push a narrative forward. Don't get me wrong, I love Star Trek Enterprise and the Kelvin timeline films. But when they first announced Discovery, I was so disappointed that we were getting another prequel. We hadn't seen what has happened in the timeline past Voyager, DS9, and TNG since 2002! It had been almost two decades and we didn't know what happened past the 24th century! We got Entertprise and Kelvin visiting the 22nd and 23rd centuries. When Discovery was announced to be a show set before TOS I was so sad we weren't getting a new show set in a further date!
(Eventually we got Star Trek Picard sure...but that was years later, and it still largely focused on close to post-TNG era with just a few continuations of the TNG and Voyager crews. Seasons one and two of Picard barely showed the Federation at all. It didn't push too far into the future either, and other than Picard and Seven we got little updates on anyone as of S1-2.)
Now eventually, as any viewer of Disco knows...the show retconned and course corrected HARD. In one of the most Star Trek Technobabble ways, they massively dropped the premise of the show and pushed Discovery a millennia into the FUTURE! This was huge...unprecedented. The latest we had even seen glimpses of so far in the Star Trek lore were traces of the 29 - 31st century. There was 31st century Temporal Agent, Daniels and the 26th century Enterprise J in Enterprise. There was the 29th century starship Relativty in Voyager. There was the future time traveling ships we saw in TNG (A Matter of Time) and Enterprise (Future Tense) We have seen tiny glimpses of Star Trek's future, but nothing detailed and absolutely nothing this far in the future. This was in a way...where no one had gone before!
For the first time we are getting not only a detailed look at the distant future of the Star Trek timeline, but we are going farther than ever before: New technology, new designes, new problems, and new places. I was excited for this.
Now in some ways...I think the writers of Disco reallllllllly played this new setting safe. The Burn was in my humble opinion a pretty "stupid" plot. It's cause was stupid and underwhelming. It was a dumb way to make it so that Star Fleet wasn't "too far advanced" by this time. It was a lazy way to keep it familiar in some ways. I think it was ridiculous that Starfleet was still using warp vessels in this era. I think it was lazy writing to have Breen and Orions still be antagonists. Discovery's crew became too familiar far too quickly with the current technology. I think it is ridiculous that they were all able to just pick up and keep going so quickly. After a 1000 years of history and technology evolution...Starfleet gives them a crash course and their ship is sent back out? I think focusing on familiar really held Discovery from trully exploring this new era. They should have been a fish out of water much longer, and shared a sense of "discovery" (no pun intended) with the audience.
HOWEVER, in some ways I think they were really brave and clever to build this new lore, writing new events pushing Star Trek forward where it had never gone yet. Some examples I think is showing what happened to certain races like the fact that eventually Vulcan and Romulas reintegrated into one planet and people. That was cool, and it was cool to see "what came of various people and plots". In Season 5 of Discovery we see another singh / data era android proving eventually more are made. Most impressive is the moving forward of the Ship design. If there is one thing 32nd century Star Trek where they knocked it out of the galaxy was in Starfleet ship design of the era is the coolest thing we have seen on screen in Star Trek. Those ships look COOL.
Which is why I want to pitch that the next Star Trek show be a whole new cast and ship set in the 32nd century. This era has WAY TOO MUCH unexplored. Having a ship and crew that was MEANT to be in this century, could really feel fresh, where as Discovery always felt literally and narratively shoe-horned in. No prequels. No prequel-turned time travel sequel. Just fresh unhindered Star Trek in the new era. There is so much left to explore in the 32nd century, and I want a new show to focus on answering so many questions. The best parts of this new setting has been learning basically "what became of whatever".
(*Edit We have gotten confirmation and enws surrounding Starfleet Academy. It is officially 32nd century set with returning Discovery and even Voyager character(s). This show presents the perfect opportunities for everything on this list)
This list and admittedly long intro is building to what 10 things I would like to see explored in the 32nd century.
10. More 22nd Century Enterprise and 32nd century Crossover.
Thanks to THAT name drop in the finale of Star Trek Discovery...(spoilers if you haven't seen it yet) We now know what happened to Agent Daniels in the distant future of 32nd Century. Dr. Kovick reveals he IS Agent Daniels. While Discovery makes it pretty clear that most of the time travel technology was destroyed or banned after the Temporal Wars were over...that doesn't mean this can't happen. If I were to pitch a future Star Trek show set in the 32nd Century...I would love to do more crossovers with Enterprise. Enterprise and Daniels were always connected...and I would love to see 32nd Century Daniels do "One More Mission" with Archer. How amazing would it be to see an older Archer standing on the bridge of the "32nd-Century Enterprise" I want a time travel story with Dr Kovick/Daniels on one last mission with Archer and the crew of whatever show is set in this hypotectical. Perhaps they could continue with the abandoned Enterprise Season 5 story where Archer at one point travels to the future to become the "Future Man who talks to the Suliban". Fans of Enterprise never got the closure they want, and I know many of us want a Season 5, "Picard style" revist to the Enterprise cast of characters. Now that we know that Daniels is still alive in the 32nd Century...bringing back Scott Bakula and friends for one last mission would be amazing.
9. "Somehow the Iconians have returned"
Season 5 of Discovery focuses on the Progenitors introduced from TNG. Season 4 also introduced another super-advanced mysterious species with 10C. So, I completly understand why having the Iconians show up again in Discovery would have felt far too similar to these story lines and feel redundant. They would have felt less special. However...in a future 32nd century show...I would like to learn something. In season 4, we get a very interesting and exciting name drop. In Season 4, Admiral Vance, When Starfleet is discussing anyone with the technology to build something like the DMA, he name drops the "surviving members of the Iconian Empire". This confirms one thing and one thing only...The Iconians are still alive, somewhere, somehow. This wasn't a reference that the Iconians built it in the past, as their technology does have a knack for ridiculous longevity, but that they were still around. Sometime between the 24th and 32nd century Starfleet makes contact with this long lost civilization. This is a story that needs to be told! They can't just set up something so core to TNG lore, and do nothing with it. I realize that the Iconians play a big part in STO but that’s beta canon at best. There needs to be a story told about the Iconians in a future show.
This was a MCU level name drop...to ignore it would be a CRIME.
8. Let's really talk about Warp.
Sometimes Star Trek drops absolutely game changing Lore and then just...never talks about it again. Things that should be just insanely important in universe...are never revisited on screen. Star Trek never on screen addresses how or even directly "that" Starfleet and all these races "fixed their warp drive". TNG had an episode where it proved Warp drive was destroying subspace...ships were given a speed limit and it is just never really ever fully addressed again. The Warp limit is mentioned in passing once or twice again. IRL, Voyager's tilting nacelles were "supposed" to be a in universe way to fix it...it's never really ever brought up again that "bad warp drive" hurts space. It is a storyline that is completely abandoned. There still is a version of warp drive that is "bad"? What about all the lesser advanced species developing wrap drive for the first time? What about all the other alien factions? Plenty of ships don't have "tilting nacelles". There should be an entire story line about how Starfleet amends the Prime Directive to teach new warp species about how to build the "good kind of warp drive" After all the bad warp drive hurts space permanently. Why bring all this up? Because in the 32nd Century...Warp still matters...for some reason?
I have mentioned many times that I think it is really odd that Starfleet is still using Warp in the 32nd century. Regardless of bad vs good Warp...Faster technology had been experiemented with and even partially successful way back in the 24th century. For me...It is really odd how Discovery just glosses over how Starfleet still uses warp in the 32nd Century. Whatever happened to Quantum Slipstream, Warp 10, Transwarp, Temporal Displacement Drives, Catapults, Space Folding, and all the Faster Than Warp tech we see in other shows? In 800 years they couldn't make ANY OF THEM viable? I need more details why Warp was still viable in such a distant future. Shouldn't Warp have been archaic old propulsion?
Discovery in season 5 finally addresses this awkward point in a casual name drop sort of way by saying Starfleet is rolling out something called the "Pathway Drive". They even discuss how they are discontinuing any further research on the second generation Spore Drive. The Pathway drive is so good that the Spore drive doesnt warrent further study? We are nerds...I need to know what the Pathway drive is and how it works in universe. A future set show could give us more nerd lore about the Pathway drive.
7. Galactic Exansion. Delta and Gamma Quadrants vastly more explored.
In someways, Discovery takes some exciting risks in telling us "what happened" to some races after so long. Seeing how Romulans and Vulcans eventually reintegrate their cultures and share a planet is incredible. Seeing how the Kelpians and the Ba'ul evolved into a Warp culture and settled their differences was incredible. These are narrative efforts that really show how entire cultures evolved over a 800-1000 year period. These are narrative points that really helped make the new setting worth it to viewers and feel like an unexplored era. Star Trek is about discovering new things, and if you don't want to leave the galaxy itself, then the next best way to offer "fresh exploration" is to show new eras. Where I felt Discovery played it too safe is we never really see much of the rest of the galaxy in the 32nd Century. We get only these passing comments about some species we know, with no updates on them. We got name drops of Q and the Krenim. What has happened in the distant parts of the Delta and Gamma Quadrants remain a mystery. The Kazaan were pretty primitive in Voyager, but it has been 800 years since. How have they evolved? So much would have evolved in these distant parts of the galaxy, there are so many stories to be told.
6. The Voth
Whatever happened to the Voth? They were super advanced in the 24th century. Speaking of game changing lore that is never revisted, By the time of the 32nd Century...something should have come up from that Story Line. Did they ever move past their superstitions and wish to reintegrate with their human cousins? The lack of Voth in the 32nd century is very dissapointing. Seeing as how Discovery had a spore drive...I feel like it was a wasted opportunity to have them do so little actual exploring; that I would like to see resolved in a future show. Being from the past, they were the perfect ones to give 32nd century updates on so many parts of the galaxy. The Voth are similar to the Iconians, Progentitors in that they have HUGE implications to the greater Star Trek lore...that deserve way more than a single episode. In Star Trek lore... Earth officially had TWO sentient evolve on it!? The Voth evolved from Dinosaurs into a space fairing civilization and left Earth before Humans arrived. That is way too cool of a story to get one random episode in Voyager. In the 32nd Century era, too much times has passed that the Voth and Federation should have made contact by now. This is a story that needs to be told. Maybe the Voth made it all the way to Earth and we see a Voth colony/embassy on Earth.
5. Where TF is the Enterprise?
The 32nd Centruy Era ship design is the single best thing to come out of Discovery.
(*Edit* Upon further research for this article, I had forgotten that "the Enterprise" got a name drop in Discovery from Suru implying there is one currently around. However...I almost think that is worse than a cameo. It exists but we literally never see it. I want to see it! The 32nd century has so many cool designs for ships, I want to see more!)
The one area I can forgive, because this was "Discovery's show" is WHERE TF IS THE ENTERPRISE? That being said...The old Enterprise's make MULTIPLE appearances. Even the Voyager-J get's a little cameo in the background. So...if I could answer something about the 32nd century...it would be where is a 32nd century version of the Enterprise? Nothing against Voyager, the Defiant, or even Discovery...but Enterprise has always been the soul of Star Trek. The 32nd Century era needs an Enterprise appearance.
4. Blink of an Eye Part 2
This would be such a F***ING cool episode or plot point, and would be the first thing I would pitch for a show set in the 32nd century. Follow up on the aliens from one of Voyager's best episodes...Blink of an Eye. In that episode there is a species whose planet exists in a temporal differential. We see them progress from primitive to space fairing in just the show time that Voyager is trapped in orbit. This species could be set up to do so many incredible things. Now they were already devloping technology to counter their plaents effects...but who knows what they did with that. After 800 years of our time...it could have been probably millions or billions of years for them, even if they controlled it. I want someone to write a crazy follow up for them. Maybe they are these weird super evolved non-corporeal beings now? Plot Twist...they were the Q all along? I want wierd floaty cloud people on weird crystal glowing space ships. I need someone more creative than I to come up with some crazy cool story to have happened to them. So much time could have passed for them, that we need to know what became of them. It's too late now...but THEY could have been Species 10C... The possibilities for them are endless. Other than maybe a few...we don't really have too many examples of a species that could be that old and still around.
3. Old Enemies turned Allies - Species 8472, Borg, Cardassians, Dominion, Xindi, etc...
It has been 800 years since the Dominion War... and despite a "Dominion War" name drop...ZERO mention of the actual Dominion in this time. What is going on with one of Starfleets biggest and darkest past enemies? Are they still around? Are they still in power? Did they collapse? Are they now old enemies turned friends? One of my favorite themes in Star Trek is the evolution of enemy to friend over time. There is this fundamental idea in Trek...that given enough time and enough diplomacy, any species can learn to get along. Star Trek isn't supposed to be "about war". It is a dream, of a Utopian future. Romulans, Xindi, and Klingons are all huge past enemies of starfleet that over time...became close allies. I would have liked to see more 24th century enemies visibly IN THE FEDERATION. I wanted to hear a character in passing be like "oh them? Yeah they were bad guys whens you knew them...but they've been federation members since X century. The Dominion Wars were such a long time ago..."
To draw a fun a fun parallel to Earth history. England, Germany, Japan all are distant enemies of the United States turned allies. Plucking someone from the past when they are at war and have them have a conversation with someone from the modern era would be interesting. Michael Burnham literally helped start a war with the Klingons...and there is nothing given to her reactions to the Klingons becoming close allies to the federation over the centuries. The Federation and the Klingons fought side by side in the Dominion War...and we never see their reaction to this history. Michael Burnham would be like a World War II soldier learning about NATO, Germany and Japan being close allies with America ironically against Russia and China. Discovery skips past all the crew learning about the 800 years of history and that was a disservice. Their stories about this should have been told.
It has also been 800ish years since variants of the Borg split off from the collective. There are the freed Borg from the Unimatrix Zero story line, and the new "enlightened Borg" from Star Trek Picard Season 2. In 800 years...have the Borg evolved at all? Are any of them more peaceful? I think it would be really cool to see an evolved Borg of the 32nd century. No longer bent on assimilation, but a more Utopian society of cybornetic individuals. Their members join volluntarily. They have evolved a sense of individualty and unity. They could draw parallels with like the Vulcans of the 32nd century finding balance between logic and emotion, the Borg could find balance between unity and individuality. See how cool a "good guy Borg" with a 32nd century cube could be. Picture a Cube that is an advanced "floaty" assembly of mini cubes to emulate the newer design of 32nd ships. Turning the Borg into allies by the 32nd Century would be the PEAK example of this philosphy of Star Trek.
I just keep thinking about Picard's great speech to Shinzan on Nemesis, about his dream of all worlds and all races coming together in friendship. Picard's dream could be more realized in this era. I want to SEE a Species 8472, Jem'Hedar, Cardassian, and a Borg all each walking casually down the halls of a Starfleet ship. This is true Star Trek. By the 32nd century, more peace and treaty's and Federation members needs to be shown.
2. DS9, Sisko, Bajor and Cardassia
I would have liked to have seen an entire season devoted to a DS9 follow up, but I would take a story arc in a future 32nd show. When Discovery went to the "badlands" in Season 5, I was super dissapointed that we get no mention of Bajor, Cardassia, DS9 or the Gamma Quadrant/Wormhole. How incredible would it be to see a 32nd "silver and floaty" (for lack of a better description) version of DS9? I think getting confirmation that DS9 still exists in this era would be really cool for DS9 Fans. Did Sisko ever come back? Is he still some immortal timeless Wormhole alien still alive in the 32nd century?
Maybe Cardassia and Bajor at some point experienced a similar -symbiotic and healing over time to Vulcans and Romulans. It would have been cool to see how those two cultures blended and moved past over the 800 years. I wanted to see Bajor and Cardassia both as Federation member worlds. Star Trek has a great theme of cultural evolution. DS9 focused so much on the cultural damage and trauma of these two cultures; it would be truly beautiful to see them as friends and allies; their past a distant but learned lesson. IRL we live in a day of great division. Star Trek set up Bajor and Cardassia for this great cultural hurt. Showing that time healed all wounds would go far in today's world. Show us a Cardassia that has mellowed and grown kinder. Show us a Bajor that is healed and has forgiven the Carassian ancestors.
1. Long Lived Characters - What became of them? Soji? Data? Guinan? Q? the Doctor?
Star Trek has some long lived characters that we know could have a high likely hood of being still around during this time. I felt it was such a wasted opportunity to have absolutely NONE of them show up in Discovery.
(*Edit As of after the time writing this I have seen the finale (and yes... one character kind of makes an appearance (Daniels)... It was cool. But I wanted more, and want to see more in a new show)
(*Edit As of after the time writing this, news just dropped that my number one wish will be coming true after all with the Doctor reprising his role in the 32nd century set Star Trek Starfleet Academy)
Yes, some people say there was too much call back, and I am not saying we needed to have an MCU's worth of cameos. But NO ONE shows up? I think it would have been so cool to see at least one cameo in three seasons of someone still alive from the other shows. Daniels doesn't even really count! He is just "still alive"; he was from the distant future already. Perhaps someone like Data would have taken up too much spot light...but I would have really liked to see that he is still alive. He has been killed off and brought back a few too many times...that it would be ridiculous to kill him off again right? Why not let him be alive in the 32nd century? There are more characters I would have liked to see reappear like the Voyager's Doctor would still be alive and possibly even still practicing medicine. If I were to cast a 32nd century tv show, I would want Robert Picardo to come back and reprise his role as the Doctor. Have him be a 800 year old AI, complete with name and still practicing Medicine on a 32nd century ship. He would also be a perfect person to discuss changes over the years since...he witnessed them. If we have a new 32nd century cast...we need someone to benefit the audience and point out or talk about changes.
"Back in my day I remember when the Hirogen hunted people" "Shh Grandpa that's not nice to say!"
What about Q? What about Soji from Star Trek Picard? I never liked how they just completely wrote her out and forgot about her by Picard S3. She doesn't even get a name drop when Data is brought back again in Season 3 She could have been brought back as a guest. I would think someone would have told Data about her. She was a "special" kind of android...so we don't know if she could live this long...but maybe?
What about Guinan? I don't belive it is ever explicitly stated how long her species can live but considering how she was back on Earth way back to meet Mark Twain...why not have her still alive? I want a new show to just give us at least ONE character who is still alive from the 22-24th century. Bringing back 23rd century characters in the 24th century shows made for some of the best story lines, and I think this could work again. Why create these long lived species and characters and never show them?
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