What is the significance of the number 47?

Discussion in 'General Trek Discussion' started by los2188, Sep 14, 2012.

  1. los2188

    los2188 Commander Red Shirt

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    I've always wanted to know this, but what is the significance of the number 47 in trek? I know that it's an inside type thing, but what makes the number 47 so special if at all?
     
  2. Christopher

    Christopher Writer Admiral

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    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/47_(number)
    The joke transcends Trek, also showing up in J.J. Abrams shows from Alias to Fringe (so it's an interesting convergence that he ended up doing Trek).
     
  3. alpha_leonis

    alpha_leonis Captain Captain

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    The most "amazing" (??) example of the Star Trek "47 convergence" is the respective ages of the actors who played the five captains.

    Patrick Stewart and Scott Bakula were both 47 years old at the beginning of their respective series.

    Avery Brooks and Kate Mulgrew were both 47 at the *end* of their series.

    William Shatner was 47 years old at the time of the filming of TMP.
     
  4. teacake

    teacake Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    I'm pretty sure William Shatner was bound to be 47 at some point during his Trek career.
     
  5. Tiberius

    Tiberius Commodore Commodore

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    But it could have easily been during the period when there was no Trek being made...
     
  6. Mr_Homn

    Mr_Homn Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    Topic Creator,

    You really shouldn't be asking such questions.

    [​IMG]
     
  7. Forbin

    Forbin Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    Wow, and I turned 47 in 2004 when Enterprise was in the middle of sucking the life out of the franchise.
     
  8. Christopher

    Christopher Writer Admiral

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    Here's one: The number of Star Trek main-title regulars, plus the major semi-regular crew/community members who appeared in at least 30 installments, equals 47:

    1. Kirk
    2. Spock
    3. McCoy
    4. Scott
    5. Sulu
    6. Uhura
    7. Chekov
    8. Chapel
    9. Picard
    10. Riker
    11. Data
    12. La Forge
    13. Troi
    14. Worf
    15. Crusher
    16. Yar
    17. W. Crusher
    18. Guinan
    19. Sisko
    20. Kira
    21. Odo
    22. Bashir
    23. J. Dax
    24. E. Dax
    25. O'Brien
    26. J. Sisko
    27. Quark
    28. Rom
    29. Nog
    30. Garak
    31. Janeway
    32. Chakotay
    33. Tuvok
    34. EMH
    35. Paris
    36. Torres
    37. Kim
    38. Neelix
    39. Kes
    40. Seven
    41. Archer
    42. T'Pol
    43. Tucker
    44. Phlox
    45. Reed
    46. Sato
    47. Mayweather

    Of course I had to fudge the definitions to get that result, since I had to define it in such a way as to leave out frequently recurring characters like Pulaski (who was never technically a main-title regular), Keiko, and Dukat, as well as perennial bit players like Leslie, Morn, Ayala, etc. (not to mention Porthos). But hey, that's how numerology works -- you make up the conclusion you want and cook the data to support it.
     
  9. JarodRussell

    JarodRussell Vice Admiral Admiral

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    There are 47 47-year-old virgins that one day where promised 47 virgins if they watch all Star Trek episodes and films in a row without interruption.
     
  10. T'Cal

    T'Cal Commodore Commodore

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    Supposedly, if you were to pick a random two digit number and then for a few months note how many times it and 47 come up in all that you observe, 47 will be more prevalent. All I know is, I use 47 whenever I can. I must use it 47 times a day! (That's four!)
     
  11. d'Anconia

    d'Anconia Lieutenant Commander Red Shirt

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    "47 is 42, corrected for inflation"-Rick Berman :)
     
  12. SilentP

    SilentP Commodore Commodore

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    The amount of times 47 appears in Star Trek: Online gets annoying, really beats the dead horse as a joke.
     
  13. C.E. Evans

    C.E. Evans Admiral Admiral

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    But 1 is the loneliest number...

    I also thought it was the number of things that contained the numbers 4 and 7 in Trek too...

    (for example)
    USS Voyager NCC-74656
    USS Defiant NX-72405
     
  14. Nick086

    Nick086 Captain Captain

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    :wtf::rolleyes: wow, just wow
     
  15. Delta Vega

    Delta Vega Commodore Commodore

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    47 is the amount of episodes named in the "10 worst episodes" thread. :rolleyes:
     
  16. Sector 7

    Sector 7 Vice Admiral Admiral

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    I knew one day it would happen... Today is the day I agree with JarodRussell... :guffaw::devil:

    Seriously, I do remember reading that JJ Abrams uses the number 47 in honor of his grandfather.
     
  17. T'Cal

    T'Cal Commodore Commodore

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    The Defiant's registry is NX-74205. OMG, I'm such a nerd...
     
  18. Christopher

    Christopher Writer Admiral

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    What, nobody's come into this thread about the number 47 to make a Mitt Romney joke?
     
  19. Temis the Vorta

    Temis the Vorta Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    Which proves conclusively that its all your fault. ;)
     
  20. Herkimer Jitty

    Herkimer Jitty Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    The punchline is "47 summer homes", right?