"Balance of Terror" is a touchstone for the Discovery story arc

[Kevin Wolff]

And if they had just said it was a reboot, they wouldn't have people giving themselves massive coronaries when the inevitable massive contradictions happen.

True, this is kind of like a model for what you do when your property has become mired in its own continuity. Take the cool, stuff, eject the rest (for now). Just like with comics. They rebooted Superman in 86 to get out from under all the Crisis-era continuity, but within 5 years the character's old continuity started to seep back in. Rinse and repeat over the years. It will be the same with Trek. For now it will be mostly new. The next series will get more nostalgic and so on.

 

[Mudd]

True, this is kind of like a model for what you do when your property has become mired in its own continuity. Take the cool, stuff, eject the rest (for now). Just like with comics. They rebooted Superman in 86 to get out from under all the Crisis-era continuity, but within 5 years the character's old continuity started to seep back in. Rinse and repeat over the years. It will be the same with Trek. For now it will be mostly new. The next series will get more nostalgic and so on.

Pretty much all this right here, yep.

 

[Kemaiku]

Well, in the Discoverse there's no reason that Discovery can't have a face-to-face encounter with the Romulans.

One subspace message from an Admiral at the end of the episode ordering them to hush up the incident, delete the sensor logs and they get to keep their jobs, should take care of it.

I doubt it being so close to the Blalance of Terror incident that Starfleet Intelligence isn't already intently monitoring the Romulans during Discovery's mission anyway. They did say Section 31 or a variation of it might get involved.

 

[Ryan Thomas Riddle]

Touchstone in this context could mean anything. Most likely he's referring to the tone, action, suspense, bit of day in the life, etc that Balance of Terror brought to the show. Doubtful he's going to use the Romulan War, for all the reasons mentioned. Besides, who's to say that the Romulans aren't out and about in the Balance of Terror because of something the Discovery and her crew did?

My feeling too is that he's referring to the tone, etc. rather than the Romulan War or anything else.

 

[Captain of the USS Averof]

But what about Fuller's other comments that "there's an incident, an event in the history of Starfleet that has been talked about [in a previous Star Trek series] but never fully explored"? Can't that event be in "Balance of Terror"?

 

[CorporalClegg]

So in the Discoverse, the events of Balance of Terror happen when Pike or April is captain?

Fascinating.

 

[Captain of the USS Averof]

In the Discoverse the events of Balance of Terror happen during Barry Gibb's captaincy.

 

[BillJ]

But what about Fuller's other comments that "there's an incident, an event in the history of Starfleet that has been talked about [in a previous Star Trek series] but never fully explored"? Can't that event be in "Balance of Terror"?

If it comes from "Balance of Terror", it would have to come from Sulu and Stiles concerns about infiltrators.

I tend to think the divided arrowhead from early on means "Number One" is going to have some kind of divided loyalties. So it would fit with the lines from "Balance of Terror". It would also fit Fuller's many ranks comment.

 

[indranee]

This is yet another one of the Fuller-pulls where he mentions something in TOS-Prime by name and then fans get excited and jump up and down and then he says - guys, I was only referring to the "idea" of it, not THAT ACTUAL person/event etc.

Yeah. I know better now after the "Number One fiasco".

 

[cultcross]

Touchstone in drama just means "I like those themes".

Might have nothing to do with Romulans.

I think this, myself. The two specific productions that have been mentioned as influences are Balance of Terror, and The Undiscovered Country. That says to me political intrigue, ships-as-submarines, and themes of enemies finding common ground. Worth noting that racism is a factor in both, as well.

If it is Romulans specifically, I hope they get rid of the idea that the two sides haven't seen each other prior to the TOS era. Lots of convoluted convenient avoidances is too restrictive when the 'loss' is a throwaway point in one episode (the racism towards Spock could have happened without this 'secret', so it was all for one reveal shot).

So in the Discoverse, the events of Balance of Terror happen when Pike or April is captain?

What made you think that? It says the events would be a 'touchstone' not that they would happen during the show.

 

[BillJ]

If it is Romulans specifically, I hope they get rid of the idea that the two sides haven't seen each other prior to the TOS era. Lots of convoluted convenient avoidances is too restrictive when the 'loss' is a throwaway point in one episode (the racism towards Spock could have happened without this 'secret', so it was all for one reveal shot).

I agree that it should be dropped. But a reboot would've made the idea moot.

 

[cultcross]

I agree that it should be dropped. But a reboot would've made the idea moot.

This is why the 'Prime timeline prequel' thing annoyed me. I realise anything can be ignored, anything can be worked around. But with this franchise, why cause yourself the headache? You know you'll spend years having people say "I think you'll find...." over minutiae, and it's so much easier just to say 'meh, different continuity'.

 

[CorporalClegg]

What made you think that? It says the events would be a 'touchstone' not that they would happen during the show.

I was kidding.

 

[Mudd]

This is why the 'Prime timeline prequel' thing annoyed me. I realise anything can be ignored, anything can be worked around. But with this franchise, why cause yourself the headache?

Three or four months of buying a little peace and goodwill from the rabid oldTrek hounds, before the premiere.

Some folks will be angry later, but not enough to affect the show's success.

 

[cultcross]

I was kidding.

Hard to tell these days . Maybe if we get rid of gender on the member profiles and instead have that much more fundamental quality, your opinion on Discovery.

 

[Kevin Wolff]

If it comes from "Balance of Terror", it would have to come from Sulu and Stiles concerns about infiltrators.

I tend to think the divided arrowhead from early on means "Number One" is going to have some kind of divided loyalties. So it would fit with the lines from "Balance of Terror". It would also fit Fuller's many ranks comment.

Interesting. The guy from Ain't It Cool News said when he asked her rank and they said Lt. Commander, he also said that Fuller leaned over and whispered "but she'll have many ranks". Could Subcommander be one of them?

 

[David.Blue]

I see no reason to view "touchstone" as having anything at all in any way to do with the plot. One of the things coming to my mind is how we sensed the crew were a group of individuals with lots of individual lives--the suspicion of Spock, the presence of someone from a family who'd served Starfleet for generations, the looming marriage of two crew members, etc.

 

[Kevin Wolff]

Three or four months of buying a little peace and goodwill from the rabid oldTrek hounds, before the premiere.

Some folks will be angry later, but not enough to affect the show's success.

Even the haters will watch. I remember a guy in my art class in 1988 talking about now much TNG sucked. I would defend it and he would trash it. However, in his trashing, you could tell he was not only watching the series, but memorizing details about every episode. After awhile, I filtered out his negativity we went on to discuss each episode in detail like regular fans.

 

[indranee]

That's what called an informed hater

 

[Kevin Wolff]

Exactly. He even picked up details I missed. I was the less-informed fan