Daystrom Ins. & the Future of Spore Drive?
- Thread starter shapeshifter
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Most of my OP is about someday resurrecting the SD post Nemesis. The back story could be it took that long to overcome problems associated with humanoid interfaces, by perfecting an AI interface.
The question here is, how do they handle the existence of the SD in Discovery's time without damaging or destroying the tech beyond repair until it can be salvaged later in the timeline? *
I'm thinking, depending on the fate of Stamets, political drama among the upper echelons of Starfleet. If Stamets dies or loses his mind then there will be those opposing it's use BUT will the Military be content to leave it on the shelf? Will, as David said, the scientists be pawns of the military in this occasion? We know, for better or worse, Section 31 is probably going to be involved in this story too so there is another level of intrigue to consider.
The point here is creating some background which hints at why Daystrong started the project in the first place. Perhaps he went off the rails because he got a little too close to the SD experiments... ?
* So it's bombshell question time. Supposing the stars align perfectly and it is someday announced a new series is happening post Nemesis in the timeline. Details of the new series include the return of the Spore Drive as.... the primary way Starfleet now powers its exploration vehicles effectively eliminating Warp Drive!
What say you - yay or nay?
^ Considering TNG already did the "warp drive damages the universe", one would assume they would look at "new" ways to go FTL.
I still say Discovery ends up in a time beyond Nemesis before the series ends. And they'll deal with all these things.
How about there is a detrimental effect on the crew that is so gradual they don’t realise it for several years. The Glenn crew was splayed open and whatnot - maybe that’s what happens with spore drives only on the disco it’s way more gradual. So it’s like an allegory for smoking or drug use or something - it’ll eventually kill you (I know I’m reaching but other than destroying it I can’t think of another reason why it was never used again - unless 31 co-opt and then subsequently classify it which would be a huge cop out).
Personally I hope Stamets lives - I like him. But maybe they can do a timeline reset where Burnham uses the spore drive to jump back in time and save him? Because why not Burnham?
Or the SD spurred him on to become even better than he was before (in daystrom’s mind anyway)
I'll just jump in here and point out that I'm really liking the idea of Carl Lumbly playing Daystrom. 
Thing is, Carl Lumbly is 66 while William Marshall was only 43 when he did The Ultimate Computer. I think Carl Lumbly might be a bit too old to play Daystrom a decade younger than he was in The Ultimate Computer.
We have no idea how old Daystrom himself was in that episode. The character doesn't have to be the same age as the actor.
They said he was 24 when he made his breakthroughs a "quarter of a century" ago. So, that would put him around 49-ish in "The Ultimate Computer". Not an exact quote, but I know it's in the episode. I'll find the exact line and time-stamp later (not today) if someone else doesn't.
The actor who plays him, William Marshall, was born in 1924. So... a 43 or 44-year-old playing a roughly 49-year-old. Not that bad. Five years either way isn't that noticeable.
Someone who's in his 60s playing someone in his 30s, on the other hand, would be noticeable.
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I'll just jump in here and point out that I'm really liking the idea of Carl Lumbly playing Daystrom.
Yeah, I should stopped there but ended up over thinking the topic.
Nothing some extra makeup and tight acting couldn't overcome.