What was "The Burn" and what caused it?

[Gingerbread Demon]

Nearly as bad as Prime Spock watching Vulcan go boom from a planet that shouldn't give him such a view.

But despite it all I love Discovery. I loved season 1 and season 2.

 

[Yistaan]

The Burn = Burnham

In a galaxy full of alien languages, that only works in English.

 

[ED-209]

I can't imagine the burn having anything to do with Bajor, it would leave a sour taste in new viewers mouths if it were ancient gods from a previous show.

The Burn = Burnham

Far more likely, and cringlingly predictable if true.

In a galaxy full of alien languages, that only works in English.

You give the writers to much credit in thinking they would care about that.

 

[fireproof78]

The Burn = Burnham

Oh, wait, you're serious?

 

[Oso Blanco]

Oh, wait, you're serious?

After two seasons of Discovery, yes ... I am serious. And don't forget: V’dresh = Federation.

 

[fireproof78]

After two seasons of Discovery, yes ... I am serious. And don't forget: V’dresh = Federation.

Ok, so by this logic V'Dresh=the Federation, the Burn affected the Federation, therefore the Federation is Burnham?

Yeah, I don't follow this at all.

 

[Yistaan]

After two seasons of Discovery, yes ... I am serious. And don't forget: V’dresh = Federation.

The word Federation probably could be said as is by aliens, to distinguish it from whatever generic words for "alliance" "republic" etc. they have in their language, as the United Federation of Planets would be a distinct entity from those generic words.

The same can't be said for a burn, which would literally translate to things on fire in alien languages.

You give the writers to much credit in thinking they would care about that.

Well, one of the writers from Season 2, Boey, grew up in 5 different countries so I'd like to think it'd at least cross her mind, but I guess you might be right too.

 

[NCC-73515]

I hope they reveal it earlier and don't drag it out like Spock and who the angel is last season

 

[Yistaan]

It just occurred to me that if the Burn had just affected the Federation, then another race like the Klingon or Borg or even the Dominion would have just taken over. The fact that from what we can tell Booker is not a Borg or a Klingon slave or worships the Founders seems to indicate that no one has taken advantage of the Federation's downfall. That means the Burn affected all cultures in the galaxy, not just the Federation.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

And don't forget: V’dresh = Federation.

we actually have no idea if "Calypso" has ANYTHING at all to do with DSC season 3.

I mean, in "Calypso", the Discovery has been adrift for centuries without a crew, and of course this doesn't apply to S3...

So if the V'draysh have anything at all to do with the Federation, it can't be the Federation as the Discovery crew encounter it in S3...it must be a thousand years after that (assuming S3 was ever written to take "Calypso" into account, which is by no means a certain thing).

 

[Yistaan]

we actually have no idea if "Calypso" has ANYTHING at all to do with DSC season 3.

I mean, in "Calypso", the Discovery has been adrift for centuries without a crew, and of course this doesn't apply to S3...

So if the V'draysh have anything at all to do with the Federation, it can't be the Federation as the Discovery crew encounter it in S3...it must be a thousand years after that (assuming S3 was ever written to take "Calypso" into account, which is by no means a certain thing).

Correct. From what we can tell so far, Calypso takes place at the earliest at the year 4187, while Discovery Season 3 takes place in 3187. This is due to the fact Calypso outright says Discovery was adrift for a thousand years, while Season 2 clearly shows Discovery time traveling to 3187, not sitting around in the 23rd century waiting for the next thousand years.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

I really am starting to suspect that "Calypso" was written way, way before whatever writers and showrunners DSC happened to have that week, would have any idea as to how it would all turn out. Certainly a long time before Season 3 as it stands, was ever thought of.

So who knows. "Calypso" may happen, it may never happen, it may all be revealed as Zora's hallucination, it may be something completely different. We have no idea.

 

[Yistaan]

I really am starting to suspect that "Calypso" was written way, way before whatever writers and showrunners DSC happened to have that week, would have any idea as to how it would all turn out. Certainly a long time before Season 3 as it stands, was ever thought of.

So who knows. "Calypso" may happen, it may never happen, it may all be revealed as Zora's hallucination, it may be something completely different. We have no idea.

It doesn't help that Calypso was written by Michael Chabon, who is far more involved with Picard than anything Discovery related as far as I know. The only thing Calypso does is sort of prevent Discovery from being destroyed at the series finale I guess. Unless they incorporate the thousand year drifting somehow.

But how will the show end with Calypso in continuity? The show ends with everyone abandoning Discovery? Or Discovery ends up going back to the Federation (how most Trek shows have ended), and we have to assume the Federation collapses yet again after Season 3 and sends Discovery adrift?

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

But how will the show end with Calypso in continuity?

Doesn't have to.

For all we know, DSC could ultimately end in a way that blatantly contradicts "Calypso" and everything in it.

Like I said, "Calypso" was written at a time where there were so many people behind the scenes getting hired, fired, rehired, etc. that whatever were the original plans for it, could have long since been abandoned by now.

The simple fact is, DSC is under no obligation to reference "Calypso" in any way, and if (as seems likely) it never does, there's not a damn thing anyone can do about it.

 

[hbquikcomjamesl]

I see there appears to be no reference to it in Memory Alpha or Memory Beta.

I have this vague recollection of a reference to "The Burning" (by name) in some science fiction novel (ST?, SW?, Pournelle? maybe even HC?) as an excruciatingly painful torture method known to every species advanced enough to have energy weapons, in which a low-power energy weapon is used to slowly burn the victim, from the extremities inward. I can't recall where, though.

As to Trump winning a second term, that would be a possible Mirror Universe origin story.

 

[Yistaan]

After thinking about the trailer, the cause of the Burn suddenly seems obvious. In the trailer

Spoiler

Burnham and Booker have a kiss. Since all of Burnham's relationships seem to go bad in this show in overly dramatic fashion, don't be surprised if Booker is really an evil warlord who singlehandedly caused the Burn to take over the galaxy, and Burnham has to tearfully vaporize him (but not after blasting a hole into his chest Dr. Crusher style first).

 

[Noname Given]

The Burn = Burnham

32nd century historian:
"Well you see, this red angel type being appeared and..."

 

[AlanC9]

The word Federation probably could be said as is by aliens, to distinguish it from whatever generic words for "alliance" "republic" etc. they have in their language, as the United Federation of Planets would be a distinct entity from those generic words.

The same can't be said for a burn, which would literally translate to things on fire in alien languages.

It could still work if the process had enough time. English-speaking humans use the term long enough to forget the etymology, various language groups drift toward using a single term for convenience, and eventually everyone ends up going with what they think was a fire metaphor but actually wasn't.

Not endorsing it, just saying it isn't impossible.

 

[TPezz]

With a time travelling angel suit, there is really no reason why Discovery couldn’t be left adrift in 3187, only for Burnham to travel another thousand years in the suit, open a new worm hole, and bring the ship back, with Zora being fully evolved.

 

[Unimatrix Q]

I can't imagine the burn having anything to do with Bajor, it would leave a sour taste in new viewers mouths if it were ancient gods from a previous show.



Far more likely, and cringlingly predictable if true.



You give the writers to much credit in thinking they would care about that.

What about the Mirror Universe, Section 31, the Thalosians and the appearance of Boreth, an obscure klingon planet known only from a single TNG episode?