What was "The Burn" and what caused it?

[eschaton]

I've heard a few people say this, but I really don't see it. Is there any confirmation of a huge change in direction, or is it just the plot not following expectations?

After Berg/Harberts were fired, there was a production hiatus of a few weeks (I believe following shooting of The Sound of Thunder). Some reshoots were announced right around that time as well. At that point the season took a wide veer, with all of the pseudo-religious mystery vanishing, and the Control plot coming to the fore.

Also, originally they claimed that Spock would never appear as an adult in Season 2, and then he ends up a big character in the later half. Peck had a voice log in Brother, but some people believe it was overdubbed - that originally the scene was supposed to have just visuals.

 

[137th Gebirg]

The Red Signals were one of the worst plot schemes in Star Trek history. You can clearly tell the season was going in one direction at first and then a change of showrunners changed it all. Messy.

I've heard a few people say this, but I really don't see it. Is there any confirmation of a huge change in direction, or is it just the plot not following expectations?

It probably wouldn't have been so bad if they didn't have the first set of simultaneous signals that weren't sent by Burnham (or her mother) that kicked everything off in the first place. The second set that they followed individually were sent by Burnham before making the final jump. The origin of the first set remains a mystery. Who sent those? God? NuBSG Head Angels? TOS BSG Seraphs? Vorlons? "Where's my damn red thing?!?"

 

[fireproof78]

It probably wouldn't have been so bad if they didn't have the first set of simultaneous signals that weren't sent by Burnham (or her mother) that kicked everything off in the first place. The second set that they followed individually were sent by Burnham before making the final jump. The origin of the first set remains a mystery. Who sent those? God? NuBSG Head Angels? TOS BSG Seraphs? Vorlons? "Where's my damn red thing?!?"

One of the other Greek gods trying to find the rest.

 

[Jeff]

So, 3 episodes in,
from what we have seen so far I think we can safely rule out the Burn being the result of a Omega molecule experiment going awry, yay or nay? I also dont think that Burnham is the cause of it either, despite one ridiculous online theory ive read, that would be bad storytelling.

 

[plynch]

Which makes it exponentially more likely.

I read that theory earlier today and instant ly said Oh no out loud, because it seems so likely.

 

[Lord Garth]

I agree on both counts. It's not the Omega Particle. And only the hardest core of hardcore Fandom Menace "STD Sucks!" Burnham Haters think she had something to do with it.

 

[eschaton]

I don't particularly care, but if anything, I expect they're setting this up as a global warming allegory.

Maybe somehow all dilithium in the galaxy was linked together on a quantum level. Once a sizable proportion of it was in use at the same time, it caused a cascade chain reaction, which resulted in any warp drive being used at that moment to self-destruct.

 

[Cyrus]

We need to hear more about what happened to non-Federation dudes like Klingons or the homeless Romulans. If it's something that affected Federation only then it most likely is some kind of attack on Federation not some natural disaster.

 

[F. King Daniel]

Already a thread here. Which started off as a parody but has been full of serious theories for about the last dozen pages.

 

[Timo]

Or then, after a thousand years, the Federation is all that there is, and every Klingon, Romulan, Cardassian and Ferengi is a citizen when the Burn comes.

Apparently, both Hima and The Colony were relatively far away from Earth, far enough that a year of searching never took Burnham from Hima to Earth, say. We got Andorians there, though, even though they live basically next door to humans and Vulcans. But we also got bona fide humans there, and Coridani, so these folks travel. What to make of never seeing any Klingons or Vulcanoids or Ferengi, then? (We did see Cardassians at least.)

Timo Saloniemi

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

We need to hear more about what happened to non-Federation dudes like Klingons or the homeless Romulans.

There's an upcoming episode called Unification III, so you may get your wish on that last bit.

 

[Unimatrix Q]

My theory is that the Burn was caused by the Pah Wraiths.

https://www.trekbbs.com/threads/wha...a-or-force-of-nature-but-to-ds9.305774/unread

 

[Shawnster]

Or then, after a thousand years, the Federation is all that there is, and every Klingon, Romulan, Cardassian and Ferengi is a citizen when the Burn comes.

Still leaves the Dominion, Borg, Voth, Hirogen, Packleds, etc...

And, I gotta say, the line that all other FTL forms of travel proved ineffective made me roll my eyes.

 

[Deks]

And, I gotta say, the line that all other FTL forms of travel proved ineffective made me roll my eyes.

This, especially, when we've seen that Voyager redesigned QS drive (in 4 months no less since first encountering it with what are far more limited resources compared to the rest of Starfleet and the Federation) into version 2 (10 000 ly's per minute) essentially works (at least on a smaller craft like the Delta Flyer it did)... just needed a few kinks to be ironed out for large starships (like the phase variance and recrystalization of Benamite and increasing the speed at which its synthesized - but apparently 810 years wasn't enough to make it viable for an organization of over 150 alien species working together? Seriously, this is the kind of 'handwaving' I DESPISE).
Borg TW works (Voyager even used a Borg TW coil and has detailed scans of it).
Coaxial Warp works (Tom Paris made it work on a shuttle).
Tash's Catapult works.
Soliton Waves work (mostly - it was just 1 experiment and it increased efficiency by 400%).
Warp 10 (Infinite velocity) works too - SF technically needs to shield the people to prevent evolution.

SF in a joint operation with the Trill made a synthetic wormhole test... early stages, but give it 10-25 years and it would probably work.

But I guess they are ignoring all that completely and its very easy (read: LAZY) to say: It didn't work... even after 810 years of R&D (do people comprehend how mind bogging HUGE amount of time this is for science and technology? Even 10-20 years would be MASSIVE... nevermind a 100... or 810... heck by 810 years, those forms of drives would be so fast, small and efficient, a ship would be able to run for close to infinite amount of time with virtually no limitations and the entire UNIVERSE there for the Federation to explore) and CLEARLY seeing that the technology actually WORKS for everyone else (but not for the Federation... so sir, the Federation needs to stay as is... for fear the universe would become 'too small' - IDIOTS).

 

[Timo]

...but apparently 810 years wasn't enough to make it viable for an organization of over 150 alien species working together?

If something better than dilithium were practicable, wouldn't somebody have come up with it in 810 years?

Apparently not, since in 2150, there was nothing better than dilithium, even though many folks had been toiling on it for 810 years. The same in 2265. Or in 2370. Time doesn't appear to be of any help there.

So the only real question is, does the failure to make any headway stem from nobody wanting anything better (the reason cars have not evolved a bit in a hundred years)? Or from it just plain not being possible to make headway on this matter?

If stuff that works in a lab were practicable, it would most probably see use. If it sees no use in 2150, there's no real reason why it should see use in 2380 or 3190 or 4711, either. In a universe that catered for improvement, dilithium drives would be mere practice wheels for young civilizations that look up in envy at the adult majority driving around in their coaxials. Instead, coaxial drives are about as common as rocket-powered cars are today: perfectly doable, and indeed done on occasion, but really not worth the hassle. And only truly superior lifeforms such as maples work on solar power, and only the Borg and the Voth travel at transwarp - the latter having had tens of millions of years to get it right.

I really don't see a coalition of powers enjoying any sort of an advantage over a diverse bunch of competing powers; quite the opposite, really. But before the Federation came along and slowed down all development, it was already at halt from all the fierce competition between the powers, suggesting there simply is no room for improvement in mortal warp.

Timo Saloniemi

 

[plynch]

I agree on both counts. It's not the Omega Particle. And only the hardest core of hardcore Fandom Menace "STD Sucks!" Burnham Haters think she had something to do with it.

That is
a. inaccurate
b. extreme
c. insulting

 

[Galaxy]

I don't particularly care, but if anything, I expect they're setting this up as a global warming allegory.

Maybe somehow all dilithium in the galaxy was linked together on a quantum level. Once a sizable proportion of it was in use at the same time, it caused a cascade chain reaction, which resulted in any warp drive being used at that moment to self-destruct.

I would actually like that, however they are likely going with some Galactic level baddie.

 

[Lord Garth]

That is
a. inaccurate
b. extreme
c. insulting

I don't think you're one of those people. I'm sorry if I led you to believe I thought you were.

 

[eschaton]

I would actually like that, however they are likely going with some Galactic level baddie.

IMHO the tell here is that Michael in the last episode said a dilithium shortage started a few hundred years prior to the Burn. That would seem to suggest that there were long-term issues with dilithium use which contributed to the ultimate crisis. Otherwise why mention a dilithium shortage at all?

 

[arch101]

I was hoping it would be a natural phenomena, but, with the dilithium running out conveniently before the event itself, it's sure starting to sound man-made or deliberate.