What was "The Burn" and what caused it?

[SJGardner]

Well, I don't know if I like the revelation of the cause yet, but at least

Spoiler

the part where it would all be destroyed in a chain reaction after a burst centering on a planet-sized source was actually plausible for me. As long as it's not a time-travelling Discovery, I'm happy.

 

[fireproof78]

It could have been worse. A lot worse. At least it wasn't Burnham inadvertently causing it with her time travel.

Honestly, I find it so nice and otherworldly that it makes me quite happy for this cause. Everyone was like "Oh, Burnham caused it" or "Discovery caused it" and I'm like, "Well, if that's the case then yeah they should find the next forbidden time ship and fix it."

But, this cause is very mythic in its scope and completely unpredictable so how do you go and fix it when the occurrence was so unpredictable?

 

[YellowSubmarine]

Everyone was like "Oh, Burnham caused it" or "Discovery caused it"

I just remembered something and had a very disappointing thought:

Spoiler: the revealed cause of the burn

It is possible that when Burnham threw her angel suit back through the wormhole to self-destruct, it travelled back in time and detonated in the core of the dilithium planet a century ago, causing the Burn; or merging with / transforming the child into the monster and causing the Burn.

So on that possibility, I don't think we're out of the woods yet.

 

[Jadeb]

Remember that time a human child got X-men like super powers in TOS or Kirk's best friend got god-like powers in TOS?

This is the problem with Discovery’s insistence on the season-long mystery box. WNMHGB really isn’t about “how did Gary Mitchell get these powers?,” and if it were, it would be terribly unsatisfying, because there’s no good answer. The plot device is just a plot device. But Discovery’s approach makes the plot device into a lynchpin that largely decides whether the season works or not.

 

[Discofan]

I wonder if the solution to the burn will be to make it never have happened (through time manipulating stuff).

 

[fireproof78]

I just remembered something and had a very disappointing thought:

Spoiler: the revealed cause of the burn

It is possible that when Burnham threw her angel suit back through the wormhole to self-destruct, it travelled back in time and detonated in the core of the dilithium planet a century ago, causing the Burn; or merging with / transforming the child into the monster and causing the Burn.

So on that possibility, I don't think we're out of the woods yet.

Doubtful.

 

[Iconian]

The writers could have made "the burn" a natural occurrence or even the result of the Kelpian ship's careless exploration of the planet, but nope, they had to associate it with the tantrums of a grown up mutant "child". Go figure!

 

[fireproof78]

The writers could have made "the burn" a natural occurrence or even the result of the Kelpian ship's careless exploration of the planet, but nope, they had to associate it with the tantrums of a grown up mutant "child". Go figure!

And that's...bad?

 

[Krandor]

I wonder if the solution to the burn will be to make it never have happened (through time manipulating stuff).

yep and they already introduced the guardian of forever they can use.

 

[arch101]

I'm figuring the trauma of the mother dying is what caused him to make The Burn happen?

 

[Discofan]

I'm figuring the trauma of the mother dying is what caused him to make The Burn happen?

Well, then the solution is to go back in time and prevent the mother from dying!

 

[fireproof78]

I mean, but that's against Gene's vision. Death is just accepted.

 

[Hando]

I do not know what you are talking about, it is totally Burnham's fault.
Need I remind you that it was her who called the Discovery to Kaminar. It was her that allowed the Kelpians and the Ba'ul to normalize their relationship. Without her there would be no Kelpians outside of Kaminar

Spoiler

and as such there would no Kelpian child on a dilithium planet.

Alright the Burn is explained, this was a one in a million situation, makes me wonder about all the timelines/universes, where this exact situation did not occur.
Also, now we have to resolve the bigger issue, just how was there a shortage of dilithium? Since the late 23rd century the dilithium amount would basically decrease only in cases where a ship was destroyed. So what would cause the scarcity, there were more ships built than the dilithium was mined?

 

[Fateor]

I do not know what you are talking about, it is totally Burnham's fault.
Need I remind you that it was her who called the Discovery to Kaminar. It was her that allowed the Kelpians and the Ba'ul to normalize their relationship. Without her there would be no Kelpians outside of Kaminar

Spoiler

and as such there would no Kelpian child on a dilithium planet.

Pretty much, it was her time traveling that caused everything.

Alright the Burn is explained, this was a one in a million situation, makes me wonder about all the timelines/universes, where this exact situation did not occur.

Also, now we have to resolve the bigger issue, just how was there a shortage of dilithium? Since the late 23rd century the dilithium amount would basically decrease only in cases where a ship was destroyed. So what would cause the scarcity, there were more ships built than the dilithium was mined?

Bad writing.

 

[fireproof78]

Bad writing.

That solves that. I trust this ends all discussion?

 

[137th Gebirg]

Let’s hope...

 

[Enterprise1701]

Well, no one guessed it.

Spoiler

mutant Kelpian child with super powers caused the burn. Something about being on planet made of dilithium and radiation or something changed him somehow. I didn’t quite get it exactly. Technobabble!

I quit Trek.

This is actually the most trash explanation for the biggest catastrophe to befall the Federation ever.

Agreed.

 

[F. King Daniel]

We were all waaaaaaaay off

 

[plynch]

This is the problem with Discovery’s insistence on the season-long mystery box. WNMHGB really isn’t about “how did Gary Mitchell get these powers?,” and if it were, it would be terribly unsatisfying, because there’s no good answer. The plot device is just a plot device. But Discovery’s approach makes the plot device into a lynchpin that largely decides whether the season works or not.

I coudn't have cared less about finding the cause. Especially when rthe writers have shown me the fed didn't really care that much. They've had 100 years, and DSC solves it in . . . a month? Whatevs, I didn't care.

Just show DSC in the future, it's a lawless, anarchic time and they go about righting wrongs or interfering with Elphaba villain and it builds to a big climactic thing for a cliff hanger. "OH NO, that's too episodic, can't do that, it's too out of date."

 

[Futureisbright]

Well, then the solution is to go back in time and prevent the mother from dying!

Or to go back in time to when the kelpians were still slaves and keep it that way, or go back and use a genesis weapon on kaminar to stop the kelpians even evolving.