Why wouldn't you assume that?
Spoilers Ah, the NEW uniforms...!
- Thread starter Blue Squadron
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Because change is inevitable and it's been nearly 1,000 years since the Helmsman position has existed and at least 900 years since we last saw the Conn position (which replaced the Helmsman position) existing as part of Command.
Because people don't like change and don't want the status quo messed with. Even if it might make sense to have such a distinction that ships officers all operate under the operations division unless selected specifically to be Captain of the Ship or Executive Officer.
In the absence of evidence to the contrary you have to assume things are the same though surely?
If your only reasoning for the position of helmsman changing department is 'well it's been a while' then I'd say that's insufficient.
Well, we also have evidence that that Detmer is still at the helm and in Ops yellow. So that would be evidence as well, I would think.
Thanks for that detailed and well thought out counter argument. You've given us all a lot to think about there.
There's not really anything else to say, but if you insist on elaboration, we as an audience do not have sufficient knowledge to determine that Keyla not wearing a 32nd Century Starfleet uniform with a red Command track stripe was a mistake, and just assuming that it was presumes knowledge that we don't have.
Yup.
*snicker*
I've thought for a long time security and engineering should wear different colors.
Obvs there's a sensible limit to how many colors should be in use but differentiating between command, tactical, engineering, science and medical isn't too radical, Imho.
In all honesty I’m still partial to the “monster maroons” of TWOK that had a very elaborate system of colors and rank insignia. I always thought they were pretty cool and would LOVE it if Emperor Georgiou ended up in that era and the designers did a slight update on those uniforms.
Given that security personnel aren't part of engineering in any RW navy that I'm aware of, this makes sense.
As far as which colour they should wear... Well, Security is generally part of the "Deck Department", so probably the same colour as other "deck jobs" like bridge officers and admin/support personnel. Which could be the same colour as Command, but could be a secondary colour.
When it comes to security personnel, there is a psychological component. Do you want them to be visually distinctive from the rest of the crew? Enterprise demonstrated this when the MACOs joined. Discovery has given them a distinctive uniform with black "plating" which you could justify as some kind of shielding.
Medical staff has also moved to use White to stand out. This makes a lot of sense, especially at times of war - to stand out, and to feel "comforting" and be approachable.
So Security stands out from Operations and Medical stands out from Sciences.
There were functional jumpsuits for lower ranked Engineering staff, but should Engineering be distinct from Operations?
Command has red, and flag offices have umpteen uniform variations. - So maybe uniform variations can be used to distinguish various departments which are grouped under Operations.
Medical staff has also moved to use White to stand out. This makes a lot of sense, especially at times of war - to stand out, and to feel "comforting" and be approachable.
So Security stands out from Operations and Medical stands out from Sciences.
There were functional jumpsuits for lower ranked Engineering staff, but should Engineering be distinct from Operations?
Command has red, and flag offices have umpteen uniform variations. - So maybe uniform variations can be used to distinguish various departments which are grouped under Operations.
Something else I became aware of during that last set piece scene of the Disco bridge crew assembled for Burnham:
The collar patches on the new uniforms also have department colours: the raised edges and the odd asymmetric "check marks" match the colour of the right-side body stripe, except for captains and flag officers who have gold. It's very obvious on Stamets and Adira in the line-up that sciences have a kinda metallic blue and what looks like it might be gold for the others is actually more of a metallic yellow if that makes sense). It's hard to see for sure if Culber has white or plain silver. Looking at the pic I posted above of the captain from the start of Scavengers and the officer in red standing behind her, it's kinda blurry but it looks like she has some red on the collar patch to match her red stripe.
I'll update with pics when I can find them!
The collar patches on the new uniforms also have department colours: the raised edges and the odd asymmetric "check marks" match the colour of the right-side body stripe, except for captains and flag officers who have gold. It's very obvious on Stamets and Adira in the line-up that sciences have a kinda metallic blue and what looks like it might be gold for the others is actually more of a metallic yellow if that makes sense). It's hard to see for sure if Culber has white or plain silver. Looking at the pic I posted above of the captain from the start of Scavengers and the officer in red standing behind her, it's kinda blurry but it looks like she has some red on the collar patch to match her red stripe.
I'll update with pics when I can find them!
I just re-watched that scene; Tilly is in blue all the way through -- I wonder if they realised they had missed one shot and subsequently updated the release? I agree, though, the blue on her jacket does look like slightly off and a bit "flat," compared to the others, like it was altered post-production. I still don't understand why they bothered; the red would have been fine for now.
Just a theory, but if it was just a costume error (and not something that was in the script and they decided to change later) they might have started shooting season 4 without immediately realising the mistake in this episode. Sure, they could have left the switch uncommented upon and no one would have complained (ah! sure!), but since it was a relatively easy fix they might have just decided to go ahead and change it digitally.
I haven't seen anything past Episode 10 of the season, so this is a legitimate question: did Tilly switch to a gold Command uniform after accepting the position as Acting First Officer, or did she remain in her bronze Operations uniform but simply take on the duties of the XO role?
She switched at the start of Episode 11.
^ Ok.
In that case, I would submit that digitally altering the color of her uniform stripe from red to blue is indicative of a decision by the production team to establish that her assigned division under 32nd Century Starfleet is separate from whatever duties she may have taken on as the Executive Officer of the Discovery and is a decision that they (the production team) may have made 'after-the-fact'.
Does it make said decision confusing with regards to what her role is going to be going into Season 4? I think that's an open question and one that doesn't have a definitive answer.
In that case, I would submit that digitally altering the color of her uniform stripe from red to blue is indicative of a decision by the production team to establish that her assigned division under 32nd Century Starfleet is separate from whatever duties she may have taken on as the Executive Officer of the Discovery and is a decision that they (the production team) may have made 'after-the-fact'.
Does it make said decision confusing with regards to what her role is going to be going into Season 4? I think that's an open question and one that doesn't have a definitive answer.
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