What very small plot (or plot detail) would make for an interesting Star Trek story?

[Cryogenator]

Some of the big ones that come to mind...

Dyson Sphere.

Licensed stories have briefly explored multiple Dyson spheres (including the one Picard discovered), but not nearly enough. Realistically, they would become central to the Federation and other civilizations.

"Miri" Perfect copy of Earth

The Cry of the Onlies is a licensed sequel to both "Miri" and "Requiem for Methuselah." Preserver and Forgotten History also return to Earth 2.

Space Rome

Yes, I would expect the Federation to revisit and attempt to establish diplomatic relations with all parallel humanities (whether from Hodgkin's law of parallel planetary development or ancient transplantation).

I wrote a fan fic years ago about Nazi World developing warp and getting out into space, somewhat mirroring the NX-01 voyage, but through the lens of... Nazi's.

Did you publish this online?

Isaac Asimov's "Living Space" depicts an encounter with a Nazi-ruled parallel Earth.

Second the Dyson Sphere. Set an entire series exploring one.

That would be far too radical and interesting for the screen, but a novel series could potentially be commissioned. Unfortunately, I think they want to mostly ignore the Dyson spheres because they would completely transform galactic civilization by making planets much less relevant.

There are so many 'gamechanging' technologies that are never seen again....

To give just an example, take Unnatural Selection from TNG. When it's possible to use the transporter to revert someone's medical condition to a previous state (with the help of a single cell in a hair follicle), I wonder whether it would be possible to use that technology for periodic rejuvenation by storing cells of everybody.

Then again that's not necessarily an angle I would love to explore from a narrative point of view.

Ha! That's exactly why we never see these technologies used to their full potential: the established narrative conventions require holding back the phlebotinum.

The ability to instantly dissemble and reassemble whole bodies with atomic or subatomic precision would mean the end of all disease and aging as well as nearly all death from physical trauma (or literally all if restoring from an archived pattern), but the transporter actually exists only because traveling by shuttlecraft in each episode of the original series was deemed too expensive and slow.

 

[The Wormhole]

That would be far too radical and interesting for the screen, but a novel series could potentially be commissioned.

Not these days. What few Trek novels there are now are tie-ins for the current shows or TV series era TOS and TNG.

 

[Citiprime]

The ancient humanoids responsible for seeding the existence of humanity and possibly all humanoid life in the Milky Way galaxy.

I always thought it's an interesting idea that's also highly problematic, since it basically hinges on throwing out a good bit of scientific understanding about evolution and accepting that "intelligent design" exists within the Star Trek universe. Except, instead of a "god" being responsible, ancient astronauts pushed everything towards a humanoid form. I mean imagine what a science textbook looks like after TNG's "The Chase" and that piece of info gets dropped into the geological record. They have to explain that Charles Darwin left out the part about aliens wanting intelligent life to resemble them, so that's the reason for the basic human body form.

I do think it's an interesting idea that could be played around with, as far as making connections within the larger universe.

• Actress Salome Jens played both the Ancient Humanoid and the Female Founder, with both having somewhat of a resemblance to the other. I do remember a fan theory that wondered whether there was some connection between the Ancient Humanoids and the Changelings. That possibly the Ancient Humanoids were the ones who originally oppressed the Changelings, billions of years ago, scattered them across the galaxy until they were able to reform a society as the Dominion, and caused their hatred of "solids"?
• If so, that would put another layer on top of the Dominion War, where the Changelings' attempt to control and "bring order" to the galaxy is ultimately an act of vengeance against their oppressors' "children."
• Another idea I've seen thrown out there is the possibility the Ancient Humanoids evolved into the Changelings, and so the Dominion War becomes an act of rebellion against our ancient progenitors whose message and philosophy in "The Chase" has been corrupted and twisted into thinking of themselves as deities who have ultimately come to despise their own creations.
• Per Memory Alpha, while not canon, Ron Moore had the idea the Ancient Humanoids were the Preservers from TOS' "The Paradise Syndrome."
• How do the Ancient Humanoids fit with the other "old ones" in the Star Trek universe? Do they have any connection with the Organians or even the Q? Could they have some connection to the Supervisors that Gary Seven works for?

 

[Farscape One]

The ancient humanoids responsible for seeding the existence of humanity and possibly all humanoid life in the Milky Way galaxy.

I always thought it's an interesting idea that's also highly problematic, since it basically hinges on throwing out a good bit of scientific understanding about evolution and accepting that "intelligent design" exists within the Star Trek universe. Except, instead of a "god" being responsible, ancient astronauts pushed everything towards a humanoid form. I mean imagine what a science textbook looks like after TNG's "The Chase" and that piece of info gets dropped into the geological record. They have to explain that Charles Darwin left out the part about aliens wanting intelligent life to resemble them, so that's the reason for the basic human body form.

I do think it's an interesting idea that could be played around with, as far as making connections within the larger universe.

• Actress Salome Jens played both the Ancient Humanoid and the Female Founder, with both having somewhat of a resemblance to the other. I do remember a fan theory that wondered whether there was some connection between the Ancient Humanoids and the Changelings. That possibly the Ancient Humanoids were the ones who originally oppressed the Changelings, billions of years ago, scattered them across the galaxy until they were able to reform a society as the Dominion, and caused their hatred of "solids"?
• If so, that would put another layer on top of the Dominion War, where the Changelings' attempt to control and "bring order" to the galaxy is ultimately an act of vengeance against their oppressors' "children."
• Another idea I've seen thrown out there is the possibility the Ancient Humanoids evolved into the Changelings, and so the Dominion War becomes an act of rebellion against our ancient progenitors whose message and philosophy in "The Chase" has been corrupted and twisted into thinking of themselves as deities who have ultimately come to despise their own creations.
• Per Memory Alpha, while not canon, Ron Moore had the idea the Ancient Humanoids were the Preservers from TOS' "The Paradise Syndrome."
• How do the Ancient Humanoids fit with the other "old ones" in the Star Trek universe? Do they have any connection with the Organians or even the Q? Could they have some connection to the Supervisors that Gary Seven works for?

I used to always think the Progenitors evolved into the Changelings. But I like your idea of them simply enacting vengeance on their 'children'.


I have another idea... from "TIME'S ORPHAN". That artifact... who built it? Is it related to the people that made the Guardian of Forever?

 

[NCC-73515]

Spoiler

 

[evilchumlee]

Yes, I would expect the Federation to revisit and attempt to establish diplomatic relations with all parallel humanities (whether from Hodgkin's law of parallel planetary development or ancient transplantation).

It should really a MUCH bigger deal than it is. ESPECIALLY given that regular Earth humanity is "special" and essentially dominates the galaxy. You would think some of these OTHER Earth humans would be roughly on par. Maybe not the transplant ones, but the Hodgkin's Law types... although then again, they may not have had the exact secret sauce that made humanity so dominant.)

Did you publish this online?

Probably somewhere. It was like 20 years ago. It honestly probably wasn't that good.

As much as I recall of it, they had built their version of the Pheonix of something analogous to a V2 rocket and then build something much closer to like, a space U-Boat to get out there. The story revolved around them specifically going out to try and contact the Federation again, and in the process end up on an alien trade hub where they're disgusted by all the aliens, but try to deal with it long enough when they get a lead of potentially being able to buy a salvaged Exclesior and further jumpstart their interstellar space program.

I had plans for the Federation to eventually get wind of it and bring the hammer down hard, but it would have eventually led to a "Typhon Pact"-type organization... but comprised of some of the kind of one-off, oddball planets like Space Rome, Gangster Planet, etc. It was always intended to be somewhat shlocky.

I've always wanted something like a true, "Anti-Federation" in Trek to be a foil for the Federation... a coalition of worlds that generally stands against the Federation's ideals. The Dominion never quite scratched the itch.

 

[fireproof78]

They have to explain that Charles Darwin left out the part about aliens wanting intelligent life to resemble them, so that's the reason for the basic human body form.

Um, why? Even Darwin noted that some discoveries in thr future could upend his theory, do I don't see the issue. Science is about observing, experimintation and duplication of results not explaining why past scientists got something wrong.

 

[Citiprime]

Um, why? Even Darwin noted that some discoveries in thr future could upend his theory, do I don't see the issue. Science is about observing, experimintation and duplication of results not explaining why past scientists got something wrong.

It's not that scientists got something wrong, or a knock against Darwin. It's that (to me) to put the equivalent of intelligent design into Star Trek is a goofy addition to the "science" of the universe.

To me, and admittedly maybe this is only me being too selective in what I find goofy since it's also a universe where the Q can snap their fingers and make things happen, but if you think of Star Trek generally as an atheistic universe where secular humanist values and kinda believable "science" is the basis of the Federation's/Starfleet's appeal to reason and rational thinking (especially when Kirk was out there trying to get people to stop worshiping Apollo and all of those computers masquerading as false gods), that to then drop in the ancient astronaut hypothesis for the origin of humanity seems a little off to me.

I've tended to dislike any time the show has tried to provide an alternate version of Earth/human history. It's part of the reason I really dislike the Voth from Voyager and the idea that "oh yeah, a sapient dinosaur society existed millions of years ago."

 

[fireproof78]

It's not that scientists got something wrong, or a knock against Darwin. It's that (to me) to put the equivalent of intelligent design into Star Trek is a goofy addition to the "science" of the universe.

To me, and admittedly maybe this is only me being too selective in what I find goofy since it's also a universe where the Q can snap their fingers and make things happen, but if you think of Star Trek generally as an atheistic universe where secular humanist values and kinda believable "science" is the basis of the Federation's/Starfleet's appeal to reason and rational thinking (especially when Kirk was out there trying to get people to stop worshiping Apollo and all of those computers masquerading as false gods), that to then drop in the ancient astronaut hypothesis for the origin of humanity seems a little off to me.

I've tended to dislike any time the show has tried to provide an alternate version of Earth/human history. It's part of the reason I really dislike the Voth from Voyager and the idea that "oh yeah, a sapient dinosaur society existed millions of years ago."

Yeah, I don't see the issue. To me, it's just new information gained from exploring the universe.

I don't understand the push back against intelligent design if there is evidence to support such a discovery.

 

[Rowdy Roddy McDowall]

No.

Dinklage tends to universally reject parts that are specifically for little people.

Post-Tyrion. At least it was a quality part. He got to smack Joffrey twice in the pilot.

 

[Citiprime]

Yeah, I don't see the issue. To me, it's just new information gained from exploring the universe.

I don't understand the push back against intelligent design if there is evidence to support such a discovery.

It's just a matter of preference and opinion. And if other people like it, great.

I just think it's a fantastical element which doesn't fit the tone of the fictional universe.

It's not as extreme, but if all of a sudden you explained that Sauron and the Orcs were really aliens that came to Middle-Earth in spaceships from the future in a Lord of the Rings story, that would "just be new information gained from exploring the universe" but it would be jarring and a weird add-on.

 

[fireproof78]

It's just a matter of preference and opinion. And if other people like it, great.

I don't like it or dislike it. It just is.

It's not as extreme, but if all of a sudden you explained that Sauron and the Orcs were really aliens that came to Middle-Earth in spaceships from the future in a Lord of the Rings story, that would "just be new information gained from exploring the universe" but it would be jarring and a weird add-on.

That would be awesome.

I just think it's a fantastical element which doesn't fit the tone of the fictional universe.

In a universe with Q, souls, Greek gods, good and evil halves, and humans able to reproduce viable offspring with aliens the idea of some measure of intelligent design is a bridge too far?

 

[Citiprime]

In a universe with Q, souls, Greek gods, good and evil halves, and humans able to reproduce viable offspring with aliens the idea of some measure of intelligent design is a bridge too far?

In an atheistic fictional universe, where its creator specifically used stories to show how "gods" weren't really gods and didn't really do the things that stuff like intelligent design attributes to them ... Yes.

GENE RODDENBERRY: "Star Trek speaks to some basic human needs: that there is a tomorrow — it's not all going to be over with a big flash and a bomb; that the human race is improving; that we have things to be proud of as humans. No, ancient astronauts did not build the pyramids — human beings built them, because they're clever and they work hard. And Star Trek is about those things."​

 

[evilchumlee]

• Another idea I've seen thrown out there is the possibility the Ancient Humanoids evolved into the Changelings, and so the Dominion War becomes an act of rebellion against our ancient progenitors whose message and philosophy in "The Chase" has been corrupted and twisted into thinking of themselves as deities who have ultimately come to despise their own creations.
• Per Memory Alpha, while not canon, Ron Moore had the idea the Ancient Humanoids were the Preservers from TOS' "The Paradise Syndrome."
• How do the Ancient Humanoids fit with the other "old ones" in the Star Trek universe? Do they have any connection with the Organians or even the Q? Could they have some connection to the Supervisors that Gary Seven works for?

Star Trek Online runs with the the Ancients being the Preservers as well.

I do find that whole thing to be interesting and would absolutely be into a tie-in to future/present in Trek.

One of the only issues I have here is that the Dominion isn't THAT old, so for it to have a direct connection with the Progenitors seems odd. There were few billion years inbetween... and countless empires that had risen and fallen.

I don't think everything needs to be related... it's a big galaxy/universe, but some things definitely could be.

I like the idea of something like The Watchers being somewhat related... but perhaps more of an organization drawn from multiple groups. It's not just borne of one single thing, they're a group of people from civilizations that have achieved incredible levels of power, with some varying levels. You get your kind of standard supervisor who is, for all intents and purposes, just a "normal" person with access to advanced technology. But then you have the Traveler and Wesley Crusher types who transcend space/time.

Might be interesting to explore the relationships between some of the incredibly powerful beings like that, Q, Organians, Watchers, etc. I feel like they would all have some sort of relations, although exactly how they overlap is unclear. Like in PIC S2, you have a problem set in motion by Q, and the crew gets assistance from a Supervisor, but the two are somewhat separate things. The Supervisor never attempts to actively confront Q, or THE Q directly, she just tries to fix the issue at hand. Although that might be out of her pay grade, left to OTHER beings in the organization.

Sort of on that track, i'd like to see more about why Earth is SUCH a magnet for interference. Some things we know why, some we don't. But the amount of just... things happening to Earth is nuts. We know of Romulan time travellers, El Aurians living there, the SNW long-live aliens living there, Redjac, the Greek God aliens, at least two Supervisors, pre-First Contact Vulcans. We know of several groups of humans who were abducted. Everyone has such an interest in Earth. I understand the time travellers, but there's so many others. What's so damn special about Earth?!

EDIT

Thread tax kind of, it will never happen on-screen, but... the Eugenics Wars. I want to see a full-on, alternate timeline from the real world, 1990's Eugenics Wars. My magnum opus, personal worldbuild exercise is constructing an intricate 20th/21st century Trek timeline, fully fleshed out.

 

[Farscape One]

I don't see how the Progenitors from "The Chase" is too wild an idea. These beings are shown as just really, really advanced and that they seeded worlds with genetic designs. Simply put, not gods... just advanced. Like the Prophets... Bajorans view them as gods, but they aren't. They are simply more powerful than corporeal beings. (And they CAN be killed by corporeals with chroniton beams.)

Just like the Q... "DEATH WISH" established that they simply have ultra sophisticated technology.

In short, STAR TREK remembers one of Clarke's laws: any sufficiently advanced technology will be indistinguishable from magic.

Q, Apollo, Trelane... and the Progenitors.

 

[fireproof78]

In an atheistic fictional universe, where its creator specifically used stories to show how "gods" weren't really gods and didn't really do the things that stuff like intelligent design attributes to them ... Yes.

GENE RODDENBERRY: "Star Trek speaks to some basic human needs: that there is a tomorrow — it's not all going to be over with a big flash and a bomb; that the human race is improving; that we have things to be proud of as humans. No, ancient astronauts did not build the pyramids — human beings built them, because they're clever and they work hard. And Star Trek is about those things."​

So...seeding life takes away human accomplishment...how?

And if that's the objection why not object to "Tattoo" as well?

 

[evilchumlee]

I don't see how the Progenitors from "The Chase" is too wild an idea. These beings are shown as just really, really advanced and that they seeded worlds with genetic designs.

Yeah, not only are they not gods, it also doesn't REALLY mess with evolution... all they did was seed the basic genetics. Evolution still very much shaped things.

Simply put, not gods... just advanced. Like the Prophets... Bajorans view them as gods, but they aren't. They are simply more powerful than corporeal beings. (And they CAN be killed by corporeals with chroniton beams.)

Just like the Q... "DEATH WISH" established that they simply have ultra sophisticated technology.

That wasn't exactly established. Quinn just suggested the Q aren't omnipotent.

The philosophical question to ask is... what IS a "god"? Because even human mythological standard, alot of these beings could easily fit the bill of "god".

 

[Cryogenator]

A single humanoid species seeding the galaxy with humanoid life templates is far less fantastical than reproductively compatible humanoids spontaneously evolving on hundreds of worlds in the same galaxy around the same time.

 

[Farscape One]

Yeah, not only are they not gods, it also doesn't REALLY mess with evolution... all they did was seed the basic genetics. Evolution still very much shaped things.





That wasn't exactly established. Quinn just suggested the Q aren't omnipotent.

The philosophical question to ask is... what IS a "god"? Because even human mythological standard, alot of these beings could easily fit the bill of "god".

Regarding what Quinn said...

He said (I'm paraphrasing here) that Voyager would look magical and godlike to a world of primitives, and it was no different than with how the Q are seen. It's basically the same lesson Picard was trying to teach the Mintakans in "Who Watches The Watchers". And while I agree it is more an implication, what else could he be implying?

 

[fireproof78]

Regarding what Quinn said...

He said (I'm paraphrasing here) that Voyager would look magical and godlike to a world of primitives, and it was no different than with how the Q are seen. It's basically the same lesson Picard was trying to teach the Mintakans in "Who Watches The Watchers". And while I agree it is more an implication, what else could he be implying?

Hopefully to not take the Q so seriously and that their whole "humanity on trial" business was a sham.

Also, that Lucius guy says hi.