Spoilers Star Trek: Discovery 5x06 - "Whistlespeak"

[The Wormhole]

Asteroids is a game people still play today despite being considered "primitive" compared to modern video games. No reason to think it'll disappear in the next eleven hundred years.

Besides, the whole point was a visual reference, something the audience can look at and instantly recognize, jump up and be like Ryan George saying "that's Asteroids!" Goal accomplished.

 

[fireproof78]

Kovich had a 21st Century legal pad, Kirk collected antiques, Paris liked 20th Century movies/music, I don't see why Book can't play a game of Asteroids.

Indeed, yes. And people still play older games, and enjoy them. This didn't require an up to date game, necessarily.

Asteroids is a game people still play today despite being considered "primitive" compared to modern video games. No reason to think it'll disappear in the next eleven hundred years.

Besides, the whole point was a visual reference, something the audience can look at and instantly recognize, jump up and be like Ryan George saying "that's Asteroids!" Goal accomplished.

Was it not also to give something for people to complain about too?

 

[Mr Awe]

My favorite episode of the season so far! I gave it an 8.

I really enjoyed the interesting planetary adventure and the relationship between Burnham and Tilly. The father and daughter relationship was well done too. It kind of felt like an old TOS story where technology becomes worshipped and, of course, the Prime Directive must be violated!

I usually really like Dr. Culber. And I agree that after what he's been through, he should be having a spiritual awakening. But somehow his plot line didn't ring true. It wasn't terrible, just a meh B plot.

My only question is, would Discovery have been able to solve the clue without knowing the identity of the scientist who hid it? I don't see how it would've been possible!

 

[cooleddie74]

I did get reminded of Spock and McCoy attempting to get inside of and earlier Kirk trying to find his way into the Preserver obelisk and asteroid deflector on the planet Amerind.

 

[Mr Awe]

The use of an everyday retail memo pad was both ridiculous and inspired.

I love it! For a simple list of names, what more would you need?!

 

[Yistaan]

Besides, the whole point was a visual reference, something the audience can look at and instantly recognize, jump up and be like Ryan George saying "that's Asteroids!" Goal accomplished.

Fair enough, I can accept that explanation as one of the Asteroid remakes probably would've confused people (the wireframe version is the most well known)

Although I think it would've been more hilarious if Booker played a real life Trek shooter game like Elite Force or even Star Trek Online massacring a bunch of Klingons, which in Trek's world would be like playing 'America's Army' or something. Then Culber would've come by and said, "Wow you really hate Klingons, don't tell anyone but I hate them too since one killed me"

 

[cooleddie74]

See? Trek still uses paper. It's not just in "The Cage(TOS)" and in one "printout" reference in "Encounter at Farpoint, Part I(TNG)"!

 

[Yistaan]

See? Trek still uses paper. It's not just in "The Cage(TOS)" and in one "printout" reference in "Encounter at Farpoint, Part I(TNG)"!

Honestly all the Cage oddities can now be explained due to the crew having their brains messed with by the memory wiping properties of Rigel VII.

 

[Mr Awe]

I hope there is more to Cronenberg's character beyond being just a quirky and mysterious guy.

In writing, it's easier to create a mystery than a satisfying resolution.

 

[fireproof78]

Then Culber would've come by and said, "Wow you really hate Klingons, don't tell anyone but I hate them too since one killed me"

I've never trusted Klingons, and I never will. I can never forgive for the death of me.

 

[Tuskin38]

The Betazoid on the list was named Marina. Nice nod to Marina Sirtis, presumedly.

 

[Fateor]

Why were they so blatant about violating the prime directive?

Like, a giant forcefield dome keeping the "bad weather" back. There is no world where that doesn't result in bronze age culture worshiping you as gods. Which is exactly what happened.

At that point it would have been less of a problem to just secretly Terraform the entire world. Draw it out over a hundred or so years and the culture would have just chalked it up to a natural process.

 

[Yistaan]

Why were they so blatant about violating the prime directive?

Like, a giant forcefield dome keeping the "bad weather" back. There is no world where that doesn't result in bronze age culture worshiping you as gods. Which is exactly what happened.

At that point it would have been less of a problem to just secretly Terraform the entire world. Draw it out over a hundred or so years and the culture would have just chalked it up to a natural process.

Doesn't the Red Directive overrule the Prime Directive in this instance?

 

[cooleddie74]

On the other hand it seems like the perfect Denobulan thing to do. A society of generally well-meaning, outgoing and inclusive people who often go out of their way to mingle with and engage in cultural trade with other species. They have weather issues and powerful storms on their own world so when they encounter a pre-warp society on one of their trade routes they surreptitiously construct five weather control towers to help that primitive civilization along and allow it to avert a climate-induced extinction.

I wonder if this was a clear violation of the 24th century Prime Directive since the Denobulans are, we assume, longtime members of the Federation by this point? Or since the scientist wasn't a Starfleet officer it was never a problem, and Denobulan authorities never advertised it to the rest of the Alpha Quadrant, anyways?

 

[fireproof78]

Why were they so blatant about violating the prime directive?

This is a Red Directive situation.

 

[Yistaan]

On the other hand it seems like the perfect Denobulan thing to do. A society of generally well-meaning, outgoing and inclusive people who often go out of their way to mingle with and engage in cultural trade with other species. They have weather issues and powerful storms on their own world so when they encounter a pre-warp society on one of their trade routes they surreptitiously construct five weather control towers to help that primitive civilization along and allow it to avert a climate-induced extinction.

I wonder if this was a clear violation of the 24th century Prime Directive since the Denobulans are, we assume, longtime members of the Federation by this point? Or since the scientist wasn't a Starfleet officer it was never a problem, and Denobulan authorities never advertised it to the rest of the Alpha Quadrant, anyways?

Denobulans have never been confirmed to be in the Fed. Denobulan Starfleet officers have been seen but that's meaningless (Nog was a Starfleet officer after all), and in fact Denobulans open genetic engineering policies may well have had them not join the Fed. In which case, they are not bound by the Prime Directive

 

[Fateor]

This is a Red Directive situation.

I'm not talking about Burnham and her crew, I'm talking about the idiot Denobulan who set up the system instead of any number of much less convoluted solutions that wouldn't have caused the god worshiping problem.

Hell, contrary to what Burnham and crew thought, they themselves didn't actually violate the Prime Directive. Because there is a built in already referenced on screen multiple times in other Trek shows exception, for cases where a major violation has already occurred and the damage needs to be repaired. WHICH A GIANT FORCEFIELD DOME KEEPING THE "BAD WEATHER BACK" COUNTS AS!

 

[fireproof78]

I'm not talking about Burnham and her crew, I'm talking about the idiot Denobulan who set up the system instead of any number of much less convoluted solutions that wouldn't have caused the god worshiping problem.

I don't think Denboula is a Federation member. At least not confirmed, as @Yistaan notes.

 

[cooleddie74]

And it's not like even being a Federation member immunizes one from violating the Prime Directive. 23rd and 24th century Trek have plenty of examples of Starfleet officers and civilians altering the course of a primitive society's evolution just because it was convenient for them to intervene.

 

[Fateor]

On the other hand it seems like the perfect Denobulan thing to do. A society of generally well-meaning, outgoing and inclusive people who often go out of their way to mingle with and engage in cultural trade with other species. They have weather issues and powerful storms on their own world so when they encounter a pre-warp society on one of their trade routes they surreptitiously construct five weather control towers to help that primitive civilization along and allow it to avert a climate-induced extinction.

I wonder if this was a clear violation of the 24th century Prime Directive since the Denobulans are, we assume, longtime members of the Federation by this point? Or since the scientist wasn't a Starfleet officer it was never a problem, and Denobulan authorities never advertised it to the rest of the Alpha Quadrant, anyways?

It would take anyone with access to 24th century technology five minutes to design a less intrusive system then the Denobulan came up with.

Off the top of my head?

Giant replicator spitting out water/ice asteroids on a trajectory that will have them enter the planets atmosphere and harmlessly vaporize. Which would have saved the entire planet from it's desertification, and not required the giant forcefield domes to keep the rest of the planets dust storms out. And best part? Nobody would ever have known they did anything because in two thousand years or whatever when the race reaches the digital age. They will just think their solar system passed through a particularly ice filled section of the galaxy or something.

I don't think Denboula is a Federation member. At least not confirmed, as @Yistaan notes.

Which makes it even better! Because Starfleet has an even broader Prime Directive exception for correcting damage done by non-Federation members.