Spoilers Star Trek: Discovery 5x10 - "Life, Itself"

[Phoenix219]

the walkway with the planets made me think of a level-select menu, and the whole thing made me think of a create-your-character function in a game. If there is any truth to Simulation Theory, extrapolated to Star Trek, it almost makes sense lol. (Especially with so many higher-entity species operating on other planes.) Just stuff I'm randomly thinking about.

Also, I think that Genesis is way more powerful, it created planets/biospheres, while the Progenitors just found the tech, and seeded worlds, which I'm assuming takes millions/billions of years to develop, rather than instantaneously. Then again, they did say they could clone L'ak at will, just with no memories. An interesting diversion, that may open more questions then it answered, while complicating things a bit.

 

[Kamen Rider Blade]

Also, I think that Genesis is way more powerful, it created planets/biospheres, while the Progenitors just found the tech, and seeded worlds, which I'm assuming takes millions/billions of years to develop, rather than instantaneously. Then again, they did say they could clone L'ak at will, just with no memories. An interesting diversion, that may open more questions then it answered, while complicating things a bit.

I believe the Progenitor recording stated that they intended for the creatures to take millions / billions of years to evolve.

The tech can let you program / choose how fast it grows / evolves.

 

[Macintosh]

Also, I think that Genesis is way more powerful, it created planets/biospheres, while the Progenitors just found the tech, and seeded worlds, which I'm assuming takes millions/billions of years to develop, rather than instantaneously.

Even allowing for Genesis to be stable in some circumstances – the cave on Regula seemed to be more stable than the Genesis planet, after all – it doesn't seem to create any animal life, much less sentient life. And it may be that there's no way for something like Genesis to work stably on the scale of entire planets.

It may also be a deliberate choice on behalf of the Progenitors – rather than designing everything about a planet and biosphere themselves they start with just the most essential starting materials and let nature take its course. It's almost... infinite diversity in infinite combinations.

 

[137th Gebirg]

The novelization had a slightly different take on it. It’s been 40 years since I read it, but as Saavik was exploring other areas of the cave (it was much bigger than we were shown), she heard growling off in the distance, as if she was being stalked by some unseen predator. The implication was that Genesis could also create advanced animal life. Probably left this out of the script for budgetary reasons.

 

[Phoenix219]

and with no extra programming, it was still able to both restore Spock and evolve the microbes. At the very least, both technologies are hacking and manipulating dna from an absolutely base level.

 

[Macintosh]

The novelization had a slightly different take on it. It’s been 40 years since I read it, but as Saavik was exploring other areas of the cave (it was much bigger than we were shown), she heard growling off in the distance, as if she was being stalked by some unseen predator. The implication was that Genesis could also create advanced animal life. Probably left this out of the script for budgetary reasons.

and with no extra programming, it was still able to both restore Spock and evolve the microbes. At the very least, both technologies are hacking and manipulating dna from an absolutely base level.

SAAVIK: "If equipment is functioning normally, indications are... an animal lifeform."
ESTEBAN: "You said there wouldn't be any!"
DAVID: "There shouldn't be any."

Later:
SAAVIK: "But how could they have evolved so quickly?"

Even later:
SAAVIK: "This planet is not what you intended, or hoped for, is it?"

Dialogue in Star Trek III: The Search For Spock makes it clear that animals were not supposed to be created by Genesis, and that neither Saavik nor David understand exactly how they evolved, only that they could apparently be traced back to microbes on Spock's torpedo casing.

 

[137th Gebirg]

Well, yeah, the TSFS screenplay clearly didn't recognize that small little bit in the TWOK novelization. It was probably in an early draft of the script (from which novelizations usually derive) and was dropped either because it was irrelevant to the story or it would have cost too much to film (or both). By the time TSFS came around, it was forgotten by all concerned.

 

[Mr J]

Very late to this party - I thought it was an ok season finale. It made sense. It all worked. The epilogue was what it was - a rushed series finale add-on.

What I do respect is that the series ended as the series it was - this episode was basically everything fans of it love, and everything that haters hate. DISCO as a show out and proud about what it is, and what it isn't - and this season, I think they really settled on a balance of what it is.

The plot was workmanlike, but ultimately not about that - it was about the connections between the main characters. Complete with hugging and everything. It sure had spectacle throughout. Fun ride - again, all very DISCO.

I'd rate this as somewhere in the better quarter of DISCO episodes - it didn't wow me, it didn't offend me. I enjoyed watching it, and thats all I've ever really asked... good show. I do think it had at least one more season in the tank.

 

[Char Kais]

Also, the "Fullerverse" tended more towards weird magical realism stuff than sci-fi, which was a sensibility he tried taking with him with the bonkers stuff that he wanted to introduce into Star Trek (like the spore drive).

I agree with your overall assessment, but you are wrong about the spore drive.

The spore drive was not Bryan Fuller's idea.
The mycelial network and fungus spores were about terraforming, not space travel.

There many differences between Bryan Fuller's concepts and what we actually got in season 1.

The Tardigrade was supposed to be an intelligent alien crew member.

The design of the bridge and uniforms was more inline with TOS:

 

[cooleddie74]

I wish they'd gone with that.

 

[Phoenix219]

I wish they'd gone with that.

at least you can tell by looking at it, what franchise its supposed to be.

no one is saying they wanted identical TOS sets, but something truly inspired by them would have been nice.

 

[fireproof78]

The design of the bridge and uniforms was more inline with TOS:

That is ugly and the lighting is absolutely awful.

at least you can tell by looking at it, what franchise its supposed to be.

no one is saying they wanted identical TOS sets, but something truly inspired by them would have been nice.

Just use the USS KELVIN if that's what you want.

I'd rate this as somewhere in the better quarter of DISCO episodes - it didn't wow me, it didn't offend me. I enjoyed watching it, and thats all I've ever really asked... good show. I do think it had at least one more season in the tank.

Exactly. People expecting something different are going to be disappointed.

I got what i expected from Discovery and enjoyed it and Michael's last ride.

 

[Phoenix219]

That is ugly and the lighting is absolutely awful.


Just use the USS KELVIN if that's what you want.


Exactly. People expecting something different are going to be disappointed.

I got what i expected from Discovery and enjoyed it and Michael's last ride.

I have watched that movie exactly once, 15 years ago, but I remember liking the Kelvin and its designs a WHOLE lot more then what we get later. I don't remember the details, but the vibe was definitely more Prime/TOS friendly, and if DSC or the reboot movies had stuck with that design, i would have been a lot more open to them. (I know that sounds funny, considering i have watched all of discovery, and i don't dislike it, but i watch it through the lens of a complete 23rd century rewrite after FC/ENT, which allows me to stop nitpicking it.

 

[fireproof78]

I have watched that movie exactly once, 15 years ago, but I remember liking the Kelvin and its designs a WHOLE lot more then what we get later. I don't remember the details, but the vibe was definitely more Prime/TOS friendly, and if DSC or the reboot movies had stuck with that design, i would have been a lot more open to them. (I know that sounds funny, considering i have watched all of discovery, and i don't dislike it, but i watch it through the lens of a complete 23rd century rewrite after FC/ENT, which allows me to stop nitpicking it.

That's fair.

 

[James Cole]

The design of the bridge and uniforms was more inline with TOS:

Source for that? Would be great to see more

 

[fireproof78]

Source for that? Would be great to see more

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[Char Kais]

Source for that? Would be great to see more

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[Phoenix219]

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seeing those side by side is striking. I would have definitely prefered the original concept.

 

[Ray Hardgrit]

Personally, I think the blue uniforms are a better match for that dark and imposing bridge design. It's not a place for bright primary colours.

 

[Phoenix219]

Personally, I think the blue uniforms are a better match for that dark and imposing bridge design. It's not a place for bright primary colours.

The Blue uniforms could have been a really cool bridge between ENT and TOS to be honest, but the show would have needed to be set around the turn of the century for that to have fit properly.