Speculation: The Federation’s Missing History

[CalypsisWitness]

We all know the “Big Four” — Earth, Vulcan, Andoria, and Tellar. The official story says they came together in 2161 to form the Federation.

But what if that’s not the *whole story*?

I’ve been thinking about how history gets written. Empires, alliances, even utopias… sometimes there are gaps, omissions, things deliberately forgotten.

What if the Federation’s founding had a chapter we never hear about?

Just putting this out there as a thought experiment — curious how others feel about the idea that Federation history might not be as complete as we assume.

 

[Nerys Myk]

We all know the “Big Four” — Earth, Vulcan, Andoria, and Tellar. The official story says they came together in 2161 to form the Federation.

But what if that’s not the *whole story*?

I’ve been thinking about how history gets written. Empires, alliances, even utopias… sometimes there are gaps, omissions, things deliberately forgotten.

What if the Federation’s founding had a chapter we never hear about?

Just putting this out there as a thought experiment — curious how others feel about the idea that Federation history might not be as complete as we assume.

Considering the time gaps between ENT and DISCO we know it's not complete.

 

[Shawnster]

Real world - anything is possible. Whatever TPTB want they do. If they want to squeeze 12 more wars and 47 species that either went extinct or are major players we've never heard of, they can. Those who feel continuity was violated can go pound sand. Never feel constrained when telling a good or even mediocre story.

In universe? Might be an entertaining exercise. Is there anything in continuity that states the founders are limited to the big 4? Might we squeeze in another war? My head canon is humans and Kzinti fought 4 border wars with the last one happening the same time the Federation was formed. These were border brush wars similar in scope and impact to the Korean and Vietnam conflicts.

We don't know when contact was made with the Trill and Betazoids. Were they around since the beginning? Joined shortly after? Deltans? Did all Earth (and non-human) colonies immediately join or be included at formation or did they need to join separately?

When was Babel established as a neutral diplomatic location and why?

Vulcan and Andor were involved in some kind of cold war before the formation of the Federation. How tense were they in those first years after formation?

 

[CalypsisWitness]

You’re right — continuity in Trek always leaves space for what isn’t said. The Kzinti wars especially feel like one of those pieces that doesn’t fit neatly into the “big 4” story. Makes me wonder how many other conflicts or alliances got smoothed over in the official version of Federation history. Do you think the Federation founders really wanted everyone to remember all the messy parts?

 

[F. King Daniel]

The Kzinti. If you've read Ringworld, you know how they were dealt with in the Known Space universe, and I struggle to imagine how Trek could have done it much differently. Imagine the Federation sitting on a world of unhinged predators which cannot stop themselves launching (futile) wars, drugging them, domesticating them... it goes against Trek's ethos but how else do you deal with space-faring aggressors among the Federation's core worlds?

 

[CalypsisWitness]

Yeah, that’s the tension — Trek usually finds a way to talk an enemy down or reframe them as misunderstood, but the Kzinti don’t really allow for that. If the Federation ever faced a species that couldn’t be reasoned with, would that force Starfleet to compromise its ideals, or would the history books just leave those parts out? It feels like one of those gaps in the record we’re never really meant to see.

 

[knightgrace]

If the Kzinti exist, then the puppeteers do. Then any four-two to fifty-two year old human can become a Protector stage human...

Imagine if Riker, became a Protector stage human at forty- three...

 

[CalypsisWitness]

Protector Riker? He’d never stop trying to out-strategize Picard and still find time to charm half the quadrant. Would Trek even survive that energy?