What are your controversial Star Trek opinions?

[Troi]

It's my theory that Section 31 was an attempt to keep/cultivate the non-woke Trekkies.

this is such a beautifully unhinged hot take, I love it.

"PROFIT AND LACE"... to me, the second worst episode of DS9. (Used to be worst, long ago.)

My sicko opinion is Profit and Lace is like one rewrite from being incredible. It's already very quotable.I actually kind of like it as it is even if its objectively not great

 

[knightgrace]

I'm not sure what episodes meet that criteria. (You said AND, right?)


Sometimes Star Trek is Aliens. Sometimes it is The Enemy Below.

You think that the early explorers and colonists had a sweet time?

 

[Tallguy]

I guess "or" would have worked better.
But any episode with those individually or in combination.

Ah. Yes, I know every time they mentioned warp drive and dilithium I thought "You know, it's just obvious that this is going to poison an upset child and he will unknowingly dismantle the Federation." That's just A to B.

 

[Set Harth]

That's just science.

 

[The Salt Umpire]

this is such a beautifully unhinged hot take, I love it.

We are supposed to be controversial. I'm just continuing the five year mission of the original poster, Amasov.

 

[Nerys Myk]

Ah. Yes, I know every time they mentioned warp drive and dilithium I thought "You know, it's just obvious that this is going to poison an upset child and he will unknowingly dismantle the Federation." That's just A to B.

While overpowered alien throws a tantrum and misunderstood monster are definitely on the Trek bingo card, they aren’t unique enough tropes and terms to be on the list. It’s the sheer concentration of Treknobabble and tropes in a single spot/plot that makes the Burn the most Trek thing ever. Just as “According to my level three diagnostic, if we reroute the overflow through the EPS conduits to the main deflector array the resulting tachyon burst should disrupt the graviton field.” would be a the most Treknobabble line of dialog put to paper.

 

[Weyoun 251]

While overpowered alien throws a tantrum and misunderstood monster are definitely on the Trek bingo card, they aren’t unique enough tropes and terms to be on the list. It’s the sheer concentration of Treknobabble and tropes in a single spot/plot that makes the Burn the most Trek thing ever. Just as “According to my level three diagnostic, if we reroute the overflow through the EPS conduits to the main deflector array the resulting tachyon burst should disrupt the graviton field.” would be a the most Treknobabble line of dialog put to paper.

Needs a reference to 47 (say "EPS conduits in junction 47") and maybe something about chronitons

I'd give the effort a solid A- though

 

[Turtletrekker]

While overpowered alien throws a tantrum and misunderstood monster are definitely on the Trek bingo card, they aren’t unique enough tropes and terms to be on the list. It’s the sheer concentration of Treknobabble and tropes in a single spot/plot that makes the Burn the most Trek thing ever. Just as “According to my level three diagnostic, if we reroute the overflow through the EPS conduits to the main deflector array the resulting tachyon burst should disrupt the graviton field.” would be a the most Treknobabble line of dialog put to paper.

Followed by another character delivering dialogue something along the lines of (specifics vary by nature of peril) -- "Just like the old Earth object when exposed to a certain stimulus!"

 

[Laura Cynthia Chambers]

"He's just like (famous real human), (famous imaginary human), and (famous imaginary alien-sounding name person)."

 

[Nerys Myk]

Star Trek Mad Libs

 

[Rahul]

The theme of DS9 was moral ambiguity, and a darker tone to events.... particularly with Garaks sinister and shady nature, which ends up saving the Federation, despite his conflicted motives.

Dukat, after all, stressed how Bajor only triumphed due to his restraint, but how he was both vilified by Sisko while being punished by Cardassia, and this conflict drove him to seek Siskos approval, but still Sisko judged him to the end.

And of course there was the finale of Section 31 supposedly engaging in genocide against the Founders, despite that biological warfare was their specialty in the Gamma Quadrant, while they were also the aggressors in the war with the Federation... and the Dominion only needed to surrender and negotiate for a cure.

So because the writers lacked the skill to resolve conflict peacefully as in TOS, they made a whole series war out of it.

This is actually a really great controversial opinion.

The DS9 writers are hypocritical liars, that tell us S31 are the bad guys - but in the end it's not Starfleet that won the war - it was S31.
Thereby cementing the "ends justify the means"-type of morality that they condemn via lip-service, that actually only ever works in fiction, but curiously always not just works, but is necessary.

 

[fireproof78]

This is actually a really great controversial opinion.

The DS9 writers are hypocritical liars, that tell us S31 are the bad guys - but in the end it's not Starfleet that won the war - it was S31.
Thereby cementing the "ends justify the means"-type of morality that they condemn via lip-service, that actually only ever works in fiction, but curiously always not just works, but is necessary.

And Deep Space Nine is the greatest Star Trek and yet people complain about newer Trek being "too dark."


Effect, meet cause.

 

[LadyGayle]

I am thoroughly sick of Section 31 and would be happy if it is never mentioned in Trek again.

Having said that, I don't blame DS9 for the overuse and general shallow idiocy of the concept later on. The use of Section 31 in DS9 worked just fine.

 

[Rahul]

I am thoroughly sick of Section 31 and would be happy if it is never mentioned in Trek again.

Having said that, I don't blame DS9 for the overuse and general shallow idiocy of the concept later on. The use of Section 31 in DS9 worked just fine.

The problem is Star Trek didn't have a spy agency with a name before - just "Starfleet intelligence".

So now, whenever anyone wants to write a spy story in Trek - they open their big canon reference book - and there on p.12 it says "S31 - shady Federation intelligence agency", and everyone is like "perfect, that's exactly what I needed in my story!" and just takes it.

 

[Maurice]

Star Trek Mad Libs

That's what technobabble's always been. I was sick of it midway through TNG.

 

[fireproof78]

The problem is Star Trek didn't have a spy agency with a name before - just "Starfleet intelligence".

So now, whenever anyone wants to write a spy story in Trek - they open their big canon reference book - and there on p.12 it says "S31 - shady Federation intelligence agency", and everyone is like "perfect, that's exactly what I needed in my story!" and just takes it.

Which is how a lot of aliens work too in Trek.

What if? fill in the blank.

Same with revenge plots post TWOK. The popular elements of Trek will be repeated.

 

[korblborp]

And Deep Space Nine is the greatest Star Trek and yet people complain about newer Trek being "too dark."


Effect, meet cause.

newer trek is literally too dark :P

 

[fireproof78]

newer trek is literally too dark :P

Watching Generations and First Contact made it so my brightness was already adjusted.

 

[cooleddie74]

I am thoroughly sick of Section 31 and would be happy if it is never mentioned in Trek again.

Having said that, I don't blame DS9 for the overuse and general shallow idiocy of the concept later on. The use of Section 31 in DS9 worked just fine.

And in ENT.

 

[BillJ]

And Deep Space Nine is the greatest Star Trek and yet people complain about newer Trek being "too dark."

Well, I’m not sure it is the greatest and TOS was actually darker.