Right, Ive seen at least 20 of these timeline threads which attempt to point fingers at 20 different people or things - events which have culminated in this event. This is how time works. Remember that folks, this is kinda the point of im trying to make of why this new movie took place in the new timeline it did, starting from the earliest point of causality you can get too.
Now, on to the explanation! (Herein events shall have E1,2,3 etc as markers)
Now, by this time, the effects of the borg technology on starfleet should have mostly been felt in a very subtle in universe yet noticeable to the observer way, hence this would have no direct effect on the characters in the universe, and Kirk and Spock would meet as they did in the Original Series, they would go on their Five Year mission and Vulcan would still exist.
THIS is the event which directly affects the characters of Kirk and Spock. And is (obviously enough to anyone who has seen the film) the cause of the drastic timeline change, because unlike in First Contact were major events were made to happen as they did originally, Nero's first act in this timeline is the irreversible prevention (i.e. the death of daddy kirk) of many events which had happened in the original, pre FC timeline.
And thus, the timeline is altered irreversibly to the extent we see in the movie, Kirk isnt Captain of the Enterprise when he should be, Vulcan is destroyed, and the Federation has huge ships which they shouldnt technically have (but thanks to the Borg tech, they do).
Now, this is by no means an official bedrock of the new movie, but when you take into account all the events which had happened previously (remember my little event begat event bit at the beginning?) this is 99.999999% likely to have happened.
Why do we know this is the First Contact changed timeline Nero and Spock ventured too? We dont, but its by no means a huge stretch of the imagination (quite a small one infact) to just think the latent Borg Technology in the Narada had a minute effect in the chronoton particles eminating from the singularity Spock created.
Now, Im hoping this will explain away most of the "physical" inconsistences in this new movie, lord knows there'll definately be debate about the validity of this, but unless ive missed something exceptionally major (which I may have, but it doesnt immedieately look like on a quick glance) this should be EASY to accept as the reason why everything in the new movie is the way it is.
Now, on to the explanation! (Herein events shall have E1,2,3 etc as markers)
- E1:Gene Roddenberry and DC Fontana write and created "Encounter at Farpoint", which introduces the character of Q.
- E2:Q Introduces the federation to the Borg.
- E3:Star Trek First Contact (FC): The Borg attempt to assimilate Earth in its past - THIS IS WHERE THE NEW TIMELINE STARTS.
- E4: The Enterprise episode "Regeneration" reinforces this point - This episode would not have happened in the pre First Contact timeline, it simply would not due to the fringe time travel theory which this film was based on (and thats Fringe the Fringe science not the TV show about the science).
- E5: Now, following the discovery of Borg technology in the antarctic, Im willing to bet a crazy amount of money that Starfleet would have obviously taken this tech, analyzed it, extrapolated its uses and ultimately reverse engineered it, abeit in a very Top secret, probably Section 31ish black ops way. Because it would be exceedingly stupid not to do this and then gradually apply the new tech to your ships as to not arouse suspicion it should be taken as a pretty darn easily swalled pill (as apposed to the foot long diameter suppository many people think it is) that this is the reason tech had advanced more even on the U.S.S. Kelvin than had been previously accepted (visual changes should also be taken into account).
Now, by this time, the effects of the borg technology on starfleet should have mostly been felt in a very subtle in universe yet noticeable to the observer way, hence this would have no direct effect on the characters in the universe, and Kirk and Spock would meet as they did in the Original Series, they would go on their Five Year mission and Vulcan would still exist.
- E6: The Narada appears in 2233.
THIS is the event which directly affects the characters of Kirk and Spock. And is (obviously enough to anyone who has seen the film) the cause of the drastic timeline change, because unlike in First Contact were major events were made to happen as they did originally, Nero's first act in this timeline is the irreversible prevention (i.e. the death of daddy kirk) of many events which had happened in the original, pre FC timeline.
And thus, the timeline is altered irreversibly to the extent we see in the movie, Kirk isnt Captain of the Enterprise when he should be, Vulcan is destroyed, and the Federation has huge ships which they shouldnt technically have (but thanks to the Borg tech, they do).
Now, this is by no means an official bedrock of the new movie, but when you take into account all the events which had happened previously (remember my little event begat event bit at the beginning?) this is 99.999999% likely to have happened.
Why do we know this is the First Contact changed timeline Nero and Spock ventured too? We dont, but its by no means a huge stretch of the imagination (quite a small one infact) to just think the latent Borg Technology in the Narada had a minute effect in the chronoton particles eminating from the singularity Spock created.
Now, Im hoping this will explain away most of the "physical" inconsistences in this new movie, lord knows there'll definately be debate about the validity of this, but unless ive missed something exceptionally major (which I may have, but it doesnt immedieately look like on a quick glance) this should be EASY to accept as the reason why everything in the new movie is the way it is.
