Destroy... (spoilers)

[urbandk]

Will somebody please destroy Earth and get it out of the way once and for all? It will spare us more "Earth's in Daaaaayn-juh" stories.

I know that's impossible in the "Optimistic Future for Humanity" Roddenburyverse but it might open up some new plot possibilities.

This is coming from someone who loves the new film.

 

[Shim]

Will somebody please destroy Earth and get it out of the way once and for all? It will spare us more "Earth's in Daaaaayn-juh" stories.

I know that's impossible in the "Optimistic Future for Humanity" Roddenburyverse but it might open up some new plot possibilities.

This is coming from someone who loves the new film.

Is your complaint about the general idea of Earth being in danger, or that it always seems to be Earth that's top (or in the case of STXI, 2nd to top) of the bad guy's hit list?

 

[urbandk]

Will somebody please destroy Earth and get it out of the way once and for all? It will spare us more "Earth's in Daaaaayn-juh" stories.

I know that's impossible in the "Optimistic Future for Humanity" Roddenburyverse but it might open up some new plot possibilities.

This is coming from someone who loves the new film.

Is your complaint about the general idea of Earth being in danger, or that it always seems to be Earth that's top (or in the case of STXI, 2nd to top) of the bad guy's hit list?

General idea of Earth in danger. Here's a couple reasons why:

1. Earth will never be destroyed in Star Trek because of optimistic Roddenbury, so it's the ultimate fake out.

2. Roddenburyverse has no trouble with zillions of aliens dying. Ever since TOS, Nomad, all that crap. TOTAL ARMAGEDDON then high fives and yukking it up on the Enterprise. Ay, laddie, I'll drink to that.

3. It's been done. TMP, TWOK (genesis device), TFF, FC and a couple dozen episodes. (I guess they decided in Generations to make it some other planet. WTG)

Anyhow, would like never again to see an Earth's in danger story. It feels like a cop out.

 

[Jeri]

They could have done that in DS-9. I hope they don't ever do it, though; I think one of the main appeals of Trek is that it's Earthlings going into space. Not in the past, not in a galaxy far, far away, and not some other species. We're going into space, and we need the vision closer to home and time.

 

[Bobatiel]

Agreed 100%

Maybe that's why Star Trek's best medium is televsion and its episodic nature.

 

[Shim]

I concur - but I have to say I was glad that in this movie at least the bad guy didn't rush straight for Earth and went after Vulcan first. Seemed slightly more plausible.

 

[urbandk]

They could have done that in DS-9. I hope they don't ever do it, though; I think one of the main appeals of Trek is that it's Earthlings going into space. Not in the past, not in a galaxy far, far away, and not some other species. We're going into space, and we need the vision closer to home and time.

Absolutely, Jeri. I agree and was writing only in jest about Earth's actual destruction.

I would just like to clear that possibility off the table for a while.

I've quoted the following review before. This is an excerpt from Anthony Lane's review of the Watchmen which is far more elegant than I:

Amid these pompous grabs at horror, neither author nor director has much grasp of what genuine, unhyped suffering might be like, or what pity should attend it; they are too busy fussing over the fate of the human race—a sure sign of metaphysical vulgarity—to be bothered with lesser plights. In the end, with a gaping pit where New York used to be, most of the surviving Watchmen agree that the loss of the Eastern Seaboard was a small price to pay for global peace.

 

[Shim]

Not in the past, not in a galaxy far, far away, and not some other species. We're going into space, and we need the vision closer to home and time.

Ironic really, 'cause I think the fact that we need that reassurance demonstrates why we could never be a part of an actual Federation. Always has to be about us.

 

[urbandk]

Not in the past, not in a galaxy far, far away, and not some other species. We're going into space, and we need the vision closer to home and time.

Ironic really, 'cause I think the fact that we need that reassurance demonstrates why we could never be a part of an actual Federation. Always has to be about us.

It's funny because that's a point addressed sometimes in Star Trek episodes and movies (e.g. Klingon ambassador in TVH)

But really, you have to swallow that pill if you're going to like Star Trek. The whole premise, all the one-dimensional, human aliens. It has been and always will be about human beings. Only about human beings.

 

[Islander]

Will somebody please destroy Earth and get it out of the way once and for all? It will spare us more "Earth's in Daaaaayn-juh" stories.

I know that's impossible in the "Optimistic Future for Humanity" Roddenburyverse but it might open up some new plot possibilities.

This is coming from someone who loves the new film.

Roddenbury had no issues with Earth being either under alien occupation or even completely destroyed. Anybody remembers Earth:Final Conflict or Andromeda (the last being a really bad show overall, but he was dead when they produced it so not his fault)?

What they found is that it is generally not selling as well when the story is a darker, more realistic view of the future. DS9 isn't the most popular series for that reason, Enterprise was cancelled for that reason. I remember watching B5 back in the days tuesday nights at midnight because of that.

 

[Franklin]

Agreed. Although it's not just a Trek cliche. And there seemed to be some tongue-in-cheek self-awareness about this in TUC. At the end, Kirk says, "Once again, we have saved civilization as we know it."

When you think about it, the cop out for the writers was to destroy Vulcan instead of Earth in ST09. Destroy the second most important planet in Trek lore. What I wonder is if destroying Earth would have been accepted by so many fans the same way the destruction of Vulcan has been, apparently?

 

[urbandk]

Will somebody please destroy Earth and get it out of the way once and for all? It will spare us more "Earth's in Daaaaayn-juh" stories.

I know that's impossible in the "Optimistic Future for Humanity" Roddenburyverse but it might open up some new plot possibilities.

This is coming from someone who loves the new film.

Roddenbury had no issues with Earth being either under alien occupation or even completely destroyed. Anybody remembers Earth:Final Conflict or Andromeda (the last being a really bad show overall, but he was dead when they produced it so not his fault)?

What they found is that it is generally not selling as well when the story is a darker, more realistic view of the future. DS9 isn't the most popular series for that reason, Enterprise was cancelled for that reason. I remember watching B5 back in the days tuesday nights at midnight because of that.

I know Roddenberry explored that kind of stuff elsewhere... but not really in ST.

For example, I think he vetoed the idea that a coup could occur in the Federation for "Conspiracy" and decided to use alien slugs instead.

 

[Jeri]

Not in the past, not in a galaxy far, far away, and not some other species. We're going into space, and we need the vision closer to home and time.

Ironic really, 'cause I think the fact that we need that reassurance demonstrates why we could never be a part of an actual Federation. Always has to be about us.

Cooperation is the final natural selection. It's not shameful to need focus while we are striving.

 

[Jeyl]

I'm frankly in a position to agree with this post. This series is about Space, not Earth. If Earth gets destroyed, that won't equal the end of all things for the Federation. There's no thrill in the threat of destroying Earth anymore.

 

[Islander]

I'm frankly in a position to agree with this post. This series is about Space, not Earth. If Earth gets destroyed, that won't equal the end of all things for the Federation. There's no thrill in the threat of destroying Earth anymore.

Agreed, no more than destroying Vulcan, no less. It would be a tuff blow, an emotional one. But they would get over it.

 

[Flamegrape]

If people had no problems with the Vulcan genocide, why not Earth?