reversing the polarity

[Captrek]

I was watching Sword of Kahless, and when Worf suggested that Jadzia try reversing the polarity to get through the force field, I thought to myself that this must be the most common phrase in Treknobabble. Want to try coming up with a list of occurrences of this phrase in Trek canon?

 

[john titor]

tachyon beams, pulses, they seem to do everything

 

[Captrek]

tachyon beams, pulses...

Looks like we have the beginning of a drinking game here. A drink every time somebody reverses polarity or uses tachyons, a neutrino pulse, or a subspace inversion. Two drinks if it’s Wesley’s idea.

 

[kes7]

I was watching Sword of Kahless, and when Worf suggested that Jadzia try reversing the polarity to get through the force field, I thought to myself that this must be the most common phrase in Treknobabble. Want to try coming up with a list of occurrences of this phrase in Trek canon?

That list would be longer than the New York City phone book. The drinking game sounds like a guaranteed trip to the ER.

 

[Dane_Whitman]

I've been rewatching VOY and in the later seasons 'reversing the polarity' is a very common solution to any sort of a technological problem. Most of the time it doesn't even seem to make sense.

 

[kes7]

I've been rewatching VOY and in the later seasons 'reversing the polarity' is a very common solution to any sort of a technological problem. Most of the time it doesn't even seem to make sense.

Nothing beats B'Elanna Torres in Before and After when Kes is all messed up from some chroniton particles and she says something like "I've got it! We'll shoot ANTI-chroniton particles at her!" Like, it CAN'T fail!

 

[Herkimer Jitty]

Wibbly-wobbly anti-chronitons always work.

 

[CoveTom]

For a time, it seemed the solution to every transporter issue was to narrow the confinement beam too...

 

[Geckothan]

If we reverse the polarity in the shield grid with a quantum flux regulator and boost the power to the subspace field coils we might be able to create a tachyon beam capable of disrupting the chronoton particles surrounding this thread and create a contrived, technobabbly time travel episode the likes of which we've never seen!

 

[kes7]

That was impressive.

 

[Trevacious]

If we reverse the polarity in the shield grid with a quantum flux regulator and boost the power to the subspace field coils we might be able to create a tachyon beam capable of disrupting the chronoton particles surrounding this thread and create a contrived, technobabbly time travel episode the likes of which we've never seen!

AAARRGGHH!!!

Oh, for the days when the Captain would say, "Just push the right button, Spock."

 

[Anwar]

This is all Doctor Who's fault, they were the ones that started the whole "Reverse the whatever" thing back in the 70s...

 

[Da'an]

^ Reverse the polarity of the neutron flow.

 

[Kaziarl]

If we reverse the polarity in the shield grid with a quantum flux regulator and boost the power to the subspace field coils we might be able to create a tachyon beam capable of disrupting the chronoton particles surrounding this thread and create a contrived, technobabbly time travel episode the likes of which we've never seen!

You, sir... deserve a freakin medal. Maybe they should have you on the writing team.

As for that drinking game... I think a trip to the ER might be worth it.

Oh, and don't forget about re-routing power through the secondary EPS manifolds into the bi-lateral flow regulators. Them flow regulators seem to use a lot of power.

 

[Cr031k]

g

 

[Pemmer Harge]

Reversing the polarity always works. Just like routing things through the deflector dish. Absolutely anything can be found by recalibrating the sensors (maybe they should try that with bin Laden) and there is no armour or defensive shield so powerful that it can't be penetrated by remodulating the phasers. The bottom line is, if you've written a plot that you can't find an ending for, technobabble provides a way out.

 

[barnaclelapse]

g

See? It kicked ass there.

Come on, Star Trek.