Hello all, I was just watching the "Future's End" two-parter and had a few thoughts about it... First of all, what happened to the tricorder they left in Starling's office when they were trying to download his database? And then, why didn't Captain Braxton ask them to hand over the doc's mobile emitter? Both of these things would have changed the timeline. And although it isn't nearly as lighthearted, I couldn't help but think of Star Trek IV while watching this. Tom & Tuvok as fish out of water, with an originally skeptical girl who eventually came around to helping them. In fact, seeing that this was about 10 years after Star Trek IV, I think it would have been cool to have a throwaway line or 2 in there from Starling about how 10 years ago they briefly detected some advanced technology up in San Francisco, using their advanced 29th century technology, but were unable to retrieve it. Just as a brief nod to IV. And, as an episode closer, it would have been cool to see a brief scene of what Starling was doing in the restored timeline. Maybe he would be a homeless old man instead of Captain Braxton. Just some thoughts. What do others think of this episode? Do tell...
Braxton could have retrieved it later (offscreen). It could well be that the Aeon was so advanced that it could automatically beam up anything that wasn't supposed to be in that time frame. Probably because history didn't record that they ever did. The VOY crew were "supposed" to keep it. And as for the "restored timeline": The only difference was that, in the 'real' timeline, Starling was killed before he could make that final trip with the Aeon (that originally malfunctioned and destroyed Earth's solar system). Everything before that - the Aeon's crash, Starling stealing it, Chronowerx, etc. - was always a part of history. The reason there's an alternate Braxton at the end is because this is one who didn't go space-crazy from witnessing the destruction of the solar system. That was the only thing that was changed. (And as we would later learn, the crazy Braxton still existed even after this, and was collected and 're-integrated' with his counterpart.) (Fun fact: Braxton was played by Allan Royal, from the greatest cop show of all time: Night Heat.)
Braxton as a character was the perfect foil to reflect the messiness of Voyager's temporal interference and his own extensive timeline comings and goings. The number of Braxtons and alternative Braxtons between Future's End and Relativity is so well crafted. I like the way the writers followed up on Braxton and his connections with Voyager. I saw Star Trek IV (again) not that long ago it would have been cute to have a little throwaway nod to it in Voyager.
Have you ever read the Trek novel that deals with the rise and fall of Khan Noonian Singh in the late 20th century? I believe that's part of the title as well. And it's written by Greg Cox IIRC. Some of the temporal "visits" are mentioned.
I really like "Future's End". That episode gets better and better everytime I watch it. I support the idea that the events in "Star Trek IV" could have been mentioned in Voyager. As for Henry Starling, I really like him as villain or whatever he was. Not to mentin that thanks to him we have all the technology we have today and due to his time dabblings, The Eugenic Wars never took place or at least were postponed a hundred years or so. It's time that the genius Starlig get the respect he deserves. Fortunately there are some brave truth-seekers who want to give the world the truth about that fantastic man: http://henrystarling.simplesite.com/
I like how there is a video of someone complaining about this episode about the No Time! part. Where he says no time in a time machine
It was the will of the creators of the universe that the easiest character to write for become even easier to write for by not being confined to two rooms anymore.
A pet theory of mine is that the TOS we saw is the one where Mr. Starling's "computer revolution didn't happen. It would explain a lot.
I'm really surprised at Braxton given the fact he was so adamant about anything disrupting the timeline. In "Relativity" he demonstrated great displeasure because VOY had created 3 incursions. BUT obviously it was him who planted the device on the ship! Total hypocrite haha. I think the best scene in this 2 parter was when Janeway had to fire that torpedo manually "UH OH" sad she got hurt, but no way in hell was starling gonna alter the timeline and change everything.