aliens ruined by TREK
- Thread starter RobertScorpio
- Start date
I suppose one excuse TPTB could have is many of the aliens the Federation come into contact with are from the military of that world and even on Earth today military personnel tend to have the same haircut! 
Maybe the civilians seen had all just been demobbed and hadn't had chance to let their hair grow yet.
Maybe the civilians seen had all just been demobbed and hadn't had chance to let their hair grow yet.
Aliens ruined by Trek.
1. The Romulans-TOS had 2 great episodes, "Balance of Terror" and "The Enterprise Incident". Future Trek series dropped the ball. They were made into generic hostiles in later series.
2. The Xindi-What happened to them in the future of Trek.
3. The Ferengi-Nuff said, they might as well have a character named Shylock.
4. The Borg-They were ruined in Voyager. I guess they can bring on The McEnroe.
1. The Romulans-TOS had 2 great episodes, "Balance of Terror" and "The Enterprise Incident". Future Trek series dropped the ball. They were made into generic hostiles in later series.
2. The Xindi-What happened to them in the future of Trek.
3. The Ferengi-Nuff said, they might as well have a character named Shylock.
4. The Borg-They were ruined in Voyager. I guess they can bring on The McEnroe.
Okay, but how does that explain the Xindi sitting back and allowing the NX-01 nearly free reign in the Expanse? I can understand the initial trepidation. However, after months in the Expanse it was apparent that Earth wasn't sending another ship. Or why didn't the Xindi just capture the Enterprise and torture the crew for information about their military strength? Or maybe pick off one or two crewmen to get info? Their strategy with Raijin worked well, though they appeared to do nothing with the information she got for them.
The Xindi also had the Sphere Builders to read the future for them, so that could serve as a counter to Future Guy. And the SB's might've been able to inform the Xindi about Earth's defenses at the time of the attack as well.
The Xindi were a nice attempt at creating an original nemesis for ENT, much better than FG or the Suliban, but they were hamstrung by the demands of the plot.
misskim86, I think you've made some really good points. Even for one-off aliens, it has always irked me that they all dress and talk exactly alike. Well, except for maybe TOS, where they were so in love with the costuming possibilities.
I have to admit, I never in a million years would have equated Ferengi with the Jewish stereotype.
As for the Xindi questions:
I think it was clearly a matter of one little ship in a big, big space. And that ship was trying hard not to be detected. The Xindi actually thought there was more than one ship, because of E2, and tortured Archer to find out just how many.
See above.
One thing that does bug me about Trek generally is how anthropomorphic the aliens are. They express joy, fear, and anger the same way as humans, and they kiss to show affection. On the other hand, I liked that, for example, Denobulans sniffed each other and approached mating as some sort of combat sport.
I have to admit, I never in a million years would have equated Ferengi with the Jewish stereotype.
As for the Xindi questions:
I think it was clearly a matter of one little ship in a big, big space. And that ship was trying hard not to be detected. The Xindi actually thought there was more than one ship, because of E2, and tortured Archer to find out just how many.
See above.
No, they used the info to make the bioweapon T'Pol and Archer retrieved in Carpenter Street. And it was only the Reptilians who thought the whole Raijin plan was a good one; they went behind the other 4 species' backs to do it.
The SphereBuilders could only read probabilities in the timeline, as explained in Countdown. Dolim mocks them when it turns out the SB couldn't just read back in time and give them the third code for the weapon. Future Guy seemed to be able to see actual events, and of course Daniels could actually interact.
It's only my opinion, but I thought the Xindi were a nice attempt at showing different facets of one type of alien. They were by turns aggressive, indecisive, thoughtful, measured, and deceitful, yet they all shared common goals and history.
I also don't think they were meant to be villains really, since they were being deceived and were desperate to save their descendants. By the end of the season, you could really sympathize with them and root for them. They were eventually convinced by the evidence, and weren't kill-at-all-cost bad guys. I wish the writers had been able to show as much diversity in Vulcans and Klingons, its staple aliens. I will say that ENT did show, along with run of the mill Klingons, two characters - one a lawyer and one a doctor - who actively resisted the warrior label.
One thing that does bug me about Trek generally is how anthropomorphic the aliens are. They express joy, fear, and anger the same way as humans, and they kiss to show affection. On the other hand, I liked that, for example, Denobulans sniffed each other and approached mating as some sort of combat sport.
... ok... the Ferengi were originally presented as "yankee traders", so sorta of capitalists with no scruples (you know the type). The designers of the show used the stereo type of a greedy troll for the Ferengie. Of course, the Nazi's used the same 'troll' image stereo type in their anti-semitic propaganda.
We always think of greed as a little troll. If we think that troll is a Jew or a Scott or something, well, that's just childish? Oh, my conscience hurts...
We always think of greed as a little troll. If we think that troll is a Jew or a Scott or something, well, that's just childish? Oh, my conscience hurts...
I honestly never made the Ferengie-Jew connection. I am Jewish myself & admittedly over sensitive regarding anti-Jewish stereotypes, but this one never occurred to me until someone pointed it out and even then I didn't buy that it was intentional.
Good point about Carpenter St. I forgot that episode. I still think Raijin's mission to get information was a success. What the Xindi did with that information was another matter. Good point about the Sphere Builders time reading ability.
Also, I think the Xindi had encountered the NX-01 a couple times before the E2, and could've captured the ship or crew way before that episode. Plus, with their subspace vortex tech and their equal to superior starships I think they could've swept the space for the NX-01, or set a trap for them.
Well hell - if you go by that, Andorians (while being a founding member) became EVEN LESS of a 'major power' then Vulcan after the forming of the Federation. At least in the 24th century series we saw an actual Vulcan from time to time. The ONLY Andorian we ever saw on TNG was a holo-smulated image because a new andriod was considering a body type to use.
The ONLY time they've EVER shown Vulcan or Andorian military or research vessels was in the series Enterprise. After the Federation was formed, it looks like all Star Fleet vessel designs were standardized. Also while ENT didn't explain why the Andorians 'diled it back'; with regard to the Vulcans - after the 'true' teachings of Surak were discovered and distributed; the Vulcan Leadership seemed to pull Vulcan back from being an active player in major interstellar politics; and Vulcans themselves decided to become more Isolationist overall.
Why would they have a fleet? Starfleet is their fleet. The Enterprise is Federation vessel not an Earth one (early season 1 TOS not withstanding). They did have a fleet prior to joining the UFP (see ENT) and had outpost/colonies on other worlds (Also in ENT). Sarek is shown to be a powerful man in UFP politics who can sway a vote (TOS) One word from T'Pau can countermand Starfleet orders (TOS) Vulcans show up in command positions and as colonists in DS9 and TNG.
Vulcans seem to be doing all right.
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