Just some observations regarding "bad" futures we saw on the various show's, and how they compare to what's really happened by now.
All Good Things (TNG): Troi died young and no one got laid, except Picard and Bev, who later divorced. However, they all have successful careers, Geordie is married with kids, Data is a sugar daddy, and Picard has a vineyard.
Starfleet is dealing with about the same amount of stuff as an Ensign might see on the nightly news. The Romulans got conquered by the Klingons, but at least they still have a planet.
The Visitor (DS9): Sisko is a space ghost, but can still visit Jake every decade or so, and may or may not also be dating, depending on whether Beverly Crusher likes her space ghosts the way Janeway likes her coffee. But in any case, the rest of the main cast seems okay. Jadzia lived to an old age; Jake became an author and almost got laid. And the Dominion War either didn't occur, or could still be won without Captain Sisko.
Before & After (Voyager): This future is horrifying on several levels, or rather should be. Janeway and B'Elanna dead, and Voyager still lost as a result; Seven, the Borglets, and billions of others never freed from the Collective; Tom married to Kes, Harry married to their daughter, Neelix as Chief of Security, and the Doctor's awful hair.
And yet, no one seems to care. Chakotay gets to be captain, Tom and Harry have hot wives, the Doc has hair, and Linnis doesn't have to deal with any giant leprechauns. Luckily Kes herself saw that this "happy" future wasn't that interesting, and erased it by warning Janeway about the Krenim.
Timeless (Voyager): Everyone died except Chakotay, the Doc and the Dweeb. But at this point in the show, they've only even been on Voyager for four years. Sad sure, but spending almost 3 times that span of time trying to change history for them?
Chack, the Dweeb and La Forge are admirals or captains, and Chakotay is a silver fox like Data, still getting laid.
No word on the Borg, the Dominion, or the Romulans. But the Federation apparently has enough free time for Chakotay and Harry Kim to be the quadrant's Real Public Enemy #1.
Endgame (Voyager): It took 16 more years for Voyager to get home, but everyone besides Janeway seems okay with it. Tuvok has gone crazy, but what else is new. Seven and the Chuck didn't get a happy ending, but the Doctor sure did (with an adult film star no less!)
The Borg are still active, but haven't assimilated the Federation yet.
THE CURRENT TIMELINE:
The Borg, Dominion and Remans are defeated; but Data, and later Romulus, have gone Boom. Romulans are endangered and scattered, as are ex Borg drones. Corruption is behind every deadly-flower-shooting tree, and a threat worse than the Borg threatens to arrive to the galaxy.
Troi and Riker had an almost happy ending, though their first son died. They have a healthy daughter though, and Riker isn't binging "Enterprise" anymore.
Jadzia died young and violently, while Ben Sisko wound up still becoming a space ghost, ghosting not only Jake but also Kassidy and their baby.
Seven is alive and kicking ass, but depressed, and Icheb is hosed. Though in many of these other timelines, they'd still be drones.
It seems all these timelines have their ups and downs. But is the timeline that wound up happening about as bad, if not a tad worse, than all the "bad" futures in these featured episodes?
I have no actual argument here. This is just an irony I find amusing.
All Good Things (TNG): Troi died young and no one got laid, except Picard and Bev, who later divorced. However, they all have successful careers, Geordie is married with kids, Data is a sugar daddy, and Picard has a vineyard.
Starfleet is dealing with about the same amount of stuff as an Ensign might see on the nightly news. The Romulans got conquered by the Klingons, but at least they still have a planet.
The Visitor (DS9): Sisko is a space ghost, but can still visit Jake every decade or so, and may or may not also be dating, depending on whether Beverly Crusher likes her space ghosts the way Janeway likes her coffee. But in any case, the rest of the main cast seems okay. Jadzia lived to an old age; Jake became an author and almost got laid. And the Dominion War either didn't occur, or could still be won without Captain Sisko.
Before & After (Voyager): This future is horrifying on several levels, or rather should be. Janeway and B'Elanna dead, and Voyager still lost as a result; Seven, the Borglets, and billions of others never freed from the Collective; Tom married to Kes, Harry married to their daughter, Neelix as Chief of Security, and the Doctor's awful hair.
And yet, no one seems to care. Chakotay gets to be captain, Tom and Harry have hot wives, the Doc has hair, and Linnis doesn't have to deal with any giant leprechauns. Luckily Kes herself saw that this "happy" future wasn't that interesting, and erased it by warning Janeway about the Krenim.
Timeless (Voyager): Everyone died except Chakotay, the Doc and the Dweeb. But at this point in the show, they've only even been on Voyager for four years. Sad sure, but spending almost 3 times that span of time trying to change history for them?
Chack, the Dweeb and La Forge are admirals or captains, and Chakotay is a silver fox like Data, still getting laid.
No word on the Borg, the Dominion, or the Romulans. But the Federation apparently has enough free time for Chakotay and Harry Kim to be the quadrant's Real Public Enemy #1.
Endgame (Voyager): It took 16 more years for Voyager to get home, but everyone besides Janeway seems okay with it. Tuvok has gone crazy, but what else is new. Seven and the Chuck didn't get a happy ending, but the Doctor sure did (with an adult film star no less!)
The Borg are still active, but haven't assimilated the Federation yet.
THE CURRENT TIMELINE:
The Borg, Dominion and Remans are defeated; but Data, and later Romulus, have gone Boom. Romulans are endangered and scattered, as are ex Borg drones. Corruption is behind every deadly-flower-shooting tree, and a threat worse than the Borg threatens to arrive to the galaxy.
Troi and Riker had an almost happy ending, though their first son died. They have a healthy daughter though, and Riker isn't binging "Enterprise" anymore.
Jadzia died young and violently, while Ben Sisko wound up still becoming a space ghost, ghosting not only Jake but also Kassidy and their baby.
Seven is alive and kicking ass, but depressed, and Icheb is hosed. Though in many of these other timelines, they'd still be drones.
It seems all these timelines have their ups and downs. But is the timeline that wound up happening about as bad, if not a tad worse, than all the "bad" futures in these featured episodes?
I have no actual argument here. This is just an irony I find amusing.
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