Ever mention Beta Quad

[2 of 10]

I don't recall ever hearing the Dominion mention that after taking the AQ they would have to also either attack or contain any species from the BQ. After all, the Vulcans, Romulans, Klingons and Son'a reside in that quad. Does anyone recall the mention of the BQ in any 9 ep...

 

[apenpaap]

Judging from DS9 and VOY, The area around Earth (Federation, Klingons,m Romulans, Cardies, Breen, Ferengi and some other minor empires in this area) are called "The Alpha Quadrant" , even though parts of it are in the Beta Quadrant. In the real world, "Europe" often means Europe, Siberia and the Middle-East, even though these areas aren't really in Europe.

 

[TheGodBen]

In the real world you hear a lot about Western nations even though around half of them are actually in the eastern hemisphere, and some countries which are in the western hemisphere aren't counted (such as countries in South America).

 

[Saito S]

I would never have thought of those real-world parallels, personally. It's a good point.

My take on that was always that it was basically due to simplicity. As the Dominion War story arc developed during seasons 3 through 5, they began to need a sort of catchall term for "us." As the threat from the Dominion expanded out to encompass the fates of more than just the Federation (and of course, since when the real war began, it wasn't just the Federation doing the fighting), the producers needed a term that could just be tossed around representing "all these guys who oppose the Dominion." Technically, Alpha Quadrant does present a problem, since the Romulans, Klingons, and even some Fed core worlds are all in the Beta Quadrant. But what was the alternative? "Our Quadrants"? "Our Half of the Galaxy?" Or, failing that, referencing Alpha AND Beta everytime this subject was brought up? Imagine if every time Martok made one of his grand, sweeping statements about the war, in that distinctive Martok voice, if he said "The fate of the entire Alpha Quadrant may be at stake! Also the Beta!"

So I think it was just chosen as the best way to get the point across when speaking in these kinds of terms.

 

[Neutrino]

The fighting took place in the Alpha Quadrant, the Romulans and Klingons were fighting in the Alpha Quadrant so if the Alpha Quadrant got conquered that pretty much means the Romulan and Klingons fleets will be conquered and their empires ripe for the taking.

 

[2 of 10]

^^^

All good points, thanks for the feedback...

 

[Jono]

I would never have thought of those real-world parallels, personally. It's a good point.

My take on that was always that it was basically due to simplicity. As the Dominion War story arc developed during seasons 3 through 5, they began to need a sort of catchall term for "us." As the threat from the Dominion expanded out to encompass the fates of more than just the Federation (and of course, since when the real war began, it wasn't just the Federation doing the fighting), the producers needed a term that could just be tossed around representing "all these guys who oppose the Dominion." Technically, Alpha Quadrant does present a problem, since the Romulans, Klingons, and even some Fed core worlds are all in the Beta Quadrant. But what was the alternative? "Our Quadrants"? "Our Half of the Galaxy?" Or, failing that, referencing Alpha AND Beta everytime this subject was brought up? Imagine if every time Martok made one of his grand, sweeping statements about the war, in that distinctive Martok voice, if he said "The fate of the entire Alpha Quadrant may be at stake! Also the Beta!"

So I think it was just chosen as the best way to get the point across when speaking in these kinds of terms.

That's quite a hyperbole, which was used a lot in the show. The fact was the fall of the familiar empires would really just effect a specific region in the quadrants and that most of the alpha and beta quadrants would be pretty much untouched by the war.

 

[Timo]

And of course it would be politically reasonable for our "Alpha" heroes to keep speaking in such grandiose terms about their alliance - and for our "Gamma" villains to speak of their future conquests in equally grand words...

Timo Saloniemi

 

[Seven of Five]

Have the Klingon and Romulan Empires ever been mentioned canonically as to being in the Beta Quadrant? Not that I'm a pro-canon pusher, just wondered. I realise that for years in any Star Trek maps that they were both placed in the Beta Quadrant, and I grew up thinking that. But I suppose that if it was never mentioned onscreen, DS9 could have Klingons coming from Dallas if they wanted.

But anyway, my personal feeling is the same as what has already been mentioned - they used the Alpha Quadrant to refer to the alliance in the same way 'Western' countries are referred to today.

 

[Jono]

^ In Star Trek VI, the Excelsior is exploring in the Beta Quadrant when Praxis explodes, which suggests Praxis is in the Beta Quadrant therefore so is Qo'noS.

On screen maps place the Romulus to the right of the Federation and "above" or coreward of the Klingon Empire.

Here's a crazy in-universe explanation, given that we hear the "translated" version when we hear the Dominion side speak when they say "Alpha Quadrant" they might be saying "Squishy-goo", which is their name for the quadrant that at least partly encompasses the Alpha Quadrant as defined by the Federation (the Dominion would not split the quadrants based on the location of the Sol system/Earth) and the region of the Beta Quadrant that includes the Romulan and Klingons. Thanks to the magic that is the universal translator it gets translated to Alpha Quadrant, which is the nearest equivalent for our ears.

 

[2 of 10]

I would never have thought of those real-world parallels, personally. It's a good point.

My take on that was always that it was basically due to simplicity. As the Dominion War story arc developed during seasons 3 through 5, they began to need a sort of catchall term for "us." As the threat from the Dominion expanded out to encompass the fates of more than just the Federation (and of course, since when the real war began, it wasn't just the Federation doing the fighting), the producers needed a term that could just be tossed around representing "all these guys who oppose the Dominion." Technically, Alpha Quadrant does present a problem, since the Romulans, Klingons, and even some Fed core worlds are all in the Beta Quadrant. But what was the alternative? "Our Quadrants"? "Our Half of the Galaxy?" Or, failing that, referencing Alpha AND Beta everytime this subject was brought up? Imagine if every time Martok made one of his grand, sweeping statements about the war, in that distinctive Martok voice, if he said "The fate of the entire Alpha Quadrant may be at stake! Also the Beta!"

So I think it was just chosen as the best way to get the point across when speaking in these kinds of terms.

That's quite a hyperbole, which was used a lot in the show. The fact was the fall of the familiar empires would really just effect a specific region in the quadrants and that most of the alpha and beta quadrants would be pretty much untouched by the war.

Agreed, was checking out the fine book, "Star Trek, Star Charts" only a small reagon was both the AQ and the DQ was really needed to support all the species that we are all familer with, throughout all the different Trek Series and Films...

 

[loldrey]

Imagine if every time Martok made one of his grand, sweeping statements about the war, in that distinctive Martok voice, if he said "The fate of the entire Alpha Quadrant may be at stake! Also the Beta!"

LOL.