How many timelines/universes/realities do you take seriously?

[wildsulu]

Star Trek has several timelines, universes and realities, the best known ones are:
- the prime timeline a.k.a. the prime reality
- the JJ-verse a.k.a. the alternate reality a.k.a. the Abramsverse a.k.a. NuTrek
- the mirror universe

But there are even more!! But it's not for everyone possible to take all of those seriously. Some of them seem purely created for the writers to have fun, others feature only in 1 episode or only in a comic. So, including everything (novels, comics, fan stuff)...

How many timelines/universes/realities are part of your own 'head canon'?

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Well, technically speaking they are all canon in that way, since in an infinite multiverse there will naturally be an infinite permutation of events. So whatever you can think of, it exists.

If you mean, which ones did I *enjoy*? About the only one that I did not, was the DS9 version of the Mirror Universe. I just don't like the concept of the "fall of the Terran Empire".

 

[wildsulu]

What I mean is: When you watch/read Star Trek, how many of them do you consider seriously (not only for laughs), as a fan. How many are permanently part of 'your own canon'.

Do you also count crazy comics as serious canon? What about the Shatnerverse? Or fan fiction with CBS-unapproved content

Personally I ignore everything Mirror Universe, so I don't count that one. And good fan episodes (phase II, STContinues, Axanar) I consider part of the prime universe. Fan fiction I consider a separate timeline/universe but if it's good i'll take it seriously

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

I don't believe in the concept of "my OWN canon". Canon is not up for interpretation; it's whatever the creators say it is.

 

[Greg Cox]

Honestly, I don't understand the question. They're all fictional sf universes. Why should I take one more seriously than another? And why should there be a numerical limit on how many alternate universes my poor brain can handle?

Hell, I'm a comic-book fan. Just three universes? It is to laugh . . . .

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

I liked that last one from "Parallels", the one where it was the Bajorans who occupied Cardassia (rather than the other way around as in the regular Trekverse).

Nerys Ghemor has done some wonderful things with that universe, BTW. Linky

 

[wildsulu]

Honestly, I don't understand the question. They're all fictional sf universes. Why should I take one more seriously than another? And why should there be a numerical limit on how many alternate universes my poor brain can handle?

Hell, I'm a comic-book fan. Just three universes? It is to laugh . . . .

That 3 was my vote, obviously no comic book fan. I made the poll because I'm curious how fans experience all those realities. Some fans refuse to "accept" the JJ-verse. They see the movie but it never feels "real". My poor brain does have to put a limit on it!

 

[borgboy]

Infinite realities. I don't see the problem. If there's more than one universe, there's probably an infinite number of them.

 

[Kilana2]

Infinite realities. I don't see the problem. If there's more than one universe, there's probably an infinite number of them.

That´s what I have voted. And I don´t smoke weed

 

[F. King Daniel]

How ever many whichever story I'm currently watching or reading requires.

 

[Greg Cox]

Honestly, I don't understand the question. They're all fictional sf universes. Why should I take one more seriously than another? And why should there be a numerical limit on how many alternate universes my poor brain can handle?

Hell, I'm a comic-book fan. Just three universes? It is to laugh . . . .

That 3 was my vote, obviously no comic book fan. I made the poll because I'm curious how fans experience all those realities. Some fans refuse to "accept" the JJ-verse. They see the movie but it never feels "real". My poor brain does have to put a limit on it!

They're all fictional. Honestly, I don't see the point in worrying about what made-up stories are more "real" than others. That way madness lies . . .

I mean, is the new FLASH tv show more "real" than the old one from the nineties? Or the animated shows? Or the original comics?

None of them are "real." But they're all enjoyable to varying degrees, depending on the execution.

 

[wildsulu]

Canon is not up for interpretation; it's whatever the creators say it is.

Makes me wonder whether you are a religious!

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

^ Yes, as a matter of fact I am. Your point?

In any case, I don't see what we're arguing about. Like I said, Trek encompasses an infinite multiverse. There may be one mainstream timeline that the 'prime' Trek concentrated on, and likewise another one for Abrams, but in the end, it's all true. That's the beauty of parallel universe fiction. It's ALL good.

 

[Nerys Myk]

Honestly, I don't understand the question. They're all fictional sf universes. Why should I take one more seriously than another? And why should there be a numerical limit on how many alternate universes my poor brain can handle?

Hell, I'm a comic-book fan. Just three universes? It is to laugh . . . .

Yeah, I'm a DC comics fan. When I was kid I got a new universe every summer!

 

[Greg Cox]

The more interesting question might be: Why would anyone expect there to be only a single, unitary Star Trek universe, as opposed to the multiple different versions of Planet of the Apes, Dark Shadows, Flash Gordon, Batman, Godzilla, or whatever?

As I've mentioned (too many times) before: Even as a kid, I understood that not every TARZAN movie, TV show, novel, or comic-book took place in the same, seamless continuity . . . and I was cool with that. Even my ten-year-old brain could cope with multiple different versions of the same characters and worlds.

Is this a generational thing? Do people take "canon" more seriously these days?

Lord knows I never worried about whether TARZAN AND THE CITY OF GOLD was "canon" or not!

 

[Melakon]

This is an odd question, since some of us don't give any weight at all to books, comics, video games, fan fiction, or fan films.

I discount DS9's Mirror Universe episodes entirely, because their interpretation of it is at odds with the interpretation I had held for almost 30 years before they ventured into it.

I'm more accepting of ENT's take on it.

 

[Greg Cox]

Honestly, I don't understand the question. They're all fictional sf universes. Why should I take one more seriously than another? And why should there be a numerical limit on how many alternate universes my poor brain can handle?

Hell, I'm a comic-book fan. Just three universes? It is to laugh . . . .

Yeah, I'm a DC comics fan. When I was kid I got a new universe every summer!

Tell me about it. I used to love those annual Earth-One/Earth-Two/Earth X crossovers. Sometimes we even got multiple universes in a single issue.

Says the guy who turned INFINITE CRISIS and 52 into novels. I have multiple universes for breakfast!

 

[BillJ]

I take all the stories seriously as long as they're entertaining.

 

[IrishNero]

Canon is not up for interpretation; it's whatever the creators say it is.

Makes me wonder whether you are a religious!

VGER wants to meet the Creators.

 

[JirinPanthosa]

I don't believe in the concept of "my OWN canon". Canon is not up for interpretation; it's whatever the creators say it is.

But which creators? For shows with only one creative force who has generally been in control of all creative decisions, then sure, they are. Sure, nobody but Tolkien can write a canon LOTR book and nobody but Rowling can write a canon Harry Potter book. But what about those franchises that have passed between hands several times over a long period of time?

I certainly don't believe the 'Right to determine canon' is passed financially, just to whichever company happens to currently own the exclusive rights to profit off the franchise.

Nolan Batman, Burton Batman, Arkham Asylum Batman, Gotham Batman, and comic book Batman all take place in separate universes with separate canons, and I feel the same way about the Star Treks. Bermantrek is canon, and Abramstrek is canon. But, they are separate canons. The same way Gotham is its own, separate canon from the other Batmans.