How well-known would each crew be to the public?
- Thread starter aquova
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I wonder if Kirk would be tempted to falsify his logs to Decker's benefit. After sending in a remote shuttlecraft to test the planet eater, officially Decker piloted the Constellation down the maw himself, and was unable to be beamed back due to the damage to the Enterprise's transporter.
There's two kinds of famous - well known to the general public, and well known among their colleagues. The individuals' visibility, which in Starfleet would be affected by whether their deeds tended to be classified or not, whether they had a huge impact on the universe - seen at the time or in historical hindsight - the applications and implications of their discoveries - all these would have to be taken into consideration.
We typically see famous crews on Trek as heroes because by the nature of the show being about them, they do so much. An anthology series that bounced from location to location and crew to crew, not always focusing on legendary exploits, would not necessarily feature only ultimately famous and well-known personages.
We typically see famous crews on Trek as heroes because by the nature of the show being about them, they do so much. An anthology series that bounced from location to location and crew to crew, not always focusing on legendary exploits, would not necessarily feature only ultimately famous and well-known personages.
I wonder if Kirk would push for Commodore Matt Decker and the Constellation to get the "credit" for defeating the Planet Killer? A similar but bigger incident occurred in "The Immunity Syndrome" where the Enterprise saves the entire galaxy from the space ameba. Again, I wonder if the Intrepid would get much of the "credit"? Probably not, after all, living heroes are better PR than dead ones. YMMV.
I'm sure Kirk would have made every effort to give Decker the credit he was due.
I mean, it was in open space within Federation territory, and there are literally multiple star systems whose planets are just gone. That's not the kind of thing you can cover up. Anyone pointing a telescope in the direction of the battle site would be able to see the battle in just a couple of years as the light makes its way to those systems, and anyone who happened to be pointing FTL sensors in the battle's direction would detect the battle or its aftermath. And anyone looking for the charted planets in the L-370 or L-374 systems will find them missing.
This is too big to keep secret.
And really, why wouldn't Starfleet share this information with the public? They have no evidence that any other powers would be able to find or seize control of another Planet Killer. The evidence of the Planet Killer's activities are too big to cover up. And Federation citizens should know that Starfleet saved them all! It only makes Starfleet look good.
Maybe, but on the other hand I don't really think such a falsification is necessary. A truthful account of his actions already redeems Decker to a reasonable person.
I'm partial to the theory that "Balance of Terror" was the first thing that really made Kirk, if not a household name, someone who more than Starfleet fans who memorize the captain of every starship and others in the service would've heard of.
There was some spin involved, as per the episode, same as with Gary Mitchell. Being relived, striking an officer, and stealing the shuttle were all at the very least going to have to be glossed over in Kirk's log to make it that Decker "died in the line of duty."
There was some spin involved, as per the episode, same as with Gary Mitchell. Being relived, striking an officer, and stealing the shuttle were all at the very least going to have to be glossed over in Kirk's log to make it that Decker "died in the line of duty."
No they don't they are still Starfleet. IRL the crew on the lowest rung in the armed fores or any organisation knows more about the senior staff than the civilians on the street. Name all the senior captains and general, other officers etc that helped us win any war in the last 70 years.....
I hear the sound of crickets.
As much as I enjoy LD it is just fanwank for Trekkies.
However edited to add:-
Archer would be well known on Earth, being the first to explore and being an UFP President, however I don't know all the Prime Ministers of the UK, only the ones in my adulthood.
Burnham - for mid 22nd century Starfleet yes, for civvie street, 'Burnham who'?
Pike - not so well known, his accident would not be major news on civvie street. Kirk didn't even know about it
Kirk - saving Earth from the whale probe is a big deal. However would Starfleet keep his name classified?
The peace deal with the Klingons, I think Sarek would be more famous for this one
Sisko - how well known were/are the major players of WW2, maybe only to history buffs?
Janeway - returning her lost ship after 7 years, definitely a big deal. But once the celebrations were over, no average nonStarfleet person would be talking about it
Freeman - definitely no
Spock - his Kirk connection and trying to save the Romulans would make him a household name,
The Enterprise crew, footnotes in history re the whale probe unless they are named on the newsreels.
Everyone else, they could walk down the street stark naked, no one would care. Worf being the first Klingon in Starfleet would only be a big deal to Starfleet and its fans, and only the UFP bigots would fuss over it.
Same for Nog and for Elnor
Just to add the crew that deserve the most recognition of all in the Trek universe is the Enterprise crew of the NX01, without them there would no humans left in the galaxy, no UFP and the sphere builders would be running things until the Borg assimilated their asses.
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So in The Motion Picture novelisation is Roddenberry hinting that the Star Trek TV show was actually an in-universe show made in the 23rd century that kinda embellished the real adventures of Kirk and the Enterprise?
Yup.
With Kirk and crew doing things that other crews actually did, or changing the story to favor the Federation - basically boiling down Starfleet's notable accomplishments into a single crew, or combining multiple alien encounters into one, or producing out-and-out pro-Federation propaganda?
Sort of like Dragnet, where all the episodes were based on L.A. police records, but portrayed by fictional cops Friday and Gannon getting all the glory. "These stories are true...etc."
Not to mention that the NX-01 Enterprise is explicitly named after the Space Shuttle Enterprise, which in turn was named after... Star Trek's Enterprise.
Technically, it still could be with a little time travel - "Say anything you want about the future, just 1) don't use our names and 2)make it a fictional story...I said, don't use our names!"
I think you summed it up very well. The only exception I would make would be that of course the Sisko is VERY well known on Bajor, and its not unlikely that odd cults about him show up elsewhere, since he kind of did become a godlike being.
The Sisko on Bajor I give you that one. His 'death' would be UFP news.
Captain Sisko, hero of the Dominion War, missing, presumed dead in tragic accident on Bajor.
No one knew where he went, he just left the party
"New Orleans Times-Picayune
Stardate 52286.4 / February 28 2389
Crowds of Siskonians Converge on French Quarter to Worship outside local creole restaurant and clash with Mardis Gras revellers"
Siskites? Emissarians?
This likely varies quite a bit.
Picard is definitely well known to the Federation-at-large.
Kirk is fairly legendary.
Sisko is HUGE on Bajor, but well known enough in the Federation.
Janeway probably becomes something of a celebrity.
Archer is a big deal.
Pike is probably less known by the public.
The non-captains?
Spock seems to be fairly well known, although probably more so as he gets older. Kind of a big name ambassador/activist.
Seven of Nine probably has a moderate amount of fame.
Data is probably at least relatively known for just being unique.
Worf probably has some notoriety for being a Klingon in Starfleet.
The Doctor may have gained some notoriety when Voyager returned.
Most anyone else? Probably not particularly well known outside of Starfleet.
Picard is definitely well known to the Federation-at-large.
Kirk is fairly legendary.
Sisko is HUGE on Bajor, but well known enough in the Federation.
Janeway probably becomes something of a celebrity.
Archer is a big deal.
Pike is probably less known by the public.
The non-captains?
Spock seems to be fairly well known, although probably more so as he gets older. Kind of a big name ambassador/activist.
Seven of Nine probably has a moderate amount of fame.
Data is probably at least relatively known for just being unique.
Worf probably has some notoriety for being a Klingon in Starfleet.
The Doctor may have gained some notoriety when Voyager returned.
Most anyone else? Probably not particularly well known outside of Starfleet.
I don’t think the broader general public really tend to fixate on:
1) History
2) Researchers/scientists
3) Military figures
4) Vehicles
Of course, there’s always those who do. I take an interest in two of the above, but find 10 average Joe/Jane types in the street and ask them to name an active astronaut and… I don’t think they could.
Same for Starfleet. Especially if you live within a region of space as large as the Federation.
You could be born on a colony that’s so distant from Earth to make legends about some Kirk guy and some whales completely irrelevant.
There are likely a huge amount of citizens of the Federation who have never heard of Kirk/Picard. Possibly they aren’t even aware that there’s much significance in the name ‘Enterprise’.
1) History
2) Researchers/scientists
3) Military figures
4) Vehicles
Of course, there’s always those who do. I take an interest in two of the above, but find 10 average Joe/Jane types in the street and ask them to name an active astronaut and… I don’t think they could.
Same for Starfleet. Especially if you live within a region of space as large as the Federation.
You could be born on a colony that’s so distant from Earth to make legends about some Kirk guy and some whales completely irrelevant.
There are likely a huge amount of citizens of the Federation who have never heard of Kirk/Picard. Possibly they aren’t even aware that there’s much significance in the name ‘Enterprise’.
Pike's birthday is a holiday.
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