Should there be a "Temporal Cold War"-angle to SNW?

[Rahul]

I'm thinking a lot about this lately.
I don't think the Temporal Cold War was done very successfully on ENT. But it would actually solve a lot of SNW's problems - even more than on ENT.

Pike knows he won't die.
He saw his accident. He knows exactly WHEN and WHERE it's going to happen. No matter what crazy stunt he pulls - no matter how bad the odds - he will survive. Doing one-shot manoevers against the Gorn? Picking chances on blowing up one of two asteroids? He can do that. For him, it's not "a lucky throw". It's the logical choice. Basically, the only time he should be worried is when he leaves the Enterprise, then worry for his friends. But whenever he's in command? The big E won't blow up.

ENT introduced a time-conflict atually TWICE: Once in the series premiere - and then AGAIN in the Xindi-war, to make us believe Earth actually "could" be destroyed.

In fact, this is the whole reason Berman & Braga introduced the Temporal Cold War in the fist place - and it's a GOOD reason (only the execution was lacking) : If you make a prequel, people know how it will end. This is my problem with all the relationship drama on SNW: We know how these end. By having actual altercations to the timeline, there's at least a chance things will go differently. They probably won't - the same as Earth won't be destroyed on DIS - but at least the option is theoretically on the table.

So I say: SNW needs to introdue some timey-wimey conflict. Something that clearly clashes with Pike's vision. Maybe kill one of the kids he's supposed to save. Basically - Pike should be uncertain if his vision actually IS his future, right up until the very moment it happens. And we as viewers should be guessing - is this timeline different? Do Spock & T'Pring actually have a future here? They can even play with it why everything looks "a bit different". Also IMO it would be neat if that thread from ENT would be carried over - it's a time conflict, it should take place at multiple times.

So - bring it on! Do some time-travel stuff! Don't actually make it an alternate timeline. But play with the possibilities. And most importantly - make stuff LESS pre-determined.

What do you think?

 

[Jedi Marso]

NO

 

[Jack Wolfe]

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

 

[Nerys Myk]

I expect there will be a time travel episode, but not the Temporal Cold War. Then again who thought

Spoiler: Serene Squall

Sybok would show up?

 

[DaveyNY]

I don't think They should go full-blown with it, but it would be interesting to tie it into Pike's knowledge of his future.
I mentioned elsewhere that having his accident happen prematurely with different results to his well being (surviving unscathed), could cause him to investigate why things changed and could result in the Temporal shenanigans of ENTERPRISE at the very least, being brought up.

 

[Rahul]

The thing is - I don't really care about Future guy, the Suliban, Daniels, or the sphere builders that much. Especially since all has been kinda' murky and (except the Xindi arc) we don't really know what's going on, who is who, or what the whole thing is actually about.


But OTOH I kinda' live the idea of a "cold" Time War! Especially in a setting like Star Trek - where time travel is possible, but rare, everyone tries to protect the timeline, but small changes happen every once in a while.

So having kind of an espionage conflict, with time agents in different sides, trying to influence future (or past) conflicts to their advantage - is something I actually find really fucking intriguing.

Again - it wasn't done great on ENT. But I think with a proper, thought out story - it could bea great addition to a prequel show!

 

[Noname Given]

I'm thinking a lot about this lately.
I don't think the Temporal Cold War was done very successfully on ENT. But it would actually solve a lot of SNW's problems - even more than on ENT.

Pike knows he won't die.
He saw his accident. He knows exactly WHEN and WHERE it's going to happen. No matter what crazy stunt he pulls - no matter how bad the odds - he will survive. Doing one-shot manoevers against the Gorn? Picking chances on blowing up one of two asteroids? He can do that. For him, it's not "a lucky throw". It's the logical choice. Basically, the only time he should be worried is when he leaves the Enterprise, then worry for his friends. But whenever he's in command? The big E won't blow up.

ENT introduced a time-conflict atually TWICE: Once in the series premiere - and then AGAIN in the Xindi-war, to make us believe Earth actually "could" be destroyed.

In fact, this is the whole reason Berman & Braga introduced the Temporal Cold War in the fist place - and it's a GOOD reason (only the execution was lacking) : If you make a prequel, people know how it will end. This is my problem with all the relationship drama on SNW: We know how these end. By having actual altercations to the timeline, there's at least a chance things will go differently. They probably won't - the same as Earth won't be destroyed on DIS - but at least the option is theoretically on the table.

So I say: SNW needs to introdue some timey-wimey conflict. Something that clearly clashes with Pike's vision. Maybe kill one of the kids he's supposed to save. Basically - Pike should be uncertain if his vision actually IS his future, right up until the very moment it happens. And we as viewers should be guessing - is this timeline different? Do Spock & T'Pring actually have a future here? They can even play with it why everything looks "a bit different". Also IMO it would be neat if that thread from ENT would be carried over - it's a time conflict, it should take place at multiple times.

So - bring it on! Do some time-travel stuff! Don't actually make it an alternate timeline. But play with the possibilities. And most importantly - make stuff LESS pre-determined.

What do you think?

ABSOLUTELY F**K NO!!!!!

 

[Timofnine]

Time travel can be saved for Wesley Crusher and the Travellers, perhaps they can take part in the time war in order to protect history? I guess that it is possible that Wesley Crusher could make a cameo or have a guest role in Strange New World’s if he doesn’t get a spin off series of his own? If someone as obscure as Sybok can show up, other obscure characters can too surely, even if we don’t expect it?

 

[Rahul]

NO

ABSOLUTELY F**K NO!!!!!

Would you mind elaborating on that?
"No" without any further explanation is a pretty useless answer.

It's it the concept? The characters? The lore? Or just that you cannot separate it from ENT?

 

[Jedi Marso]

No elaboration needed, just NO.

The TCW was one of the worst aspects of Enterprise. Trying to reintroduce it is like deliberately exposing yourself to a painful illness.

Keep it STAR Trek- not motherfucking Time Trek.

 

[Rahul]

Keep it STAR Trek- not motherfucking Time Trek.

A bit late for that, innit? Time travel is a big part of Trek since, like, 1966.

Time travel can be saved for Wesley Crusher and the Travellers, perhaps they can take part in the time war in order to protect history? I guess that it is possible that Wesley Crusher could make a cameo or have a guest role in Strange New World’s if he doesn’t get a spin off series of his own? If someone as obscure as Sybok can show up, other obscure characters can too surely, even if we don’t expect it?

I actually don't like Wesley showing up. Not because I dislike him, I don't. I just want to see as little legacy characters as possible.

Then again - the Traveler being involved in time travel shenanigans is so fitting it seems kind of obvious.

 

[Jack Wolfe]

The TCW was might have sounded good on paper, but did not work worth a damn on screen. Why should they make the same mistake twice?

 

[fireproof78]

The TCW was might have sounded good on paper, but did not work worth a damn on screen. Why should they make the same mistake twice?

Agreed. Time travel is something that is a spice in science fiction stories. In some instances, it does OK, and I'm tolerant of time travel as the framing device. As an actual plot point? No, thank you. Time travel sucks at its best, and should be kept far away from Star Trek if I had my druthers. The Temporal Cold War was a failure on all counts.

 

[AllenPCarlson]

I actually don't like Wesley showing up. Not because I dislike him, I don't. I just want to see as little legacy characters as possible.

Then again - the Traveler being involved in time travel shenanigans is so fitting it seems kind of obvious.

Wesley showing up was just so random. They basically threw him in there for fan service. "You know that fan theory about him becoming a traveler? Yeah, bro, it's true. See this random scene?"

That said I echo the previous commenters' post.

NO! No more time travel crap!

They're the least interesting episodes and to think there might be another season long overarching plot, ugh, god, no more. We've seen enough time travel.

 

[fireproof78]

Wesley showing up was just so random. They basically threw him in there for fan service. "You know that fan theory about him becoming a traveler? Yeah, bro, it's true. See this random scene?

That's what fans want is servicing. Strange New Worlds is proof of that.

 

[FederationHistorian]

Why???

Isn’t there a Section 31 show in the works? Why not dump the Temporal Cold War there?

 

[DaveyNY]

They've mentioned a bunch of stuff from ENTERPRISE since the dawn of DISCOVERY, I don't see any harm in also mentioning the TCW in reference to Pike's vision of doom.

I'm not advocating for a return to full-on TCW episodes, I'm just saying that Pike might find info from that time period and use it in some manner to his advantage or even to acknowledge any changes to the In-Universe timeline.

Akin to what nuKirk & nuSpock discussed in TREK 2009.

 

[Rahul]

I actually don't want a full season arc or anything like that with the TWC.

But I think having a big episode or a two-parter dedicated to the idea of "the future isn't actually set in stone yet" would not only be a good idea, but is kind of a necessity at this point.

Connecting that to ENT is just me spitballing - hell, they can (and probably should) totally invent their own time travel paradoxon.

But as much as it's a certainty we will eventually have many time-travel episodes on SNW - I think it's important to connect that to Pike's vision. And rather sooner than later.

 

[C.E. Evans]

The whole TCW was just done to placate some nervous execs at Paramount who weren't 100% onboard with a TOS prequel idea. It apparently wasn't really something Berman & Braga were all that passionate about, which would explain its meandering execution, IMO. The moment Manny Coto took over as showrunner, he promptly wrapped it up and dropped it like a bad habit.

"I felt that everything that had been said about the Temporal Cold War had already been said. I felt a heavy reliance on time travel at the beginning of Enterprise. I wanted season four to be a relatively time travel-free season..."
--Manny Coto, ENT, Season 1 Blu-ray Special Features commentary