Spoilers Strange New Worlds General Discussion Thread

[Mudd]

All this arguments about what Mendez said about Pike are funny. It's been a while since I watched that episode, but wasn't Mendez an illusion created by Talosians and not a real person? lol

That's another part of the bad story that's impossible to sort out.

He seems to be a real person who's swapped out for an illusion sometime during Kirk's trip to the starbase shuttle launch hangar.

Because Talosians can cast perfect illusions all the way through interstellar space.

So, what's the point of the quarantine, again?

More importantly, what's the need for Spock's unlikely and impractical subterfuge? The Talosians could accomplish all the necessary deception with a nod of the head.

 

[Quinton]

I reckon many of us already deduced it, but the bit about an upcoming documentary filming on Starfleet in “Wedding Bell Blues” fairly well solidifies that “What Is Starfleet?” will be Strange New Worlds’ very own turn on the ol’ genre staple. Should be fun, should be cool, and… wouldn’t surprise me if it goes semi-surprisingly bleak, and somebody dies.

Shades of Stargate SG-1 memory trauma… haha.

 

[Dar70]

Why would he have to do that? As mentioned, sloppy writing.

Think about it. Kirk obviously was not too familiar with Pike. Having only met him the one time. Mendez was just freshing his memory. I have done this with people when we are familiar with the same person and I describe them just to make sure we are on the same page.

Obviously he is more familiar with him in SNW...

 

[137th Gebirg]

Wasn't Mendez a Talosian illusion construct? Why would he know anything about Pike outside what Vena was able to get out of him and tell the Talosians? If it was the real guy on the starbase that Kirk was originally speaking to, when did they switch him over? It's been forever and a day since I watched "Menagerie", so I'm probably not remembering clearly.

 

[Dukhat]

I reckon many of us already deduced it, but the bit about an upcoming documentary filming on Starfleet in “Wedding Bell Blues” fairly well solidifies that “What Is Starfleet?” will be Strange New Worlds’ very own turn on the ol’ genre staple. Should be fun, should be cool, and… wouldn’t surprise me if it goes semi-surprisingly bleak, and somebody dies.

Shades of Stargate SG-1 memory trauma… haha.

I'm just hoping that we see the Kelvin in that documentary. I'm probably in for a disappointment, though.

 

[fireproof78]

Wasn't Mendez a Talosian illusion construct? Why would he know anything about Pike outside what Vena was able to get out of him and tell the Talosians? If it was the real guy on the starbase that Kirk was originally speaking to, when did they switch him over? It's been forever and a day since I watched "Menagerie", so I'm probably not remembering clearly.

Only in the shuttle:
KEEPER [on screen]: What you now seem to hear, Captain Kirk, are my thought transmissions. The Commodore was never aboard your vessel. His presence there and in the shuttlecraft was an illusion. Mister Spock had related to us your strength of will. It was thought the fiction of a court-martial would divert you from too soon regaining control of your vessel. Captain Pike is welcome to spend the rest of his life with us, unfettered by his physical body. The decision is yours and his.

 

[eschaton]

I reckon many of us already deduced it, but the bit about an upcoming documentary filming on Starfleet in “Wedding Bell Blues” fairly well solidifies that “What Is Starfleet?” will be Strange New Worlds’ very own turn on the ol’ genre staple. Should be fun, should be cool, and… wouldn’t surprise me if it goes semi-surprisingly bleak, and somebody dies.

Shades of Stargate SG-1 memory trauma… haha.

That's a pleasant thought. We already know Korby is coming back (I believe in Through the Lens of Time), and this week's Shuttle to Kenfori is supposed to be a partial sequel of Under the Cloak of War.

One of the aspects of SNW I've liked the best is they have semi-serialization down cold - the best since DS9. Episodes build off one another (particularly regarding character growth) in a logical, sequential manner, but they don't feel obligated to create these poorly paced season arcs that never go anywhere particularly interesting.

 

[137th Gebirg]

Only in the shuttle:
KEEPER [on screen]: What you now seem to hear, Captain Kirk, are my thought transmissions. The Commodore was never aboard your vessel. His presence there and in the shuttlecraft was an illusion. Mister Spock had related to us your strength of will. It was thought the fiction of a court-martial would divert you from too soon regaining control of your vessel. Captain Pike is welcome to spend the rest of his life with us, unfettered by his physical body. The decision is yours and his.

The line "His presence there AND in the shuttlecraft was an illusion" implies he was swapped out before they got in the shuttle - while still on Enterprise. That only muddies the water even more for me now. [Grumble]

 

[Campe]

Yeah, I love "The Menagerie" as it introduced me to Captain Pike, but I can't suggest for one second that its a well-written framing story.

 

[Yistaan]

Has it occurred to anyone that Kirk might purposely be downplaying his frienship with Pike to Mendez? Everyone's already joking how he's never on the Farragut but always on the Enterprise in SNW. If it became common knowledge that this is how he ended up getting captaincy of one of Starfleet's best ships, no first officer would even be at their posting anymore and instead would always be hanging out at the ship they want to be captain of.

 

[Dukhat]

If Kirk only met Pike once, I doubt he'd be as formal with him as he was. Going by a first-name basis isn't really something military people do. At best, Kirk would be referring to Pike as "Captain Pike," not "Chris."

 

[fireproof78]

Has it occurred to anyone that Kirk might purposely be downplaying his frienship with Pike to Mendez? Everyone's already joking how he's never on the Farragut but always on the Enterprise in SNW. If it became common knowledge that this is how he ended up getting captaincy of one of Starfleet's best ships, no first officer would even be at their posting anymore and instead would always be hanging out at the ship they want to be captain of.

There's no point in arguing with a superior officer over details Kirk already knows.

 

[Daedalus]

If Kirk only met Pike once, I doubt he'd be as formal with him as he was. Going by a first-name basis isn't really something military people do. At best, Kirk would be referring to Pike as "Captain Pike," not "Chris."

If SNW wasn't a thing, I would have assumed that they had a few brandies together in the officer's mess, while bonding over their respective equestrian pursuits.

 

[cooleddie74]

Has it occurred to anyone that Kirk might purposely be downplaying his frienship with Pike to Mendez?

Sure. Because I'm not a literalist when it comes to every line of dialogue in a fictional dramatic presentation.

 

[Dukhat]

If SNW wasn't a thing, I would have assumed that they had a few brandies together in the officer's mess, while bonding over their respective equestrian pursuits.

Well, Kirk showed zero interest in riding horses until Generations, where he was basically playing an idealized version of Shatner than Kirk.

 

[Daedalus]

Well, Kirk showed zero interest in riding horses until Generations, where he was basically playing an idealized version of Shatner than Kirk.

There is that...

 

[Quinton]

One of the aspects of SNW I've liked the best is they have semi-serialization down cold - the best since DS9. Episodes build off one another (particularly regarding character growth) in a logical, sequential manner, but they don't feel obligated to create these poorly paced season arcs that never go anywhere particularly interesting.

Well said! I’m right there with you. When Strange New Worlds was first announced, that opening salvo of information included the creators talking up aims for character-centric serialization amid mainly-episodic plots. It sounded instantly appealing to me, but I didn’t know quite how that would look.

DS9 is a good shout. That’s such a solid comparison, and it’s rad that SNW has nailed it.

Now, if only it got more episodes… the ceaseless curse of the streaming era, alas.

 

[Nerys Myk]

Think about it. Kirk obviously was not too familiar with Pike. Having only met him the one time. Mendez was just freshing his memory. I have done this with people when we are familiar with the same person and I describe them just to make sure we are on the same page.

Obviously he is more familiar with him in SNW...

Nothing in Kirk's dialog or reactions imply he's unfamiliar with Pike. When I ask if someone knows a person, if they say yes I don't give them a physical description of that person. They're usually one offer additional details to make sure we're talking about the same person, not me.

And as noted Kirk refers to Pike as "Chris" for most of the episode. Which implies a much more familiar relation than one between two people who met once.

 

[The Wormhole]

Sure. Because I'm not a literalist when it comes to every line of dialogue in a fictional dramatic presentation.

Then there is no place for you in this fandom, sir. Good day.

 

[137th Gebirg]