the nexus as magical plot device

[sonak]

This was not something I thought of, I saw this observation as part of a criticism of ST: GEN on the internets. Forgive me if this has been brought up before, but it was a cool point I hadn't noticed.


OK, So the Nexus, stripped of complexities is basically a floating holodeck, right? I mean, it's not actually a time-travel mechanism, it's just that time and space have no meaning WITHIN THE NEXUS, but it's still a fixed location in space, right?

So... how exactly do Picard and Kirk leave the Nexus and end up back on Veridian number whichever in the recent past? The Nexus should be floating in space somewhere far away from the Veridian system at that point, right? Instead at the speed of thought it transports Kirk and Picard through space/time???!!

It smacks of the Nexus not being bound by any kind of logic or rules except for those that serve the plot.

 

[spaceballone]

This was not something I thought of, I saw this observation as part of a criticism of ST: GEN on the internets. Forgive me if this has been brought up before, but it was a cool point I hadn't noticed.


OK, So the Nexus, stripped of complexities is basically a floating holodeck, right? I mean, it's not actually a time-travel mechanism, it's just that time and space have no meaning WITHIN THE NEXUS, but it's still a fixed location in space, right?

So... how exactly do Picard and Kirk leave the Nexus and end up back on Veridian number whichever in the recent past? The Nexus should be floating in space somewhere far away from the Veridian system at that point, right? Instead at the speed of thought it transports Kirk and Picard through space/time???!!

It smacks of the Nexus not being bound by any kind of logic or rules except for those that serve the plot.

Well, The guardian of forever from TOS is in a fixed point in space and you can step through it and end up in any time or place you want so it's kind of the same plot device.

 

[DonIago]

I don't think anyone ever claimed the Nexus was logical.

 

[Saul]

The nexus was describe by the writers as where the past, present and future collide.

 

[sonak]

This was not something I thought of, I saw this observation as part of a criticism of ST: GEN on the internets. Forgive me if this has been brought up before, but it was a cool point I hadn't noticed.


OK, So the Nexus, stripped of complexities is basically a floating holodeck, right? I mean, it's not actually a time-travel mechanism, it's just that time and space have no meaning WITHIN THE NEXUS, but it's still a fixed location in space, right?

So... how exactly do Picard and Kirk leave the Nexus and end up back on Veridian number whichever in the recent past? The Nexus should be floating in space somewhere far away from the Veridian system at that point, right? Instead at the speed of thought it transports Kirk and Picard through space/time???!!

It smacks of the Nexus not being bound by any kind of logic or rules except for those that serve the plot.

Well, The guardian of forever from TOS is in a fixed point in space and you can step through it and end up in any time or place you want so it's kind of the same plot device.

right, I thought of the GOF when posting this, but that was specifically stated to BE a time portal, and a semi-self aware one at that. I don't remember the Nexus being described as a time machine or time portal, just that it was some kind of fantasy paradise where time had no meaning inside of it. It was just sort of glossed over when echo-Guinan tells Picard he can go anywhere, anytime because TIME HAS NO MEANING IN THE NEXUS. Um... so what? He's not returning to a fantasy-Veridian, he wants to return to the real one outside the Nexus. Why do conditions within the Nexus matter?

 

[UssGlenn]

The only thing that would make any sort of sense is if the nexus can drop you out at any point along its own timeline. It can set you some reasonable distance away from itself. So if you want to go 100 years in the past you pop out near where the nexus is 100 years ago. That what Picard and Kirk ended up doing, even if it isn't how they presented it in the movie.

 

[Bishop76]

Aw... you found out the secret of the Nexus. Don't tell anyone, okay?

Yeah, basically the Nexus is an awful plot device in an awful movie. It's actually not where the past, present, and future collide; it's where all plot holes come from.

 

[Timo]

To me, it sounds like the ideal mass transportation system. It speeds across the galaxy, but slows down at interesting locations such as star systems. It provides top-notch inflight entertainment. And the user interface is telepathic, and allows for retroactive disembarking (and perhaps anticipating disembarking, too - if Soran had entered near Earth, he might have commanded the Nexus to drop him off at Veridian eight decades later in objective time but only ten seconds later in subjective time).

Probably a derelict pleasure cruiser, then.

Timo Saloniemi

 

[DonIago]

I need to rewatch GEN now...it occurs to me that depending on the sequence of events, when Picard realized Kirk was going to die he could have let the planet be destroyed by the Nexus, then Picard and Kirk would both be transported to the Nexus again and get a do-over.

 

[SonicRanger]

Timo, that's a great idea -- that the Nexus isn't natural and was perhaps left behind by all these god-like alien races floating around.

The Nexus also fits with what the Traveller had said about time, space, and thought all being connected -- and with what happened to Beverly when she was travelled in the subspace bubble: her thoughts created the reality within it.

 

[Potemkin_Prod]

Could the Nexus be intelligent? That it's aware of what its occupants need?

It's Kirk and Picard who are physically in the Nexus, once they leave it, can they re-enter it? Will it let them?

Is the Nexus a plot device? Certainly. But it's the least of Generations failings....