The punk in Star Trek IV

[DS9forever]

Its been said that there is a piece of Star Trek literature that reveals that the character of Vin in DS9's "Past Tense" episodes was the punk on the bus in Star Trek IV. Is there any truth to that? A story in Strange New Worlds maybe?

 

[Freman]

Whaaaaaaa? Really? I'd be interested to know the answer to this one as well.

 

[Shazam!]

The only thing I heard was that Vin would've been alive during the events of Star Trek IV but not the he was in it.

 

[trevanian]

It'd be easier to believe the Dick Miller character from TENSE, agewise, since you're talking 40 years on from TVH to the DS9 camps.

 

[Therin of Andor]

It'd be easier to believe the Dick Miller character from TENSE, agewise, since you're talking 40 years on from TVH to the DS9 camps.

Nah, Miller grows into the ugly bar alien McCoy meets in ST III. Nah, that was Allan Miller.

 

[CaptJimboJones]

If so, it's part of the strange synchronicity of the Trek universe that has even the most minor characters popping up constantly in different stories.

 

[Paris]

As a small side note to this discussion...the guy who played the punk in STIV actually wrote that song that was on his boombox. I believe it was called, "I Hate You." Giving Kirk the finger was priceless .

 

[mattburgess]

If so, it's part of the strange synchronicity of the Trek universe that has even the most minor characters popping up constantly in different stories.

And, personally, I hate that The way every single character is connected through some obscure story.
It's just not necessary. Never mind...

 

[Christopher]

As a small side note to this discussion...the guy who played the punk in STIV actually wrote that song that was on his boombox. I believe it was called, "I Hate You."

Yes, that was Kirk Thatcher, who was an associate producer on the film. He's gone on to work on various Henson/Muppet productions in various capacities, including as the director of the most recent Muppet TV special (though that's not exactly an accomplishment to be proud of).

 

[Allyn Gibson]

If so, it's part of the strange synchronicity of the Trek universe that has even the most minor characters popping up constantly in different stories.

And, personally, I hate that The way every single character is connected through some obscure story.
It's just not necessary. Never mind...

The term for it is "Small Universe Syndrome." I'm not sure who first coined the term (and, at a guess, it was probably in relation to Kevin J. Anderson's Star Wars work), but it's been around for a number of years.

 

[mattburgess]

Thank you, Allyn

And what's the general consensus; do people love it or hate it?

I guess... it's a syndrome... and syndromes aren't usually good things. (Except maybe Eating-Chocolate-Without-Getting-Fat-Syndrome, but I have a sneaking suspicion I just totally made that up)

Also, what did KJA do? I mean, any brief examples for me to chuckle at?

 

[Therin of Andor]

Yes, that was Kirk Thatcher, who was an associate producer on the film.

And the guy who coined the term "Efrosian", named for Mel Efros.

And what's the general consensus; do people love it or hate it?

Depends on whether the coincidence involves one's favourite characters/events or not.

 

[JB2005]

As a small side note to this discussion...the guy who played the punk in STIV actually wrote that song that was on his boombox. I believe it was called, "I Hate You."

Yes, that was Kirk Thatcher, who was an associate producer on the film. He's gone on to work on various Henson/Muppet productions in various capacities, including as the director of the most recent Muppet TV special (though that's not exactly an accomplishment to be proud of).

He once said in an interview he could win the nobel prize and still would be remembered for "Punk on Bus in ST IV" So the muppets is always going to be over shone by the Trek

 

[JD]

Thank you, Allyn

And what's the general consensus; do people love it or hate it?

I like it. When it makes sense, and isn't over used. I think problems pop up when writers just start throwing in characters who have no reason to be there, just to have that character in the story. Luckily that doesn't seem to happen very much any more.

 

[Trek Survivor]

Thank you, Allyn

And what's the general consensus; do people love it or hate it?

I don't like it, because it normally comes across a bit fan-wankery and nerdy. The "Star Wars" universe basically collapsed under its own self-importance because of it.

I haven't seen TOO much of it in Trek fiction firsthand, but am aware its "out there".

Because the characters in Trek are generally better realised and written than Star Wars (not a criticism, I like Star Wars, but it was never meant to be a multi-layered, realistic in-universe kind of place), it doesn't seem quite so desperate.

Pulaski visiting DS9, or Ogawa, Melora and Tuvok ending up with Riker/Troi on a ship doesn't quite stretch credulity like "IG-88 the 1-second-and-you-miss-him droid having his brain incorporated into the Death Star and that's why x/y/z happened...", or "alien nobody in background is actually a secret Jedi Knight who did this, this, this and was responsible for..." etc etc.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Two problems with this:

- Vin in DS9 is too old to have been the punk on the bus.

- They don't act the same, they don't have the same personality, so there's no reason to believe they're the same person.

 

[PaulSimpson]

Two problems with this:

- Vin in DS9 is too old to have been the punk on the bus.

- They don't act the same, they don't have the same personality, so there's no reason to believe they're the same person.

You're just letting facts get in the way of a good theory!

 

[mattburgess]

^ Lol!

Also (and this is pretty by-the-by) The Simpsons is absolutely terrible for committing this sin.
For putting every character possible into every episode set in the past/ every flashback, and finding truly ridiculous ways of having characters influence each others' lives.

I'd love to see The Simpsons' "history" in chronological order - I bet it'd make absolutely no sense.

 

[JD]

Definitely not, it seems like every few years they are rewriting the backstory for Homer and Marge's relationship.

 

[mattburgess]

Yeah! And did you see the one where it turned out they were each other's first kiss, but didn't know it because they were both in disguise and using fake names at the time?

That's just ridiculous!