Top 5 Plot Theories for Star Trek: Discovery

[OpenMaw]

There's nothing wrong with alternative terms for the same species. Humans/Terrans/Earthers etc etc...

 

[CorporalClegg]

Well neanderthals are Terran but they're not humans

 

[Nerys Myk]

Well neanderthals are Terran but they're not humans

Depends on who you ask.

 

[Spider]

Well neanderthals are Terran but they're not humans

Close enough for humans to interbreed with, along with at least the Denisovans and possibly even homo erectus. For a time, alongside homo sapiens, there were four (possibly five) other homo species on the planet with us.

 

[midnightz]

Note that Spock refers to himself as a 'Vulcanian' in the same episode as the Vulcanian Expedition. They obviously hadn't figured out what to call Vulcans yet...

 

[midnightz]

There's no "none of the above" option, which is sorely needed in this case since it's not terribly likely that any of those five options is correct.

I did think about that, but the question was about which people would prefer to see rather than what they thought would be correct. However, I'll go add that option now...

 

[Bry_Sinclair]

A Fringe-style war against the Alternate Universe

 

[Spider]

A Fringe-style war against the Alternate Universe

Against the multiverse, with unlimited copies of the characters, and they could get Tatiana Maslany to guest star.

 

[midnightz]

Reminds me of the Star Trek Timelines game... that would be crazy!

 

[Mudd]

Well neanderthals are Terran but they're not humans

Yes, they are - homo sapiens neanderthalensis.

 

[Spider]

Yes, they are - homo sapiens neanderthalensis.

That's still a point of contention with some scientists, most use the term Homo neanderthalensis without the "sapiens". Not that it means a whole lot except for classification purposes, but they were not humans like us, they were a different species, though one close enough to be able to interbreed.

If you saw a Neanderthal standing right in front of you, you'd immediately notice the difference.

 

[CorporalClegg]

Besides, the discussion is about Star Trek nomenclature, not genetics. I failed biology. What do I know? I suppose it would have been more on point to use Romulans as an example. At what point did they stop being "Vulcan"? (Never mind that most of the species in Star Trek are also humanish and can interbreed.)

Actually, that has story potential. What if it turned out that the dispute between Romulans and Vulcans wasn't just about philosophy but genetics? Vulcans' dark little secret.