Books don't have to be dark, gorey, excessively violent, or explicit to appeal to adults.HBO trek is not trek.
You blew his face off (Spoilers!)
- Thread starter JonLuck Pickerd
- Start date
MattWallace
Lieutenant
They don`t have to be dark, gorey, excessivly violent or explicet unless the story calls for it. I`m not saying that Trek should be more like NuBSG in it`s stories but it can take a page from how the characters grew and developed and also how it was unflinching in it`s depiction of violence and it`s effects on people. Trek can be so much more than it is. It used to be about taking chances and pushing boundries, something that Trek hasn`t done in decades. Time for it to grow up.
Trek lit has been very daring and pushing boundaries lately. In the books, you see a lot of edgy characters and civilizations. You also have a variety of sexual lifestyles serving and it isn't a fuss, something you never saw on tv. Recent stories in the Typhon Pact line have made excellent commentary on current events. In these ways, trek lit has done an excellent job giving us new perspectives on our culture, one of the fundamentals of the franchise.
MattWallace
Lieutenant
Yes, the books have, in large part, moved in a more mature direction. The darkening of Bashir & Sisko are both excellent. Hopefully they will be permitted to contunue their journies without a sudden u-turn. Bashir could be on his way to being a 24th century Khan Noonien Singh which would be VERY interesting. He knows what he's doing and he belives himself to be in the right.
I think that would be very boring. We've already seen the cliche of "genetic superiority = evil" played out in countless stories. It's kind of an archaism in this age of transhumanist science fiction (and looming transhumanist reality). Let's see Bashir continue to be a counterargument to the Federation's Luddite fears of genetic enhancement -- to be the antithesis of Khan just as Data and the EMH were the antitheses of Korby and Landru and M5 and the other evil AIs of TOS.
Absolutely. Look, have him TEMPTED, maybe--kinda like he was in the Section 31 novel--but don't have him give in.
BTW--recall how Greg Cox showed Kahn's motivations. He saw the suffering around him--he told Gary Seven that they must do whatever is necessary to alleviate that suffering. Gary tell him that's not their job--Kahn leaves, swearing to bring order and peace to the world, one way or another.
Perhaps have Julian be tempted in a similar manner--"I could save them, if only I weren't so...encumbered...."
But DON'T have him cross the line.
BTW--recall how Greg Cox showed Kahn's motivations. He saw the suffering around him--he told Gary Seven that they must do whatever is necessary to alleviate that suffering. Gary tell him that's not their job--Kahn leaves, swearing to bring order and peace to the world, one way or another.
Perhaps have Julian be tempted in a similar manner--"I could save them, if only I weren't so...encumbered...."
But DON'T have him cross the line.
I don't ever see them going anywhere near that far with Julian. Sure his character is taking a darker turn, but there's a big difference between Jack Bauer and Darth Vader, and I don't see him going fully to the Dark Side anytime soon.
MattWallace
Lieutenant
I think that your idea would be less interesting. Been there, done that. What we haven't seen is a Starfleet office going across the line, at least not one of our "hero" characters. He doesn't have to go whole hog "take over the world" type of thing. He can decide that he's more capable than other people due to his enhancement and do wrong things for the right reasons. He can embace his "superiority". Becoming a dictator isn't in his character but killing has come easier to him as late because he's convinced of the rightness of what he was doing. It doesn't matter that most of the people were civilians as opposed to Breen military members.
Bashir's actions in Zero Sum Game surprised me. Having him step back wouldn't. I'd much prefer to be surprised by the characters I'm reading. If he's always going to do the "right" thing, why bother? Let's not forget that this is the guy that was working to cure the Jem'Hadar of their addiciton to the White which could have removed them from the control of the Founders. Imagine if they were then free to attack whoever they wanted. There was no guarantee that they wouldn't have continued to attack the Federation but now there's nobody to stop them. But, Bashir was convinced he knew best.
Remember the scene where he is playing darts with O'Brien? Without looking he throws three bulls-eyes. There's an arrogance but also a supreme faith in his abilities. Build on that aspect of him.
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