13

I just got done watching the DS9 episode "Trials and Tribble-ations". In the episode some of the crew from DS9 go back in time to the the time of TOS "Trouble with Tribbles." Now Sisko, Dax, Odo, O'brien, Worf, etc. are in some of the scenes with Kirk, Spock, etc.

I decided to watch "Trouble with Tribbles" again afterwards, but the relevant DS9 crew is not in the original episode.

Since they traveled back in time and have become part of the timeline shouldn't they now be in all of those scenes? All kidding aside has anyone tried to remake the "Trouble with Tribbles" episode and add the DS9 crew into the relevant scenes?

Improve this question
18
  • 3
    That's a great suggestion, you should do that.
    – user16696
    Jun 16, 2015 at 20:29
  • 3
    There's a mention of a fan edit here by TheFixer but no links. You could contact them direct; originaltrilogy.com/forum/topic.cfm/Star-Trek-Fan-Edits/topic/…
    – Valorum
    Jun 16, 2015 at 22:43
  • 4
    While we're at it, NX-01 is missing from the Enterprise recreation deck in The Motion Picture and the conference room trophy walls on the Enterprises-D and E.
    – Politank-Z
    Jun 17, 2015 at 1:45
  • 1
    @JMFB As much, if not more of, an Enterprise than the other examples on the rec deck wall. The final season of Enterprise: as much, if not more of, a part of the Star Trek universe (multiverse) than much of the animated series, The Final Frontier, several episodes of Voyager, much of the first seasons of Enterprise, and the Abramsverse.
    – Politank-Z
    Jun 17, 2015 at 2:29
  • 3
    I'm afraid the Captain's log only captured the original timeline.
    – Major Stackings
    Jun 17, 2015 at 5:13

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
15

There are two possibilities as to why the DS9 crew do not appear in the events of TOS episode S02E15 "The Trouble with Tribbles":

enter image description here

Separate Timelines

If we view the original episode as a separate timeline from the altered one we witness in DS9 episode S05E06 "Trials and Tribble-ations", then it becomes obvious that the TOS episode represents the original, unaltered timeline.

This would mean that all events AFTER "Trials and Tribble-ations" take place in an alternate timeline - one in which the DS9 crewmembers were present on that day in 2268.

Off-Screen Events

If, however, we assume a single timeline, then we must account for how the DS9 crewmembers could be present yet not appear in "The Trouble with Tribbles". The most apparent explanation is that the DS9 crewmembers WERE there as depicted, but never appeared on-screen due to viewing angles and/or camera timing.

Summary

Given that DS9 crewmembers were digitally inserted into existing scenes from the TOS episode, we are most likely looking at the "alternate timeline" explanation. This is even hinted at in the dialogue between Sisko & the Temporal Investigators.

LUCSLY: Regulation one fifty seven, section three, paragraph eighteen. Starfleet officers shall take all necessary precautions to minimise any participation in historical events.

SISKO: All right. It was a mistake. But there were no lasting repercussions.

DULMUR: How do you know that? For all we know, we could be living in an alternate timeline right now.

SISKO: If my people had caused any changes in the timeline, we would have been the first to notice when we got back.

Although Sisko may be correct that his people would have noticed any major changes, it's highly unlikely that a minor event - such as Sisko & Dax now appearing in the background of a security recording - would be noticeable.

Side-by-Side Comparison

If you would like to see a comparison of scenes from each episode, J. Trent Adams made a site that compares the TOS & DS9 episodes. The page is old, but AFAIK it's the only one of its kind that compares details of each edited scene with the original. The site itself is gone, but here is a link to it on the Internet Archive:

https://web.archive.org/web/20111007062943/http://www.skotophile.com/StarTrek/Tribbles.html

Improve this answer
8
  • +1 Thanks for your answer. You gave me a lot to digest. Let me consider it. If you can find the footage of that fan made episode and post it here I'd definitely give you a correct answer. I haven't as of yet found it. Richard posted a link to the guys website in the above comments.
    – JMFB
    Jun 17, 2015 at 18:12
  • 1
    @JMFB: You might also try this video, as well as some of its relatives.
    – Kevin
    Sep 17, 2015 at 13:46
  • @Kevin Thanks. I've seen that one before. I'd love to see the remake that fan did, but nobody from the site, or he ever got back to me... :(
    – JMFB
    Sep 18, 2015 at 1:33
  • "Although Sisko may be correct that his people would have noticed any major changes" - really? If you got back from the past and there were a million Mongolians who didn't exist now, would you notice? (Or pick another far away country if you're from Mongolia)
    – komodosp
    Apr 28, 2017 at 11:38
  • 1
    @Pingcode - Thanks for catching that, I updated it with an archive of the page instead
    – Omegacron
    Jun 7, 2022 at 17:46

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge that you have read and understand our privacy policy and code of conduct.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.