Questions tagged [star-trek]
For all questions about the Star Trek universe. Including the television series, films, characters, events, and technology in the universe. For more specific questions, use in conjunction with the relevant tags, such as [star-trek-tos] or [star-trek-tng].
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How does the Ferengi economy work? [duplicate]
In Star Trek - the Federation is a post-scarcity socialist (for want of a better world) utopia, that has abandonded the concept of money.
This makes sense in light of the existence of replicators and ...
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Can latinum be transporter beamed?
Latinum cannot be replicated via a replicator because < hand waving >. Replicators and transporters are based on the same underlying technology. Therefore, it seems reasonable that latinum ...
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Why does Worf receive only a reprimand for killing Duras in the episode, “Reunion?”
In the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode Reunion (#81), Worf kills Duras in retribution for killing his mate. Far from a clandestine operation, his behavior is discussed with Picard who informs ...
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Why did Nog ask Vic, “Do you dream?”
In DS9: It's Only a Paper Moon Nog asks the hologram character Vic Fontaine,
"Do you dream?"
Is this a reference to HAL from 2001: a Space Odyssey?
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If there are universal translators, why are some words/phrases not translated?
In Star Trek, there are universal translators on the ship to make communications between the different species possible.
But there are countless times when Klingons talk in Klingon and English, when ...
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Why doesn't Captain Pike get security guys skilled in hand to hand combat?
In Star Trek (2009), why does Captain Pike ask for officers skilled in hand-to-hand combat from the bridge instead of getting personnel from security to do the job? Why take Sulu away from his ...
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Where are the 32nd century Klingons?
Perhaps I missed something, but I don't recall any appearance or mention of Klingons from Star Trek: Discovery season 3 forward.
Is there any mention or appearance of the Klingons in the 32nd century?
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What is a "Red Directive"?
In universe, what's involved with a "Red Directive"? I get the impression that like the Omega Directive, certain rules and regs get rescinded.
I don't remember there being any mention of Red ...
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What is this creature biting on the Cerritos?
In a brief shot on the opening of the show Lower Decks, a huge insectoid life form is seen biting down on a warp nacelle of the USS Cerritos and being carried along with it- is this alien based on ...
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Why don't Andorians show up in Star Trek more?
IIRC Andorian space is right next door to Vulcan space. Why don't the Andorians show up more often in Star Trek (vs. Vulcans, Klingons, Romulans, and later Cardassians)?
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Was There Ever an Official or Canon Retcon or Explanation For the Eugenics Wars?
Star Trek is one of the few SF shows to have the distinction of running long enough to make some of their original situations outdated.
In the original Star Trek, the Eugenics wars took place between ...
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Why did no one call Starfleet to report the Dyson sphere?
In the TNG episode "Relics," the Enterprise follows a distress beacon from the Jenolan, a Federation ship that disappeared around 80 years ago, and finds it crashed on the surface of a Dyson ...
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In "Silent Enemy", why didn't they just drop Echo Three?
In the beginning of the episode "Silent Enemy" in Star Trek: Enterprise, they are dropping communication relays. They seem to have another one, Echo Three, on board at the end of the episode....
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Was st:ENT always meant to be a simulation?
In many episodes we hear about "chef" but never see the character on screen. That's about the only clue I have, but I'm wondering if it was supposed to be a hint and whether the intention ...
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Why didn't Dr. M'Benga operate on "Spock's Brain"?
Dr. Joseph M'Benga was a Starfleet doctor who performed his medical internship on Vulcan. This question asks why he didn't operate on the Vulcan Sarek in "Journey to Babel". The answer to ...
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Was Kirk reduced in rank to captain for "Star Trek - The Motion Picture" or was he addressed as Captain as head of the ship?
In Star Trek - The Motion Picture, it is established that Kirk is a rear admiral, but he is addressed as captain on the Enterprise. Was this done because the heads of all vessels are traditionally ...
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Did the original Star Trek series ever tackle slavery as a theme in one of its episodes?
One of the first science fiction stories I liked was Planet of the Apes. Obviously, it was referencing the transatlantic slavery trade as a subtext. I was too young then to know that when I watched it....
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Actors from any part of Star Trek who also acted in the Orville. I can list a few. Have I missed any?
I have noticed a number of actors from various parts of the Star Trek franchise also playing parts in The Orville. Seth MacFarlane is obviously a huge Star Trek fan.
Marina Sirtis played a teacher in ...
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Prior to the start of Deep Space 9, why was Garak exiled and left on DS9?
At the start of the show, Garak's been exiled from Cardassian space, and was left on Deep Space 9. I don't think the reason for this exile was ever explained. It seemed to be a genuine exile, and ...
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What species is this alien on the bridge of USS Discovery?
Here is a screencap from Star Trek: Discovery, Episode 4 of the first Season:
What species is the big-headed insectoid/arachnoid/reptilian/somethingoid alien to the left of the screen, standing on ...
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Can power be transferred from one shield facing to another?
In Star Trek, I've heard captains ordering extra power (from auxiliary or non-essential systems) to be diverted to a shield facing (or to the shields in general) plenty of times, but has there ever ...
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In DS9: Paradise Lost, why is a vice admiral in charge of Starfleet?
In the Deep Space 9 episode, Paradise Lost (S04E12):
Why is Leyton considered the "head of Starfleet"? He is wearing a 3-pip admiral insignia, which is vice admiral, a solid two ranks ...
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What do the Breen look like?
I was wondering if anyone had ever read any books or found any other sources that said what the Breen really look like under their suits.
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Is there a technical name for the discrete particles seen in a Star Trek transporter/replicator beam?
Looking at this picture, you can see the particles I'm asking about:
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Did the Romulans make any major concessions in the Treaty of Algeron?
In TNG's the Pegasus, it was revealed the Federation agreed not to equip spacecraft with cloaking devices in the Treaty of Algeron, an in-universe reason the writers came up with to explain why ...
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Who are the "soulless minions of orthodoxy?"
From the Deep Space 9 episode, In the Cards (S05E25):
GIGER: Doctor Bathkin of Andros Three was the first to come up with the answer to solving the puzzle of death. Keep the cells energised. Keep ...
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Was Voyager a Christmas ornament on Earth?
In Star Trek:Voyager - Death Wish (S02E18), Quinn tries to hide himself and Voyager from Q. One hiding place he tried was to turn Voyager into a Christmas ornament hanging on a tree.
Were they on ...
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Origin of the word "Tholian" in Star Trek
I recently learned that the word "tholian" is an Old English word meaning "to suffer, endure." Is it known whether Judy Burns and Chet Richards knew this fact, and deliberately ...
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Star Trek Episode – Possible Time Travel or Alternative Timeline with No Federation
In a Star Trek movie or TV episode, there is some sort of time travel or travel to an alternative timeline to Earth where they detect no Federation. But their sensors detect some Romulan ship activity ...
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Do we ever see someone toggle their lights (or close their curtains) in exterior miniature shots?
In Star Trek we typically see many exterior space shots of starships, like the Enterprise-D pictured below, where some windows are illuminated and some are dark (see yellow highlights). Up until ...
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In Star Trek TOS, when was the first mention of a shuttlecraft, and when did the producers decide the Enterprise had shuttles?
The first episode of Star Trek/TOS that used a shuttlecraft was The Galileo Seven, which included the full interior and exterior of the shuttle. That was more than halfway through the season (Episode ...
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Was the TOS saucer section ever intended to land regularly?
For some reason, I have it in my head that in the early concept phases of Star Trek (what's now known as the original series), the idea was that the saucer section would detach and land on planets. ...
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How long is a Federation/Starfleet life sentence?
In Star Trek: Discovery,
is sentenced to life for mutiny. How long is a life sentence in that?
In Europe, a life sentence can be as little as 15 years, and some countries have a maximum of 25 years. ...
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In “Star Trek: The Next Generation” The Pegasus, which responsibilities/authority did Picard give up to Pressman when he took command of the mission?
In the Star Trek: The
Next Generation episode “The Pegasus” (S07E12), Pressman clarifies that he is in charge of the overall mission while Picard remains in command of the Enterprise.
What were the ...
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Why did the Borg ignore these Enterprise crew members when they were assimilating other members of the crew?
During the movie, Star Trek: First Contact, the Borg were assimilating as many crew members as they could, as they took over the Enterprise-E.
Picard watches a Borg drone lead a crew member away to ...
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Why do the Borg care so much about Earth?
So the Borg are introduced to the Federation by Q, but the fact remains the Federation lives on the other side of the Galaxy, and aside from more possible encounters with Q / Caretaker like beings, ...
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What bodily function would be an appropriate analogy to the “Manheim Effect” according to Data?
In the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode “We’ll Always Have Paris,” what bodily function was Data about to say as an analogy to the Manheim Effect?
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Could the appearance of a Medusan be used as an offensive weapon?
In Star Trek: The Original Series, the Medusans were so ugly that the sight of them would drive any human completely insane. Even Vulcans, with their superior minds and physiology, could only gaze ...
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How many Voyager crewmen die?
The ship has a crew complement of 141, as stated in the specs. They also pick up some Maquis on their way and a few alien species from the Delta Quadrant.
How many of the crew (and passengers) of the ...
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What were the 17 instances of Kirk traveling through time?
In the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode "Trials and Tribble-ations," we meet the agency of Temporal Investigations. They mention that Captain Kirk has traveled through time on at least seventeen ...
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What was the Cytherian describing in their introduction?
Near the end of the episode The Nth Degree, the Cytherian describes what they are seeing. To quote a transcript:
ALIEN: Emotive. Electro-chemical stimulus response. Cranial plate, bipedal locomotion, ...
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Who created the Prime Directive?
Memory Alpha is rather scant on the details of the history of the Prime Directive:
The fundamental principles were an important part of Earth Starfleet procedures as early as 2152, but it did not go ...
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How do Starfleet comm badges know how to connect between personnel?
How do Starfleet comm badges work as far as connections? One user taps their badge and says “me” to “receiving person”.
It’s obviously heard as an inter-comm on the ship, so I can understand how ...
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Escape Pods on the original Constitution-class
One question that has always bothered me in ST:TOS, was the apparent lack of escape pods, though there seems to have been some indication of them in the secondary hull in ST:TMP. Could that be the ...
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Why do the Borg want to assimilate every planet in the universe?
This is a question that I was wondering about since I was introduced to the Borg in Star Trek: The Next Generation.
Why do the Borg want to assimilate every planet in the universe?
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Is there any crossover between Star Trek TV shows after the broadcast of Enterprise?
To clear up confusion:
There seems to be some confusion in this question as shown in some of the answers. Other than TOS, I've been watching all the series TNG, DS9, VOY & ENT in that order. This ...
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Why didn't the Romulans take advantage of The Burn?
According to Memory Alpha, Romulans do not use dilithium for their propulsion but artificial quantum singularities.
In the 24th century, an artificial quantum singularity served as the primary power ...
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What became of the backup Doctor from Living Witness?
In the Voyager episode Living Witness a backup copy of the Doctor sets off to follow Voyager's path, to see if they ever made it home. As this copy of the Doctor did not begin his pilgrimage until ...
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Was Qo'noS evacuated?
In Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, the destruction of my namesake Praxis causes an ecological disaster on the Klingon homeworld and paves the way for a serious peace effort between the ...
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Are the Borg considered 'living' within the Star Trek universe?
Simple question: are the Borg actually considered to be 'alive' within the Star Trek universe (i.e. by characters in the show)?
Considering the following definition:
the condition that ...
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