posted
So here are the first plot specifics of "Fusion", an interesting-sounding romp into the secretive world of Vulcans. And what attracts my attention? The revelations about Surak's philosophy? The dark secrets of T'Pol's youth? The intriguing design of the Vulcan ship?
If you voted for "Yridians", consider yourself a winner. In TNG, these people were described as secretive information merchants, and a few were mentioned but only one seen up close. In VOY, we learned that Captain Ransom had actually made first contact with them, when everybody else thought they were extinct. So one would think that before Ransom reached at least his early twenties (and could be assumed to have had a leading position in a team that re-encountered the Yridians), the Feds had no contact with Yridian nationals and indeed believed the race to be dead.
Why? How? When? Are the Yridians "dead" already, and T'Pol and her fellow Vulcans are keeping the truth under wraps? Or will something horrible happen in the near future? What if anything will the humans find out about the Yridians?
With the Malurian and Axanari references, I think the writers knew exactly what they were doing. The Encyclopedia entries on them are simple enough, and the original references from TOS are basically confined to single episodes. With the Yridians, I'm less convinced that the writers are on top of the thing.
posted
Hey, isn't that funny.. ShirKahr is also Spocks hometown (a la "Yesteryear"). ShirKahr as capitol of Vulcan?
quote: .. younger T'Pol with longer hair and civilian clothing appears working a scanner. She looks over her shoulder to see if anyone is watching and then starts to remove her clothing! We then cut back to her running in a corridor, and then back again to the forest with a discreet angle as a naked T'Pol descends into the hot spring.
Oh boy, here we go again...
quote: T'Pol was awarded a fellowship at the institute of Yridia Prime as an adolescent
Hmm.. Not only do they know the homeworld of the Yridians, but they even have an institute there. I hope they have changed that name in the final product, because this will cause some ripples in continuity.
quote:With the Malurian and Axanari references, I think the writers knew exactly what they were doing. The Encyclopedia entries on them are simple enough, and the original references from TOS are basically confined to single episodes. With the Yridians, I'm less convinced that the writers are on top of the thing.
I've never, EVER felt that the writers are on top of things where TOS references go. They just seem to try to name-drop obscure TOS references without really knowing where they came from or researching any background info. Just take the two examples Timo gave.
The Axanar could have been any other alien race who have been shown once & never again. There's no real background info as to what might eventually cause the big 23rd century battle in which their planet was named, unless there's a future Enterprise episode with them.
The Malurians appear to have technology clearly superior to 22nd century humans, with large, well-armed warp capable warships. Yet according to "The Changeling" they are a much more primitive society under study by a Federation science team. According to their depiction in ENT, Nomad would have been no match for them. Unless of course their society suffered some kind of technological regression, anywhere between the 22nd to 23rd centuries, to the point where they couldn't adequately defend their planet.
Plus, now they've shown the Coridans. Was anyone else disappointed that they again were just humanoids with bumps on their foreheads, and that IMO they'll not be shown again? Plus, they have the most advanced shipyards in the quadrant, with ships that can go warp 8. Presumably they become even more advanced 100 years later. So what possible incentive would they have for even joining the Federation? What would they get out of it? Other people using their stuff?
Yet look at how fast TPTB are bringing in TNG races. The Nausicaans, the Ferengi, the TNG'ed Klingons. I suppose it's more of a matter of "write about what you know" instead of doing some real research into TOS.
-------------------- "A film made in 2008 isn't going to look like a TV series from 1966 if it wants to make any money. As long as the characters act the same way, and the spirit of the story remains the same then it's "real" Star Trek. Everything else is window dressing." -StCoop
Registered: Jun 2000
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posted
I'm most intrigued by the fact that we seem to hear the Vulcan's "real" name in this one...
As to Enterprise vs. TOS, I'd have to agree with Timo here. I strongly suspect we'll be seeing, or at least hearing about, Coridan again. Demanding that the Axanar be nothing but a signifier for some future event strikes me as wrongheaded. And the fact that a few Malurians had a fancy (for the time period) starship does not mean they are representative of their species. (Even though Star Trek has a somewhat embarrassing track record when it comes to homogeneity within alien species.) More to the point, the Enterprise itself was essentially powerless against Nomad, and they were worried about the thing getting to Federation worlds. How does it follow from this that the Malurians, who certainly need not be more advanced than the 23rd century UFP, should have been able to stop the thing?
I suspect I'll be greeted with the usual response, that I hate Star Trek and am totally uncritical of Enterprise and eat babies and secrectly play the Golden Girls RPG. But I'm just saying.
Registered: Mar 1999
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Anyway, I'm not sure that we hear the Vulcan name for "Vulcan" at all. It's possible that those words actually mean "without logic" and the "Vulcans" is just implied. After all, if the roles were reversed between humans and Vulcans, would you expect to hear one of the Terrans say "You're without logic!" or "You're humans without logic!"?
Registered: Mar 1999
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posted
Axanar Mentioned in "Court Martial" and "Whom Gods Destroy". Described as scientists and philosophers. Fashioned a treaty that brought greater peace to the galaxy. Major battle fought at their world.
Coridans Mentioned in "Journey to Babel". System described as poor in technology and rich in minerals. (From the description, this system would appear to be equivalent to a 3rd world nation on Earth facing the same issue-stronger, richer nations coveting the resources of a weaker nation.)
Malurians Mentioned in "The Changeling". This species was found on several worlds in the system and numbered far less than our current world population. (I believe the number was ~4 billion were said to be in the system.)
Registered: Sep 1999
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posted
And these are all individual Encyclopedia entries. Where do you think the writers would get these names from? The most likely way is that they look them up in the Encyclopedia, and then all the vital statistics of the race in question are there for them to see at a glance. It won't take more than a second for them to read them through. They may get excited and say "hey, let's expand on this" or say "uh, doesn't sound like the race I wanted" or then indifferently think "nothing of interest there, let's use them and *make* them interesting this time".
With Malurians and the like, this works just fine, because it's all there in the single paragraph. With something like the Yridians, the contradictions and complications are not spelled out, though.
There's an alternate way to come up with these previously mentioned races, too. Perhaps the writer vaguely remembers an old episode and wants to expand on something he thinks was said or shown there. Again, he is likely to use the Encyclopedia to find out what it was, or then ask somebody who is in the know (and this somebody probably whips out the Encyclopedia then). It's unlikely that the writer would actually go and watch any tapes, at least not unless he's really really excited about this cool thing and wants to get it excatly right and has the spare time.
In this mechanism, the writer himself may end up not reading the fine print on the Encyclopedia entry. But starting from a vague memory of an actual episode sounds like a less likely alternative than just picking a random name from the book and checking if it can be used.
posted
I got a Rockets game. I'm not very happy about that, since they were advertising Enterprise coming on right up until the Rockets theme started. It's all a conspiracy against me, I know it.
-------------------- The philosopher's stone. Those who possess it are no longer bound by the laws of equivalent exchange in alchemy. They gain without sacrifice and create without equal exchange. We searched for it, and we found it.
Registered: Mar 1999
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posted
That was the game against the Bucks, right? Damn, that was sloppy. Michael Redd went to town in the 4th, scoring 26. Sheeooott. And went for 5 straight tre's from downtown. Houston's the bitzotch. 115-76. That's Milwaulkee in the gosh dangit house.
Registered: Oct 1999
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posted
The Rockets haven't been "in the zone" since that shortened-by-the-lockout season several years ago. It's been all downhill since those championship wins. The Rockets were managing to do a bit better here lately, but it looks like the slump is starting again. It's really hurting them to not have Steve Francis in there in top form.
-------------------- The philosopher's stone. Those who possess it are no longer bound by the laws of equivalent exchange in alchemy. They gain without sacrifice and create without equal exchange. We searched for it, and we found it.
Registered: Mar 1999
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posted
I just saw part of the new episode trailer. Am I dreaming or is T'Pol in bed with Reed?
-------------------- "It speaks to some basic human needs: that there is a tomorrow, it's not all going to be over with a big splash and a bomb, that the human race is improving, that we have things to be proud of as humans." -Gene Roddenberry about Star Trek
Registered: May 1999
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posted
Stevey's getting some medical tests done. Can't play when he's got those massive migraines. Hopefully it'll get better.
-------------------- "Tragedy is when I cut my finger, Comedy is when you walk into an open sewer and die."-Mel Brooks
Registered: May 1999
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