Summary
Gene Roddenberry’sStar Trekfranchise is full of iconic heroes, aliens, and starships. Set centuries in the future, it imagines a galaxy where the human race has abandoned its worst tendencies in favor of exploringthe wonders of the galaxy. This format has proven remarkably successful, asStar Trek: The Original Seriesovercame initially poor odds to spawn over half a dozen spin-off series, as well as several movies and hundreds of books, comics, and video games.
Yet like every long-running franchise, the universe ofStar Trekis full of contradictions, forgetful writers, and behind-the-scenes errors. From Spock’s rapidly growing family tree to numerous issues involving the Klingons, it’s safe to say that the final frontier is far from set in stone.
6The Members of the Federation
How Far-Reaching Is The Utopian Alliance?
Despite representing the undisputed system of government for Earth and countless other worlds, very little concrete information is divulged aboutthe Federation and its membersthroughout theStar Trekfranchise. The size of the alliance fluctuates wildly depending on the source consulted: whileThe Original Seriesimplies that there are just over 30 worlds in the Federation, information related to the more-or-less concurrent Kelvin timeline suggests a group at least four times larger. While this discrepancy can be attributed to divergent timelines, one point of contention remains: the status of the Klingon Empire.
While it’s undeniable that the Federation and the Klingon Empire were allies duringThe Next Generation, various set dressing details and throwaway lines hint at a deep relationship. A Klingon starship carries the Federation flag on its bridge in “Heart of Glory”, perhaps implying membership, while a later conversation between Picard and Wesley Crusher is even more explicit. In “Samaritan Snare”, Wesley refers to a time “before the Klingons joined the Federation”. However, many fans discount this line, suggesting that it refers tothe Treaty of Alliancerather than formal membership.
5The Eugenics Wars
What Actually Happened? (And When?)
The infamous Eugenics Wars (first referenced inThe Original Seriesepisode “Space Seed”) was a devastating conflict that killed millions and resulted in humanity abandoning its research into genetic augmentation. According to a conversation between Captain Kirk and Doctor McCoy, the conflict took place between 1992 and 1996—the distant future for viewers of the episode’s original broadcast. However, given that the mid-nineties came and went without any global conflict,Star Trek’s writers have subsequently scrambled to reconcile sixties' world-building with contemporary knowledge.
In an attempt to make sense of the timeline,Star Trek: Strange New Worldssuggested that temporal interference from various factions pushed the Eugenics War (and the actions ofthe genocidal Khan) forward into the mid-twenty-first century. Whether future franchise showrunners will be forced to kick the can further down the road remains to be seen, but it certainly wouldn’t be the first retcon to this vital part ofStar Treklore.
4The Trill
Can They Use Transporters?
The Trill are one ofStar Trek’s more bizarre aliens, as some of the humanoid species are physically connected to a centuries-old symbiont. When the host dies, their memories live on within the symbiont, which is subsequently transferred into another individual. The Trill’s unique physiology was central to their introductory episode “The Host”, which saw Beverly Crusher fall in love with one of the aliens only for its host to tragically die.
The decision to foreground the Trill in the subsequentStar Trek: Deep Space Ninemeant that the aliens underwent a radical overhaul. InThe Next Generation, joined Trillwere unable to use transportersbecause doing so would endanger their symbiont, whileDS9’s Dax frequently made use of the technology. Also notable was the change in the Trill’s appearance: the show’s writers were apparently scandalized that the beautiful Terry Farrell would be given the Trill’s original ugly makeup, and suggested using the spots previously seen on the Kriosians inThe Next Generation.
3Starfleet’s Identity
Just Who Is Captain Kirk Answerable To?
The Federation Starfleet is now so much of a part of nerd culture that the organization’s chevron symbol is recognizable even outside its original context. However, both the famous insignia andthe identity of Starfleetitself were once very far from concrete, as evidenced by early episodes ofThe Original Series. In “Charlie X”, Captain Kirk makes a report to “UESPA headquarters”, rather than Starfleet Command. Then, in “Tomorrow is Yesterday”, the acronym is defined as referring to the United Earth Space Probe Agency, and Kirk suggests that this organization is responsible for theEnterprise’s mission.
The United Earth Space Probe Agency doesn’t roll off the tongue in quite the same way as “Starfleet”, so the decision to alter the name of Kirk’s employers into something punchier makes a lot of sense. Interestingly, future shows did play lip service to the UESPA concept: an unmanned probe launched by the group is discovered by the USSVoyagerin “Friendship One”, whileStar Trek: Enterpriseimplies that UESPA is part of Starfleet rather than a separate organization.
2Spock’s Family Tree
How Many Long-Lost Siblings Can One Vulcan Have?
The Vulcan Spock may have an impeccable sense of logic, but he also appears to have a terrible memory when it comes to his own family. While this vagueness can be traced back toThe Original Series(his claim that a human woman married one of his ancestors is a strange way to refer to his own mother and father), Spock is particularly susceptible to suddenly recalling previously unmentioned siblings.Star Trek V: The Final Frontier(1989) introduced audiences toestranged half-brother Sybok, whileStar Trek: Discoverysaddled Spock with an adopted human sister in the form of Michael Burnham.
Why theDiscoverywriting room decided to draw inspiration from what is widely regarded as the worstStar Trekfilm remains unclear—it may be that Spock is perceived to be such a cultural heavyweight that linking new characters to the original Vulcan is seen as a way to ensure their popularity. Whether this is actually accurate is up for debate, but with countless otherStar Trekprojects currently in development, Spock may find his family tree yielding further undisclosed branches.
1The Klingons
They Do Not Discuss Their Retcons With Outsiders
The Klingons are probablyStar Trek’s most iconic alien race, but when it comes to internal consistency, the classic species is sorely lacking.The Original Seriescast the Klingons as scheming space Soviets;The Next Generationreinvented themas honor-bound warriors. Nor do the Klingons maintain a constant appearance: they didn’t grow their craggy foreheads untilStar Trek: The Motion Picture(1979), while the recentStar Trek: Discoverychose to depict the Klingons as bald space orcs. While most of these changes can be attributed to behind-the-scenes budget increases, the in-universe logic is far murkier.
Star Trek: Enterprisemade a valiant effort to explain the change in Klingon appearance and behavior, only to be completely ignored by the subsequentStar Trek: Discovery.Deep Space Nine’s “Trials and Tribble-ations” perhaps puts it best—when asked why he doesn’t resemble the Klingons of Kirk’s era, Worf shuts down the conversation by saying that it is not a topic that they discuss with outsiders.
