Star Trekloves prequels, and Captain Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) explained why onStar Trek: Voyager28 years ago. Since 1966, theStar Trekfranchise has spanned a dozen TV series and 13 movies, with more on the way. WhileStar Trekis forward-looking and forward-thinking, with its adventures spanning a thousand years of theStar Trektimeline, and branching beyond into a multiverse,Star Trekis also very nostalgic about its own past.So much so that there are currently 8Star Trekprequel projects constituting various TV series and feature films.
Star Trekstopped strictly moving forward in 2001 with the creation ofStar Trek: Enterprise.BeforeEnterprise, which chronicled the pioneering 22nd-century voyages of the NX-01 Enterprise led by Captain Jonathan Archer (Scott Bakula),Star Trekwas about the 23rd-century era ofStar Trek: The Original Seriesand the 24th century ofStar Trek: The Next Generation, which was continued byStar Trek: Deep Space NineandStar Trek: Voyager.Star Trekwas relatively easier to follow then compared to now, withmultipleStar TrekTV seriesand movies set at different points in the franchise’s past, and even in alternate realities.Star Trek’s many prequels denote the nostalgia the franchise’s creative teams have forStar Trek’s past, and Captain Janeway explained why onStar Trek: Voyager.
Voyager’s Captain Janeway Explained Why Star Trek Loves Prequels
“It was a very different time.”
Star Trek: Voyagerseason 3, episode 2, “Flashback,” celebrated the 30th anniversary ofStar Trekin 1996. In “Flashback,” Captain Janeway mind-melds with Lt. Tuvok (Tim Russ) and journeys into his memories as a crew member aboard the USS Excelsior commanded byCaptain Hikaru Sulu (George Takei)during the events ofStar Trek VI: The Undiscovered Countryin 2293. Janeway observed the many differences between Starfleet inStar Trek: The Original Series' era and her own 24th century, and theUSS Voyager’s Captain explained the allure of the 23rd century’s final frontierto Ensign Harry Kim (Garrett Wang):
It was a very different time, Mr. Kim. Captain Sulu, Captain Kirk, Dr. McCoy – they all belonged to a different breed of Starfleet officer. Imagine the era they lived in. The Alpha Quadrant was still largely unexplored, humanity on verge of war with Klingons, Romulans hiding behind every nebula. Even the technology we take for granted was still in its early stages. No plasa weapons, no multiphasic shields. Their ships were half as fast… Space must have seemed a whole lot bigger back then. It’s not surprising they had to bend the rules a little. They were a little slower to invoke the Prime Directive and a little quicker to pull their phasers. Of course, the whole bunch of them would be booted out of Starfleet today. But I have to admit, I would have loved to ride shotgun at least once with a group of officers like that.
Captain Janeway’s feelings aboutStar Trek: The Original Series’era reflect howStar Trek’s creative teams feel about the days of Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner) and the Starship Enterprise as well. (Star Trek: Voyager’s “Flashback” was written by Brannon Braga.) 24th-centuryStar Trekis more complex but also features Starfleet and the United Federation of Planets with more rules and regulations. In contrast,Star Trek: The Original Series' era feels more appealingly dangerous, with hostile aliens and space gods.TOSis also looser and freewheeling. Kirk and the Enterprise often engaged in"cowboy diplomacy"with a Wild West quality to the final frontier.
One of the reasons Rick Berman and Brannon Braga createdStar Trek: Enterpriseas a prequel set 100 years beforeStar Trek: The Original Serieswas tofree themselves from the constraints of the 24th century that they helped establish.Enterprisewas originally meant to be more perilous, with a young Starfleet venturing out into the fearsome galaxy and flying by the seats of their pants. AfterEnterpriseended,Star Trekcontinued mining the franchise’s past for more action, danger, sexuality, and freedom from the 24th century’s dense canon and more buttoned-down Starfleet.
The past has a certain allure for Star Trek
Star Trek: Enterprisewas the firstStar Trekprequel series. Although it only lasted four seasons, ending in 2005,Enterprisewas the beginning ofStar Trekhalting its forward momentum.Instead,Star Trekcycled backward and became about its past for the next 15 years. In 2009, directorJ.J. Abrams rebooted theStar Trekmoviesby making them about a younger Captain Kirk (Chris Pine) and the Starship Enterprise in an alternate reality. Abrams’Star Trek(2009),Star Trek Into Darkness, andStar Trek Beyond, set between 2258 and 2263, actually take placeyears before Star Trek: The Original Series,which begins in 2265 in Star Trek’s Prime Timeline.Star Trek(2009) did notably update the late 24th century, establishing a supernova destroyed Romulus.
Movie Or TV Show
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23rd century, seasons 1 and 2
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WhenStar Trekreturned to television in 2017,Star Trek: Discoverywas also a prequel.Discoverybegan in 2256, a decade beforeStar Trek: The Original SeriesinStar Trek’s Prime Timeline.Star Trek: Discoveryseason 2 continued into 2258 before the series took a massive leap 930 into the future, becoming the new farthest point inStar Trek’s timeline. In 2020,Star Trekfinally began moving forward again.Star Trek: Picard, set at the end of the 24th century and the beginning of the 25th century, progressed the era andcharacters ofStar Trek: The Next GenerationandStar Trek: Voyager’s Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan).
In development is anUntitled Star Trek Originmovie directed by Toby Haynes, which is reportedly set “decades before” the 23rd century of J.J. Abrams’Star Trek,making it yet another prequel.
Star Trek on Paramount+’s various TV series and upcoming streaming movie,Star Trek: Section 31, take place at various points inStar Trek’s timeline.Star Trek: Strange New Worldsis another prequelset in the mid-23rd century betweenStar Trek: Discoveryseason 2 andStar Trek: The Original Series. Star Trek: Lower DecksandStar Trek: Prodigyboth take place in the 2380s afterStar Trek: The Next Generationand beforeStar Trek: Picard.AndStar Trek: Section 31also appears to be a prequel, set in the little-seen"lost era"ofStar Trek’s 24th centurybefore the beginning ofStar Trek: The Next Generation.
Star Trek Fans Want TNG’s Era To Continue
Will Star Trek: Legacy ever happen?
WhileStar Trek’s prequel projects have been generally well-received - especiallyStar Trek: Strange New Worlds- the one particularStar Trekthat fans are clamoring for is not a prequel. Since theend ofStar Trek: Picardseason 3, audiences have clamored for the continuation it set up, which has been dubbedStar Trek: Legacy.Star Trek: Picardseason 3 wrapped up the stories ofStar Trek: The Next Generation’s crew and passed the torch to the next, next generation aboard the USS Enterprise-G led by Captain Seven of Nine.Star Trek: Picardseason 3 ended in 2402, andStar Trek: Legacywould continue the exploration of the 25th century.
There will still and always be nostalgia for Star Trek’s past.
Unfortunately,Star Trek: Legacyis not in development at Paramount+. WithStar Trekdownsizing for various reasons, the newestStar Trekseries in production isStar Trek: Starfleet Academy, which continuesStar Trek: Discovery’s 32nd century.Starfleet Academywill be the new farthest point inStar Trek’s timeline. InStar Trek on Paramount+’s current known lineup,Star Trek: Strange New WorldsandStar Trek: Section 31are prequelsset in the 23rd and 24th centuries, andStar Trek: Lower Decks' final season will conclude the 24th century.Star Trek: Starfleet Academywill chartStar Trek’s new future but, no doubt, there will still and always be nostalgia forStar Trek’s past.
