Star Trek's biggest plot hole is not a time trip, it is a major instruction.

summation

  • Prime Directive: STAR TREK's sacred rules, inconsistent, or often bent or broken for storytelling.

  • Earth: If you violate the UFO problem, the rules of Earth, you will have questions about application.

  • Fan talk: Prime guidelines, intense discussions caused by inconsistent application of prime guidelines, essential tools or plot devices?

In the vast universe Star TrekTime travel is a lot of attention to paradox and brain tail logic. But there is a greater inconsistency hidden in a larger vision. Prime guideline. This ironsclad rules are to prevent Star Flute from hindering civilization development. But again and again, we saw that we ignored, bent, or completely broken whenever we were suitable for the story.

Despite being one of the best known rules Star TrekThe main guidelines are more flexible than a firm law. This policy was the core of the roughest ethical dilemma of the franchise, but it was incomprehensively implemented in many series, movies, episodes and captains. Sometimes it is a sacred way of doubt. In other cases, it is discarded without the second thought. Fairly, it would be difficult to maintain a 100% consistent time for decades of rules of the universe. But it can be an opportunity to dive. Star TrekIn the past, the past is the past to reveal the inevitable contradictions that arise when strict principles meet the confusion of interstellar adventure.

What are the main guidelines?

Star Trek PRIME Directive Homeward

The main guidelines known as Starfleet General Order 1 are Star Trek universe. From the point of view of the laity, it prohibits the development of STARFLEET and its staff, especially the development of post -war servants and society that did not achieve alien civilization, especially interstellar travel. The idea is to allow young civilization to grow naturally without external influence.

Here are some examples of whether the policy without an interview is actually observed or implemented.

  • “Prototype” (voyager))KathryN Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) refuses to help artificial life racing cite key guidelines to help build new power. Unlike KIRK or PICARD, JANEWAY tends to adhere to rules.
  • “Dear doctor” (enterprise):: Dr. PHLOX and Captain Jonathan Archer (Scott Bakula) refuse to treat species suffering from genetic diseases, and argue that interference will violate the future principles of major guidelines. This decision arouses a huge ethical debate, but ultimately complies with the commands of the guidelines.
  • “Home” (Next generation):: WORF 'S (Michael Dorn) Foster Brother secrets the village secretly from the dying planet to break the main instructions. Picard claims that it is wrong to save even though they have done similar things in the past episodes instead of just rolling.

If the main directive is aside

Star Trek Picard Justice Department TNG

It is a noble idea, but in fact, Star Flute officers seem to interpret the main guidelines in a very different way. Despite the rigidity of the franchise several times, the application of the policy was inconsistent. It is reasonable that the rules in the universe are sometimes broken for the dramatic effect, but the number of broken times weakens the seriousness of the rules itself.

Here are several examples of the character ignoring the policy.

  • “Oh return of conflict” (Original series):: James T. Kirk and his crew meet a society in which a computer called Landru is controlled. Despite the main guidelines, they intervene to escape the population from oppression.
  • “pen pal” (Next generation):: Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) faces moral dilemma when postwar civilizations are threatened by planetary destruction. Communication with the data of data (Brent Spinner) Aboriginal children forces the crew to evaluate the main guidelines for humanitarian aid.
  • “Legitimacy” (Next generation))The crew visits the planet with a strict legal system that is punished by death. When Wesley Crusher (WIL WHEATON) accidentally breaks the law, Picard must choose to maintain major guidelines or save the crew. Eventually, he decided to interfere with another contradiction over Starfleet's non -interference policy.

UFO problem

Michael Filimowicz points out large contradictions in articles about his media. The main guidelines are absolute, but we continue to see alien civilizations interfering with the past. In the Bulkan looking at humanity Star Trek: First ContactWith human history, the Earth itself has been violated by many major guidelines for beings like various gods.

~ Inside Star Trek: EnterpriseThe Vulkan is described as having monitored the earth for decades before the first contact. This seems to contradict the idea that advanced civilizations were ordered to avoid less advanced society at all costs. Then there is even more serious Star Trek IV: Sailing HouseKirk and crew returns to the 20th century. They not only interact with local residents, but also rescue whales with technology, and at the same time, they do not barely consider whether this can result in continuous consequences.

The lack of explanation of the reason why the earth continues to receive a free pass in terms of external interference is not officially handled. Star Trek canon. If other planets have to develop naturally, why couldn't humanity do the same? Of course the answer is that Star Trek It will not exist without it. But it is still one of the biggest unresolved contradictions in the franchise.

Why fans continue to discuss

The main guidelines were too consistent, leading to the most heated fan talk. Star Trek history. Some people think that it is an essential tool for exploring ethical dilemma, while others claim that it is only a conspiracy device that undermines the star fleet every time it is thrown. Filimowicz also claims that this guideline is essentially contradictory concept.

Civilizations dominated by major guidelines should logically have little or no contact with external species. Star Trek It presents a universe full of continuous interference.

If Starfleet always adheres to the rules, we will have much less episodes. But instead, the captain keeps breaking it every time he feels and makes it difficult to seriously accept the policy as a key principle of the franchise.

Major Guidelines: Comparison Table

illustration

series

captain

event

Was the guidelines adopted?

“Oh return of conflict”

Original series

James T. Kirk

Destroyed a machine that controls society.

no.

“righteousness”

Next generation

Jean-Luc Picard

He rescued Wesley in an unfair death sentence.

Not certainly.

“pen pal”

Next generation

Jean-Luc Picard

The child helped in the dying post -war civilization.

Also not.

“Home”

Next generation

Jean-Luc Picard

I was angry with others to save life.

Strangely, it is.

“Dear doctor”

enterprise

Jonathan Archer

Make you die with paper genetic disease.

Yes. But I am morally suspicious.

“prototype”

voyager

Catherine Y'Way

He refused to help the robot species evolution.

yes.

What this means Star Trek Franchise in the future

Star Trek TNG PICARD-1

At the end of the day Star Trek It is to tell a great story without following a letter of imagination. The main guidelines are inconsistent, but they are also credit for some of the most interesting episodes. It forced the character to make a hard choice and triggered the greatest science fiction debate. It is half of the fun to see many fans that Kirk, Picard, and the rest often fail without following them. Therefore, even if it is technically the biggest inconsistency of the franchise, it is one that you do not want to live without many trecis.

The story requires the same device as the main guidelines to create a dilemma for the character. Star Trek Ultimately, it is better to put it in place. But in the future, the artist will probably consider how the artists handle. If they continue to ignore or bend the rules whenever they are convenient, they are at risk of diluting the moral weight of Starfleet's authority and guidance itself.

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