Star Trek / Star Wars storyline flaws

**jawn_tech** · #1 (**permalink**) 01-03-2005, 04:03 AM

Two of my favorite running series are Star Trek and Star Wars. Interesting that the more we get to know about a show or movie series that we love the most, the more we're able to find the 'oops'.

Well guess what -- I've got a bunch of them. I've found certain things that either of the two sagas did that weren't true to its storyline, or the writers made a chronological blunder, or perhaps tried to slip something by us that wasn't buy-able -- for those who actually caught it.

I know they're just tv shows/movies. But just for fun conversation, I've decided to start a thread of a running list -- feel free to comment or add your own. In the end, it should flatter the creators of these sagas, as these are two of the most detailed and consistent storylines in sci-fi history, and only true fans can catch them.

Where to begin?

I'll start with two. The first is Jabba the Hut from Star Wars. He became famous in Return of the Jedi (Episode 6), as the fat green slimy monster who had Han Solo confined in frozen carbonite. But DVD owners of the re-released original Star Wars may have noticed Jabba was actually in the first movie made (which was Episode 4, "A New Hope"). The flaw? Jabba originally appeared briefly as a human - a big guy, but human. I don't know if George Lucas forgot about him when he made Return~Jedi, but when CG technology came out they went back and super-imposed a digital Jabba over the human actor (I wonder if the screen actors guild complained...?)

The second is the languages spoken. On all the Star Wars movies, C3-PO is used as an interpreter...but why? All the humans speak their language (filmed originally in English), but the aliens who speak other languages can always understand them -- the only exception I've found was the Ewoks in Return~Jedi. Yet the aliens speak their language, and the humans speak theirs, and they understand each other. Han Solo seems to understand so many languages, (including Wookie) but never speaks them.

(more to come...star trek too)

**ctabuk** · #2 (**permalink**) 01-03-2005, 06:50 AM

Does this mean that not only are you after World domination, outer space too?
Happy New Year oh Master

minstrel · #3 (**permalink**) 01-03-2005, 11:25 AM

"Damn it, Jawn... I'm a doctor, not a doctor! No, wait... that's wrong..." -- Son of a Bones

globalhostinggroup · #4 (**permalink**) 01-03-2005, 12:00 PM

Humm.. never seen a toilet on startrek.
Given the amount of episodes you think someone would have to use the latrine.
There is not one off the main bridge witch means they have to go to another deck to go?

The elevator always seems to be their such a big ship so many floors only one elevator but oddly enough no one has to wait for one.

mtheory · #5 (**permalink**) 01-03-2005, 12:02 PM

In Star Trek, any storyline flaw can easily be explained as a short trip to an alternate universe.

Time travel is allowed in Star Trek so any timeline discrepencies can also be explained.

With this said, can it be possible that it is actually the observer that is flawed?

M-Theory Information Technology

"M-theory. Theory emerging from the superstring revolution that unites the previous superstring theories within a single overarching framework"

**jawn_tech** · #6 (**permalink**) 01-04-2005, 01:57 AM

Yes that's right. No latrines on Star Trek. No wonder they keep looking for M-class planets, preferably with bushes.

There's a slew of questionable things with the holodeck. In principle, it's believable. A mix of replicator and transporter technology to make holographic images with substance and animate them with a powerful computer. Hey, it's the future, so they can pull off adding scents, wind, fire, and chemical properties. But they say what was created by the holodeck can't exist outside the holodeck room. Why then are people still wet when they leave the holodeck after a program with water.

It also makes me wonder about things that are brought into the holodeck from the outside. For instance, speaking of latrines, if someone uses one created by the holodeck, what happens after they say "end program"? I'd hate to be the janitor...

Quote:

Does this mean that not only are you after World domination, outer space too?
Happy New Year oh Master

lol ctabuk. just call me Anakin Skywalker. Happy New year to you too, my friend.

Quote:

can it be possible that it is actually the observer that is flawed?

lol, that goes without saying. I need to get out more. :)

mtheory · #7 (**permalink**) 01-04-2005, 09:12 AM

Every episode has one obvious flaw. When the Enterprise flies by, you can HEAR it.

Hmmmm, sound in a vacume(space). Seems to break the most basic laws of physics.

globalhostinggroup · #8 (**permalink**) 01-04-2005, 10:00 AM

Well the holo deck can be explained if it is also a mix or replication device transporter and holographic technologies
Hummm….
You really hit on something here
Does the replacator make the cup as well as the drink?
What the He// does picard do with those thousands of cups from his earl gray tea addiction?
Come to think of it I have never seen a garbage can or a vacuum cleaner.

minstrel · #9 (**permalink**) 01-04-2005, 11:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by globalhostinggroup

Come to think of it I have never seen... a vacuum cleaner.

In the future, humans finally understand why dogs and cats are so afraid of vacuum cleaners...

globalhostinggroup · #10 (**permalink**) 01-04-2005, 12:45 PM

What happened to all of the pets anyway you very rarely see someone with a pet only on TNG I think and it was that robot that got one?
Is data a over glorified vacuum cleaner?

**ctabuk** · #11 (**permalink**) 01-05-2005, 05:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by globalhostinggroup

Humm.. never seen a toilet on startrek.
Given the amount of episodes you think someone would have to use the latrine.
There is not one off the main bridge witch means they have to go to another deck to go?

The elevator always seems to be their such a big ship so many floors only one elevator but oddly enough no one has to wait for one.

Hi ghg, glad you changed your mind!
Portholes, that's what they use as toilets. Outer space is full of Klingon crap, Ferengies do it in their pants - which is why they walk funny and nobody likes them. Chewbacker, ditto, hence the brown fur, they are albino's by nature.
Elavators, no answer for that one.

globalhostinggroup · #12 (**permalink**) 01-05-2005, 10:07 AM

Hummm
why do the ships explode in battle they should implode?

minstrel · #13 (**permalink**) 01-05-2005, 10:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by globalhostinggroup

why do the ships explode in battle they should implode?

Why? They are in a vaccuum and contain a pressurized atmosphere -- why should they implode? It's not like a submarine...

globalhostinggroup · #14 (**permalink**) 01-05-2005, 11:17 AM

Humm you are right I’m thinking under water
How about the communicators how is it you never here all these thousands of people talking but there is no numbers to dial but you have to just push a button to talk?

minstrel · #15 (**permalink**) 01-05-2005, 11:35 AM

Speed-dial? That's how my cell phone works... :o)

globalhostinggroup · #16 (**permalink**) 01-05-2005, 11:42 AM

But there is only 1 button
Witch suggests walkie-talkie function.

mtheory · #17 (**permalink**) 01-05-2005, 01:33 PM

How about casting flaws.

In one of the movies they cast Christopher Lloyd as a Klingon captain.

I just couldn't get past seeing Jim Ignatowski giving orders in Klingon.

That is actual Klingon scroll.

**jawn_tech** · #18 (**permalink**) 01-06-2005, 03:41 AM

The thing they finally understood about vacuums is that, well, vaccuums suck.

(sorry, had to take that one)

The thing I noticed about the communication on the Enterprise though, is that the captain never has to push a button. He just sort of calls out to who he wants to speak with most of the time. Must be the ship's computer is really fast to figure out what Picard wants to do.

Hmm, the ship's computer. Another good point. The amazing attribute about Data the android is his artificial intelligence. But if you notice, the holodeck has amazing artificial intelligence, because it can generate characters such as Einstein, crew members --- even the modern physicist Steven Hawkins once. So why not move the bridge to the holodeck or vice/versa, and generate supplemental crew members who are quick-thinking problem solvers like Data. Especially when up against the Borg.

Even with Data's remarkable positronic brain, he couldn't grasp emotion without the chip that came much later. However the holodeck was able to create characters that understood and emulated emotion.

(Though I haven't seen too many Voyager episodes, I understand the doctor was an ai hologram)

**ctabuk** · #19 (**permalink**) 01-06-2005, 05:57 AM

Yup, played by Robert Picardo with Kate Mulgrew as Janeway but she sounded like Katherine Hepburn with flu, you didn't miss much except they did more Borg stuff.

globalhostinggroup · #20 (**permalink**) 01-06-2005, 09:37 AM

Don’t get me started with that one where does star trek sit now with that future starship with all that technology? That captain has no regard for the space time continuum she is worse then Q.

**ctabuk** · #21 (**permalink**) 01-06-2005, 09:54 AM

I liked Q at least he had a sense of fun, he would have been a great moderator here at WPW, you could post something naughty, next thing you know you'd be in the void.