Star Trek
From Wookieepedia, the Star Wars wiki.
Star Trek is a science-fantasy television and film franchise created by Gene Roddenberry. It is often compared with the Star Wars franchise. It is the second longest running space adventure TV series, second to the British sci-fi series Doctor Who.
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Comparison
- See also: Star Trek vs. Star Wars
Lucas proposed that "space fantasy" was a term that better fit the story of Star Wars than "science fiction", while Roddenberry described Star Trek as "dramatic" and "science fiction" (see Star Trek is...). Therefore Star Trek and Star Wars are portrayed in very different ways;
Star Trek attempts to represent a utopian society and the technology of a Human civilization only a few centuries distant from now as they encounter aliens. There exists a connection in continuity between real past, present history, and the Star Trek saga. Historical personalities are frequently mentioned alongside fictional characters, and alternative history explanations are sometimes given for facts (for example, ancient Greek gods, Leonardo da Vinci and Jack the Ripper had been alien immigrants), or mentioning totally fictional alternative history events such as the Eugenics Wars, which supposedly devastated Earth in late 20th century; in addition sometimes action takes place in real Earth places, such as Paris and San Francisco where Starfleet headquarters are located. Star Trek focuses on the voyages of various starship or space station crews commissioned by Starfleet, the deep space exploratory, scientific, diplomatic, and militaristic branch of the United Federation of Planets. However, the series is not devoid of fantasy elements, including supernatural beings with inexplicable, godlike powers.
Star Wars is more distant, set "a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away", alluding to a classic space opera. Its setting is totally unrelated to Earth (with the exception of a few ambiguous or semi-canonical references), our galaxy, or our modern world. Although the Star Wars galaxy features Human beings that look like Humans from Earth, they are part of an ancient space-faring galactic community that has thrived for hundreds of thousands of years along with alien beings. Star Wars also mixes science fiction with religion, mythology and politics and contains story elements of the sort found in mythological epics as well as ancient civilizations (e.g. The fall of the Roman republic, which influenced the political themes of Star Wars. The Samurai, which influenced the idea of Jedi Knights. Witches, Princes show signs of mythology). Star Wars centralizes on wars and space battles revolving around an ailing Galactic Republic against the evil Sith and Galactic Empires; and the Jedi Knights who wield the mystical Force and their signature lightsabers.
Confusing the two
It is an observed phenomenon that Star Trek is often confused with Star Wars by people not acquainted with science fiction; for example in her interview in "Inside the Actor's Studio" series, Natalie Portman stated that when her agent first told her about the new Star Wars Trilogy she didn't know the difference between Star Wars and Star Trek.
In September 2008, Large Hadron Collider physicist Michael Zeller said, "What did they say in 'Star Wars'? We're going where no man has ever been? Well, that's where we're going."[1]
In the "Mirror Mirror" article published in InQuest Gamer 39, Wizard Entertainment gave an explanation for the two universes being joined together so that CCG players could use the two systems together. It is unclear, however, if this article is canon.
Corpus
Unlike Star Wars, the Star Trek canon consists almost exclusively of the live-action productions:
- TV series:
- Films:
- Star Trek (2009)
- Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979)
- Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982)
- Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (1984)
- Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986)
- Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (1989)
- Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991)
- Star Trek: Generations (1994)
- Star Trek: First Contact (1996)
- Star Trek: Insurrection (1998)
- Star Trek: Nemesis (2002)
If we are to use Star Wars terminology, the above are equal to G-canon except Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (which Gene Roddenberry rejected)) and Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (unknown portions were rejected) that can be equalled as S-canon. All other officially licensed stories, such as novels, comics, and games—since not considered canon in Star Trek—are equal to N-canon in Star Wars terms.
However, "elements" of Star Trek: The Animated Series are considered canon, as subsequent live-action shows have made several references to locations or species from the animated series.[2][3][4] The Voyager spin-off novels Mosaic and Pathways (both penned by showrunner Jeri Taylor), are also considered canon, despite the fact that elements of them are contradicted by the show. These works therefore can also be compared to S-canon.
Additionally, the Voyager episode "Threshold" has been deemed unofficially non-canonical by its creators. But since it is still officially as canonical as any other episode, it can still be compared to G-canon.
Connections and/or similarities to Star Wars
- The shuttle NGC-1710 may be a reference to the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701).
- Clive Revill, Jason Wingreen, Phil Fondacaro, Fionnula Flanagan, Felix Silla and Carel Struycken are the six actors to have been in a Star Wars movie and a Star Trek episode.
- Clive Revill, however, has been removed from the Star Wars Canon following the release of the original trilogy DVD set, where the scene with Palpatine is re-filmed with Ian McDiarmid playing the role.
- Vonda N. McIntyre was a Star Trek author prior to her writing The Crystal Star, her works including the novelizations of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan and Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home.
- A.C. Crispin also wrote Star Trek novels prior to her Star Wars work.
- Greg Bear wrote the Star Wars novel Rogue Planet and the Star Trek novel Corona.
- Rogue Planet is also the name of an episode of Star Trek: Enterprise.
- Michael Reaves wrote the screenplay of the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode Where No One Has Gone Before.
- Michael Stackpole helped designed the game Star Trek: 25th Anniversary and helped write Star Trek: Judgment Rites.
- Amy Earhart and Trey Stokes, creators of the Pink Five fan film trilogy, were invited to appear as background alien characters in two episodes of Star Trek: Enterprise, because the producers of Enterprise were Pink Five fans.
- Raphael Sbarge had a recurring role in Star Trek: Voyager.
- ILM has provided the special effects for most of the Star Trek movies, and the Next Generation episode Encounter at Farpoint.
- Raven Software was contacted to develop Star Wars: Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast after they developed Star Trek: Voyager - Elite Force.
- Star Trek: Deep Space Nine references Ubese armor (in form of the Breen uniforms).
- In Vader's Quest, Dubravans are seen playing with cards that have the Starfleet insignia.
- The Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic game quest "The Trouble with Gizka" is likely a reference to the Star Trek episode entitled "The Trouble with Tribbles". Also, HK-47's line "Dammit, master, I'm an assassination droid, not a dictionary!" is similar to Dr. McCoy's frequent catch-phrase from the series - an oddly appropriate choice for such a reference, as 47 holds a place in Trek lore similar to that of 1138.
- Ethan Phillips, who is known for portraying Neelix in Star Trek Voyager, provided voices for several characters in Knights of the Old Republic.
- Additionally, numerous voice actors have appeared in both Star Wars and Star Trek games.
- During the Battle of Geonosis as depicted in Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones, when Kit Fisto executes a Force Push on a droid created by welding C-3PO's head to the body of a B1 battle droid, his hand is arranged similarly to that of a Vulcan Salute.
- When Qui-Gon Jinn uses the Force to sedate Jar Jar Binks during a bongo ride from Otoh Gunga to Theed, he places his hand on Jar Jar's shoulder as if administering a Vulcan nerve pinch, which has the same effect.
- The expanding equatorial ring explosion effect was used originally in the explosion of Praxis in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, and became known as the "Praxis Effect". It was later added to the special editions of ANH and RotJ Death Star explosions, to some criticism and controversy.
- A CGI model of the Millennium Falcon (created for the Star Wars special edition) was inserted into the Borg attack on Earth shown in Star Trek: First Contact by John Knoll. The ship is, however, indistinguishable.
- A CGI model of R2-D2 was inserted into the new Star Trek film where the Enterprise warps into a debris field created by the other destroyed Federation Starships.[5]
- Telos IV was possibly named after Talos IV from the Star Trek pilot episode, or perhaps the planet Telos from the Dr. Who episodes The Tomb of the Cybermen and Attack of the Cybermen.
- The Xindi superweapon in Star Trek: Enterprise bears a resemblance to the Death Star, although the specific effects associated with the weapon are different.
- The torpedoes employed by the Suncrusher are similar in function to the Trilithium weapon employed in Star Trek: Generations. Both cause stars to go supernova, destroying the solar systems that these stars were located in. However, both of these weapons first entered the continuity of their respective universes in 1994, so it is unlikely that one of these inspired the other.
- The visual style of the planet-busting weapon of Species 8472 strongly resembles that of the Death Star, with eight tributary beams converging to form a single blast.
- In Episode I, when Queen Amidala looks out at the night Coruscant, a ship just like the Enterprise flies by in the traffic.
- Darryl Henriques, who voiced Wicket W. Warrick in Caravan of Courage: An Ewok Adventure and Ewoks: The Battle for Endor, also portrayed the character Portal 63 in the episode entitled "The Last Outpost" of Star Trek: The Next Generation and the character Ambassador Nanclus in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country.
- Deep Roy, who played Droopy McCool, a member of the Max Rebo Band, as well as an Ewok, in ROTJ, appeared in Star Trek as Keenser.
- The crew of the original Enterprise can be spotted in Jomark in the third issue of the comic adaptation of Dark Force Rising.
- The ISS Avenger from the Star Trek: Enterprise episode In a Mirror, Darkly, Part II, which takes place in parallel universe where Starfleet is in service not to the Federation but a Human-dominated Empire, was named after the Star Destroyer from ESB.
- For the upcoming Star Trek film, the actor Chris Pine, who is playing Captain Kirk, said that his performance was inspired by Han Solo and Indiana Jones.[6]
- Star Wars sound designer Ben Burtt, a self-confessed Star Trek fan, provided sound designer work on the Star Trek film.
- Many names for certain materials and several worlds exist in both universes:
- Star Trek has a planet called Alderaan. "Alderaan Spaceport" is mentioned in an episode of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine while an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation mentions a diplomatic mission to Alderaan, a reference to the cover used by Tantive IV while delivering the Death Star plans to the Rebel Alliance.
- Star Trek: Voyager has races called the Quarren, the B'omar and the Bothans and a character named Kashyk.
- Duranium and Neutronium were originally in Star Trek.
- Turkana was also in Star Trek
- Yoda: Dark Rendezvous has a species called the Tholians.
- In Mirror, Mirror, an article in InQuest 39, Star Trek characters such as Jean-Luc Picard, Data, Worf, Riker and Geordi are given a story in the Star Wars universe. Additionally, the ships U.S.S. Enterprise-D and U.S.S. Enterprise-E are mentioned, along with other concepts such as a Soong-Type Android, United Federation of Planets, Starfleet, Starfleet Academy, Klingon and Borg. "Mirror, Mirror" was also the name of the episode in which the afformentioned paralell universe was seen for the first time.
- Subspace and phasers are concepts present in both Star Trek and Star Wars.
Notes and references
See also
External links
- StarTrek.com Official site
Memory Alpha, the free Star Trek reference on Memory Alpha
Star Trek on Wikipedia
- Star Trek on Memory Alpha
- "The Star Trek Canon" at CanonWars.com
