USSBurritoTruck

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[–] USSBurritoTruck@startrek.website 6 points 1 day ago (3 children)

I follow Brian Tatosky on mastodon as well, and he says, "as far as I know" it was drawn and coloured by the art department. That is not a confirmation one way or the other.

But I went through and screenshot every image that was on screen of the comic pages. I would believe the art department mocked up the cover, but you cannot convince me the interior pages shown weren't shat out of an LLM.

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[–] USSBurritoTruck@startrek.website 0 points 2 days ago (5 children)

I am a lot more annoyed at an official Trek production using AI slop comic book art that I probably should be.

That aside, this episode didn't do much for me. I like SFA when it's about Academy cadets doing school stuff. I really could not care less about Captain Ake's tragic backstory, or Nus Braka.

Well, yeah.

I only listed things the Federation was directly involved in, unlike the OP.

[–] USSBurritoTruck@startrek.website 23 points 4 days ago (8 children)

Hey, remember in ‘The Conscience of the King’ when we found out that the governor of a colony massacred half the population because they were experiencing a famine?

Remember ‘The Menagerie’ when we found out you can still get the death penalty in Federation?

Remember how Kirk consigned the populations of two planets, one of which told the Enterprise in no uncertain terms to not visit, to violent war, because he didn’t like the way they were conducting their ongoing conflict in ‘A Taste of Armageddon’?

Remember in ‘A Wolf in the Fold’ where we learned that Starfleet has alliances with less advanced worlds where the population is amenable to being “pleasure planets” for officers on shore leave to engage in sex tourism?

Remember when Kirk used a primitive culture to fight a proxy war with the Klingons in ‘A Private Little War’, and then abandoned them when he got a bit sad?

Remember that a founding member of the Federation, the Tellarites, were willing to keep a planet out of the Federation so they could continue exploiting its rich resources that the locals weren’t able to properly defend on their own, in ‘Journey to Babel’?

Remember ‘Patterns of Force’ where a former Academy instructor and renowned Federation historian introduced Nazism to a pre-warp society, even becoming their Führer?

Remember when we found out in ‘The Cloud Minders’ that an explicitly Federation member world maintains a rigid caste system?

Remember ‘To Short a Season’ where the plot was based around a Federation admiral who had supplied weapons to terrorists as a commander, resulting in a coup where the terrorist leader took control of their planet?

Remember how in ‘The Measure of a Man’, the Federation demanded that a sentient being, a member of Starfleet for 24 years, submit himself to be experimented upon so the Federation could make more of his kind for their own use?

Remember when in ‘The Survivors’’, Picard choose to do nothing to the being who committed complete genocide of a sentient species, claiming there were no laws to fit his crime?

Remember ‘The Offspring’ when an Admiral shows up to take away Data’s child for study, despite the fact that he won his right to live in ‘The Measure of a Man’?

Remember when Worf murdered a candidate for head of a foreign state in ‘Reunion’ and got off with a slap on the wrist?

Remember ‘The Drumhead’ when a respected former Starfleet admiral comes aboard the Enterprise and begins to persecute a crewpoerson based on who his grandfather was, on the basis of the fact that he committed a thoughtcrime, and Worf went along with it?

Remember in ‘Ensign Ro’ how a Starfleet admiral colluded with agents of a fascist states to blame refugees of that fascist’s states occupation of their homeworld for an attack the fascists commited, and to that end ordered a disgraced Starfleet officer to offer weapons to the refugeers?

Remember when Picard ordered the creation of a virus that might have potentially committed genocide against the Borg in ‘I, Borg’?

Remmber in ‘Descent’ how Admiral Nechayev fed picard a bowl of shit for not deploing a virus that might have caused the genocide of the Borg?

Remember ‘The Pegasus’ where we learned that an admiral was trying to recover a lost Starfleet ship that could cloak, in blatant violation of their treaty with another galactic power?

Remember how in ‘Journey’s End’ the Enterprise is tasked with the forced relocation of Federation citizens to appease a fascist state, and then when those citizens refuse to be relocated, the Federation chooses to abandon them?

Remember how Admiral Nechayev ordered the Enterprise to aid a fascist state in rooting out the freedom fighters opposing their occupation of territory that used to belong to the Federation?

Remember ‘Captain Pursuit’ where Sisko is willing to release a sentient being who is being hunted for sport to his hunters?

Remember how often Sisko was opposed to the actions of freedom fighters working against the fascist state occupying their homes, beginning with ‘The Maquis’?

Remember ‘Homefront’ and ‘Paradise Lost’ when the Federation implemented martial law on Earth, including mandatory random blood screening of its citizens?

Remember when terrorist organization tried to implement their conservative ideals on a resort planet, and Worf joined them, and then saw no repercussions for doing so in ‘Let He Who is Without Sin…’?

Remember in ‘For the Uniform’ how Sisko used biological weapons against freedom fighters resisting a fascist occupation of their homes?

Remember how in ‘Inquistion’ we learned about Section 31, an secret organization within Starfleet intelligence that exists to carry out Starfleet’s dirty business?

Remember when Sisko used a former intelligence operative from a fascist state to trick a different fascist state into joining a war effort in, ‘In the Pale Moonlight’?

Remember ‘The Seige of AR-558’ where we see Starfleet officers committing war crimes, and collecting trophies off the bodies of fallen enemies soldiers?

Remember how in ‘When it Rains…’ we learned that Section 31 infected Odo with a biological weapon to kill the Changelings, and in ‘Extreme Measures’ that the Federation Council refused to provide a cure, even after one had been created?

Remember when Worf assissinated a foreign head of state in ‘Tacking Into the Wind’ at Sisko’s implied behest, and faced no consequences for doing so?

Remember how Janeway murdered a being, who had commited no crime and had been explicitly stated as being helpful to the crew, as he begged for his life in ‘Tuvix’?

Remember in ‘Nothing Human’ when we learned that the Voyager database includes the works and psychological profile a fascist scisentist whose research involved committing atrocities on the population of a planet his people had occupied and forced into labour?

Remember when Tom Paris was senstanced to solitary confinement on the bridge by Janeay, an act that is currently considered cruel and unusual punishment, in ‘Thirty Days’?

Remember ‘Equinox’ where we learn a Starfleet crew has been knowingly capturing and murdering sentient lifeforms to fuel their ship?

Remember how in ‘Shadows of P’Jem’ we found out that the Vulcans maintained a long range listening outpost under a site they declared sacred to their culture?

Remember in ‘Cogenitor’ when Archer refused to grant asylum to an alien being who was kept in sexual slavery?

Remember when Archer tortures someone for information in ‘Anomaly’?

Remember in ‘Damage’ when Archer orders the NX-01 crew to board an alien ship and steal vital components of their warp drive, leaving those beings stranded in a hostile and dangerous region of space?

Remember ‘Kir’Shara’ where we saw Shran torture Soval to assess the truth of informaiton he was being given?

Remember in ‘Bound’ how Archer accepted a gift of three slaves?

Remember ‘Star Trek: Insurrection’ where the Federation was allied with a state that keeps slaves, and agreed to force relocate a population so they could gain access to the resources of that people’s planet?

 

Not my OC

[–] USSBurritoTruck@startrek.website 5 points 6 days ago (3 children)

I later learned she was also supposed to be Cardassisn, which I totally missed as well.

I found that Cardassian prosthetic they used to be pretty distracting. I'm guessing it must have been one of those full face deals based on how Tawny Newsome's features were flattened out and broadened, giving her an almost uncanny valley situation. Pretty sure the Cardassian prosthetic in the 90's shows were more appliques glued in place, and then make-up was applied on top. Also, the fact that Illa wasn't grey like every other Cardassian we've seen really bumped me. It wasn't until the reveal that she's also part Trill that the skin tone, and less obvious ridges stopped being annoying. I still don't think it was a great prosthetic.

Jeepers! Thanks for catching that

41
Trill Symbiont Lifespans (startrek.website)
submitted 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago) by USSBurritoTruck@startrek.website to c/startrek@startrek.website
 

SFA episode 5 spoilers!!!

We were just introduced to Illa Dax, the latest host of the Dax symbiont, in the most recent episode of SFA, 'Series Acclimation Mil'. This has sparked some consternation in certain online Trek circles, because in the Disco episode, 'Jinaal', Adira claimed that is rare for a Trill symbiont to live past 800 years, but not unheard of. The Dax symbiont was born in 2018, so as of 3195 when SFA takes place, the symbiont is 1177 years old, give or take a bit to account for time travel or what have you.

Some thoughts!

in 'Jinaal', the discussion revolves around the Bix symbiont, that was active in the 24th century. The Trill xenobiologist, Jinaal, joined with Bix so that his knowledge of the Progenitors would live on past him and could be passed on to someone worthy of using the information. However, we don't know anything about Bix's hosts.

Jinaal could very well have been its first host, but I don't think that's likely given that it seems unlikely the symbiosis commission would agree to grant a new symbiont to a host simply because he "has some really important information," and "trust me, bro!" More likely Jinaal discussed it with Bix's previous host, and the symbiont agreed that Jinaal's mission was an important one.

Also, not for nothing, but Dax was over 150 years old when it was joined with its first host, so assuming that is standard, even if Jinaal was Bix's first host, it would be closer to 950 years old.

Regardless, it is unusual for symbionts to live to be more than 800. Fair enough. That information comes from Adira, who is joined to the Tal symbiont, so presumably they would know. In the liminal space where Adira meets and is accepted by the previous Tal hosts, one them is wearing a Starfleet uniform from the late 24th century, and it's established that he was not Tal's first host, so Tal is presumably also closing around 800 years of age.

In 'Jinaal' it's stated that Bix and its current host, Kalzara, are both essentially waiting to die, only holding on so they can pass on the knowledge of the Progenitor's power. Kalzara does die, and then Bix is returned to the pools of Mak'ala while be eulogized by Grey and Xi, the implication being Bix did not live much longer.

So, we know:

    • Most symbionts don't live past 800

    • The Dax and Bix symbionts did live past 800, and signs would indicate that so the Tal symbiont did as well.

    • Bix was ready to die when its purpose was finished.

I would venture that symbionts have some measure of control over their natural lifespan. They don't necessarily age the same way other beings, but so long as they're in an environment they can survive in, such as the pools, or a living host, they can survive for many centuries undeterred.

But, after a certain amount of living, symbionts choose to die. And I think that's because of who who their hosts are. In season one of DS9, we saw the recently joined Jadzia explain to Bashir that Trill attempt to "live on a higher plane" and avoid temptation. Obviously that inclination did not last very long for Jadzia, but I think it speaks to the sort of individuals the Symbiosis Commission selects to be joined. Only the best of the best get to join, and most often we see joined Trill as, reserved, high minded, trying to live up to the ideal of their species.

Several of the Dax hosts are a bit different, though. Jadzia had a lust for life that we saw on screen. Even early on, we're told that Curzon was lustful and adventurous. Torias was a test pilot. Emony, an Olympic gymnast who caroused with Starfleet officers. Dax hosts have frequently broke the mold. They go out and they live life, which is not the impression we get of most joined Trill.

So, I think the reason most symbionts choose to not live to 800 years is that they get bored. Their experiences are limited by the sorts of people who make it through the Symbiosis Commission selection process.

The ones who live longer are those like Bix, who have a specific purpose they feel the need to fulfil, or Dax who is constantly going out and experiencing new things. I suspect the Tal symbiont is in that later group, considering three of it's five hosts prior to Grey were all Starfleet officers.

Further, I believe that this could also explain why in the 32nd century, there are not enough Trill capable of joining anymore, as we learned in 'Forget Me Not', despite it being established in 'Equilibrium' that more Trill than it was commonly believed were capable of joining. The symbionts aren't finding the staid, tranquil life of the Trill to be fulfilling any more. They seek out new experiences, and, especially post-Burn when space travel was severely curtailed for 100 years, new experiences were more difficult to come by.

Damn, I've been enjoying the series more than I ever expected to, but this episode really got me.

 

Not my OC

[–] USSBurritoTruck@startrek.website 11 points 3 weeks ago (3 children)

868858.7 - that puts it pretty definitively after DSC season 5

Was that in question Reno being an instructor would seem proof enough that it was after her time on Discovery.

You’re going to need to back those claims up with some actual evidence beyond whiney youtube conspiracy nonsense

[–] USSBurritoTruck@startrek.website 3 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

You do understand the differences between modern television making and 25 years ago, correct?

If modern era Trek was really so unsustainable, would they be going into their ninth year of it?

[–] USSBurritoTruck@startrek.website 3 points 3 weeks ago (4 children)

What is your evidence that Trek is doomed?

Also, if you don't like the shows currently being produced, is it really that sad?

[–] USSBurritoTruck@startrek.website 3 points 3 weeks ago (6 children)

Complaining about "kids these days ruining Star Trek" is just sad, Bud. If you can't engage with people on here without insulting them based on an assumed trait, kindly find another place to talk about Trek.

And, just so we're clear, I'm old enough that I've been watching Trek since before TNG was in production, and my favourite episodes have always been the silly ones.

Remember when Kirk and Spock went to the gangster planet, and Kirk got really into the role?

Remember when Worf, Alexander, and Troi were trapped on the holodeck populated by western archetypes that all had Data's face and abilities, including the busty saloon madame? Talk about fully functional.

Remember when, in the middle of a war with an existential threat, the crew of DS9 stopped to play baseball against Sisko's academy bully?

Remember when the Doctor started day dreaming, including improvising an opera about how Tuvok was overtaken by the pon'farr, and the potato shaped aliens using him to spy on the crew thought everything he was imagining was real?

Remember almost every holodeck, Ferengi, mirror universe, or Lawaxana Troi episode? Star Trek can be deep and serious and meaningful, but it can also be very, very silly. And that's awesome.

 

Not my OC

 

Not my OC

 

In "Requiem for Methuselah" Kirk and Spock encounter a human man calling himself Flint, whom they learn was more than 6,000 years old, and over the course of history was also Soloman, Alexander the Great, Lazarus, Merlin, Leonardo da Vinci, and Johann Brahms.

Then, in "The Broken Circle", Pelia becomes chief engineer of the Enterprise and we're told she's a Lanthanite, and extremely long lived species who resided on Earth, living among humans. She claimed to be at least 5,000 years old herself in "The Sehlat Who Ate Its Tail".

I think it's a reasonable possibility that Flint was a Lanthanite himself, or perhaps part Lanthanite, without being aware of the fact. That would account for his long lifespan.

Granted, we don't actually know how long Lanthanites have been living on Earth. At least since the 1980s, but that's as far back as Pelia has mentioned. Also, if Flint's stories are accurate he is highly resistant to physical damage, having recovered from being stabbed in the heart. Pelia isn't affected by LSD or Chapel's epigenetic serums, but we've never seen her be physically attacked. Also, in "Requiem for Methuselah" Spock makes no mention of Lanthanites. Obviously from a real world perspective, it's because they didn't exist until season two of SNW, but in universe he is certainly aware of their existence, so we might extrapolate that, for whatever reason, he doesn't believe Flint is a Lanthanite.

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