Mind-Blowing Revelation: Star Trek Unites Eugenics War & World War III in Epic New Timeline Shift!

WARNING: Spoilers ahead for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 2, Episode 3 - "Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow". In the latest episode, titled "Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow," Lt. La'an Noonien-Singh (played by Christina Chong) and Captain James T. Kirk are sent back to 21st-century Canada to preserve the timeline of the Federation. They discover a plot to prevent the Eugenics Wars by assassinating Khan Noonien Singh as a child. This timeline change merges the Eugenics War and World War 3 in Star Trek history. The show's canon now combines these significant events and suggests that Khan's rise to power happened in the 21st century rather than the original 20th century. The alteration in history is a result of repeated tampering, which forces time to reinsert these events into the timeline. This change in canon implies that the dark period of the Eugenics Wars is now intertwined with the events leading to First Contact with the Vulcans, which is World War 3.

How Strange New Worlds' New Timeline Change May Have Merged Star Trek's Eugenics Wars & World War III

Showrunner Akiva Goldsman has confirmed that Star Trek: Strange New Worlds has made changes to canon in order to maintain consistency with the franchise's history aligning with our own. This includes shifting the origin of genetically engineered Khan and the associated fears from the 20th to the 21st century. Sera suggests that the Eugenics Wars serve as a "dark age" that paves the way for enlightenment, leading to the invention of warp drive and the establishment of the Federation. In contrast, Star Trek: First Contact previously indicated that it was World War 3 that propelled humanity towards a hopeful future among the stars. By merging these two significant events within the canon, Akiva Goldsman successfully ensures that human history remains familiar to the audience. This integration also allows for the continuation of Zefram Cochrane's (James Cromwell) invention of warp drive in 2063. Additionally, it clarifies why the war is ignored in Star Trek: Picard season 2, while Captain Christopher Pike (Anson Mount) in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' pilot episode directly links the Eugenics Wars to World War 3.

When Eugenics Wars & World War III Happened In Star Trek's Original Timeline

The Eugenics Wars, as mentioned in Star Trek: The Original Series, took place from 1992 to 1996. Considering that the show aired in 1967, the early 1990s seemed distant enough to imagine a conflict between genetically superior beings. However, twenty years later, in the pilot episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation titled "Encounter at Farpoint," Q (played by John de Lancie) provocatively discussed the brutality of World War 3 with the crew of the USS Enterprise-D.

Although World War 3 had been previously mentioned in episodes of Star Trek: The Original Series like "The Savage Curtain," Star Trek: The Next Generation provided more specific dates. In Star Trek: First Contact, it is stated that the prolonged World War 3 commenced in 2026, a mere three years away from the current time. Considering this, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds wisely chose to adjust the timeline and merge these conflicts into a single future war. This decision allows Star Trek to continue offering viewers a hopeful and inspiring vision of the future, equipping them with the knowledge and inspiration to prevent the horrors of World War 3 or the Eugenics Wars.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 2 streams Thursdays on Paramount+.