Star Trek Unveils the Ultimate Fix for Franchise Plot Holes

WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Season 2, Episode 3 of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, titled "Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow". Star Trek: Strange New Worlds has addressed concerns about inconsistencies in the franchise's storyline. With Star Trek's longstanding presence on screen, it's natural that the canon would become increasingly complex. What may have been deemed scientifically plausible in 1966 became far-fetched by 1996, as human progress did not align with earlier predictions by Gene Roddenberry and the writers of Star Trek: The Original Series.

Modern writers of Star Trek often face criticism for attempting to reconcile these inconsistencies. For instance, Star Trek: Picard season 2 received backlash for glossing over the events of World War 3 when discussing Captain Cristobal Rios' whereabouts after deciding to stay in 2024. According to Star Trek canon, the Third World War commenced in 2026, just three years ahead. However, it is now apparent that these dates may have slightly shifted. This is due to an explanation provided in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 2, episode 3, "Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow", which offers a persuasive account of why significant events in Star Trek canon may occasionally fluctuate and change.

Star Trek's Temporal Wars Are The Perfect Plot Hole Defense

In season 2, episode 3 of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, titled "Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow," the Romulan Star Empire dispatches a time agent named Sera (Adelaide Kane) to the 21st century with the mission to assassinate Khan Noonien Singh and prevent the Eugenics Wars. Given the pivotal role of this conflict in the establishment of the Federation, eliminating Khan was seen as a way for the Romulans to ascend as the dominant power in the galaxy, potentially erasing the existence of the Federation. Khan's rise to power holds such importance in humanity's history that it has sparked extensive temporal wars and led to the constant shifting of dates.

Sera proposes that, as a response to the disruptions caused by the temporal wars, "time itself is pushing back, and events reinsert themselves." This explanation serves as a convenient answer to any concerns regarding date inconsistencies within the Star Trek canon. For instance, in Star Trek Generations, there were criticisms regarding Captain Montgomery Scott's (James Doohan) presence on the USS Enterprise-B, as he anticipated Kirk's survival in the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "Relics." Now, this issue can be easily explained by the actions of a malevolent time agency that orchestrated Kirk's death in Generations to occur before Scotty was preserved within the USS Jenolan's pattern buffer.

Strange New Worlds Changed Khan's Timeline Problem

Gene Roddenberry's aim with Star Trek was to present a utopian future that could be achieved by embracing the show's lessons of tolerance and acceptance. However, this objective is undermined if the show deviates too much from our recognizable history, such as when Khan Noonien Singh ruled over a significant portion of Earth's population in the early 1990s. To maintain continuity and engage the audience more effectively, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds shifts the timeline of Khan's birth to the 21st century. This adjustment preserves the themes of Khan's story and its impact on the Federation's history while making it more believable for viewers who didn't experience the fictional Eugenics Wars. It serves as a reminder of the importance of prioritizing storytelling and the existence of creative solutions for any inconsistencies in a science fiction canon. In navigating Star Trek's plot holes, one should follow the advice of Q (John de Lancie) and avoid linear thinking.

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