Star Trek: Discovery, led by Sonequa Martin-Green, will conclude after season 5. The show premiered in 2017 on CBS All-Access, now known as Paramount+. It was the first new Star Trek series since Enterprise ended in 2005. Fans originally questioned if Discovery existed in a separate timeline.
To match popular serialized shows like Game of Thrones and the cinematic style of J.J. Abrams' Star Trek movies, Discovery aimed to enhance its visual effects. Initially a prequel to Star Trek: The Original Series, the show faced criticism for breaking canon rules. In season 2, Discovery underwent a soft reboot, sending Commander Michael Burnham and the USS Discovery 930 years into the future. Seasons 3, 4, and 5 are set in the 32nd century, but the show has always remained in Star Trek's Prime Timeline.
Star Trek's 2 Main Timelines Explained
Discovery has always been part of Star Trek's Prime Timeline
Star trek discovery michael burnham beyond kirk - Discovery has always been part of Star Trek's Prime Timeline - Star Trek's 2 Main Timelines Explained
Star Trek is a vast Multiverse that consists of two main timelines and a third alternate reality known as the Mirror Universe. The primary timeline, called the Prime Timeline, encompasses all the Star Trek television series and the first 10 Star Trek movies. This includes iconic shows like Star Trek: The Original Series, the six movies featuring the original cast, all the series created by Rick Berman from 1987 to 2005, the four movies based on Star Trek: The Next Generation, and all the new series on Paramount+ starting from Star Trek: Discovery and even extending to Star Trek: Prodigy on Netflix.
The Mirror Universe was first featured in the Star Trek: The Original Series episode "Mirror, Mirror". This alternate reality has since coexisted alongside the Prime and Kelvin Star Trek timelines.
In 2009, the Star Trek franchise was rebooted by J.J. Abrams, introducing the Kelvin timeline. This timeline was named after the USS Kelvin, the starship briefly commanded by Lt. George Kirk, father of James T. Kirk. The destruction of the Kelvin by a Romulan time traveler named Nero altered the course of events, leading to significant changes in this alternate reality. Events such as Jim Kirk's entrance into Starfleet, his promotion to Captain of the Enterprise, and the encounter with the villain Khan occurred differently and much earlier than in the Prime timeline.
Star Trek Prime Timeline TV Shows | Star Trek Prime Timeline Movies | Star Trek Kelvin Timeline Movies |
|---|---|---|
Star Trek: The Original Series, Star Trek: The Animated Series, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Star Trek: Voyager, Star Trek: Enterprise, Star Trek: Discovery, Star Trek: Picard, Star Trek: Lower Decks, Star Trek: Prodigy, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, Star Trek: Section 31, Star Trek: Starfleet Academy | Star Trek: The Motion Picture, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, Star Trek III: The Search For Spock, Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, Star Trek V: The Final Frontier, Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, Star Trek Generations, Star Trek: First Contact, Star Trek: Insurrection, Star Trek: Nemesis | Star Trek (2009), Star Trek Into Darkness, Star Trek Beyond |
Why Are There 2 Main Star Trek Timelines?
Star Trek's film and TV rights were confusing
Star Trek Into Darkness JJ Abrams Set - Star Trek's film and TV rights were confusing - Why Are There 2 Main Star Trek Timelines?
J.J. Abrams and his production company, Bad Robot, created the alternate Kelvin timeline due to a real-world issue regarding the ownership of Star Trek rights in the 2000s. Paramount, the wholesale owner of Star Trek, was owned by Viacom, which also owned CBS. In 2005, Viacom underwent a split, forming a new Viacom and transferring ownership of Paramount to it. The previous Viacom was renamed CBS Corporation, leading to the transfer of ownership of pre-2005 Star Trek movies to Paramount, while all trademarks and intellectual properties went to CBS Corporation.
It's important to note that the Prime timeline of Star Trek is more popular and extensive compared to the Kelvin Timeline.
In order to create new Star Trek movies or TV series, Paramount needed to obtain the rights from CBS. This is what happened when J.J. Abrams decided to make Star Trek (2009). Paramount and Bad Robot licensed the rights from CBS to create a different version of Star Trek, known as the Kelvin timeline. This allowed Abrams to explore a younger version of Kirk and Spock, deviating from the established canon of the original series. The Kelvin timeline gave Bad Robot the freedom to take creative liberties without conflicting with the original Star Trek timeline. It's important to note that the Prime timeline of Star Trek is more popular and well-known than the Kelvin timeline.
Although there hasn't been a new Star Trek movie released in theaters since Star Trek Beyond in 2016, the next rumored movie produced by J.J. Abrams will continue to be set in the Kelvin timeline.
Star Trek: Discovery Is Part Of The Prime Timeline
Discovery is now the furthest point of Star Trek's Prime Timeline future
Sonequa Martin Green as Michael Burnham in Star Trek Discovery from Two Angles - Discovery is now the furthest point of Star Trek's Prime Timeline future - Star Trek: Discovery Is Part Of The Prime Timeline
In Star Trek: Discovery season 2, the series firmly placed itself within the Prime Timeline. The season introduced Lt. Spock and explored his complex relationship with his adopted sister, Michael Burnham. Additionally, the USS Enterprise, Number One, and Captain Christopher Pike were reintroduced, confirming that they are the same characters from the unaired Star Trek pilot, "The Cage", portrayed by different actors.
Every Star Trek TV series ever made or currently in development is set in the Prime Timeline.
Captain Pike, Spock, and Number One were so popular that they got their own spinoff called Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. This show takes place after Star Trek: Discovery season 2 and before Star Trek: The Original Series in the Prime Timeline. The success of Star Trek: Discovery led to a resurgence of Star Trek TV shows, including Star Trek: Picard, Star Trek: Lower Decks, and season 1 of Star Trek: Prodigy, all available on Paramount+. Star Trek: Discovery's 32nd century is the furthest point explored in the Prime Timeline until Captain Michael Burnham's final journey in season 5.
Star Trek: Discovery season 5 premieres April 4 on Paramount+
Editor's P/S:
The article provides a comprehensive overview of Star Trek's timelines, focusing on the relationship between Star Trek: Discovery and the Star Trek Multiverse. It highlights the show's initial positioning as a prequel to the Original Series and its subsequent soft reboot that placed it in the 32nd century of the Prime Timeline.
The article effectively explains the complex rights issues that led to the creation of the Kelvin timeline by J.J. Abrams. It also emphasizes the dominance and popularity of the Prime Timeline, which encompasses all Star Trek television series and the first 10 movies. The inclusion of a timeline infographic and a table summarizing the key differences between the Prime and Kelvin timelines further enhances the article's clarity and understanding. Overall, the article serves as a valuable resource for fans seeking to navigate the intricacies of Star Trek's Multiverse and appreciate the significance of Star Trek: Discovery's place within it.
