Supplemental #1 | A Brief Introduction
and why Star Trek is so important
Star Trek is an amazing series!
If that is a āhot takeā for some people, Iām more than willing to fight. There is something about going to another galaxy on a starship where 99.9% of it isnāt based on reality that I enjoy immensely. The world, letās face it, can really suck sometimes. And when those times get louder or more in my field of vision, putting on a show with alien races that get along and problems that can only be solved by stringing a bunch of words I donāt understand together in quick succession while tapping a screen with equally complicated images on it, just relaxes meā¦
But in case you needed reasons for my statement and why I am doing this:
1. Each episode is its own lesson waiting to be learned
Cheesy as the dialogue and characters might be, they each serve a very clear purpose. Itās one of those formulaās you canāt really mess up as long as you stick to how itās been done since the very beginning. And what I love most is that several decades later, from TOS (The Original Series) to Discovery today, the feeling I get while Iām watching an episode is near identical. Not only that, but the reason behind each episode is always steeped in a moral Aesopās fable styled lesson to learn. I never paid much attention to that before. I was young then. But now I long to learn all that Star Trek has to say about the future and how it all can (and should be) implemented today.
2. Oh Captain, my Captain
Besides maybe two Captains in all that make up the canon of Star Trek, I truly appreciate them all for their differences and their layered nuances. They each show what being a leader looks like and they approach that leadership differently from each other. Captains donāt necessarily have to look or be like what we think. They are a great example of the differences found within the crews themselves for each series and starship. I start with the captains but they are merely the vessels for the amazing characters that can be found within each series.
3. Alien races are freaking awesome!
If Iām being honest, Iām most intrigued by the Borg. Iām sorry, I know they are basically evil and all that. But I donāt see them that way. In my heart of hearts I believe there can be a way to co-exist with them. If only they would stop wanting to assimilate everyone! But seriously, from the Klingons to the Vulcans and all the other aliens and species every Federation starship encounters, Iām always just in awe, literal jaw-dropping awe, at the very idea that this could be out there. Arenāt you?
4. I want to join starfleet
Like Uhura in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, I would likely be unsure of what exactly I want to be my field of expertise. Getting to bounce around from job to job would be amazing. It would give me a chance to make that decision over time. Either way, this place is a way for me to not only feel like Iām in the Federation Starfleet Academy, but like Iām moving up the ranks as well. Iām making myself a graduate. Itās my mission, I can do what I want! And Iām effectively joining the starship of whatever show Iām watching, as an ensign. Iām there to observe. To learn. And most importantly, to document all of it as I go.
5. Seven of Nine is the best character in all of Star Trek
I will fall on my sword for this one. Could it have been because they intentionally made her out to be a sex symbol while on Voyager? Possibly. I canāt lie about that. But honestly, she was the one character, besides maybe Spock, who had the most change that needed to be made in order to not only survive but to effect the kind of change they end up effecting on so many lives around them. Sure, the Captains have a way of changing the lives of their crew. But none were as impactful, I believe, as Seven of Nine. And should the rumors that she might get a show after Picard is finished, or at least joins the shows they have planned to come next, I would be forever grateful. My mind may change after I do deep dives into every single character across all of the series, but if I should come out the other end with the same (if not stronger) level of respect for her and her story, then youāll know I was right.
I suspect my feelings about the show may not be the same to many who come across this Substack. But to those of you who wind up here and find yourselves thinking, āyes, this girl is onto something,ā please do me the honor of subscribing. There is so much coming and Iām just bursting to get it all down for you and for future generations of Star Trek fans.
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