# Incredible powers discovered/revealed on Star Trek that are used once and dismissed forever **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** star-trek-paramount\ **Created:** [April 7, 2024, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/incredible-powers-discovered-revealed-on-star-trek-that-are-used-once-and-dismissed-forever/999963 "2024-04-07T01:17:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Cumberdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8c91f0/32.png) [@Cumberdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cumberdale)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2024, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/incredible-powers-discovered-revealed-on-star-trek-that-are-used-once-and-dismissed-forever/999963/81 "2024-04-08T19:19:00Z")
How about all the knowledge of the universe that V’ger downloaded to the Enterprise? All that info didn’t seem to benefit the Federation at all. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2024, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/incredible-powers-discovered-revealed-on-star-trek-that-are-used-once-and-dismissed-forever/999963/82 "2024-04-08T20:16:50Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > At least she wasn’t a mermaid… [Why couldn’t she be the other kind of mermaid, with the fish part on top and the lady part on the bottom](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=xBCGVqyWrSQ)? ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2024, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/incredible-powers-discovered-revealed-on-star-trek-that-are-used-once-and-dismissed-forever/999963/83 "2024-04-08T20:51:07Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > [Why couldn’t she be the other kind of mermaid, with the fish part on top and the lady part on the bottom](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=xBCGVqyWrSQ)? Talk about a double-bagger! Unless you like “sleeping with the fishes”. Better to just get a real girl. They have both human parts. ---
**Author:** ![LurkMeister](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3da27b/32.png) [@LurkMeister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LurkMeister)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2024, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/incredible-powers-discovered-revealed-on-star-trek-that-are-used-once-and-dismissed-forever/999963/84 "2024-04-08T22:13:08Z")
> [@Stratocaster](#): > > Got it. That Scotty, what a prankster! What else would you expect from someone who got rid of a tribble infestation by beaming them all onto a Klingon ship’s engine room? ---
**Author:** ![simster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simster/32/1047_2.png) [@simster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simster)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2024, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/incredible-powers-discovered-revealed-on-star-trek-that-are-used-once-and-dismissed-forever/999963/85 "2024-04-08T22:50:09Z")
Where they’ll be no tribble at all. /cue laughter ---
**Author:** ![Coriolanus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/coriolanus/32/18769_2.png) [@Coriolanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coriolanus)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2024, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/incredible-powers-discovered-revealed-on-star-trek-that-are-used-once-and-dismissed-forever/999963/86 "2024-04-08T23:01:59Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > here we have a machine that can transplant consciousness from one person to another. Spock mind-melds with McCoy at the end of ST: II. “Remember” { just in case I do return to this franchise } Indeed, the entire concept of mind-melding at all - let alone basically your entire consciousness - on hold and retrievable - is not studied by any of the many Institutes of the Federation. “The Vulcan’s aren’t telling and don’t even bother with the Romulans” It’s a high-twist plot concept like flying around the sun really fast equals time travel (hope I’m not entirely getting confused with Superman here) that is used once and if you circumvent plot-magic and really get to ask “Why can’t we do that again?” it’s definitely Dilithium or those nanites Wesley let loose. I may as well list the many reasons God would need a Starship. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2024, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/incredible-powers-discovered-revealed-on-star-trek-that-are-used-once-and-dismissed-forever/999963/87 "2024-04-08T23:06:57Z")
> [@Coriolanus](#): > > Spock mind-melds with McCoy at the end of ST: II But mind-melding is not trading consciousness, _per se_. Mind-melding is just a form of deep telepathy. The consciousness is not clearly established to be a mental function (my contention is that it is merely an elaborate form of the survival instinct). ---
**Author:** ![Coriolanus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/coriolanus/32/18769_2.png) [@Coriolanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coriolanus)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2024, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/incredible-powers-discovered-revealed-on-star-trek-that-are-used-once-and-dismissed-forever/999963/88 "2024-04-08T23:14:59Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > Mind-melding is just a form of deep telepathy. Doesn’t McCoy transfer back to Spock essentially everything that ever happened to Spock? Zarabeth? Edith Keeler? Stone knives and bearskins?? Pon Farr? That one time in the original pilot where Spock makes a wave of his hands to make a screen change? (dunno why they stopped that one ). Spock the White is the same guy. “Hey, I can do a vulcan nerve pinch and shut this assholes b-box off”. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2024, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/incredible-powers-discovered-revealed-on-star-trek-that-are-used-once-and-dismissed-forever/999963/89 "2024-04-08T23:17:50Z")
> [@Coriolanus](#): > > Doesn’t McCoy transfer back to Spock essentially everything that ever happened to Spock? Yup. It wasn’t just a mind meld; Spock transferred his _[katra](https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Katra)_ (soul, more or less) into McCoy. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2024, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/incredible-powers-discovered-revealed-on-star-trek-that-are-used-once-and-dismissed-forever/999963/90 "2024-04-08T23:24:29Z")
But his _katra_ is different from his memories/experiences. That’s why he’s struggling in **ST4:TVH**. His memories got all fragged during the transfers and it’s taking time to try to put the files back together, if they even exist any more. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2024, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/incredible-powers-discovered-revealed-on-star-trek-that-are-used-once-and-dismissed-forever/999963/91 "2024-04-09T00:22:22Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > Better to just get a real girl. They have both human parts. Judging from my experience, she’d still smell like tuna. 🤭 ---
**Author:** ![Coriolanus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/coriolanus/32/18769_2.png) [@Coriolanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coriolanus)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2024, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/incredible-powers-discovered-revealed-on-star-trek-that-are-used-once-and-dismissed-forever/999963/92 "2024-04-09T00:24:57Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > _[katra](https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Katra)_ > [@silenus](#): > > That’s why he’s struggling in **ST4:TVH**. His memories got all fragged during the transfers and it’s taking time to try to put the files back together, if they even exist any more. I just referred to Spock in IV as Spock The White because, like Gandalf The White, yeah, he wasn’t _entirely_ okay, yet Gandalf says something like “Gandalf. Yes I was once called that.” and he’s all back. I just don’t recall Spock having any memory problems. Just don’t remind him of Zarabeth. But if the Mother Horta comes up, he oughta recall, “Yep, I did that!” ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2024, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/incredible-powers-discovered-revealed-on-star-trek-that-are-used-once-and-dismissed-forever/999963/93 "2024-04-09T00:29:03Z")
> [@Coriolanus](#): > > But if the Mother Horta comes up, he oughta recall, “Yep, I did that!” You know, it is too bad they never had an episode where Spock went all wiggy and started blurting out fragments of the zillion mind melds he did. ---
**Author:** ![E-DUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/e-dub/32/403_2.png) [@E-DUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-DUB)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2024, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/incredible-powers-discovered-revealed-on-star-trek-that-are-used-once-and-dismissed-forever/999963/94 "2024-04-09T00:33:33Z")
Especially with “Picard” showing that the transporter, to save time, keeps a sort of generic human prototype on file and simply adapts it to the individual being transported. ---
**Author:** ![zbuzz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e19b73/32.png) [@zbuzz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zbuzz)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2024, 9:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/incredible-powers-discovered-revealed-on-star-trek-that-are-used-once-and-dismissed-forever/999963/95 "2024-04-09T09:02:41Z")
> [@ParallelLines](#): > > I lack the words to express how disappointed I am in Discovery. That’s ok, just express your feelings using a hug. I mean, that’s the main form of communication on Discovery anyway. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2024, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/incredible-powers-discovered-revealed-on-star-trek-that-are-used-once-and-dismissed-forever/999963/96 "2024-04-09T17:03:58Z")
It’s still on?!? 😲 I quit watching it after the third or fourth episode. ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2024, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/incredible-powers-discovered-revealed-on-star-trek-that-are-used-once-and-dismissed-forever/999963/97 "2024-04-09T17:12:39Z")
> [@zbuzz](#): > > that’s the main form of communication on Discovery I thought that was whisper crying about your mommy issues. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2024, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/incredible-powers-discovered-revealed-on-star-trek-that-are-used-once-and-dismissed-forever/999963/98 "2024-04-09T20:14:33Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > It’s still on?!? 😲 I quit watching it after the third or fourth episode. ⁢ A lot of people like it. It seems more like a like it/hate it show. I was initially surprised that it’s mostly hate it here, and not more varied. But then the people who like it enjoy that it’s not like TNG-era Trek, and this board is more traditional in its tastes. But, still, with the loudest haters being the anti-woke crowd, I expected some Dopers to like it–even if only because the aforementioned haters. It’s so weird finding out there are anti-woke Star Trek fans. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2024, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/incredible-powers-discovered-revealed-on-star-trek-that-are-used-once-and-dismissed-forever/999963/99 "2024-04-09T20:25:27Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > I was initially surprised that it’s mostly hate it here, and not more varied. But then the people who like it enjoy that it’s not like TNG-era Trek, and this board is more traditional in its tastes. > > But, still, with the loudest haters being the anti-woke crowd, I expected some Dopers to like it–even if only because the aforementioned haters. It’s so weird finding out there are anti-woke Star Trek fans. It’s not being anti-woke. Its the fact that the star of the show, by sheer hubris and incompetence- started a fucking war after a very long peace. And since the showrunners gave her plot immunity, she ended up being Captain again. Also, it gets into alternate universes, time travel (not as a one off , like TOS did) and other crap. In general that stuff isnt popular as people see that it doesnt matter, that is it more or less “it was all a dream”. > **[Star Trek: Discovery](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Trek:_Discovery)** > > Star Trek: Discovery is an American science fiction television series created by Bryan Fuller and Alex Kurtzman for the streaming service CBS All Access (later rebranded as Paramount+). It is the seventh Star Trek series and debuted in 2017. The series follows the crew of the starship Discovery beginning a decade before Star Trek: The Original Series in the 23rd century. At the end of the second season, they travel to the 32nd century which is the setting for subsequent seasons. > Sonequa Martin... _A science specialist on the USS Discovery who is promoted to captain at the end of the third season.[[3]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Trek:_Discovery#cite_note-ParadiseS3FinaleTVInsider-3) Burnham is a human who was raised following [Vulcan](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vulcan_(Star_Trek)) culture and traditions by [Sarek](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarek),[[4]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Trek:_Discovery#cite_note-Martin-GreenJun2017-4)[[5]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Trek:_Discovery#cite_note-SDCC17Panel-5) making her the adopted sister of well-known Star Trek character [Spock](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spock);[[6]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Trek:_Discovery#cite_note-PikeSpock-6) the reason Spock does not mention Burnham in other Star Trek media is explained in the second season.[[7]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Trek:_Discovery#cite_note-EPsCanonGoals-7) A non-captain protagonist was chosen to give the series a different perspective from previous Star Trek series,[[1]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Trek:_Discovery#cite_note-FullerAug2016-1) but the writers always knew that she would become captain eventually._ People who start wars that cause the death of millions of sentient beings are not heroes. The entire idea of the show was stupid from the get-go. I had no issues with Voyager- sure is wasnt as great as TOS, but nothing will ever be. TNG was fun, and was the highest rated. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2024, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/incredible-powers-discovered-revealed-on-star-trek-that-are-used-once-and-dismissed-forever/999963/100 "2024-04-09T20:33:08Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > But, still, with the loudest haters being the anti-woke crowd, I expected some Dopers to like it–even if only because the aforementioned haters. You are saying some people here should like it specifically because people that they don’t like don’t like it? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/incredible-powers-discovered-revealed-on-star-trek-that-are-used-once-and-dismissed-forever/999963.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/incredible-powers-discovered-revealed-on-star-trek-that-are-used-once-and-dismissed-forever/999963.md?page=6)