# Let's make a list of the in-jokes in the new Star Trek! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 9, 2009, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-make-a-list-of-the-in-jokes-in-the-new-star-trek/495832 "2009-05-09T05:59:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2009, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-make-a-list-of-the-in-jokes-in-the-new-star-trek/495832/21 "2009-05-10T21:10:47Z")
McCoy saying, “Are you out of your Vulcan mind?!” ---
**Author:** ![Pigs\_in\_Space](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9d8465/32.png) [@Pigs\_in\_Space](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pigs_in_Space)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2009, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-make-a-list-of-the-in-jokes-in-the-new-star-trek/495832/22 "2009-05-10T21:31:27Z")
My friends pointed out to me that the unfortunate parachutist had the red chute. Also, if we’re counting Alias, there was the Nokia ringtone and the floating red ball of liquid. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Knig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@Typo\_Knig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Knig)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2009, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-make-a-list-of-the-in-jokes-in-the-new-star-trek/495832/23 "2009-05-10T21:37:31Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > Except I think Sulu is the only one of the original characters who was married in the canon. Leastwise he had a [grown daughter](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demora_Sulu) in _ST Generations_. Even here in the primitive 21st century, gay folks can have biological children from hetero relationships, or from various kinds of surrogacy. There is also adoption as a possibility. (I like the attitude of people who treat the kids they raise are _their_ kids, whatever the source.) In the Star Trek universe there’s always genetic engineering as well. In the ST-TOS tie in novel [The Final Reflection](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Final_Reflection) is a scene where Sarek is describing the genetic engineering that made his inter-species son Spock possible. I don’t know if The Final Reflection is considered canon or not, but either way it’s a great read! ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2009, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-make-a-list-of-the-in-jokes-in-the-new-star-trek/495832/24 "2009-05-10T21:50:17Z")
Unless it’s on-screen (and non-animated), it’s not canon ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2009, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-make-a-list-of-the-in-jokes-in-the-new-star-trek/495832/25 "2009-05-10T22:19:44Z")
> [@Aesiron](#): > > Unless it’s on-screen (and non-animated), it’s not canon Did D C Fontanta write novels that are canon? ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2009, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-make-a-list-of-the-in-jokes-in-the-new-star-trek/495832/26 "2009-05-10T23:11:41Z")
The only novel that was ever considered canon was _Pathways_, which was a Voyager novel written by one of its producers, Jeri Taylor, but it’s been decanonized for a while. ---
**Author:** ![whiterabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/cab0a1/32.png) [@whiterabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whiterabbit)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2009, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-make-a-list-of-the-in-jokes-in-the-new-star-trek/495832/27 "2009-05-10T23:20:23Z")
> [@Typo\_Knig](#): > > Even here in the primitive 21st century, gay folks can have biological children from hetero relationships, or from various kinds of surrogacy. There is also adoption as a possibility. (I like the attitude of people who treat the kids they raise are _their_ kids, whatever the source.) In the Star Trek universe there’s always genetic engineering as well. Is it canon that Sulu is gay and I missed it? Just because George is doesn’t mean Sulu is. I’m fairly sure genetic engineering is out of the question, except possibly for fixing serious problems. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2009, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-make-a-list-of-the-in-jokes-in-the-new-star-trek/495832/28 "2009-05-10T23:42:44Z")
> [@whiterabbit](#): > > Is it canon that Sulu is gay and I missed it? Don’t go there. As Spock Prime would say, “That is an extremely massive container of annelids.” ---
**Author:** ![Quasimodal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/57b2e6/32.png) [@Quasimodal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodal)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2009, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-make-a-list-of-the-in-jokes-in-the-new-star-trek/495832/29 "2009-05-10T23:57:01Z")
> [@pepperlandgirl](#): > > “Not a physicist!” Which actually makes a lot more sense than “Damn it, Jim, I’m a doctor, not a bricklayer!” > > Spock has done the Boldly Go spiel before. I don’t remember exactly when, and if I’m wrong, I’m sure somebody will correct me, but it might have Wrath of Kahn. > > I like the additional backstory of how Kirk got the name Tiberius, since AFAIK, that name is never used in TOS. It was added with the Animated series, wasn’t it? Tiberius was first mentioned officially I believe Star Trek VI. Chang calls Kirk to the witness stand by his full name. ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2009, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-make-a-list-of-the-in-jokes-in-the-new-star-trek/495832/30 "2009-05-11T00:15:48Z")
> [@whiterabbit](#): > > Is it canon that Sulu is gay and I missed it? Just because George is doesn’t mean Sulu is. Nope. There’s no evidence for him being homosexual, and Demora implies he’s hetero. So far as I remember, the only non-heteronormative character within any of the series is Jadzia Dax, and even that was a one episode thing because she ran into another joined Trill whose symbiote Dax had a history with. ---
**Author:** ![whiterabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/cab0a1/32.png) [@whiterabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whiterabbit)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2009, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-make-a-list-of-the-in-jokes-in-the-new-star-trek/495832/31 "2009-05-11T02:00:50Z")
What with my history of at-times-rabid Trekkieness, I would be genuinely shocked to have missed that big a piece of canon if it existed. Read that last post with some exasperation and possibly a raised eyebrow of doubt – as in, come _on_! Though I don’t think Demora necessarily implies he’s hetero, only that he’s reproduced. To continue the hijack, alt-universe Kira would do just about anything or anybody, but I don’t think she counts as a major character. Back to the movie? Um, I don’t remember any that haven’t been mentioned her, but it’s a good thing my mouth wasn’t full when Pike showed up in the wheelchair. It took a second, then I was trying not to start laughing like a loon. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2009, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-make-a-list-of-the-in-jokes-in-the-new-star-trek/495832/32 "2009-05-11T03:01:09Z")
The Romulan mining ship was (very roughly speaking) cone-shaped, open at one end, and it was being put to use killing planets. Oh, and they did some damage to it by sending a starship into it, but wound up destrying it by sending in a little shuttle armed with explosives. Sound familiar? How about [now](http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/The_Doomsday_Machine_(episode))? ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2009, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-make-a-list-of-the-in-jokes-in-the-new-star-trek/495832/33 "2009-05-11T03:25:59Z")
> [@Quasimodal](#): > > Tiberius was first mentioned officially I believe Star Trek VI. Chang calls Kirk to the witness stand by his full name. Kirk’s middle name was mentioned in the 1970s animated series, actually. ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2009, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-make-a-list-of-the-in-jokes-in-the-new-star-trek/495832/34 "2009-05-11T03:26:23Z")
> [@whiterabbit](#): > > What with my history of at-times-rabid Trekkieness, I would be genuinely shocked to have missed that big a piece of canon if it existed. Read that last post with some exasperation and possibly a raised eyebrow of doubt – as in, come _on_! Though I don’t think Demora necessarily implies he’s hetero, only that he’s reproduced. To continue the hijack, alt-universe Kira would do just about anything or anybody, but I don’t think she counts as a major character. Right. I’m not saying he’s straight, but him having a child is about the only evidence we have of his sexuality. I didn’t count any of the MU characters because they’re just [depraved bisexuals](http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/DepravedBisexual). > [@RickJay](#): > > Kirk’s middle name was mentioned in the 1970s animated series, actually. But, as stated, it wasn’t official until mentioned in the movie. The Animated Series was mostly decanonized by Roddenberry and Paramount Pictures in the late eighties. ---
**Author:** ![Alistair\_McCello](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/58956e/32.png) [@Alistair\_McCello](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alistair_McCello)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2009, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-make-a-list-of-the-in-jokes-in-the-new-star-trek/495832/35 "2009-05-11T06:22:17Z")
The character that was sitting between Kirk and Uhura when they first met at the bar seems to be a throw back to Deep Space 9, where, if I remember correctly, there was a similarly long faced alien that was always at Quark’s Bar who would never speak, but was frequently in the middle of conversations. A quick google search is turning up nothing, but I think I am remembering this right. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2009, 11:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-make-a-list-of-the-in-jokes-in-the-new-star-trek/495832/36 "2009-05-11T11:31:38Z")
Morn. ---
**Author:** ![LurkMeister](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3da27b/32.png) [@LurkMeister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LurkMeister)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2009, 11:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-make-a-list-of-the-in-jokes-in-the-new-star-trek/495832/37 "2009-05-11T11:36:45Z")
> [@Alistair\_McCello](#): > > The character that was sitting between Kirk and Uhura when they first met at the bar seems to be a throw back to Deep Space 9, where, if I remember correctly, there was a similarly long faced alien that was always at Quark’s Bar who would never speak, but was frequently in the middle of conversations. > > A quick google search is turning up nothing, but I think I am remembering this right. You’re thinking of [Morn](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morn#Morn), who was originally intended as a one-shot character in the first episode of DS9 but became a semi-regular, and was even the focus of one episode toward the end of the series. I haven’t seen the movie yet, although I did see a clip of the scene you mentioned on TV but can’t remember how much the alien you mention resembles Morn. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Vorlon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d07c76/32.png) [@The\_Vorlon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Vorlon)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2009, 11:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-make-a-list-of-the-in-jokes-in-the-new-star-trek/495832/38 "2009-05-11T11:50:38Z")
I thought Mr. Long Face was the inspiration for some items on Easter Island. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2009, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-make-a-list-of-the-in-jokes-in-the-new-star-trek/495832/39 "2009-05-11T11:59:19Z")
> [@LurkMeister](#): > > I haven’t seen the movie yet, although I did see a clip of the scene you mentioned on TV but can’t remember how much the alien you mention resembles Morn. I can’t speak for _Alistair McCello_, but I don’t think the movie bar guy necessarily has to look like Morn to be an inside joke reference to him. After all, Morn was a reference to Norm from Cheers and didn’t look much like him. ---
**Author:** ![sciurophobic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cab0a1/32.png) [@sciurophobic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sciurophobic)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2009, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-make-a-list-of-the-in-jokes-in-the-new-star-trek/495832/40 "2009-05-11T13:48:39Z")
The use of the number 47, which is a double in-joke as it shows up both in later Star Trek series and J.J. Abrams shows, especially Alias. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-make-a-list-of-the-in-jokes-in-the-new-star-trek/495832.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-make-a-list-of-the-in-jokes-in-the-new-star-trek/495832.md?page=3)