# Protomatter in \_Star Trek\_ **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 24, 2004, 7:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/protomatter-in-_star-trek_/230852 "2004-02-24T07:17:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2004, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/protomatter-in-_star-trek_/230852/21 "2004-02-25T04:01:12Z")
Kirk knew. ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2004, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/protomatter-in-_star-trek_/230852/22 "2004-02-25T04:04:30Z")
Braga had nothing to do with the creation of DS9 or its storylines, **NCB**. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2004, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/protomatter-in-_star-trek_/230852/23 "2004-02-25T04:12:00Z")
> [@NoClueBoy](#): > > Kirk knew. Funny, I don’t recall a scene in which that is proven. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2004, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/protomatter-in-_star-trek_/230852/24 "2004-02-25T04:12:48Z")
Well, golly, CRUCIFY me already! Not like I’m trying to break into show business via ENT or anything like that, only the Son of God! here… What is THAT!? Why do want to cut my brain!?! ARRGHHH, JOSEPH! JOSEPH! [meds slowly take affect…] ah… ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2004, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/protomatter-in-_star-trek_/230852/25 "2004-02-25T04:14:52Z")
I don’t remember any scene like that either but I would have to think with Saavik being 1) a Vulcan and 2) a Starfleet officer, she would feel compelled to disclose everything she knew in the report she had to submit upon her rescue. ---
**Author:** ![Hail\_Ants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dc4da7/32.png) [@Hail\_Ants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hail_Ants)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2004, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/protomatter-in-_star-trek_/230852/26 "2004-02-25T04:20:17Z")
With all due respect to ST:TWK (being that it saved the francise) Marcus’ line, “I used proto-matter” is simply one of the most blatent examples of deux ex machina ever! This is why you don’t see proto-matter weapons. Its incredibly clunky storytelling. Amongst my friends, whenever we’re asked to explain something really complicated we often just say. “It uses proto-matter!” ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2004, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/protomatter-in-_star-trek_/230852/27 "2004-02-25T04:20:53Z")
And… Kirk _was_ on the Genesis planet right before it broke up. Surely he asked what the hell happened. If not right away, then on Vulcan later. But, no, there is no CANON about these interpolations. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2004, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/protomatter-in-_star-trek_/230852/28 "2004-02-25T04:59:07Z")
> [@Hail Ants](#): > > With all due respect to ST:TWK (being that it saved the francise) Marcus’ line, “I used proto-matter” is simply one of the most blatent examples of deux ex machina ever! Well, actually, protomatter was first mentioned in ST:TSFS (or, if you prefer to leave the third word out; ST: TSS). The protomatter bit struck me as unnecessary, too. Why not just admit: A. The Genesis Project failed, or B. The torpedo was meant to be detonated on an existing lifeless planet, not in a nebula. Failure to follow proper operating instructions voids all warranties. ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2004, 6:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/protomatter-in-_star-trek_/230852/29 "2004-02-25T06:43:05Z")
> [@Aesiron](#): > > No more than knocking the World Trade Center deserved nuclear retaliation, no. With all due respect, that’s not exactly a fair comparison. The Borg incursion wasn’t a terror attack…it was an _invasion force._ It’s not 9/11, it was [“Red Dawn”](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0087985/). This discussion is reminding me…I’ve been thinking of starting a thread about cool Star Trek technology that Starfleet/the characters never remember to use. Starting with wide-field phaser beams; and setting a _ship’s_ phasers to Stun, and zapping crowds of people on a planet’s surface. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Cerowyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/82dd89/32.png) [@Cerowyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cerowyn)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2004, 7:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/protomatter-in-_star-trek_/230852/30 "2004-02-25T07:39:24Z")
> [@Ranchoth](#): > > This discussion is reminding me…I’ve been thinking of starting a thread about cool Star Trek technology that Starfleet/the characters never remember to use. Starting with wide-field phaser beams; and setting a _ship’s_ phasers to Stun, and zapping crowds of people on a planet’s surface. 🆒 You’d almost have to go through every single episode. Star Trek “technology” is so far removed from even the basic rules of physics, and their storylines so full of holes, that you’d be very hard pressed to find any show that doesn’t have glaring problems. Like most SF shows & movies, Star Trek is infinitely more entertaining if you turn off critical thinking for the duration of the program. (Besides, ---
**Author:** ![Cerowyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/82dd89/32.png) [@Cerowyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cerowyn)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2004, 7:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/protomatter-in-_star-trek_/230852/31 "2004-02-25T07:41:38Z")
Well, that is curious. Tack “Jolene Blalock is hot. :D)” onto the end of that last sentence… 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2004, 12:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/protomatter-in-_star-trek_/230852/32 "2004-02-25T12:04:31Z")
> [@Cerowyn](#): > > Well, that is curious. Tack “Jolene Blalock is hot. :D)” onto the end of that last sentence… > > 😕 I daresay that’s a valid implicit ending to _any_ sentence. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2004, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/protomatter-in-_star-trek_/230852/33 "2004-02-25T16:45:29Z")
Set your phasers on **Stunning**! ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2004, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/protomatter-in-_star-trek_/230852/34 "2004-02-25T16:55:49Z")
> [@NoClueBoy](#): > > They didn’t have time, I’m guessing. And… the lizards were still in control? **LIZARDS?!** ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2004, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/protomatter-in-_star-trek_/230852/35 "2004-02-25T17:05:34Z")
Those things that took over Remmick. Gah! ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2004, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/protomatter-in-_star-trek_/230852/36 "2004-02-25T19:47:03Z")
Those weren’t lizards, they were Evil Cockroaches! ---
**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:** [February 25, 2004, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/protomatter-in-_star-trek_/230852/37 "2004-02-25T20:11:08Z")
> [@tracer](#): > > Those weren’t lizards, they were Evil Cockroaches! Evil crawdads in Trip country. Evil crayfish in the North, Evil mini Lobsters in New England. ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2004, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/protomatter-in-_star-trek_/230852/38 "2004-02-25T22:28:52Z")
> [@Bryan Ekers](#): > > I daresay that’s a valid implicit ending to _any_ sentence. I will never understand the appeal of Jolene Blalock. 😕 ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2004, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/protomatter-in-_star-trek_/230852/39 "2004-02-25T22:35:26Z")
> [@tracer](#): > > Those weren’t lizards, they were Evil Cockroaches! I thought they were lizards. ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2004, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/protomatter-in-_star-trek_/230852/40 "2004-02-26T02:27:12Z")
> [@Cerowyn](#): > > You’d almost have to go through every single episode. Star Trek “technology” is so far removed from even the basic rules of physics, and their storylines so full of holes, that you’d be very hard pressed to find any show that doesn’t have glaring problems. Hey, I’m not talking about the normal, everyday violations of the laws of physics that you see on every Star Trek episode. I’m talking about the glaring, out of the ordinary technological breakthroughs that are made in isolated episodes, but are seemingly forgotten the very next week. Like Protomatter devices, using projectile weapons against Borg, subspace transporters, etc. > [@](#): > > Like most SF shows & movies, Star Trek is infinitely more entertaining if you turn off critical thinking for the duration of the program. That, sir, is a matter of debate. _I_ like to carry on the proud Nerdish tradition of nitpicking, heckling and overanalyzing, while _still_ appreciating the plot and story being told. (And ogling the female cast members’ secondary sexual characteristics, of course.) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/protomatter-in-_star-trek_/230852.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/protomatter-in-_star-trek_/230852.md?page=3)