# Why Star Trek is better than Star Wars **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [February 8, 2000, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-star-trek-is-better-than-star-wars/17545 "2000-02-08T03:48:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 6
**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 14, 2000, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-star-trek-is-better-than-star-wars/17545/101 "2000-02-14T17:03:00Z")
The “main” page for fan-made films at the website GuanoLad posted a link to is at [http://www.theforce.net/theater/](http://www.theforce.net/theater/) . Not only do they have _Bounty Trail_, they also have _Troops_, which everyone should see. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Neobican](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Neobican](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neobican)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2000, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-star-trek-is-better-than-star-wars/17545/102 "2000-02-14T23:10:00Z")
Ok, GuanoLad: I know I said I thought a Star Wars series would suck, but after reading some of your ideas I have to admit I would check it out for myself too…you have a better understanding of the Star Wars area, and you have a great imagination, maybe Lucas oughta look you up if that idea ever comes around! I do like both SW and ST, but truthfully I do prefer Trek therefore I posted in favor of Trek. What really did it for me was STNG TV series, which I watched faithfully, and also Voyager until they took it off the air here. (NETWORK BASTARDS!!) If it just came down to a comparison between movies, meaning no original series and only the first 6 Trek films, I would probably go with Star Wars… but as it is, I would say STNG is one of if not the most favored of my programs ever. * * * _“Wow! Spider-Man! Are you really friends with the X-men?”_ **"Not since Cyclops tried to use my viewmaster."** (Marvel Team Up #1) ---
**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 15, 2000, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-star-trek-is-better-than-star-wars/17545/103 "2000-02-15T01:05:00Z")
Consider the removal of _Voyager_ from your broadcast area as a blessing. Even Gene Roddenberry would be ashamed of that series. And if a _Star Wars_ TV series ever _did_ get made, you know it would be nothing like GuanoLad’s idea. It would alternate between using Ewoks and Jawas for comic relief each week. Bleah. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2000, 7:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-star-trek-is-better-than-star-wars/17545/104 "2000-02-15T07:23:00Z")
Hey, thanks for the props, guys 🙂 By the way, I chose to link to Bounty Trail, because I know the guys who made it (having recently met them) and am involved in their next big project. Not to mention, it is damned good. I’m hoping close association with these guys (who include such cool people as the Official Lucasfilm Approved Darth Vader and Boba Fett public appearance actors for Australia) will mean a bit part as an extra in the new Star Wars movie being made in Aussie this year. if so, then I’ll sidle up to George and drop my TV Series idea in his lap… 😉 * * * **-PIGEONMAN-** [The Legend Of PigeonMan](http://www.hotkey.net.au/~guanolad/pigeonman/) - **Shadow of the Pigeon** - Weirdo of the Night ---
**Author:** ![egkelly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/db5fbb/32.png) [@egkelly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/egkelly)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2000, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-star-trek-is-better-than-star-wars/17545/105 "2000-02-15T17:53:00Z")
One question I’ve always had-you would think that by the time interstellar travel became possible, they would have mastered plastic surgery! All these horrible monsters walking around, with bashed-in foreheads, ugly noses, etc.-didn’t anybody thing of having these deformities fixed? ---
**Author:** ![jab1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ee7513/32.png) [@jab1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jab1)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2000, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-star-trek-is-better-than-star-wars/17545/106 "2000-02-15T21:00:00Z")
There were a few episodes of _Trek_ you missed, **egkelly** , that showed how advanced plastic surgery is in the _Trek_ universe: 1. _Deep Space Nine_: Major Kira was changed to a Cardassian and back. 2. _Next Generation_: a) Worf went to human, back to Klingon, back to human, and then back to Klingon again; b) Picard and Data were made to resemble Romulans; c) Troi got similar treatment in another episode; d) both Troi and Riker were made into Mintakians in “Who Watches the Watchers?” and then went back to human and Betazoid 1. _Voyager_: Mr. Neelix was made to look like a Ferengi and then returned to normal 2. Original _Trek_ Kirk was made to look like a Romulan and then went back to human. Those are all the ones I remember at the moment. I think they went too far with the Worf episode. He went back and forth from Klingon to human so often, it became too silly to be accepted. You start to wonder “How in the hell can they DO that? How can they remove so much of his forehead and then put it back? How can they do it so often in such a short span of time? How can they do that even ONCE?” They can’t, of course. And the aliens weren’t supposed to be deformed. That was supposed to be their normal appearances. A Klingon that looked like a human would be a freak. * * * \>\< DARWIN \> \_\_ **L\_\_\_L** ---
**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 15, 2000, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-star-trek-is-better-than-star-wars/17545/107 "2000-02-15T22:12:00Z")
> [@](#): > > A Klingon that looked like a human would be a freak. Except for the ones in the Original Series, of course. ---
**Author:** ![BIGmatt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a698b9/32.png) [@BIGmatt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BIGmatt)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2000, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-star-trek-is-better-than-star-wars/17545/108 "2000-02-16T12:26:00Z")
Hey tracer! Don’t even THINK about putting down Voyager! The series is genuinely original (from a Trek point of view) and as such it can incorporate loads of new stuff that can add new plot devices for other episodes and storylines (if they ever do something like DS9 or TNG again). Note: I will refrain from commenting on Seven of Nine (despite the temptation). If you can explain to me why you hate it so much, perhaps I can finally convince you that it IS worth watching. 🙂 * * * “The only good impression he can do is of a man with no talent” - Edmund Blackadder ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2000, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-star-trek-is-better-than-star-wars/17545/109 "2000-02-16T14:05:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally posted by jab1: > **A Klingon that looked like a human would be a freak.** > [@](#): > > Originally posted by tracer: > \*\* Except for the ones in the Original Series, of course.\*\* ‘We don’t like to talk about it.’ * * * _Eschew Obfuscation_ ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2000, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-star-trek-is-better-than-star-wars/17545/110 "2000-02-16T17:26:00Z")
In the great SW vs ST debate,it must be said that Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan kicks major ass - I would choose to watch that movie over any of the other Trek movies and all of the the Star Wars movies. ---
**Author:** ![G.B.H.Hornswoggler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c67d28/32.png) [@G.B.H.Hornswoggler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/G.B.H.Hornswoggler)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2000, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-star-trek-is-better-than-star-wars/17545/111 "2000-02-16T21:49:00Z")
I don’t have time to read this whole debate right now, so my apologies is a version of this has been posted already. But here is the other view: \>TOP TEN REASONS WHY THE STAR WARS CHARACTERS WOULD KICK BUTT IN THE STAR \>TREK UNIVERSE \> -------------------------------------------- \> \>10) In the Star Wars Universe weapons are rarely, if ever, set on \>“stun”. \> \>9) The Enterprise needs a huge engine room with an anti-matter unit \>and a crew of 20 just to go into warp — The Millennium Falcon does \>the same thing with R2-D2 and a Wookie. \> \>8) After resisting the Imperial torture droid and Darth Vader, \>Princess Leia still looked fresh and desirable — After pithy \>Cardassian starvation torture, Picard looked like hell. \> \>7) One word: Lightsabers. \> \>6) Darth Vader could choke the entire Borg empire with one glance. \> \>5) The Death Star doesn’t care if a world is class “M” or not. \> \>4) Luke Skywalker is not obsessed with sleeping with every alien he \>encounters. \> \>3) Jabba the Hutt would eat Harry Mudd for trying to cut in on his \>action. \> \>2) The Federation would have to attempt to liberate any ship named \>“Slave I”. \> \>1) Picard pilots the Enterprise through asteroid belts at one-quarter \>impulse power — Han Solo floors it. \> * * * …but when you get blue, and you’ve lost all your dreams, there’s nothing like a campfire and a can of beans! ---
**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 18, 2000, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-star-trek-is-better-than-star-wars/17545/112 "2000-02-18T05:53:00Z")
BIGmatt wrote: > [@](#): > > If you can explain to me why you hate [Voyager] so much, perhaps I can finally convince you that it IS worth watching. 🙂 Well, let’s see. 1. The captain _tries_ to come across as a mother figure, but ends up being a simple megalomaniac. 2. They figured out how to go infinitely fast in the episode “Threshold”, with the slight and **curable** side effect of slowly turning into a lizard. They subsequently ignored this technology _completely_ in their various alleged attempts to get back to the Alpha Quadrant. 3. They picked up TNG’s annoying habit of solving all their problems with technobabble. 4. Neelix has managed to do the impossible: he is so annoying, he’s succeeded in erasing all painful memories of how annoying Wesley Crusher was. 5. 7 of 9 boasts that she is operating at maximum efficiency in the same shot where she can be seen wearing high-heeled shoes. 6. When Kes thought she was pregnant, she told us that Ocampa women only become fertile once in their lifetime. Neelix elects to impregnate her, and starts daydreaming about what he’ll do when his son is born. Tuvok, the super-intelligent Vulcan, is listening to this. Does he mention the extreme unlikelihood of a successful inter-species fertilization? Does he mention that in order for the Ocampa population to be able to sustain itself AT ALL, the only-ever-pregant-once females would have to have litters of at least 2 babies, and most likely more? No. He says that the baby (singular!) might be a girl. Some Vulcan, hah! 7. They’re 70,000 light-years (now down to some 50,000 light-years) away from any territory ever touched by the Federation, or the Klingons, or the Romulans – and yet every alien species they meet has a technology level almost the same as theirs. It’s bad enough that all the aliens look like humans, and act like humans. Do they all have to be equally as advanced, and no more so, than the humans of the 24th century too? TNG had more tech-level variation than Voyager does, and TNG had the excuse of Federation technology exchanges/thefts. 8. Despite being 50,000 light-years from home, and in a desperate situation, they still never violate the Prime Directive. Unless doing so prevents them from getting home faster. 9. Let’s face it: _Voyager_ is _Gilligan’s Island_ in space! * * * The truth, as always, is more complicated than that. ---
**Author:** ![Wage](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/7993a0/32.png) [@Wage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wage)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2000, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-star-trek-is-better-than-star-wars/17545/113 "2000-02-26T02:15:00Z")
How can you _possibly_ suggest Star TREK is better than Star Wars any day? Have any of you ever watched the original episodes? And at least George Lucas didn’t cop out on everyone and start making TV shows for the movies, as “Trek” did (only Vice Versa). Although, someone could conceivably argue with me that there were SW TV shows…and Ewok movies. I do agree with most people, however, and say that “Jar-Jar Binks” shouldn’t have been in the movie. Or, even better, been killed off early on, preferably by Obi-Wan. That would have had audiences more interested, for truth! But come on. Star Wars has better effects and a kick-ass story-plot, where as Star Trek has the same plot in a cyclic-pattern. Crew encounters danger. Ship takes damage. Somehow, using medical devices such as the “Stethoscope” and the “Camcorder” (Or whatever the hell the blinkie-thing is called) They patch the ship together, through in some proton torpedoes and that’s the epidsode! Especially the newer episodes/series. And the movies? Come on! Saving Whales? Time travel? Not even Star Wars stooped that low. I could ramble on more, but I think you see my point. ---
**Author:** ![Weirddave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/919ad9/32.png) [@Weirddave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weirddave)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2000, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-star-trek-is-better-than-star-wars/17545/114 "2000-02-26T03:29:00Z")
I do indeed see your point. It seems to be on the top of your head. SW is so far from ST that it’s not even in the same universe. On one hand, we have 4 movies that don’t make much sense, ( i.e. in Jedi, where did the rebels get all those big ships to fight the imperial fleet? It’s supposed to be a small, struggleing rebellion, and suddenly they have a fleet of star destroyers?)are simply modern retellings of ancient folklore,( David vs Goliath )and utilize as their big weapon something that seems to come from bacteria or something. On the other hand, you have a rich, multi leveled universe of over 500 tv episodes,9 movies, hundreds of novels and a future of hope. I just don’t see the two as being in the same league, thats all. SW are enjoyable escapiest movies, while ST is an entire universe. SW is science fantasy, ST is science fiction. I enjoy both, but the world of Trek seems so much more complex and complete, that’s all. * * * Cecil said it. I believe it. That settles it. ---
**Author:** ![Saltire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saltire/32/553_2.png) [@Saltire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saltire)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2000, 10:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-star-trek-is-better-than-star-wars/17545/115 "2000-02-26T10:04:00Z")
One thing that was different about Star Trek when compared to almost all the other SF programs and movies is that the battles were between ships of about the same scale. In Star Wars and other movies, it’s usually small ships against gargantuan ships. Even in the big battle in Jedi, the destroyers weren’t really fighting each other. It was either one-man fighters against the big ships, or the Death Star against the big ships. I just find battles like those in Wrath of Kahn cooler. In defense of light sabers, though, I have to point out that a Jedi can use one of those things for defense. Star Trek doesn’t have personal defense against energy weapons. If you had a couple of guys with phasers against a guy with a blaster and a Jedi, enough phaser shots would be deflected by the saber to turn the battle. Of course, that assumes the fight is at range. If Worf, 7 of 9, or Data were within arm’s length, things might be different. Or not. * * * It’s from heraldry. The proper heraldic term for things like the “Cross of St. Patrick.” Look it up. ---
**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 26, 2000, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-star-trek-is-better-than-star-wars/17545/116 "2000-02-26T22:37:00Z")
_Star Trek_ does have personal defense technology, although the scriptwriters usually choose to ignore it. (Maybe they get paid by the body count.) In the TNG episode “A Fistful of Datas”, for example, Troi and Worf were able to jury-rig a personal force field projector from a few common household items (just like MacGuyver would) – if one can whip together a bulletproof one-man shield generator out of band-aids and bailing wire, surely a dedicated Starfleet hardware engineering team could devise one that works even better. * * * The truth, as always, is more complicated than that. ---
**Author:** ![Wage](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/7993a0/32.png) [@Wage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wage)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2000, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-star-trek-is-better-than-star-wars/17545/117 "2000-02-27T01:48:00Z")
For the record, weirddave, in “Jedi” the Rebel “star destroyers” were really medical frigates, etc. from Mon Calamari, a planet they recently liberated. And Mon Calamari had starports, big ones. (I did research.) Anyways, I DO agree with you, however, in the fact that the two are too different to compare. One can’t be better than the other, except maybe in quality of graphics, etc. The storylines were OK (When they weren’t the same, which they often were) in both movies, and you SW skeptics, who claim SW was too weird… C’mon! ST was just as weird. One thing SW boasts over ST plot wise was they didn’t even TRY to overcome language barriers, mostly. Notice everyone in ST speaks English, even aliens never before seen (unless they’re too primitive to not want to bash rocks into skulls) speak English, spposedly either to shorten show-length, or to completely ignore that fact, hoping no one would notice (Except for the Klingons, without whom I would have all Trekkies in the crushing grip of reason. Stupid klingons). SW boasts a great many languages, including some unrecognizable to humans, instead of re-aranged English syllables. That’s a reason I like SW, amongst other things. As everyone says, “Lightsabers are cool!” They just are, and that’s that. ---
**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 27, 2000, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-star-trek-is-better-than-star-wars/17545/118 "2000-02-27T22:27:00Z")
But at least _Star Trek_ won’t stoop to naming a planet “Mon Calamari” just because its inhabitants are squid-people. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-star-trek-is-better-than-star-wars/17545.md?page=5)