[+] Star Trek Discovery (Fan) Thread

[Hussar]

Nope - replicators break down matter to the atomic level and reassemble it into new forms. If they could convert matter to energy, starships wouldn't need antimatter.

Technically, transporters don't convert matter to energy either - they turn it into a "matter stream" which can be transmitted like energy, but throughout the process the composition of that matter is maintained, to the extent that creatures remain conscious and aware throughout the process.

I believe you are mistaken. How would you be "recycling" when creating self-replicating mines, such as they did in DS9 to stop the Dominion from flooding through the wormhole? Or, what would Voyager be recycling to create new shuttles?

A more thorough explanation is found here: Replicator

 

[MarkB]

I believe you are mistaken. How would you be "recycling" when creating self-replicating mines, such as they did in DS9 to stop the Dominion from flooding through the wormhole? Or, what would Voyager be recycling to create new shuttles?

A more thorough explanation is found here: Replicator

As with most Treknology, it's not always applied consistently, but as I said, if they had the tech to convert matter into energy, why would they carry extremely dangerous antimatter fuel in order to do the same thing much less safely?

Note that in the first paragraph it says that items are created using the ship or station's replicator reserves, which can be replenished by placing items into the replicators for recycling. In-universe these are referred to as "matter banks". Replicators can't create something from nothing. Voyager would have needed to harvest raw materials (possibly asteroids) or dedicated some of its own internal structure to be re-processed into shuttle components. The mines might have had a cloaked reserve of spare matter, or had limited quantities of raw materials on board.

 

[Umbran]

I was under the impression that replicators used something similar to holodeck technology. They converted energy into matter. So, no, Federation starships did not "recycle" anything. Anything unused would be turned back into energy by the replicators.

Not quite - the replicator system doesn't fly around with the ship holding huge amounts of "pure energy". They store it as fairly base matter, which won't, you know, explode if an attacking ship's phasers hit it or something. So, it is effectively the 20-mumble century's version of today's recyling. We today generally mechanically crush or shred materials to stow them before they get melted down or processed. They rip them apart with transporters and re-materialize it as stable base materials.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

The shows were never quite consistent on whether the replicators just use energy, or energy + raw materials. However, the latter is overall more consistent, because it more easily explains why some stuff - like Dilithium or Latinum - just can't be replicated - they require a base material not commonly available.
IIRC, the Technical Manual of the Enterprise D suggests that they definitely had matter supplies that would be used for the replicators. But of course, the tech works however a writer in a moment needs it to.

 

[Vael]

That Hope is You Part 2

Discovery doesn't have, for me, a great track record with season finales. The ending notes have always resonated with me but the bulk of the episode getting there has felt messy and underbaked. And this season finale was no different.

Spoiler: Minor Spoilers

Elements of the finale worked for me. Saru and Su'kal. Owosekun saving the ship. The whole last act, from Burnham's log in the denouement, up to her last line "Let's Fly" got me emotional (I know this was done pre-covid, but the line about disconnection and that quote from Roddenberry all hit me hard). Seeing the crew in the new uniforms.

And the rest wasn't bad, it's just that it all felt a little less than the sum of its parts. The destination was good, the journey felt rushed and off.

I'm still eager to get the next season. I like this crew, though with Saru no longer in command (but still on the show), I think they need some more aliens in the cast. More Linus.

 

[Dire Bare]

I loved the season finale! Part 1 didn't get me too worked up, but I was kept engaged for all of Part 2.

Some thoughts:

• I wasn't sure about Su'kal and the cause of the Burn earlier, but I really enjoyed the resolution this week.
  [*]Su'kal is an X-Man!!! They way Culbert described his "powers", it sounded just like the x-gene mutation in Marvel Comics!
  [*]The design of the future Federation ships is growing on me, but I'm still on the fence with all the detached ship parts.
  [*]I tried, but I don't really care for the future Federation uniform design. Here's hoping they change it up for Season 4. I did like that the Disco crew updated their uniforms to match the future Federation though!
  [*]Lots of really good character moments, I really enjoyed the scene where Vance offers Burnham the captain's chair.
  [*]Owosekun is my favorite bridge officer, I enjoyed her heroic moment!
  [*]"Let's Fly!" Cheesy, but I teared up a little . . .
  [*]Did anyone catch the end credits music!!!! I definitely teared up a little at that point!

 

[Omand]

It seems I have company in this thread. Not everything quite worked for me, and yet at the same time I have to say I am satisfied with where things ended up.

Spoiler

The thing that pulled me the most out of the episode was the whole bit with the turbolifts.

We know from previous series that turbolifts are high tech elevators that can move up, down, right, left, etc. So far, so good. I can suspend disbelief a great deal on that point. Even the 32nd Century ones using anti-grav instead of any form of rail system. But all of that space shown in the turbolift battle. Where is all of that supposed to fit in Discovery? The ship is just not thick enough anywhere for the type of space being shown. It was like the Tardis from Doctor Who had turned into Discovery and everyone was in a place bigger on the inside than on the outside.

Loved the resolution, although I would have preferred more show rather than tell for the Emerald Chain falling apart.

Really, although I liked where things ended up, I think this should have been a three-part episode (or just delete the overlong and physics defying turbolift battle and use that screen time for other development.

 

[Dire Bare]

It seems I have company in this thread. Not everything quite worked for me, and yet at the same time I have to say I am satisfied with where things ended up.

Spoiler

The thing that pulled me the most out of the episode was the whole bit with the turbolifts.

We know from previous series that turbolifts are high tech elevators that can move up, down, right, left, etc. So far, so good. I can suspend disbelief a great deal on that point. Even the 32nd Century ones using anti-grav instead of any form of rail system. But all of that space shown in the turbolift battle. Where is all of that supposed to fit in Discovery? The ship is just not thick enough anywhere for the type of space being shown. It was like the Tardis from Doctor Who had turned into Discovery and everyone was in a place bigger on the inside than on the outside.

Loved the resolution, although I would have preferred more show rather than tell for the Emerald Chain falling apart.

Really, although I liked where things ended up, I think this should have been a three-part episode (or just delete the overlong and physics defying turbolift battle and use that screen time for other development.

Not sure we need spoilers on a tech discussion, but I agree . . . I'm okay with anti-grav turbolifts, but that cavernous space seemed a bit much to me also. Plus, there were a LOT of other turbolifts whizzing around, more than it felt like there should be under the circumstances.

 

[MarkB]

100% agreed on the turbolifts. The whole sequence could have worked if they'd just kept the spaces tighter, while still wider than just a conventional elevator shaft.

A lot felt too rushed, and all of Ossyra's character development from last episode is flushed down the pan in this one. They should've cut down Georgiou's farewell to a single episode, and given the finale more room to breathe.

 

[Blackrat]

I am turning into a Burnham hater. I loved her the previous seasons, but I’m beginning to lean to the opinion that Discovery is turning into The Michael Burnham Show. And the ending just made that opinion stronger. As for anything not to do directly with her; still awesome!

Spoiler

Especially loved that they finally updated their uniforms.