Star Trek Picard SPOILERS thread

[Dire Bare]

The Romulans' reclamation of the former Borg appears to be motivated more towards the acquisition and selling of their cybernetic implants than any altruistic feeling towards the organic hosts. Their work here jars with the earlier reference to the Romulans not doing any research into cybernetics (which is highlighted - Narek says the place doesn't feel very Romulan), but then again, perhaps that's why they need so many outside experts.

I might be mis-remembering, but the Zhat Vash have a problem with artificial intelligence . . . . which is not the quite the same thing as cybernetics. Data, and presumably his "daughters", are artificial intelligences. So are the non-sentient synths that went rogue on Mars. Borg, however, are not artificial intelligences, but rather an assimilated hive-mind consciousness that relies heavily on cybernetics. Similar, but not quite the same.

And while the super secret Zhat Vash might be anti-AI . . . that doesn't mean Romulan society as a whole is, or that factions within Romulan society fear AI and/or cybernetics.

And, of course, what we know of the Zhat Vash is highly speculative, Laris and Zhaban are basically recounting myths and rumors to Picard . . . .

 

[doctorbadwolf]

Well, the Romulan empire was extremely centralised, and I'm not sure it was honestly all that big - the Neutral Zone with the Federation kept them constrained on one side, and they had a similar border with the Klingon empire. Cutting the heart out of that regime would have not only been a huge logistical blow, it would likely also have gutted both their military and civilian chain of command, quite possibly to the extent of there no longer being a singular Romulan political entity.

I don't get the impression that the Federation was as badly affected, but the decades preceding the attack on Mars had been trying times for them. The Dominion War took a huge toll on the entire Alpha Quadrant, and Starfleet in particular, and it's likely that they were nowhere near building back up to full strength in either vessels or personnel by the time of the supernova twelve years later. The loss of their primary shipyard, along with the huge loss of life, could easily have been felt as a crushing blow, leaving Starfleet feeling vulnerable and overextended.

That’s how the Romulans were handled in the Star Trek MMO, IIRC. There are basically the Romulans lead by the old hyper-nationalistic gestapo, and the Romulans who are from colony planets and rural areas that just want to live.

 

[MarkB]

I might be mis-remembering, but the Zhat Vash have a problem with artificial intelligence . . . . which is not the quite the same thing as cybernetics.

It's part of what Laris was saying when she described the Zhat Vash. "Have you never noticed the complete absence of artificial life in Romulan culture? We don't have androids or AIs, we don't study cybernetics."

 

[Truth Seeker]

It's part of what Laris was saying when she described the Zhat Vash. "Have you never noticed the complete absence of artificial life in Romulan culture? We don't have androids or AIs, we don't study cybernetics."

Hmmm...in TNG, the Romulan defector Admiral that saw DATA on Enterprise D, said that there were Romulan Cybernetists 'would have loved to get close to him'.

The Zhat Vash is solely a Secret Hideout creation--in a alternate universe.

 

[Truth Seeker]

Here is a Fan inspired of the Star Trek Borders.


Revised Star Trek Map

 

[MarkB]

Hmmm...in TNG, the Romulan defector Admiral that saw DATA on Enterprise D, said that there were Romulan Cybernetists 'would have loved to get close to him'.

The Zhat Vash is solely a Secret Hideout creation--in alternate universe.

Yeah, I figured there'd have to be inconsistencies at some point - this is a pretty big change to suddenly graft onto Romulan culture at this late stage.

 

[Truth Seeker]

Yeah, I figured there'd have to be inconsistencies at some point - this is a pretty big change to suddenly graft onto Romulan culture at this late stage.

Oh, there is a whole lot last minute changes to the Romulans...very water down changes.

 

[Mallus]

The Zhat Vash is solely a Secret Hideout creation--in a alternate universe.

Heh... there'a only one Star Trek universe. The one where it's a beloved long-running sci-fi franchise. It's not like we know a lot about Romulan culture, anyway (are Diane Duane's novels canonical at this current point in time?). Grafting AI-phobia onto them doesn't contradict too much.

I mean, the Romulans are introduced as a pre-FTL spacefaring 'Star Empire' in "Balance of Terror". Which doesn't make a whole lot of sense. And gradually that went away until you had warp-capable warbirds in ENT.

That's the great thing about fictional universes, you can revise them to your heart's content! Note: also works with actual real-world history, if history is any guide.

 

[MarkB]

Heh... there'a only one Star Trek universe. The one where it's a beloved long-running sci-fi franchise. It's not like we know a lot about Romulan culture, anyway (are Diane Duane's novels canonical at this current point in time?). Grafting AI-phobia onto them doesn't contradict too much.

I mean, the Romulans are introduced as a pre-FTL spacefaring 'Star Empire' in "Balance of Terror". Which doesn't make a whole lot of sense. And gradually that went away until you had warp-capable warbirds in ENT.

That's the great thing about fictional universes, you can revise them to your heart's content! Note: also works with actual real-world history, if history is any guide.

Yep - if the Klingons can gain bumpy foreheads, the Romulans can gain AI-phobia. It's certainly not going to stop me enjoying this series.

 

[Truth Seeker]

Yep - if the Klingons can gain bumpy foreheads, the Romulans can gain AI-phobia. It's certainly not going to stop me enjoying this series.

The only thing right now with the show, that is sorta hurting it, is the writing. Following by the production editing and production itself. Will love to enjoy, but these mishaps are growing.