Skip to main content

star trek - Why was Captain Archer so important?


Somehow I cannot understand the key plot of the "Shockwave. Part II" episode. Why did taking Captain Archer out of his original timeline



cause the Federation to be never ever created?



What was so unique about him? Why couldn't someone else continue his work, now or later?


It is said in that very same episode that



space exploration by Humans will continue and Earth only needs 10 or 20 more years to re-start.




So, what am I missing? What was so important (actually crucial) about Jonathan Archer?



Answer



(spoilers ahead!) All of this information is revealed in later episodes of the series, so read this answer at your own risk.


It ultimately comes down to a combination of factors:



  • Xindi Conflict - Archer and the Enterprise crew essentially saved the entire human race by destroying the Xindi weapon that aimed to destroy planet Earth. Additionally, he and his crew essentially paved the way for peaceful Xindi-human relations and made the Delphic Expanse inhabitable for the majority of the galaxy.

  • Vulcan-Andorian relations - After the incident in the episode season one "Shadows of P'Jem," it seemed like the interactions between the Andorians and Vulcans would only get worse and eventually escalate into all out war. They nearly did, due to extremist members of the Vulcan High Command attempting to initiate war with the Andorians. However, Archer was able to present the Vulcan Kir'Shara, the original record of Surak's teachings, to the High Command and prevent them from starting such a conflict. This got the Andorians and the Vulcans on speaking terms and eventually paved the way for the Federation.

  • Andorian-Tellarite relations - Oh, the Andorians. They really can't get along with anyone, can they? For a reason I can't remember, the Andorians and the Tellarites were feuding. The Romulan Star Empire took advantage of this feud and destroyed an Andorian ship disguised as a Tellarite vessel. The two races were about to enter a war with each other when Archer intervened. Despite a few hiccups, he was also able to get the two groups on hand-shaking terms, eventually paving the way for the Federation.

  • Terra Prime incident - As the Coalition of Planets (the precursor to the Federation) was being formed, the xenophobic human terrorist group known as Terra Prime took control of an array on Mars that could essentially destroy Starfleet Headquarters. Archer prevented Terra Prime from succeeding in their quest, and the Coalition of Planets was created.


  • Federation Charter - In the final, and probably worst, episode of Star Trek: Enterprise, Archer signed the charter that ratified the United Federation of Planets.

  • Other Notable Accomplishments - Archer also served as the Chief of Staff of Starfleet Command post-captaincy of the Enterprise, ambassador to Andoria, Federation Councilman, and eventually President of the Federation.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

harry potter - Did Dolores Umbridge Have Any Association with Voldemort (or Death Eaters) before His Return?

I noticed that Dolores Umbridge was born during the first Wizarding War, so it's very likely she wasn't a Death Eater then (but she is pretty evil -- who knows?). After that Voldemort was not around in a way that could affect many people, and most wouldn't know he was planning to rise again. During that time, and up through Voldemort's return (in Goblet of Fire ), did Umbridge have any connection with the Death Eaters or with Voldemort? Was she doing what she did on her own, or was it because of an association with Voldemort or his allies? Answer Dolores Umbridge was definitely not a good person. However, as Sirius points out, "the world isn't split into good people and Death Eaters". Remember that he also says that he doesn't believe Umbridge to be a Death Eater, but that she's evil enough (or something like that). I think there are two strong reasons to believe that: Umbridge was proud to do everything according to the law, except when she trie...
Post a Comment
Read more

futurama - How much time is lost in 'Time Keeps on Slippin''

In time Keeps on Slippin' , Farnsworth creates a basketball team which he matures by abusing Chronitons. This leads to time skipping forward by random, but ever increasing amounts. How much time was skipped in this way? Answer Unfortunately, I don't think a good estimate can be made for this, for two reasons: Many of the time skips move forward by an indeterminate amount of time. At one point, the Professor mentions localized regions of space skipping forward much more than others. We then see two young boys on the street below complaining about having to pay social security, only to suddenly become senior citizens and start complaining about wanting their money. Thus, each individual could have experienced a different amount of time skippage.
Post a Comment
Read more

aliens - Interstellar Zoo story

I vaguely remember this story from my childhood: it was about an interstellar zoo that came to Earth with lots of bizarre and unusual species, and humans would file through and gape at all the crazy looking creatures from other planets. The twist came at the end when the perspective shifted to the other side of the bars and we discovered that the "creatures" were traveling through space on a kind of safari. They thought they were the visitors and we were the animals. Neither side knew that the other side thought they were the zoo creatures. Answer Got it. Zoo, by Edward D. Hoch. Published in 1958. Link to Publication History Link to PDF
Post a Comment
Read more

tolkiens legendarium - Did Gandalf wear his Ring of Power throughout the trilogy?

After Gandalf discovered that Sauron was back and sent Frodo on his quest to Rivendell, did he continue to wear Narya (one of the Three Rings)? It seems like a huge risk to continue to wear it after the Nazgûl (Ringwraiths) started to try and reclaim the One Ring; if they managed to get the ring to Sauron, couldn't he be corrupted by his power? Whatever powers Narya bestows upon him couldn't possibly be worth the huge risk, could it? Answer When Sauron forged the one ring and put it on his finger, the other ring bearers were immediately aware of him and his intentions and removed their own rings. There is no reason why they couldn't merely do so again. As soon as Sauron set the One Ring upon his finger they were aware of him; and they knew him, and preceived that he would be master of them, and of all they wrought. Then in anger and fear they took off their rings. "Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age," Silmarillion
Post a Comment
Read more