Star Trek Weaponry

The other day I was discussing various Star Trek things online, as I am wont do to, and someone (AfterTheHavoc) mentioned that Next Gen armed away teams with non-threatening looking hand weapons. I agreed but also felt this was appropriate – both that it happened in Next Gen and that it only happened in Next Gen.

You see, unlike any of the other Star Trek shows to date, Next Gen takes place in a very specific period of time and location. So let’s go through all the shows and take a quick look at why I lean the way I do. And yes I will be leaving Next Gen for last.

The Original Series (and Animated series): In the original show, the Federation was braced for conflict with the Klingons and the Romulans. The Federation itself had only existed for 100 years, roughly (Federation founded in 2161, TOS starts in 2266) and so they were still, rightly, super wary. They needed to be armed decently, given how deadly it could be out there.

Deep Space Nine: Though it takes place in the same timeframe as Next Gen, DS9 itself, the station was not exactly a safe place. Dominion War, anyone? They needed, again, to be armed well.

Voyager: Lost in the Delta Quadrant what are you gonna do, not be braced for all new problems, possibly as strange and unknown as anything seen yet – but with zero backup? C’mon.

Strange New Worlds: Set before TOS so all of that applies here, too.

Lower Decks: Set about 5 years after Voyager gets home, we’re in a different place than Next Gen, but one that will be explained when we get there, trust me.

Prodigy: They’re not even the Federation. And they’re scared, and alone just like Voyager was.

Discovery: Started around the time of TOS, then leapt to a future where the Federation had basically collapsed and everything was more dangerous. So either at the start or the end of that line you get a good reason to want a good weapon.

Enterprise: Earlier than even TOS, those folks really had no clue what to expect, and had to be on ready alert for problems.

Picard: Post-Next Gen, I’m telling you. And why? Well…

Next Gen: Next Gen occupied a very unique moment for the Federation. When it began (about 2364) it was as far from TOS as TOS was from the founding of the Federation. There was a measure of peace with the Klingons. The Romulans, at the start, hadn’t been heard from in over a decade. There was every reason to believe they were in a much more peaceful time. Next Gen is the only time/place in Star Trek where that holds true. So of course they had weapons that showed less threat. This was the only timeframe where a 5 year mission exploring ship carried a crew’s family on-board, too.

They felt the universe was less of a threat, and wanted to extend that. Then the Romulans come back, the Borg show up, and everything got deadly all over again. The optimism was not rewarded. So the Enterprise-E shrank, and ditched families, and we started seeing deadlier weapons all around, once more.

Which isn’t to say it is bad to have optimism. Of course not. They adjusted when they had to, and expressed their hopes when they could.

But it is interesting that was the only time we saw the Federation express themselves that way. Obviously more conflict = more engaging drama and action for a show but I do hope one day we will see another Star Trek show where they drop the weaponry a bit, because they can afford to, given the outlook.