With two episodes already in the can and a full cast list announced, you would think
we would now know a little bit more about the plot for Star Trek: Discovery.
However, the cloaking field around the show is very strong so fans have been left with
only little titbits from which to build their theories… but that hasn’t stopped us theorising
away!
Welcome to The Final Frontier, today we look at the Top 5 plot theories for Star Trek:
Discovery.
There was certainly a lot of – shall we call it ‘debate’ – about the looks of
the USS Discovery.
DSC is set about 10 years before Kirk’s adventures on the USS Enterprise, ie 2255,
so it is certainly a departure to what we’ve seen of starships around this period.
With the caveat that the design we have seen so far was a work-in-progress, we believe
that there is a rationale for how it looks, and there is one theory that has been doing
the rounds on what this rationale may be.
We know there is a second ship that has a prominent role on DSC, the USS Shenzhou…
but what if the Shenzhou and the USS Discovery are one-and-the-same?
In particular, the rumour goes that the Shenzhou – which is believed to be of a more typical
Federation design – is badly damaged in the first episode and almost beyond repair,
but is repaired and refitted to become the…
USS Discovery.
So what evidence supports this theory?
Well, not very much really, although it could explain why the Discovery has apparently been
constructed in a drydock inside what looks like an asteroid…
Evidence against this theory includes…
tThe fact that two captains have been announced, and I don’t think one will be killed off
so quickly as Michelle Yeoh and Jason Isaacs are very big names for one to be killed off
so quickly in the show.
In the TOS episode ‘The Conscience of the King’, Captain Kirk discovers that a travelling
Shakespearean actor is actually Kodos the Executioner, responsible for the death of
four thousand humans on the Earth Colony Tarsus IV in 2246.
The other, very interesting thing, is the reason for these deaths.
Kodos executed half the population because their food supply was attacked by an exotic
fungus and largely destroyed.
Now, who do we have on board the USS Discovery that might be interested in such things.
Yup, Lt Stamets, who is the science officer and coincidentally happens to be an astromycologist
– a fungus expert, which is a very specific thing to announce about the character.
Perhaps this is the showrunners giving us a clue?
Well, the exact timing is a little bit off as the event took place in 2246, which would
be about 9 years before DSC is supposed to be set.
However, I wouldn’t be surprised if the after-effects of the fungal plague feature
in the series, perhaps Stamets was one of the Federation officers sent to investigate
the outbreak?
There’s no doubt that the USS Discovery is unlike any Starfleet vessel we have seen
so far.
Not only is its shape atypical but its colouring is too.
Moreover, the ship’s maiden flight wasn’t from your typical shipyard but a drydock built
within an asteroid.
These elements suggest that the Discovery may be a specialist ship, perhaps even a prototype
vessel.
Maybe it has a secret mission – perhaps a unique peace effort during the Federation-Klingon
cold war?
So let’s look at the evidence: A covert ops ship could explain the unique look of
the ship and where it was constructed.
The Federation-Klingon conflict would certainly be a scenario where a specialised ship could
be needed.
And we know that Klingons feature prominently, at least in the first couple of episodes.
There is what many have claimed to be the sound of a cloaking device at the end of the
first DSC trailer… listen carefully…
The evidence against this is pretty strong though: Fuller specifically ruled out a show
about Section 31, which is the clandestine black-ops division of Starfleet; however,
this wouldn’t rule out a secret mission from Starfleet Intelligence themselves.
Also, it seems unlikely that a Starfleet Academy cadet would be on board a secret mission of
high importance.
The Donatu system lies in a region disputed between the Federation and the Klingon Empire.
It witnessed a skirmish during the Federation-Klingon Cold War, referred to as the ‘Battle of
Donatu V’, the result of which said to be “inconclusive”.
Evidence for this theory is multiple: The timing of the battle perfectly fits the timeframe
for DSC.
We know that Klingons feature prominently, at least in the first couple of episodes.
Bryan Fuller also stated that DSC would be about an event in Star Trek history that had
been referenced in The Original Series but never seen.
This would certainly fit that description as the battle was mentioned by Spock at the
beginning of the episode ‘The Trouble with Tribbles’.
Evidence against this theory?
Nothing that we know about DSC would discount against this theory, so even if the battle
is not the focus it is not improbable that we will hear it mentioned during the series
as it is one of the few skirmishes to happen during the Federation-Klingon cold war.
Why do we have a Star Trek show where the second-in-command is the main protagonist?
And why would a Lieutenant Commander be a First Officer in the first place?
Is the reason why Bryan Fuller described the position as a Lt Cmdr “with caveats” because
of her prominent role in overthrowing the captain?
Now, mutiny isn’t something common in Starfleet history but there is one very prominent case
we know of that would fit into the timeline of DSC – yes, that is the highly-decorated
Federation officer, Garth of Izar; hero of the Battle of Axanar.
Unfortunately for Garth, a bad injury indirectly led to his mind being poisoned and he ordered
his crew to commit genocide against the Antos race – an order refused by his crew, hence
the mutiny.
So what evidence supports this theory?
As stated, for the first time in Star Trek history, the main protagonist is not the Captain.
A Lieutenant Commander would not typically be second-in-command, unless of course she
received a quick field promotion.
Garth of Izar and The Battle of Axanar were mentioned in the TOS episode ‘Whom Gods
Destroy’.
Although never explicitly stated in canon, the Battle of Axanar is generally regarded
as being one between a Federation fleet led by Garth and a Klingon invasion force, and
the start of a conflict known as the Four Years War.
The movie, Star Trek: The Undiscovered Country was mentioned as a touchstone for the series,
and Nicholas Meyer – who co-wrote and directed the movie – is the chief writer in the DSC
writing room.
And Klingons will play a prominent role, particularly in the first two episodes.
So, if it does happen, then expect the opening scene of the first episode to be set in space
above Axanar.
And talking of the Battle of Axanar, we all know how CBS came down like a tonne of bricks
on the Axanar fan film.
So perhaps this is a huge part of the reason why CBS wanted to stop Axanar in its tracks;
in particular, to make sure it wasn’t released prior to DSC airing.
And evidence against this theory?
Well, it’s a big one: The Discovery actually does have a captain and he isn’t called
Garth, instead Jason Isaacs will play the role of Captain Lorca of the Discovery.
Now, it could be a big piece of misdirection but perhaps Lorca was originally a Commander
of the Discovery before he and Sonequa Martin-Green’s character, Michael Burnham, lead the mutiny
in the first couple of episodes of the series.
Alternatively, Captain Lorca could be sent by Starfleet to replace Garth post-mutiny.
So there we have it; these are the Top 5 theories about what the plot for Star Trek: Discovery
may entail.
Note that these theories are not mutually exclusive, so it could be that we witness
the Battle of Axanar and also the Battle of Donatu V as the series continues.
And just one note, I know the skirmish between the Sheliak Corporate and the Federation occurred
during the known timeframe for DSC.
However, I’ve discounted this theory as it was not specifically mentioned in TOS but
rather mentioned in The Next Generation, and I believe Fuller was specifically referring
to an event mentioned in The Original Series.
So, please vote for your favourite theory in the poll coming up now, and you can see
what your fellow fans are most interested in too.
Are there any other theories that you feel I’ve missed out?
Please let me know in the comments.
Please like and subscribe – and make sure you click the notification bell.
You can follow me on Twitter and Facebook too.
Until next time.
Live Long and Prosper.