Entertainment
Iconic Sci-fi Series Predicts This Year Will Be The End Of The World
By Chris Snellgrove
| Published
What if this year were the end of the world as you know it? That sounds like crazy talk, of course, but this is the year that has long been prophesied by one of the greatest sci-fi franchises as the beginning of World War III. That prophecy comes to us from the last IP you’d expect to predict the end of the world: Star Trek!
Obviously, Star Trek is known for its optimistic portrayal of a future where most people do not have to worry about modern concerns such as poverty, disease, and war. However, a major part of the franchise lore is that things have to get incredibly worse before they start to get better. Humanity doesn’t begin working towards its bright, shiny future until it survives World War III, a catastrophic global conflict that is supposed to start in 2026.
World War III Starts With One Man
Fittingly enough, much of our franchise knowledge of World War III comes from Star Trek: The Original Series. Classic episodes like “Bread and Circuses” and “The Savage Curtain” tell us that a man named Colonel Phillip Green was responsible for leading a bunch of ecoterrorists in attacks that ultimately claimed the lives of 37 million people. He may actually be the one responsible for causing this war, as it is mentioned in “The Savage Curtain” that he “led” a genocidal war, later identified as WWIII.
Frustratingly, The Original Series doesn’t tell us much more about Colonel Green except that he was infamous for striking his enemies in the midst of ostensibly peaceful negotiations. Later, Star Trek: Enterprise clarified that he used his troops to kill those affected with radiation sickness and other conditions that he considered “impurities.” He was worried about these traits being passed on to children, making Green an explicitly Hitler-like figure, right down to his obsession with eugenics.
And The Rockets’ Red Glare
It was the fan-favorite film Star Trek: First Contact that specified that World War III began in 2026, and the movie also put a name to one of the factions involved: the Eastern Coalition. The first episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation revealed that some of the different factions used drugs to control their soldiers. Discovery and Strange New Worlds specified that as late as 2053, nuclear bombs were being dropped on cities like Richmond, Washington, New York, and Paris.
Speaking of Strange New Worlds, that show used an interesting retcon to tie World War III with a major conflict first mentioned in The Original Series: the Eugenics Wars. During Earth’s troubled history, unethical scientists began experimenting with selective breeding and genetic editing, and their ultimate goal was to create a race of supersoldiers. Those soldiers were known as Augments, and their most famous member was Khan Noonien Singh, who would later go on to have multiple iconic fights with an equally legendary figure: Captain James T. Kirk.
A Real Khan Job
Predictably, these Augments tried to take over the world, seizing power in over 40 nations before they were ultimately overthrown by humanity. Most Augments were tried and executed as war criminals, but Khan and dozens of his followers escaped in a sleeper sheep, where they were later awoken from cryogenic stasis by Captain Kirk. In the classic episode “Space Seed,” Spock mentioned a very specific fact that Star Trek spent decades trying to run from: that the Eugenics Wars lasted from 1992-1996.
Why has Trek been running from this bit of trivia, and how does it connect to World War III? After Star Trek: The Next Generation came out in 1987, it became increasingly hard for the writers (especially after the end of the Cold War) to imagine the ‘90s as a period of major global upheaval. The best evidence of this is that in the Voyager episode where they traveled back to 1996 (“Future’s End”), and despite this being the last year of the Eugenics Wars, there is no sign that America had experienced any of the worldwide conflict that took the lives of over 30 million people.
Burned By The Retcon
Strange New Worlds addressed this matter in a very unexpected way. “Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow” revealed that the Temporal War and assorted meddling time travelers ended up affecting Khan’s personal timeline. Now, the tyrant was born later in the timeline, but his rise to power is still inevitable: in the Picard episode “Farewell,” the mad scientist Doctor Adam Soong was last seen in 2024, examining a file (from 1996, no less) titled “Project Khan.”
That would put Khan on the right track to be a major player when World War III kicks off in 2026, but how do we know for sure that he was involved? In the premiere Strange New Worlds episode (“Strange New Worlds”), Captain Pike gave a speech to a group of aliens where he mentioned how Earth’s last major global conflict had gone by different names over the years. “We called it the Second Civil War, then the Eugenics War, and finally just World War III.”
No Place On Earth Was Safe
Previously, in The Original Series episode “Space Seed,” Spock claimed (while admitting that records of the time period were “fragmentary”) that the Eugenics Wars simply took place during World War III. Now, Pike is retroactively claiming that the Eugenics Wars and World War III are considered the same conflict. However, we do know that these different names likely referred to distinct periods of time during this overall conflict.
That’s because the first name for what would be called a global conflict was “the Second Civil War;” at this point, the presentation Pike is showing to a group of aliens shows footage of the January 6th attack on the United States Capitol. Putting aside the wacky politics of this as a creative decision (is Star Trek really linking Khan and Donald Trump in official canon?!?), this gives us an approximate timeline of events. The Second Civil War starts in early 2021, the Eugenics Wars begin sometime after 2024, and World War III breaks out in 2026.
2026: The End Of The World As We Know It
Hey, that’s this year! Since Star Trek has predicted that this is the end of the world, you should probably take the time to put your affairs in order. Tell your loved ones how much they mean to you, make time for your own needs, and remove anything from your life that no longer sparks joy.
After the last episode of Starfleet Academy, that probably includes your Paramount+ subscription. Trust me: even if the world doesn’t end in apocalyptic disaster, you don’t need a streamer whose exclusives feel like every single biblical plague, all rolled into one!
Entertainment
How I scored ad-free Paramount+ Premium for only 99 cents
SAVE $26: As of April 22, returning subscribers can score two months of ad-free Paramount+ Premium for only 99 cents per month with the code N8C27L. Usually $13.99 per month, that’s $26 in savings. Just note that your mileage may vary.
$0.99/month for 2 months (save $13/month) with code N8C27L
If you’re looking to save some money on your streaming lineup, my number one recommendation is to cancel your subscriptions. While it doesn’t work for every streamer, many will offer you a special discount to come back. Not to mention, you’ll be eligible for any new deals that may appear that are marketed to “new and returning customers.” Case in point: as of April 22, returning subscribers can get two months of ad-free Paramount+ Premium for just 99 cents per month.
I’ve tested this out myself, so I can vouch for it. When you navigate to Paramount+ and sign in to your existing account, you’ll be prompted to pick a plan. Select the Paramount+ Premium monthly plan for $13.99 per month. On the “Welcome back!” page, scroll down to the box that says “Have a promo code?” and enter N8C27L. Once you hit “apply” the price should drop to just 99 cents per month.
Credit: Paramount+
That’s all, folks. You can take advantage of two full months of ad-free Paramount+, Showtime, BET, CBS, Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon, CBS live TV, UFC fights, and more for less than two bucks. That’s $26 total in savings.
Mashable Deals
Paramount+ has a surprisingly hefty library. Subscribers can enjoy Paramount+ Originals like Landman and RuPaul Drag Race All Stars, Showtime series like Dexter Resurrection and Yellowjackets, CBS hits like Survivor and NCIS, and nostalgic shows from Nickelodeon and MTV. Not to mention, there’s a lineup of movies that’ll keep you fully entertained for your two-month promotional period. Just be sure to cancel again before the second month is over if you want to avoid paying full cost. You can always sign up again when another deal arises. I know I will.
Entertainment
How Stargate SG-1 Used A Classic Trope To Emotionally Wreck Its Fans
By Jonathan Klotz
| Published
Garfield and Friends said it best: “Oh no, we’ve resorted to an evil twin storyline.” Star Trek: The Original Series did it the best with Mirror Universe Spock, and ever since, it’s been a lazy excuse for every series to use when they run out of ideas. The exception is Stargate SG-1’s sixth episode, “Cold Lazarus,” which plays with the trope by making the twin less evil and more confused.
When fans say they skip this episode when rewatching, it’s not because it’s a lazy, poorly written episode. In fact, it’s the opposite. The ending of “Cold Lazarus” is a pivotal character moment for Jack O’Neill (Richard Dean Anderson) and a gut punch to the audience.
Stargate SG-1’s First Evil Twin
“Cold Lazarus” opens with the SG-1 team on a planet that doesn’t look like Vancouver (it was a giant pile of sulfur at the port of Vancouver). The desert landscape is dotted with shattered blue crystals that look like the remnants of a civilization until we see a crystal eye-view of O’Neill, a mysterious light knocks him out, and all of a sudden, a second O’Neill is looking down at the first. Turns out, the crystals are the civilization.
Fake O’Neill is trying to figure out who O’Neill is and what SGC is all about. When he pulls out photos of his family, it takes Samantha Carter (Amanda Tapping) by surprise. O’Neill’s never mentioned his wife, Sara, or his son, Charlie. Confused, the Fake O’Neill goes to the home, where Sara is disgusted he’d come by and thinks it’s a sick joke that he’s asking about Charlie. If you’re wondering if you missed a key part of O’Neill’s backstory, don’t worry, this is the first time that either Sara or Charlie is mentioned, and tragically, we soon learn why.
No One Ever Dies
Charlie shot himself with O’Neill’s gun. Fake O’Neill starts to piece this together when he goes into Charlie’s old room and breaks down, prompting Sara and him to finally have the conversation about their shared grief. Back in SGC, the crystal’s nature is revealed to be an energy alien calling itself Unity, which accidentally killed a Jaffa, and the Goa’uld shattered them in retribution. That’s when O’Neill stumbles back through the Stargate, and the team realizes the mistake they made.
The Fake O’Neill is soon captured at a local hospital, suffering from Earth’s radiation, where he explains that he sensed O’Neill’s pain after he took his form and wanted to help ease the suffering, as nothing ever truly dies to Unity. To prove its point, Unity transforms into Charlie, giving O’Neill and Sara one last chance to see their child. Fans who haven’t lost a child can understand the emotion, but for fans who have, this scene is emotional torture, in the best way possible.
Jack knows this isn’t Charlie, but he talks to him like he is, and then they walk together through the Stargate back to Unity’s planet. It’s a beautiful moment that explains so much about O’Neill’s throwing himself into work and how even his friendships remain professional. “Cold Lazarus” may have started out with the “evil twin” trope in full effect, but the ending is proof that even early during its run, Stargate SG-1 was going to be the greatest.
Entertainment
Star Trek’s Scariest Episode Secretly Answered Fans’ Oldest Complaint
By Chris Snellgrove
| Published
Star Trek is a long-running franchise filled with tropes, some of them more annoying than others. For many fans, the dumbest trope that keeps popping up is when there’s only one ship that can save Earth from one catastrophe or another. It always begs the question: why isn’t the seat of the United Federation of Planets better protected? It certainly feels like such an important planet would have its own fleet for protection rather than relying on a long-range vessel like the Enterprise to warp in and save the day.
However, it seems that Star Trek’s scariest episode might have secretly answered fans’ oldest complaint about the franchise. Over on Reddit, user u/Wallname_Liability presented a compelling theory: that in the Star Trek: The Next Generation two-parter “The Best of Both Worlds,” the collection of Starfleet vessels lost fighting the Borg at Wolf 359 was the home fleet. This theory would help explain that Earth was typically better-defended than we might imagine and why there were fewer ships to protect the planet in later movies and shows.
My Borg Friend’s Back (And There’s Gonna Be Trouble)
In Star Trek: The Next Generation, most of the adventures take place in deep space because the intrepid crew has an ongoing mission to explore strange new worlds, seek out new life and new civilizations, and (come on, you know you’re already saying it out loud) boldly go where no one has gone before. But in “The Best of Both Worlds,” a Borg Cube starts heading directly for Earth. The Enterprise crew tries to develop a weapon that can defeat this implacable foe, one who seems nearly unstoppable after they assimilate Captain Picard. Meanwhile, a fleet of Starfleet ships assembles at Wolf 359 for one last stand against the Borg.
Unfortunately, that entire fleet is wiped out. The Borg makes it to Earth, but the Enterprise manages to stop these bionic baddies after rescuing Captain Picard. Data exploits Picard’s connection to the Collective and puts the cube to “sleep,” and it explodes soon after that. Picard and his crew get a mostly happy ending, but the same can’t be said for the crew of the ships that fought at Wolf 359. All vessels were lost, and only a handful of people survived, including Benjamin Sisko and Liam Shaw.
Resistance Was Futile
According to this Redditor’s theory, the fleet that assembled at Wolf 359 was the home fleet assigned to (among other things) protect Earth. Some of the ships were likely already at Earth (possibly undergoing repairs or retrofits), and others might have been located near some of humanity’s older colonies. But everyone would have had to have been close enough to Earth to quickly warp to Wolf 359, a real star system that is only eight light-years from humanity’s home planet.
Why is the idea that this was the home fleet so important? In various Star Trek episodes and films, there has often only been one ship (usually the Enterprise) close enough to save Earth. In Star Trek: Generations, for example, the Enterprise-B is on a shakedown cruise, but it’s the only ship close enough to save the El-Aurian refugees from the threat of the Nexus. In Star Trek: The Motion Picture, only the Enterprise can intercept V’ger. In Nemesis, the Enterprise is the only Starfleet ship capable of preventing Shinzon from killing everyone on Earth, and so on.
The Best Of Trope Worlds
This trope can get frustrating when you start comparing Starfleet to, say, the United States Navy. How insane would it be if the whole country had to keep relying on a single ship to save us from major existential threats? Star Trek asks us to repeatedly believe that there’s only one ship within spitting distance of the entire solar system that can take care of the crisis du jour. It’s completely unbelievable, but this Wolf 359 home fleet theory helps make these frustrating moments make more sense.
It’s entirely possible that, in the time of Star Trek: The Original Series and its spinoff movies, there wasn’t a home fleet. Starfleet was a lot smaller back then. Remember, the original Enterprise was one of only 12 Constitution-class vessels. However, both The Motion Picture and The Voyage Home had Earth being attacked by seemingly unstoppable alien forces. In each case, the only man who could stop things was James T. Kirk, but Starfleet must have known he wouldn’t be around forever. Therefore, sometime before The Next Generation premiered, they developed a home fleet that could protect the Earth from overpowered alien attackers.
The Worst Massacre In Starfleet History
Or so they thought. The Borg wiped the floor with the fleet at Wolf 359, which helps to explain why the admiralty needed to assemble an ersatz fleet in First Contact. They were still rebuilding from earlier losses, and most spare vessels were probably being ordered to areas of interest as the Dominion War loomed near. Speaking of which, that war is the most likely reason that the Enterprise was the only ship that could help in Nemesis. The movie took place four years after the Dominion War ended, and once more, Starfleet would have needed time to fully rebuild its fleet.
Obviously, these are only theories, but they are compelling ones. It makes sense that Starfleet would have learned its lessons from V’ger and the Alien Probe and developed a home fleet, only for it to be destroyed by the Borg at Wolf 359. Afterward, the next big Borg attack and the Dominion War destroyed many vessels, all while requiring the existing fleet to stretch that much thinner. Fortunately, Earth was in good hands. No matter how bad the war with the Dominion got, Captain Sisko and Admiral Ross ensured that there was always a fleet or two close enough to protect paradise, even from those pesky Breen.
After halting 8-game skid, Royals chase series win vs. Orioles
How I scored ad-free Paramount+ Premium for only 99 cents
