Entertainment
Starfleet Academy Just Used Voyager To Make Star Trek's Heroes Into Horrible Villains
By Chris Snellgrove
| Published
While it has been controversial, Starfleet Academy has tried to establish itself as a must-see TV for those who loved Star Trek: Voyager. One reason for that is the presence of the amazing Robert Picardo, reprising his role as the fan-favorite holographic Doctor. Another reason is that the new show has picked up on the threads of multiple classic Voyager stories, including the Doctor raising (and subsequently losing) a holographic daughter back in “Real Life.”
Now, the most recent episode of Starfleet Academy (“300th Night”) has followed up on the Voyager episode “The Omega Directive,” which revealed that Starfleet deeply feared a a desructive cosmic element known as the Omega particle. In “300th Night,” we learn that future Starfleet has found a way to weaponize this particle against its enemies. Unfortunately, a central aspect of this episode makes one thing crystal clear: the Federation has now and forever become the bad guy.
The Alpha And The Omega
What is the Omega particle, you ask? In the aptly-named Voyager episode “The Omega Directive,” Captain Janeway reveals that the Omega particle is one of the biggest threats Starfleet has ever encountered. When these particles explode, it becomes impossible to travel through the affected area at warp speed. Therefore, Starfleet has a standing order: when captains encounter Omega, they must do anything and everything in their power to destroy it.
With her usual poise and style, Janeway manages to find and safely detonate all of the offensive Omega particles in the area. However, the Starfleet Academy episode “300th Night” revealed that the Federation of the 32nd century had secretly changed its mind about Omega. Rather than destroying these particles on sight, one skeezy starbase has developed a way to turn these pesky particles into the ultimate weapon.
When Star Trek Meets Star Wars
In a previous episode of Starfleet Academy (“Come, Let’s Away”), Nus Braka acted like a reluctant ally before enacting his scheme: destroying a Starfleet vessel and ransacking Starbase J19-Alpha. At the time, it was unclear what he stole or even what kind of starbase J19-Alpha really was. However, “300th Night” revealed that the base specializes in advanced weapons research, and one of their creations was Omega-47. As the name implies, this is a synthetic variant of the Omega particle, one that has all the destructive potential of the real thing.
“300th Night” was actually a really solid episode, but I was shocked at how it casually confirmed that Starfleet is developing superweapons that would make the Empire from Star Wars blush. So far, it seems that Section 31 doesn’t exist in the 32nd century, which is a good thing: after all, most fans don’t like the idea of the peace-loving Federation relying on a secret cabal of paranoid murderers.
Unfortunately, the revelation that Starbase J19-Alpha was developing such unethical weaponry is proof that the fringe Section 31 is no longer necessary; the high and mighty Starfleet is happy to break bad and violate intergalactic law whenever and however they see fit.
The development of Omega-47 is also insanely hypocritical because the Federation of this era had to survive the Burn, a freak cosmic incident that made warp travel absolutely impossible. In both Discovery and Starfleet Academy, this is portrayed as something that ruined countless lives and generally transformed a utopian future into a brutal, survival-of-the-fittest slugfest. Considering that the primary effect of Omega is that it can shut down subspace and make warp travel impossible, it’s clear that Starfleet is now ready and willing to cripple entire civilizations by restricting their travel and leaving them at the mercy of pirates.
Never Beam Your Heroes
On the balance, “300th Night” is actually a very good episode of Star Trek: it builds on Starfleet Academy lore, develops our favorite characters, and follows up on one of Voyager’s wildest stories. For longtime fans of the show, this episode is proof of how much potential this series really has. Meanwhile, if you’re someone who ditched this show early on, this latest episode is arguably the best to watch if you’re ready to give the show another shot.
Unfortunately, Starfleet weaponizing Omega is at the heart of this Starfleet Academy episode, and this does immense damage to our characters’ reputation. How are we supposed to root for the next generation of Starfleet officers when we know all these tortured geniuses will grow up to support supervillains? This organization is rotten from the top down, which makes for the ultimate bittersweet homage to The Original Series: in the 32nd century, all admirals are badmirals!
Entertainment
Tesla is developing a smaller, cheaper SUV, report says
Tesla is working on a new car, and it’s going to be exactly what many are hoping for: a smaller, cheaper electric SUV.
This is according to Reuters, which spoke with four people familiar with the matter. According to the report, the new car will be an entirely new model, and not a variant of the Model 3 or Model Y (Tesla recently discontinued its larger sedan and SUV, the Model S and the Model X).
The new Tesla SUV would be about 14 feet long, making it considerably shorter than the Model Y, which is 15.7 feet long. It would also be “substantially” cheaper than the Model 3, which is currently the most affordable Tesla you can get, starting at $37,000 in the U.S.
The new SUV, which Tesla plans to manufacture in China, might also be offered with a smaller battery and just a single motor instead of two (both the Tesla Model 3 and Model Y can come with either with one or two motors). This would make the car lighter than other Tesla models, but the smaller battery might also mean it’ll have less range than existing models.
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There are no details on when Tesla plans to launch the new car, and the report says that the project is still in an “early development stage,” meaning it might not happen at all.
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The fact that Tesla is working on something isn’t a secret; just a few weeks ago the company CEO Elon Musk tweeted that Tesla is working on something “way cooler than a minivan.”
Figuring out exactly what Tesla’s exact plans are is another matter. The company is working on an autonomous vehicle called the Cybercab (or the Robovan; the name doesn’t seem to be set in stone yet). And Tesla was reportedly working on a cheaper model for years before scrapping it, seemingly in favor of offering cheaper variants of existing models.
Notably, when Reuters reported on Tesla giving up on launching a cheaper model in 2024, Musk tweeted that the news agency was “lying”. The fact is, the company never did launch a cheaper model; we’ll see if things turn out differently this time.
Entertainment
Home Depots Spring Black Friday sale is packed with free cordless tools — find the best BOGO deals on DeWalt, Ryobi, and Milwaukee
Table of Contents
The best Home Depot cordless tools deals at a glance:
Black Friday in April? Sure, why not. This year, Home Depot is celebrating the season by offering steep discounts on everything we need for spring yard work, getting those DIY projects underway, and preparing for outdoor summer fun. It’s a great time to save on plants, mulch, a new lawn mower, patio furniture, pizza ovens, barbecues, and even major home appliances like refrigerators.
But of course, Home Depot is always a go-to if you’re in need of fresh cordless tools. Whether you’ll use them for home or on the job site, shopping the Home Depot Spring Sale for deals is a smart move. We’re seeing nice BOGO offers from big hitters like DeWalt, Milwaukee, and Makita that’ll offer a free extra bonus with purchase. In addition to the BOGO deals, we have nice offers from Ryobi and Ridgid.
While the spring sale at Home Depot only started on April 9, we’re already seeing some BOGO deals that have sold out way ahead of the sale’s official end date of April 22. If this trend continues, it might be worth shopping soon to get the best selection. Here are some standout offers.
Best Milwaukee BOGO deal
free Milwaukee M18 18-Volt Lithium-Ion High Output Battery Pack with purchase
Why we like it
Milwaukee is one of the standout cordless tool brands, and they have deals abound during the Home Depot Spring Black Friday sale. One of the most attractive is snagging the Milwaukee M18 FUEL 18V Lithium-Ion Brushless Cordless Hammer Drill and Impact Driver Combo Kit for $399 and getting the Milwaukee M18 18-Volt Lithium-Ion High Output Battery Pack 6.0Ah for free. That works out to a saving of $199.
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Home Depot mentions the compact hammer drill is the most powerful in its class with the quickest driving speed. Milwaukee also added an auto-stop feature that eliminates over-rotation. Plus, the three LED lights that surround the bit and fastener are ideal for getting a clear view.
Best DeWalt BOGO deal
free DeWalt FlexVolt 20V/60V MAX Lithium-Ion 6.0Ah Battery Pack with purchase
Why we like it
This BOGO deal offers a serious value. Snag the DeWalt FlexVolt 60V MAX Cordless Brushless 7-1/4 inch Circular Saw for $299 from Home Depot and get the DeWalt FlexVolt 20V/60V MAX Lithium-Ion 6.0Ah Battery Pack with 6 Amp Output Charger for free, which ordinarily costs $249. That makes this one of the best BOGO values in the Home Depot spring sale.
The DeWalt FlexVolt family features over 180 tools with the Circular Saw offering 2,456 unit watts out. There’s an electric brake, integrated LED lights, and even rafter hooks for easy storage.
Best Ryobi deal
$369
at Home Depot
$529
Save $160
Why we like it
While this deal isn’t part of Home Depot’s BOGO offers, it’s still an excellent buy. The Ryobi One+ 18V Cordless 8-Tool Combo Kit is 30% off and serves as a great DIY combo kit for all sorts of home projects. There’s a driver/drill, impact driver, reciprocating saw, circular saw, multi-tool, and more. To keep things neat and organized, the Ryobi kit comes with two tool bags.
Entertainment
What is OnlyFans?
The creator platform OnlyFans has changed the adult industry since its inception a decade ago. What started as a tip jar for bloggers has become an extreme moneymaker for some porn performers, making six figures a year or even in a single month. But do you have to post sexually explicit work on OnlyFans? Are you required to message back and forth with strangers? Can you actually make money on the platform? What is OnlyFans, anyway?
We’re here to answer your questions.
What is OnlyFans?
OnlyFans was started in 2016 by British entrepreneur Tim Stokely. Its main goal is to help content creators and artists “monetize their content while developing authentic relationships with their fanbase.” This basically means the platform was created to let users post content behind a paywall, which fans have to subscribe to for access. Fans can also pay more to message back and forth with creators and “tip” to get content created on demand that’s specifically tailored to their interests and tastes.
If you look back at OnlyFans promotional materials from 2016, you’ll notice that it was geared towards “safe for work” creators, like bloggers and YouTubers. This changed in 2018, when the majority of its parent company, Fenix International Limited, was sold to Ukrainian-American entrepreneur Leonid Radvinsky. Radvinsky, who died in March 2026 at the age of 43, previously founded the porn site MyFreeCams. OnlyFans pivoted to porn after 2018 (despite any type of creator still allowed on the platform), and it exploded in usage and name recognition during the COVID lockdowns.
While creators don’t have to post explicit content on the platform (and in fact, Mashable interviewed a creator who makes six figures from OnlyFans without nudity), it’s what the platform is known for at this point. In 2021, OnlyFans announced it would ban explicit content, only to reverse the decision days later due to backlash.
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How much money can creators make on it?
It depends on the kind of content you’re producing, how much reach you have, and a whole host of other variables, but creators can make anywhere from a few hundred dollars a month to a few thousand. In 2023, the average OnlyFans creator made just $1,300 a year from the platform, but Mashable has interviewed creators who’ve made millions from it. Last year, current OnlyFans CEO Keily Blair shared that the platform paid out $25 billion to creators since 2016.
But if you think OnlyFans is “easy money,” think again. Last year, Mashable interviewed different creators about the work that goes into building a successful OnlyFans, including investing in camera equipment, hiring help, and marketing yourself.
How do you subscribe to creators?
You don’t have to be a creator to use the platform — in fact, it’s fueled by users who don’t post on the platform. In order to subscribe to creators, you simply have to create an OnlyFans account, go to the Home page, and find someone you’re interested in following. Check out their subscription tiers, and decide what kind of bundle or offer you’re interested in paying for. You can also tip a creator any amount you want, or pay for messages and individualized content with pay-per-view messages that range anywhere from a couple dollars to more than $100, depending on the creator.
And if you have a friend who’s started posting on OnlyFans and you want to support them, there are ways to do that, too, from subscribing to their pages to offering emotional support.
This article was originally published in 2021 and updated in 2026.
Tesla is developing a smaller, cheaper SUV, report says
Home Depots Spring Black Friday sale is packed with free cordless tools — find the best BOGO deals on DeWalt, Ryobi, and Milwaukee
