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War vs. Peace in the Star Trek Universe

Are the episodes better during war time or peace time?  

54 members have voted

  1. 1. Are the episodes better during war time or peace time?

    • War time
      34
    • Peace time
      17


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Personally I find war time episodes more exciting; simply because more happens and there are big land and space battles.

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I'm not so much into the space battles (meh), but what I like most about the war-time episodes is the political intrigue, espionage, you know the stuff that is happening with war as the backdrop.

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I like both but I voted for the war. The war can easily create a lot of plotlines and more stories than with the peace. I liked the idea of how the kept the pre-war suspense going. I had no idea when the war would start. Eventually the war started at the end ofseason 5. The only thing that I wish thatnever happened in the war is Jadzia dying. I wasn't very happy with Jadzia dying. The replacement: Ezri Dax wasn't as interesting of a character as Jadzia Dax.

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I'm kind of split. I like the freedom that episodes have to create what ever they please in peace times and every bodies alot calmer. But story arcs in a time of great conflict leave me wanting so much more. Like season 3 of Babylon 5 was incredible in terms of the built up tension, drawing of lines that wouldn't be croseed, and then seeing the unthinkable happen. I think I watched about four episodes in one night (on the DVD's). I didn't get that effect with DS9 because I was about 12 or so when all that happened so I couldn't apreciatte it as much as I would today.

 

All in all probably any arc story, regardless of whether it's a war or not, would be my preferance. But I do agree with Gul Nodrog; I like the environment and political implications of wars than the actual battles in them. Battles are fine, but they get really boring if that's all that there is.

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I think very little of DS9 can be seen from the point of view of peace. It seems that the show was dealing with the aftermath of war, the prelude to war, or war during its entire run.

 

It opened with Ben Sisko taking an assignment to head the Star Fleet presence on DS9. Sisko was still recovering from the loss of his wife during the battle with the Borg at Wolf 359, and his career was floundering before coming to DS9. Major Kira was trying to make the transition from being a freedom fighter to being the military attache to DS9 for the new government of Bajor. Bajor had just won its freedom, through guerilla warfare, and was trying to develop a peacetime society.

 

So much of early DS9 dealt with relationships between former antagonists, and development of Bajoran life post-war. I have not seen all of those episodes. But I do know that after Opaka (sp?) died there was plenty of political intrgue with regard to who would be the next kai (sp?).

 

And there was the near war with the Klingons and the Cardassians. Then the Dominion and everything else followed.

 

I think the most compelling aspect of DS9 was that in spite of all excitement of the battlefield action, and all the intrigue generated by governmental, military and eccliesiasticial 'politics', the lives of the characters were so rich and well-developed, that their situations and dilemmma kept the viewer interested, whether they were in the heat of battle, caught up in some political machinations, or just plain having fun. It was all good.

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I believe that the episodes are best during wartime. Also, I believe that the best episode is the retaking of DS9.

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You know, personally I thing that fact that most people voted "war time" shows how violent the human species is.

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You know, personally I thing that fact that most people voted "war time" shows how violent the human species is.

 

Well isn't it true that most of the interesting stories we see or read come out of war and extreme trials. War tests us all, and makes things come out that might not normally be seen. Probably the best example of this is an episode from season 7 "Siege at AR-588". Sisko, Bashir, Ezri, and Nog all experiance the hell of war first hand. People that they get to know die, Nog loses his leg, and they are forced to try and make the best out of all that when they survive.

 

I guess in war time, it is extremely easy to put your characters in emotionally provoking situations (if anything about war can be called easy.

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:hug:  hummm I am not shure peace some times has good stuff dont ya think?

272006[/snapback]

 

Well, yes. I not saying that Peace doesn't bring any good story lines. But if I were to look back at some of my favorite episodes they usually have a deep emotional strain. 'The Forgotten' is likely the prime example from season 3 of Enterprise. All of the characters have gone through hell and are just dealing with the stress and strain of just getting by. With out doing research I couldn't bring up any prime examples off the top of my head of great peace time Trek episodes, but I think my point is made just as well with out them.

 

Like I said, War and conflict brings out the deepest emotions that people go through and there for it is a commonly used literary devise.

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I like it better with war time action it just makes the episodes more intresting but a nice bit of drama and romance are also nice,like jadzia and worf that was a nice plot :laugh:

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You know, personally I thing that fact that most people voted "war time" shows how violent the human species is.

 

Well isn't it true that most of the interesting stories we see or read come out of war and extreme trials. War tests us all, and makes things come out that might not normally be seen. Probably the best example of this is an episode from season 7 "Siege at AR-588". Sisko, Bashir, Ezri, and Nog all experiance the hell of war first hand. People that they get to know die, Nog loses his leg, and they are forced to try and make the best out of all that when they survive.

 

I guess in war time, it is extremely easy to put your characters in emotionally provoking situations (if anything about war can be called easy.

271791[/snapback]

 

First of all, I was being a little bit sarcastic. But I do agree with you completely.

 

I also agree that the war-time episodes of DS9 were generally better. Of course, that's because there were a lot of ship battles, and I've always loved that kind of action. Also, with newer technologies available to the studios, those battles have become more impressive. Take a look at this...

 

Click For Spoiler
STbattle.jpg

This scene was taken from "What You Leave Behind." 10 years ago, doing such a scene as this would have been highly expensive, but today it's do-able. And I like it.

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I voted for peace - in fact I stopped watching during the war seasons because I got tired of it. There were many episodes that were socially relevant or showed strong character development that I liked throughout the run.

 

I think the episode about Kako opening the school is as relevant as I've seen a tv show become lately, there was also an episode that addressed the issue of immigration

 

One of my favorites was when Kira had to relocate the elderly Bajoran from his home. MJ is right though - there is little about DS9 that wasn't in some way related to war.

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I voted for peace - in fact I stopped watching during the war seasons because I got tired of it.  There were many episodes that were socially relevant or showed strong character development that I liked throughout the run.

 

I think the episode about Kako opening the school is as relevant as I've seen a tv show become lately, there was also an episode that addressed the issue of immigration

 

One of my favorites was when Kira had to relocate the elderly Bajoran from his home.  MJ is right though - there is little about DS9 that wasn't in some way related to war.

290578[/snapback]

 

I agree with that... While I did prefer the war-time stories, there were many good peace-time stories. It's just a shame the the series ended with the end of the Dominion War. I think they could have made at least one more season in which everyone is picking up the pieces, and making friends where no one though it was possible.

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I am very much split on this issue. I love episodes from both war and times of peace. The war time episodes generally have more action and are fast paced which I do enjoy. On the other hand I really like the character development that we get during times of peace.

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This is a hard choice. I like the peacetime episodes as much as war episodes.

 

In any good story, there would be a certain conflict. It doesn't matter what story it is, whether its romance, sf, exploration or western or horror, a conflict or two good ones would make an excellent story. War stories with loads of action, explotion or space battles mean nothing if there are no conflicts involved.

 

I like reading fantasy stories as much as reading SF (Star Trek). I'd like to share some examples of excellent conflicts that makes a good story. In the book called Honoured Enermy by Raymond Fiest... its a story about 2 gourps of enermies who really hate each other but have to set aside their differences to survive a greater enermy. The conflicts faced by each character is really.... (I can't find the words but I hope you know what I mean).

 

Example of peacetime conflict: IN another series of stories by R.A. Salvatore. A story of a dark elf whose people are naturally evil conflicts with his belief. This internal conflict is superbly done.

 

Usually War story conflicts are easier to do but if a peacetime conflict is created, it would probably be better than a war story.

 

I look forward to some peacetime ST episodes soon where great conflicts can be created. In my opinion, one of the greatest internal conflict faced by Starfleet captains touches on the Prime Directive vs. saving life. I also think INsurrection showed some really good internal conflicts that Picard had to face. Nemesis, although is full of action and I love action... failed to bring out the sweetness of a good conflict.

 

Oh well.... I think I talk too much.

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I have to say that I like the war time episodes better simply because I think they did more interesting things with some of the characters... well and off course the big fighting stuff was good too

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You know, personally I thing that fact that most people voted "war time" shows how violent the human species is.

271468[/snapback]

 

i agree, peace is the word

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War, ST DS9 wasn't much interesting till after the Dominion war began... The war gave so many characters actually some character development... something that the other series of startrek often lack. B)

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I voted War time. I liked this direction because it made the Star Trek Universe gritter and more realistic. War is a part of life here sadly and I doubt every species we meet in space that will communicate with us will want to be our friend.

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I agree with that... While I did prefer the war-time stories, there were many good peace-time stories. It's just a shame the the series ended with the end of the Dominion War. I think they could have made at least one more season in which everyone is picking up the pieces, and making friends where no one though it was possible.

290580[/snapback]

 

 

Yeah that would have been good if they had left another year for things to settle. Babylon 5 did that and I really enjoyed the overall effect. Not to mention that then the writers wouldn't have had to condense the end of the Dominion War and the whole Dukat, Winn, Sisko, Fire Cave situation into one episode. It was very horribly crammed.

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Well, The Actual Dominion War Didn't Start Until The 5th Season Finale, "Call To Arms", With The Mining Of The Wormhole. So That Was 5 Seasons Of Great Character And Story Developement. So That Was Just 2 Seasons Of The War. While I Loved The War, The Build Up To It Was More Interesting Than The War Itself.

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Well, The Actual Dominion War Didn't Start Until The 5th Season Finale, "Call To Arms", With The Mining Of The Wormhole.  So That Was 5 Seasons Of Great Character And Story Developement.  So That Was Just 2 Seasons Of The War.  While I Loved The War, The Build Up To It Was More Interesting Than The War Itself.

302146[/snapback]

 

I distincly remember 'Call to Arms' and the whole build up of the war. From Cardassia recieiving aid from the Dominion :bow: to the attempt to seal the wormhole, :bow: and then finally when Weyoun told Sisko to take the mines down, and Sisko refuses to budge. :bow: (I'm just bored, so pay the emoticons no mind).

 

I only wish I could have truly respected that when I was watching it. :bow: I'll be okay, as soon as I get a hug from the monitor on my computer.

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