Star Trek is a hugely successful science fiction series, which is surprising considering the first show only ran for three seasons. Over its many years, it’s gained fans across generations. However, as with any show that lasts a long time, Star Trek has sometimes changed its original storylines, and this has upset some dedicated fans.
Canon often changes for a variety of reasons. While sometimes new writers simply aren’t familiar with the established story, most changes are intentional – made to reflect evolving social standards or to integrate new characters and spin-offs. However, even significant changes can frustrate dedicated fans because they alter established details and history.
7) The Eugenics War No Longer Takes Place in the 1990s
This is a significant update because it fundamentally alters the established history. Originally, the backstory of early *Star Trek* placed the war in the early 1990s, a time that felt distant enough in the future to seem like a long way off when the show was made.
As time went on, the 1990s became the present and then the past, making it unrealistic to set the Eugenics War in that decade. Starting with *Star Trek: Enterprise*, the war was moved to the late 21st century. This adjustment keeps the essential story elements consistent while avoiding historical inaccuracies within the *Star Trek* timeline.
6) Spock’s Experience With Mind-Melding With Humans
The Vulcan mind-meld has always been a key part of *Star Trek*, but how Spock uses it has evolved over time. At first, Spock had never attempted a mind-meld with a human until a critical situation forced his hand. In the episode “Daggers of The Mind,” he had to mind-meld with Simon van Gelder to save his life, which was risky because using the technique on a human could have harmed both of them.
The show *Strange New Worlds* altered a key part of Spock’s backstory by depicting him mind-melding with humans well before his first documented experience with Dr. van Gelder. This change is particularly surprising because Spock strongly insisted in the episode “Daggers of the Mind” that he had never mind-melded with anyone before.
This recent development in the Star Trek storyline implies Spock wasn’t truthful about his past with mind-melding, and the reason for the deception is unknown. This is problematic because it clashes with a fundamental aspect of Spock’s character – his dedication to logic and his avoidance of illogical behavior, like lying without a good reason.
5) Bashir’s Genetic Modification
Deep Space 9 created a major plot twist in Star Trek history by revealing that Doctor Bashir had been genetically engineered. Before this, Bashir was portrayed as somewhat socially awkward, but there had never been any indication he was connected to the Augment program.
This alteration wasn’t limited to the character of Bashir; it significantly weakened the entire Eugenics War storyline. The original intent of the storyline was to illustrate the dangers of believing in racial or genetic superiority. However, by portraying villains like Khan as genetically *modified* instead of naturally superior, the story’s meaning shifted. It moved away from a critique of racism and toward a debate about the ethical implications of genetic engineering and altering human DNA.
4) The Circumstances of Pike’s Fate
The show *Star Trek: Discovery* significantly altered the backstory of Captain Pike by showing he knew about the accident that would leave him severely injured and confined to a wheelchair. In *Star Trek: The Original Series*’ early episode, “The Menagerie,” Pike was first presented as a tragic character – a former *Enterprise* captain already using a wheelchair, with the episode incorporating footage from the original, unaired pilot.
Originally, the story concluded with Pike choosing to remain on Telos IV, living out his days in a fabricated reality, which painted him as a somewhat sad character. However, the show *Discovery* altered this by showing that Pike actually learned about the serious injury he would eventually suffer. This new storyline redefined Pike, portraying him as a courageous and respected Starfleet officer who accepted his destiny instead of being defeated by it.
3) The Klingons’ Heads Changed Shape
The Klingons’ appearance has changed throughout the various *Star Trek* series. When they first appeared in the original *TOS* series, they resembled humans much more closely than they would in later versions. Over time, they were redesigned with ridged foreheads to make them look more alien. This look, popularized by actor Michael Dorn as Worf during *TNG*, became the standard Klingon appearance.
While not a massive shift in the established story, the franchise finally explained a long-standing inconsistency: the change in Klingon forehead ridges. They revealed a genetic virus had removed the bumps. This explanation, along with other adjustments to the Klingons’ appearance, turned the differing looks and their history into a playful, ongoing joke within the series.
2) The Resurrection of Sisko’s Father
The surprise reveal that Joseph Sisko was still alive dramatically altered his son’s personal history, and remains a point of discussion among fans. At first, it seemed young Sisko was deeply impacted by watching his father die from an illness. But in the fourth season of *Deep Space 9*, it was shown that Joseph hadn’t died and was actively involved in his son’s life.
The revelation was both shocking and perplexing, leading many fans to believe Benjamin Sisko had unresolved trauma related to his father’s health, even though his father ultimately lived. Learning Joseph Sisko was still alive added a new layer to rewatching earlier episodes featuring Sisko discussing his father, and it allowed their relationship to become a significant focus of the series.
1) Pike Dates Maria Batel Despite His Earlier Sexism
The original *Star Trek* series was forward-thinking for its time, but still reflected the social limitations of the 1960s. For example, women rarely held jobs outside the home then, and this was shown in the show’s rules – women weren’t allowed to be captains of starships. In the pilot episode, “The Cage,” Captain Pike famously expresses surprise at seeing women on the bridge of the *Enterprise*, implying he didn’t think they belonged in positions of leadership.
Later seasons of the show moved away from this pattern, notably with the introduction of Captain Erika Hernandez in *Enterprise*. However, the most impactful change happened in *Strange New Worlds* when Captain Pike began a relationship with Captain Maria Batel. This development allowed both characters to grow and challenged the sexist behavior Pike had shown previously.
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2025-10-20 17:12