Star Trek and Star Wars are two of the most influential franchises of their time
Star Trek vs Star Wars
Star Trek is a science fiction TV series first created by Gene Roddenberry. Star Trek is as large as it spanned over five decades on various platforms. The franchise began as a TV series on September 8, 1966, and aired for three seasons until 1969 before abruptly ending due to a low television rating. However, it gained a cult, which later resulted in a resurgence of interest in the series.
Whereas Star Wars, created by George Lucas, is a science fantasy franchise that has had a cultural impact since its inception in the 1970s. The original trilogy was released with “Star Wars: Episode IV: A New Hope” in 1977, which was later renamed Star Wars and made available epic space entertainment for its audience. Star Wars was quick to craft a space in the saturated space of entertainment, influenced pop culture, and became a worldwide sensation.
Table of Contents
Points of difference
Genre War
Fan favorite Star Trek’s genre is science fiction, which at first might confuse you with science fiction. Both sound similar, but, mark my words, they are the same but different. Science fiction involves the use of concepts, technologies, or storylines that may be similar to the current level of development or could be possible in the coming years. In simple words, all the developments and resources used or portrayed are scientifically logical.
For instance, in Star Trek, characters use a device for personal communication, which can be compared to present-day mobile phones. Additionally, they also used the technology of teleportation, which might not be possible now but can be in the future.
On the other hand, Star Wars is the story of a planet far away from Earth, dominated by two types of people: Jedi, who are the good ones, and Sith, who are the bad ones. And because the genre is science fiction, all of them have a range of powers that are logically not possible in the current setting. For instance, people have distinct powers to control their minds and transfer skills through the use of magic and telekinesis.
Science fantasy movies are those that use broad sets of logically inconsistent technologies and storylines. These movies are purely for entertainment purposes, and the audience cannot relate to the storyline.
Storyline Trek
Luke Skywalker’s struggle in Star Wars revolves around the freedom of Princess Leia and the Jedis from the Galactic Empire of Darth Vader. In Star Wars, there are a number of wealthy planets where wealthy people and aliens reside. Jedis, also known as rebellions, fight for their rights and freedom, whereas, on the other hand, Sith, headed by Darth Vader, are exploiting or bad ones.
Leader Darth Vader even kidnaps Jedi princess Leia, which then escalates into a full-blown war between Jedi and Sith to free Princess and gain freedom from the bad acts of Sith. In simple words, Star Wars is based on the fight for rights and freedom from evil.
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The story put forth by Star Trek mostly revolves around universe exploration, with an important pinch of action and war. In the series, people living in 2023 reach new heights in innovation and technology, including deep-tech robots and space-traveling ships. During routine universe exploration, people found strong lightening storms, which then guided them to the planet of intelligentsia, planet Vulcan, dominated by Vulcan people.
Vulcans were smarter than normal human beings, and their arrival paved the way for new exploration and innovation in technology. At a later point in time, both communities established such deep relations that some got married into each other’s communities. Spock, a hybrid of human and Vulcan, is one of the main characters. In simple words, the Quid Pro Quo between the two communities sets the basic theme of the series.
Humans help Vulcans fight Romulans, evil aliens, while Vulcans fast-track innovation in existing technologies and exploration of new technologies. Not only this, the story also majorly revolves around universe exploration, time travel, space travel, friendship with good ones, Vulcans, and war with bad ones.
Queen Padmé Amidala – The Phantom Menace
Padmé Amidala was primarily introduced in the Star Wars: Episode 1 – The Phantom Menace as the Queen of Naboo.
Weird things
The well-known Darth Vader, leader of the evil Galactic Empire, was once a member of the Jedis. What?, then how did he become so evil? manipulating machinery deployed by the Siths transformed Darth Vader into a full-fledged evil Sith. Relationships are more weird than this: Luke Skywalker, who fights for the blood of Darth Vader, turns out to be his father in real life, and not only this, Princess Leia, whom Luke secretly adores and loves, turns out to be his twin sister, yet both got married.
Baby from the marriage of Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia too joins the Sith community, like his grandfather Darth Vader, under great manipulation by the Sith.
Humans, being rational and innovative beings, constantly experiment on themselves and try to make new species out of them. The species so developed has very similar characteristics to humans. However, their experiment turned out to be massive, which paves the way for World War III between humans and new species. Unfortunately, the Earth gets destroyed, but real humans somehow survive.
This same thing happens with Vulcans; Romulans are the same set of species as Vulcans. They attack Vulcans with the intent of killing them but instead sideline new territory. Later, Romulans and Vulcans turn out to be species from the same ancestors, which drop series on a weird note, like, how can it be even possible?
Quid Pro Quo again enters the stage when James Krik, one of the main characters in the human community, time travels to an unknown planet and finds old Spock, who then helps him escape the planet safely and successfully while, in return, asking for a favor. Old Spock explains how leader Karzan killed his mother in front of his eyes, and now James Krik has to time travel back to the present and save the Vulcans without informing Spock about the present.
Some facts about Spock
- Spock is primarily a hybrid, as his mother is human and his father is from Vulcan.
- Spock faces discrimination from the fellow Vulcans as they strongly believe in reason, but Spoke, being a hybrid, possesses reason like Vulcans and emotions like humans. Vulcans doubt that Spock makes bad decisions based on emotions and not reason. For this reason, Spock even fails to get admission into the academy and later moves to Earth.
- Remember when leader Karzan killed Spock’s mother in front of his eyes? Spock did not shed a single tear, as it would make him different from the Vulcans, who did not have any emotions.
- In the whole series, Spock faces utter confusion in decision-making as his Vulcan mind suggests rational paths while the human mind stresses emotional paths.
Rivalrous Villains
Have you ever wondered why all the negative energies appear dark and worship dark? , Though I don’t know the logic, the same theme is followed in Star Wars. The evil Sith are a community of dark, negative people with negative minds and motives. They have been dressed in a full black dress, and their appearance is also black. Darth Vader, leader of the Galactic Empire, has one of the most horrible-looking and powerful suits, according to villain logic, and is also black.
This varied suit gives Darth immense power to defend or kill his counterpart, but, at the same time, a short disconnection with his suit can cost him his life.
In Star Trek, villains, a.k.a. Romulans, also wear black costumes, but their appearance is not black like that of Sith in Star Wars. Romulans appear to be the to be the same as Vulcans. Like we discussed earlier as well, Vulcans are rational beings and do not have any type of emotion like human beings. However, negative emotions like destruction and anger have been found in Romulans.
At the end, Star Trek portrays the ability to win and defend oneself and the whole community, the aptitude to make right decisions beyond societal norms, the prominence of humans, and teamwork in any circumstance or situation. This movie will motivate you to pick the right path and rigorously follow it no matter what.
While Star Wars is purely a revolutionary document where communities fight to reserve the rights of fellow beings, struggle against inequality and fascist regimes, love for freedom, and the importance of revolution and war.
