How did Star Trek: The Next Generation's 'Parallels' influence the 2009 reboot?

The TNG episode 'Parallels,' featuring Worf navigating multiple realities, inspired the creation of the Kelvinverse, a parallel universe for the 2009 Star Trek film reboot.

What is the Many Worlds Theory and its relevance to Star Trek?

The Many Worlds Theory suggests all possibilities happen in separate realities, providing a framework for the Kelvinverse and other alternate timelines in Star Trek without erasing prime continuity.

Did the Star Trek reboot films help the franchise's popularity?

Yes, the 2009 reboot films were controversial but undeniably succeeded in making Star Trek a mainstream hit once again.

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How 'Parallels' Created the Kelvinverse

31 Jan

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Summary

A TNG episode inspired the Star Trek reboot's parallel universe.
The Many Worlds Theory explains the existence of alternate realities.
The reboot films revitalized Star Trek's mainstream popularity.

The Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "Parallels" is an often-overlooked catalyst for the creation of the Kelvinverse, the parallel reality featured in the 2009 Star Trek film reboot. This episode, where Worf navigates multiple alternate timelines, directly influenced the filmmakers' approach to establishing a new continuity.

Writer Bob Orci cited "Parallels" and the Many Worlds Theory to explain how the reboot could exist without negating established franchise history. This quantum mechanics-inspired concept posits that all possibilities occur in separate realities, a notion now common in popular culture but novel for Star Trek at the time.

While the Many Worlds Theory enables diverse storytelling and the existence of parallel universes like the Kelvinverse and the Mirror Universe, it also raises narrative questions about character choices and dramatic stakes. Despite fan debate, the success of the 2009 reboot undeniably re-established Star Trek as a mainstream hit.