Temporal Cold War
Encyclopedia
The Temporal Cold War is a fiction
al conflict waged throughout history in the Star Trek
universe, predominantly during the 22nd century AD
. First established in the pilot episode of Star Trek: Enterprise
and recurring until the series' fourth season premiere, it is a struggle between those who would alter history to suit their own ends and those who would preserve the integrity of the original timeline. One reason for using this plot device was in order to explain any differences in continuity
between the events and details portrayed in Enterprise
and the corresponding events and details shown in earlier Star Trek
series and stories. It also derived some dramatic resonance from the historical Cold War
between the US
and the USSR which influenced the original Star Trek series.
, the Temporal Cold War involves countless unknown factions, each with its own agenda. Humanity in the 31st Century is attempting to ascertain the identity of their adversaries and to thwart their efforts.
Although the scope of the war was unprecedented, most of its casualties were unaware that they were involved in an organized conflict; hence the term "Cold War". Timelines were changed frequently, with history being rewritten or significant events being erased. Eventually the struggle broke out into full-scale war.
The war was mainly fought in the 22nd century, the main focus point at where the Federation was founded. One faction, the Sphere Builders, who were defeated by the Federation during the 26th century, convinced the Xindi to destroy Earth; no Earth, no Federation, no one to stop them. The Enterprise managed to stop them and send them back into their trans-dimensional realm.
However, this was not the end, for the dangerous time faction, the Na'kuhl, led by Vosk, ended up in 1944. They made an alliance with the Germans
to exchange technology for supplies for a "temporal conduit
". In an alternate timeline, they went back to their time period and made several alterations to history, causing a "chicken or the egg" paradox. Luckily, Captain Jonathan Archer
and the crew of the Enterprise were sent back in time by Daniels to before the Na'kuhl entered the conduit in New York City
, and, with the help of Silik (the leader of the Suliban Cabal), destroyed the conduit. In the subsequent explosion, Vosk was killed. As a result, the Cold War "never heated up", and the present timeline was restored.
use in First Contact
is given to them by the Sphere Builders in an attempt to prevent the Federation from ever existing.
The novel tries to rectify most of the inconsistencies in the time travel related episodes of Star Trek. Therefore almost every one of these episodes is (at least indirectly) mentioned in the novel and put into a context within the events of the Temporal cold war.
, a new executive producer during the fourth season, his fellow producers Rick Berman
and Brannon Braga
never fully planned out the Temporal Cold War storyline.http://www.greatlink.org/showtglinterview136.htm According to Braga himself, they did not even firmly decide on the identity or back story of the 28th century leader of the Cabal http://www.startrek.com/startrek/view/news/article/6193.html (dubbed "Future Guy" and "Temporal Shower Guy" by fans http://forums.televisionwithoutpity.com/index.php?act=Print&client=printer&f=606&t=3126808). At the end of the second season of Enterprise, poor ratings and reviews led to a new attempt to revamp the show by creating the Xindi race.
By the end of the third season, Coto felt the need for change, one of these being the removal of the TCW arc. According to him, "I felt that everything that had been said about the Temporal Cold War had already been said. I felt a heavy reliance on time travel at the beginning of Enterprise."http://www.galileo7.de/board/lofiversion/index.php/t1111.html Nevertheless, he says "I was secretly hoping for a season five to address the time travel."
Fiction
Fiction is the form of any narrative or informative work that deals, in part or in whole, with information or events that are not factual, but rather, imaginary—that is, invented by the author. Although fiction describes a major branch of literary work, it may also refer to theatrical,...
al conflict waged throughout history in the Star Trek
Star Trek
Star Trek is an American science fiction entertainment franchise created by Gene Roddenberry. The core of Star Trek is its six television series: The Original Series, The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise...
universe, predominantly during the 22nd century AD
Anno Domini
and Before Christ are designations used to label or number years used with the Julian and Gregorian calendars....
. First established in the pilot episode of Star Trek: Enterprise
Star Trek: Enterprise
Star Trek: Enterprise is a science fiction television series. It follows the adventures of humanity's first warp 5 starship, the Enterprise, ten years before the United Federation of Planets shown in previous Star Trek series was formed.Enterprise premiered on September 26, 2001...
and recurring until the series' fourth season premiere, it is a struggle between those who would alter history to suit their own ends and those who would preserve the integrity of the original timeline. One reason for using this plot device was in order to explain any differences in continuity
Continuity (fiction)
In fiction, continuity is consistency of the characteristics of persons, plot, objects, places and events seen by the reader or viewer over some period of time...
between the events and details portrayed in Enterprise
Star Trek: Enterprise
Star Trek: Enterprise is a science fiction television series. It follows the adventures of humanity's first warp 5 starship, the Enterprise, ten years before the United Federation of Planets shown in previous Star Trek series was formed.Enterprise premiered on September 26, 2001...
and the corresponding events and details shown in earlier Star Trek
Star Trek: The Original Series
Star Trek is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry, produced by Desilu Productions . Star Trek was telecast on NBC from September 8, 1966, through June 3, 1969...
series and stories. It also derived some dramatic resonance from the historical Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
between the US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and the USSR which influenced the original Star Trek series.
Participants
Factions in the war include:- 26th century Sphere Builders working through the 22nd century Xindi
- 28th century "Mysterious benefactor of the Suliban Cabal" working through the 22nd century SulibanSulibanThe Suliban are a starfaring race in the fictional Star Trek universe, seen throughout the series Star Trek: Enterprise. A Suliban sect known as the Cabal served as the show's primary antagonists in the first and second seasons....
CabalCabalA cabal is a group of people united in some close design together, usually to promote their private views and/or interests in a church, state, or other community, often by intrigue... - 29th century Na'kuhl faction headed by Vosk across millions of years, notably through 1940s Nazi GermanyNazi GermanyNazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
- 29th century United Federation of PlanetsUnited Federation of PlanetsThe United Federation of Planets, also known as "The Federation" is a fictional interplanetary federal republic depicted in the Star Trek television series and motion pictures...
' StarfleetStarfleetIn the fictional universe of Star Trek, Starfleet or the Federation Starfleet is the deep-space exploratory, peacekeeping and military service maintained by the United Federation of Planets . It is the principal means by which the Federation conducts its exploration, defense, diplomacy and research...
temporal agents, represented by Captain Braxton and Lt. Ducane, although the Involvement in the conflict of this centuries Starfleet is only supported by the fact that the temporal cold war is still going on in the 31st century. - 31st century United Federation of PlanetsUnited Federation of PlanetsThe United Federation of Planets, also known as "The Federation" is a fictional interplanetary federal republic depicted in the Star Trek television series and motion pictures...
' StarfleetStarfleetIn the fictional universe of Star Trek, Starfleet or the Federation Starfleet is the deep-space exploratory, peacekeeping and military service maintained by the United Federation of Planets . It is the principal means by which the Federation conducts its exploration, defense, diplomacy and research...
temporal agents, represented by Daniels. - 22nd century EnterpriseEnterprise (NX-01)The Enterprise is a fictional starship in the science fiction television series Star Trek: Enterprise. It is commanded by Captain Jonathan Archer.-History:...
Crew are somewhat involved, though, for the most part their actions consist of being manipulated by the other factions (rather than initiating action themselves).
Throughout history
The Temporal Accords were an historic agreement to preserve the integrity of the timeline. Its principles were rejected by Vosk, who started an outright rebellion using stealth time travel. Unlike Earth's historical Cold WarCold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
, the Temporal Cold War involves countless unknown factions, each with its own agenda. Humanity in the 31st Century is attempting to ascertain the identity of their adversaries and to thwart their efforts.
Although the scope of the war was unprecedented, most of its casualties were unaware that they were involved in an organized conflict; hence the term "Cold War". Timelines were changed frequently, with history being rewritten or significant events being erased. Eventually the struggle broke out into full-scale war.
The war was mainly fought in the 22nd century, the main focus point at where the Federation was founded. One faction, the Sphere Builders, who were defeated by the Federation during the 26th century, convinced the Xindi to destroy Earth; no Earth, no Federation, no one to stop them. The Enterprise managed to stop them and send them back into their trans-dimensional realm.
However, this was not the end, for the dangerous time faction, the Na'kuhl, led by Vosk, ended up in 1944. They made an alliance with the Germans
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
to exchange technology for supplies for a "temporal conduit
Time travel
Time travel is the concept of moving between different points in time in a manner analogous to moving between different points in space. Time travel could hypothetically involve moving backward in time to a moment earlier than the starting point, or forward to the future of that point without the...
". In an alternate timeline, they went back to their time period and made several alterations to history, causing a "chicken or the egg" paradox. Luckily, Captain Jonathan Archer
Jonathan Archer
Jonathan Archer is a fictional character in the Star Trek franchise. He is the protagonist of the television series Star Trek: Enterprise, where he is played by Scott Bakula...
and the crew of the Enterprise were sent back in time by Daniels to before the Na'kuhl entered the conduit in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, and, with the help of Silik (the leader of the Suliban Cabal), destroyed the conduit. In the subsequent explosion, Vosk was killed. As a result, the Cold War "never heated up", and the present timeline was restored.
Millions of years ago
- The Na'kuhl prevents the Suliban from attaining sentience, but this incursion is undone by Daniels' colleagues.
Thousands of years ago
- As a prelude to invasion, a number of planetoid-sized spheres are constructed to reconfigure space and make it suitable for transdimensional beings known as the Sphere Builders. The region becomes known as the Delphic Expanse.
Twentieth century
- An unknown temporal agent assassinates Vladimir LeninVladimir LeninVladimir Ilyich Lenin was a Russian Marxist revolutionary and communist politician who led the October Revolution of 1917. As leader of the Bolsheviks, he headed the Soviet state during its initial years , as it fought to establish control of Russia in the Russian Civil War and worked to create a...
, preventing RussiaRussiaRussia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
's Bolshevik RevolutionOctober RevolutionThe October Revolution , also known as the Great October Socialist Revolution , Red October, the October Uprising or the Bolshevik Revolution, was a political revolution and a part of the Russian Revolution of 1917...
and the rise of CommunismCommunismCommunism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
. As a result Nazi Germany never attacks Russia, expands, and by 1944 has invaded the Eastern Seaboard of North America. - Vosk travels to 1944 and makes an alliance with the NazisNazismNazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
. He trades the promise of advanced technologies for help in building a time portal to return to the future. - The temporal cold war ends, and is at least partially negated, with the death of Vosk.
21st century
- Jonathan ArcherJonathan ArcherJonathan Archer is a fictional character in the Star Trek franchise. He is the protagonist of the television series Star Trek: Enterprise, where he is played by Scott Bakula...
and T'PolT'PolCommander T'Pol is a fictional character played by Jolene Blalock in Star Trek: Enterprise. She is a Vulcan who serves as the science officer aboard the starship Enterprise.-Concept and creation:...
foil Xindi-Reptilian research on Humans in Detroit.
22nd century
- The Sphere Builders tell the Xindi Council that Humans will eradicate them in the future.
- The Suliban Cabal begins taking orders from the 29th Century.
- Daniels infiltrates the EnterpriseEnterprise (NX-01)The Enterprise is a fictional starship in the science fiction television series Star Trek: Enterprise. It is commanded by Captain Jonathan Archer.-History:...
crew to protect them. - Enterprise is implicated in the destruction of a mining colony by the Cabal.
- The Xindi test a prototype for a preemptive strike on EarthEarthEarth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
, killing 7 million. - The final version of the Xindi weapon, capable of destroying a planet, is built and then destroyed by a combination fleet consisting of Enterprise (NX-01) and several Xindi ships (as well as help from the Andorians).
24th century
- The Federation develops the Temporal Prime Directive, a precursor to the Temporal Accords.
26th century
- The Federation defeats the Sphere Builders at the Battle of Procyon V.
28th century
- A faction led by the mysterious Future Guy contacts the Cabal in the past to employ them for their own ends.
29th century
- Starfleet has developed its own time travel technology some point prior to this century due to the existence of the Timeship Relativity and Captain Braxtons timeship in the 29th century.
- Vosk rejects the Temporal Accords.
31st century
- Daniels is sent back in time to protect the Enterprise NX-01Enterprise (NX-01)The Enterprise is a fictional starship in the science fiction television series Star Trek: Enterprise. It is commanded by Captain Jonathan Archer.-History:...
.
Apocryphal events from DTI: Watching the clock
Cristopher L. Bennetts novel "Star Trek: Department of temporal investigation: Watching the clock" establishes that a lot of other time travel related events occurring in the 22nd, 23rd and 24th century during the events of several Star Trek episodes and films are in fact more or less related to the Temporal cold war. For example the time travel vortex the BorgBorg (Star Trek)
The Borg are a fictional pseudo-race of cybernetic organisms depicted in the Star Trek universe associated with Star Trek.Whereas cybernetics are used by other races in the science fiction world to repair bodily damage and birth defects, the Borg use enforced cybernetic enhancement as a means of...
use in First Contact
Star Trek: First Contact
Star Trek: First Contact is the eighth feature film in the Star Trek science fiction franchise, released in November 1996, by Paramount Pictures. First Contact is the first film in the franchise to feature no cast members from the original Star Trek television series of the 1960s...
is given to them by the Sphere Builders in an attempt to prevent the Federation from ever existing.
The novel tries to rectify most of the inconsistencies in the time travel related episodes of Star Trek. Therefore almost every one of these episodes is (at least indirectly) mentioned in the novel and put into a context within the events of the Temporal cold war.
Controversy
According to Manny CotoManny Coto
Manny Coto is an American writer, director and producer of films and television programs.Coto was the executive producer and showrunner of Star Trek: Enterprise in its final season, and executive producer of four seasons of 24...
, a new executive producer during the fourth season, his fellow producers Rick Berman
Rick Berman
Richard Keith “Rick” Berman is an American television producer. He is most famous for his work as the executive producer of several of the Star Trek series, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, and Star Trek: Voyager; and, several of the Star Trek theatrical productions, and...
and Brannon Braga
Brannon Braga
Brannon Braga is an American television producer and screenwriter, currently working as showrunner and executive producer on Terra Nova...
never fully planned out the Temporal Cold War storyline.http://www.greatlink.org/showtglinterview136.htm According to Braga himself, they did not even firmly decide on the identity or back story of the 28th century leader of the Cabal http://www.startrek.com/startrek/view/news/article/6193.html (dubbed "Future Guy" and "Temporal Shower Guy" by fans http://forums.televisionwithoutpity.com/index.php?act=Print&client=printer&f=606&t=3126808). At the end of the second season of Enterprise, poor ratings and reviews led to a new attempt to revamp the show by creating the Xindi race.
By the end of the third season, Coto felt the need for change, one of these being the removal of the TCW arc. According to him, "I felt that everything that had been said about the Temporal Cold War had already been said. I felt a heavy reliance on time travel at the beginning of Enterprise."http://www.galileo7.de/board/lofiversion/index.php/t1111.html Nevertheless, he says "I was secretly hoping for a season five to address the time travel."
Episodes
The following is a list of episodes which involve the Temporal Cold War story arc. A subplot of this arc involves the aftermath of Archer freeing a group of Suliban wrongly detained as a result of the Cold War.| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 101 102 |
"Broken Bow" |
| 111 | "Cold Front" |
| 120 | "Detained" |
| 123 | "Desert Crossing" |
| 125 | "Two Days and Two Nights" |
| 126 | "Shockwave" |
| 201 | "Shockwave (Part II)" |
| 216 | "Future Tense" |
| 226 | "The Expanse" |
| 311 | "Carpenter Street" |
| 318 | "Azati Prime" |
| 324 | "Zero Hour" |
| 401 402 |
"Storm Front" |