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Star Wars vs. Star Trek
The Force takes on the Enterprise
By Darin Kwilinski
Lets get one thing out of the way right now: Im a trekkie. I grew up watching Jean-Luc Picard seeking out new life and new civilizations. I had no idea what Star Wars was at the time because the first three movies had already come and gone.
Honestly, I dont think it would have made a difference. But for the sake of objectivity I have to take a step back and look at these two cultural icons fairly.
Star history
Back in 1966 the original Star Trek debuted â?¦ and was cancelled after three seasons. However, memorable characters were forged and iconic ships were born. The USS Enterprise NCC-1701 would serve as the flagship of the next couple generations for Star Trek.
Star Wars debuted in 1977 with the original movie, or Episode IV if youre being picky. It is hailed as a cinematic success financially and technically because of its special effects, storytelling and directing.
Memorabilia
Both franchises have an abundance of memorable characters and icons. Whenever you hear the word Darth, for example, you immediately think Vader (if you dont, stop reading now). Light sabers are still a craze with younger generations and the Millennium Falcon might be remembered for another millennia.
Secondary characters, however, are lacking. Ive watched all six movies and still dont know some of the alien races or why they are important.
Star Wars has a great cast of leads though. Han Solo, Obi-Wan, Luke Whats-his-name and that little green dude with the ragged clothes. All of them have their moments, from being enslaved by a giant worm or getting their hand chopped off by their father.
Star Trek always took care of its other-worldly races, making sure you were introduced to them and then slightly exposed to their culture. This is a double-edged sword however, as it tended to slow down the story, thus leading to less action and more talk.
When there was action it was limited, but still very fun to watch, especially in the Voyager and Deep Space Nine generations.
The captains of the show have always been at the forefront. They even threw in a female captain for one show (that one show ran for about seven seasons). Picard, Kirk, Archer: They all had there time to shine. But what about now?
Engage
Star Trek has all but died, sadly, on the TV front. But it still lives in video games and movies. If you didnt know, the next movie is going to be about the Starfleet Academy days of Kirk, Spock and McCoy. Sounds interesting, but I doubt it will spark the series again.
Star Wars, on the other hand, still breathes. It has new video games in development, a successful cartoon behind it and, oh yeah, a plethora of different collectors editions of DVDs.
Verdict
Star Wars is just too powerful of a machine to stop. Star Trek may take better care of their characters and have its crown in TV, but Star Wars is just a more vibrant story with a lot more to bite into. So, unfortunately, this one goes to Star Wars.
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