It's a laser cannon, basically. From an ST episode.
It's still impressive how Roddenberry was an alternate history fan, as well as his successors.
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It's still impressive how Roddenberry was an alternate history fan, as well as his successors.
Thande
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Of course the irony is that both Shatner and Nimoy were Jewish.
Mind you, that seems to be a tradition; I recall the actor who played Hans Geering in Allo Allo was also Jewish. I suppose it would appeal to some Jewish actors to be in situations where they can mock the Nazis; Mel Brooks always said his ambition with The Producers etc was to make Hitler such a figure of fun that not even lunatics would take him seriously again.
"Patterns of Force" was a "Nazi-wank" in so much as it featured a planet of Nazis (taught that way by a Starfleet professor sometime within the last 17 years). The Ekos Nazis weren't evil (Gill believed that Nazism, adopted benevolently, could be good), but the system corrupted them so that the worse ones took power. The Deputy Fuhrer, after killing Gill, was himself killed and we are led to believe that they'll reform, presumably into some benevolent Nazi-Zeon state.
"The Killing Game" (a Star Trek: Voyager episode) was set in the holodeck in a semi-realistic version of Vichy France. No wanking there.
"Storm Front" (from Enterprise) featured a universe with a PoD specified as 1917 (the assassination of Lenin). It's not discussed how that leads into the Nazi-wank seen in the episode, but it does show aliens (the Na'kuhl) taking over some (not all, Hitler's still around) of the Nazi leadership, at least in the United States. Nazi Germany has invaded the East coast of the US and taken over key cities, such as New York and Washington, DC, by 1944. The US is still around, because they sent P-51 Mustangs to attack an Enterprise shuttlepod trying to land in San Francisco.
"The Killing Game" (a Star Trek: Voyager episode) was set in the holodeck in a semi-realistic version of Vichy France. No wanking there.
"Storm Front" (from Enterprise) featured a universe with a PoD specified as 1917 (the assassination of Lenin). It's not discussed how that leads into the Nazi-wank seen in the episode, but it does show aliens (the Na'kuhl) taking over some (not all, Hitler's still around) of the Nazi leadership, at least in the United States. Nazi Germany has invaded the East coast of the US and taken over key cities, such as New York and Washington, DC, by 1944. The US is still around, because they sent P-51 Mustangs to attack an Enterprise shuttlepod trying to land in San Francisco.
Uh, yeah, if Nazis systematically exterminated sections of their own species, what do you think they'd do to an alien?
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I actually thought that episode had a lot of promise, although like most Enterprise episodes it wasn't executed very well. Trouble is it was too big a concept to fit into a two-parter. For a start, it has a much subtler POD than most Axis-wank situations - the Lenin assassination, therefore no Soviet Union - which also shows it's paying attention to the fact that the USSR was the most significant Allied power in the European front of WW2, which is rare in a British or American show. Secondly, the fact that even though those aliens gave the Nazis advanced technology, it also examined that they were suffering from overstretch due to taking on too many enemies and there being simply too few Germans: it's briefly mentioned that while Moscow has fallen, 'the Russians' (presumably the Kerenskyite or Tsarist Russians, that is) are still in the fight and are trying to retake it. Thirdly, I really liked the concept of the U.S. resistance including Chicago gangsters with tommy-guns, because it makes sense they would be patriots when the alternative is an all-controlling fascist state, and they could be the core of a resistance due to their fighting experience.
It wasn't without serious flaws of course, but that episode was way more thought-out than any number of Nazi-wank scenarios even in published fiction.
Amen. Enterprise was an amazing show, with an amazing idea that just had so much promise. Too bad it was executed as horribly as it was.
I love that episode. The Ekos one, that is. Gill, being a student of history, decided to help out the aliens by making them into Nazis. Because Nazism is "the most efficient form of government".
I think this applies... given what we now know about how wonderfully efficient Hitler's government actually was.
Wow... you're right, that is pretty well thought out.
Especially the Chicago gangsters thing, given this:
Luciano considered himself to be a loyal American who was devoted to Sicily, the Mafia, and the United States alike. His help was sought in providing Mafia assistance to counter possible Axis infiltration on U.S. waterfronts, during Operation Avalanche, and his connections in Italy and Sicily were tapped to furnish intelligence and ensure an easy passage for U.S. forces involved in the Italian Campaign. Albert Anastasia, who controlled the docks, promised that no dockworker strikes would arise. Both during and after the war, the U.S. military and intelligence agencies reputedly also used Luciano's Mafia connections to root out communist influence in labor groups and local governments. In return for his cooperation, Luciano was permitted to run his crime empire unhindered from his jail cell.
And to think, I pretty much ignored Enterprise when it was out.
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Thande
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It wasn't great but it had its moments, and the trouble was that people wrote it off pretty much as soon as it debuted because it managed to piss off fanboys and new viewers alike by its very concept.
It was weird when I was in sixth form because a friend and I did more or less like Enterprise and another friend hated it - but it was the second friend who would make sure to watch all the episodes religiously... I think TV Tropes calls that Bile Fascination.
You're right; and that also reminds me of that JLA episode which illustrates the other end; there, the entire war apparently revolves around D-day, and IIRC Russia didn't even appear on maps. Then again, it did have giant war wheels and Hortens big enough to ferry entire armies. And superheroes.
Thande
Donor
Yeah, that was my take on that episode as well
And the bit where at the end they're planning Sealion, but then (dun dun dun!) they're not invading Britain, but America! Therefore leaving this island full of evacuated American troops in their flanks! Very tactically sensible! And then when Wonder Woman intercepts this invasion armada, it turns out to be like three B52-sized carrier jets
Reminiscent of that episode of Star Trek TNG where the Romulans plan to take over Vulcan, an entire planet, with 2000 troops...
Yeah, that was my take on that episode as well
And the bit where at the end they're planning Sealion, but then (dun dun dun!) they're not invading Britain, but America! Therefore leaving this island full of evacuated American troops in their flanks! Very tactically sensible! And then when Wonder Woman intercepts this invasion armada, it turns out to be like three B52-sized carrier jets
Reminiscent of that episode of Star Trek TNG where the Romulans plan to take over Vulcan, an entire planet, with 2000 troops...
Actually, I remember the invasion planes as being these ludicrously massive flying wings that appeared to fit in entire tank divisions, and would have made the resource pressure placed on the Reich by the Ratte look like a breeze.
Then again, it did have awesomeness like Superman punching through a Messerschmitt, so we shouldn't overthink it.
Thande
Donor
Then again, it did have awesomeness like Superman punching through a Messerschmitt, so we shouldn't overthink it.
I liked the part where Green Lantern gets depowered and joins Sgt Rock's squad as just some dude with a gun...and the bit about the Blackhawks all being from Axis-conquered countries.
Let's not forget the frozen Adolph Hitler and the new Reich being led by Vandal Savage.
Actually, it was this Episode that started to get me interested in Alternate History. I remember watching it when I was in Elementry school. So, serious flaws aside, some good game out of it.
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