35
submitted 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago) by USSBurritoTruck@startrek.website to c/startrek@startrek.website

Trip: A poop question, sir? Can't I talk about the warp reactor or the transporter?
Archer: It's a perfectly valid question.

In season one of ENT's "Breaking the Ice", the crew of the NX-01 records a video for Ms. Malvin's class of fourth graders back on Earth, and one of the questions is what happens when someone aboard the ship flushes the toilet, which Archer throws to Trip, and Trip is concerned the kids are going to think he's the ship's sanitation engineer.

Now, because Archer is an awkward goober in this episode, it seems like he's reading the questions off the cuff, with no one other than the possible exception of Ms. Malvin herself, having first vetted them. However, at the start of the recording, Archer announces that he's the one who selected the questions so he knew going in that the, as Trip puts it, "poop question," would be in there. Also before the recording Archer told Trip that he needed to there to participate as opposed to dealing with the large amount of work that was on his plate. What's more, we know from the start of the episode that Trip's nephew is one of the fourth grade students in Ms. Malvin's class.

So, my theory is that Archer made the intentional choice to have Trip answer a question he knew the engineer would find to be embarrassing, specifically to diminish him in the eyes of his nephew. Why would he do this extremely petty thing to someone who is ostensibly his friend and most loyal officer? Probably because he sucks and wanted to put Trip in his place for some imagined slight, just like he later has an outburst with the Vulcan captain whom he invited to dinner.

top 17 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[-] askryan@startrek.website 11 points 4 months ago

Probably because he sucks

Oops you just explained all of Enterprise

[-] BuckenBerry@lemmy.world 1 points 4 months ago

You need to have more faith.... of the heart

[-] ValueSubtracted@startrek.website 9 points 4 months ago

Total Archer move.

[-] themoken@startrek.website 9 points 4 months ago

I think it's a stretch to interpret it as petty when it probably just gave Trip a bit of focus and let his 8 year old nephew shout like "that's my uncle!" or something. Real life astronauts get asked these questions all the time and they're practically deified in our culture.

[-] Wolf314159@startrek.website 1 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago)

Yeah, I agree, the OPs reaction here is kinda surreal. I mean, I grew up watching astronauts answer dumb kiddy questions while floating in zero G. When the shuttle was regularly going up in was a regular thing for kids to see on TV. There was ALWAYS a poop/pee/fart question. ALWAYS. This joke in Enterprise is nothing more than a nod to that. I guess Gen Z didn't ~~pay as much attention to space poop ~~ see as many of these interviews because the shuttle program ended before their time?

[-] USSBurritoTruck@startrek.website 2 points 4 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago)

I guess Gen Z didn’t pay as much attention to space because the shuttle program ended before their time?

I love that one of the enduring aspects of human nature is that each generation wants broad strokes paint the ones that follows them as lazy, incurious dolts who will lead to the downfall of civilization. Gen Z is getting the brunt of it now, but it wasn't too long ago that op eds were written blaming Millennials for "killing" everything from golf, to wine, to napkins, to basic courtesy. We can go all the way back to Plato, disparaging the youths of ancient Greece for sagging their togas, and spending all their time looking at tablature as opposed to having real conversations. And, of course, my generation also got its fair share before we all turned into the cranky old men shaking our fists at clouds in between writing those op eds.

[-] Wolf314159@startrek.website 0 points 4 months ago

I didn't blame anyone for anything except maybe not seeing astronauts getting asked about poop all the time. You specifically are being a troll and generating some fucking weird rage bait where there is none.

[-] USSBurritoTruck@startrek.website 2 points 3 months ago

Please explain what it is about my post you think is trolling.

[-] setsneedtofeed@lemmy.world 6 points 4 months ago

Sir, this is a Quark's Bar.

[-] awesome_lowlander@lemmy.dbzer0.com 5 points 4 months ago

Have you ever dealt with 8 year olds? They would have asked all the poop related questions anyway

[-] cybervseas@lemmy.world 5 points 4 months ago

He wishes he was as good with women as Trip. Even Boimler refers to Tucker's charisma 200 years later. Dude was clearly a legend.

I liked Archer, I'd rank him up there with Kirk and Picard. Then again I havent seen the series in a long time, just bought the Blu Rays of it so I guess Ill rewatch it soon and see if I still think this

[-] Muscar@discuss.online 2 points 4 months ago
[-] ASeriesOfPoorChoices@lemmy.world 1 points 4 months ago
[-] Jaccident@startrek.website 1 points 4 months ago

Someone watching along with The Greatest Generation?

[-] USSBurritoTruck@startrek.website 2 points 4 months ago

Best boss I ever had!

this post was submitted on 30 Jun 2024
35 points (84.3% liked)

Star Trek

10569 readers
89 users here now

r/startrek: The Next Generation

Star Trek news and discussion. No slash fic...

Maybe a little slash fic.


New to Star Trek and wondering where to start?


Rules

1 Be constructiveAll posts/comments must be thoughtful and balanced.


2 Be welcomingIt is important that everyone from newbies to OG Trekkers feel welcome, no matter their gender, sexual orientation, religion or race.


3 Be truthfulAll posts/comments must be factually accurate and verifiable. We are not a place for gossip, rumors, or manipulative or misleading content.


4 Be niceIf a polite way cannot be found to phrase what it is you want to say, don't say anything at all. Insulting or disparaging remarks about any human being are expressly not allowed.


5 SpoilersUtilize the spoiler system for any and all spoilers relating to the most recently-aired episodes, as well as previews for upcoming episodes. There is no formal spoiler protection for episodes/films after they have been available for approximately one week.


6 Keep on-topicAll submissions must be directly about the Star Trek franchise (the shows, movies, books etc.). Off-topic discussions are welcome at c/quarks.


7 MetaQuestions and concerns about moderator actions should be brought forward via DM.


Upcoming Episodes

Date Episode Title
10-31 LD 5x03 "The Best Exotic Nanite Hotel"
11-07 LD 5x04 "A Farewell to Farms"
11-14 LD 5x05 "Star Base 80?"
11-21 LD 5x06 "Of Gods and Angels"
11-28 LD 5x07 "Fully Dilated"

Episode Discussion Archive


In Production

Strange New Worlds (2025)

Section 31 (2025-01-24)

Starfleet Academy (TBA)

In Development

Untitled comedy series


Wondering where to stream a series? Check here.


Allied Discord Server


founded 1 year ago
MODERATORS