The History of Omega

Star Trek Voyage Season 4 The Omega Directive

[@schwarzerritter5724]

0:18 "You have all seen this symbol?" "Yes, it looks like our conference table."

IKR!!!

[@clevoro]

I was thinking the same thing when this clip first came up!!!

[@yournamehere4171]

Say what I was thinking, why don't cha

[@jonesjack6088]

Well thank God Neelix isn't in that room the entire ship would know in 20 minutes.

[@AzguardMike]

Nope i cant tell you nothing. Nothing. My lips.....are sealed. Yup, sealed. Tight. Not a word is leaving them. Especially about the Omega particle that can destabilise a warp field and.... and i just said that out loud didnt i ensign? Please ....ohhh dont tell the captain.....

[@develynseether4426]

Cooking with Neelix: Omega Edition.

[@nategraham6946]

20 minutes? That's very generous of you.

[@andreworiez8920]

You are SERIOUSLY under estimating Nelix!!!!!

[@LordPhobos6502]

You really think it would take Neelix that long to spread it to the ship? He could do it personally, level by level, in 8. Less if it's mealtime in the mess hall.

[@hjalfi]

Janeway: "What you're about to hear will not go beyond these bulkheads. Is that clear?" Doctor: "May I be excused? My program gets leaked to alien civilisations, archived and left on asteroids, or just plain turned evil on more or less a weekly basis."

[@1993bahamut]

Amazing he didn't blab after he lost his ethical subroutines

[@briankuczynski6884]

You can also get him to agree to forget senstive stuff happening to him that isn't emotionally salient.

[@waltersumofan]

Captains and Field Officers, Harry Kim best informed Ensign ever

[@balung]

Lol🤣👍🇦🇺

[@SP-yw2tl]

What happens if a captain gets demoted? Do they wipe his mind?

[@tachyontee3877]

@@SP-yw2tl They get a visit from the MIB.

[@fluffly3606]

The fact that she specifies "_Federation_ flag officers" separately from "_Starfleet_ captains" implies there are other military organizations within the Federation besides Starfleet.

[@SP-yw2tl]

@@fluffly3606 section 31 maybe?

[@DrownedInExile]

Omega destroys sub-space? Wouldn't that mean the end of not just warp-drive, but sub-space communications as well? Yikes. Hello intergalactic dark ages.

[@dain6492]

Who knows, that might force them to perfect long distance teleporters.

[@MTalac]

Maybe we see more in Star Trek Discovery :D

[@philipp3877]

Fear not, discoveries mushroom-soup-space stands at the ready

[@michaeljames4904]

You mean it’d make travelling faster than light _impossible_ rendering superluminal communication likewise... *own up:* which of you already released the Omega Molecule across our existing universe?

[@aceofspadesguy4913]

Age of Strife: Star Trek edition.

[@leonkernan]

2:40 "Have you detected Omega here?" Why did you think we're having this top secret briefing doctor??

[@AzguardMike]

Janeway: No, i called you here because im almost out of coffee. And that nebula about 50,000km away might contain it. YES I'VE DETECTED OMEGA! Computer! De-activate the EMH!

[@casey6556]

"Ahhhh Doctor, you got me I was totally fucking with you. Omega is just the computer restart logo. The looks on your faces!"

[@TheEventHorizon909]

Casey Broughton *ladies and gentlemen we got em*

[@amigabang6157]

"No, but we have detected energy reactions associated with the kind of gravity chambers that Omega may be created in."

[@jkm7983]

"no but we accidentally picked up a message from an alien race being close to manufacturing them"

[@Spacegoat92]

If Voyager were caught in an omega explosion Seven of Nine or Torres or somebody would have miraculously come up with a way to somehow create a stable warp field using left over crap from Neelix's kitchen...

[@DrewSavo]

You realise this is Star Trek, not The A Team.

[@dynamicworlds1]

DrewSavo Productions you're right. They'd have to bounce a graviton particle beam off the main deflector dish instead.

[@CabbageSandwich]

Replicators out of rocks

[@lordgustav6227]

Spacegoat92 Congrats Im your 90th like have a nice day

[@lordgustav6227]

DynamicWorlds Congrats Im your 10th like have a nice day

[@MrJuicekrew]

"I don't have to tell you what's at stake" Proceeds to tell them what's at stake...

[@CathrineMacNiel]

As you know, .... this is the way of holding a big Exposition Sign.

[@furiousfinch1587]

I think it's more that she doesn't have to lay out the subsequent consequences of losing said warp-travel, because simply saying that they will lose warp-travel forever is enough for them all to know the inconceivably high stakes in the long-run.

[@benderrodriguez6343]

Also just finished telling them what's at stake.

[@reason4being]

well she doesn't have to...that doesn't mean she doesn't NOT have to...

[@andreapasqua8639]

So say they point out what you said, would they get basted a rank or two?

[@MikMoen]

That's one hell of a weapon. Not only does it have insane destructive potential but you'd also permanently contain a civilization to their home system.

[@CharlesUrban]

Screwing up a problematic civilization in that manner would be right up the Dominion's alley.

[@scrubber273964]

True; however, it would mot likely destroy the attacker -- and the attacker's system/entity -- as well in the process. A true Doomsday Device straight outta Dr. Strangelove.

[@uncletaylorify]

There's a doomsday Borg weapon story somewhere in this!

[@tgtterrorizor3407]

Reminds me of those tales you'd hear about multi-ethnic cleansers from long ago. You could wipe out a whole solar system if the stabilization isn't correct. No mistake about it: Omega's mere existence is a threat to the known universe.

[@randomlyentertaining8287]

Not really contain them but you'd definitely make it harder for them to run a civilization wider than a few hundred LY in diameter.

[@prospero4183]

Having a meeting with a 15in monitor 10 feet away from table great design and tech. Nice one fleet

[@Fizzlefuse]

You'd think with their holographic tech, they'd be able to at least have some kind of display on or above the conference table. XD

[@wetlazer]

"A molecule?" "Not just any molecule. It's so pretty, looks like a dust bunny and a snowflake." "I see."

[@FLAME4564]

not just any molecule. A kind of super molecule powerful enough to render faster than light speed travel impossible for any warp driven vessels.

[@Omgseriosly]

@@FLAME4564 what a plot hole

[@dalesheen1816]

Actually it's a particle not a molecule :p lol

[@kobra6660]

Achieving perfection and infinite power in theory at least

[@andysahs1599]

When The Omega Directive is implemented it overides all rules and regulations even The Prime Directive.

[@girlgarde]

Given that it makes warp travel impossible in the affected areas forever and has the potential to destroy intergalactic civilization throughout the galaxy and even the universe, I can see why the Omega Directive to get rid of them overrides even the Prime Directive. I'm sure that the Vulcans and Archer /both of whom likely came up with the Prime Directive/ would understand that their precious Prime Directive got violated to protect intergalactic civilization.

[@anshroow]

In a way, the prime directive is preserved by them implementing The Omega Directive as the Prime Directive is there to stop the "normal development of a species". So if they did nothing the result would be that a species couldn't advance into space travel, therefore disrupting that "normal development".

[@absolutez3r019]

what I didn't like about Omega, was that if a far more advanced civilization as perfected and is using Omega as a, energy source, are they supposed to tell them to stop using it? And if they refuse, then what?

[@girlgarde]

@@absolutez3r019 I'm not sure to be honest. If they've perfected it, have eliminated the dangers of it and are prospering because of it, then the civilization in question should be allowed to use it especially if they've got a way to fix subspace damage caused by an Omega particle destabilizing. Of course, such a civilization would be far too powerful for the Federation or any of its representatives to make do anything so it's a moot point.

[@kobra6660]

I doubt it would override general order under no circumstance should a ship enter talos IV that would be an interesting scenario to deal with

[@ziiofswe]

I just noticed that the table they sit around looks a bit like an elongated omega symbol.

[@bensmith5064]

always made me think of the ferengi symbol which seemed odd to me. Furnished by ferengi?

[@jackgibs5855]

ziiofswe ...ferengi. I knew that I had seen it somewhere

[@soulenoid6701]

ziiofswe I saw defiant

[@adamdemgar2798]

ziiofswe I saw that too

[@bigainzfan6934]

What? No illuminati confirmed?

[@rhettorical]

Most of the questions and complaints about the episode become easy to rationalize when you consider the episode an allegory for nuclear energy. Uranium is stable enough in nature, but when you fire a neutron at U-235, it becomes highly unstable U-236, which can fission into Barium and Krypton, releasing a frightening amount of heat energy in the process. With that in mind, what the sensors picked up was "Omega ore", basically some sort of substance that can be easily converted into Omega. That's why the quadrant didn't lose warp drive when the explosion happened on the planet's surface or when the resonance chamber was destroyed. That's also why they didn't need to neutralize 100% of the ore. Ordinarily, a torpedo or ten could comfortably obliterate the ore, but there was so much that Janeway didn't want to risk any being left over. By neutralizing the majority of it, they could safely detonate it with reasonable certainty that no Omega ore would be left over. (This is actually mentioned by Janeway.)

[@heyarno]

It's missing the part where she mentions that the prime directive is suspended while the omega directive is in effect.

[@sethtubman1229]

No Morale Officer probably because Neelix wouldn't be useful in this meeting. No Chief Engineer because in real-life Roxann Dawson went into labor during the filming of this episode. Also once Seven came aboard, everyone but her, Janeway and the Doctor became surplus to requirements.

[@SpiritAce33]

David May he's not a bad person. He a good man who just tries to help.

[@Trek001]

She actually went into labour right after Seven spins round towards the doors in Engineering earlier on

[@MichaelSTaylor]

If I'm the husband I tip the doctor a couple hundred bucks to do three things: 1) arrange Roxanne's position so she can't see the baby as it's being born. 2) have him help you gently secure a ridged forehead prosthetic to the newly born baby 3) have him help revive Roxanne if she passes out when she finally gets a look at her newborn Klingon Kiddo. (Tip him triple if he's good at ventriloquising a deep guttural roar each time the baby opens its mouth)

[@matthewkreps3352]

Neelix can't keep a secret.

[@melvinlee9263]

Fun Fact: The reason Lt. Torres is not in this scene is the actress, Roxann Dawson, was at a hospital giving birth to her baby.

[@tedgruver7618]

I’d imagine that Lt. Tom Paris informed Torres about Omega behind closed doors since she does count as a member of Voyager’s senior staff being the chief engineer of the ship.

[@jamesspring4610]

The events Janeway is talking about (Ketteract, the Lantaru sector etc) is covered in a ST: TOS book called Section 31: Cloak.

[@Calriec]

I read it, it's pretty good!

[@jamesspring4610]

equenoxe86 it's a TOS story, so it'd have been...difficult at best. Lol

[@uncletaylorify]

I've read all those books......but seeing how I support Section 31 it was difficult.

[@MColeProductions]

It's also depicted in the video game Star Trek: Legacy with Admiral Kirk and the refitted Enterprise

[@1993bahamut]

And star trek legacy

[@nicholasmorsovillo2752]

When the Omega Molecule Exploded in the Lantaru sector I wonder if the Constitution Class U.S.S. Enterprise was one of the rescue ships that attempted to reach the site.

[@MSSmith1022]

I loved Jeri Ryan as Seven of Nine.

[@maryhlad5277]

I can see why Starfleet suppressed all knowledge of Omega. Given the circumstances of being in the Delta Quadrant, Captain Janeway has no choice but to bring her senior staff in on what she knew about Omega. Tom Paris is a son of a Starfleet admiral and if Voyager been in the Alpha Quadrant, Capt. Janeway would have likely contacted Admiral Paris on an encrypted Starfeet channel. Admiral Paris was Capt. Janeway’s advisor at Starfleet Academy and Janeway served under Admiral Paris.

[@dhinton1]

and she knew Seven of Nine would have all the knowledge the Borg had assimilated about Omega .... including the very protocol about only starship captains and flag officers being briefed on it.

[@TimeTravelStudios]

I remember playing Star Trek Armada both one and two, and Omega is seen in STA 1, then (after awhile) Voyager comes along and shows this episode. I thought - 'YAY! More Star Trek stuff tying games and other stuff together! :D' But yeah... They had to "water it down" a little to make it, and Omega, make sense in the Delta Quadrant.... Well, that's what I remember anyway; Star Trek Armada was the first instance where I first saw Omega...

[@lieutenantpeyton4388]

Star Trek should have a movie based around the Omega molecule. The whole galaxy fights a force trying to get rid of sub space.

[@nicholasmorsovillo2752]

Ever since I saw this episode and the last episode 'EndGame' where Voyager finally got home I always wondered if Janeway told Admiral Paris and other Admirals about Voyager's encounter with the Omega Molecule and if she did I wonder what they're reaction was to her explaining the history of Omega to her senior staff and they probably wouldn't blame her with the position she and her crew were in as she swore them all to not tell anyone else about it and they followed through with those orders as she trusts them and after her explanation they understood why Starfleet kept the existence of Omega a secret.

[@scrubber273964]

She probably did it once they were able to communicate with Starfleet before the Endgame episode ("Pathfinder")

[@mentalhealthnetwork]

Reports to Starfleet. Paperwork is the hallmark of bureaucracy and the maintenance and building of knowledge. So they learned about it, the details of the expedition and everything involved when they received Voyager's messages. I'm sure her debriefing upon arrival and her subsequent promotion makes it further clarified.

[@CymruAlteran]

It would be interesting to see what the federation would do if they came across a more powerful species working on omega or even a civilization that has already made it work back in the alpha quadrant

[@porpus99]

Depends on which continuity you look at. In Star Trek Online they did discover one such species. The Iconians. Not sure if you have ever played the game or not so I shall leave any other possible spoilers out.

[@Raja1938]

The same Iconians from TNG "Contagion" and DS9 "To The Death"? They had this sort of wormhole transporter tech that could take you across the galaxy in an instant.

[@porpus99]

One in the same. Very ancient and very powerful.

[@1978rharris]

porpus99 *One and the same. Also, not so powerful. They got wiped out.

[@EVAUnit4A]

I remember many years ago there was a concept for a new _Star Trek_ series based around the notion that some organization had successfully detonated an Omega device at the heart of the Federation. The series (which obviously was never made) was to have taken place about a hundred years after the disaster, with a much smaller Federation (and the many other non-allied alien civilizations around it) still struggling to maintain itself with a new kind of faster-than-light drive ( _not_ warp engines!) and communications that were NOT based on subspace.

[@nicholasmorsovillo2752]

Kirk probably knew or was told about the Omega Particle as the incident with it happening in the Lantaru Sector did happen during his time as Janeway did say this happened 100 years before so it most likely occurred during that time of Starfleet's most famous Captain and also most likely was present when the Omega Directive was created and initiated.

[@embrezar]

I think a Omega explosion would be kind of like what happened in Mass Effect 3... each time the cycle repeated and new civilizations arose, eventually the Mass Relays would be discovered, which would allow lightning-fast point-to-point travel across the galaxy. The cycle would end, all advanced sentient life would die, and it would repeat, eventually with the new advanced lifeforms discovering the Mass Relays, ad infinitum. Until, of course, Commander Shepard broke the cycle, and all the Mass Relays were destroyed. Imagine, an entire galaxy, connected by these devices for uncountable iterations of the cycle, and then one man destroys them all. He defeated the Reapers, but at what cost?

[@JnEricsonx]

We'll find out in the next game. :)

[@blackmondayy1]

Aaaaa man .... why did you have to put Mass Effect in a Star Trek video ?!?!? Now I´m going to be up all night thinking if the Reapers would consider the Borg "organic life" or would they give them a pass ?!?! Or would the Borg be too strong even for the Reapers ?? See what you did ?!?

[@murrethmedia]

I don't know why but I love how Janeway says "Unexpected Secondary Effect"

[@Eaglemna]

“this is what’s at stake” “I don’t need to tell you what’s at stake” “Let me remind you one more time what’s at stake”

[@dhinton1]

this definitely would have been a great episode for Seven, B'Elanna, and Kathryn to work together on.

[@CookieDTotR]

No wonder those _Revenge of the Nerds_ guys were so cautious around the Omega Mus!

[@MTalac]

Who is here after hearing the rumur that the Omega-Problem is coming back on Star Trek Discovery? ;)

[@Johnsscepticals]

I thought the exact same thing!

[@reginasunabe1612]

Me too!

[@markequinox]

Oh great, and they’ll ruin the idea of it too, as they ruin everything else.

[@MattJohno2]

Well, instead of that, it was the scream of a child now.

[@MTalac]

@@MattJohno2 indeed :D

[@the-quintessenz]

Wouldn't that be a job for these time travel lurkers to collect all omega molecules and store them savely at the end of future?

[@edmondgreen7970]

if you're from that far in the future then you'd already know that it never really became a probelm. Unless you went back in time and made it one.

[@Jukantos]

@@edmondgreen7970 Which you might accidentally do, while trying to collect them. Ugh, time travel is so messy

[@christopherg2347]

*Any* change to the past will have consequences. If someone went back in time to kill Hitler, there is a 99% chance my mother would never have been born. Same with everyone else in this comment section.

[@DiggitySlice]

@@christopherg2347 you obviously just read that somewhere and are repeating it here

[@christopherg2347]

@@DiggitySlice Just because you can not think that far ahead does not mean I have the same issue.

[@colinfaragher5373]

Omega, the founder of the Time Lords, must live !

[@johntate6537]

To be fair, he was pretty dangerous.

[@SimpleWolfStudios]

Anything with Omega is bound to be dangerous

[@thedelta4258]

You forgot Rassilon and The Other

[@Crosis2814]

You mean the Timeless Child...🙄

[@MichaelOfHardy]

A top secret briefing? No gossiping about it? No wonder Neelix wasn't invited!!

[@SupernalOne]

this plot device is reminiscent of Lester del Ray's short story "Nerves" - a highly desirable synthetic element that is hugely unstable and kills those who try to manufacture it

[@BlueBoy0]

Omega-shaped table is a bit much...

[@Kaga184]

Ahahahahaha

[@Duncanate]

Favorite episode of the series!

[@Frenki94]

So in the episode Seven mentions that Borg experimented with the particle ending in catastrophe which killed millions of drones, yet here Janeway says that a handful of particles could make warp travel impossible in the entire quadrant. Why hasn't it happened then if Borg failed and they are in the Delta quadrant?

[@Raja1938]

A handful (millions) of molecules could do that a quadrant. Since Borg populations are so dense inside of their cubes and other larger structures, one or a few destabilized molecules could well destroy millions of drones.

[@austinperry1671]

They could have gone to other spaces similar to fluidic space to run test

[@AlexandarHullRichter]

I think the Borg also only created 1 or 2 molecules.

[@joshhardgrove310]

Single molecule detonation distorted subspace thru a 4.3 lightyear region. Borg not pressed for time if they had to gather their remains and start over

[@seanbraley2772]

keyword hand full the borg more then likely got the info from a survivor of the experiment or a member of that tactical team janway talks about they would know to only try to make one of them at a time and to do it in area of space is already destabilized and cant be warped through we know voyager went through a rea like this a few times where they couldn't warp

[@stanpatterson5033]

Hmmm.... No Chief Engineer present at this meeting. No Morale Officer either.

[@johnathanalvarez7907]

Stan Patterson never noticed this lol

[@davido.1233]

Neelix isn't Starfleet, and he has little experience handling Omega, so I guess he's not needed in this situation. As for B'Elanna, I can't speculate why she's not present. Maybe she's conducting her needed modifications

[@BrummieMorgan]

Roxann Dawson was pregnant during Season 4, wearing an overcoat to conceal her pregnancy. It's quite possible that she was not present during the filming of this particular scene for something to do with that.

[@davido.1233]

like entering labor?

[@BrummieMorgan]

I would assume that is the case, after reading the other comments.

[@melvinlee9263]

Nice attention to detail...the image of the space station destroyed by Omega is similar to Regula One from Star Trek: Wrath of Khan, which would have been approximately 100 years prior to the events of this episode.

[@themoke3396]

I dont have to tell you whats at stake.... then tells them whats at stake.

[@nicholasmorsovillo2752]

From what I can understand it means that Flag officers are of higher rank to regular captains they're like the captain equivalent of admirals or generals is my guess and remember the TNG episode 'The Wounded' where Captain Picard gave a direct order to Captain Maxwell of the Starship Phoenix for his renegade actions against the Cardassians and he took command of the fleet during the Battle of Sector 001 during the battle against the Borg in Star Trek First Contact and he was in command of the fleet at the Klingon/Romulan border during the Klingon Civil War to one keep the Romulans out of affairs with the Klingon Empire and second to expose they're involvement by bringing supplies to the Duras family so in other words Captain Picard holds a higher rank to other captains whether he's an admiral or not.

[@mikeggg5671]

Flag officers mean those of the rank of commodore and above.

[@shauntempley9757]

Picard is a flag captain. He would have been informed of the Omega Directive.

[@seanbraley2772]

so from what i know flag officers would be captions that would be in command of battle groups they are still more or less captions but it stops the problem of senirty in a case multipal ships are need a exaple is picard becaouse he was caption of the flag ship unless a admerial was persent was in charage

[@deadturret4049]

​@@seanbraley2772 this is also why he was able to take command of the fleet at the battle of sector 001 in First Contact when the fleet admiral's ship is destroyed. Not a single captain questioned him.

[@kalijasin]

“Or a weapon” Exactly!

[@maryhlad5277]

Logical, Seven of Nine. Omega could be used as a weapon if placed in the wrong hands.

[@jimtaylor294]

Given that Starfleet has numerous enemies, and is the only service in the UFP that sports heavy gauge weaponry... naturally they would've been all for weaponized omega... until it became apparent that preventing anyone from having it was better, for everyone.

[@nicholasmorsovillo2752]

Janeway should remember to trust her senior staff they're good at they're jobs and always follows every order she gives with a few exceptions sometimes but they trust her and she knows they would never tell anyone else about the Omega Molecule and I'm even surprised B'Ellanna wasn't involved in this meeting but was probably told about it later by Chakotay who asked her not to tell anyone and they might've discussed it in Chakotay's or B'Ellanna's quarters where they could talk about it in private.

[@nickhartman6372]

Have you ever heard of something called punctuation? You....use it, like this. Try it sometime!

[@MasterofSpiders]

B'Elana probably wasn't at the meeting cos the actress was pregnant (hence the jacket) which impacted how much she could shoot.

[@Blackaceed]

Q: So you found my lunch?

[@nicholasmorsovillo2752]

Yeah but remember in Star Trek 2:The Wrath of Khan just before Kirk and McCoy beamed down to the Regula 1 space station that Lt. Saavik said 'No Federation Flag Officers shall beam into a hostile environment without armed escort' and don't forget Kirk was an Admiral at the time so in other words even Admirals have the rank of flag officers and this was probably still true even after Kirk was demoted to Captain in Star Trek 4:The Voyage Home after the whale probe incident.

[@seanbraley2772]

flag officers are those who take command in a group of peers they are more or less the same as the officers in command staff on a ship like harry he is fresh out of the academy but is in charge of other ensigns

[@MM22966]

I always thought this was my favorite VOY ep. The utter gravityof the problem, the moral quandary, Seven's almost child-like yearning (when Borg are utterly inhuman about everything else). Got vibes from the "Pegasus" ep from TNG, but from a different angle.

[@uncletaylorify]

I loved the Section 31 book that showed they were actually the ones trying to create the molecule at that station.

[@michaelgreenwood3413]

Well, given the rough timeline, this is around the same time those idiots created Control as well.

[@star_man]

This would have been a much better explanation for The Burn than the utterly awful “it was an upset Kelpien kid having a tantrum”

[@FirstContactRAM]

Star trek ages like fine wine

[@Android-lk3cq]

"I don't have to tell you what's at,stake, because this table is,shaped like an omega symbol."

[@Wiztechs]

The history of Omega, first scene is the crew sitting around a table shaped like the omega symbol. Subtle real subtle

[@Blundabus1337]

Harry. An ensign that never gets promoted. Is told of omega.

[@trapperjohn6089]

Seven was the opposite of Locutus. Starfleet got even with the Borg for using Picard against them.

[@MasterofSpiders]

Basic physics suggests that to 'synthesise' something with massive amounts of potential energy like Omega would require at least that much energy.

[@chrismanuel9768]

Not to mention she called Omega a molecule and then said something about a "particle of Omega" right after. Is Omega a type of particle or is it a molecule?

[@emmanuelcastro8520]

The end of this episode made no sense. Spoilers They destroyed the existing Omega molecules being created by aliens then left. But what would prevent them from making more?

[@japphan]

The part where Voyager commited genocide to make sure everyone aware of the molecule was gone, was cut out by Federation censors. Don't believe what you see on these propaganda videos!

[@blsharpley]

Well since the aliens destroyed their civilization in doing so, I think it's safe to say it'll be a long time before they can do it again.

[@andreapasqua8639]

Easily explained, they forced the Aliens to watch Hollywood movie reboots until they submitted or killed themselves. And no one is none the wiser as it isn't an intergalactic war crime if you don't get caught.

[@jmm1233]

​@@andreapasqua8639 from omega to mst3k

[@davidmcivor6045]

Maybe the thought they would be killed to.

[@TommygunNG]

So... Set off a few of these molecules in a wide sphere around a star system, and it's essentially protected from all but the most determined warp-using space-faring conquerers.

[@wildgurgs3614]

The faction controlling the star system would be unable to warp within that wide sphere as well. Not ideal...unless that faction is a hermit faction like the one in TNG that gave Picard & Crew a second chance (I unfortunately forget the episode name).

[@TommygunNG]

@@wildgurgs3614 "Hermitage" is the idea. We survive quite well now with sub-warp travel, and we have a system loaded with resources to sustain us many, many generations. By the time this system is used up, we'll have other plans: kzbin.info/www/bejne/pV7WoWlufM-MgpI Picture more of an "Independence Day" situation, where we just want to keep the bad guys out. (CAVEAT: I refused to see the second movie.)

[@FanaticSpirit]

Yeah, you wouldn't be cutting off a star system by doing that, but an entire SECTOR. And that's if the multiple detonations don't magnify the resulting damage. For reference, a sector in Star Trek is 20 Light Years across and usually has between 6 to 10 star systems. A single Omega molecule will destroy several Light Years worth of subspace when detonated.

[@TommygunNG]

@@FanaticSpirit Not really caring about the sector here. The idea is that the system at the center would take YEARS for an enemy to reach. Hostiles would find an easier target to approach. EDIT: If one molecule is enough to build the protective sphere, cool.

[@Stormkrow280]

Writing Just to remind you that the crew of Voyager were willing to doom a civilization to extinction in order to destroy the particles

[@manw3bttcks]

The doc being in the room surprises me, why does he have need to know? Also as a computer program his memory having this knowledge in it is a greater risk IMO than just the normal people.

[@Tenkuuken]

"What you're about to hear will not go beyond this bulkheads"....but includes a computer program (which stores data) during the meeting, lol . I do understand though that they needed someone to stand-in for Roxanne Dawson who gave birth during this season, I just found this scene amusing of including "Joe"

[@robertballasty395]

What you're about to hear will not go beyond these bulkheads. Only starship captains, Federation Flag officers, and 3.4 Trillion Borg know about this.

[@EVAUnit4A]

Many years ago, I remember reading about a concept for a new _Star Trek_ series based around this single episode. The concept was that some group or organization (I don't remember exactly who they were, a new race or character?) has successfully detonated an Omega weapon at Earth, annihilating subspace not only across the entire Federation but the surrounding alien territories. Warp propulsion, subspace communications (including matter transporters and replicators?) and sensing technology were rendered completely useless, and the Federation began to economically and politically fracture under its new isolation. The new TV series would have taken place many years after the cataclysm, on a Federation starship equipped with a new type of faster-than-light drive, which would travel to different [familiar] planets attempting to reestablish contact and face off against new threats both internal and external. Instead, we got the JJ-verse (red mattah, NOT-KHAAAAAN!!) and CBS pushing their new heartless pay-to-view TV series. ...damn, that woulda shaken things up just right and made for a neat TV series, don't'cha think so?

[@MattisProbably]

Maybe they thought Star Trek without warp travel would go to far? It *is* the most iconic technology of the entire series afterall. Personally I think this concept would have been amazing as well! Sort of like Voyager in reverse with a new twist to it. But they probably wanted to play it safe. Catering to existing fans is easier than making newcomers care for Star Trek.

[@BM-is5ei]

So what you are saying is that a vast empire was fractured and planets were isolated due to not being able to travel with ftl engines and that a new faction is trying to reach long lost planets and is facing conflicts with new enemies? Let me guess this happens in the grim dark future?!

[@davel.8367]

@@BM-is5ei Yes, this idea has more in line with the warhammer 40k story, and the desruction of the webways or whatever the eldar call them, all it needs is picard sitting on a golden throne, guiding ships because he was once borg. I assume this is why patrick stewart has said the first season of "picard" will shock viewers. That or it's just STD with a confused old man.

[@BM-is5ei]

Tremble before the majesty of Picard for we all walk in his immortal shadow!

[@DOGMA1138]

So Andromeda?

[@Knightfall182]

Darkseid is coming.

[@BillLykken]

This is a good eps. One of the best!

[@schwarzerritter5724]

I like how fast Janeway tosses the Prime Directive away. Yes, the Omega Directive allows her to do so, but still not the slightest hesitation.

[@hudsonball4702]

A. It would wide out hundreds of star systems around them B. No more warp means their stuck for good in the Delta Quadrant. C. SHE DID HESITATE. She kept it from the crew as she began making preparations to destroy Omega herself.

[@r0bw00d]

I don't have to tell you what's at stake, but I'm going to anyway, even though I already have.

[@Actual_Neanderthal]

"Only captains and flag officers are briefed about Omega, also every starship will just shut down suddenly and flash the omega symbol on all monitors but we expect you all to just ignore that."

[@ZeroGForce]

*Janeway:* "Omega destroys subspace. A chain reaction involving a handful of molecules could devastate subspace throughout an entire quadrant. If that were to happen... warp travel would become impossible. [...] Tom, I've calculated the location of the molecules. I'll transfer the coordinates to the helm; take us there at full impulse." *Tom:* "I was gonna say _'yes, ma'am'_ until I realized just how serious this really is."

[@enolastraight577]

"My weapons are Omega Bombs and my delivery system is an Iconian Gateway...the United Federation of Planets has 60 seconds to unconditionally surrender."

[@AzguardMike]

*entire federation fleet show up from nowhere* Sisko: FIRE THE WMD's MR WORF!!!!!! Picard: Lets discuss this over a cup of earl grey tea. Diana: Im sensing hostility and hatred.... Archer: Malcolm? Any idea what that thing is? Janeway: Hail them!!! Michael Burnam: Reeeeh im a wah-men reeeehhh Kirk: This is....captain James T Kirk.....of the star ship.....Enterpirse...... I need to know just.....one thing. A/S/L/ Netflix and Chill? Captain Kirk out.

[@Evil0tto]

"Sir, I think you have the wrong number. This is Pizza Hut."

[@voluntarism335]

Lmfao

[@ruscopcoltrain]

"I don't have to tell you what's at stake." Literally the next sentence: "Here's what's at stake."

[@chrismanuel9768]

Did she really say "if even a molecule particle"... Is it a molecule or a particle? It's the molecule synthesized or is it a type of particle? Would not particles leaving the molecule be the molecule destabilizing? Did the people writing the script know the difference between particles, atoms, and molecules?

[@OneofInfinity.]

Aha! the season IV haircut in action.

[@williammerkel1410]

How did they send subspace messages when trying to reach the research outpost? How did they even find out about it in the first place? I assume that you cannot send subspace messages either.

[@theshlauf]

Looks like you can still travel at sub-light speeds. So maybe radio?

[@jime6688]

And once again, in their brilliance, instead of making Omega known to all spacefaring species to keep it from accidentally being discovered, Starfleet make it top secret so only a few hundred people know about it. I can see possibilities for use as a weapon, but seeing as how said weapon would ALSO effect enemies as well as allies, it seems like s reasonable treaty could be agreed upon that would prevent accidental or purposeful development of Omega.

[@Lizfan2]

Unless some psycho who didn't care about anything got a hold of it.

[@seanbraley2772]

its not its potential as a weapon that has them worried its thoses who try to make it and it becomes unstable it do sent just make travel hard it cuts off sub space transmissions. and in all honesty making it a top level sercit would work in this case with money being a non protiy for over half the know universe information is more shared starfleet would just have to use a program to search through documents for triggers and they would be alerted and be able to stop any civilian researcher

[@gerardcousineau3200]

I saw this one when it came out

[@EliteLenny223-Main]

Calm and Concise. At least she's direct with this since this would end warp travel if handled messily.

[@thewewguy8t88]

this episode was kind of good but i felt like there were a few things i wish they explored more.

[@SG14ever]

So how did they get the image of the station if nobody can get in or out at superluminal speeds for several lightyears?

[@saquist]

It doesn't prevent travel. It doesn't mean they'd never get there.

[@Spiz103]

There may have been a vessel near the station at the time of the accident, or a probe or similar.

[@Golkarian]

I thought of it as fissures, some places (stretching for lightyears away from the station) you couldn't travel at light speed, but not a solid sphere

[@Raja1938]

They said it happened 100 years prior. Telescopes outside the region would've been able to capture the image 4 years after it occurred.

[@TimoRutanen]

Maybe they took a picture of the station before it blew up

[@Pulsarnix]

I love how the game Star Trek Legacy ties into this

[@thedelta4258]

Such a shame it doesn't run on Windows 10

[@johannbezuidenhout2976]

@@thedelta4258 Yes it does just run it in compatibility mode.

[@212Hasse]

At least there are 4 officers including the captain with background of advance engineer. 2 senior officers have been playing morale and intelligence towards captain and their junior officers. 7-of-9 with borg intelligence in engineering is equal to at least 3 human engineers. This is tactical officers meeting first; with advance engineering background officers with added Bonus 7-of-9.

[@shawnconder4984]

So thinking about omega leads me to a question. What if you were to drop a few molecules in say Borg space and destabilize them? Would that hinder their ability to enter transwarp? It's been a while since I've seen this episode, so I don't remember if that was something brought up or not. Also I'm not completely verst in the workings of the Borg's transwarp drive, so it might just be a stupid question.

[@theshlauf]

They would either adapt or leave those Borg to die.

[@ChrisC30]

The Borg's encounter could be an explanation for their use of transwarp conduits, in case of a similar catastrophe.

[@nicholasmorsovillo2752]

Yeah but don't forget Captain James T. Kirk and Captain Jean-Luc Picard should be considered Flag officers as they were the captains of the Federation Flagship the U.S.S. Enterprise which as far as I can understand have a higher captain rank compared to other ship captains whether they be naval vessels or starships.

[@waynemarvin5661]

And this is relevant how?

[@mikeggg5671]

You are incorrect. Being a flag Captain does not necessarily make you a flag officer. Flag officer is rank of commodore and above. A flag officer specifically has command over more than one vessel

[@l27tester]

The burn

[@jerlstif]

I was under the impression that warp drives warped space/time or the 'fabric' of space/time. how then, could it be destroyed? how do you destroy space and/or time?

[@davidmcivor6045]

You don't. You just must allow it to end, then time becomes irrelevant. Unfortunately we'll be dead.

[@anhomb2589]

I have a question. The episode ends with the Voyager fullfiliing their mission and leaving. Did i miss something or could this civilisation just create new molecules?

[@TANK2Xx]

Jesus If a small amount of this stuff can destroy subspace in an entire quadrant imagine what a small baseball size amount of this stuff will do it probably would destroy subspace in the entire universe

[@KuDastardly]

I forgot, which Star Trek video game involved the USS Enterprise in an attempt rescue mission that involved the Omega incident? It was an old game IIRC.

[@johntracy72]

The Omega Directive!

[@louisiananlord17]

Well, people who could travel with quantum slipstream or transwarp could still travel. But regular warp travel would be smoke.

[@ReaverLordTonus]

I would imagine Omega would be useful for starfleet as a weapon to disrupt an enemy's ability to mobilize. A single particle detonation would render warp travel impossible across an entire sector, if it weren't for the fact that effect would be permanent, Omega torpedoes would be the equivalent of the atomic bomb in the mid 20th century. A weapon that could single handedly win a war but if used excessively would cause total destruction on all sides.

[@malikmohamed6051]

But you would be stranded firing those torpedoes

[@ReaverLordTonus]

If the modern Cardassians and 22nd century Romulans can build automated drone ships I imagine you can create small probe and with a warhead deployed outside the effected area.

[@ChobThomas]

She said quadrant not sector you bozo Go back to the Academy

[@seanbraley2772]

not really ill save you the really long explanation but all it really dose it makes any enemy you use it on much more dangerous if you want me to explain i will but its going to be a few paraphrases long so just comment if you want it

[@2Scribble]

I love this episode - but I *really* want to know what the heck is *with* Janeway's hair xD

[@Soopytwist]

Dunno why but I always thought this episode followed on from an episode of the original series with Kirk. Looks like I was wrong and it was actually a book instead!

[@davidmcivor6045]

Back in the cavemen days, the first weapon (a long bone with a big fu@king knuckle on the end) was thought to be a revolutionary step so they could boldly go where no caveman had gone before.

[@talus007]

I would have liked to have seen this plot line revisited. Maybe with the discovery that Omega is sentient and deliberately deprives access to itself to any it believes would miss use it.

[@seanbraley2772]

as of right now we cant strang new worlds is more then 10 years out from the origianal lab she names with cancel culter as it is now i doubt we will last that long and they really havent done any show that would work jannway is now in progeny becaouse she failed to follow orders before shed be recalled and the joke that is lower deck better not be allowed anywhere near this

[@TheKevkevkevkev]

I don't need to tell you the stakes. Proceeds to tell them the stakes

[@anitablueberry2279]

They could have used this storyline in Star Trek Discovery to explain the loss of warp speed…

[@starleigh6680]

@HN didnt stop the iconians from making it grow back

[@nicholasmorsovillo2752]

Janeway said this happened a 100 years before so I wonder if this happened before or after the Constitution Class Enterprise completed her historic 5 year mission under the command of Captain Kirk.

[@tschaderdstrom2145]

"I don't have to tell you what's at stake" *tells them what's at stake*

[@stevehoffman9735]

"The History Of Omega." Heck, I was expecting the watch company! But Voyager is fine and dandy with me..

[@probitionate]

@ 3:04 "I don't have to tell you what's at stake." And proceeds to tell them...

[@deadturret4049]

Harry Kim might be the first ensign to ever know about Omega lol