[lordisaiah]

One of the big things that some of us are wondering is "How does this movie 'fit' into the current timeline?" The simple straightforward answer is, "It doesn't really fit, get over yourself."

But, I've had some time on my hands and was re-reading the novel "Best Destiny", when I had an epiphany...or an epileptic seisure, I'm not sure which...

So below is how I think, based upon a lot of guess work from interviews with the script writers, the timeline changes play out. I've hidden it under the spoiler points just in case I turn out to be right.

Possible Spoilers follow

Nero, leader of a rogue Romulan faction opposed to the newly blossoming negotions between the Federation and the Romulan Star Empire following the events of Star Trek: Nemesis, attempts to foster a war by attacking the Klingons. He is captured and sentenced to Rura Penthe, however, he eventually escapes and decides the best way to prevent the alliance is to alter the timeline. His faction decides their best single point event to significantly alter the timeline is the removal of James T. Kirk. They travel back to the 2230's and attack the USS Kelvin, where Kirk's father George is assigned. As a result of the attack, the Kelvin is destroyed and George Kirk is killed, which causes a series of very important deviations - Kirk is not raised by his father and mother, and is instead raised primarily his uncle, whom teaches him to drive stick, in one of their rare moments of getting along, and also causes a subtly different JTK to finally enter the Academy. Captain April, due to pressure from higher ups, is forced to oversee a complete redesign of the Constitution Class project from an exploratory cruiser to more of a warship. Also, Starfleet Command, worried about the possibility of an attack on the orbiting dry docks, as occurred during the earlier Romulan War, moves all ship construction to the surface, feeling it will be easier to defend, and establishes a new Iowa Fleet Yards. This delays the launch of the Enterprise by about 10 years. Meanwhile, Nero has realized that although the timeline has changed, it still hasn't prevented the Federation/Romulan negotiations, so he goes back again to destroy Vulcan in the 2250's believing that without the Vulcans acting as the voice of logic, the more aggressive races in the Federation will turn it more warlike and prevent the Federation/Klingon Alliance from occuring. Realizing he hasn't prevented JTK from being born is an added plus, because he will be more likely to be aggressive as well. Meanwhile, Spock, upon stealing an experimental time ship (the same technology that Nero stole) has chased Nero back to the 2250's because that represents the best chance of restoring the timeline close to what it was. After defeating Nero, the timeline is restored somewhat, but the events that occurred prior to the movie remain changed leaving the altered personalities and crews in place. Also, as a result, certain events from the original TOS series never occur, (Spock doesn't get his brain hijacked, nor do they encounter Space Hippies) while others do, (Khan is found on a sleeper ship, which is why he remembers Chekov on the ship in TWOK). Eventually, this ship is refitted into the refit version from the TMP, which involves a refit of the saucer with a completely new engineering section built for it. The timeline continues as we have always known it from that point on...until Star Trek XII comes out.

[Commodore]

It's already being bandied about from people who have seen the much longer excerpts from the film that Star Trek XI does represent a major change from the original Trek timeline--that it serves as a sequel, prequel, and reboot all in one...

Star Trek XI: Back To The Future

[thestartrekker]

Originally Posted by Commodore

Star Trek XI does represent a major change from the original Trek timeline--that it serves as a sequel, prequel, and reboot all in one...

This quote, I think sums it all up. Don't expect the same timeline to unfold as in TOS, we will not see that Trek again, JJ is starting from scratch.

[thypentacle]

LOL well works as well as anything else I've read thus far... though I assume Spock gives Starfleet at least some sorta new technology ideas to explain a bunch of little things leftover in there...

and all this still don't explain why the corridors are boring white and the iBridge... with more boring white... oh but it's shiny and there's glass stuff.

hmmm... maybe:

"In an effort to make Starfleet harder to pin down and understand it is decided to withhold any and all possible hints at their character and/or likes or dislikes of any sort so all onboard technology that could ever be possibly seen by enemy forces through communication or interior sensor scans must be dull and contain no sense of style or hints of flavor and it should also be flashy and shiny to blind the eyes of any would be spies.

Uniforms must be the reverse and remain colorful and bright to draw the attention to the crew members so the enemy may be frightened and intimidated by their outstanding good looks and 'in your face' attitudes. Actually come to think of it damn those outfits look good with a white background.... eh.. oh... END TRANSMISSION: STARFLEET SECRET DIVISION OF TACTICAL PLANNING"

OK all that is stupid, but I got a kick outta typin it...

[Aqua]

I like that rationalization lordisaiah, mind if I post it on my site under your name as a best guess?

[lordisaiah]

Sure, go ahead Aqua.

[The Saint]

I think it's just Q havin' a giggle. I can certainly picture at least one person having a fit of the girlish giggles over it, anyway.

[Aqua]

thanks for the permission, it's up

[kevin]

It seems awfully convoluted and worried about small matters for a 2 hour origin story. There's a lot there that explanation isn't needed for and fresh audiences don't need to know about. Which doesn't make it wrong, but I'd rather see character origins and development.

[kevin]

I'm afraid IMO I disagree, until I see solid evidence otherwise.