10 More Changes That Star Trek Hoped You Wouldn't Notice
Let's look at the biggest retcons and mistakes that Star Trek tries to ignore.
Star Trek has changed so much over the years, sometimes in obvious ways (like the redesign of the Klingons), but other times, these changes can be subtle enough to go unnoticed by most. Fortunately, there are thousands of dedicated fans like us who love to point out every tiny inconsistency.
We've already done one list going over small changes that the creators of Star Trek hoped we wouldn't notice, but there are still many more retcons and lore issues to go over. Starting with The Original Series, all the way to modern Trek, we're here to discuss changes that probably went over your head (even though many on this list imply some very interesting stuff about the Trek universe).
Regardless of whether or not these changes can be explained logically, we love Star Trek, especially its flaws.
10. Starfleet Was The UESPA
There was no mention of Starfleet in the early episodes of The Original Series. Prior to the first mention of Starfleet in the episode Court Martial, the Enterprise was said to be operated by the UESPA (United Earth Space Probe Agency). For decades, it was assumed that the UESPA and Starfleet were the same organisations, and the name change was a single retcon.
After Court Martial, the UESPA wasn't mentioned again for decades, until the Voyager episode Friendship One, which featured an earth probe by the name Friendship 1, with the registry UESPA-1 on its hull. This officially confirmed that the UESPA is still part of canon (even as far back as 2067, when Friendship 1 was launched). The registry, UESPA-1, also seemed to imply that this was the first vessel developed by the agency. The UESPA has also been referenced in more subtle ways throughout the franchise, like by appearing on dedication plaques on the Star Trek: Enterprise and Generations sets.
Today, it's assumed that the UESPA was in charge of coordinating the Enterprise's five-year mission from The Original Series, while the crew themselves included members of both Starfleet and the UESPA (as well as enlisted personnel, like McCoy). This could explain why Kirk chose to report to the UESPA headquarters in Charlie X, rather than Starfleet.
Much like the old look of the Klingons, the Enterprise working with the UESPA is actually canon, despite the fact that we know both changes started as retcons.