10 Modern Star Trek Plots That Are The Same
Borrowing story ideas is nothing new, whether you're in the 23rd, 24th, 25th, or 32nd centuries!
For as long as stories have been committed to the masses, there's been 'borrowing' going on. Sure, sometimes this could be described as straight up, ahem, theft - but we'd never go so far as to use that word here, would we?
No, really, would we? I'll need an answer on that one!
Since 2017, we've been treated to more Star Trek at any one time than ever before. Discovery, Picard, Lower Decks, Strange New Worlds, and Prodigy have all delivered time and again, with some large stories kicking their way into the hearts and minds of fans, new and old.
Now, we've seen plenty of examples of Star Trek borrowing from itself, but this list is going to restrict its remit to just the episodes that have come since Discovery's debut. When, in such a short space of time, plots begin to get reused, it starts to become a little more noticeable. If, for example, an episode of Lower Decks was to borrow something from The Original Series - which it has, several times - then it's less noticeable.
If Strange New Worlds was to borrow something from Prodigy, then it would stand out quite a bit more, what with those series airing almost side by side. So get your comparison pens ready and let's have a look at all of the modern Star Trek stories that are more than a little similar.
10. Sam Rutherford Vs Red/Data Vs Lore
In Lower Decks' third season episode Reflections, Ensign Rutherford finds himself at odds...with himself. Or at least, he's battling a variation of himself, a holdover from a time before his implant was grafted to his skull. This version of himself, Red, is far less agreeable, and far less of a people pleaser. The two sides of this personality must battle each other for control of the one Rutherford body.
In Picard's third season episode Surrender, Data and Lore are revealed to now be sharing the same golem body. Without total control, it seems as though the Titan-A will fall to the Changeling forces under Vadic. There follows a beautiful exchange between the brothers, as Data hands items from his memory to his evil twin.
Though neither outcome was unexpected, there is a catharsis in seeing both Sam Rutherford and Data gain complete control of themselves again. It is certainly a similar plot point between the two shows, with some lovely easter eggs in Picard (hello Tasha), and some crucial information in Lower Decks (Commander Buenamigo?!)
Here, it simply boils down to taking a good idea and applying it across the board.