Star Trek: 10 Things We NOW Know About The Holodeck

3. It Generally Creates Realistic Background Characters - But Don't Push Them Too Far

Star Trek Lower Decks Crisis Point II Paradoxus
CBS Media Ventures

While episodes like The Big Goodbye and 11001001 introduced smarter, interactive holographic characters to the holodeck, they were a far cry from truly sentient lifeforms. Moriarty may have been designed to defeat Data but Minuet was only ever a test for Riker (a memorable one at that.)

By the 2380s, holographic technology had advanced significantly, but holodeck programs still had their limits. Aboard the USS Cerritos, Brad Boimler took charge of the sequel to Beckett Mariner's 'Crisis Point' program - to varying levels of success.

As Bucephalus Dagger, Boimler was fully capable of leading. However, encumbered with the 'death' of his 'twin', Boimler suddenly found himself unable to operate within the parameters he himself had set out. No longer interested with the spy and search plot, he instead switches his focus to the meaning of life. 

Those poor holograms really weren't prepared for that. Cue a journey in search of Ki-Ty-Ha, the existential destination putting Sha-Ka-Ree to shame. However, unlike the greatest Trek film of them all, the eventual reveal that the holographic characters manage to come up with was the reveal that Ki-Ty-Ha was, in fact, a sign reading Kitty Hawk, and their destination was the Wright Brothers's plane.

Confused? You should be, because those holograms were too. The moral of the story was holodecks and holograms are adaptable, but everything has its limits. 

It's ok though. The Horsey is going to bite you now.

Contributor
Contributor

Seán is the host and head writer/presenter for TrekCulture, as well as a writer/presenter on WhoCulture and WhatCulture Horror. He has authored two novels, dozens of short stories, and hundreds of articles for WhatCulture. He holds a Master of Arts in Creative Writing from University College Dublin. As part of his work with TrekCulture, Seán has been invited to participate in collaborations with Roddenberry Entertainment, as well as contributing to several Star Trek community projects. An avid fan of Star Trek, Doctor Who, and the horror genre at large, Seán's expertise has helped develop these channels to the successes they are today. As host of the Ups & Downs series on TrekCulture, Seán has become internationally recognised for his positive yet critically informed approach to reviewing every episode of modern Star Trek, ensuring he is one of the go-to voices in the Trek community. Favourite Quote to describe himself: "I'm serious about what I do, just not always about the way that I do it"