Star Trekfans are pretty divided in terms of how they feel about the current movie series that started with theJ.J. Abramsreboot in 2009. Casual fans of the franchise and lovers of big, sci-fi movies in general seem to really enjoy the current movies, whereas a lot of die hard Trekkies definitely have their problems with it. One of the main problems Trekkies have with the newStar Trekmovies is the somewhat messy timeline situation. It may not help a lot, but that timeline has finally been given on official title.
It wasn’tAbrams, CBS or anyone on the marketing team for theStar Trek Beyondthat finally decided to name the timeline for the current movies. It was theStar Trek Onlinevideo game that gets the credit, and they have dubbed it “The Kelvin Timeline.” Here is what the post had to say about the timeline.
“The sheer destruction from the Hobus supernova has weakened the barrier between our reality and one strangely similar to our own, leaving a strange temporal anomaly in its wake. This anomaly serves as a gateway between our universe… and a quantum universe both similar and different to our own. Inter-dimensional travel between these two realms is now a possibility… as the crew of the U.S.S.Kelvinfound out to their dismay…”
Because the name was given to this particular section ofStar Trek historyby the team behind the video game, that makes it an official part of the history ofStar Trek, because the game is officially licensed and sanctioned content.Star Trek Onlinetakes place roughly 30 years after the events ofStar Trek: Nemesis, so the game takes place in the more traditional timeline associated withStar Trek. As for why it was named “The Kelvin Timeline,” the post references the U.S.S. Kelvin, which was the ship featured in the opening sequence of the 2009Star Trekmovie that was destroyed by the Romulan ship. That is the moment that pretty much kicked off the alternate timeline, so it makes sense to name it as such.
The name Kelvin is not only synonymous with the currentStar Trek movies, but also with most ofAbramswork in general. The director likes to use the name as a way to honor his grandfather Henry Kelvin. InStar Wars: The Force Awakens, there was Kelvin Ridge and inStar Trek: Into Darkness, there as the Kelvin Memorial Archive, which was fairly central to the plot. So it seems extra appropriate that the timeline that was created byAbramsgoes by that name.
Both of theStar Trekmovies in thecurrent serieswere very successful, despite how some more long time fans may feel about how certain aspects of the franchise are being handled, like the alternate timeline.J.J. Abramsdid not return to direct the upcomingStar Trek Beyond, because he was tied up withStar Wars, butJustin Lintook over directing duties for the upcoming installment. Either way, it is still part of the newly named Kelvin Timeline, and we can probably expect another namedrop for Kelvin in there somewhere.Star Trek Beyondis set for a July 22 release.
