Why does Earth never seem to have any defenses?

Question

In every Star Trek movie and series, Earth almost never has defenses. Some THING is always heading toward Earth, and only an Enterprise that, usually, just happens to be in space dock has any hope of stopping it. Motion picture, Voyage home (not space dock though), Generations, First Contact(okay, most ships were neutralized, but gathered from spots other than Earth), as well as several series episodes. I understand advancing the plot line, but you'd thing the Federation capital would be a little better protected, yes? I've never even seen an orbital battle station or starbase in most of them!

Answer 1

LOL - Sounds like you need to write a script or novel. You could have an original idea there . :)

Answer 2

I'm afraid that it's just a way for the writers to heighten the dramatic experience for the audience. A similar aspect of our "willing suspension of disbelief" is the unrealistic relationship between real time and fictional time. The writers, directors, producers, actors, and - especially - the editors almost always compress huge chunks of experience into relatively brief sequences. Like the plotting, the temporal environment of nearly all fictional worlds is equally unrealistic. When we dive in, we usually have to leave our doubts behind.

Another complication: we know what's possible from what's been done on earth already. If earth is suddenly protected by some force-field or string of satellites, the skeptics in the audience will say, "Well, that's simply not possible." Oddly enough, the stranger the fictional environment, the more liberty the writer can take with the details. If an earth setting is, in some way, an "on-location" setting, one wouldn't want to change it too much.

You have a great idea, though. If you can actually create a sense of inevitability or realism that doesn't strain credulity, your audience will appreciate it.

Answer 3

You must know that Star Trek is fiction cause we're still here despite being helpless. The idea is that Earth has become peaceful on the surface...It was a political message that Rodenberry had hidden in the storylines that had continued out of respect for his view that we should live in PEACE--Even defensive weapons could be turned against ourselves so they didn't exist. Our defenses were pushed off the surface and into space...Starfleet...I do agree though that there should have been Orbital Battle Stations/Defenses. PEACE!

Answer 4

Actually in Star Trek III: The Search For Spock they have Spacedock, the most powerful starbase in the Federation. In Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home you see it again but it is drained of power with shuttles and starships inside. Even with the bases it would mean the end of a plot of it stopped the danger.

Answer 5

In real life, the Earth used to have a defense. It was the Great Pyramid. It put out a type of Field that protected us from all sorts of things.
If you don't believe, read a book called,The Giza Death Star.

Answer 6

And what... defend someone like you?

Get real. Star trek? Orbital battle station?

Dude the war is in Lebanon and someplace else, not in the outer space. Come back in Earth... ya momma misses you.

Answer 7

Why should we have an Orbital battle station. Do you foresee some alien's spaceship trying to conquer the Earth.
I have yet got to see a spaceship hovering over Washington, DC.
You need to go back and watch some more Sci-Fi.

Answer 8

There is little need for defenses when we are a peaceful world in the future.

With the awesome power of the Enterprise what else would you need.

I am sure they have enough defenses to destroy the milky Way many times over as we have enough missiles to destroy the planet many times over today but we do not like to speak of it.

Answer 9

Ummm, Star Trek isn't real.

In everyday life, Earth has what is called an atmosphere which protects it from things.

Answer 10

The movie wouldn't have the same affect if the Thing was heading toward Saturn or Mars. It is more exciting when the threat hits home, literally.

Answer 11

But if the Earth were better protected they'd have to actually think up plots and stories. What where you thinking?