Although Star Trek: Picard season 1 takes place in 2399, Picard's first episode, "Remembrance", cleverly includes a flashback to the 2387 Romulan Supernova from J.J. Abrams' Star Trek (2009), making the supernova a pivotal event in the Prime Timeline. Modern Star Trek shows Star Trek: Lower Decks and Star Trek: Prodigy, which take place in the 2380s, show what happened in the Star Trek timeline between the ending of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Picard's 2387 flashback. The peace that seemed to follow the United Federation of Planets' victory in DS9's Dominion War wouldn't actually last as long as expected.
The Federation Won The Dominion War In Star Trek: DS9
DS9's Dominion War Lasted From 2373 to 2375
The Federation won Star Trek: Deep Space Nine's Dominion War with the help of the Klingons and Romulans in a previously-unthinkable alliance of galactic powers. These former enemies came together to defend Star Trek's Alpha Quadrant from the Gamma Quadrant's Dominion after the discovery of the Bajoran Wormhole connected the two quadrants. The Dominion sought to conquer the Alpha Quadrant as easily as they'd gained control of the Gamma Quadrant and made strong headway thanks to Gul Dukat (Marc Alaimo) pledging the Cardassians' loyalty to the Dominion early in the war.
Allied Alpha Quadrant powers were led to victory by Star Trek: Deep Space Nine's Captain Benjamin Sisko (Avery Brooks) and Colonel Kira Nerys (Nana Visitor). Colonel Kira's assault on the Dominion's Cardassia Prime stronghold clinched the decisive win for the Federation. Following the capture of the female Changeling (Salome Jens), Constable Odo (Rene Auberjonois) returned to the Great Link to heal the Founders, who had been infected with Section 31's morphogenic virus. Although the Dominion ceased to be a threat, the war left scars on the Alpha Quadrant that would not fully heal.
Star Trek: Lower Decks begins in 2380, five years after the end of the Dominion War. Most of Lower Decks' main characters would have been at Starfleet Academy during the war, but Ensign Beckett Mariner (Tawny Newsome) graduated from the Academy before the Dominion War, in 2371. Mariner was stationed on Deep Space Nine sometime during the 2370s, placing her on the front lines of the Dominion War right as tensions flared between the Federation and Dominion. Mariner's PTSD from the war manifests as self-sabotage, which may be a fairly common experience among Starfleet's junior officers in this era.
The Klingon High Chancellor Is A Federation Ally
Dominion War Hero General Martok Became The Klingon High Chancellor
After Lieutenant Commander Worf (Michael Dorn) slayed Chancellor Gowron (Robert O'Reilly) in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine season 7, episode 22, "Tacking Into the Wind", Worf handed the title of Chancellor over to General Martok (J.G. Hertzler). Martok was a far better choice to lead the Klingon Empire than Worf, thanks to Martok's humble origins, experience as a Dominion prisoner of war, and keen ability to connect with others as a high-ranking leader. Worf, to his credit, became the Federation Ambassador to Q'onoS.
Star Trek: Lower Decks season 3, episode 2, "The Least Dangerous Game", features Chancellor Martok as the face of the Klingon Empire in a Dungeons & Dragons-style Klingon role-playing game called Bat'leths & BiHnuchs.
The Ferengi Grand Nagus Is A Friend Of The Federation
Grand Nagus Rom Is A Progressive Ferengi Leader
After a less-than-menacing debut in Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine changed the Ferengi into a capitalistic philosophical foil to the idealistic Federation. DS9's best Ferengi characters, especially Armin Shimerman's Quark, reflected a nuanced culture at odds with Federation ideals. Ferengi society took a surprising leap forward at the end of Deep Space Nine when Grand Nagus Zek (Wallace Shawn) named Rom (Max Grodénchik) as his successor. Rom looked up to Chief Miles O'Brien (Colm Meaney), and embraced Federation ideals, making Rom an interesting—and surprisingly progressive—choice to lead Ferenginar into a new era.
Under Rom's guidance, the Ferengi are hardly the threat to the Federation they tried to be in TNG.
DS9’s Peace Only Lasted For 10 Years Until Star Trek: Picard
The Romulan Zhat Vash Orchestrated The 2385 Synth Attacks on Mars
Ten years after the Federation won the Dominion War in 2375, a Star Trek: Picard flashback to the Mars Attack of 2385 reveals the tragedy that struck Starfleet's Utopia Planitia shipyards on Mars. Synthetic lifeforms employed by the shipyards revolted, killing the organic workers and destroying the fleet that was under construction on Mars. This fleet was destined to aid in the evacuation of Romulus prior to the Romulan Supernova of 2387, but after the Synth Attack, construction ceased. The Federation banned synthetics and was forced to retreat within its own borders, putting Starfleet's primary mission of exploration on hold.
The Synth Attacks on Mars were first featured in Star Trek: Short Treks season 2, episode 6, "Children of Mars", a short interlude that gives the backstory of the 2385 event through the eyes of two young girls. It serves as a prequel to Star Trek: Picard.
Year |
Events |
---|---|
2375 |
The Dominion War Ends; Star Trek: Insurrection |
2376 |
Star Trek: Voyager season 6 |
2377 |
Star Trek: Voyager season 7 |
2378 |
The USS Voyager returns home |
2379 |
Star Trek: Nemesis |
2380 |
Star Trek: Lower Decks season 1; Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan) joins the Fenris Rangers |
2381 |
Star Trek: Lower Decks seasons 2–5; Star Trek: Prodigy's Vindicator (Jameela Jamil) arrives in the Alpha Quadrant |
2382 |
Captain Chakotay (Robert Beltran) leaves on the USS Protostar |
2383 |
Star Trek: Prodigy season 1 |
2384 |
Star Trek: Prodigy season 2 |
2385 |
Synths attack the Utopia Planitia shipyards on Mars; Admiral Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) briefly retires; the USS Prodigy is commissioned, Admiral Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) resigns from Starfleet to protest Romulan rescue mission abandonment |