59 Years Later, Star Trek Settles the Starship Debate That’s Divided Fans for Ages

Star Trek: Voyager: Homecoming #2 is written by Tilly Bridges and Susan Bridges and drawn by Angel Hernandez. Species 8472 has taken over Voyager and brought it to Fluidic Space. B’Elanna Torres makes it to

Voyager’s deflector dish to use it to get the ship home, but 8472 destroys the device, dealing the crew a serious blow.

Starships Are Key to Science Fiction, and the
Enterprise Stands Above Them All

Many Vital Systems Ensure the Enterprise Stays Safe On Missions

Starships, such as the Enterprise or Voyager, are a key element of science fiction. The

Enterprise may be one of the best known examples of a starship in the genre, as well as pop culture as a whole. Its sleek look, designed by Matt Jeffries, was distinct in an era of rocketships and flying saucers.

Starships come equipped with many systems and devices necessary to keep them running. One of them is life support, as well as artificial gravity. A warp core is vital too, as is a sickbay or some medical center. Yet perhaps the most important of all is the deflector dish, or “the navigational deflector.”

A Starship's Deflector Dish Is Vital to Keeping the Enterprise and Voyager Safe

Star Trek Has Shown Many Other Uses for the Deflector Dish

The deflector dish is one of many crucial systems necessary for the safe operation of a starship. It clears away space debris that might get in a starship’s path. It operates at warp speed as well, and keeps the ship from colliding with particles that could damage it at such high velocities.

Yet as seen in several Star Trek television episodes and movies, the deflector dish can be used for other purposes as well. In the legendary Star Trek: The Next Generation

episode “The Best of Both Worlds” Part One, the crew modified the Enterprise’s deflector dish to serve as a weapon against the Borg.

The deflector dish played a critical role in the

Enterprise crew’s second mission against the Borg, as detailed in Star Trek: First Contact. Perhaps learning their lesson from last time, the Borg seize the dish when they take over the

Enterprise. The Borg intended to use it as a summoning beacon, until Picard and Worf stopped them.

Species 8472 Knows the Most Vital Aspect of Any Star Trek Starship

Species 8472 Have Seemed to Solve a Big Star Trek Debate

As seen in Star Trek: Voyager: Homecoming #2, Species 8472 has recognized just how important the deflector dish is to a starship. The issue makes it clear 8472 did their homework before attacking

Voyager. Their examinations no doubt showed them how many villains’ plans were thwarted by the deflector dish. Species 8472 planned accordingly.

In attacking Voyager’s navigational deflector, Species 8472 has seemingly settled a debate that has raged among

Star Trek fans: the most vital element of a starship. Everyone has their own idea on what ranks the highest, but Species 8472, one of the most cunning foes in

Star Trek history, saw the importance in the deflector dish.

Talamasca Showrunners Address Whether Zombies Exist In New Spinoff After Subtle Walking Dead Joke

Talamasca: The Secret Order's showrunners have addressed whether zombies really exist in the Immortal Universe after a subtle joke aimed at

The Walking Dead. During Talamasca: The Secret Order episodes 1 and 2, when Guy Anatole is being introduced to the organization by Helen, she explains how they oversee immortal beings, in particular "

vampires, witches, demons, and ghosts."

Guy jokes about whether the Talamasca deals with zombies too, with Helen responding that they aren't real and he "[watches] too much telly.

" The exchange appeared to be a subtle joke about The Walking Dead franchise, which is also overseen by AMC. Though the exchange is small, it's a clear nod to the other major universe on the network.

Speaking with TVLine about the funny moment, Talamasca: The Secret Order showrunners John Lee Hancock and Mark Laffery explained it was, in fact, a subtle nod to The Walking Dead

. The pair also confirmed zombies do not exist in the Immortal Universe, but that there are supernatural creatures resembling the shambling undead which "seem zombie-like" in appearance and behavior:

John Lee Hancock: That was just a fun little rib at AMC that we thought would give them a chuckle and they wouldn't be offended by.

Mark Laffery: Our meticulous Anne Rice fact checkers at Gran Via [Productions] and AMC didn't flag that one, so as far as we understand, there are no zombies in the Anne Rice Universe. If there are, let us know. We could probably make some use of them.

[T]here are definitely beings that sort of seem zombie-like. We have hybrid creatures and things where you go, 'I don't know quite what that is.' But yeah, for now I think 'The Walking Dead' has has grabbed that zip code and taken it fully from us.

As Laffery states, there are no zombies in Anne Rice's original work. However, zombie-like creatures are present, even within the cast of Talamasca: The Secret Order. Jasper, a vampire who has a hold over the group's London branch, appears to be amassing feral vampires underground, their mindless hunger reminiscent of zombies despite not actually meeting the criteria.

Instead, it seems like the franchise will be keeping its focus on vampires and witches for now. This not only includes Talamasca: The Secret Order's story, but also those of

Interview with the Vampire season 3 and Mayfair Witches season 3. The showrunners' vision aligns with the Immortal Universe, making zombies impossible in any of their shows.

Even so, the small reference to

The Walking Dead was fitting, especially since Guy is still new to the world of immortals. While he's not going to encounter zombies in the future, the feral vampires will be a close second. It's possible this not only passes for a reference to another show, but also foreshadows events to come.

Whether there will be more references to other horror properties in future Talamasca: The Secret Order episodes remains unclear. But, with this fun joke aimed at The Walking Dead, it seems like the series isn't afraid to shy away from it. Depending on what's next, perhaps the show will offer some hints as to where its story is heading next.

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