Star Wars or Star Trek?

[~Mizuki~]

I dunno know if there's a thread like this but...anywho

This is a question I've been wondering about for a very long time because I know I can't answer the thing even if you paid me in cold hard cash...my mind just explodes by the word 'or' when dealing with these two franchises...but now lemme ask this

Star Wars or Star Trek?

 

[Emma]

This is a very complicated question. But I'll simplify it best I can.

Star Wars is more narrative-driven. It sets out to tell a story and that is its main focus. It doesn't concern itself with big, tough moral decisions. It is there to tell a story and nothing else. It is still a very good franchise that has inspired people regardless. It is very influential and most science fiction today draws some inspiration from it.

Star Trek, on the other hand, is more about saying a message and hoping for a better future for humanity than we have today. It has some story, yes, but that's not the point of it. It is all about making a better tomorrow and getting past our petty differences to work together. It also is now a major inspiration for all science fiction today. As well as for science. Many technologies we take for granted today were inspired by Star Trek. The best example being the cell phone. At the time, the idea was revolutionary.

They both are good in their own ways, and I usually don't like choosing one over the other. They're both good, they're both important.

 

[Ayn Marx]

Stargate.

 

[Stitch]

I enjoy both, but each has their strengths and their weaknesses. Star Trek is often hit or miss, especially when it comes to the movies. Star Wars on the other hand had a great streak going until George Lucas decided to come back and redo/continue making Star Wars movies. He never quite found the magic of the originals and the franchise has had a hard time finding what makes it so successful and beloved the past decade until recently. Of course Star Trek went through a similar thing and has recently come out with two really good films, even if they divided the fans. I am really excited to see what the future holds for both of these amazing franchises, even if both rely on the hands of the same man (J.J. Abrams).

 

[Batman]

Star Trek is a soft science fiction space opera that has a heavy focus on philosophy, politics, ethics, the future of science, the future of humanity, etc. It's very intellectual and tries to basically immerse the viewer in thinking about future problems and deals heavily with post-modern themes. It's full of submarine-style action and space adventure with subtle but exciting sequences and is almost exclusively episodic in its presentation; meaning every episode or movie tackles a different plot and presents different themes. Star Trek was a way for Gene Roddenberry to get secular humanism, libertarian socialism, futurism, optimistic science, and multi-culturalism out into the mainstream of the film and TV industry so to inspire people to think about and invest in a better future.

Star Wars is a science fantasy space opera that basically tries to present an epic mythology in the future. Literarily, Star Wars shares most elements with the epic poems and myths throughout human history as well as the modern high fantasy genre, but differs in that it's told on a far future stage and takes advantage of several SF tropes. Its primary goal is to tell a good, exciting story of epic proportions in the romantic mode. It doesn't bother itself too much with deep philosophical, ethical, socio-political, and scientific questions like Star Trek, but instead focuses on telling a beautiful heroic story. It has bursting, colorful, exotic action scenes and presents a very well done heroe's journey using hyperadvanced and unexplained science to get the characters where they want to go and do the things they want to do with style.

Both are space operas, but that's about where the similarities end. ST and SW are very different franchises that wish to create very different products, but both are deserving of high praise an admiration. Personally, I love both franchises a lot, but my favorite of the two has to be Star Trek.

 

[Salem]

Star Wars, any day of the week.

 

[Seth]

Star Trek, no question.

 

[Chiraku]

I prefer Star Wars, simply because Star Trek is more mature a series and I grew up with the former.

 

[misskitten]

Neither, I'd rather watch Stargate.

To be fair, I haven't watched any Star Trek, so I don't have an opinion about it. It probably depends on how the characters are like. I've noticed that older sci-fi tend to have very stiff acting, which simply doesn't appeal to me. It completely turned me off Babylon 5 when I checked that out (because so many friends of mine really praised it). I have no idea whether Star Trek would fall into this category of sci-fi or if it would surprise me. But right now I have no formed opinion about the show.

With Star Wars, I've seen most of it - the new ones on my own, and the old ones because one of the people I take care of at work is a fan and have watched them repeatedly in my presence - and it just doesn't engage me at all. I don't find myself invested in neither the characters, the story nor the world. And I like a lot of sci-fi stuff, so... yeah. Not a fan.

 

[Skunk]

I haven't seen much of Star Trek, so Star Wars it is.

 

[43ForceGems]

Well I grew up watching Star Wars, like any other kid. I had all the lightsabers. We would have hours on end lightsaber fights with all the guys in my neighborhood. Sigh... nostalgia...

But anyways, looking back now... The Star Wars movies just kinda sucked They were just not good movies. But I never have really watched the original Star Trek series, I have seen the new movies by JJ Abrams though, and I actually really liked Into Darkness. But I just... Simply don't care for either of them

 

[Zelda169]

ayn rand would be proud
star wars

 

[mαrkαsscoρ]

im a major star wars fanatic,watched and enjoyed all the movies,played the hell out of battlefront 1 & 2,and basically grew up loving the franchise
still need to find time for star trek

 

[Force of Power]

I never could get into Star Trek. Wrath of Khan wasn't even that great for me.

Star Wars, on the other hand, has fantastic charm, visuals, action, likable characters, pretty much everything that makes a movie excellent. I honestly even liked the prequels (I even compare III to the older ones), so it's Star Wars for me.

 

[Viral Maze]

Never seen the Star Trek TV series, only the recent movies directed by Abrams.
Regardless, I'd go with Star Wars. Not by much though.