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Alternate timeline

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(Examples of alternate timelines)
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:''For the alternate timeline created by [[Nero]]'s incursion, see [[alternate reality]].''
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An '''alternate timeline''', also known as an '''alternate universe''' or '''alternate reality''', was a [[timeline]] that differs from that of the main universe.
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{{pna}}
 
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[[Image:Old Jake Sisko.jpg|thumb|[[Jake Sisko]] in an alternate timeline]]
 
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[[Image:Dax and Bashir married.jpg|thumb|[[Jadzia Dax|Dax]] and [[Julian Bashir|Bashir]], still friends in an alternate future]]
 
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An '''alternate timeline''' is a tangential [[space-time continuum]], typically created upon the alteration of one or more events in the 'past'. Alternate timelines are frequently the result of unintentional temporal interference.
 
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:''When subsequent episodes or films use the alternate timeline, this timeline becomes the main timeline and timelines appearing in episodes and films prior become "alternate". In {{e|Fury}}, [[Kathryn Janeway]] and [[Tuvok]] did not know about [[Kes]]' future bitterness and desire to destroy Voyager. When Kes failed to destroy Voyager, and her plan was made apparent to Janeway and Tuvok, this created a new timeline in which they did know about Kes' future bitterness. This means that the episodes in between this timeline display a different "alternate" timeline.''
 
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== Classification ==
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An alternate timeline differed from a [[parallel universe]] in that it was caused by uncorrected [[time travel]]. At least [[alternate reality|one alternate timeline]] has been known to coexist with the Prime timeline. ({{film|11}})
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:''This 'classification' of alternate timelines is not based in [[canon]].''
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: ''Despite differences, "alternate universe" has been used interchangeably with parallel universe on a number of occassions.''
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{{pna-inaccurate}}
 
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=== Closed timelines ===
 
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Closed timelines occur when an alternate timeline is created, then eliminated through the actions of "external" agents. Typically, the participants within these timelines are unaware of any change, either upon the creation of the alternate timeline, or once the timeline reverts to its "true" form, unless shielded from those changes by temporally-sensitive materials (for example, [[chroniton]]s and [[temporal shield]]s). ({{VOY|Year of Hell}}; {{DS9|Past Tense, Part I|Past Tense, Part II}}) Since this is the case, most incidents of closed timelines go unreported, except by the [[Department of Temporal Investigations]]. ({{DS9|Trials and Tribble-ations}}) Such timelines usually involve a cyclic aspect (action in the original timeline altering the past/future, creating an alternate timeline, an object/person unaffected by the temporal change traveling to/already present in the past/future to ensure the original timeline is re-established). Often in the case of alternate timelines, they are erased by actions by the people within them, such as when {{USS|Voyager}} destroyed the [[Krenim weapon ship]] and erased it from history, or when the crew of [[Enterprise (NX-01)|''Enterprise'']] sacrificed themselves and the ship in an alternate future in order to destroy [[Interspatial parasite|parasites]] in the present Captain [[Jonathan Archer|Archer]]'s brain in the hopes that he'd be able to save the future, erasing that timeline.
 
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=== Examples of alternate timelines ===
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The [[Sphere Builder]]s had the ability to see the outcome of different alternate timelines. ({{ENT|Azati Prime}})
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*In [[2344]], the {{USS|Enterprise|NCC-1701-C|-C}} responded to a distress call from a [[Klingon]] [[outpost]] on [[Narendra III]], which was under attack by [[Romulan]] forces. In the "real" timeline the Enterprise saved the outpost and strengthened relations between the Federation and the Klingons. However, during the battle with the Romulans a [[Temporal rift]] opened and the ''Enterprise'', badly damaged and disoriented, traveled to [[2366]], in the presence of its successor, the {{USS|Enterprise|NCC-1701-D|-D}}. Because the ''Enterprise''-C was not there to save the outpost it was destroyed and the Klingons declared war on the Federation. For the next 22 years, the two powers engaged in a bitter war that cost 40 billion lives and left the Federation on the brink of defeat. In this timeline, [[Tasha Yar]] was still alive and serving as tactical officer aboard the ''Enterprise''-D in [[2366]].<br><br>[[Guinan]] began to feel the change in time as "not right". She advised Captain Picard of the changes and eventually convinced him to send the ''Enterprise''-C back through the rift. Yar discovered through Guinan that she died in the other timeline and felt that she could help aboard the ''Enterprise''-C rather than where she felt she didn't belong. The Klingons attacked the two ships as the ''Enterprise''-C flew toward the rift, while the ''Enterprise''-D defended her. The ''Enterprise''-D was likely destroyed by the Klingons, but the ''Enterprise''-C made it through the rift and restored the timeline, erasing the war from history. ({{TNG|Yesterday's Enterprise}})<br><br>However, during the battle with the Romulans, the ''Enterprise''-C was forced to surrender and prisoners, including the alternate Yar, were taken. Yar had a child with a Romulan and was later executed. The child, [[Sela]], became a [[commander]] in the Romulan military and encountered the ''Enterprise''-D several times. ({{TNG|The Mind's Eye|Redemption|Redemption II|Unification I|Unification II}})
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:''It can be presumed that [[Worf]] was fighting with the Klingons elsewhere in this timeline, or that he did not survive the Romulan attack on [[Khitomer]], or because of the war between the Federation and the Klingons the Romulans didn't attack Khitomer and Worf is living in the Klingon Empire, or because of the war he wasn't accepted to Starfleet Academy.''
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The [[philosophy|philosopher]] [[Ving Kuda]] wrote the book ''[[Ethics, Sophistry and the Alternate Universe]]'' prior to [[2366]]. ({{TNG|Captain's Holiday}})
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=="History" of alternate timelines==
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===''Enterprise'' (NX-01)===
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The first encounter with an alternate timeline came during the [[Temporal Cold War]] in [[2152]]. The war itself was fought over the rights to alter the timeline as one sees fit. [[Captain]] [[Jonathan Archer]] was taken by [[Temporal agent|Agent]] [[Daniels (Crewman)|Daniels]] to the [[31st century]]. Archer arrived in a timeline where the [[Federation]] was never formed and [[Earth]] was in ruins. He was able to return and prevent this timeline on the [[Suliban helix]]. ({{ENT|Shockwave|Shockwave, Part II}})
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''Another alternate timeline occurred in [[2153]]. Jonathan Archer was attacked by [[interspatial parasite]]s that affected his short-term memory. Removed from command, ''[[Enterprise (NX-01)|Enterprise]]'' failed in [[Xindi incident|its mission]] and [[Earth]] was destroyed. The timeline was reverted when the parasites were destroyed in [[2165]], which also destroyed them in the past.'' ({{ENT|Twilight}})
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In early [[2154]], Daniels brought Archer forward in time again, to the [[26th century]]. In that timeline, the [[Delphic Expanse sphere]]s had expanded throughout the [[Milky Way Galaxy|galaxy]] and was a constant threat to [[Starfleet]]. ({{ENT|Azati Prime}})
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Another encounter with an alternate timeline occurred during the Xindi incident in 2154. ''Enterprise'' encountered an alternate version of itself that had been transported [[2037|117 years into the past]] and was crewed by the descendants of the original personnel. This ''Enterprise'' helped prevent the disaster that caused the temporal excursion. ({{ENT|E²}})
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After destroying the spheres, ''Enterprise'' was unknowingly sent to an alternate version of [[1944]]. This timeline, created by the [[Na'kuhl]] through the [[1917]] assassination of [[Vladimir Lenin]], featured a [[World War II]] that had expanded into the [[United States]]. These timeline changes were reverted when ''Enterprise'' destroyed the [[temporal conduit]] created by the Na'kuhl. Daniels returned ''Enterprise'' to its rightful place in time. ({{ENT|Storm Front|Storm Front, Part II}})
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===USS ''Enterprise'' (NCC-1701)===
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After overdosing on [[cordrazine]], Dr. [[Leonard H. McCoy|McCoy]] became the first person in millennia to utilize the [[Guardian of Forever]] in [[2267]]. Saving [[Edith Keeler]] from death in [[1930]], McCoy created an alternate timeline where Keeler promoted pacifism in the United States, the [[Nazi]]s won World War II, and the {{USS|Enterprise|NCC-1701}} and [[Starfleet]] never existed. [[James T. Kirk]] and [[Spock]], who were protected by the Guardian's temporal distortion, traveled back to 1930 to prevent this timeline, and were able to do so at the cost of Edith Keeler's life. ({{TOS|The City on the Edge of Forever}})
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During [[2269]], when Kirk, Spock, and [[Erikson]] travelled to the dawn of [[Orion]] civilization via the Guardian, an alternate timeline was created where Spock died [[2239|at age seven]]. [[Amanda Grayson]] divorced [[Sarek]] and perished in a [[shuttle]] accident, and [[Commander]] [[Thelin]] became the ''Enterprise'' [[first officer]] in [[2264]]. This timeline was averted when Spock travelled to the past and posed as his cousin [[Selek]], as he was [[predestination paradox|predestined]] to do. ({{TAS|Yesteryear}})
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===USS ''Enterprise'' (NCC-1701-C)===
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''In [[2344]], during the [[Battle of Narendra III]], the ''Enterprise'' was thrust [[2366|22 years into the future]], where it encountered [[USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D)|another ''Enterprise'']] that was in the midst of an [[Federation-Klingon War (alternate timeline)|ongoing war]] against the [[Klingon Empire]].''
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''Believing that the ship's presence at [[Narendra III]] would help prevent the war, the ''Enterprise'' returned through its [[temporal rift]].'' ({{TNG|Yesterday's Enterprise}})
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===USS ''Enterprise'' (NCC-1701-D)===
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: ''See also: [[Anti-time past]], [[Anti-time present]], and [[Anti-time future]]''
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({{TNG|Time Squared|Tapestry}}; {{film|7}})
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{{pna-incomplete}}
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===USS ''Defiant'' (NX-74205) / Deep Space 9===
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[[Image:Old Jake Sisko.jpg|thumb|[[Jake Sisko]] in an alternate timeline]]
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({{DS9|Past Tense, Part I|Past Tense, Part II|Visionary|The Visitor|Children of Time}})
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{{pna-incomplete}}
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<br clear=all>
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===USS ''Voyager''===
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* ({{VOY|Time and Again|Non Sequitur|Before and After|Future's End|Future's End, Part II}})
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* ({{VOY|Year of Hell|Year of Hell, Part II|Timeless|Relativity|Fury}})
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* ({{VOY|Shattered|Endgame}})
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{{pna-incomplete}}
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*Sometime before [[2174]], the [[Krenim]] [[Temporal Mechanics|temporal]] [[scientist]] [[Annorax]] built a [[Krenim weapon ship|temporal weapon]] that caused incursions in the timeline. He used this weapon against the enemies of the [[Krenim Imperium]] and erased them from the timeline. The first species he eliminated restored the Imperium to great power. The second species he eliminated caused a once cured disease to ravage much of the Imperium. His attempt to correct this mistake accidentally erased his wife from history. In an obsession, he led the crew of his weapon-ship for two hundred years, trying to restore the Imperium to power ''and'' restore his wife. No matter how much of the Imperium was restored, his wife never came back. These multiple eliminations caused paradox after paradox in the timeline, eliminating dozens of species.<br><br>In 2374, the {{USS|Voyager}} attempted to cross Krenim space, unaware of the constant changes in the timeline. A Krenim ship intercepted them and attempted to destroy them, but the ship was no match for ''Voyager'' and fled. The crew then met with the [[Zahl]], who had claimed Krenim territory for their own and make peaceful contact. Annorax meanwhile took his weapon to the Zahl homeworld and eliminated the species. The Zahl ambassador and the two Zahl ships nearby disappeared, the crew had no memory of encountering them. The small Krenim ship they encountered was suddenly much larger, and powerful.<br><br>For the next several months, ''Voyager'' was attacked again and again by Krenim ships. unable to defend against their [[chroniton torpedo]]s, ''Voyager'' sustained heavy damage and many of the crew died. Eventually [[Seven of Nine]] discovered an intact and armed torpedo in ''Voyager'''s hull. She scanned the torpedo and formulated a defense against the weaponry, but in the process she disobeyed orders and [[Tuvok]] was rendered blind. This led to the creation of [[temporal shield]]s. ''Voyager'' finally had a defense against the Krenim ships and continued through their territory. Nearby, Annorax eliminated yet another species, but ''Voyager''{{'}}s shielding protected them from the change and threw Annorax's calculations off, reducing the Imperium to a small region of space.<br><br>Annorax intercepted ''Voyager'', kidnapped [[Tom Paris]] and [[Chakotay]] and attempted to erase ''Voyager''. ''Voyager'' escaped and sustained heavy damage, forcing Captain [[Kathryn Janeway]] to order the crew to abandon ship. The senior staff continued to man ''Voyager'' and hid the ship in a [[nebula]] to make what few repairs they could. Meanwhile, Chakotay and Paris were held hostage as "artifacts" from lost times aboard the weapon. Annorax began to influence Chakotay while Paris still wanted to escape. Finally, they managed to contact ''Voyager'' and a plan was formulated. ''Voyager'' made allies with two alien species and led a small fleet to intercept the weapon. Chakotay and Paris managed to lower the weapon's shields and render it vulnerable to conventional weapons. After the fleet is crippled and ''Voyager'' nearly destroyed, Janeway crashed the ship into the weapon. With the weapon destroyed, the entire timeline was restored and the paradoxes ceased. In the "real" timeline, ''Voyager'' approached Krenim space and was advised to avoid it due to territory disputes. They altered course and never encounter the Krenim again.<br><br>Annorax found himself on his home colony, with his wife, unaware of the chaos in time he had, and never had, created. ({{VOY|Year of Hell}})
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===USS ''Enterprise'' (NCC-1701-E)===
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({{film|8}})
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{{pna-incomplete}}
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*In [[2372]], the [[Bajoran Wormhole]] was about to undergo an [[subspace inversion]]. On board the {{USS|Defiant|NX-74205}}, Captain [[Benjamin Sisko]] and his son [[Jake Sisko]] attempted to observe this phenomenon. When the wormhole began to invert, it caused a problem in [[Engineering]] and Ben went to look into it. Jake followed him, even though he was told to stay behind. The warp core suddenly went critical. Benjamin stopped it, but then the core released a discharge and struck both Ben and Jake. Ben disappeared and was presumed dead.<br><br>Days later, Jake suddenly saw his father in a flash of light. He consulted [[Jadzia Dax]] and she found no anomalous traits. Jake dismissed it as a dream and moved on.<br><br>With the death of Benjamin, the [[Bajoran]]s felt that the [[Prophets]] had abandoned them and formed a defense pact with the [[Cardassian]]s. The Klingons became angry as this happened and threatened war. The civilian population left [[Deep Space 9]], but Jake stayed behind. [[Nog]] left and joined Starfleet. Months later, he found his father in a hallway on the station. Jake took him to the infirmary and it was discovered that Ben was trapped in a temporal inversion, suddenly he would appear in normal space and then fall into subspace, unaware of the time that passed. Before they could help him, Benjamin went back into subspace.<br><br>The situation with the Klingons became more dangerous and Starfleet turned over DS9 to them. Jake left and moved to Louisiana, where he married a Bajoran woman named [[Korena]] and became a writer. Years later, the Klingons began to allow Federation ships through the wormhole again. One night, Ben appeared again and learned of the changes that had occurred. He disappeared right after he told Jake how proud of him he was. Jake became obsessed with getting his father back, to the point where Korena left him. Fifty years had gone by since Ben disappeared and the wormhole was about to invert again. Nog had become a captain and resurrected the ''Defiant'' from mothballs. With most of the crew, Jake went to the wormhole. As it inverted he was pulled into subspace and he saw his father again. Ben was horrified to find that Jake had lost his wife just to get him back and urged him to return to his life. Jake returned to normal space without his father.<br><br>Years later, a woman named [[Melanie]] visited Jake and told him she was a fan of his written works. Jake told her the story of his father. The next day, Ben returned once again and was pleased to see that Jake has begun to write again. Jake explained that he discovered that he himself was what kept drawing Ben back from subspace. If Jake died while Ben was in subspace, he would be lost. But Jake discovered that if he died when Ben was in normal space, he would return to the moment of the inversion. Jake poisoned himself and died while his father was in normal space. Ben witnessed the death of his son, and suddenly found himself back on the ''Defiant'' and leaped at Jake, knocking him out of the way from the energy discharge, and preventing his disappearance into subspace. ({{DS9|The Visitor}})
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===''Narada'' / ''Jellyfish''===
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: ''See [[alternate reality]]''
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== Episodes ==
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==Background information==
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Alternate timelines are depicted in the following episodes:
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In both {{film|4}} and {{DS9|Trials and Tribble-ations}}, the time travel that occurs appears to cause alternate timelines, but may in fact be predestination paradoxes.
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<div class="appear">
 
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*{{TOS}}
 
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**{{e|The City on the Edge of Forever}}
 
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*{{TAS}}
 
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**{{e|Yesteryear}}
 
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*{{TNG}}
 
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**{{e|Time Squared}}
 
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**{{e|Yesterday's Enterprise}}
 
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**{{e|Tapestry}}
 
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**{{e|All Good Things...}}
 
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*{{DS9}}
 
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**{{e|Past Tense, Part I}}
 
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**{{e|Past Tense, Part II}}
 
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**{{e|Visionary}}
 
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**{{e|The Visitor}}
 
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**{{e|Trials and Tribble-ations}}
 
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**{{e|Children of Time}}
 
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*{{VOY}}
 
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**{{e|Time and Again}}
 
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**{{e|Non Sequitur}}
 
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**{{e|Before and After}}
 
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**{{e|Future's End}}
 
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**{{e|Future's End, Part II}}
 
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**{{e|Year of Hell}}
 
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**{{e|Year of Hell, Part II}}
 
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**{{e|Timeless}}
 
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**{{e|Relativity}}
 
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**{{e|Fury}}
 
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**{{e|Shattered}}
 
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**{{e|Endgame}}
 
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*{{ENT}}
 
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**{{e|Shockwave}}
 
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**{{e|Shockwave, Part II}}
 
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**{{e|Twilight}}
 
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**{{e|E²}}
 
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**{{e|Storm Front}}
 
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**{{e|Storm Front, Part II}}
 
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*[[Star Trek films|''Star Trek'' films]]
 
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**{{film|4}}
 
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**{{film|7}}
 
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**{{film|8}}
 
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**{{film|11}}
 
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</div>
 
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== Related topics ==
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==See also==
* [[Time travel episodes|List of time travel episodes]]
* [[Time travel episodes|List of time travel episodes]]
* [[Temporal anomaly]]
* [[Temporal anomaly]]
* [[Temporal mechanics]]
* [[Temporal mechanics]]
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* [[Time]]
 
== External link ==
== External link ==

Revision as of 21:36, May 14, 2009

An alternate timeline, also known as an alternate universe or alternate reality, was a timeline that differs from that of the main universe.

An alternate timeline differed from a parallel universe in that it was caused by uncorrected time travel. At least one alternate timeline has been known to coexist with the Prime timeline. (Star Trek)

Despite differences, "alternate universe" has been used interchangeably with parallel universe on a number of occassions.

The Sphere Builders had the ability to see the outcome of different alternate timelines. (ENT: "Azati Prime")

The philosopher Ving Kuda wrote the book Ethics, Sophistry and the Alternate Universe prior to 2366. (TNG: "Captain's Holiday")

Contents

"History" of alternate timelines

Enterprise (NX-01)

The first encounter with an alternate timeline came during the Temporal Cold War in 2152. The war itself was fought over the rights to alter the timeline as one sees fit. Captain Jonathan Archer was taken by Agent Daniels to the 31st century. Archer arrived in a timeline where the Federation was never formed and Earth was in ruins. He was able to return and prevent this timeline on the Suliban helix. (ENT: "Shockwave", "Shockwave, Part II")

Another alternate timeline occurred in 2153. Jonathan Archer was attacked by interspatial parasites that affected his short-term memory. Removed from command, Enterprise failed in its mission and Earth was destroyed. The timeline was reverted when the parasites were destroyed in 2165, which also destroyed them in the past. (ENT: "Twilight")

In early 2154, Daniels brought Archer forward in time again, to the 26th century. In that timeline, the Delphic Expanse spheres had expanded throughout the galaxy and was a constant threat to Starfleet. (ENT: "Azati Prime")

Another encounter with an alternate timeline occurred during the Xindi incident in 2154. Enterprise encountered an alternate version of itself that had been transported 117 years into the past and was crewed by the descendants of the original personnel. This Enterprise helped prevent the disaster that caused the temporal excursion. (ENT: "")

After destroying the spheres, Enterprise was unknowingly sent to an alternate version of 1944. This timeline, created by the Na'kuhl through the 1917 assassination of Vladimir Lenin, featured a World War II that had expanded into the United States. These timeline changes were reverted when Enterprise destroyed the temporal conduit created by the Na'kuhl. Daniels returned Enterprise to its rightful place in time. (ENT: "Storm Front", "Storm Front, Part II")

USS Enterprise (NCC-1701)

After overdosing on cordrazine, Dr. McCoy became the first person in millennia to utilize the Guardian of Forever in 2267. Saving Edith Keeler from death in 1930, McCoy created an alternate timeline where Keeler promoted pacifism in the United States, the Nazis won World War II, and the USS Enterprise and Starfleet never existed. James T. Kirk and Spock, who were protected by the Guardian's temporal distortion, traveled back to 1930 to prevent this timeline, and were able to do so at the cost of Edith Keeler's life. (TOS: "The City on the Edge of Forever")

During 2269, when Kirk, Spock, and Erikson travelled to the dawn of Orion civilization via the Guardian, an alternate timeline was created where Spock died at age seven. Amanda Grayson divorced Sarek and perished in a shuttle accident, and Commander Thelin became the Enterprise first officer in 2264. This timeline was averted when Spock travelled to the past and posed as his cousin Selek, as he was predestined to do. (TAS: "Yesteryear")

USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-C)

In 2344, during the Battle of Narendra III, the Enterprise was thrust 22 years into the future, where it encountered another Enterprise that was in the midst of an ongoing war against the Klingon Empire.

Believing that the ship's presence at Narendra III would help prevent the war, the Enterprise returned through its temporal rift. (TNG: "Yesterday's Enterprise")

USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D)

See also: Anti-time past, Anti-time present, and Anti-time future

(TNG: "Time Squared", "Tapestry"; Star Trek Generations)

This article or section is incomplete This page is marked as lacking essential detail, and needs attention. Information regarding expansion requirements may be found on the article's talk page. Feel free to edit this page to assist with this expansion.

USS Defiant (NX-74205) / Deep Space 9

Jake Sisko in an alternate timeline

(DS9: "Past Tense, Part I", "Past Tense, Part II", "Visionary", "The Visitor", "Children of Time")

This article or section is incomplete This page is marked as lacking essential detail, and needs attention. Information regarding expansion requirements may be found on the article's talk page. Feel free to edit this page to assist with this expansion.


USS Voyager

This article or section is incomplete This page is marked as lacking essential detail, and needs attention. Information regarding expansion requirements may be found on the article's talk page. Feel free to edit this page to assist with this expansion.

USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-E)

(Star Trek: First Contact)

This article or section is incomplete This page is marked as lacking essential detail, and needs attention. Information regarding expansion requirements may be found on the article's talk page. Feel free to edit this page to assist with this expansion.

Narada / Jellyfish

See alternate reality

Background information

In both Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home and DS9: "Trials and Tribble-ations", the time travel that occurs appears to cause alternate timelines, but may in fact be predestination paradoxes.

See also

External link

  • Alternity - a Yahoo! group for the discussion of Star Trek alternate history
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