Future Guy

From Memory Alpha, the free Star Trek reference

"Future Guy" (also known as the humanoid figure) was a mysterious individual who was apparently the leader of a faction in the Temporal Cold War. His faction was based in the 28th century, and had the technology only to communicate through time, not travel through it, as that type of technology wasn't stable enough. (ENT: "Cold Front", "Shockwave, Part II")

He provided the Suliban Cabal with advanced technology, including cloaking devices, weaponry, and advanced genetic engineering techniques. He used the Cabal as tools to alter events in the 22nd century, and communicated with his agents through a hazy temporal communications chamber. (ENT: "Broken Bow")

Plots of his included attacking the Tandarans, trying to start a civil war in the Klingon Empire, stealing Daniels's Temporal Observatory, and destroying Paraagan II so the NX-01 Enterprise would be recalled. The Enterprise crew (with assistance from non-Cabal Suliban such as Sarin) foiled many of these plans. (ENT: "Broken Bow", "Cold Front", "Detained", "Shockwave", "Shockwave, Part II")

After Daniels' removal of Jonathan Archer from the Enterprise inadvertently caused the destruction of civilization on Earth sometime prior to the 31st century, Silik (leader of the Cabal) was unable to communicate with his master. This remained the case until Archer was able to return to March 2152, restoring the timeline. (ENT: "Shockwave", "Shockwave, Part II")

Following the first Xindi attack on Earth in March 2153, Future Guy summoned Archer to speak with him; he provided crucial information about who was behind the attack and why. He also gave Archer proof that the Xindi were being manipulated by beings from the future – he told Archer to look for a component of the weapon that gave a negative quantum dating signature. (ENT: "The Expanse")

Future Guy made several attempts to recover more advanced time technology. In late 2152 he dispatched a starship to recover a 31st century time pod, though the ship was defeated by Enterprise and the Tholians. In February 2154, he realized Daniels was going to send Enterprise to 1944 to repair the damage done to the timeline by Vosk, so he had Silik infiltrate the ship beforehand so he could steal the plans for Vosk's temporal conduit. Future Guy's plans were stymied yet again when Silik died on the mission. (ENT: "Future Tense", "Storm Front", "Storm Front, Part II")

"Future Guy" was played by actor James Horan.

[edit] Appearances/References

[edit] Background

Originally, this character was known only as "Humanoid Figure" and was referred to as that in the episode scripts and press releases. Given the character is from the future, fans began referring to him as "Future Guy." This name became so popular that by the end of ENT's second season Rick Berman and Brannon Braga were referring to him as Future Guy in interviews, as did Paramount's press release for "The Expanse".

Future Guy is also sometimes called "Doctor Claw" in some fan circles, after the Inspector Gadget villain (voiced by Frank Welker) of the same name who speaks in a distorted voice and, despite appearing in every episode, is (almost) never clearly shown.

Rick Berman has stated in interviews that at no time was the identity of "Future Guy" ever developed, nor a back story created for the character. However at the 2009 VegasCon, Manny Coto and Brannon Braga revealed that "Future Guy" was "probably going to be a Romulan" and would have tied into the Romulan War as a future Romulan, trying to "instigate things." [1]