Enterprise-D destruction

[Carpathia86]

Hey all.
My wife and I just watched Generations after having concluded watching all of TNG. Since the Enterprise-D was destroyed at the end of Generations, I was wanting to bounce some ideas/questions off my fellow fans.
Firstly, was the destruction of the Enterprise-D really necessary? What did it add to the story? From what I think, it added nothing to the story...just shoehorned in some action. From what I've read, Rick Berman and Brannon Braga just wanted to destroy the ship because they thought it'd be "cool".
Secondly, what if they had proceeded with the Stardrive destruction and Saucer crash, but the Saucer had been salvageable? Perhaps she could have received a new Stardrive section and a refit comparable to what the 1701 received prior to the start of TMP. I think First Contact would have been all the more poignant...an Enterprise that we've known and loved for all these years slowly being assimilated by the Borg.
All this is to say that the Enterprise-D has always been my favorite and always will.

 

[DonIago]

From a plot standpoint I feel it was only "necessary" because it means the ship isn't in a position to stop Soran's torpedo. While based on what Worf said earlier the odds of the ship stopping the torpedo weren't great to begin with, it's more narratively satisfying if the ship doesn't stop the torpedo because it can't rather than if it's some sort of near-miss.

That said, the method of the ship's destruction hews a little too close to "Yesterday's Enterprise" for my tastes, feels like "oops, we took one too many hits!" in execution, and the reuse of the BoP destruction footage is inexcusable to me.

Essentially, then, we're left with a need for Soran to succeed but also a desire to see the ship survive. The easiest option would likely be to have the stardrive explode and damage the saucer but not force it to crash, and while they're trying to regain functionality have Soran's torpedo reach the sun, ideally with the crew powerless to stop it and knowing that their lives are about to be extinguished (a faster-paced version of the TWOK Genesis countdown sequence I suppose).

During Take Two, then, the saucer is left in orbit with time to get its bearings and send down a shuttle to pick up Picard.

To be sure, the saucer crash is an impressive sequence, but necessary? Nope.

 

[STEPhon IT]

I loved the part when the producers forgot the 1701-D's windows were not made out of glass.

 

[fireproof78]

To be sure, the saucer crash is an impressive sequence, but necessary? Nope.

Agreed.

But, my disagreement largely comes from the fact that the Enterprise D, a Galaxy Class Starship, was defeated by a Bird of Prey. Annoying and rather unbelievable.

 

[STEPhon IT]

The Enterprise crew was better than the Duras gang, their technical experience alone should've defeated them easily.

 

[Carpathia86]

The Enterprise crew was better than the Duras gang, their technical experience alone should've defeated them easily.

True. And that BOP had been retired some twenty years before Generations. And if Riker had responded with ALL the weapons at his disposal, the Enterprise should have torn through that POS Bird of Prey, shields or no shields.

 

[Dukhat]

Hey all.
My wife and I just watched Generations after having concluded watching all of TNG. Since the Enterprise-D was destroyed at the end of Generations, I was wanting to bounce some ideas/questions off my fellow fans.
Firstly, was the destruction of the Enterprise-D really necessary? What did it add to the story? From what I think, it added nothing to the story...just shoehorned in some action. From what I've read, Rick Berman and Brannon Braga just wanted to destroy the ship because they thought it'd be "cool".
Secondly, what if they had proceeded with the Stardrive destruction and Saucer crash, but the Saucer had been salvageable? Perhaps she could have received a new Stardrive section and a refit comparable to what the 1701 received prior to the start of TMP. I think First Contact would have been all the more poignant...an Enterprise that we've known and loved for all these years slowly being assimilated by the Borg.
All this is to say that the Enterprise-D has always been my favorite and always will.

Rick Berman and Brannon Braga wanted the Enterprise-D to be destroyed for two reasons: they had always wanted to do a saucer separation and crash landing in TNG but couldn't do it on a TV VFX budget, and they simply wanted a new ship for future movies. I believe there was a rumor that the Enterprise-D model couldn't be refurbished for future films, but I think that was just bs.

 

[thribs]

The producers wanted a new ship for the movies. I probably would have wanted the same if I was in charge.
Would have made the destruction better though. Seemed like the ship went out too easily.

 

[Tosk]

I believe there was a rumor that the Enterprise-D model couldn't be refurbished for future films, but I think that was just bs.

Sounds like BS. They even changed the registry to 1701-E after filming, just in case the new ship was to be Galaxy class too.

 

[thribs]

Sounds like BS. They even changed the registry to 1701-E after filming, just in case the new ship was to be Galaxy class too.

Now that would have been a waste if they did that.

 

[Kor]

I wonder what a TMP-ish refit of the Ent-D might have looked like.

Kor

 

[thribs]

I wonder what a TMP-ish refit of the Ent-D might have looked like.

Kor

Maybe it will be like the Yamato Class in Star Trek Online.

 

[USS Firefly]

I was a real shame to let the Enterprise be destroyed like a punk.
I think that the Galaxy class looked great in the movie and I love the new bridge design although a little to dark.
Maybe if the ship survived the movie they could upgrade for First Contact and make the saucer a bit smaller.

 

[Dukhat]

I was a real shame to let the Enterprise be destroyed like a punk.
I think that the Galaxy class looked great in the movie and I love the new bridge design although a little to dark.
Maybe if the ship survived the movie they could upgrade for First Contact and make the saucer a bit smaller.

Keep in mind that this is only a rumor with no proof, but supposedly the Duras sisters were going to get a newer, much larger and more powerful ship to use against the Enterprise-D, but when the Stellar Cartography and HMS Enterprise sets ate up most of the film’s budget, the decision was made to use the BoP and the TUC footage of it blowing up to save money.

Also, the Enterprise-B was originally going to be a new class of ship, but again budgetary considerations necessitated the use of the Excelsior model. John Eaves came up with the idea to add parts to the original model that would be the parts of the ship that got damaged by the Nexus.

 

[DonIago]

I'm okay with the E-B, though it's morbidly funny that Eaves' plan didn't exactly pan out as intended.

Reusing the TUC footage. Well, to paraphrase Kirk, "I've never forgiven them, and I never will."

 

[BillJ]

I loved the part when the producers forgot the 1701-D's windows were not made out of glass.

Breaking glass is more dramatic.

 

[USS Firefly]

Keep in mind that this is only a rumor with no proof, but supposedly the Duras sisters were going to get a newer, much larger and more powerful ship to use against the Enterprise-D, but when the Stellar Cartography and HMS Enterprise sets ate up most of the film’s budget, the decision was made to use the BoP and the TUC footage of it blowing up to save money.

Also, the Enterprise-B was originally going to be a new class of ship, but again budgetary considerations necessitated the use of the Excelsior model. John Eaves came up with the idea to add parts to the original model that would be the parts of the ship that got damaged by the Nexus.

They used the vorcha class a couple of times in the series, it's too bad they couldn't use that model in the movie.

 

[Kor]

The Negh'Var would have looked cool on the silver screen.

Kor

 

[jaime]

Now that would have been a waste if they did that.

Late in the day, it was still a galaxy class...check out the cd rom material on the first contact CD.

 

[Smellmet]

I'm okay with the E-B, though it's morbidly funny that Eaves' plan didn't exactly pan out as intended.

Reusing the TUC footage. Well, to paraphrase Kirk, "I've never forgiven them, and I never will."

I'm wondering now if they used the BoP model in the first place for the sole reason of including the TUC footage, rather than 'oops we're running out of money let's use this footage'