That was a silly looking wave that also made no sense in its shape, size or behavior.
The same overall plot could be achieved with something more reasonable. For example:
(1) We have used the solar wind to propel craft for generations. This uses the same principle but with much higher energy particles. Or
(2) It's like a phaser pulse, but we can ride the front of that pulse.
Both are impossible in real life but plausible in the Star Trek universe.
A cylindrical laser pulse, ball or bullet shape would make more sense visually than the truncated wave that's looks like a wave through a liquid.
Many people know that energy can neither be created nor destroyed (first law of thermodynamics). Sci-Fi shouldn't violate this unless necessary. In this case, it is not necessary. The wave could move faster because it absorbed the energy of the exploding craft. Or it could trade its size for speed (not possible either but relatable, like a ball rolling down a hill).
To threaten the planet, it doesn't even need to miraculously change energy. If the wave was sent from one space station to another, then any deflection or change in speed would mean that it would miss the space station and hit the planet. (because the space station is moving, orbiting something.) The explosion could have caused this change in direction.
We once again have a 2D universe. Perhaps the idea that "it's too big to go around" sounded good on paper but once they made the graphic of a flat wave, it appeared ridiculous. Since they already introduced the idea of interference, they could have initially shown a photo of the interference pattern and explained that the Enterprise will travel in the "shadow" of the wave where there is little interference. Think of a bullet at mach 2, with shock waves extending out (but they're interference waves, despite no matter in space). Or it could look like when a race car drafts another. Then they will have already established that the Enterprise cannot travel beside the wave and thus must go through it.
Some have commented that this incontrollable wave is useless, but it is not. Think of it as a railroad line or hyperloop between two distant planets. Would be a great way to move mined materials from one planet to another. The problem is in the timing. Everything in space is moving, so the timing needs to be exact. Or, the receiving station is on a mobile ship that can move to intercept the wave.
Pet peeves:
- Why put all that energy into a fire rescue and then have Warf lift a piece of Styrofoam?! Place even a 10kg weight in the beam and it will move more realistically.
- That scene was also ridiculously slow. No need to check if Alexander is breathing, get out first. However, it would have been really cool if Riker found him, said "He's not breathing" and started rescue breaths or CPR while Warf had to lift the beam alone, rather than Riker running off to find a twig to lever the beam.
- Why stop running on the other side of the door? Is that really a shielded wall? Would make more sense if they kept running further down the hall or they raised a shield in the hallway. Would be cool if Alexander is miraculously remarkably revived due to the CPR or the doctor who was waiting for them.
- Why was it difficult for Warf to remove the access panel? Why did moving the chips fix it? I expected them to use a manual override. It worked perfectly on their way out.
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