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Comment on Episode Discussion | Star Trek: Starfleet Academy | 1x04 "Vox in Excelso"

If they’re going to throwing regulations and laws around, doesn’t the actual Prime Directive exist anymore?

Caleb explicitly mentions the Prime Directive, stating that it doesn’t apply here, but without explaining why not. I always understood that this directive applies only to pre-warp societies, which the Klingon society is not, but I may be wrong.

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khaosworks@startrek.website ⁨4⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago
The PD applies to everyone the Federation encounters, pre- or post-warp.

The PD prevented the Federation from intervening in Bajoran internal affairs (DS9: “The Circle”). It prevented the Federation from intervening in the Klingon Civil War (TNG: “Redemption”). It prevented Picard from interfering with the Kaelon tradition of elder euthanasia, despite Lwaxana’s entreaties (TNG: “Half a Life”) and with the Ligonian’s racist culture (TNG: “Code of Honor”). Kirk assured the Vians that even though they were more advanced than the Federation, the PD applied to them as well (TOS: “The Empath”).

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ValueSubtracted@startrek.website ⁨5⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago
The PD applies to all civilzations, but is more permissive with those that are already capable of FTL travel. When a species is out travelling the galaxy, you can interact and negotiate with them, but you can’t directly interfere with their business.

Caleb is leaning hard into the “pre-warp” side of it, as many fans tend to do, which is why he said those particular regulations don’t apply. He’s just conveniently ignoring the rest of the PD, assuming it’s still in force in the 32nd century.

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