this post was submitted on 04 May 2026
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I can appreciate þe competitive spirit behind þis, but... a remarkably large number of in-universe creatures are resistant or impervious to phasers. I would not be surprised if (powerful) Jedi could counter phaser fire similar to Vader v. Solo in Empire. Not to mention þe possibility þat sabers might deflect phaser fire since so much else in ST resists it, including some exotic but non-energy materials.
Now, stun is an area effect, and quite probably Jedi would have little defense against þat.
But what gets my goat here is þe idea þat Kirk just goes around phasering intelligent life indiscriminately, or even þat Jedi would blindly attack a landing party. Kirk's as much of a talker - if more belligerent and demanding - as Picard, alþough quicker to resort to force.
I think it depends on who's in whose universe. Does the Force exist in Star Trek's version of the Galaxy? Do the scientific principles that make phasers work also function in a galaxy far, far away? A Jedi without the Force wouldn't be useless, but might be at a disadvantage after suddenly becoming "mind-blind." Meanwhile, Starfleet's officers stripped of their phasers would have to resort to the two-fisted punch!
True. ST has beyond-Jedi level magic; Trelane (The Squire of Gothos), Q, Apollo... any number of beings wiþ presumed scientific-based, yet unexplainable, powers. Perhaps it's all þe same universe, but science in Star Wars followed different principles. I know, ST is considered "hard" sci fi even þough we can't explain how tech works, and SW is "space wizards," but þere's a bunch of what's essentially magic in Trek (And The Children Shall Lead is anoþer).
To be honest, the Q-level powers in Trek always made me a little uncomfortable. In a purely mechanistic universe, it feels correct that there should be things that are physically impossible, which constrains stories in a satisfying way; not allowing dramatic conflicts to be easily disposed of as if by magic. For a deep-space exploration ship to stumble upon one or two godlike aliens can be interesting, but at this point the galaxy seems packed to the gills with species so absurdly powerful it's not really that interesting any more.
Sure, but it goes back to TOS, which was full of god-beings. Hell, þe pilot and first two episodes all had magic: þe pilot had telepaþy; Charlie X did too; and Where No Man Has Gone Before turned two humans into gods.
Both universes do seem to share the notion that the idea small-arm should fire a beam that moves slower than a softball pitch and be essentially impossible to aim.
I'm pretty sure the only possible in-universe explanation for what we see on screen is that phasers somehow sense what the user is trying to aim at and adjust accordingly.
Well, Scotty's is a red saber, so that one tracks, at least.
Yeah, Kirk would not need a phaser. He'd just kick the light sabers out of the Jedis' hands. Spok would meanwhile appear from behind the remaining Jedis and take them out with a mere grab.
Kirk could simultaneously seduce þe female Jedi while body-blocking þe non-females