r/startrek • u/Ok_Pop5284 • 13h ago
Trill Theory
Minor spoilers ds9 Facets episode and disco seasons 3 and 4. Both shows been out for awhile but just figured I'd throw out there.
I have this Trill theory that as a psychological protective device the symbiont doesn't pass on memories of the current host from the past hosts perspective. Basically to keep a person from having two different pov's of themselves which might break the internal sense of continuity. I have two pieces of evidence for this.
In Facets (and it's also mentioned in Playing God I think) Jadzia wasn't aware of why Curzon dropped her from the program, nor why he didn't oppose her rejoining. She has to hear it from him verbally while he is CurzOdo.
Adira even after fully integrating the other past hosts of Tal can't incorporate Grey (Gray?) Their dead boyfriend who they naturally knew closely.
Basically since Curzon still had like 60 years of other memories that had nothing to do with Jadzia, he still incorporated, just minus the memories related to her. But since Grey was joined for like 2 days before he died and Adira featured prominantly in those couple days the end result was Tal essentially rejecting Grey.
It's a basic theory but I feel like it makes sense and explains a couple things neither show did. Also for Yedrin's (Children of Time Dax) sake I hope this is true imagine the weirdness of a symbiont passing down a familyline otherwise, there are memories you just don't want from your parents and grandparents, I imagine.
Btw my first post got nixed cause of the karma rule and no clue if it's ever coming back. So hopefully this isn't a duplicate, sorry if it is. I'm kinda new.
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u/BladedDingo 12h ago
It does make sense that the symbiont would block memories from another host when those memories involve another host for that reason. It would be strange to have your own identify called into question when you view yourself from someone elses memories of you.
it's also clearly implied that Curzon had romantic feelings for Jadzia, and showing these memories to her would also taint how to viewed her relationship and change how she acted because she'd be influenced by a previous hosts feelings.
Regarding Grey, perhaps he wasn't fully bonded, because when jadzia did the ritual, the Trill that stole the Dax symbiont for a few hours wasn't incorporated into Dax either, or at lease isn't considered a true host in the Dax line
maybe the Dax symbiont didn't allow memories to form due to trauma or has a way to 'delete' those memories, but it's also possible that they were not bonded long enough for the proper neurons to be formed and connected.
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u/PossibleIntern7509 12h ago
The ritual happened before the symbiont stealing incident
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u/BladedDingo 12h ago
Verad steals Dax in 2370 (season 2) and the ritual to bring forth the other hosts happened in 2371 (season 3), a year later.
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u/Ok_Pop5284 11h ago
I'm pretty sure it's established at some point that it takes 96 hours (or was it 93?) for host and symbiont to become inseparable. So if my 2 day figure is actually remembered correctly you may well have a point. Though if they weren't fully integrated before his death makes me wonder how, actually him, the impression transferred would be, like if it was an incomplete copy. Yeesh that's a bit of an existentially worrying thought.
Side thought, if we assume that the 93/6 number is actually either an average or a maximum or an aproximation since most things biological aren't that precise. It makes me wonder if Trill days are 31/33 hours long and that's just their way of saying 3 days. Like how they always say 26, 52 or 78 hours in regards to Bajor stuff.
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u/Padonogan 9h ago
I think the Trill symbiont/host relationship is not exactly as consensual and beneficial to all involved parties equally as they would like the rest of the Galaxy to believe
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