Through its many series and films Star Trek has long been one of the most beloved franchises in science fiction, indelibly woven into the fabric of pop culture's zeitgeist with phrases like, "Live long and prosper" and "Beam me up, Scotty!" Its fans, once few and fervent, have now become numerous and multi-generational, often declaring Star Trek's superiority to other genre titans including Star Wars, Harry Potter, The Lord of the Rings, and Marvel.
Star Trek has always been known for taking itself seriously, preferring to infuse the franchise with as much real-world science as possible without resorting to laser swords and magic wands. In recent years, however, it's lightened up, and a fandom once known for rejecting self-deprecation is in on the joke. If shows like Star Trek: Lower Decks are any indication, fans are ready to laugh at some of the absurdities inherent to Trek canon, as evidenced by these ridiculous incorrect memes.
Beam Me Up, Spocky!
Much like Darth Vader's misquoted phrase, "Luke, I am your father." from The Empire Strikes Back, "Beam me up, Scotty!" is a line of dialogue from Star Trek: The Original Series which was never actually said by Captain Kirk. Regardless, it's one of the most quoted phrases from the franchise.
Kirk said similar phrases such as, "Beam me up.", but the phrase "Beam me up, Scotty!" was never spoken to actor James Doohan himself. That didn't stop him from using it as the title of his 1996 autobiography, however. Here, it's being attributed to "Spocky," as said by Captain Jack Sparrow of Pirates of the Caribbean fame, despite showing a picture of the captain of the Millennium Falcon, Han Solo.
This Way To Narnia, Spock!
Since it's not unthinkable for fans of Star Trek to be partial to several other fandoms as well, debates about the likelihood of a crossover as intricate as the one articulated in the meme ensue in the Trek community with some regularity.
Setting aside that Earth isn't a planet in the Star Wars universe, much less Middle-earth, there are "magical" aspects of Star Wars that correspond to those found in Tolkien's Lord of the Rings as well as the films based on C.S. Lewis's Narnia stories. Even Star Trek has Q and the Continuum, which is the closest it's come to showing the unexplained, or "magic."
Spock, Winter Is Coming!
Had Mr. Spock been part of the Skywalker family (standing in for Luke in this meme), the entire trajectory of their familial saga could have been completely different. Luke, like his father Anakin Skywalker, was prone to impulsive thinking and highly emotional outbursts, which Spock would have found completely irrational.
While Spock worked hard to maintain a veneer of reservation beyond emotional reproach, his human side could get the better of him. Star Trek: Discovery's Season 2 proved that Game of Thrones-levels of family drama was possible even for Vulcans' most prominent household.
Live Long And Prosper
Just as Han Solo's catchphrase is, "I have a bad feeling about this," and, "Never tell me the odds," Spock's catchphrase on Star Trek: The Original Series is, "Live long and prosper," a traditional Vulcan farewell that has reappeared in countless other Trek series over the decades.
Mis-attributed to the daring smuggler Solo in this meme, alongside Captain Mal of Firefly fame, gives the phrase an arrogant sarcasm that was never intended by Spock. Instead of being a Vulcan farewell, this makes it more like a Vulcan middle finger.
One Does Not Simply Warp Into Mordor
Data refuting the possibility of "warping" into Mordor brings up a point that Lord of the Rings fans have long debated in regards to the Fellowship's journey to Mount Doom. Rather than traverse the dangers on foot, couldn't Gandalf have engaged Middle-earth's equivalent of warp capable craft, the Eagles?
Some fans believe they could have gotten Frodo to Mount Doom without risking any further calamity to his friends, but others believe the Eagles would have refused to be used in such a manner, or been shot down by Sauron's forces before they ever reached their destination.
The Needs Of The Many
Many successful franchises from Star Wars to Star Trek follow the narrative template historian Joseph Campbell describes as "the Hero's Journey," in which a callow individual departs on a quest of self-discovery, emerging on the other side of their adventure wiser than they were before, often with the help of a mentor figure to guide their transformation.
Spock was a mentor figure for Captain Kirk in many respects, his sagacity offering great lines like, "The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few," when he sacrificed his life to save the crew of the Enterprise. Here, it is falsely attributed to Star War's mentor figure Obi-Wan Kenobi, with a picture of Morpheus from The Matrix.
Smorgas Of Borg
The Borg Collective wanted to dominate the entire known Star Trek universe, but they didn't assimilate just anyone to accomplish their goal. Not all species were deemed worthwhile enough to become part of the Hive Mind, especially if they were flippant Muppets like the Swedish Chef.
The Swedish Chef assumed everyone wanted some of his homemade food whether that was true or not, making him somewhat Borg-like in that respect. "Resistance is Herdy Flerpty Floopin'" indeed.
Use The Force, Harry
In one of the most popular memes to ever feature three of the most famous franchises of all time, Gandalf is attributed to saying, "Use the Force" to Harry Potter, beside a picture of Sir Patrick Stewart, the actor behind the much-venerated Captain Jean-Luc Picard.
Picard wouldn't have had nearly the patience for young wizards or hobbits considering his dislike of children, which makes the meme all the more amusing. The only thing he ever told Wesley to do was shut up!
Eleven Of Nine
Eleven from Stranger Things has several character similarities to Star Trek: Voyager's Seven of Nine. They're both more powerful than they initially realize, and learn to accept their individuality as time progresses and they spend more time in the company of people who care about them.
Eleven and Seven could be loyal to a fault once they bonded with friends. Eleven risked her life to save her pals in Hawkins as well as her fellow experimental captives, and Seven often put herself in harm's way to save the Voyager crew and former members of the Collective like Icheb.
Federation Of What?
Mention "the Federation" in the Star Wars universe and a fan will think you're referencing the Trade Federation from Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace. In the Star Trek franchise it's always been the nickname for the United Federation of Planets.
Should the Enterprise ever have been taken over by Vader's Star Destroyer, Kirk would have had to make up some quick-witted excuse as to what the Federation meant a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away.