With the recent releases of Obi-Wan Kenobi and Strange New Worlds, the two biggest science fiction franchises in the galaxy have each proven that they aren't going away any time soon. Ever since they both came on the scene, fans have vehemently debated about which is the best, and many still believe that Star Trek is superior to Star Wars.
From its relatable characters, to its intricate world building, many fans of Trek have thoughtful and well-worded reasons as to why they prefer the franchise. Users on Reddit took to the site in droves to settle the debate, and many explained why they thought that Star Trek truly ruled the nerd universe.
Spaceship Designs
While aesthetics aren't the most important part of any story, it is often used as a defense of the Star Wars franchise. However, user Draculasmooncannon took the opposite tack, writing "Wars suffers from a problem that lots of sci-fi suffers from where most spacecraft look like grey boxes...I love how addicted the Federation are to those groovy flying saucers...still compel me more than an X-Wing ever could."
Being a product of their time, the early Trek ships have a retro look. Even so, the interior designs of the Federation vessels are imminently practical and reflect actual use as opposed to rigid aesthetics. The ships in Wars were designed to be as appealing as possible, but outside of toy lines, they aren't necessarily very practical.
The Characters Are More Relatable
Putting all of the sci-fi elements aside, Trek is essentially a character driven narrative, and their personal journey trumps a larger plot. User Wake_Roberts praised Star Trek's characters when they said "For me, the characters are far more relatable and excellent pillars of Federation principles."
In Wars, the characters are installed in the story to serve the purpose of driving the plot along, and they usually represent archetypes of classical storytelling. While Trek's characters often feature a richness that sees them struggle with the world around them in ways that make them relatable. The viewer may never take down a Death Star with their magical powers, but they can relate to the deep issues that vex Trek's crew members.
Star Trek Had Better World Building Than Star Wars
World building is one way to increase the viewer's experience, and make the story feel more real. User BuddhaKekz thought Trek did world-building better when they wrote "I do like the world-building. There are hundreds of interesting cultures...not everything is tied to a specific concept. That way there is in my eyes so much more room for interesting storytelling."
Wars' driving plot line doesn't allow for much of a world to exist outside of the main story arc. However, in Trek, there are tons of races who aren't defined by their relationship to the Federation, and exist in their own sovereign way. World building is integral to Trek and allows each episode to further flesh out the living universe that the franchise exists within.
A Little Bit Of Everything
While both franchises have defined the world of science fiction, some believe that Trek isn't absolutely limited to its main genre. User basicchannels explained succinctly when they wrote "With Star Trek you get film noir, history...even westerns, they're never afraid to skip between the boundaries of their genre conventions. Star Wars, on the other hand, is like the poster boy for its genre."
While it isn't always necessary to go outside of convention, some fans believe that variety is what makes Trek superior. There is little mystery in the Wars films, and with Trek's many great holodeck episodes, they get an opportunity to play around with any genre, or story structure, that they choose.
It Has Something To Say
Morality has been tied to the heart of Star Trek's storytelling since The Original Series, and its many messages have come to define it as a franchise. User TestingforScience123 compared the two franchises on those grounds when they said "What makes Trek superior is that it has a point, a purpose...Star Wars is just a space western with space wizards...the good guys win because they are good guys."
Star Trek stood out from the rest of its TV contemporaries because it had something to say about the world, and it did it by weaving its own morality into the narratives. Wars doesn't stray far from archetypal storytelling and is actually locked rigidly into that classical mode. Wars has little to say other than that good people are good and bad people are bad.
More Complicated Stories
Entertainment's ultimate purpose is to simply entertain, but some viewers strive for more than popcorn diversions. User NoisyPiper27 saw that as a strength of Trek when they commented "I've always preferred that Star Trek deals in moral grey areas...Trek's stories are about exploration, both in the physical and mental world...It allows us to look beyond people as just impediments, and asks us to look closer."
Even Trek's most powerful aliens are still living beings with their own wants and desires. This complicated web of motivations leads to a richer storyline than the classical good versus evil tropes of the Star Wars franchise. The Romulans, for instance, aren't just villains, they are a living race of people who see themselves as sovereign beings just like the Federation members do.
Science Fiction Over Science Fantasy
Though both franchises are tentpoles of the science fiction genre, many fans don't actually view them in the same way. User DrDagless examined their love for Trek by explaining "The main reason my heart belongs to Trek is because it really embraces what it means to be science fiction...goes all in to try and create a somewhat believable universe built on science...Star Wars on the other hand...rarely concerns itself with science or the little details."
It may come down to a matter of preference, but Trek fans believe that it is the attention to detail that makes it a superior franchise. Wars leans heavily into the fantasy elements of its story and the fact that it is set in space is merely incidental.
Utopian Future
Science fiction is usually pretty dour when it comes to speculating about the possibilities of life in the universe, Trek was unique in that it didn't follow that trend. User JeanLucPicard1981 reveled in Trek's utopian message when they wrote "Star Trek is thought-provoking and a future I would love to see. Star Wars is a universe I would rather not live in".
Even putting aside the utopian society presented by the Federation, the universes themselves differ in their possibilities. Trek implies heavily that anyone is capable of doing magnificent things, while in Wars, only the "chosen one" can save the day. There is an unwelcoming nature to the Wars universe that implies life is pretty terrible for anyone who isn't important enough.
Trek Has A Theme
The best episodes of Star Trek often go a long way to serve the series' central theme, and the franchise strives to explore that theme to the deepest possible level. User Mimikyu-Overlord preferred Trek's themes to Wars' when they wrote "Star Trek as a franchise has a recurring under-theme; the human equation and what makes a person...This is what Star Wars lacks - a common and deep theme."
Good versus evil is not a theme, it is a conflict, but conflict isn't theme. Both franchises are massive and span the likes of television, movies, and books, but only Trek has a through-line that is evident across the board. Wars' simplicity makes it accessible, but it leaves little to be explored in any thought-provoking manner.
Quantity Of Quality
In the age of massive media consumption, less is certainly not more. User Inevitable-Peanut-28 played a simple numbers game when picking a favorite, stating "The majority of Star Wars media is pretty mediocre...While Star Trek definitely has its weaker parts there are so many incredible episodes."
With entire trilogies of Star Wars films missing the mark, the franchise's batting average is actually quite low. Trek has an abundance of episodes from over five decades of TV that are examples of shining moments in the medium, and even several of its films were smashing successes.