MovieChat Forums > Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986) Discussion > What exactly is the space prob?

What exactly is the space prob?

posted 10 years ago by ferencegrizzal
10 replies | jump to latest

I just started to dabble in Star Trek now that they are all on netflixs. I thought the movie was great, but WHY is the space prob draining the Earth in the first place? WHO are they?

[–] bjlevine 10 years ago

The only explanation given in the movie is that it is likely from a race that had visited Earth millions of years earlier and saw whales as the most intelligent species on Earth. I think the simplicity of the probe is in homage to the monolith in 2001 (as opposed to the complexity of V'Ger).

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[–] flowerythethird 10 years ago

Pretty much just a cool, mysterious object to get the plot going 

"Seahawks-38, Patriots- 0"- AH_Fan

[–] robert-durant-626-472948 10 years ago

Many people believe that the probe is in fact a whale evolved into a higher intelligence, this would explain why it is calling out to the whales, why it looks like the skin of a whale.

[–] Dark_Sithlord 10 years ago

When I fist saw the movie as a young teen, I thought the probe might have come from the same planet as the Planet-killer from the TOS episode, The Doomsday Machine. Unlike the Doomsday Machine, the whale-probe tended to life, but like the Doomsday Machine, it is still capable of planetary destruction.

[–] bjlevine 10 years ago

SPOCK: "Most unusual. An unknown form of energy of great power and intelligence. Evidently unaware that its transmissions are disruptive. I find it illogical that its intentions could be hostile."

Err...it couldn't tell that there were other intelligent species on the planet? Sure, V'Ger used that excuse, but it would only work for the probe if it was a whale.

👷👳
Bob the Builder and Hadji walk into a bar...

[–] barscotch 10 years ago

Humans can be remarkably self-centered when it comes to image. Just look at how we picture aliens: largely humanoid, air(or some form of it)-breathing, etc. If we went to another planet with life on it and found nothing humanoid, how likely would we be to consider any animal life there worth trying to make contact with? I think that was a huge part of the point of this movie: human arrogance and homocentric attitudes and disregard for other species are rather harshly mirrored when the same attitudes are displayed by the probe - the result being that we end up responsible for destroying our own future, our own world. Some people find it preachy. Well, too fv<king bad. Humanity is stupid and sometimes needs to be preached this $hi+.

[–] tobian85 10 years ago

Some people find it preachy.

And isn't it odd that a few of those people object to the humor of this movie? If it weren't for the humor, the "preachy" moments would kill this movie like a harpooned whale; on the other hand, if it weren't for the occasional preaching, the humorous moments would turn this movie into something little more substantial than sea-foam. I think the message and the comedy balanced each other splendidly.

Well, too fv<king bad. Humanity is stupid and sometimes needs to be preached this $hi+.

I agree, and seldom in a movie, IMO, has the preaching been handled so adroitly and in so good-natured a manner.

I have been, and always shall be, your friend. We'll miss you, Leonard.

[–] barscotch 10 years ago

Thank you, tobian85 - I felt similarly about "Idiocracy". Preachy, but worth it.

[–] steelywulf 9 years ago

The space probe looks like a giant Slim Jim. 😁

[–] Koosh_King01 9 years ago

There are two different explanations:

1. In the novelization by Vonda N. McIntyre, it is an intelligent entity that is mistaken for a probe by the characters because it's so completely alien that they can't conceive of it being a living thing. It trades songs with whales, and is journeying to Earth to figure out why their songs stopped. It's referred to as "the traveler."

2. In the later novel Probe, it's an artificial construct sent by alien whales, and has come to Earth for the same reason.

In both instances, it has a complete disregard for anything besides whales, considering other lifeforms to be basically of no consequence. It isn't hostile, just careless. I prefer the novelization's explanation, because although it explains a little about the probe, it retains a lot of the mystery. The later novel dumbed it down a lot.

I mean, really, how many times will you look under Jabba's manboobs?