As dire because the Eugenics Wars actually had been, people started modifications with the very best of intentions. In response to the background offered in “House Seed,” scientists pursued augmentations and selective breeding as a response to the Chilly Battle, hoping to assist humanity evolve previous the warlike nature that just about drove the planet to nuclear struggle.

Star Trek has all the time positioned its optimistic future towards tragedies of the previous, each actual and fictional. Inside the timeline of the universe, the Eugenics Wars are part of humanity’s descent into its worst qualities, together with the rampant wealth inequality of the mid-2020s (Trek positive nailed that one) that led to the Bell Riots and ultimately World Battle III in 2026. In response to Star Trek lore, it’s from the ashes of all these tragedies that Zefram Cochrane creates humanity’s first warp-capable ship, prompting the Vulcans to make first contact with them, as seen in Star Trek: First Contact.

In the actual world, eugenics is now acknowledged as an inaccurate science based mostly on racist assumptions. Whereas the world of Star Trek by no means totally embraces that realization, the franchise has proven sympathy for these harmed by the Federation dictate. Earlier than Commander Chin-Riley, probably the most notable instance was Physician Julian Bashir of Star Trek: Deep House 9. Bashir suffered from poor well being and struggled at school as a baby, which enormously disenchanted his dad and mom. To make their little one into what they anticipated, Bashir’s dad and mom had him augmented, which ultimately made him an excellent thinker and excellent bodily athlete. Bashir discovered of his augmentations when he was 15, however saved it a secret as he started his Starfleet profession.

All through the later seasons of Deep House 9, we see the heavy toll the augmentations positioned on Bashir. He felt nice rejection on the coronary heart of his dad and mom’ determination, sensing that he essentially was not ok for them. Like Commander Chin-Riley, Bashir was practically court-martialed for his deception, a vulnerability that made him a goal for Starfleet’s black ops group Part 31.

The Federation could not see a lot distinction between totally different types of Augments, however as the newest episode of Unusual New Worlds makes clear, there’s a marked distinction between Illyrian and different genetically modified individuals. The Illyrians are a comparatively unexplored race in Trek lore, having solely been encountered as soon as earlier than, within the Star Trek: Enterprise episode “Harm,” the place Captain Archer makes a determined determination when coping with an Illyrian ship.

Via Unusual New Worlds, and a few extra-canonical books, we be taught extra about Illyrians. In contrast to these we noticed on Enterprise, Chin-Riley and different Illyrians are indistinguishable from people. Whereas their augmentations go right down to their offspring biologically somewhat than externally, Illyrians nonetheless see their modifications as a part of their tradition.