The Warp 10 Paradox

The two series in which this discrepancy pops up between the season finale of The Next Generation “All Good Things” and Voyager “Threshold”.

“All Good Things…” - Star Trek Next Generation (Original air date May 23, 1994)

It is clear that there is no more warp 5 limit in the future. This limit was set in “Force of Nature”. In addition, ships in the future timeline are able to go above Warp 10, up to at least Warp 13. This would appear to contradict “Threshold”, where it is stated that Warp 10 is the theoretical limit. It is, however, possible that the warp scale was recalibrated in this future.

https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/All_Good_Things..._(episode)

• Present Star date: 47988 - December 27, 2370, Time: 14:52:48
• Future Picard Star Date: 20+ years into the future. Well after Tom achieves Warp 10.

“Threshold” - Voyager

A specially-outfitted warp-capable shuttlecraft piloted by Tom Paris successfully reaches Warp 10, breaking the transwarp barrier.

It is clear that there is no more warp 5 limit in the future. This limit was set in “Force of Nature”. In addition, ships in the future timeline are able to go above Warp 10, up to at least Warp 13. This would appear to contradict “Threshold”, where it is stated that Warp 10 is the theoretical limit. It is, however, possible that the warp scale was recalibrated in this future.

https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Threshold_(episode)

• Star date: 49373.4 - May 16, 2372, Time: 15:56:44
• Final episode “endgame” Star date: 54973.4 - December 22, 2377, Time: 06:59:02

Underlying Theory and Classification of Warp 10 (Original air date 29 January 1996)

“The warp 10 barrier is a theoretical barrier for a starship with warp drive. Warp 10 is regarded as infinite velocity, so theoretically any vessel travelling at warp 10 would exist at all points in the universe at once, the scale is asymptotic, so Warp 9.99999 is many times faster than just Warp 9.9”

https://memory-beta.fandom.com/wiki/Warp_10

Hypothesis 1: Change of Warp Standards

The only thing that makes sense within canon is a reclassification of warp speed. With an increase to a maximum warp speed of 100 where each warp speed is an exponential increase of the last. Such that this new ‘100’ is the new ‘10’. It would be highly plausible with the return of Voyager that the information they got from the discovery ship in fact gave them an absolute definition of Warp Speed that didn’t fit within current specifications and standards.

1. Warp 10 is Defined in “Threshold”
2. Tom Achieves Warp 10 (Star date: 47988 - December 27, 2370, Time: 14:52:48)
3. Warp 10 is much faster than expected
4. The Federation of Planets uses data from Voyager to re-scale Warp Speed (54973.4 - December 22, 2377, Time: 06:59:02)
5. Warp 10/20/100 (transwarp barrier) becomes the new Warp 10
6. Warp 13 is mentioned in “All Good Things…” (After Voyager Ends, 25+ years of future timeline Next Generation crew)

Hypothesis 2: Simple Error was made during writing between cross-franchise series

Self-explanatory. I could go into if there were any writers that specifically shared the two series. However, given the fact that Voyager occupied after The Next Generation both chronologically and in release order, the mention of “Warp 13” in the future was before that of warp 10 (the transwarp barrier) being defined in Voyager. Without my logical tie in of the timeline it could have been a writing error (as I do not believe that warp speeds were defined anywhere else in other series, hence the creation of this theory).

1. Warp 13 is mentioned in Next Generation as a way to say “a lot faster”
2. Warp 10 is defined as the ‘transwarp barrier’ in Voyager
3. Warp 13 being greater than Warp 10 doesn’t make sense with new definition
4. Writing error was made and identified