Haha! Yeah, “frustratingly humorous” is a good way to describe it.

Was it really because they were convinced they’d get a sequel? Because… honestly that sounds more to me like the sort of thing you do if you’re convinced there won’t be a sequel.

Like how Star Trek Voyager ended on Janeway bringing back all sorts of future technology and Borg technology back home to Earth where she came from, and that’s why we never saw any more Star Trek set later than Voyager, because nobody in charge of making Trek could imagine any storylines for a version of Earth that suddenly has access to all of that?

(…I mean. fanfic writers absolutely could. but we have imagination, unfettered by whatever the hell holds canon back.)

anyway. I imagine any attempt to explore the potential ISOs have to change the world would have to deal with some of the same challenges.

and I haven’t heard any quotes from anyone involved in writing that storyline that claimed they had a plan for what the ISOs’ potential would actually do? (but I could be missing something, I haven’t seen every behind-the scenes interview)