system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
[Galaxy Quest] How did the Thermians build the Omega 13 device without knowing what the hell it was?

The Thermians based their entire society, including their technology, on what was known to them from the "historical documents" transmitted from Earth, otherwise known as the television show *Galaxy Quest*. Yet the show was canceled before ever revealing the function of the Omega 13 device, and Mathesar admits that the Thermians have no idea what it does. How did the Thermians build a highly-advanced piece of technology without knowing what it does, especially when the television show provides no basis for figuring it out?
gpt
The Thermians are a phenomenally advanced society, even more technologically advanced than was seen during their first personal interactions with humans.  Their problem was that due to their culture and philosophy they had literally no idea how to turn any of this technology towards violence.

The *Galaxy Quest* videos guided them in weaponizing their technological achievements.  Some of the technology they repurposed had been developed generations ago, and some of their knowledge of this technology had been lost when violent races attacked them.