Star Trek

Many fediverse fans are exasperated that Paramount has (once again) missed the opportunity to take our money with official tie-in merchandise and left us to our own creations, or non-licensed creators.

While it says a lot that fans on a nonmonetizing platform are literally demanding that Paramount get its profit-taking act together, all this Moopsy fan-entitlement is currently being redirected into crafting energy.

So MakeYourOwnMoopsyMonth it is.

First out of the gate is a charming ceramic Moopsy demonstrating appropriate predatory behaviour on a blue crochet duck. Enjoy.

Simon & Schuster had a larger than usual array of ebook deals for September 2023.

October 1st is the last day for this group, a new set (likely fewer books) will come on line Sunday the 2nd.

If you haven’t given Treklit a try, these ebook deals are a great low cost way to get into it.

The title is a play on the term “pathological fallacy”, where traits seen in one person or group are extrapolated to be part of the entire population that person belongs to.

Captain Sokel of the VCS (“Vulcan Command Ship”?) Sh’val was last seen in LD: “wej Duj” as T’Lyn’s commanding officer, who recommended that she be reassigned to Starfleet.

Angel I is the titular planet in TNG: “Angel One”, which is ruled by women. It was visited by the Enterprise-D in 2364. Risa, of course, is a resort planet that has featured or been mentioned in almost every post-TNG series.

Katrot says she loves the Starfleet carpeting. In PIC: “Võx”, Picard says he misses the Enterprise-D’s carpeting. The other Betazoid diplomats are Cathiw (who makes a pass at Ransom and Freeman) and Dolorex.

“Anything glowing and green” might refer to Aldebaran Whiskey, which matches the description (TNG: “Relics”).

Romulan ale was illegal in Kirk’s time (ST II, ST VI), became legal during the Dominion War when the Romulans allied with the Federation (DS9: “Inter Arma Enim Silent Leges”), but then apparently became illegal again after (Nemesis). Then again, Romulan Ale was part of a consignment of Alpha Quadrant gifts to be handed to the Karemma (LD: “Hear All, Trust Nothing”), and in PIC: “Disengage” it’s implied to be contraband, so who knows?

The names Boimler are trying to memorize include Jet Manhaver (LD: “Cupid’s Errant Arrow”), the second coolest person on the Cerritos, Hans Federov (named in LD: “Room for Growth” and “The Stars at Night”) a.k.a. Towel Guy and the ship gossip, Honus (LD: “Mugato, Gumato”) the bartender, Kayshon (LD: “Kayshon, His Eyes Open”) the Tamarian security chief, Taylor (named in LD: “In the Cradle of Vexilon”) the Kzinti ensign, Merp (named in LD: “I, Excretus”), Big Merp (“In the Cradle of Vexilon”) and Sleepy Merp.

Tsunkatse is a mixed martial art arena fight (VOY: “Tsunkatse”). Boims thinks he’s being initiated into a fight club - well, there’s slamming of a sort anyway.

Worf, son of Mogh, grew up on the farm colony of Gault (TNG: “Heart of Glory”), raised by his human adoptive parents, the Rozhenkos. The security officer reciting the poem is named Haubold.

Lwaxana Troi, while suffering from Zanthi Fever, empathically broadcast her feelings of affection for Odo, making a number of the crew act amorously (DS9: “Fascination”). Betazoids are telepathic among themselves, but can teach others to hear their thoughts, too, as Troi apparently did to Riker (TNG: “Encounter at Farpoint”), although this was kind of dropped after the pilot.

Alterian flaking may come from the same planet as the Alterian chowder that Sisko attempted to order in Quark’s (DS9: “Armageddon Game”).

The jigsaw puzzle (Starfleet Security Series, 1000 pieces) has a picture of the NX-01 Enterprise and Malcolm Reed on its cover.

The map of the Romulan Neutral Zone, like most maps in the post-DIS era, is based heavily on Geoffrey Mandel’s Star Charts. The Cerritos is in the vicinity of the planet Syrma, or Iota Virginis (in a starchart in PIC: “Disengage”). The planets marked on the map are Romulus and Romii (TOS: “Balance of Terror”) and Cheron.

It’s unclear whether this is the same Cheron as that in TOS: “Let There Be Your Last Battlefield”, and beta canon sources are contradictory on this point. Cheron is stated to be the site of a humiliating defeat for the Romulans (TNG: “The Defector”) and in ENT: “In a Mirror Darkly”, the USS Defiant database identifies the Battle of Cheron as the one that ended the Earth-Romulan War.

Sarek suffered from Bendii Syndrome, which caused him to lose control of his emotions and also affect people around him (TNG: “Sarek”) and he eventually died from it (TNG: “Unification”).

T’Lyn is 62 years old. In comparison, T’Pol was 63 when she joined the NX-01 in 2151.

The (apparently Bajoran) Tarot cards show the Emissary, Derna (the fourth moon of Bajor, DS9: “Image in the Sand”), the Borhya (a Bajoran word for ghost, TNG: “The Next Phase”), Invasion, the Celestial Temple and the Ten of Orbs (Nine orbs were said to have appeared over the centuries in DS9: “Emissary”, with a tenth orb recovered in DS9: “Shadows and Symbols”).

Shax says the Invasion card is more of a rebirth, rather like the traditional Earth tarot card Death, which is associated with transformation and also rebirth. Then again Boimler says all the cards are about rebirth.

Tendi’s admittedly heightened desire to make T’Lyn be her friend harkens back to LD: “Moist Vessel”, where she admits that it kills her if someone doesn’t like her. As Tendi hugs T’Lyn, we see Big Merp at the back using the Game headset (from TNG: “The Game”).

When Mariner says that Sarek was “Vulcan as a motherfucker”, both her hands are in the Vulcan salute. She showed a similar two-handed salute to Freeman, described as a “sarcastic Vulcan salute” in “Moist Vessel”. Interestingly enough, the Vulcan salute was invented by Leonard Nimoy based on the Jewish Priestly Blessing, which also uses both hands.

It’s always struck me as strange that while technically nobody on either side is supposed to enter the Neutral Zone, the Romulans routinely seem to lurk inside the Zone just outside of the Federation border of it. While startrek.com claims the Zone is only one light-year wide, that’s still a lot of room compared to what is usually depicted.

As someone on their first watch through (aside from the recent movies).

My god, that was a good episode. Great depiction of a space battle. Excited I finally decided to take the plunge.

Written by: Jamie Loftus

Directed by: Megan Lloyd

I’m not clear on what exact year SNW season three will take place, but it appears to be about six years before the first season of TOS, which starts in 2265.

In the season one TOS episode, This Side of Paradise, Spock is reunited with Leila Kalomi, a botanist he met six years earlier on Earth. At the time he was unable to return her feelings for him, but in this episode — after being exposed to plant spores — he loosens up and says he loves her. Even after returning to normal, he says that, “for the first time in my life ... I was happy.”

My point is that this turned out to be a significant relationship for Spock, and SNW season 3 could be about the time he first meets Leila. Do you think we get to see her?

This one was written by Star Trek: Prodigy's Aaron J. Waltke.

Direct YouTube Link

Direct link to "The Scheimer Barrier, Chapter 4"

It's not great, but I figured that I had to see it, so you do too.

Kev and Rob are swept away in the romance (and the repeated stabbings) of "Something Borrowed, Something Green", and narrowly avoid the "hump dungeon" on their way to exploring other wedding traditions in Star Trek, including "Data's Day" (TNG) and "You Are Cordially Invited" (DS9).

Star Trek #12
Written by: Collin Kelly
Art by: Jackson Lanzing, and Angel Unzueta
Cover Artist: Malachi Ward

The crossover event between Star Trek and Star Trek: Defiant comes to a thrilling conclusion in part five of Day of Blood! Using powers bestowed upon him by the Prophets, emissary Benjamin Sisko withstands the god-killing weapon for now, but forces of the Orb of Destruction wear on him with each passing moment. Meanwhile, Worf agonizes over a fatal wound of his own that he can never hope to heal. What will become of our heroes? What will become of the universe? Can the crews of the Theseus and Defiant stop the godkiller once and for all?
 

Star Trek: Day of Blood - Shaxs' Best Day
Written by: Ryan North
Art by: Derek Charm
Cover Artist: Derek Charm

You've seen Captains Benjamin Sisko and Worf with their crews of the U.S.S. Theseus and Defiant stop the fascist, god-killing clone Kahless II from declaring war on non-followers across the galaxy in a brutal battle on Qo'noS. But you haven't seen it from the eyes of the man, the myth, the legend-Lieutenant Junior Grade Shaxs!
From the writer behind the best-selling Lower Decks comics series, Ryan North, with esteemed artist Derek Charm (The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl), comes a 30-page standalone tie-in to the Star Trek: Day of Blood event detailing the Bajoran's beast-mode brawl and showcasing all the behind-the-scenes Klingon-zealot butt-kicking in full animated glory!
 

Star Trek: Picard's Academy #1
Written by: Sam Maggs
Art by: Greco Ornella
Cover Artist: Sweeney Boo

From New York Times-bestselling author Sam Maggs (Star Wars Jedi: Battle Scars) comes a new ongoing series unveiling the past of one of Starfleet's most celebrated officers: Captain Jean-Luc Picard! Before becoming the Federation's finest, Jean-Luc was an ordinary student at Starfleet Academy with sights on the stars. His path forward was charted: blow his classmates out of the water on the infamous Evasive Maneuvers exam and graduate early. But there's a detail Cadet Picard hadn't factored into his plan: the exam was a group project and he'd need to make friends with, ugh, people if he stood a chance at passing. Federation starships aren't run by a party of one, after all!

Love the original movies 🍿

• The Orion starship we see in the opening is visually similar to the Orion interceptors seen in “Borderland” with some distinct differences.

     • Notably, this interceptor has a pair of arms extending from the underside of the ship, similar to the Orion starship seen in the TAS episode, “The Pirates of Orion.”

• Starting with Risik’s tattoos, we see several examples of the Orion alphabet introduced in “Borderland”.

• Among the plunder the Orion lower deckers are sorting is:

     • A Bat’leth

     • A number of 24th century Starfleet type-2 phasers

     • A Vulcan harp

     • A 23rd century Starfleet type-2 phaser

     • A Starfleet compression phaser rifle

• ”Hey, did you guys see that Maleer got big pieces of metal attached to her head?” In “Borderland” we were introduced to the idea that Orion body modification practices do include grafting bits of what appears to be scrap metal to their bodies.

• The captain’s chair aboard the Orion ship is similar in shape to the one seen in “The Pirates of Orion”.

• The Mysterious Threat destroys the Orion vessel, just as it did the Klingon Bird-of-Prey, IKS Che’Ta’ in “Twovix”, and a Romulan ship in “I Have No Bones Yet I Must Flee”.

• “I have put my foot in my mouth enough when it comes to Orion stuff.” Tendi was hurt by Mariner’s insistence that all Orions are pirates who love to pillage in “Crisis Point”, and Mariner again insulted Tendi by suggesting she use her pheromones to influence a dom-jot game they were attempting to hustle in “We’ll Always Have Tom Paris”.

• Among his possessions on display, Boimler has a USS Cerritos commemorative plate.

• Tendi, Mariner, and T’Lyn take the Yosemite II shuttle on their away mission/girls’ trip. The original Yosemite was destroyed in when Mariner and Boimler were caught in a gravity well and forced to crash land in “Where Pleasant Fountains Lie”, and the Yosemite II was introduced in “Grounded”.

• As the shuttle approaches Orion, we see an Orion barge of the type operated by Harrad-Sar in “Bound”.

• Several of the buildings on the Orion skyline bear the symbol worn by the Orion crew in “The Pirate of Orion”.

• “You grew up in a castle, like friggin’ Billups?” We learned that chief engineer Billups grew up as heir to the throne of the human colony Hysperia, which is populated entirely by “ren faire types.”

• Tendi confirms that her family is part of the Orion Syndicate, a criminal organization first mentioned in “The Ascent”.

• B’rt Tendi is played by Nolan North, who’s portrayed several Trek characters, including:

     • Bridge officer of the USS Vengeance - “Star Trek Into Darkness”

     • The Half a Rascal - “Much Ado About Boimler”

     • Cerritos transporter chief, Lundy

     • Sokel - “wej Duj”

     • K’ranch - “The Least Dangerous Game”

• The A.B. Chambers is the steamboat that Mark Twain briefly worked on.

• Boimler and Rutherford both show up dressed as Mark Twain. The real Samuel Clemens encountered the crew of the USS Enterprise D when they travelled back to 1893 in “Time’s Arrow”.

• Tendi was first referred to as the Mistress of the Winter Constellations in “We’ll Always Have Tom Paris”.

• The bottle the Slit Throat bartender pours from features an image of the Orion captain from “The Pirates of Orion”.

• The stir stick in Madam G’s drink is topped with the symbol worn by the Orion crew in “The Pirates of Orion”.

• New Seattle is a colony on Penthara IV, a world the Enterprise D responded to a disaster on in “A Matter of Time”.

• The pattern on the privacy screens of the hump dungeon mirror those of the fence in the fantasy Captain Pike experienced of Vina as an Orion “slave girl” in “The Menagerie, Part II”.

• T’Lyn observes that the male Orions in the hump dungeon appear to be under the influence of pheromonal chemical manipulation. It was established in “Bound” that Orion culture is actually matriarchal, with women controlling the men via the use of pheromones.

• ”Tendi’s made it clear that Starfleet made those pheromones up.” Actually, all Tendi ever said in “We’ll Always Have Tom Paris” is that she’s, ”not even that kind of Orion.”

• Coqqor is played by Eric Bauza, who’s portrayed several PRO and LDS characters, including:

     • Barniss Frex - “Asylum”

     • Scot’Ee and Sool’U - “All the World’s a Stage”

     • Assface and Screwhead - “Skin a Cat”

• Though there has previously not been any canon Chalnoth ships, the design here appears to be based on the ships seen on the cover of DC Comics’ “Star Trek: The Next Generation” #61, published in 1994.

• The starship boneyard that Tendi and D’Erika used to play in as children contains a Federation exploration vessel of the same design as the USS Raven, which Seven of Nine’s parents used to study the Borg and get assimilated. Ship type was first seen in “The Raven”.

• Coqqor devours Rutherford and Boimler’s bonsai tree. In “Allegiance” the Chalnoth Esoqq was unable to eat the food disks provided to Picard and the others by their captors, but did strongly imply that he could subsist on the Mizarian prisoner.

• ”I may not be a pirate, but I’ve rerouted my share of EPS conduits.” Tendi demonstrated her shipjacking abilities in “Hear All, Trust Nothing”.

• ”A report without the subject’s consent would be unethical.” Vulcans monitor other species without their consent all the time, such as in “Star Trek: First Contact”, “The Andorian Incident”, and “Carbon Creek”.

• Boimler and Rutherford end the episode on the holodeck, both dressed as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The works of Mozart have been featured in:

     • “Where No One Has Gone Before”

     • “The Ensigns of Command”

     • “Sarek”

     • “A Matter of Time”

     • “A Fistful of Datas”

     • “Cogenitor”

Back in the 90s, I remember watching episodes of Voyager and TNG on our little black-and-white TV and then watched the TOS movies 15 or so years ago. This past summer, I've started watching all the series and movies straight through. So far I have watched through all TOS, TAS, and am up through The Final Frontier (I know, I'm in for it with this one). I've been reviewing and rating all episodes as I go and could share my metrics if folks are interested, but really I wanted to get some feedback on my road map of the more recent series for maximal enjoyment.

There's a lot of recommendations out there for the 90s block, but less so for the series post Enterprise. So here's my current plan (which I'll probably get to in 3 or so years, but whatever): After I finish Voyager, I'll give a run to all of Enterprise before watching Nemesis. Then a brief reprieve with Lower Decks S1 followed by the Kelvin Universe. Then

Prodigy

Picard S1

Discovery S1 and S2

Picard S2

Discovery S3 and S4 (and maybe S5 now too)

Lower Decks S2

Picard S3

Strange New Worlds S1 and S2

Lower Decks S3 (and probably S4)

Thoughts? I'm probably over thinking it, but that's what we do, right?

Missed this report from earlier in the week…Paramount+ will be joining major streamer J:COM with a launch date for Japan of December 1, 2023.

For the many fans who’ve been waiting for a legal way to get new Trek in Japan, this is hopefully great news.

Rare Find: Lt. Uhura's Lost Singing Performance at Smithsonian!

Interesting discovery.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aIK21SonkSI

@startrek #StarTrek