star trek watcher species

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Revisiting Star Trek TNG: Who Watches The Watchers?

Is Jean Luc Picard a God? The Mintakans think so in this week's Star Trek: TNG look-back...

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This review contains spoilers.

3.4 Who Watches The Watchers?

Out in the deepest reaches of space, a group of Starfleet scientists is studying Mintakans, a proto-Vulcan species that has recently reached the Bronze Age. (In Star Trek lore, this means the next three ages are Roman Age, Gangster Age and Ruled By A Computer.) When a power cut threatens to cut off their holographic disguise, the scientists make a video call to the Enterprise just in time for the crew to watch all the scientists’ stuff explode in their faces. Uh oh! Picard shifts the Enterprise up a gear, but things look grim.

When the Enterprise arrives, things look even grimmer. Some of the scientists are dead, others are injured, one is missing. But worse still, the holographic disguise is down! If any of the natives manage to see the lab, the prime directive would be violated in the most heinous way! Let’s hope that doesn’t happen, right?

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Of course, it does. Not only that, one of the Mintakans – Liko – manages to electrocute himself too, because their society doesn’t have any concept of live wires. Crusher, in true doctorly fashion, begins to treat him and beams him to the Enterprise. Unfortunately his daughter sees the whole thing. I’m sure that won’t be too damaging, right?

After Doctor Crusher successfully out-logics Picard (“The damage was already done! I just ground the fragments into a fine dust!”) they agree to try wiping his memory, Pulaski-style, before returning him to the planet. But it didn’t work! That Pulaski has ruined things for the last time! Liko now has memories of Picard, and when he wakes up he dutifully sets about re-ordering society around the idea of a Picard-based afterlife.

Rather than face explaining to his superior officers that an entire society now worships him (and also because there’s a scientist still missing) Picard sends Troi and Riker to the planet disguised as Mintakans. They also have magic communicators that only they can hear. After the pair make a big splash at the town meeting (subtle!) the town’s leader, Nuria, argues with them about the concept of a Picard. Is he benevolent or petty? Why do bad things happen to good Mintakans? And is he a literal Picard or just the fictional central captain in a collection of morality tales?

Before we can discover this, another Mintakan drags the missing scientist into town. Having whipped themselves into a state of ritualistic bloodlust, the Mintakans decide to sacrifice the scientist. Riker and Troi attempt to intervene, but mostly just succeed in blowing their cover.

Tired of the incompetence of those around him, Picard beams Nuria onto the ship and attempts to level the situation with her. She’s about as confused as you’d expect a woman from the bronze age would be if she found herself on a space ship, but eventually Picard convinces her that he’s not a God, he just a regular dude with some really over-developed tools. She sort of understands, but then betrays her lack of understanding by asking if Picard would bring some Mintakans back to life for her.

Having run out of options, Picard brings Nuria to sickbay and makes her watch one of the scientists succumb to their injuries. She realises he’s not a God, just a very advanced alien. Back on the planet the mob has turned on Troi when Nuria and Picard beam to the surface to intervene. Liko is so adamant in his beliefs that Picard has to invite Liko to shoot him with a bow and arrow to prove that he’s mortal. Liko dutifully does just this and Picard is seriously injured.

Now everyone can see that Picard isn’t immortal, and they all go home disappointed and wait for the day that their world becomes capable of space flight instead. Could take weeks. Months, even. It’s safe to say that the Prime Directive has not been particularly upheld, but at least they did their best in limiting the damage. Another victory for the Enterprise.

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TNG WTF: For the first time ever, there’s no real WTF here.  Although the fact that these guys are “proto-Vulcan” is a little odd. Like, do they share a common ancestor with Vulcans (yeah, yeah, The Chase , I know) or is “Vulcan” just one of the few evolutionary paths a species can eventually go down? They even have proto-Vulcan haircuts!

TNG LOL: Maybe I just have a dark sense of humour, but I always find the initial video call hilarious. Partly it’s the way the guy slumps over the console in front of him just before the call fades away, and partly the awkward silence that follows. Like everyone’s thinking “Well, there go my plans for the weekend…”

Time Until Meeting: 13:01. No nonsense. Let’s figure this mess out!

Captain’s Log: Okay, see, THIS is what Star Trek should be about. Science, philosophy and morality all wrapped up in a single story. About the risks of going boldly into the universe, and the responsibility you have in doing so. If you wanted to give someone a single episode that encompassed Star Trek ‘s entire ethos, you could do much worse than this one.

The plot is pretty compelling, as the crew work to find a solution that doesn’t do even more damage, and Picard gets almost offended that he might have accidentally led them back into a dark age of superstition.  Troi and Riker’s infiltration of the Mintakans gives us a good look at a developing society, and the Mintakans are all pretty well-developed as individuals. The scenes where Nuria is on the Enterprise are particularly poignant.

Obviously you wouldn’t want every episode to be as morally didactic as this one, and it’s a shame it comes just two episodes after a similar one about aliens interfering with a primitive culture. But this is good stuff any way you look at it.

Watch or Skip? WATCH. That’s an order.

Read James’ look back at the previous episode, The Survivors, here .

Follow our  Twitter feed for faster news and bad jokes right here . And be our  Facebook chum here .

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Watchers (Morassian)

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The Watchers was the term given to an organization that existed on the planet Morassia that were tasked with the maintenance and protection of the Preserve on the Morassian homeworld.

Their mission goal was to preserve different animal species from across known space and deposit them on a special sanctuary on their home planet in order to protect them in a tighly controlled environment. This meant that they were the only ones that could put ID tags on the animals during their shipment to Morassia. The Watchers were described as being fanatical in their goal and were zealous in collecting rare specimens. They were accused of only following the care instructions that they were given and showed no personal initiative when looking after the animals. In order to protect the creatures of the Preserve, the Morassians prevented anyone from wielding weapons on the surface. When facing the animals themselves, the Watchers made use of stunners that did not trigger the Preserves alarms.

It was known that on several occasions, the Watchers had requested restricted species being transferred to the Preserve but were denied. At some point in the mid 24th century , the Watchers had hired the Ferengi trader Aramut to deliver new species to the Preserve - an act which caused some problem with the Federation as some of the species being imported were illegal. In 2370 , an Away Team from the USS Enterprise visiting Morassia were involved in the investigation of the disappearance of a Federation scientist Dr. Vi Hyunh-Foertsch . During their time there, they encountered the Preserve's Consultant Iydia who expressed his disatisfication with the Watchers by referring to them as being little more then "glorified zookeepers" . ( TNG video game : A Final Unity )

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Star trek: picard season 2 episode 4 review: watcher.

For all those critics who have implied that New Trek's narratives are "too dark," Star Trek: Picard Season 2 Episode 4 taps into some of the whimsical charm of the time-traveling TOS film, Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home.

Yes, we get a look at the contemporary horror that is an I.C.E. detention center, but we also get an improbably crash-free car chase led by Seven with no previous driving experience and no idea what the rules of the road are.

Recently, the hotly debated question has been, "Who is The Watcher?" The discussion has even overtaken the theories on who the masked Borg queen was on Star Trek: Picard Season 2 Episode 1 . *cough*Jurati*cough*

And the answer is... (drumroll, please) ... LARIS. But not.

When the Borg queen's coordinates beam Picard directly to the steps of Guinan's bar in Los Angeles at 10, Forward Ave., did y'all HEAR the roar of, "I KNEW IT!" that rose from the fanbase?

Deafening. Trek-lovers LURVE to be right.

But then 2024 Guinan -- played in this iteration by the perfectly-cast Ito Aghayere -- insists she isn't the Watcher.

What the what? How could the fans be wrong?

After the rigamarole of following the various Watcher hosts, Picard comes face-to-face with the Watcher in the flesh only to see Laris. Only she's not. She's Tallinn, and she's got more tricks than listening up her sleeve.

Pause right there.

There are a couple of details I'd like to point out and a heap of questions to pose.

Guinan refers to Tallinn as a "Supervisor," which is the same position held by Gary Seven on Star Trek: The Original Series Season 2 Episode 26.

Which means Tallinn isn't El-Aurian. She's a genetically perfect human, raised on a faraway planet and sent to Earth on a mission.

How or why she looks exactly like Laris is something that'll need explaining. Eventually.

Also, what's her beef is with Guinan?

Guinan: This place is a pressure cooker. You know they're actually killing the planet? Truth is whatever you want it to be. Facts aren't even facts anymore. A few folks have enough resources to fix all the problems for the rest but they won't because their greatest fear is having less. They got one tiny ball in the entire galaxy, and all this species want to do is fight. I've given them long enough. Picard: It's not too late. The problem isn't time, it's you. Permalink: It's not too late. The problem isn't time, it's you.

Another issue is one that Trek-canon purists are going to flip their Spock ears over is that Guinan in 2024 should recognize Picard.

She met him in San Francisco in 1893, as documented by Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 5 Episode 26 and Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 6 Episode 1.

Oh. But, WAIT, Time. Is. Broken. We aren't quite at that point but, at the moment, it is a sure thing, making the Wake-Up World the future reality, and therefore, the "Time's Arrow" meeting never occurs. Chalk up yet another relationship that falls as a casualty to the time fissure.

Once Picard leaves Jurati on her own with the Borg queen, it's only a matter of time before the charm offensive hits.

It's like the most awkward sort of morning after. Jurati and the queen mentally "entwined" long enough on Star Trek: Picard Season 2 Episode 3 for Jurati to reboot the systems and steal the information she needs.

But now the queen's got some insights into Jurati, and it's not like the doctor can hide from her. The queen's strung up like Christmas lights over the ship's controls.

Poor Agnes Jurati, doomed to be the afterthought, left behind again. Not to me. You're more than you let on, that they can see. Smart, cunning, and remarkably more cruel than I could've predicted. Brava. Borg queen Permalink: Poor Agnes Jurati, doomed to be the afterthought, left behind again. Not to me. You're more...

So when Seven and Raffi apply the pressure during their aforementioned amazing car chase, Jurati strikes the deal that'll probably lead us back to the Stargazer by season's end.

But that's just my guess.

The bickering buddy car chase is nothing short of remarkable.

Seven: Just so I'm clear, are you suggesting we steal a vehicle from the same people whose job it is to prosecute theft? Raffi: We need a way to find Rios and get back to fixing the timeline. See, my idea is to steal the computer inside. Better? Seven: Not better. NOT BETTER! Raffi, what the hell happened to 'no phasers'? Raffi: I have no idea how this got here. Permalink: I have no idea how this got here.

Raffi's frustration with the bureaucracy of modern-day law enforcement and her fear of losing another team member to a corrupt and prejudiced system is palpable.

So her determination to do anything to get Rios back is understandable.

Seven's initial reticence is too, but once she's on board, they're a phenomenal force.

And it's not like they were going to rescue him via public transit.

There's a small plothole in the fact they tracked Rios's com badge to Dr. Teresa's clinic, but then they left without collecting it. #Butterflies

Raffi: Seven, just get around them. Get around them! Seven: You think I'm not trying? Raffi: The bus was faster. Seven: Right, maybe you should get back on it. Raffi: Uh, truck. Truck! TRUCK! Permalink: Uh, truck. Truck! TRUCK!

I'm also surprised the LAPD cruisers of 2024 don't have a kill switch that dispatch can flip. Or did I just imagine that that's a thing?

While Seven and Raffi are throwing down chaos on the streets of LA, and Picard's tracking down the Watcher and giving Guinan pep talks about humanity, why don't we throw a third plotline into the mix?

Because I don't count Picard and Guinan as a new relationship, I'm looking at Rios and Dr. Teresa as something anomalous and bearing suspicion.

Are they setting us up for Dr. Teresa to meet a tragic end because of her involvement with the team?

Will the relationship result in some time-love shenanigans?

Rios: My name is Cristobal Rios. You can call me Chris, Rios, good either way. ICE Officer: Occupation? Rios: Captain. Of the USS Stargazer, you wouldn't know it. It's a starship from the year 2400. I'm on an ongoing mission to explore strange, new worlds, seek out new life and civilizations, but instead, I'm stuck back in a particularly primitive past -- no offence -- trying to correct the timeline so I can... y'know. With whom, you ask? A ragtag group of misfits, including one cybernetic queen that I'm fairly certain is in it just to wipe out all of humanity with her own cohort and cross the old Admiral who, if I understand it correctly, is a flesh and blood robot. I can't be sure because nobody can explain it to me. Permalink: Captain. Of the USS Stargazer, you wouldn't know it. It's a starship from the year 2400. I'm...

Also, will that ICE officer write some pulpy sci-fi bestseller based on Rios's smart-alecky confession?

As fun as the car chase and crazy reveals are, TPTB once again tie-in a tantalizing bit of long-arc plot breadcrumbs in the final scene.

Who is the young woman so thoroughly engrossed in her Dixon Hill mystery novel that she doesn't hear a man chanting a litany of discouraging refutations in her direction?

You can't do it. And you know it. Oh sure, you played the game for a while when nothing was at stake and the only challenge was fooling everybody into thinking you had the nerve. But now it's real. The fear is choking you. Oh, here's the truth. You can't do it. People are gonna die. And now your fear, your doubt is the loudest voice in your head. Q Permalink: You can't do it. And you know it. Oh sure, you played the game for a while when nothing was...

Why is Q wearing a Europa labcoat?

What's happened to his snap?

Keep in mind that this is the first time we have seen Q in 2024. The last glimpse we had of him was just before La Sirena made its time jump from the Wake-Up World.

Is this the same Q who brought the crew to the broken timeline? Is this the same Q who charged Picard with the mission to fix time?

You'll have noticed that none of the plotlines had any closure here. Rios is on the bus. While safe from LAPD arrest, Seven and Raffi are in the middle of nowhere without a plan.

Picard has been disappeared by a Laris-lookalike Watcher.

And Jurati has just reneged on her agreement with the Borg queen. Can't imagine that was a good decision.

So many questions! So many possibilities!

What do you think, Fanatics? Launch your best thoughts and theories into our comments below!

Watcher Review

Diana Keng was a staff writer for TV Fanatic. She is a lifelong fan of smart sci-fi and fantasy media, an upstanding citizen of the United Federation of Planets, and a supporter of AFC Richmond 'til she dies. Her guilty pleasures include female-led procedurals, old-school sitcoms, and Bluey. She teaches, knits, and dreams big. Follow her on X .

Star Trek: Picard Season 2 Episode 4 Quotes

Picard: I'm counting on you, Agnes. We all are. Jurati: Peachy. Have you met in a pinch? Permalink: Peachy. Have you met in a pinch? Added: March 22, 2022

Jurati: You all right, mister? Picard: Just having memories of things that have yet to occur. Permalink: Just having memories of things that have yet to occur. Added: March 22, 2022

Star Trek: Picard Season 2 Episode 4 Photos

3/24/22 Star Trek: Picard Season 2 Episode 4 Watcher

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Who Is The Watcher in ‘Star Trek: Picard?’

So, in this season of Star Trek: Picard , Picard and his crew are trapped in 2024 attempting to restore the timeline that Q tampered with. After speaking with Guinan, who for murky reasons that still do not satisfy me , does not remember or recognize Picard even though they met back in the 1800s (when Picard also met Mark Twain.) She tells Picard that he should seek out The Watcher, a mysterious alien presence who has been keeping an eye on humanity. Guinan takes him to MacArthur Park to facilitate a meeting between them. The Watcher then possesses various human park attendants as it guides Picard to the portal that will take him to their actual meeting spot. 

So, who is The Watcher?

When Picard arrives he is surprised to see that The Watcher has taken the form of his will-they-won’t-they friend, Laris, a Romulan from the 25th Century. It turns out The Watcher, and others like her, are responsible for maintaining, and secretly guiding, the flow of humanity’s progress and Earth’s history. Which means they really don’t like time-travelers jumping and mucking about. 

This specific Watcher is here on Earth to ensure that Picard’s ancestor, an astronaut named Renee, goes on the Europa space mission to one of Jupiter’s moons. However, Q, posing as her therapist, has been undermining her confidence and increasing her anxiety in an effort to prevent her from completing her space travels. It is unclear what she is supposed to actually do on the mission (Picard has vague memories of learning that she possibly discovered a sentient microorganism), but Picard and The Watcher are convinced that if Q is trying to stop it, then it must be vital to fixing the timeline. What Renee does on the mission could have huge ramifications and add twists to the story.

Have we met The Watchers before?

If your Trek memory goes deep like Jean-Luc’s, you know the answer is yes! Picard discovers that The Watcher holds a similar role to Gary Seven (a character from Star Trek: The Original Series ). Gary Seven was introduced in the TOS Season 2 finale episode “Assignment: Earth” in which the crew of the Enterprise traveled back to 1968 to research the time period. The Enterprise accidentally intercepts Gary Seven’s arrival and learns that he is there because his predecessors were killed in a traffic accident. While Gary Seven appears human, he is actually an alien who is from a distant planet and works for their time-keeping agency. Also, he has a very, very good cat named Isis. 

Gary Seven was actually meant to have his own spinoff series created by Gene Roddenberry, with “Assignment: Earth” acting as a backdoor pilot episode. Unfortunately, the network passed on picking up the pilot for a full series. However, Gary Seven, his assistant Roberta, and Isis do show up in tie-in Star Trek novels and comic books from time to time. The one episode “Assignment: Earth,” (till his mention in this season of Picard ), remains the only feature of them that is Star Trek canon.

(Image: Paramount Plus)

Watcher Companion Bridge Officers

• VisualEditor
• View history

Watcher Companion Bridge Officers are a drop from the [ A Safe Galaxy Lock Box ] . They are inspired by the Watchers as seen in both Star Trek: The Original Series and Star Trek: Picard . Very little is known about Watcher companions other than their distinctive abilities to shapeshift and communicate telepathically with their Watcher. They use their abilities to great effect in facilitating their role in assisting their Watcher, preferring to remain concealed in a cat form until their humanoid form is needed.

• 2 Watcher Companions
• 5 External links

Traits [ | ]

All Watcher Companion Bridge Officers have the following traits:

Watcher Companions [ | ]

These Bridge officers are obtained from the [Special Equipment Pack - Watcher Companion Bridge Officers] . When this pack is unboxed, one of the following bridge officers will be received, in another pack. Both packs are tradable, and can be sold on the Exchange .

The officers are listed below:

Notes [ | ]

• These bridge officers come with preset costumes and cannot be customized.
• Male: Bastet (Egyptian), Ares (Greek), Set (Egyptian), Oscar (Oscar Cat Food mascot), Amun (Egyptian), Kek (Egyptian), Anubis (Egyptian), Styx (Greek), Hermes (Greek), Morris (9Lives cat food), Salem (Sabrina the Teenage Witch), Nox (Greek/Roman), Hades (Greek), Felix (Felix the Cat), Loki (Norse), Dionysus (Greek)
• Female: Hestia (Greek), Freyja (Norse), Hecate (Greek), Luna (Roman, possibly named after Thomas Marrone or Sailor Moon's cat), Isis (Egyptian), Neith (Egyptian), Calliope (Greek Muse), Amentet (Egyptian), Hathor (Egyptian), Maru (Maru the Cat / Kobayashi Maru (?)), Pax (Roman), Selene (Greek), Mafdet (Egyptian), Arlene (Garfield (?)), Tardar (Grumpy Cat)

Gallery [ | ]

Official image.

External links [ | ]

• Watcher (occupation) at Memory Alpha , the Star Trek Wiki.
• 2 Playable starship
• 3 Reputation System

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• Episode aired Mar 24, 2022

With time running out to save the future, Picard seeks out an old friend for help; Rios winds up on the wrong side of the law; Jurati makes a deal with the Borg Queen. With time running out to save the future, Picard seeks out an old friend for help; Rios winds up on the wrong side of the law; Jurati makes a deal with the Borg Queen. With time running out to save the future, Picard seeks out an old friend for help; Rios winds up on the wrong side of the law; Jurati makes a deal with the Borg Queen.

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Did you know

• Trivia Kirk R. Thatcher : as "Mohawk Punk," listening to a boombox on the bus that Seven and Raffi are riding, and appears to be an older version of the same character he played in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986) . The song he's listening to ("I Still Hate You") is a newer version (possibly sequel) of "I Hate You" from ST4:TVH, with slightly different lyrics: "35 years later and nothing much has changed...". Kirk Thatcher was an Associate Producer on ST4:TVH, wrote and sang both songs. He also played a similar character in Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017) .
• Goofs Raffi and Seven take a bus to get to the LAPD station. In Assimilation (2022) , Raffi robs the mugger and is shown removing a wad of bills from his wallet and stuffing them in her pocket as Seven shows up.

Dr. Agnes Jurati : My friends are in trouble. I really need the transporters fully functioning, and you can think faster than I can type. So, please, can I trust you to help?

Borg Queen : Beware the species that has not yet purged that word. They're simply begging to be conquered.

Dr. Agnes Jurati : Help?

Borg Queen : Trust.

• Connections Featured in re:View: Star Trek: Picard Season 2, Episodes 4 and 5 (2022)

User reviews 113

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• Runtime 45 minutes

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Published Jun 25, 2020

Vannen Watches Reveals New Star Trek Line

Boldy go in style with these new watches.

StarTrek.com

Star Trek is excited to announce a new series of limited edition watches created in collaboration with contemporary Watchmaker, Vannen.

The first watch in the series was designed by Tom Whalen and will be available at VannenWatches.com starting on Thursday, June 25th at 9am Pacific Time. There will be two versions of the watch, White and Grey, limited to 200 pieces each for only $65. As a bonus, some lucky shoppers will find their Star Trek watch orders arriving in packaging autographed by Tom Whalen.

To celebrate the release of the new, limited edition Star Trek watches from Vannen, we asked David Stowe (Owner of Vannen, Inc.) and Tom Whalen (artist/designer of U.S.S. Enterprise watch) to share with us the process behind creating their new watch.

David Stowe: Hi, Tom. Thanks for taking the time to chat. For the people who aren't familiar with your work, please tell them a little bit about yourself.

Tom Whalen: My name is Tom Whalen. I’m a designer/illustrator, and I’m primarily known for my poster work, which has led to me getting involved most recently with toy packaging design. But what really got me into this groove was creating posters for Mondo, Bottleneck Gallery, and Gallery 1988, by taking existing movies and putting my spin on them.

DS: I remember reading that you grew up in your grandmother’s candy store. Do you think that being around the color palettes and designs associated with candy packaging had any influence on you?

TW: You know, I've never put that question to myself, but I think it did. I have such a love of typography, packaging, and product design that it must’ve had an influence. Like, as soon as you said that, my head went back to all those the candy boxes on her shelves and just bright colors. I'm sure it definitely has a foundation in my work.

DS: Your color palette is one of the things that drew me to your work. I don't remember the exact poster, but it was 12”x 36” and it had great color and perfect composition for such an unconventional canvas area. What made you start working in that size? Was it so you could stand out in the poster scene, or was it just a challenge that you fell into?

TW: Subject matter pushes me into that. I'll get an assignment for a poster, and I'm not sure which size or format will work. Sometimes it's automatic, and it's like, “Oh, that definitely needs to be a 12”x 36” or it needs to be an 18” by 24”. Regardless of the size, I love playing with the edges of a canvas area, and I love cropping in interesting ways. 12”x 36” lets me get some pretty interesting crops and bleeds.

DS: Speaking of that poster size, when I first saw your ‘ U.S.S. Enterprise ’ print for Star Trek ’s 50th Anniversary art show, I immediately thought to myself, “That is the perfect image for Watch packaging.” Since that print was proportionate in scale to the front panel of your Watch packaging, was it easy to rework that print for the box, or did you run into any challenges?

TW: No major challenges. I was excited to reinterpret the image for the packaging because it’s so close to the correct size. The only challenge was getting everything to fit and to balance all that art on a three-dimensional surface area and making it work seamlessly.

DS: The packaging is always the first obstacle. Now that you’ve finished the packaging, are you happy with how it turned out?

TW: I'm ecstatic. I love it. To be honest, I had the whole process wrong in my head before we started. I thought for sure that starting with the watch first would have been the way to go. But going in with you – and you having that experience of how to design a watch and packaging – I quickly realized the watch has to be an extension of the packaging and the overall experience. I'm very grateful for the way you guided me through the process.

DS: Glad to be of assistance. Once your packaging was finished, we talked about taking elements from the ship and putting those bits on the watch and creating new, unseen elements from the ship. Like creating your version of the hull/bridge and using that as the centerpiece of the Watch. With that said, what was the best part of working on the watch? Was it the journey through the process of seeing it come to life, or was it simply just reaching the finish line?

TW: What I really loved seeing were the variations and colorways next to each other, and seeing those come to life during the process. Usually, it’s about the end result, and that's where I normally get my satisfaction. But seeing the piece completed and knowing what the Watch took from the box art to become a Watch was something else. Having to add and subtract to then learn where art should be, or shouldn't be, and where imagery should land so that it all comes together to create a piece that looks really cool, was a process.

DS: Designing a good-looking watch isn’t easy, and you can testify to that. Like you said, placement, balance, composition are crucial, and graphically the watch has to be an extension or shared experience of the packaging. But again, when I saw your original Star Trek 50th Anniversary artwork, and all the other work you’d done in those 12” x 36” posters, I knew you could handle it… and you did.

TW: Those skills of mine were really put to the test, like making a design work in a very unconventional shape and then also realizing that it's not just a shape but it's also a functional shape that's going to wrap around a wrist.

DS: One of the things I try to help designers with when we start working together is to let them know they need to be thinking 20 steps ahead of their current concept to make sure their watch and box are cohesive. Most people focus on the center of the watch, and then the straps are an afterthought with zero consideration, and then the box also becomes an afterthought. But with your design, the centerpiece of the Watch is a great focal point, and then your strap artwork complements the dial and crystal really well. What are some of your favorite details on the watch?

TW: The dial and crystal artwork is pretty insane. The way that worked out with the added dimension and the functionally of traditional watch markings looks awesome.

DS: The dial design really is a fantastic combination of traditional Index Markings (hour, minute, second markings) and your interpretation of what the top half of hull/bridge looks like in your design style.

TW: That was another interesting challenge because the hull/bridge wasn't made to be the dial of a Watch. But I think it's close enough that it reads as both the ship and the dial.

DS: It does indeed. That's the beauty of the design. It’s a dial that people can read, and it has an extra dimension with the artwork printed on the crystal, which turned out really great.

TW: Thanks. It was a cool project to work on.

DS: I hear you didn’t get into Star Trek until later in life. Was there a particular episode in the Original Series that got to you, or was it a moment where the show just clicked?

TW : It was actually for an assignment for probably my second poster for Mondo. They hired me to do a poster inspired by the episode “Journey to Babel” from the original Star Trek series. I was familiar with a lot of the alien species in that episode, but that was probably the first episode where I properly paid attention. But from that point – from my assignment with Mondo – I've watched all The Original Series episodes, and I’ve genuinely enjoyed them.

DS: Do you have a favorite episode from The Original Series ?

TW: “Let That Be Your Last Battlefield” is my favorite. The socio-political allegories in that episode are just great.

DS: Do you have a favorite character from the original series?

TW: Spock was always my favorite. I loved the way he always delivers the cold, hard facts. And then when he would break from Vulcan Spock – where you saw the human side of him – I thought those were great moments, too.

DS: With that said, is there a character from the original series that's most like Tom Whalen?

TW: Oh, wow! I might have to say Spock because I get down to business, and I don’t beat around the bush. That's maybe not the greatest character trait, but it’s the one that's closest to anybody on the show.

DS: I can see that. I'm more like Scotty: accommodating, resourceful, and I can fix stuff that’s been destroyed by alien saboteurs. Before we go, tell everybody where they can find, follow, and buy your stuff?

TW: My website is Strongstuff.net, and there's a link to my shop in there, which is Strongstuffshop.net. And on Twitter, I'm @Strongstufftom, and on Instagram, just @Strongstuff.

DS: Awesome. Thanks again.

TW: No problem. Thank you.

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Star Trek Discovery’s L’ak Actor Told Us About Learning His Character's Most Exciting Details At A Point When He Couldn't Immediately Freak Out

I would be losing my mind too.

Warning! The following contains SPOILERS for the Star Trek: Discovery episode "Mirrors." Watch the episode with a Paramount+ subscription before hopping in!

Star Trek: Discovery snuck in a significant reveal in its latest episode, and it answered a question that many fans have wondered for decades. We finally know what the Breen look like, and it turns out we've been looking at one almost the entire season. L'ak has the honor of being the first Breen face for fans to see, and actor Elias Toufexis had a great story of geeking out when he first learned about it.

For those who follow him on X , Toufexis is a massive Star Trek fan, but he didn't find out how significant his role as L'ak in the final season was until he was in a spot where, understandably, wild reactions and jerky movements are discouraged. The actor shared the details of when he first found out he was going to be a Breen and how he felt about it:

When I went to the makeup test I had, I had to go put on the whole plaster where you sit there for 20 minutes and try not to pass out, try not to freak out. But I said, ‘Can I look at what I'm going to look like?’ And they showed me some concept art and I said, ‘What is he?’ And they said, ‘Oh, he's, he's gonna be a Breen.’ And I was like, ‘Breen don't take their helmets off.’ That was the first thing I said, that's a much of a nerd I am. And I'm like, ‘Are you telling me I'm gonna be the first Breen that takes his helmet off?’ …The makeup guys are geeks too. So it's like, ‘Yeah, it's gonna be cool. It's gonna be the first time in Star Trek!’ And so that really got me excited.

I can't express how much I love it when a big fan of Star Trek finds themselves in a role for the franchise. Being the first unmasked Breen may not mean a ton to every actor who would get the honor, but I know Elias Toufexis was as enthusiastic as he stated in the quote above. At the same time, what awful timing to figure it out when you're in the makeup chair and have to contain your excitement physically for a set period of time!

The Breen were first mentioned Star Trek: The Next Generation in 1990, and then six years later, the species would make its debut in the Deep Space Nine episode "Indiscretion" but remained unseen until just recently. According to a quote from showrunner Ira Steven Behr from the Deep Space Nine Companion , Breen were originally fully covered up because he "wasn't in the mood" to design a new alien race.

Fast forward to now, we've seen an unmasked Breen on the run from his species with his lover, Moll (who is nothing like Ahsoka 's Shin Hati ). The couriers are searching for the Progenitors' device in hopes they can exchange it with the Breen for freedom and no longer have to live as fugitives.

I'm getting really excited about this.

Michael Burnham, being the inspiring captain that she is , offered to protect L'ak and Moll from the Breen, but her offer was rejected. The two made their escape, are off to continue to search for more clues and, hopefully, evade the Breen capture.

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It is cool to see Star Trek still surprising fans with reveals decades later, and I wonder if we'll see more unmasked Breen in upcoming Star Trek projects going forward. Perhaps whatever comes out of this conflict with the Breen will play a part in the story of the upcoming Starfleet Academy series , which is also set in the 32nd century. I can imagine we'll see at least one or two members of the Discovery cast there, though Mary Wiseman wouldn't spill the beans when I asked. Hey, you can't blame a guy for trying!

Star Trek: Discovery streams new episodes on Paramount+ on Thursdays. We're officially at the midpoint in the final season, so now would be a good time to remember what we've learned so far and gear up for the final episodes.

Mick Joest is a Content Producer for CinemaBlend with his hand in an eclectic mix of television goodness. Star Trek is his main jam, but he also regularly reports on happenings in the world of Star Trek, WWE, Doctor Who, 90 Day Fiancé, Quantum Leap, and Big Brother. He graduated from the University of Southern Indiana with a degree in Journalism and a minor in Radio and Television. He's great at hosting panels and appearing on podcasts if given the chance as well.

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Who Watches The Watchers (episode)

• View history
• 1.2 Act One
• 1.3 Act Two
• 1.4 Act Three
• 1.5 Act Four
• 1.6 Act Five
• 2 Log entries
• 3 Memorable quotes
• 4.1 Production history
• 4.2 Story and production
• 4.3 Cast and characters
• 4.4 Continuity
• 4.5 Reception
• 4.6 Video and DVD releases
• 5.1 Starring
• 5.2 Also starring
• 5.3 Guest stars
• 5.4 Co-stars
• 5.5 Uncredited co-stars
• 5.6 Stunt doubles
• 5.7 Stand-ins
• 5.8 References
• 5.9 External links

Summary [ ]

The observation post is studying Mintakans , proto-Vulcan humanoids at the Bronze Age level, from behind a holographic wall on the surface of the planet. When contacted en route, Dr. Barron informs the USS Enterprise -D they only have 3 hours of battery backup remaining. Data reports that if the Enterprise increases speed to warp seven, they will reach the planet in twenty-three minutes. However, during the status report, there is a large explosion, resulting in power failure, injuries, and the transmission failing. Captain Picard orders that the Enterprise increase speed to warp nine.

Act One [ ]

A shocking discovery at the observation post

When the Enterprise arrives, and the away team begins repairs, flashing lights from behind the failed holographic wall draw the attention of two Mintakans, Liko and Oji . They noticed the flash as Oji was examining the sundial , as she is the appointed record keeper. Before the holographic generator can be repaired, Liko manages to get a glimpse of the inside. When noticed by Data, he accidentally touches one of the electrically charged walls, and falls off the rock face, plunging down hard to the ground. Dr. Crusher , acting upon instinct, goes down, scans him with her tricorder and gets him beamed to sickbay . Oji is amazed when she sees both of them disappear into thin air. Only now is the holographic generator repaired successfully.

Dr. Crusher, after defending her decision to violate the Prime Directive in this manner (Liko had already seen inside), performs a short-term memory wipe , a technique of Dr. Pulaski . When Dr. Barron awakens in the next bed, he is informed of the situation: one of the scientists, Dr. Palmer , is still down there. Liko sees Picard explaining this, and giving several orders before Dr. Crusher re-sedates him. After Liko is sedated, Picard tells Crusher that her next task is clear before leaving.

" Perhaps the beliefs of our ancestors are true. "

When Liko is beamed down to the planet , he does in fact remember everything. After reuniting with his daughter, Liko explains to Oji about his experience, convinced that the beings of old legends had saved him, and knew the name of one: the Picard . He and his daughter head back to their people, with Liko telling Oji that the must inform the others of his experience.

Act Two [ ]

" Further contamination must be prevented. "

In a meeting in the Enterprise 's observation lounge , Data explains that Mintaka III exhibits karst topography , notably sinkholes, underground rivers , and caverns . He explains that the rock strata also contains a high concentration of thallium compound which is interfering with ship's sensors , making it difficult to locate Palmer's life signs . Crusher underlies the importance of finding Palmer, as he is badly injured and suggests sending an away team down to locate him. Troi notes that their presence must not interfere with the natural development of the Mintakans and Picard agrees, noting that cultural contamination must be prevented. Commander Riker tells the captain he has a suggestion.

" You've had a very interesting dream. "

Riker and Troi beam down to Mintaka III, and once they arrive in the town, they hear that Liko's story is continuing around. Nuria is one of the major skeptics. Riker and Troi attempt to convince them it was a dream, but to no avail. Then Dr. Palmer is brought in, and Liko is convinced it will please the Picard.

Riker contacts the Enterprise and reports that "we have a problem." He tells Picard that the Mintakans are beginning to believe in a god and the one they have chosen… is Picard.

Act Three [ ]

When Riker reports this, Dr. Barron is adamant that Palmer should be beamed aboard, since the cultural damage has been done. Picard will look for an opportunity, but refuses to do it immediately or drastically. Barron reminds Picard that Palmer's life is being endangered by not acting to rescue him now. Picard tells Dr. Barron that he is aware of that but also says that the doctor, as well as each of them, swore an oath to uphold the Prime Directive – if necessary, at the cost of their lives.

The town concludes that Palmer should be kept safe to please the Picard, and he will be bound in case he was hiding from the Picard. Troi attempts to distract many members by claiming that "another servant of the Picard" is headed for the caves, while Riker binds the lone, elderly guard Fento and escapes with Palmer. He manages to beam back to the ship before he can be caught by Hali .

Troi, however, is captured. Liko suggests they harm Troi to hold off the Picard's anger. Nuria refuses to until they have have at least tried to find Riker and Palmer, noting that with Riker carrying Palmer, they couldn't have gotten far.

Meanwhile, on the ship, Dr. Barron suggests that Picard "show them a sign". He refuses, citing again the Prime Directive, and all of the damage he would do, over Barron's objections that the Prime Directive has already been violated and the damage has already been done. Picard states that he cannot " impose a set of commandments on these people. " Instead, he believes that he can convince Nuria that "the Picard" is not magical, simply very advanced. He announces that he will show Nuria how the "magic" works by beaming her aboard.

" You must not kneel to me. "

When Nuria is alone, Picard alone transports her aboard. Upon hearing Picard state his name to her, she cries out and bows in reverence.

Act Four [ ]

Picard tells Nuria to get up, and tries to talk her out of her superstitions. When it does not work, he shows her the ship, the view of her world from the observation lounge's viewports , and continues to explain to her the fact he is only a flesh and blood being, using technology which has simply evolved over many centuries, comparing it to some of the technological advances of her era, such as building huts, weaving cloth, or shooting a bow and arrow. She appears to understand, but then asks Picard to return her people to life who are long dead.

Since there seems to be nothing else he can do to convince her, Picard brings her into sickbay when Dr. Mary Warren is dying. Nuria watches her die, and then finally understands: she couldn't be saved; his power does have limits. Picard's people are remarkable, but they are not supreme beings.

" The Overseer has come! "

Meanwhile, on the planet, a storm frightens Liko, one out of season and quite intense. Believing the Picard has sent it, and without Nuria to question his actions, he prepares to sacrifice Troi, feeling he has no choice.

Act Five [ ]

Troi attempts to dissuade him by casting doubt as to whether the Picard actually wants him to sacrifice her, and Liko prays to the Picard for guidance. Just in time, Picard returns with Nuria, who attempts to persuade Liko that Picard is mortal, and not "The Overseer", or God. Liko, however, will not believe it. He begs for Picard to restore his dead wife, but Picard again tries to explain this is impossible.

In a desperate attempt to demonstrate Picard's supreme nature Liko aims his bow and threatens to shoot him. Nuria attempts to stand in between Liko and Picard, but Picard gently moves her out of the way, encouraging him to indeed shoot if that is the only way he will be convinced that he is truly mortal. Liko shoots, just as Oji pushes him, and the arrow injures Picard seriously in the shoulder, for all to witness. Only now, as Nuria shows him Picard's red blood, does Liko believe in Picard's mortality.

" You have taught us there is nothing beyond our reach. "

With his arm in a sling , Picard shows them the observation post, and explains their presence, their desire for research, and the Prime Directive. Liko now shows a firm understanding, ruefully acknowledging that his own reaction to the Federation's presence illustrates the wisdom of keeping that presence concealed. Nuria thanks Picard for showing her the grand scale of what her people can accomplish, even if it takes several lifetimes to do so. After accepting a tapestry from a Mintakan boy , exchanging good will, he departs the planet.

Log entries [ ]

• Captain's log, USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D), 2366
• First officer's log, USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D)

Memorable quotes [ ]

" Mintakan emotions are quite interesting. Like the Vulcans, they have highly ordered minds. A very sensible people. For example, Mintakan women precede their mates. It's a signal to other women. " "' This man's taken, get your own'? " " Not precisely. More like 'if you want his services, I'm the one you have to negotiate with.' " " What kind of services? " " All kinds. " " They are a sensible race. "

" I believe I have seen the Overseer. He is called 'The Picard.' "

" Picard! " " Damn! " " Well doctor, your next task is clear. "

" The Mintakans are beginning to believe in a God and the one they've chosen… is you. "

" Dr. Barron, I cannot, I will not impose a set of commandments on these people! "

" Do not kneel before me. " " You do not wish it? " " I do not deserve it. "

" Look at me… feel the warmth of my hand, the rhythm of my pulse. I'm not a supreme being. I'm flesh and blood, like you. " " Not like me. " " Like you. Different in appearance, yes, but we are both living beings. We are born, we grow, we live… and we die. In all the ways that matter, we are alike. "

" Perhaps one day, my people will travel above the skies… " " Of that, I have absolutely no doubt. "

" Horrifying… Dr. Barron, your report describes how rational these people are. Millennia ago, they abandoned their belief in the supernatural. Now you are asking me to sabotage that achievement, to send them back into the dark ages of superstition and ignorance and fear? No! "

" Are you sure this is what he wants? That's the problem with believing in a supreme being: trying to determine what he wants. "

" If you believe that I am a supreme being, then you cannot hurt me. If, however, I am telling the truth, that I am mortal , you will kill me. If, however, my death is the only evidence you will believe, then shoot! "

" I wish you good journeys, Picard. Remember my people. " " Always. "

Background information [ ]

Production history [ ].

• Second revised final draft script: 7 August 1989 [1]
• Premiere airdate: 16 October 1989
• First UK airdate: 30 October 1991

Story and production [ ]

Filming at Vasquez Rocks

• The title of this episode is taken directly from the Latin phrase, " Quis custodiet ipsos custodes? ", first used by the poet Juvenal , a 1st/2nd century Roman satirist. Juvenal also provided the title of " Bread and Circuses ".
• Rick Sternbach based the design of the duck blind on the video cameras used by the TMA-1 team in 2001: A Space Odyssey . ( Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion  (2nd ed., p. 104))
• Vasquez Rocks Natural Area Park , a familiar filming location from Star Trek: The Original Series , was used again for this episode. The cast and crew spent two days shooting in 100°F (38°C) heat. Due to the presence of local snakes, scorpions and bees, no attractants such as deodorant or perfume could be used. ( Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion  (2nd ed., p. 104))
• The unusual-looking bow used by Liko is a Martin Dyna-Bo.
• This was the last episode produced during Michael Wagner 's brief tenure as showrunner. Michael Piller took over the role starting with " The Bonding ".

Cast and characters [ ]

• Wil Wheaton ( Wesley Crusher ) does not appear in this episode.
• James Greene later appears in the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode " The Reckoning " as Ranjen Koral and in the Star Trek: Voyager episode " 11:59 " as a passerby .
• Ray Wise later appears in the Star Trek: Voyager episode " Hope and Fear " as Arturis .
• Appearing as a Mintakan, Jonathan Frakes admitted " My experience with being a Mintakan gave me great appreciation for what Dorn goes through every morning. I think the makeup took something like two-and-a-half hours, but I don't sit very well; I get very fidgety. The look was astounding. You're amazed at how people react when you have it on. I'll do the occasional Mintakan, but I'm very thankful I have my own face. " ( Star Trek: The Next Generation Makeup FX Journal , p. 80)

Continuity [ ]

• The episode refers to events that happened in " Pen Pals ", specifically Dr. Pulaski 's memory wipe on Sarjenka .
• This episode also marks the final direct reference to Dr. Pulaski on the show. She is henceforth never mentioned (by name) on the series again, although she is alluded to by Professor Moriarty in " Ship In A Bottle ". Moreover, she does get a brief mention in the closing episode of Star Trek: Voyager , " Endgame ", where she receives a page from Starfleet Medical.
• Beverly Crusher debuts her longer lab coat which she continued to use for the remainder of the series and Star Trek Generations .
• The Mintakan tapestry that is given to Picard by Nuria and the villagers is seen on Picard's chair in his quarters in many subsequent episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation and in all of the "Next Generation" films except Star Trek Nemesis .
• The planet shown in the episode is the same optical as was later used for the planet of Betazed .
• This is the first episode of the series to feature Riker participating in an undercover mission on an alien world. Riker's later covert missions in episodes such as " First Contact ", " Frame of Mind ", and " Preemptive Strike " would have mostly disastrous results.
• This marks the second of four times Picard shows a native female her home planet from orbit. This happened previously with Rivan in " Justice " and later Mirasta Yale in " First Contact " and Lily Sloane in Star Trek: First Contact . This approach clearly has meaning to Picard as he tells Anij in Star Trek: Insurrection , seeing his home planet from space for the first time was a moment when time stood still.
• The events of this episode are later referenced by Mitena Haro in TNG : " Allegiance ".
• The concept of observing another civilization from a holographic duck blind is revisited, with equally unsatisfactory results, in Star Trek: Insurrection .

Reception [ ]

• Ira Steven Behr commented that he thought "Who Watches The Watchers" was " a good hour of television. I thought it was a pretty good show, but it was in and out, as ST:TNG was prone to do, because it was about boldly going forth. If the writers had had five seasons to work with that thread, who knows how many twists and turns Jean-Luc could have gone through. That opportunity just wasn't there ". ("Faith in the 24th Century", Star Trek Monthly , issue 39 )
• A mission report for this episode by John Sayers was published in The Official Star Trek: The Next Generation Magazine  issue 10 , pp. 49-53.

Video and DVD releases [ ]

• Original UK VHS release (two-episode tapes, CIC Video ): Volume 26, 21 October 1991
• UK re-release (three-episode tapes, Paramount Home Entertainment ): Volume 3.2, 3 April 2000
• As part of the TNG Season 3 DVD collection
• As part of the TNG Season 3 Blu-ray collection

Links and references [ ]

Starring [ ].

• Patrick Stewart as Capt. Jean-Luc Picard
• Jonathan Frakes as Commander William Riker

Also starring [ ]

• LeVar Burton as Lt. Cmdr. Geordi La Forge
• Michael Dorn as Lieutenant Worf
• Gates McFadden as Dr. Beverly Crusher
• Marina Sirtis as Counselor Deanna Troi
• Brent Spiner as Lt. Commander Data

Guest stars [ ]

• Kathryn Leigh Scott as Nuria
• Ray Wise as Liko
• James Greene as Barron
• Pamela Segall as Oji
• John McLiam as Fento

Co-stars [ ]

• James McIntire as Hali
• Lois Hall as Warren

Uncredited co-stars [ ]

• Michael Braveheart as Martinez
• Michele Gerren as science division officer
• Lorine Mendell as Diana Giddings
• John Rice as science division officer
• Tim Trella as Palmer
• Natalie Wood as Bailey
• Conn ensign
• Female nurse
• Female officer (voice)
• Female operations ensign
• Mintakan female 1 and 2
• Mintakan male 1 and 2
• Mintakan girl
• Yari ( Quago )

Stunt doubles [ ]

• Dan Koko as stunt double for Jonathan Frakes
• John Nowak as stunt double for Patrick Stewart
• Unknown stunt performer as stunt double for Ray Wise

Stand-ins [ ]

• James G. Becker – stand-in for Jonathan Frakes
• Dexter Clay – stand-in for Michael Dorn
• Jeffrey Deacon – stand-in for Patrick Stewart
• Nora Leonhardt – stand-in for Marina Sirtis
• Tim McCormack – stand-in for Brent Spiner
• Lorine Mendell – stand-in for Gates McFadden

References [ ]

13th century ; 2365 ; accident ; achievement ; ancestor ; anger ; anthropological field team ; area ; away team ; battery ; belief : bird ; bow and arrow ; brain ; brain chemistry ; Bronze Age ; camouflage ; cave ; cave dwelling ancestor ; cavern ; cc ; chance ; chart ; choice ; close orbit ; close range ; cloth ; cloud ; concentration ; contact ; crop ; culture ; cultural contamination ; cultural development ; damage ; Dark ages ; death ; delirium ; disease ; distance ; door ; dream ; duck blind ; efficiency ; emotion ; evidence ; evolution ; explanation ; extended family ; eye ; fable ; fate ; fear ; Federation ; fertility ; flood ; friend ; French language ; fusion reactor ; gag ; generation ; generosity ; ghost ; gigawatt ; god ; hand ; hologram generator ; holy war ; home ; hornbuck ; hour ; Human ; hundred ; hunting ; hut ; ignorance ; injury ; inhabitant ; inquisition ; judgment ; Karst topography ; kneeling ; knot ; knowledge ; land ; leader ; legend ; life sign ; lightning ; lysosome ; magic ; masquerade ; mate ; medical emergency ; memory ; memory wipe ; meter ; mind ; Mintaka ; Mintaka III ; Mintakans ; Mintakan flood victims ; Mintakan tapestry ; minute ; mission ; mister ; non-corporeal species ; norep ; number one ; oath ; obedience ; observation post ; Oji's mother ; outpost ; outsider ; Overseer ; patient ; percent ; phaser bank ; place ; power ; price ; Prime Directive ; problem ; proof ; Proto-Vulcan humanoid ; Pulaski, Katherine ; pulse ; race ; rain ; record keeper ; religion ; repairs ; report ; rhythm ; ridge ; river ; rock ; sabotage ; season ; sensor beam ; servant ; signal ; sinkhole ; skepticism ; skill ; skin color ; sky ; sling ; smoke ; south ; spirit ; star ; storm ; story ; stranger ; strata ; subcutaneous communicator ; subspace relay station ; suggestion ; sundial ; supernatural ; supernatural being ; superstition ; tale ; thallium ; tool ; transmission ; transporter room one ; traveler ; tricordrazine ; truth ; visit ; visitor ; Vulcans ; Vulcan (planet) ; wall ; weave ; winter ; worship ; wound ; zenith

External links [ ]

• " Who Watches the Watchers " at Memory Beta , the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
• " Who Watches the Watchers " at Wikipedia
• "Who Watches the Watchers" at StarTrek.com
• " Who Watches The Watchers " at MissionLogPodcast.com , a Roddenberry Star Trek podcast
• "Who Watches the Watchers" script  at Star Trek Minutiae
• " Who Watches The Watchers " at the Internet Movie Database
• 1 Self-sealing stem bolt
• 3 Cleveland Booker

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Original ‘Star Trek’ Enterprise Model Is Found After Being Missing for Decades

The 33-inch model surfaced on eBay after disappearing around 1979. An auction house is giving it to the son of Gene Roddenberry, the creator of “Star Trek.”

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By Emily Schmall

The first model of the U.S.S. Enterprise, the starship that appeared in the opening credits of the original “Star Trek” television series , has been returned to Eugene Roddenberry Jr., the son of the creator of the series, decades after it went missing.

“After a long journey, she’s home,” Mr. Roddenberry wrote on social media on Thursday.

For die-hard Trekkies, the model’s disappearance had become the subject of folklore, so an eBay listing last fall, with a starting bid of $1,000, didn’t go unnoticed.

“Red alert,” someone in an online costume and prop-making forum wrote, linking to the listing.

Mr. Roddenberry’s father, Gene Roddenberry, created the television series, which first aired in 1966 and ran for three seasons. It spawned numerous spinoffs, several films and a franchise that has included conventions and legions of devoted fans with an avid interest in memorabilia.

The seller of the model was bombarded with inquiries and quickly took the listing down.

The seller contacted Heritage Auctions to authenticate it, the auction house’s executive vice president, Joe Maddalena, said on Saturday. As soon as the seller, who said he had found it in a storage unit, brought it to the auction house’s office in Beverly Hills, Calif., Mr. Maddalena said he knew it was real.

“That’s when I reached out to Rod to say, ‘We’ve got this. This is it,’” he said, adding that the model was being transferred to Mr. Roddenberry.

Mr. Roddenberry, who is known as Rod, said on Saturday that he would restore the model and seek to have it displayed in a museum or other institution. He said reclaiming the item had only piqued his interest in the circumstances about its disappearance.

“Whoever borrowed it or misplaced it or lost it, something happened somewhere,” he said. “Where’s it been?”

It was unclear how the model ended up in the storage unit and who had it before its discovery.

The original U.S.S. Enterprise, a 33-inch model, was mostly made of solid wood by Richard C. Datin, a model maker for the Howard Anderson Company, a special-effects company that created the opening credits for some of the 20th century’s biggest TV shows .

An enlarged 11-foot model was used in subsequent “Star Trek” television episodes, and is now part of the permanent collection of the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum , where it was donated by Paramount Studios in 1974.

Mr. Roddenberry, who said he gave the seller a “reward” for its recovery but did not disclose the terms, assembled a group of “Star Trek” production veterans, model makers and restoration specialists in Beverly Hills to authenticate the find.

The group included a “Star Trek” art supervisor, Michael Okuda, and his wife, Denise, an artist on “Star Trek” television series and films, and Gary Kerr, a “Trek x-pert” who served as technical consultant for the Smithsonian during a 2016 restoration of the 11-foot model.

“We spent at least an hour photographing it, inspecting the paint, inspecting the dirt, looking under the base, the patina on the stem, the grain in the wood,” Mr. Roddenberry said.

“It was a unanimous ‘This is 100 percent the one,’” he said.

Gene Roddenberry, who died in 1991 , kept the original model, which appeared in the show’s opening credits and pilot episode, on his desk.

Mr. Kerr compared the model to 1960s photos he had of the model on Mr. Roddenberry’s desk.

“The wood grain matched exactly, so that was it,” he said on Saturday.

The model went missing after Mr. Roddenberry lent it to the makers of “Star Trek: The Motion Picture,” which was released in 1979, Mr. Maddalena said.

“This is a major discovery,” he said, likening the model to the ruby slippers from “The Wizard of Oz,” a prop that was stolen in 2005 and recovered by the F.B.I. in 2018, and that Heritage Auctions is selling.

While the slippers represent hope, he said, the starship Enterprise model “represents dreams.”

“It’s a portal to what could be,” he said.

Emily Schmall covers breaking news and feature stories and is based in Chicago. More about Emily Schmall

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Screen Rant

Where to watch tarot: showtimes & streaming status.

A new horror movie has arrived, and there are different options for where to watch Tarot by using theatrical showtimes or at home on streaming.

• Join young stars Jacob Batalon and Avantika Vandanapu in the 2024 horror film Tarot based on a 1992 book by Nicholas Adams.
• Catch Tarot in theaters starting May 3, 2024, as Sony opted for an exclusive theatrical release before streaming on Netflix in September.
• If you prefer to watch at home, Tarot will be available on digital platforms in June 2024, giving fans a chance to experience the horror film.

Another 2024 horror movie has arrived, and there are options for where to watch Tarot . The horror genre is one that Hollywood consistently returns to with a cast of young stars hoping to attract younger audiences and deliver plenty of thrills. Tarot is another example of this, as the 2024 horror movie comes from Sony Pictures and features some notable rising names. Jacob Batalon from Sony and Marvel Studios' Spider-Man trilogy is among the cast, as is Mean Girls breakout cast member Avantika Vandanapu .

Tarot is based on a 1992 book by Nicholas Adams called Horrorscope , which was the film's original title. The story revolves around college friends who begin to die in ways related to recent tarot card readings. The 2024 horror movie comes from directors Spenser Cohen and Anna Halberg, who are making their feature-length directorial debut. As a PG-13 horror movie made on a moderate budget, Sony has given Tarot a path to success if there is enough interest in watching the movie in theaters or on streaming.

Tarot Releases In Theaters On May 3, 2024

Sony moved the release up, tarot (2024).

The first opportunity to watch Tarot is in theaters. Sony elected to give the horror movie an exclusive theatrical release instead of debuting it on a streaming service. The film's theatrical run begins on its May 3, 2024, release date. Sony originally planned for Tarot to be released on June 28, 2024, but it was moved up to May in what appeared to be a vote of confidence from the studio that the film could be a success earlier in the summer movie season.

Find Showtimes For Tarot

Theatrical showtimes from Friday, May 3 onward can be found via the links below:

• AMC Theaters
• Alamo Drafthouse

When Will Tarot Release On Streaming?

Tarot should stream on netflix first.

Sony has yet to confirm when Tarot 's streaming release date will be, but the timing of it is predictable. Since Sony does not have a streaming service of its own, the studio licenses its new theatrical releases to different streaming services over time. Netflix gets Sony's movies first, and the timing of the films' streaming debuts is typically around 120 days after the theatrical launch. This would mean that Tarot could start streaming on Netflix in September 2024 if the pattern holds. Sony rarely strays from its usual schedule, so this predicted streaming release should be fairly accurate.

When Will Tarot Release On Digital?

A pvod release will happen.

Anyone who wants to watch Tarot at home without a streaming service can do so through its digital release. Sony has yet to announce when Tarot 's digital release date is, but it will eventually be available on all major PVOD services. The studio's digital release window is a bit more wide-ranging, as it can be as short as 28 days or over 60 days after debuting in theaters. The average wait would mean audiences can buy or rent Tarot on digital in June 2024 . That should be the case regardless of if Tarot flops or overperforms at the box office.