star trek 3 enterprise bridge

‘Star Trek’ Fans Can Now Virtually Tour Every Starship Enterprise Bridge

An interactive web portal explores the vessel’s evolution over nearly six decades

Daily Correspondent

For decades, many “ Star Trek ” fans have imagined what it would be like to work from the bridge of the starship Enterprise , the long-running franchise’s high-tech space-exploring vessel. Through various iterations and seasons of the series, created by Gene Roddenberry in the ’60s, the bridge has remained a constant, serving as the backdrop for many important moments in the show’s 800-plus episodes.

Now, die-hard Trekkies and casual watchers alike can virtually roam around the Enterprise’s bridge to their heart’s content, thanks to a sophisticated and highly detailed new web portal that brings the space to life.

The site features 360-degree, 3D models of the various versions of the Enterprise , as well as a timeline of the ship’s evolution throughout the franchise’s history. Fans of the show can also read detailed information about each version of the ship’s design, its significance to the “Star Trek” storyline and its production backstory.

Developed in honor of the “Star Trek: Picard” series finale , which dropped late last month on Paramount+, the portal is a collaboration between the Roddenberry Estate, the Roddenberry Archive and the technology company OTOY. A group of well-known “Star Trek” artists—including Denise and Michael Okuda , Daren Dochterman, Doug Drexler and Dave Blass—also supported the project.

“Through new technology, we can bring audiences back in time as if they were there on set during the making of ’Star Trek,’ providing a window into new dimensions of the ‘Star Trek’ universe,” says Jules Urbach, OTOY’s CEO, in a statement .

The voice of the late actress Majel Roddenberry , who played the Enterprise ’s computer for years, will be added to the site in the future. Gene Roddenberry died in 1991 , followed by Majel Roddenberry in 2008 ; the two had been married since 1969.

The portal’s creators also released a short video , narrated by actor John de Lancie , exploring every version of the Enterprise ’s bridge to date, “from its inception in Pato Guzman ’s 1964 sketches, through its portrayal across decades of TV shows and feature films, to its latest incarnation on the Enterprise-G , as revealed in the final episode of ‘ Star Trek: Picard ,’” per the video description. Accompanying video interviews with “Star Trek” cast and crew—including William Shatner , who played Captain Kirk in the original series, and Terry Matalas , a showrunner for “Star Trek: Picard”—also explore the series’ legacy.

The interactive, 3D bridge models contain a surprising level of detail, right down to the consoles and turbolifts. The site, however, has so far been hit or miss for users, suggesting that the team behind it may still be working out a few of the technical kinks, reports the Verge ’s Sean Hollister. And as Kyle Barr writes for Gizmodo , one big downside is that the models don’t contain any “Star Trek” characters, who he says are “the beating heart of the show and its ideals.”

“Sitting in the captain’s chair, with all the stations empty beside you,” he writes, “is enough to make one wistful.”

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Sarah Kuta | READ MORE

Sarah Kuta is a writer and editor based in Longmont, Colorado. She covers history, science, travel, food and beverage, sustainability, economics and other topics.

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How ‘Star Trek: Picard’ Resurrected an Iconic Set

By Scott Mantz

Scott Mantz

‘Star Trek: Picard’ Team Built a ‘Museum Quality’ Enterprise D to Make Things as ‘Cinematic as Possible’ 11 months ago
How ‘Star Trek: Picard’ Created the High-Tech Bridge of Its Newest Starship 1 year ago
How ‘Babylon’s’ Cocaine-Snorting Opening Sequence Came Together 1 year ago

SPOILER ALERT: This story discusses major plot developments in Season 3, Episode 9 of “ Star Trek: Picard ,” currently streaming on Paramount+.

All season long, the producers of “ Star Trek: Picard ” have boldly pulled out all the stops to make the third and final season one for the books. To that extent, it seemed like only a matter of time until we finally got to see the Enterprise — that is, the Enterprise-D, the Galaxy-class starship that made its first appearance in 1987 with the premiere episode of “ Star Trek: The Next Generation .”

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Executive producer Terry Matalas went through hoops to make sure history never forgot the name Enterprise. Speaking with Variety, and sharing photos of “The Next Generation” cast on the ship, Matalas says, “Everyone tried to talk us out of doing this, because financially it’s a nightmare, and the timing was tight. To the moment we started filming, we were still gluing pieces together. But you can’t have a ‘Star Trek: The Next Generation’ reunion without one of its major characters, which is the Enterprise.”

As for how it was even possible for the Enterprise-D to exist after it was virtually destroyed in 1994’s “Star Trek: Generations” (only the top saucer section was still intact after crash-landing on the planet Veridian III), it turns out Geordi La Forge took it upon himself to completely restore it for the Starfleet Museum.

However, despite the prominent presence of the Enterprise-D bridge on seven seasons of the TV series that ran from 1987 to 1994 (as well as the 1994 “Generations” feature film), construction guidelines were scarce for production designer Dave Blass and art director Liz Kloczkowski, who spearheaded the project.

Blass pivoted to another invaluable resource when he recruited “Star Trek” legends Mike Okuda and Denise Okuda (from Herman Zimmerman’s “Next Generation” production design team) as consultants.

“The Enterprise from ‘The Next Generation’ was the first Enterprise on which I was the principal graphic designer,” Okuda says. “I got to work with [‘Star Trek’ creator] Gene Roddenberry on making that bridge come to life.”

But even with that deep-dive knowledge and experience, finding the source materials to reconstruct the bridge still proved to be a daunting challenge.

“The first thing we did was to go in the garage and dive into boxes and see what we still had,” Okuda says. “We had some original drawings and art, but large chunks of it disappeared. You realize you’re going to have to reconstruct a lot of this from scratch.”

It took three months and a team of around 50 people to completely rebuild the bridge, which was a physical build and not done on a green screen or in VFX. It measured exactly the same as the original set: 50 feet wide and 100 feet long.

All this work was in addition to every other set built for Seasons 2 and 3, which were shot back to back. “We were doing all the interiors of the starship Titan – like the bridge, the transporter rooms, the crew quarters, the hallways and sickbay – as well as [the enemy ship] the Shrike, Daystrom Station and the Borg,” says Blass. “So, all that all on top of each other.”

The goal was to re-create the look of the LCARS panels, as closely as possible to their appearance in “Star Trek: The Next Generation.”

“We took advantage of the huge advances in real-world computer display technology to make a few subtle upgrades to the displays,” Okuda says. “In a scene where one of our officers is using the science equipment, if the director wanted to show the scan itself, we would have had to insert the animation in post-production, back in the day. Now, it’s easy to do the animation and have it play back on the set, so the cast could see it in real-time.”

When it came to challenges, Blass says, the wood archway was one of the hardest pieces to recreate. “It’s a complex curve that arches and changes thickness,” he explains. “You can only get so much information off a blueprint. The construction team printed out a full-size paper plan to lay it out and then used a number of templates to shape the final piece.”

The chairs were another set piece in recreating the Enterprise-D that needed to be taken into consideration. “We had to sculpt the right shape based on the basic form, then do a deep dive on the right materials that have the right color and texture,” Blass says. “Each chair has four different materials.”

Blass adds that the infamous carpet, referenced by Patrick Stewart’s Jean-Luc Picard in the episode, “was very hard to find as it’s a pattern that has been out of stock for decades.”

“That was tricky because you’re talking about lighting that was much more intrinsic to the 1990s,” Matalas says. “Now we have different cameras in a different cinematic style to the show. We had to find a hybrid of the old style and the new with our director of photography, John Joffin, and I think we found a really great sweet spot.”

When the cast saw the bridge for the first time, they got right down to business.

“This season was so ambitious, and we only had two days to shoot on this thing,” Matalas says. “It was literally, like, get everybody on, you got your four minutes of nostalgia, and then we have to boogie. But it was all very natural for them. It was like being back on Stage 8 at the Paramount lot. Patrick Stewart even did the ‘Picard maneuver,’ which he was very proud of.”

And what of the ship today?

Their work remains intact. “There were lots of interested parties who wanted to save the set,” Blass says. “Luckily it has a home in the Star Trek archives.”

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‘The Bridge Is Yours:’ You Can Now Virtually Visit Every Star Trek Enterprise Bridge

The roddenberry archive worked with paramount to recreate 3d models of nearly every single starship bridge featured in the star trek show and movies..

Save for Star Trek: Deep Space Nine , and—obviously— Star Trek: The Lower Decks , most of the action for Star Trek takes place upon the fabled bridge. Over the course of Star Trek’s over-five decade runtime, there have been more than one fan who has imagined themselves working under lights at their station. You can close your eyes and imagine yourself among a crew of like-minded people sharing in that optimistic hope for the future that the show was known for. Finally, there’s now a way to truly put yourself into the captain’s chair of whatever version of the show was your favorite and watch through the viewscreen at all the twinkling stars and imagine where you too might boldly go.

Star Trek experience lets you virtually walk around every Starship Enterprise bridge

The roddenberry archive team is working to launch more star trek virtual experiences in the future..

The USS Enterprise has gone through several iterations across TV shows and movies, and now Star Trek fans can explore them as much as they want to online. As Deadline reports, the latest update to the Roddenberry Archive adds 360-degree virtual recreations of the famous Starship Enterprise bridge as depicted in various Star Trek properties. It has the bridge from Star Trek: The Original Series , Picard , Discovery and Strange New Worlds , arranged according to timeline in the new web portal . Fans can click on the version of the Enterprise they want to see and then expand the virtual bridge, which they can drag around and explore to see its beeping panels and displays.

The Roddenberry Archive is a multi-decade collaboration between the estate of Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry and cloud graphics company OTOY. This is their largest set of digital archive works to date, and it was launched with accompanying videos, including a William Shatner interview with a holographic version of the 1979 USS Enterprise bridge as a background. John de Lancie, who has portrayed Q since 1987’s Star Trek: The Next Generation , also narrates the history of the Starship Enterprise bridge across decades of shows and movies.

The Roddenberry Archive team is working to add more virtual set recreations fans can explore in the future aside from the ones already available. One of the projects they're working on is a 1:1 scale recreation of the entire Starship Enterprise from the 1979 film Star Trek: The Motion Picture .

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The Roddenberry Archive & OTOY Unveil New Virtual ‘Star Trek’ Experience Allowing Trekkies To Examine Every Evolution Of The Starship Enterprise Bridge & Even Walk Across It

By Matt Grobar

Matt Grobar

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The web portal will allow fans to virtually explore the many dozens of evolutionary iterations of the famous Starship Enterprise bridge, across every epoch of Star Trek ‘s history, with each bridge made accessible in the timeline as a 1:1 scale, “in-universe,” 360 recreation. De Lancie, who has portrayed extra-dimensional being Q since 1987’s Star Trek: The Next Generation , narrates a supplementary documentary, offering a deep dive into the evolution and legacy of the bridge — from its inception in Pato Guzman’s 1964 sketches, through its portrayal across decades of films and TV series, to its latest incarnation on the Enterprise-G, as revealed in the final episode of Star Trek: Picard .

This combined documentary and exploratory online experience brings the legacy and history of the starship Enterprise to life through meticulous recreations of the filming sets used for production as well as the aforementioned “in-universe” life size, functional immersive virtual interiors. The recreations were produced for the Gene Roddenberry Estate, and overseen by veteran Star Trek artists including Denise and Michael Okuda, who authored The Star Trek Encyclopedia , as well as Daren Dochterman, Doug Drexler and Dave Blass.

Accompanying the interactive bridge experiences and documentary film is a series of 2023 featurettes exploring Star Trek ‘s behind-the-scenes production process with commentary from Star Trek luminaries who share Roddenberry’s vision for the franchise.

The first featurette teases Shatner’s hours-long testimonial for the Roddenberry Archive, captured holographically within a perfect recreation of the 1979 USS Enterprise bridge. The icon therein shares his memories, aspirations and intentions in bringing Captain Kirk to life in 1965 and portraying his death in 1994, as well as his personal views on the future he envisions for this beloved character, including visualizations from his 1995 novel Ashes of Eden .

The second includes interviews with leading cast and crew, including Star Trek: The Next Generation director James Conway, director-producer David Livingston, program consultant David Gerrold, consulting senior illustrator Andrew Probert and production designer Herman Zimmerman, as well as Star Trek: Picard ‘s showrunner Matalas and production designer, Blass.

The release of the immersive Enterprise recreations and documentary testimony is accompanied by a new short in the 765874 Archive concept video series, which has been available online since last year, exploring concepts from Shatner’s Ashes of Eden and Star Trek: Picard ‘s resurrection of the Enterprise-D, with actors Mahé Thaissa and Lawrence Selleck returning to explore themes from the history of Star Trek . A life-size physical prosthetic Arex was created for the production, bringing the beloved character from Star Trek: The Animated Series to life not just in CG, but also in live-action.

Work has also been completed to bring Majel Roddenberry’s voice to life as the Enterprise computer, based on phonetic recordings she made in 2008, with the goal of adding her signature vocalization to the archive. Numerous environments and set recreations are continuously being studies and worked on by the Roddenberry Archive for future updates covering production work from the The Cage pilot onwards, as well as a full and complete 1:1 scale recreation of the entire interior of the original USS Enterprise, featured in Star Trek: The Motion Picture .

“The Roddenberry Archive portal gives the public a first glimpse into the many years of incredible work done by the archive’s world class production team both in preserving Gene Roddenberry’s legacy in tandem with visually documenting 60 years of Star Trek history in quiescent detail,” said Jules Urbach, who serves as CEO of OTOY and the Roddenberry Archive. “Through new technology, we can bring audiences back in time as if they were there on set during the making of Star Trek , providing a window into new dimensions of the Star Trek universe.”

Continued Urbach, “The team’s efforts to capture Star Trek history in full lifelike detail with the highest degree of historical accuracy is an important milestone in preserving Gene Roddenberry’s vision for future generations to explore and see, through the lens of those that worked with him.”

Videos spotlighting the latest evolution of The Roddenberry Archive, and a preview of the new Shatner interview can be found below.

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Why Was the Enterprise Bridge Different in Every ‘Star Trek’ Film?

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By Eric Pesola
Updated Mar 22, 2023 at 5:12pm

Paramount Kirk and crew gathered on the bridge at the end of Star Trek II.

You’ve watched these movies a hundred times each. Perhaps you watched the second one a few more times than that. But as you watched, did you notice that the bridge of the Enterprise changed each time Captain Kirk sat down in his chair? There are a few reasons for this.

To backtrack a bit, the Enterprise’s bridge was perhaps the most essential set for the entire series of films. It was the place where Kirk, Spock, McCoy, and the others could belt out their lines and size up the enemy. It was where Kirk outsmarted Khan and where the Klingons heard a computer voice counting.

From the start, the redesign of the Enterprise bridge was complicated. Though the Original Series’ bridge would not work with high-quality film cameras, it was redesigned in parts. Starting first with the initial design for Star Trek: Phase II , the bridge was modernized by designer Mike Minor. When Phase II morphed into The Motion Picture (TMP), these changes were made even more significant by production designer Harold Michelson.

Paramount The Motion Picture bridge

The bridge for TMP was almost colorless — some would say that this reflected the film’s soul as well. Gone were the bright primary colors from TOS, replaced with steel grays and light blues.

“I think the concept was a very 2001 approach,” Leonard Nimoy told author Jeanne Kalogridis in her book, “ Star Trek: Where No One Has Gone Before – A History In Pictures .” “[It was] very cool. Very scientific. Steely gray. A very metallic film.”

Paramount The Wrath of Khan bridge

For the sequel, Director Nicholas Meyer had the bridge repainted. Under the direction of Minor and set decorator Charles M. Graffeo, there were more colors now for fans to look at. Instead of gray and blue, we saw sandy-brown, black, and light blues. It helped that the crew themselves were decked out in the colorful “monster maroon” red uniforms. They also removed an entire station behind the captain’s chair.

Paramount The Search for Spock bridge

In Star Trek III , the bridge largely remained unchanged unless you count the scarring leftover from their battle with Khan. Keen eyes will see slight variations on the bridge from the end of Wrath of Khan to the start of Search for Spock . Art Director John E. Chilberg II made a few changes with displays and monitors, which were updated. Some of the wall “gadgets” and ornamentation also changed.

Before you say, “there was no bridge in Star Trek IV ,” you’re almost right. Since the Enterprise was destroyed in Star Trek III , the crew took over the Klingon vessel. When they got back from saving the world (by delivering whales from the 20th Century), they got a new Enterprise. This ship was supposed to be the Yorktown , but Starfleet renamed it the Enterprise-A. So our heroes got their old ship back — sort of.

Paramount The Voyage Home bridge

As you can see, the bridge of the Enterprise-A is entirely different from the Enterprise-refit. It was whiter, brighter, and had more colorful displays and lights throughout. It’s almost reminiscent of the J.J. Abrams Star Trek series bridge, which was the work of Keith P. Cunningham and his team.

Paramount The Final Frontier’s bridge

One might think that the Enterprise-A, fresh out of spacedock, would not need additional changes. Shouldn’t it be ready for action as-is? This was not the case, as the look of the bridge changed yet again. This time, the team under art director Nilo Rodis-Jamero added padding in interesting places. The set got a more tan color throughout. These changes were acknowledged in the film, as Kirk complained about missing his old chair.

For their final journey on the Enterprise-A, the crew got a wholly new look. For Star Trek IV: The Undiscovered Country , this came full circle, and Rodis-Jamero’s new-look bridge was quite different. Unlike the “steel” look in TMP, this bridge looked as if it were actually made of steel. Stainless steel, perhaps. The rest of the bridge was darkly colored, which allowed for the displays and screens to earn a lot of attention. The padding behind the captain’s chair was now burgundy, a change from the tan in the previous film.

Paramount The bridge in The Undiscovered Country

The Answer Revealed

Why were the bridges different on a ship that was supposed to be (mostly) the same from picture to picture? There are actually two correct answers. The first was that the budget for these films was small. Producer Harve Bennett was called in by Paramount to create movies on a TV budget after TMP budget nearly wiped out any box office earnings.

One of the ways Bennett did this was by “ redressing ” the bridge for different roles. This meant that the Enterprise and Excelsior bridge (in both Star Trek III and IV ) were virtually identical. They were the same, exact set but changed around a little to ensure that fans would not think they were looking at the same stage twice. But, since they were part of “one happy fleet,” they ought to look similar. This meant that after each redress, things were different.

But the interesting reason (which also works with canon) is that the bridge was designed to be replaced at regular intervals. According to the “ Star Trek: The Next Generation – Technical Manual ,” Rick Steinbach and Michael Okuda wrote that this idea originated during Star Trek V .

As the duo worked alongside Herman Zimmerman on the sets, the three agreed that the bridge was a “plug-and-play module designed for easy replacement.” They theorized that this easily changeable unit would allow for “control systems to be upgraded, thereby extending the useful lifetime of a starship.”

They noted that this would also help explain the differences in the four Miranda-class ships filmed — the Reliant, the Saratoga, the Lantree, and the Brattain. They all had wildly different bridges but were the same class vessel.

READ NEXT: On ‘Star Trek,’ Why Didn’t They Just Replicate Starships?

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Redesigning the Enterprise Bridge for the Silver Screen

Matt Jefferies, the designer of the original Enterprise bridge, was intimately involved in recreating the set for what would become Star Trek: The Motion Picture .

In the summer of 1977, Jefferies was working as a technical advisor on the planned second Star Trek television series, Phase II . He revisited Pato Guzman’s very first proposal for the Enterprise bridge, which he had rejected more than a decade earlier as impractical to built. The idea was to put the crew around a single table — an idea Andrew Probert would explore another decade later , when he designed The Next Generation bridge.

Jefferies and Art Director Joe Jennings decided against such a radical overhaul, however. It was Mike Minor’s more modest proposal that was accepted for Phase II . It clearly marked an evolutionary step between The Original Series and what would become The Motion Picture .

When it was decided in late 1977 that Star Trek would after all continue as a motion picture, Harold Michelson was hired by Director Robert Wise as production designer, replacing Jennings as head of the Art Department. He didn’t like the fact that almost all the bridge stations were facing the wall.

“Every section looks too much like every other,” he told Starlog magazine. “To make the set more interesting to the camera, we turned Chekov’s station 90 degrees from the wall,” which put him in line with the viewscreen. “Chekov’s cubicle does a lot toward breaking up the scenes — and there are lots of them — shot on the bridge.”

Another change Michelson made was to the chairs, from the simple pedestal swivel seats reminiscent of The Original Series to girdle clad, multifaceted, ergonomic seats with automatic, switch-operated bracing devices.

Busy, but not too busy

Lee Cole was already working on the set when Michelson joined the production. She had been working with Minor and Jennings on the bridge consoles. She later told Star Trek: The Magazine that one of the things the Art Department did was give the new version of the bridge fully animated screens.

When I was designing the bridge, they were just going to do static things with backlit negatives and a few little mechanical devices that moved. I said, “You know, I just don’t think that’s going to do it. I think we’re going to have to project some things here.”

Cole put 23 screens on the bridge, and film was projected onto them from behind. At the time, she had no idea how much work she was making for herself.

About a week or so before filming, when we were walking the sets, they said, “Well, Lee, we can’t wait to see what you’re going to put on those screens.” I had no idea I was going to do that!

Gene Roddenberry didn’t want the consoles to look too busy, though. Cole remembered him saying, “I want it really plain to try to be futuristic. Cut out all this detail and simplify things.”

“We did that,” she told Star Trek: The Magazine , “but it got a little too plain, I think.”

Darker colors

For Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan , many of Cole’s original plans made it back as Director Nicholas Meyer’s thinking ran opposite to Roddenberry’s. He didn’t have the budget to construct a new set but recalled, “The least I thought we could do was revamp the bridge and make it twinkle.”

Meyer also had the bridge painted in darker colors, giving the set a more dramatic look. This was reverted back to a bright color scheme in Star Trek V: The Final Frontier .

13 comments

The animated film screens caused problems in production. To do another take of a scene, the film(s) would have to start over and play all the way through again, and the take would then have to be picked up at the point in the film where they left off. By the time The Wrath of Khan was made, the films were transferred to video, and the film screens converted to video screens, making retakes easier and simpler. Instead of playing the films from the beginning, the crew would just need to rewind the video back to the point where they left off and pick up from there.

Also, the film projectors for the bridge displays made a lot of noise, requiring the dialogue to be looped at a later point in time.

Matt Jeffries’ full name was Walter M. Jeffries. Sometimes he gets confused with automotive designer Dean Jeffries. According to the Reeves-Stevens book about Phase II , Jeffries was on loan from the TV series Little House On The Prairie . Series producer Michael Landon had no problem with him working on Trek, but when one interfered with the other, Jeffries would have to make a choice as to which series he would stay with.

What did the Phase II corridors look like before the movie transformation? Anyone know?

I don’t think I’ve ever seen a picture. But they must have been similar to the TMP look.

They were dreadful from the behind-the-scene photos that Richard Taylor shared with me. I have one of the photos up from those shots , in part of an interview I did with him recently, where he talks about how bad the Phase II sets were.

Dreadful? Looks like a re-creation/update of the original corridor, and the photo you posted shows it unfinished and unpainted.

If you’re talking about the article at the link, you’re distorting the gist idea the article.

Not looking to thread-jack, but I interviewed Richard Taylor, the lead designer with Robert Abel and Associates, who were the original effects team on TMP. He actually handsome design inout on the bridge sets (since they were involved in doing the practical lighting gag of the energy probe, and did the wormhole effect scene before Robert Abel and Associates was fired for the project). It was actually his suggestion and perseverance to get Roddenberry to accept the seat restraining devices being built into the seats. There were also a ton of suggestions from touch screen interfaces to a single wrap-around screen/wall that Taylor proposed of the bridge, which were rejected by Roddenberry . There is a lot of good stuff in the six-part interview, which begins here .

I wasn’t born when TMP or even TWOK came out, but I can honestly say I loved both bridge concepts with the exception of the chairs. The chairs were terrible, but I guess expected from the Aqua Net era of big fluffy things.

I wonder if there is any information on the design work undertaken by Frank Israel ? I seem to recall reading some years ago that he contributed to (among other things) the design of the TMP bridge, but I cannot find that source now and I may be incorrect.

There are a number of errors on this page. 1. The Jefferies concept art on blue appears to be from Roddenberry’s Starship proposal, as the spherical side compartment matches the external feature on on the side of the nose of that ring ship (seen in the rec deck illustrations of vessels called Enterprise ). 2. The photo captioned “ Star Trek: The Motion Picture floor plan” is the TWOK floor plan (note where Spock’s station has been moved). 3. The photo captioned “Bridge set during production of Phase II ”… um, there was no production of Phase II ; the series was snuffed several weeks before shooting was to commence. Only tests were shot. Furthermore, that’s Robert Abel on the set, who was hired for TMP, so it’s TMP pre-production, regardless of whether or not the announcement had been made.

Hi, Maurice, thank you for your comments! 1. I’m not sure you’re right. The Hollywood Auction site where I found the sketch and Memory Alpha both claim it was a Phase II design by Jefferies, based on Pato Guzman’s. Another website claims it was a design for The Original Series , but I don’t think that’s right. 2. You’re right here. Good catch! I’ll change the caption. 3. I don’t know the date this photo was taken, but judging from the uniforms and the console I’d say it must have been from when they were still officially making Phase II , not TMP. (You may know, the decision to make a motion picture was made several months before the production was officially changed. This photo could be from that period — but in that case, the people building that set were officially working on Star Trek: Phase II .)

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The bridge served as the central command and operations center of a starship

The bridge was the starship equivalent of an operations center or command center .

1.1.1 Command stations
1.1.2 Flight control
1.1.3 Operations management
1.1.4 Security and tactical
1.1.5 Supportive stations
1.2.1 Freedom class
1.2.2.1 Command area
1.3.1 Kelvin type
1.3.2 Walker class
1.3.3 Crossfield class
1.3.4 Constitution class
1.3.5 Huron type
1.3.6 Oberth class
1.3.7 Miranda class
1.3.8 Excelsior class
1.4.1 Galaxy class
1.4.2.1 Background information
1.4.3 Sovereign class
1.4.4 Defiant class
1.4.5 Prometheus class
1.4.6 Nova class
1.4.7 Luna class
2.1.1 K't'inga class
2.1.2 Bird-of-Prey
2.1.3 Vor'cha class
2.2.1 Bird-of-Prey
2.2.2 D'deridex class
2.2.3 Valdore type
2.2.4 Scimitar
2.2.5 Narada type
2.3.2 Dominion
2.3.3 Son'a
3.1 NX class
3.2 Constitution class
3.3 Defiant class
4.1 Constitution class
5.1 See also
5.2 Further reading
5.3 Background information
5.4 External links

Starfleet bridge design [ ]

Overview of a 23rd century Starfleet bridge

On Starfleet ships, it was generally located near the top and front of a vessel. From here, the commanding officers supervised all ship's operations, ranging from vessel course control to tactical systems.

On Starfleet vessels, the bridge was usually located on Deck 1, on top of the vessel's primary hull . The bridge was the nerve center of every starship, and it was manned by the top officers of each department except for engineering and medical . There was typically an engineering station that the chief engineer could use when on the bridge, as well as science stations that the science officer or chief medical officer could use.

The commanding officer could supervise all the ship's operations while seated in the command chair , typically located in the center of the room, while having visual access to all major personnel stations and viewscreens , facilitating the decision-making process. By the mid- 24th century , the standard was that a first officer was assigned to assist a ship's captain in this process.

Main bridge of the Constitution -class USS Defiant

The forward bulkhead of the bridge was typically dominated by the main viewscreen. Directly in front of this was usually the helm console, from where navigation and vessel course control were carried out.

Many of the support stations that were present on 23rd century bridges were combined into one post by the 24th century, mainly that of the operations officer . Some bridges featured an operations console alongside the helm station, from where the officer on duty had access to internal systems control, communications , sensors , resource scheduling, and hardware and system usage.

Each bridge typically featured several supportive consoles for engineering, gravity control, damage control , environmental engineering , sciences , and library computer , most of which did not necessarily need to be manned under normal circumstances. Internal security along with weapons control could be found at the security station .

Features [ ]

Command stations [ ].

The bridge of a 24th-century Galaxy -class starship featuring three command chairs at center

The bridge command stations provided seating and information displays for the commanding officer and one or two other officers, typically including the first officer . The command chairs were located in the center of the bridge, to maximize interaction with all key bridge personnel, while permitting an unobstructed view of the main viewscreen.

Typically, the armrests of the captain's chair featured miniaturized status displays. Using a keyboard or vocal commands, the captain could use these controls to override the basic operation of the starship. ( TOS : " Court Martial "; TNG : " Peak Performance ", et al.)

Flight control [ ]

The ops and conn consoles on the Galaxy -class bridge (forward)

The 24th century flight control position, also referred to as the conn , evolved from the 23rd century helm and navigation positions. The officer manning the flight control console was responsible for the actual piloting and navigation of the starship. Despite many of these functions being heavily automated, their critical nature demanded a humanoid officer to oversee these operations at all times.

Operations management [ ]

The ops and conn consoles on the Galaxy -class bridge (rear)

Many shipboard operations involved scheduling resources or hardware that affected a number of departments. In many such cases, it was common for various operations to present conflicting requirements. It was the responsibility of the operations officer to coordinate such activities so that mission goals were not jeopardized.

The operations position, also known simply as ops, evolved from older 23rd century positions. The bulk of the duties held by the helm and navigation positions were combined into the conn position. Other functions of the helm panel, such as internal systems control, became the purview of ops, as well as some communications and sensor system usages.

Security and tactical [ ]

The security station, integrated in the wooden handrail encircling the Galaxy -class bridge

The bridge station dedicated to defensive systems control and starship internal security was tactical . Parts of the default control layout presented the security officer with information readouts dealing with the internal protection of the starship and its crew. A wide variety of starship defensive systems were available to the chief tactical officer (sometimes doubling as chief of security), ranging from the defensive shields to phaser and torpedo systems, as well as intrusion detection systems.

Other systems that could be commanded by tactical included communications , long- and short-range sensor arrays , sensor probes , message buoys , and tractor beam devices.

Supportive stations [ ]

Every Starfleet bridge also included several supportive consoles and backup stations. These could include consoles for planetary sciences , engineering, mission operations, and environmental control. Most of these were meant to relieve the senior bridge officers of secondary duties during alert and crisis situations.

Mission ops provided additional support to the operations officer, and was specifically responsible for monitoring activity relating to secondary missions. Mission ops was responsible for assignment of resources and priorities according to guidelines specified by the operations officer and by operating protocols. This station was also responsible for monitoring away teams . ( Star Trek: The Next Generation Technical Manual , pp. 41-42)

The environmental control console provided similar relief to the operations officer, monitoring the starship's life support systems . Due to the highly automated nature of these systems, this console was unattended under normal circumstances, but became of crucial importance during alert situations to maximize crew survivability.

The bridge's engineering station duplicated in simplified form the chief engineer's primary status displays from main engineering . The purpose of this station was to permit the chief engineer to maintain supervision over the engineering system while on the bridge.

22nd century bridge design [ ]

Freedom class [ ].

See Freedom -class main bridge

NX class [ ]

See NX-class main bridge

Command area [ ]

The command area at the catwalk

When the crew of Enterprise NX-01 had to take shelter at the ship's catwalk in September 2152 , Commander Tucker and Travis Mayweather built a "command area" within one of the compartments to replace the main bridge. Conn and the communications station included, the small area also included a provisional captain's chair, a cargo container with a netting , and place for Archer and T'Pol to sleep. ( ENT : " The Catwalk ")

23rd century bridge design [ ]

Most of the bridges during the later half of the 23rd century shared a similar layout to that of the upgraded Constitution -class vessels, which evidently set the standard for bridge design and layout.

Kelvin type [ ]

Kelvin -type bridges were large with many consoles and three windows acting as the viewscreen. They shared the joint helm/navigation consoles of Constitution -class starships. ( Star Trek )

The Kelvin 's bridge in a deleted scene

Walker class [ ]

Unusually for Starfleet vessels, Walker -class ships had their bridge placed at the bottom of the saucer section. Like the Kelvin -type bridge, it used a large window as the viewscreen.

Crossfield class [ ]

The Crossfield -class bridge was placed in a spherical section within the inner negative space of the saucer section. It possessed a wide window as the viewscreen, similar to Kelvin -type and Walker -class ships.

Constitution class [ ]

See : Constitution -class main bridge

Huron type [ ]

Huron bridge

Huron -type bridge. ( TAS : " The Pirates of Orion ")

Oberth class [ ]

See : Oberth -class main bridge

Miranda class [ ]

See : Miranda -class main bridge

Excelsior class [ ]

See : Excelsior -class main bridge

24th century bridge design [ ]

In the early half of the 24th century , before the introduction of the Galaxy -class starship, bridge design was based on the successful layout of the Constitution -class starship, featuring a single captain's chair in the center of the room with two consoles directly in front of it and additional consoles surrounding this central command area.

Galaxy class [ ]

See : Galaxy -class main bridge

Intrepid class [ ]

The Intrepid -class starship bridge

The Intrepid -class bridge was ovoid in shape. At the bridge's rear was a large bank of consoles and data-readout screens. Center of that area was the master systems display . Control consoles flanked it on either side, mission ops I to starboard and mission ops II to port.

Starboard of that information center, past the starboard side turbolift , was the chief tactical officer's console. This area was maintained mostly for internal security and combat situations. An identical station could be found on the other side of the bridge, where the operations console was found.

Two turbolifts provided access throughout the ship, and there was an emergency ladder which connected the bridge with lower decks. Forward of the upper ship operations areas were doorways to the briefing room at one side, and the captain's ready room at the other.

Directly forward of the central command area (where the captain and first officer were seated) and sunken down by two steps was the Conn. From here, the flight control officer served as helmsman and navigator for the vessel. To the Conn's right sat the chief engineer. The console allowed complete control over all engineering systems. Directly opposite sat the chief science officer in a similar console. ( VOY : " Caretaker ")

Behind the captain's chair, there was a small secondary tactical console located on the handrail. On the USS Voyager , this station was typically unmanned, however Seven of Nine used this station on several occasions, particularly on encounters with the Borg . Other crew members, such as The Doctor and B'Elanna Torres , used this station on occasion.

In between the captain's and first officer's chairs there was a small console which could be folded down when not in use, or opened and accessed by either officer. Like the larger consoles on the bridge a phaser could be stored within this unit.

Background information [ ]

After six years as production designer on The Next Generation , Richard James was no stranger to the legacy of Star Trek and the production requirements of episodic television. When given the assignment to create a new starship from the inside out, he had to start up from scratch.

Nothing had yet been established, and thus for his first meeting with Star Trek: Voyager 's creators and producers, James decided to push the boundaries of everything that had gone before. Early concept sketches show bridge designs without the large viewscreen in the front of the bridge and command functions decentralized, obviously breaking the traditional bridge mold.

A Jim Martin concept art for the Voyager 's bridge

However, by exhaustively reexamining the dramatic requirements and technological underpinnings of the Star Trek bridge without preconceptions, James rediscovered the strengths of the basic template laid out by Matt Jefferies almost thirty years earlier. But with the broad strokes of the bridge's layout firmly embedded in Star Trek 's past, James and his team went on to bring a fresh new interpretation to the heart of every Star Trek adventure, investing it with a sleek, efficient, and welcoming appearance that made Voyager something of its own – the Star Trek for the nineties and beyond.

Sovereign class [ ]

The central area of the main bridge provided seating and information displays for the captain and two other officers. The captain's chair was raised from the rest of the bridge officers, to that of the surrounding level which included Tactical and Operations. The two officer seats were equipped with fully programmable consoles for a variety of uses.

The main bridge of the Sovereign -class starship

Directly fore of the command area was the conn officer, who faced the main viewer. To the port side of the conn officer, also facing the main viewer, was the operations officer's console, which was identical in size and design to the helm station. At the very front of the bridge chamber was a large viewscreen. In 2373 , when the screen was not active, a standard bulkhead was present.

Aft and to the left of the command area was an elevated platform on which tactical and security consoles were located. To the captain's right, behind the tactical console, was the mission operations section of the bridge. Against the port side walls of the main bridge were the consoles for sciences along with others that were programmable for a multitude of functions.

Located against the aft wall of the bridge was a large master systems display monitor, similar to the one in main engineering. All relevant ship information (such as damage, power distribution, etc.) was displayed on the cutaway image of the vessel. This monitor could be used to direct ship operations and could be configured for limited flight control if necessary. Also located against the aft wall of the main bridge was the large engineering console. This had a smaller cutaway diagram of the vessel, which displayed all engineering-relevant data and showed warp fields and engine output.

There were two turbolifts on the bridge that could handle normal transit around the Sovereign -class starship. In addition, there was an emergency ladder that connected the bridge to lower decks. There was also one door, on the aft platform of the bridge, that led to the observation lounge, directly aft of the main bridge, with another door leading to the captain's ready room. ( Star Trek: First Contact )

Defiant class [ ]

The Defiant -class' bridge at red alert

The bridge layout of the Defiant -class was compact, but nonetheless accommodated the familiar engineering, tactical, science, conn, and ops stations. The bridge module was sunken into a much larger deck 1 than on most Federation starships to provide added protection during combat situations. Access to the bridge was provided by two doorways at the back, located on both port and starboard sides. Just forward of the starboard entryway was the location of the ship's dedication plaque, as well as an auxiliary computer access panel.

The port side of the bridge housed the engineering and tactical I stations, while the starboard side featured the science and tactical II consoles. Because of its nearly exclusive role as a combat vessel, stations aboard Defiant -class vessels were designed with speed in mind.

The center of the bridge featured the lone captain's chair, which was on a raised platform and had a clear view of all bridge stations, as well as of the main viewscreen. On both sides of the command chair were separate control panels, allowing the occupant access to virtually every system aboard the ship. Between the command chair and the viewscreen was an integrated flight control and operations panel, capable of performing the joint duties of those stations' larger counterparts on other Starfleet vessels. Like all of the bridge stations on Defiant , the conn had been designed for maximum speed and efficiency of commands input by the operator, allowing the craft to be handled almost like a fighter when under the hands of a skilled pilot.

Flanking both sides of the viewscreen were two tactical stations, which had primary access to the ship's powerful pulse phaser cannons , torpedo launchers and various other special ordinance packages. Working closely with conn, the officers stationed at these consoles were responsible for firing the various weapons aboard the Defiant -class starship during combat operations. The purpose of the tactical II station was to lighten the load on its sister station, particularly in battle.

Prometheus class [ ]

See : Prometheus -class main bridge

Nova class [ ]

See : Nova -class main bridge

Luna class [ ]

See : Luna -class main bridge

Non-Starfleet bridge design [ ]

Klingon vessels [ ], k't'inga class [ ].

See : K't'inga -class main bridge

Bird-of-Prey [ ]

See : Klingon Bird-of-Prey main bridge

Vor'cha class [ ]

See Vor'cha -class main bridge

Romulan vessels [ ]

See Romulan Bird-of-Prey main bridge

D'deridex class [ ]

See : D'deridex -class main bridge

Valdore type [ ]

See : Valdore -type main bridge

Scimitar [ ]

See : Scimitar main bridge

Narada type [ ]

The Narada 's consoles were dotted around the ship due to the ship's spacious design. ( Star Trek )

Bridge designs of other species [ ]

The Borg possessed the only known vessels not to have a discrete bridge, but whose controls were instead highly decentralized, being run collectively by the Borg drones . ( TNG : " Q Who ") However, Borg ships did have a command center known as the central plexus .

Dominion [ ]

Jem'Hadar attack ships had a bridge that was very peculiar in that it had no chairs, and only two head-mounted Virtual sensory displays instead of a viewscreen. Only the Jem'Hadar First and leading Vorta were allowed to view the outside of the ship. ( DS9 : " A Time to Stand ")

See : Ru'afo's flagship main bridge

Mirror universe bridge design [ ]

Bridge of the NX-class ISS Enterprise ( 2155 )

The bridge of the Terran Empire 's NX-class ISS Enterprise was quite similar in appearance to that of its counterpart from the prime universe, only that it featured Terran Empire emblems painted on the walls. ( ENT : " In a Mirror, Darkly ") The bridge of Admiral Black 's flagship , the ISS Avenger , was similar in appearance to that of the Enterprise . ( ENT : " In a Mirror, Darkly, Part II ")

Bridge of the Constitution -class ISS Enterprise ( 2267 )

Similarly, the only differences between the bridge of the 23rd century ISS Enterprise from the mirror universe and its counterpart from the prime universe was the appearance of Terran Empire emblems appearing on walls and doors, and a high-backed throne-like command chair. Also, guards were stationed on the bridge under all circumstances. ( TOS : " Mirror, Mirror ")

The bridge of the Terran Rebellion 's ISS Defiant was similar to that of the Defiant -class bridge from the prime universe, the vessel's schematics being based on specifications stolen from Starfleet at Deep Space 9 . ( DS9 : " Shattered Mirror ")

Alternate reality [ ]

The alternate Enterprise bridge

USS Enterprise alternate universe bridge forward

Forward view

The alternate reality 's Constitution -class bridge retained the largeness of the Kelvin -type bridges, as well as the use of the viewscreen as a window. It was larger than the prime or mirror universe's bridge, featuring more consoles in addition to the command chair , science station , communications station , helm , and navigation consoles , which were roughly in the same place. It was aesthetically much brighter and smoother, with white paint, blue monitor screens, more lights (that would bathe the room red when red alert was signaled), and even transparent touchscreen boards. A turbolift was located on the port side, while airlock doors were on the starboard side. ( Star Trek )

Appendices [ ]

External links [ ]

Bridge at Memory Beta , the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
Bridge (nautical) at Wikipedia
Bridge Gallery at Ex Astris Scientia
Interview with designer Andrew Probert at Forgotten Trek
Interview with Matt Jefferies (X) at BBC Online
3 ISS Enterprise (NCC-1701)

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Watch Nostalgic Bridge Set Tour And Clip From ‘Star Trek: Picard’ Series Finale

| April 15, 2023 | By: TrekMovie.com Staff 67 comments so far

This week, Paramount+ held back their usual Thursday release of The Ready Room , the official Star Trek aftershow, to help protect fans from the big spoilers in the latest episode of Star Trek: Picard . They released the show today and it includes a set tour, guest star interview, and clip from the upcoming series finale. We also have more official pictures from the episode and behind-the-scenes details on what it took to make episode 9 happen.

Ready Room visits with some old friends

In the new episode of The Ready Room , host Wil Wheaton is joined by veteran designer Mike Okuda for a nostalgic tour of the rebuilt USS Enterprise-D bridge set featured in episode 9, “Vox.” The episode also features a joint interview with Jonathan Frakes (Riker) and guest star Elizabeth Dennehy (Admiral Shelby). There is also a package about how Frontier Day is tied to the mission of the NX-01 Enterprise from Star Trek: Enterprise . It wraps up with a clip from episode 10 (the season and series finale), which reveals just where the Borg are hiding out.

New “Vox” photos

Paramount also held the release of publicity images from episode 9 that featured the USS Enterprise-D until today.

Jonathan Frakes as Will Riker, LeVar Burton as Geordi La Forge, Gates McFadden as Dr. Beverly Crusher, Patrick Crusher as Picard, Marina Sirtis as Deanna Troi, Michael Dorn as Worf and Brent Spiner as Data in “Vox”

Behind the scenes on the D

There are more details about bringing back the Enterprise-D in a feature from Variety , detailing how a team of 50 people spent 3 months building the physical set matching the original’s dimensions, and not using green screen or visual effects to fill it out. Mike Okuda and Dave Blass go into detail on all the research and work that went into making this happen. Blass pointed to the wood “horseshoe” as a particular challenge to get right.

It’s a complex curve that arches and changes thickness. You can only get so much information off a blueprint. The construction team printed out a full-size paper plan to lay it out and then used a number of templates to shape the final piece.

Dave Blass on set (Variety/Paramount+)

Okuda noted there were some upgrades:

We took advantage of the huge advances in real-world computer display technology to make a few subtle upgrades to the displays. In a scene where one of our officers is using the science equipment, if the director wanted to show the scan itself, we would have had to insert the animation in post-production, back in the day. Now, it’s easy to do the animation and have it play back on the set, so the cast could see it in real-time.

There is much more in the Variety article, including some exclusive photos of the cast.

The TNG cast back on the new set (Variety/Paramount+)

More BTS details on the Enterprise-D

A few more fun bits have come out on social media about bringing back the Enterprise-D, like Dave Blass’ update from the Starfleet Museum.

OH…. I forgot one ship on my Starfleet Fleet Museum Thread. My mistake. The future highlight of the museum experience. The U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701-D #StarTrekPicard pic.twitter.com/8IpeZj2KhI — Dave Blass (@DaveBlass) April 15, 2023

This morning Blass revealed the one item that was from the original was the dedication plaque. He also shared a nice photo of the new bridge with original TNG set designers Herman Zimmerman, Dan Curry, and Doug Drexler.

In order to move forward, you need to look back. I stand on the shoulders of these legends. Doug Drexler, Herman Zimmerman and Dan Curry once again on the USS Enterprise D. #StarTrekPicard pic.twitter.com/lrhDY7LTZe — Dave Blass (@DaveBlass) April 15, 2023

Also this morning, Doug Drexler shared a nice behind-the-scenes photo of himself along with Jonathan Frakes, Terry Matalas, Mike and Denise Okuda, Dave Blass, and Liz Kloczkowski.

Paramount exec John Van Citters posted a Twitter thread this morning with some more details on the research done by art director Liz Kloczkowski.

From there, Liz sought out every photo and frame of film she could to determine accurate colors, textures, materials, etc. and sorted through the many changes and variations of the bridge. @DaveBlass will certainly have more to say on @lizklocz heroics to make this set sing. — @jvancitters (@jvancitters) April 15, 2023

But Star Trek shows are the ultimate team sport. The research & design work is for nothing without an amazing crew of carpenters, electricians, painters, etc. that make it REAL. Not to mention @MikeOkuda and motion graphics team bringing old school and new school LCARS together! — @jvancitters (@jvancitters) April 15, 2023

Some more on the Enterprise-F

“Vox” also featured the latest USS Enterprise, so Dave Blass also shared some details about the NCC-1701-F and its gaming origins from Star Trek Online.

Thank you to all of the folks who contributed to bring this amazing ship to the screen. Huge shout out to @jzvfx @shawnvfx Thank you to @thomasthecat for the collaboration and the update. He has created this great tech chart for fans. @trekonlinegame fans know the Odyssey Class… pic.twitter.com/3bIztscicW — Dave Blass (@DaveBlass) April 15, 2023

Star Trek Online art director Thomas Marrone also pointed fans to this video they made a month ago talking about the Enterprise-F.

The third and final season of Picard premiered on Thursday, Feb. 16, 2023, exclusively on Paramount+ in the U.S., and Latin America, and on February 17 Paramount+ in Europe and elsewhere, with new episodes of the 10-episode-long season available to stream weekly. It also debuted on Friday, Feb. 17 internationally on Amazon Prime Video in more than 200 countries and territories. In Canada, it airs on Bell Media’s CTV Sci-Fi Channel and streams on Crave.

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Wait a sec. Title of this article and the article itself is pointing at something Nostalgic. Isn’t Nostalgia a dirty word these days? Shouldn’t I slap my face when I get these feelings and instead crave something new and original?

I was going to crank out my Nintendo retro but thankfully I slapped my face and will try find a new hobby instead . All those online people reminding me about unnecessary fan service and nostalgia have thankfully set me straight. New feelings are better than good feelings. I have finally seen the light.

Excessive nostalgia is more to the point. It simply depends on how much they use and what tolerance people have for it, just like any other element of storytelling. There can also be too much talking, too much action, too many jokes, etc.

Me, I like a little mixed in with a lot of new. McCoy in “Encounter at Farpoint” is my go-to example. A nice, sweet, nostalgic, and, most importantly, short scene.

That’s also about how I feel. Also if the old serves an important purpose. Like the gamma quadrant show I keep mentioning that I want to see. Any returning legacy characters there would have an important role but I don’t want them carrying the entire thing, I want them mixed in with interesting new characters.

I’m reminded of the episode “The Bonding” where Picard tells the well-meaning alien that young Jeremy should cherish his past, not live in it, not surround himself with it, or words to that effect. I think nostalgia works along similar lines.

I absolutely agree with that.

Excessive nostalgia, and nostalgia in place of a good story. And I think that’s exactly what happened in episode 9, and why I don’t think it’s a great episode. The ending made people gloss over all of its flaws, such that it’s being hailed as one of the best episodes ever in the franchise.

I also get a kick out of the hypocrisy of some of the same fans here who always bitch about all the issues with J.J. Abrams Star Trek movies giving total free passes to this season because of the nostalgia and fan service — when I could point to numerous things happening in this season that are right on par with the issues so many bitch about in the Abrams movies.

Sorry, I don’t see these flaws and I think these “flaws” you mentioned, are not on par with issues on JJs movies. I think you have problems to accept different opinions. You have failed to convince me.

Also: I like ST09 and STID. And I like PIC.

I envy you then for not being able to see the flaws. I wish I could do that. Congrats!

While fan service, episodes one through five found a nice balance. It also helped that the cast and crew brought their ‘A’ game this season. Episode six, in my estimation crossed the line into pandering. It’s definitely taken me out of it a bit. Enough so that I’m now a hard no on any spin offs on this season.

No one has anything to apologize if they have enjoyed the entirety of the season. To each, their own.

episode 6 I was able to give a slight pass, because the look at the ships did lead to a nice character moment for Seven. Plus, they’d built up enough good will in the first 5 episodes.

One of the big problems I have with Episode 9 is that the previous 3 were pretty average-to-weak episodes, and the nostalgia was on overload, crossing well into pandering, and there wasn’t enough good story to have earned it.

Got Shoulder Chip?

Wow, what a great episode of the Ready Room. First of all, what a great job by Wil. He seemed a little uptight way back a few years ago when he started to host the aftershow, but I think he really has hit his stride the past year or two and as Frakes said… “Good Show!”

Second, what a great interview and bridge tour with Okuda. So much nostalgia and great to see how much care they have taken in rebuilding the Enterprise bridge set! Gene of course was not perfect (nobody is), but I thought it was cool to hear Michael say that it was Roddenberry who wanted to get rid of all the plastic coloured buttons from the TOS bridge set and that is why he created LECARS.

Third, I can’t say how great it was to hear Denehy say how much the fans have changed since the 1990s. When playing a strong willed ambitious woman like Shelby way back then, SOME fans apparently took exception to that and treated her with disdain. Today, she says there is none of that and I thought that was really good to hear and probably reflective on society. As Frakes said…. good guest!

One last thing, IMHO this Ready Room and the LeVar Burton episode were the finest of the season. One more to go for Picard and then it is onto SNW. Have a great weekend to All!

I just finished watching The Ready Room and yes it was great. Usually it’s a little too syrupy for me, but I felt it when Wheaton was walking around the bridge with Okuda and then Frakes and you can see how much it meant for him to be there. For all of them.

And I liked what Okuda said about Roddenberry’s take on TNG as well. It’s why I loved it out of the gate, it wasn’t trying to be TOS, it was trying to look and feel different. In so many ways this show should’ve fell flat on its face and yet here we are 35 years later and you see post after post of people crying over seeing the bridge again. It’s a great feeling to see not just TNG still matters to people today but obviously Star Trek as a whole.

And lastly what Denehy said about how people reacted to her character now versus then was on point. There is definitely a cultural shift today of how people view women leaders or just being more career orientated not afraid to say it. Now THAT said, while I think what she said was 100% valid, I do think other people hated her because it was Riker she was being so abrasive to. He was very much a fan favorite by then and people just didn’t like how she talked to him specifically. The same thing happened with Captain Jellico. I read interviews from Ronny Cox back in the day where he said people used to give him so much hell for being so dismissive towards Riker in those episodes. But I imagine it was twice as worse for Denehy then.

Anyway yeah great show. You can tell how much love this season is getting because all these review channels and discussion about this season are getting crazy views and comments. I can usually read all of The Ready Room comments no problem. This week, not even close lol. Just too many.

Shouldn’t that be, the Enterprise-F, formally under the command of the late Admiral Shelby?

Maybe they’ll use a Borg sphere to open a time portal and erase the entire season.

This. Looks like a job. For the… NEXUS!!! Dun Dun Duuun!!

Allow me to present The U.S.S. ENTERPRISE NCC-1701-F Under the command of Admiral Elizabeth Shelby

Very briefly under the command of Admiral Elizabeth Shelby…

To be honest I wish they’d introduced the Enterprise D earlier in the season and then they end up escaping to it here at Episode 9. The actual emotion of the scene got in the way of the actual gravity of what’s supposed to be going on ‘out there’. I do have a fear that Episode 10 has way too much to do in resolving the situation and it’s just going to be a rapid ‘bow tie’ that makes everything OK in the last 15-20 minutes.

I do like this season like most others I’m just frustrated about certain things I guess. I can’t be alone on that. Maybe I am. I liked seeing the bridge. Its just the context or something.

They could have come up with some reason or other to need to be on that bridge beforehand I’m sure.

You’re absolutely not alone in that. I see a lot of people here feeling the same way. I personally was getting frustrated with it back as of episode 5 and 6 but I sure understand how everyone else feels.

I hear ya. I really liked seeing the Enterprise-D, but there was something about the way it was presented that made me feel like I was watching a big special Superbowl commercial that was supposed to air before Picard, if that makes sense. I dunno, sort of like watching an ad for the thing while watching the actual thing. Maybe “pandering” is the word I’m trying not to say, haha.

‘I do have a fear that Episode 10 has way too much to do in resolving the situation and it’s just going to be a rapid ‘bow tie’ that makes everything OK in the last 15-20 minutes”

Lol, dude it’s like you never watched the original episodes of TNG?. This is how they most often wind up a story — and we should expect technobabble in the solution. Like, Duh! :-)

Is next week the last episode? I didn’t read the article to avoid spoilers. I haven’t been watching in the last few weeks. I’m planning to binge watch when the last episode drops.

Yes, next week is the series finale. But I would be careful about coming to any one of these articles’ comment sections if you are trying to dodge spoilers…

Oh yeah I know. I half closed my eyes scrolling down to the comments. I don’t do social media so I’ve been pretty spoiler free so far. This site is pretty good also. Thanks for the info, I can’t wait to watch.

Two more 50 minute episodes, and then we get the two hour finale for the 12th and final episode.

No…just one more. 10 eps.

By the oddest of coincidences, the series finale drops on 4/20. Smoke ’em if you got ’em!

It was a fun episode, and I loved and teared up at the ending, but what really bothered me was that you could hear the fireworks exploding in space? WTF?

Sure I get it when they fire a phaser and other stuff happens that we hear that’s it’s not correct for us to be hearing the sound, but I can always spend my disbelief by assuming that the sound I’m hearing is from the POV of crew on the ship or in the vehicles, torpedos and other devices in space, etc. But showing me something so blatant as fireworks going off in space and making all of the firework sounds we would here on Earth just took me out of the episode completely for a bit. It was full-bore lower decks middle school-level BS and I couldn’t stand it (case-in-point, it reminded me of that horrible lower decks episode where a simple band playing music in the ships lounge shook the entire ship, and the Klingons in their ship could even hear it across the vacuum of space).

People criticize Gene Roddenberry a lot, but there’s no way he would’ve let this pass his review — that would be way too Star Wars-like for his taste. Matalas should’ve known better given he claims he’s a big prophet of classic Trek, but classic Star Trek had NASA freaking science advisers to correct this sort of extreme jump into fantasy from science fiction.

Epic Fail that sullied my opinion of this episode.

Starfleet was sending fireworks sounds to the ships by radio. No one would want to watch them without sound.

Hmm, that’s not bad. Thx

All this over some fireworks!?

Some people are just desperate to remain in the echo chamber and will find anything to complain about. You’re perfectly okay with hearing phasers and torpedoes but you draw the line at fireworks? I cannot fathom why anyone would get so up-in-arms about something so unimportant. As if brief sounds could spoil a whole episode for you. I literally cannot imagine being so determined to hate something that I would write a miniature essay about something as inconsequential as a few fireworks in space.

And let’s not beat around the bush. DS9 showed fireworks in space at the end of “Explorers” but we will just gloss over that so you can have your angry fan moment. Yikes.

I can’t help it if this takes me out of the ep. — I work in an eng field so this stuff I notice. And I still enjoyed the ep —this just made it not the best ep of the season for me.

And I still hope that someday space will be silent in Trek — what Ron Moore did in BSG was genius, and it actually make the scenes more impactful, even though at first glance that might seem counterintuitive

Feel free to sue me though, lol

I do think it’s a bit of a funny comment in a world where it’s really just Firefly and BSG which have ever taken the “space=silence” rule to heart, but it did make me laugh in the moment – just as it did in “Explorers.”

Yeah, this episode has REAL problems, the fireworks that appear for a few seconds aren’t one of them.

Yes, it’s only the problems that YOU identify…lol

Funny, because I “literally” can’t imagine what it’s like to come out of my little burrow every few weeks to snap at people who I think are too negative. You seriously need to chill out because your apoplectic hysterics have become pathological and carry no weight anymore.

Good Q it was heartwarming to see them revisit their old home. I’m pretty much over the memberberry thing in series and films now it’s relied on too much (reliance on past often better greatness), but this had me pretty much tearing up very suddenly. It felt like a relief after the modern dark lighting and (sorry, my opinion only) utterly terrible fussy design and stupidly dark lighting of most modern Trek bridges. It felt optimistic and like a return to a Safe Space. It felt far more futuristic too, even with the carpet ;) I HATE the trend for shiny bridges with millions of lights reflecting everywhere. Not practical to work at. You’d get a migraine within a few hours. They don’t look cool, just a mass of stuff! No reason behind it except to look KEWL. Compare that with the D bridge which feels you could genuinely work there all ‘day’ and feel comfortable. Thought went into its design (google it, it’s fascinating). After all the astonishing effort – which needs to be applauded whole-heartedly to everyone involved – to actually recreate the D bridge, I do hope this means it’ll be used again in further Treks… A proper research vessel again.

So much love for all of this. I cried seeing the D again. Like a baby. I had been on the bridge set of the E in First Contact while they were filming, sat in the Captian’s chair of the Defiant and wondered around DS9’s promenade back in the day, but the Enterprise D will always be “home.” I had actually been in the art dept talking to Mike Okuda back before the 30th anniversary episode of DS9 and he was working on the panels for the original series bridge. I sat there playing with the button thinking nothing of it because he told me it was a recreation for a museum exhibit. Everything was top secret and it was only when the episode aired that I realized I had been playing with the control panels for the Enterprise bridge! So happy to Mike back in his element and doing what he loves, and we love him doing. This was a true gift.

Wow those are some great experiences Luke! I’ve actually been on the original E-D bridge as well back in the late 90s. Then it was part of the Hollywood museum. I remember how small it felt but that was still a great moment for me.

But I’m so happy so many people got so much joy seeing this ship again. Yes, it really does feel like ‘home’ to me as well. Thank you to everyone who made this happen!

Yes, they were great experiences. I got to walk the halls of D and go in Picard’s quarters and 10 Forward. This is right before it was all torn down as I was there during filming of Generations. Bonus stuff: I also was on the Klingon bridge from Generations and in Stellar Cartography and later at the exterior of the E deflector dish and the cockpit on Cochrane’s Phoenix. Lots of great memories on the lot… and a bunch of Voyager too. It was an era.

I really really envy you man! :;)

I would’ve paid a lot of money just to see any of that. I think every fan would lol.

Oh and I read somewhere that Dave Blass said they DIDN’T destroy the new Enterprise D bridge after wrapping the show. They seem to recognize what they have and how important it is for fans so who knows what they will do with it. Maybe we’ll see it again in future production?

Picard season 3 has been excellent.

I’m loving Picard Season 3, but I don’t see how you can see the bridge in Strange New Worlds and then see the bridge in TNG and want to see a show set on the TNG bridge. I get that we were kids and had that bridge, but now all I see is carpet and wood that would light on fire and the boring idea that space travel will become so routine your starship is a hotel. The TNG characters are sooo much better in an exciting action packed universe.. just imagine if they got a real bridge.

Meanwhile, James Cawley has been building his own Enterprise-D Bridge for HOW LONG?

Seems like he was wasting his time.

I’m guessing because he doesn’t have professional Hollywood production crews whose job requires them to put up sets in a very speedy time to meet production deadlines.

Pretty much this, plus according to a Facebook post, Cawley was already in the know about the D coming back.

I watched the episode for the second time last night and I almost cried again lol. It’s such an overwhelming experience to see this bridge again in almost every way it was originally created. We’ve seen it recreated on both Prodigy and LDS, but it’s still not quite the level of seeing the real thing. To know people built this beautiful set with their own hands. This felt like being back on the show again. And this was always my favorite bridge personally (but generally love them all).

That said, everything about being back on the D is utterly preposterous lol. But it doesn’t matter, they wanted to do this for the millions of fans out there. And considering all the posts I’ve read of people saying how much it made them cry (me included) it was the right thing to do. It’s just fiction at the end of the day and designed to bring us some joy to our lives. This has brought me tremendous joy and another reminder why I love Star Trek as much as I do.

Why are there no credits to Andrew Probert who designed the bridge? Shouldn’t he be in the publicity shots as well? He wasn’t even mentioned. A pity since he was the main designer of the Enterprise D and the main bridge.

https://forgottentrek.com/the-next-generation/designing-the-next-generation-bridge/

Someone made a nice little tribute video returning to the Enterprise again and thought I share it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1j4t8r-tn4

It truly does feel like coming home. :)

This is what’s wrong with fans today.

Let me see if I get this straight. You spend all your time here complaining about the complainers when they don’t like something and point it out. But, shocker, now you’re spending all your time complaining about people that are enjoying something TOO much in your opinion? Can you be anymore of a joyless imp and a hypocrite of someone who ironically spends just as much time complaining about everything you accuse others of doing?

People like you are the real problem with fandom today and your constant negativity about everything and everyone. Look in a mirror please. You’re very annoying, please go away.

Lol. People first said I was being too positive — to the point where I was accused of working for Paramount — now it’s too negative! Hysterical. Keep on keepin on.

It’s not just about being ‘positive’ or ‘negative’ it’s about how you treat and talk to others here. You come off like an absolute prick as others have constantly told you and that you conveniently ignored.

So please, I’m asking nicely, I don’t like talking to people like you, so can you just ignore my posts? I’ve asked you this many times and you, once again, just ignore the question. Because talking to someone like you is totally draining to have conversations with. You been this way since you showed up. You obviously have no idea how to talk to people on the internet, especially when you disagree with them.

wow. thats a great video. shared it with friends

Glad you enjoyed it Luke! :)

I am astounded not only by the fact that the ship has been painstakingly restored both in front of the camera and behind – 3 months of intensive work to build a set for 1.17 episodes? The accounting dept. at Paramount must of fainted after seeing the bill for this show;) Hats off to all involved, stellar work! One nit to pick…Datas and the cons chairs are not as rounded on top and do not have that “accordion” type “bunting” around the edge:) But hey, maybe Geordi was not quite finished with the restoration yet. Perhaps, like in Discovery, a bridge was built for Pikes 1701 and a series came out of that, we can expect the same again??? Again, great work for all involved!

Like Enterprise’s decision to explain Klingon ridges, I fear this episode will prove to be a turning point in the franchise and fandom, for the worse. Creating a new expectation and a new subset of fans who want something very specific, rather than a good story.

You make a good point there. That enterprise two-parter is an example of what happens when fan service goes way too far… what an embarrassing cluster-F of an episode that was.

The Star Trek Online Enterprise F video has trouble threading the needle when it comes to its own continuity versus the ever changing one Picard is laying out. I assume the line of thinking is that the game is in an alternate universe that diverged some time after Nemesis?

It’s more to do with the fact that STO was conceived while the franchise was in stasis (for lack of a better term); Cryptic always knew there was a chance that the events in the game would be invalidated by any future TV series or movies; that’s how it is with all Trek games. The 30 year gap from Nemesis to 2409 was likely chosen so that they could just rewrite the game’s backstory as opposed to completely redoing the story players experience.

Thankfully, Paramount has mostly allowed STO to keep doing its own thing, aside from occasional attempts to shoehorn in stuff from DIS and PIC.

The Odyssey Class is far better than the ugly Sovereign Class. I hope we’ll see more of the Enterprise-F in the future.

Kirks Starship Enterprise Returns In Star Trek: Discovery - With A Big Twist

Warning: SPOILERS for Star Trek: Discovery Season 5, Episode 5 - "Mirrors"

The Mirror Universe's ISS Enterprise, last seen in Star Trek: The Original Series' "Mirror, Mirror," makes a shocking return in Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 5.
Star Trek: Discovery filmed scenes on the USS Enterprise set of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds.
The ISS Enterprise now exists in the 32nd century, offering a new glimpse into the alternate reality of the Mirror Universe.

Captain James T. Kirk's (William Shatner) Starship Enterprise makes a shocking return in Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 5, but with a jaw-dropping twist - it's the ISS Enterprise from Star Trek: The Original Series ' "Mirror, Mirror"! Written by Johanna Lee & Carlos Cisco and directed by Jen McGowan, Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 5, "Mirrors," sees Captain Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) and Cleveland Booker (David Ajala) enter interdimensional space to pursue Moll (Eve Harlow) and L'ak (Elias Toufexis) and the next clue to the Progenitors' ancient treasure. What Burnham and Book never expected to find was the Mirror Universe's derelict ISS Enterprise.

Star Trek: Discovery picked up the mantle of the Mirror Universe from Star Trek: The Original Series , Star Trek: Deep Space Nine , and Star Trek; Enterprise. Discovery 's season 1's game-changing Mirror Universe arc introduced Emperor Philippa Georgiou (Michelle Yeoh), who would enter Star Trek 's Prime Universe and is now headlining Paramount+'s upcoming Star Trek: Section 31 movie. Star Trek: Discovery deepened the saga of the Mirror Universe, but the alternate reality's final appearance was in Star Trek: Discovery season 3. Thanks to Star Trek 's Temporal Wars , it's now impossible for the Prime and Mirror Universes to cross over in Star Trek: Discovery 's 32nd century.

Individuals who both time travel and cross from Star Trek' s Prime and Mirror Universes suffer a lethal medical condition, such as what happened to Emperor Georgiou.

Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 Returning Cast & New Character Guide

Star trek: discovery brings back kirks mirror universe starship enterprise, the iss enterprise last appeared in star trek: the original series' "mirror, mirror".

The Mirror Universe's ISS Enterprise in Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 5 is the same Constitution Class starship from Star Trek: The Original Series season 2, episode 4, "Mirror, Mirror," which was the ISS Enterprise's only prior canonical appearance. The ISS Enterprise was trapped in interdimensional space and abandoned by its crew, who were refugees and freedom fighters attempting to flee the Mirror Universe for Star Trek 's Prime Universe in the 24th century. As Captain Burnham later learned, the refugees made it to the Prime Universe, and one scientist even became a Starfleet Admiral.

In Star Trek: Enterprise season 4's "In A Mirror, Darkly", the 22nd-century Terran Empire gained control of the Constitution Class USS Defiant, which crossed over and time traveled from the 23rd-century Prime Universe.

In Star Trek: The Original Series ' "Mirror, Mirror", the ISS Enterprise was commanded by Captain James T. Kirk who assassinated its prior Captain, Christopher Pike (Jeffrey Hunter). "Mirror, Mirror" saw the Prime Universe's Kirk, Lt. Uhura (Nichelle Nichols), Dr. Leonard McCoy (DeForest Kelley), and Scotty (James Doohan) switch places with their Mirror counterparts due to a transporter accident during an ion storm. Before switching back, Prime Kirk planted a seed with the goateed Mirror Spock (Leonard Nimoy) to take control of the Terran Empire and institute reforms to prevent the inevitable destruction of the Empire.

Mirror Spock's reforms were successful but ultimately weakened the Terran Empire, which was conquered by the Klingon-Cardassian Alliance, as seen in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.

Star Trek: Discovery Filmed Season 5s Enterprise On Strange New Worlds Set

Star trek: strange new worlds was on hiatus after season 2..

Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 5, "Mirrors", was filmed on the USS Enterprise set of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds . When Discovery season 5 was in production in late 2022, Strange New Worlds was on hiatus after completing season 2 filming in June . ( Strange New Worlds wouldn't begin season 3 production until December 2023.) Sonequa Martin-Green, David Ajala, Eve Harlow, and Elias Toufexis shot on Strange New Worlds ' sets, which are located in Toronto where Star Trek: Discovery also filmed.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3 is in production, and the series has been renewed for season 4.

Star Trek: Discovery redressed Strange New Worlds ' USS Enterprise set to become the ISS Enterprise. Scenes were filmed on the Enterprise's bridge, hallways, and medical bay. Interestingly, by using Strange New Worlds ' Enterprise set, which depicts the USS Enterprise before Captain Kirk assumes command, Star Trek: Discovery season 5 establishes that the ISS Enterprise, which crossed into the Prime Universe decades after Star Trek: The Original Series , is the same ship as in "Mirror, Mirror" despite the very different interiors.

Star Trek: Enterprise recreated the sets of Star Trek: The Original Series ' USS Enterprise for the interiors of the USS Defiant.

What Happens To Mirror Universes Enterprise In Star Trek: Discovery?

The 32nd century just got another 23rd-century starship.

Captain Burnham and Cleveland Booker piloted the ISS Enterprise out of interdimensional space and into Star Trek 's Prime Universe with the help of the USS Discovery. Afterward, Burnham assigned Lt. Commanders Kayla Detmer (Emily Coutts) and Joann Owosekun (Oyin Oladejo) to fly the ISS Enterprise to Federation headquarters, so that the Mirror Universe's starship could be put into "storage". However, there are now fascinating ramifications to the ISS Enterprise existing in Star Trek: Discovery 's 32nd century .

Amazingly, the ISS Enterprise is also now the second 23rd-century starship in 3191 along with the USS Discovery itself.

Although the ISS Enterprise is obsolete by 32nd-century standards, it's still a bonanza of Mirror Universe technology that the United Federation of Planets has now acquired . This would certainly be of interest to Dr. Kovich (David Cronenberg). The 23rd-century ISS Enterprise is a window not just to 900 years ago, but also to the alternate reality, especially since the Mirror Universe is now sealed off permanently from the Federation. Amazingly, the ISS Enterprise is also now the second 23rd-century starship in 3191 along with the USS Discovery itself. Perhaps the ISS Enterprise will reappear and play a role in the second half of Star Trek: Discovery season 5.

New episodes of Star Trek: Discovery season 5 stream Thursdays on Paramount+

Cast Blu del Barrio, Oded Fehr, Anthony Rapp, Sonequa Martin-Green, Doug Jones, Wilson Cruz, Eve Harlow, Mary Wiseman, Callum Keith Rennie

Streaming Service(s) Paramount+

Franchise(s) Star Trek

Writers Alex Kurtzman

Directors Jonathan Frakes, Olatunde Osunsanmi

Showrunner Alex Kurtzman

Where To Watch Paramount+

Kirks Starship Enterprise Returns In Star Trek: Discovery - With A Big Twist

Star Trek Has Finally Revealed the Evil Enterprise's Weird Fate

Watch out for any goatees.

Today, everyone knows what a multiverse is. But back in 1967, parallel universe stories weren’t nearly as common as they are now, even within the sci-fi genre. A classic Star Trek episode, Jerome Bixby’s “Mirror, Mirror,” helped popularize the alternate universe trope, complete with meaner versions of yourself who may rock an evil little goatee like Mirror Spock.

Star Trek’s Mirror Universe also gave us an alternate version of the USS Enterprise in the ISS Enterprise , a ship that served the Imperial Terran Empire, not the United Federation of Planets. Now, in the Discovery Season 5 episode “Mirrors,” the evil ISS Enterprise is back... as a force for good. Here’s what it all means. Spoilers ahead.

The ISS Enterprise returns

Burnham looks at the ISS Enterprise in 'Discovery' Season 5

Captain Burnham watches the ISS Enterprise warp to Federation HQ.

While pursuing the thieves Moll and L’ak, Book and Burnham take a shuttlecraft into an unstable wormhole and discover the floating, pseudo-derelict ISS Enterprise . One of the clues to the Progenitor’s tech has been hidden on it, but for Burnham, it’s kind of like a bizzaro universe homecoming. Burnham spent a decent amount of time in the Mirror Universe in Discovery Season 1 , and in Season 2 she found herself on the Enterprise with her brother Spock just before jumping from the 23rd century to the 32nd century.

In “Mirrors,” Burnham notes that “crossing between universes has been impossible for centuries,” which means the ISS Enterprise must have crossed over into the Prime Universe well before the 32nd century. Burnham is referencing the events of Discovery Season 3, when we learned that Philippa Georgiou, a resident of the Mirror Universe, couldn’t go back to her home universe because those dimensions had drifted apart. But the ISS Enterprise , which was previously captained by an evil Kirk, crossed over into the Prime Universe well before that moment, and Discovery has now added details connecting The Original Series, Deep Space Nine , and Discovery Season 3.

How evil Spock became good

Mirror Spock talks to Kirk in the 'Star Trek' episode "Mirror, Mirror.'

Spock talking with Kirk in “Mirror, Mirror.”

In the Deep Space Nine episode “Crossover” we learn that after Kirk talked to Mirror Spock and encouraged him to try making the Terran Empire a peaceful power, Mirror Spock did just that. But as Mirror Kira explained, Mirror Spock’s idealism didn’t work out the way he’d hoped:

“Spock rose to Commander in Chief of the Empire by preaching reforms, disarmament, peace. It was quite a remarkable turnabout for his people. Unfortunately for them, when Spock had completed all these reforms, his empire was no longer in any position to defend itself against us [the Klingon-Cardassian Alliance].”

Discovery appears to be referencing this exact event, even if Spock isn’t named outright. When Book learns the ISS Enterprise became a refugee ship for people who’d turned against the Empire, he says, “The Terran High Chancellor was killed for trying to make reforms.”

This likely references Spock, but adds the twist that he was perhaps betrayed by other people within the Terran Empire, even if Earth adopted his reforms. Now, by the end of “Mirrors,” the 23rd-century ISS Enterprise has been moved to the Prime Universe and the 32nd century. It’s an antique by modern standards, but it’s a contemporary of the USS Discovery, so it’s still serviceable. This means that by the end of Discovery Season 5 there will still be a version of the classic Enterprise floating around Federation headquarters, so when the Starfleet Academy series debuts, 32nd-century Starfleet cadets will have access to the classic version of the most famous Enterprise. It may technically be an evil twin, but its historic adventures aren’t over just yet.

Star Trek: Discovery and The Original Series stream on Paramount+.

Phasers on Stun!: How the Making — and Remaking — of Star Trek Changed the World

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Published Apr 26, 2024

RECAP | Star Trek: Discovery 505 - 'Mirrors'

No matter how bad things get, the one thing you always have is a choice.

SPOILER WARNING: This article contains story details and plot points for Star Trek: Discovery.

Graphic illustration of Moll standing beside Book in 'Mirrors'

StarTrek.com

Previously, in " Face the Strange ," Moll and L'ak unleash a time bug aboard the U.S.S. Discovery, designed to paralyze them and keep them stuck as they're randomly cycled through time. Once they're ahead of Discovery and on to the next clue, they can escape the bounty on their heads and finally be free.

In one time loop, Zora informs Burnham and Rayner one of the outcomes they feared had come to pass — the Breen gained control of the Progenitors' tech and destroyed everything, leading the Kellerun to believe the Breen must be the ex-courier's highest bidder. Thankfully for the crew, they're back in the mix and only lost six hours. Plus, they discovered a warp signature matching Moll and L'ak.

In Episode 5 of Star Trek: Discovery , " Mirrors ," Captain Burnham and Book journey into extra-dimensional space in search of the next clue to the location of the Progenitors' power. Meanwhile, Rayner navigates his first mission in command of the U.S.S. Discovery , and Culber opens up to Tilly.

Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 Section Banner - Personnel

Cleveland "Book" Booker
Michael Burnham
Paul Stamets
Sylvia Tilly
William Christopher
Dr. Hugh Culber
Moll (Malinne Ravel)
Breen Primarch

Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 Section Banner - Locations

U.S.S. Discovery -A
Discovery shuttle
I.S.S. Enterprise
Breen warship

Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 Section Banner - Event Log

In his quarters aboard the U.S.S. Discovery -A, Cleveland "Book" Booker contemplates advice given to him by his mentor and namesake, "No matter how bad things get, the one thing you always have is a choice." Book gazes at a holo of Moll — real name Malinne Ravel, the daughter of his predecessor — certain that she is capable of turning things around just as he had. Aware that Cleveland Booker IV saved his life, Book believes he owes it to him to do the same for his daughter.

With Discovery at Moll and La'k’s last known coordinates, Book makes his way to the Bridge, where Captain Michael Burnham gives the stage to Commander Paul Stamets and Lieutenant Sylvia Tilly. Though it appeared as if the couriers' ship left a warp trail which disappeared into empty space, adjusting the viewscreen to compensate for the Lorentzian coefficient in high-energy spectra reveals the presence of a fluctuating wormhole. Stamets states that it leads to a pocket of interdimensional space and is collapsing and expanding due to matter-antimatter chain reactions, likely caused by the Burn.

Captain Burnham surmises that the next clue resides within the wormhole, and Tilly notes that Moll and L'ak are probably in there, as well. Lieutenant Gallo, Commander Rayner, and Lieutenant Christopher brief the captain — sensors can’t penetrate the aperture, the opening isn’t large enough to fit Discovery’s saucer, and there’s no guarantee that they’ll be able to maintain comms contact. Burnham nods, ordering Lieutenant Linus to prepare a shuttle with boosted comms and fortified shields before requesting that Lt. Commander Gen Rhys place a security team on standby.

Rayner narrows his gaze towards the viewscreen ahead of him on the bridge of Discovery as Rhys and Linus stand behind him at their stations in 'Mirrors'

"Mirrors"

The captain's declaration that she will accompany Book on the away team draws Rayner's interest, and the two senior officers convene in the Ready Room. The Kellerun first officer expresses his view that he should be the one risking his life to lead the mission. She assures Rayner that she needs him on the ship and refuses to bring additional security with her, citing that the implied threat of armed guards would undermine Book's personal connection to Moll. Recalling the devastating future they had witnessed during the time bug ordeal, Rayner observes that it was only one possible outcome.

Captain Burnham senses there is more to Rayner’s unease and quotes the Ballad of Krul , " Serve it without a grum of osikod ." Though impressed by his captain's reference to Kellerun culture, Rayner still holds back. Burnham theorizes that his concern is related to taking the conn while she's away, and he begrudgingly admits it has been some time since he took the chair from another captain. The first officer makes eye contact, confessing that he doesn’t want his tenuous rapport with the crew to jeopardize the mission. Burnham reassures Rayner that she believes in him, leaving the demoted captain to swallow his protest.

Book joins Burnham to embark on their journey and pilots their shuttle away from Discovery . Relaxation floods the former courier's expression as he notes the craft is "purring like Grudge when she’s killed something." Hoping to emphasize his connection to Moll's father in the event they locate her, Book playfully shifts the conversation to the captain's temporal escapades when the time bug overtook the ship. Burnham makes a "my lips are sealed" gesture, only willing to disclose that she encountered some surprises.

Burnham looks over at Book while navigating a Discovery shuttle in 'Mirrors'

The shuttle approaches the aperture, and Book plans to charge the impulse capacitance cells and release them into the drive coils to give the vessel a boost. Book offers a saying from his own culture, Never return from a hunt without enough bait for the Carrion Reaver . Burnham laughs off the "catchy" phrase, and the shuttle launches toward the wormhole's pulsating light. Turbulence causes the ship to tremble, and a bright flash overwhelms the two occupants.

Commander Rayner observes from the Bridge and is initially greeted by static. Burnham's voice cuts through the interference, informing the first officer that they made it through. Rayner’s relief is short-lived, as Discovery loses the shuttle's comm signal. He orders Stamets to the Science Lab in a bid to boost comms and conveys confidence as he takes the ship to Yellow Alert.

Meanwhile, in the wormhole, exotic matter has rendered the shuttle's sensors and holopadds inoperative. Book and Burnham narrowly dodge debris — "debris is not a good sign" — and spot the smoldering wreckage of Moll and L'ak's ship, or at least half of it. The nebulous environment clouds their vision, and Book wonders if the couriers survived. Burnham stands as she spots another vessel through the murkiness, its I.S.S. markings indicating it originated in the Mirror Universe. Shock envelops the captain's face as she reads its full designation — I.S.S. Enterprise* — and postulates that how the vessel arrived in interdimensional space must be "one heck of a story."

Book sees the Constitution -class starship's battered hull as evidence that it became trapped during a battle, and Burnham declares that it must have been ages ago — crossing from the Mirror Universe has been impossible for centuries. A shipwreck in a hidden wormhole sounds like a secure place to hide the next clue, though the captain is only acquainted with her brother Spock's U.S.S. Enterprise . They glimpse the other half of Moll and L'ak's broken vessel and assume that, if the couriers are alive, they must be on the Terran ship.

In Sickbay, Tilly kneels down as she tracks a conduit in a panel as she looks over her shoulder at Hugh Culber in 'Mirrors'

Back on Discovery , Tilly tracks an EPS conduit to a panel in Sickbay — after having followed it across three decks, including through the quarters of a new ensign who keeps a Cardassian vole as a pet. Sensing that Dr. Hugh Culber feels troubled, Tilly lets him know that she's always available to talk — at least until Stamets chimes in over the comm system to check on the status of her work. Culber maintains that he is fine and promises to find Tilly later, though his demeanor leaves her unconvinced.

In the Science Lab, Stamets notices that Ensign Adira Tal is undergoing some uncertainty of their own while working on their graviton pulse idea. The ensign rechecks their calculations for a third time, prompting the astromycologist to tell them that the time bug was not their fault. Rayner strolls in with confidence and requests an update on attempts to boost the comm signal. Stamets begins to explain, but the commander interrupts and states that he does not need to know how the cake is boiled. Adira is taken aback by the Kellerun culinary insight — Rayner assures them not to knock it until they try it — but Stamets presses forward with a proposal to hold the interdimensional aperture open. Unfortunately, there's a 43.7% chance that a graviton pulse would cause the aperture to close with the captain and Book still inside. Visibly frustrated, the first officer urges them to get the comm signal back.

Phasers drawn, Captain Burnham and Book enter the I.S.S. Enterprise 's bridge, which is adorned with Terran insignia and dimly illuminated by flickering lights and control panels. Intent on using the ship's sensors to track quantum signatures from the Prime Universe in order to locate Moll, L'ak, and the clue, Burnham pauses when she realizes that Book is standing at the science station — her brother's station, at least on the U.S.S. Enterprise . Though she had never met Spock's Mirror counterpart, she assumes he was just as ruthless as the Terrans.

Using a hack Book had previously applied on an Andorian transport ship, the captain successfully accesses the Enterprise 's sensors, and — after the former courier elicits words of praise from her — they detect that the intermix chamber has been ejected from the warp drive, all shuttles and escape pods are gone, the captain's log was erased, and the crew had apparently abandoned ship. Evacuation is a last resort in Terran culture, but the starship's damage was not terminal. The situation leaves them puzzled, but they turn their attention to the three Prime quantum signatures located in Sickbay — Moll, L'ak, and the clue.

En route to their quarry, Burnham and Book spy bedding, blankets, clothes, and other objects one wouldn't expect to find on a warship strewn about in the transporter room. Book gets a glimpse of the I.S.S. Enterprise 's dedication plaque, which itself bears an unorthodox phrase for Terrans, " Light of hope shines through even the darkest of nights. " The inscription describes the starship’s story, and Book relays that the new Terran High Chancellor had been killed while trying to make reforms. The crew mutinied, escaped, and attempted to shuttle refugees from the Mirror Universe into the Prime Universe, and a Kelpien slave-turned-rebel leader helped them. As she listens to the tale, Burnham picks up a locket and places a piece of her uniform inside of it. The mention of the Kelpien — likely Mirror Saru — catches her attention, and she supposes the crew fled when the ship got stuck within the aperture.

Moll and L'ak stand directly across from Book and Burnham, all tense with phasers drawn, in Sickbay of the I.S.S. Enterprise in 'Mirrors'

The pair continue on and move through the Terran ship's sparking corridors, only to be confronted by a batch of Moll and L'ak holo-doubles whose phasers are pointed toward Sickbay's entrance. Unable to determine which Moll and L'ak figures are real or target the room's holo emitter from their location, Book and Burnham rush their opponents and dodge a storm of phaser fire. They take out several holographic doubles before striking Sickbay's emitter, and the two couriers' true forms are revealed. Everyone heads for cover, but Burnham's diplomatic appeals don’t sway Moll or L'ak.

Book steps out from his concealed position. The captain follows with her phaser up, but Book tries to relate to Moll via their shared connection with her father. Moll grimaces with pain and anger as she states that Cleveland Booker IV was garbage, and L'ak holds up their bargaining chip — a device containing the next clue. Moll pitches a compromise; if she and L'ak are given a ride out of interdimensional space, they’ll let Starfleet replicate the clue. Burnham counters, bluntly replying that the couriers don’t have the clue. Referring to the decoy stanzas on Lyrek, the captain displays the locket she had procured and notes it has a Prime quantum signature.

The standoff remains steadfast, and Book draws Moll's ire when he guesses the couriers would not risk each other's lives over latinum. The exchange intensifies, and Moll contests that not even the Federation could lift an Erigah . Burnham recognizes the term, stunned to learn that the mysterious L'ak is actually Breen. An Erigah is a Breen blood bounty, and Moll and L'ak clearly hope to exchange whatever is at the end of the clue trail for their freedom. Book questions Moll about what they did to receive such a sentence, and the courier reflects…

…back to one of her regular visits to a busy Breen space station some years ago, where two helmeted Breen investigated one of her deliveries. Moll is unafraid when a third Breen approaches, introducing herself by quipping that she enjoys latinum and long walks on the beach. The Breen responds through his helmet's metallic speech processor, but rather than using the Breen sounds deemed unintelligible by most species, he speaks to Moll in her own language and accuses her of cutting her dilithium shipments with impurities. The human denies the accusation levied by "Green Eye," and the two square off in hand-to-hand combat.

Moll's lighthearted conversation persists even as they fight, and she points out that the Breen's belt insignia indicates he is royalty. Rumors have swirled that the Primarch's nephew — an independent thinker named L'ak — has been demoted to shuttlebay duty. Moll suggests that she can help L'ak get payback and admits she does cut the dilithium, leading the Breen to place her in handcuffs. Moll never relents, pitching that having a partner on the inside would make her operation go smoother. She senses L'ak is intrigued and faces him — she knows what it's like to be on the outside and alone — before slipping out of the cuffs. L'ak ponders why Moll would make a deal with someone she didn't know anything about, and Moll resolves to change that unfamiliarity.

Book looks towards Moll during a tenuous truce aboard the I.S.S. Enterprise in 'Mirrors'

Back in the present, Moll refuses to disclose what she and L'ak did to receive their bounty. Captain Burnham cautions them to not let love lead them down the wrong road, but Moll and L'ak opt to open fire once again. An errant phaser blast strikes a control panel, raising a containment field that traps Burnham and L'ak in Sickbay while preventing Book and Moll from re-entering the room. Book intends to resolve the dilemma with the Bridge's security controls and requests Moll's assistance. She agrees to the temporary truce, but threatens to dust Book if he makes one wrong move. They depart, but L'ak and Burnham stay put and keep their weapons drawn.

In another memory from their time on the Breen space station, L'ak receives payment from Moll and declares that her dilithium is clean. She quietly asks if he’d like to inspect her ship again to make sure she didn’t smuggle any tribbles on board, but L'ak's needs to shine his boots in anticipation of his uncle's upcoming inspection. The Breen clarifies that this isn't a euphemism, as the Primarch really likes their boots to be shiny. Moll thinks his uncle sounds like an asshole and brings up the promise that "Green Eye" had made during her last visit. L'ak delays, but Moll is adamant that he show her what he looks like. Though she has seen his face, she wishes to view his other face. L'ak seems self-conscious, and Moll maintains that both faces are a part of him. L'ak concedes, holding his breath and retracting his helmet to reveal his translucent green features. Moll greets him with warmth…

...however, aboard the Enterprise , Moll's demeanor is icy. She walks defiantly through the ship's corridors and rejects Book's appeals about her father. Aware that Cleveland Booker IV left Moll and her mother, Book shares that his mentor made the difficult choice to stay away from them in order to keep them safe. Moll emits a strained laugh, believing that Book must have his own "daddy issues" to have believed her father's story. Even though her father had promised to get his family off of Callor V and take them to a safe-haven colony in the Gamma Quadrant, he eventually just stopped coming home. Her mother was forced to get a job in the rubindium mines, ultimately falling victim to the harsh conditions when Moll was 14. Left alone, Moll tearfully emphasizes that L'ak is now the only person who matters to her.

In Sickbay aboard the I.S.S. Enterprise, Burnham and L'ak are locked on each other with phasers drawn in 'Mirrors'

Down in Sickbay, L'ak and Burnham retain their suspicious stares. Seated, yet still aiming their phasers at each other, they discuss the "power beyond all comprehension" that the Romulan scientist's diary and the subsequent clues would guide them toward. The captain warns L'ak what could happen if they Breen acquired that technology, and her observation that the Federation is all about second chances seems to resonate with him. Though Burnham promises she'd advocate for Moll and L'ak to serve their time together, L'ak is emphatic — he'd rather die than be separated from Moll.

On the Enterprise 's Bridge, the security system's firewall prevents Moll and Book from accessing the containment field. Moll pounds the console in frustration, but Book takes the opportunity to compare Moll and L'ak’s bond with the one he had shared with Burnham. With the exception of Grudge, who bites him when he doesn't feed her, Michael was the first friend Book made after Cleveland Booker IV died. He apologizes for what Moll endured because of her father and explains his troubled relationship with his own father, though Moll's thoughts continue to drift to L'ak…

…and to their time on the Breen space station. Concealed by a force field among the cargo containers, Moll and L'ak kiss. The human pauses, hesitant to mention that she received a new contract in Emerald Chain territory. L'ak calls Osyraa a butcher, but Moll responds that the Breen Imperium's faction wars don't make this region much safer. Her pursuit of higher paydays is a byproduct of her desire to discover the peace and freedom of the Gamma Quadrant paradise that her father had described. L'ak confesses that he only stays in Breen space because he has nowhere else to go, prompting Moll to propose he leave with her. The sound of footsteps interrupts the tender moment, and the Breen Primarch marches in with two Breen soldiers by his side. He disables the privacy field, his visored face locking eyes with the human.

With the memory of that confrontation fresh in her mind, Moll comes to attention on the Enterprise 's Bridge and knocks open a panel underneath the con. She creates a power surge to burn through the security system and short out the containment field, but her actions cause violent explosions to rock the ship. The Sickbay force field drops, though Burnham’s attempt to block L'ak's exit results in another round of fisticuffs that shatters glass and takes its toll. Book reports that impulse engines are overloaded and nav systems are fried — they have no control over the ship. Discovery 's shuttle becomes dislodged, tumbling away from the Terran ship and leaving the Enterprise eight minutes from impacting the aperture.

Book tries to develop a plan, but Moll aims her phaser at him. Nevertheless, Book is still determined to not let anything happen to Burnham or Moll. As a Kwejian, he lost his planet — everything that he cared about is gone. Though Cleveland was a "shit dad" to Moll, he was a great mentor to Book. In a heartbreaking tone, Book informs Moll that she is the only family he has left. He carefully picks up his phaser but chooses to hand it to her. She reacts with suspicion and directs both weapons toward him. Moll wrestles with indecision but opts not to kill him, a choice which elicits a sigh of relief from Book.

Brawling in the I.S.S. Enterprise's Sickbay, Michael Burnham kicks L'ak in the chest in 'Mirrors'

Burnham and L'ak's physical confrontation rages in Sickbay, but the Breen's reliance on a bladed weapon proves to be a tactical error. The Starfleet officer subdues him and retrieves the clue — the locket was a decoy. However, L'ak was inadvertently stabbed with his own blade during the attack. Moll runs in at this unfortunate moment, filled with concern for her partner and rejecting Burnham's plea to get L'ak to Discovery for treatment. Now a mere five minutes from colliding with the aperture, Book and Burnham speed off to the Bridge, leaving Moll to assist L'ak in Sickbay…

…and remember the moment when the Breen Primarch caught them together. As a guard holds L'ak, a second Breen strikes Moll. The Primarch prevents his nephew from intervening, then airs his grievance — L'ak carries the genetic code of the Yod-Thot, they who rule . While the Primarch campaigns for the throne of the Imperium, L'ak has been consorting with "lesser beings." His uncle describes L'ak's use of his more humanoid face as an insult to his heritage. The Primarch retracts his own helmet, gesturing to his translucent visage and proclaiming, " This is Breen." L'ak argues that their ability to change is a sign that both faces are a part of them, but his uncle claims they have evolved past a need for that form — holding it makes L'ak unfocused, inflexible, and weak.

The Primarch reseals his helmet and hands L'ak a weapon. His nephew must kill Moll to gain redemption. Resigned to her death, Moll tells "Green Eye" that their relationship was fun while it lasted, but L'ak elects to shoot the Breen guards instead of her. His uncle allows L'ak to place the phaser at his chest. Swayed by the fact that the Primarch raised him, L'ak only wounds his uncle. Alarms blare through the cargo area, and L'ak urges Moll to flee so that he will know she's safe. The blood bounty that L'ak just earned does not dissuade Moll from wanting him to join her. Holding onto his face, she says they can be happy together. L'ak voices his love for Moll…

…which snaps her back to the present, where L'ak reiterates his love for Moll in the Enterprise 's chaotic Sickbay. However, she is unwilling to give up and vows to get them out of this predicament. Meanwhile, Burnham and Book burst onto the Bridge and intend to activate a tractor beam. Book brightens the Terran light panels — "can’t save the day if we can’t see" — and winks at the captain as he takes the helm.

On Discovery 's Bridge, Commander Rayner asks Christopher for an update on comms. Naya interjects, reporting that something is happening at the aperture. A tractor beam can be seen emanating from within the wormhole, and it is oscillating with a repeating pattern: 3-4-1-4. Rayner grins in understanding and calls Stamets, Adira, and Tilly to the Bridge. The first officer doesn’t just need them to hold the aperture open, he also wants them to make it bigger — large enough for a starship. Discovery isn't going in, but their captain is coming out.

On the Bridge, Tilly, Stamets, and Adira are all concerned look in different directions in 'Mirrors'

Stamets and the senior staff are perplexed by Rayner's announcement, and the Kellerun's reference to the Ballad of Krul doesn't give them any additional insight. Returning to the task at hand, Tilly affirms that such a procedure would require more energy than the entire ship can safely produce. Rayner pushes them for ideas, promising a cask of Kellerun citrus mash for whoever lands this solution. The Bridge is abuzz with chatter — inverting the deflector array would take too long, discharging the spore reserve would leave them unable to make an emergency jump, and pulling power from gravitational systems would cause everyone to float around… but replacing the photon torpedo payloads with antimatter would add fuel to the reactions already present in the aperture! Adira confirms that hitting it precisely with a sequential hexagonal pattern should keep it open for approximately sixty seconds. Rayner questions why it must be hexagonal, but Stamets points to him in a mischievous manner and notes, "It doesn’t matter. It’ll work." Satisfied, the commander awards the citrus mash to the entire Bridge crew and trusts that they'll make their only chance to succeed count.

As Captain Burnham sits in the I.S.S. Enterprise 's center seat, the ship's computer pronounces that only 60 seconds remain until impact with the aperture. Driven by the perilous countdown, she confesses to Book that he was one of the surprises she encountered while ensnared in the time bug's grip. She reflects on how nice it felt and how happy they seemed. Book offers an appreciative nod, but the pull of the aperture shakes the Enterprise .

On Discovery , Rayner orders a volley of torpedoes to be launched at the wormhole, and their detonations cause the opening to expand and generate even more light. The Enterprise 's tractor beam rattles the ship as it makes contact with Discovery . Book awaits Burnham's order to act and asks if he should "hit it." Captain Christopher Pike's signature phrase draws a quizzical and bemused look from Burnham, who replies, "Feels weird. Let’s just fly." The Terran ship's saucer section begins to emerge from the aperture, and its secondary hull clears it just before it collapses and releases a radiant surge of energy.

A relief-filled Captain Burnham communicates her thanks to Rayner over the comm channel, but she and Book then notify Discovery about a Terran warp pod being fired by the Enterprise . Scans detect two lifesigns and sickbay equipment aboard — Moll and L'ak. The pod launches and jumps to warp before it can be captured, though Rayner hopes to follow their warp signature and put out an alert throughout the fleet.

As the I.S.S. Enterprise and U.S.S. Discovery station themselves opposite one another in deep space, Rayner accompanies Burnham on a stroll through Discovery 's halls and compliments her on her "3-4-1-4" signal. The captain's message had referred to Section 4, Verse 7 of the Ballad of Krul , in which Krul calls to his war brothers for rescue with a repeating drumbeat of three taps, followed by four, one, and four. Although impressed, Rayner has doubts about how the mission played out. Burnham encourages him to take the win and relays that she is ordering Commanders Owosekun and Detmer to head a team and fly the Enterprise back to Federation HQ storage.

Tilly with her arms folded while leaning at the bar table looks up towards Culber in 'Mirrors'

Discovery 's crew takes some much-needed downtime in Red's, where Culber follows through on his promise to confide in Tilly. The doctor leans beside her at the bar, and Tilly remarks that the day has left her feeling as if she has been through a gormagander's digestive tract. Highlighting the unique experiences he's had — dying, being resurrected, and staying present in his own body while Jinaal Bix inhabited it during the zhian'tara — Culber can only classify these events as "weird." Coupled with their current quest to find the technology that created life, Culber has found these questions to be both impossible to grasp and exhilarating. Since Stamets hates the unknown, Culber isn't sure how to talk to his partner about these emotions. Tilly advises him that the intellectual and the spiritual are not that far apart in the sense that they each bring understanding and can take you to new places. Initially taken aback by Tilly's use of the word spiritual, the doctor lets his friend's words sink in.

Captain Burnham welcomes Book into her Ready Room as she finishes reading a file on the Progenitors. There's no news about Moll and L'ak's whereabouts, but every ship in the sector is on high alert. She extracts a vial of liquid from the device containing the clue and shares that Stamets is preparing to do a full chemical analysis on it. Burnham secures the third object alongside the other two clues, which Book observes always seem to be presented hand-in-hand with a lesson. The ordeal with the itronok on Trill demonstrated that they valued lifeforms different from their own and the necropolis planet evoked the importance of cultural context, so why did a scientist leave the third clue on a Terran warship?

The query draws a smile from Burnham, who discloses that the scientist had been a Terran named Dr. Cho — the junior science officer aboard the I.S.S. Enterprise . The captain had Zora search for the names from the vessel's manifest, and most of them had turned up in various Federation databases. The crew did make it to the Prime Universe and started new lives, and Cho herself became a branch admiral in Starfleet. The Terrans had hope, found freedom, and overcame the odds. Burnham supposes that those qualities were the reasons Cho returned to the aperture and concealed the clue on the Enterprise . Perhaps the lesson is that they can shape their future in the same way the Terran refugees had.

Book catches sight of the Enterprise getting underway outside of the Ready Room's viewport, prompting the captain to turn and gaze at the vessel. She brings up the time bug secret she had shared with Book when death appeared imminent, but he grins and acknowledges that they had been happy. Stamets' voice rings out over the comm system to let the captain know he is ready for the vial. Burnham grabs the container and makes her way to the door, but Book wonders what happens when they finally put these clues together. Captain Burnham concedes that she doesn't know, but she can't wait to find out.

Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 Section Banner - Canon Connections

* " Mirror, Mirror " — The I.S.S. Enterprise was last seen in this Original Series classic when a transporter malfunction sends the U.S.S. Enterprise crew into a mirror universe.

Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 Section Banner - Log Credits

Written by Johanna Lee & Carlos Cisco
Directed by Jen McGowan

Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 Section Banner - Notes

"Mirrors" features a dedication:

In loving memory of our friend, Allan "Red" Marceta

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Jay Stobie (he/him) is a freelance writer, author, and consultant who has contributed articles to StarTrek.com, Star Trek Explorer, and Star Trek Magazine, as well as to Star Wars Insider and StarWars.com. Learn more about Jay by visiting JayStobie.com or finding him on Twitter, Instagram, and other social media platforms at @StobiesGalaxy.

Star Trek: Discovery Seasons 1-4 are streaming exclusively on Paramount+ in the U.S., the UK, Canada, Switzerland, South Korea, Latin America, Germany, France, Italy, Australia and Austria. Seasons 2 and 3 also are available on the Pluto TV “Star Trek” channel in Switzerland, Germany and Austria. The series streams on Super Drama in Japan, TVNZ in New Zealand, and SkyShowtime in Spain, Portugal, Poland, The Nordics, The Netherlands, and Central and Eastern Europe and also airs on Cosmote TV in Greece. The series is distributed by Paramount Global Content Distribution.

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Collage of episodic stills of plague-centric moments

Den of Geek

Discovery Season 5 Episode 5 Easter Eggs Reveal the Fate of a Classic Star Trek Ship

From the Mirror Universe and the ISS Enterprise to a big reveal about the Breen, Discovery season 5 just referenced a a huge swath of the Star Trek timeline.

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This Star Trek: Discovery article contains spoilers.

As both a prequel and sequel to various versions of the Star Trek franchise, Star Trek: Discovery often includes unexpected easter eggs and references to the entire saga. The latest episode, “Mirrors,” is no exception, as it brings back a famous Star Trek ship, as well as answers questions about a mysterious alien species, which has been around since the 1990s.

From references to the goatee version of Spock, to some deep-cuts from Deep Space Nine , and even a tribble joke, Discovery ’s easter eggs in season 5, episode 5 aren’t messing around. Here are the best references and how these shout-outs solve a few mysteries, while suggesting a possible future development for the next Star Trek show.

“Classic Work on Kellerun”

Early in the episode, Rayner and Burnham talk about which stories are considered classics on the planet Kellerun. Rayner is a member of the Kellerun species, which were established in the DS9 episode “Armageddon Game.” We actually know very little about the Kellerun species, so Discovery is inventing new canon here, rather than referencing anything from previous Trek shows.

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Wormhole and the Burn

The wormhole that Book and Burnham have to enter is unstable, which describes most wormholes featured in Star Trek . But, in this case, it’s suggested that the matter/anti-matter reactions in this wormhole were caused by the Burn.

The Burn was that galaxy-changing event in the backstory of Discovery season 3, when, in 3069, every warp core in the galaxy detonated. Warp cores use matter/antimatter reactions to do their thing.

ISS Enterprise

Inside the wormhole, Book and Burnham encounter the ISS Enterprise , and Book says right away “ISS, that’s Mirror Universe.” When he says this we hear the Mirror Universe music from Discovery season 1.

The existence of the ISS Enterprise in this episode is a massive easter egg, which contains various other smaller easter eggs. These include the following:

The ISS Enterprise was last seen, in-canon, in the TOS episode “Mirror, Mirror.” So, chronologically, in both our world, and the Trek timeline, this is its second appearance.
The bridge and sickbay of the ISS Enterprise are just the sets from the Strange New Worlds version of the Enterprise . Discovery season 5 filmed in between SNW seasons.
Several versions of the Terran Empire logo are seen throughout the ship. These match with the Terran Empire logo from Discovery season 1 and season 3, and differ from the logo from The Original Series .
Does the redesign make sense in terms of the timeline? Well, Akiva Goldsman has suggested that on some level, the visual canon of Strange New Worlds relative to The Original Series isn’t the true canon. In 2023, he said that the aesthetic choices of the more modern Strange New Worlds don’t change the story as seen on TOS , but it doesn’t mean modern Star Trek will ever reveal a rubber-suited Gorn. “You will never see the Gorn like that…This is the Gorn as we perceive them,” Goldsman said. So, analogously, Discovery didn’t need to make the TOS Mirror Enterprise like the retro 1960s version. Plus, who knows what the Terran Empire did in between “Mirror, Mirror” and the moment this crew escaped?

Mirror Spock

Burnham mentions that the science station on the Enterprise was “my brother’s station.” This, of course, refers to Spock, who, in this universe, did, briefly, work at this exact station. Burnham says, “I’m sure he was just as ruthless as the rest though,” which, as we know, is not true. Mirror Spock spared Prime Kirk in “Mirror, Mirror,” and then became the leader of the entire empire.

In fact, when Book reads the story of this version of the Enterprise , he says, “The Terran High Chancellor was killed for trying to make reforms.” In the Deep Space Nine episode “Crossover,” we learned that the leader of the Terran Empire was Spock. And that Spock trying to reform the Terran Empire led to Earth being taken over in the 24th Century by the Klingon-Cardassian Alliance.

So, the episode references Spock, twice, without actually naming him, and the second time, neither Book nor Burnham even knows that Mirror Spock was a low-key hero.

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Saru and the Mirror Universe From Discovery Season 3

Book mentions that the crew of the ISS Enterprise escaped with the help of a “Kelpien slave turned rebel leader.” This seems to reference the events of “Terra Firma Part 2,” from Discovery season 3. In that episode, Georgiou went back into the Mirror Universe and created a kind of pocket timeline in which she died at a different time, and Saru was freed to become a rebel leader. At the time, it wasn’t clear if this changed the timeline of the Mirror Universe — or the timeline of Discovery season 1 — but the mention of a Mirror Saru who is a rebel suggests that some version of that timeline might have occurred after all.

The Breen Revealed!

First mentioned in The Next Generation , the Breen eventually appeared in person in the 1995 Deep Space Nine episode “Indiscretion.” But, from that point, until now, they’ve only appeared inside their suits, and under those helmets. There’s been a ton of speculation for decades about what the Breen look like under their helmets, and now, we’ve finally seen the answer.

In “Mirrors” — during the flashbacks that explains Moll and L’ak’s relationship — we finally see that the Breen have not one face, but two . Apparently, one face exists under their helmet, while another, more stable face can emerge when they have their helmets off. This seems to suggest that the Breen hiding their faces has more to do with a cultural tradition than any environmental requirement. Moll has been running around without a helmet this entire season, and apparently, that’s what a Breen can look like, too.

Smuggling Tribbles

In one of the flashbacks, Moll jokes about making sure she “didn’t smuggle any tribbles on board.” This seems to suggest that yes, even in the 32nd Century , tribbles are still possibly hazardous, because they breed so quickly, and overrun spaceships and space stations. Famously, the tribbles first appeared in the TOS classic, “The Trouble With Tribbles.” Though, in Picard season 3, we did see a genetically engineered “attack tribble” with vicious teeth, stored away in a Section 31 black ops lab. It’s possible this “attack tribble” was created during the Dominion War, which means, it might have been designed to fight the Breen, who were Dominion allies back then.

As Book is navigating the ISS Enterprise out of the wormhole, he says, “Should we hit it?” Book has no idea that “hit it” was Pike’s catchphrase to send a ship into warp. Burnham smiles sheepishly and responds, “Feels weird. Let’s just fly.” She feels weird because she doesn’t want to steal Pike’s catchphrase, and so she uses her own catchphrase, “let’s fly,” instead.

The ISS Enterprise in the Prime Universe

The episode ends with the ISS Enterprise being fully intact in the Prime Universe. We’re told that Detmer and Owo are flying the ship back to Federation HQ on their own. Scotty was able to fly the classic Enterprise with just himself and Sulu in The Search for Spock , so we have to assume that Detmer and Owo have done something similar. We don’t know if a new, 32nd Century Enterprise exists in this era of Star Trek , but as of now, Discovery just brought a classic version of the ship into the future.

Because the upcoming Starfleet Academy series is set in the 32nd Century, it feels possible that Discovery just created a way for the students of future Starfleet to hang out on the bridge of the classic Enterprise — again!

Ryan Britt is a longtime contributor to Den of Geek! He is also the author of three non-fiction books: the Star Trek pop history book PHASERS…

Screen Rant

Star trek: discovery season 5, episode 5 ending explained.

Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 5 contains two major reveals about the Mirror Universe and the Breen. We break down what the ending means.

Warning: SPOILERS for Star Trek: Discovery Season 5, Episode 5 - "Mirrors"

Star Trek: Discovery's next clue is hidden aboard the Mirror Universe's ISS Enterprise trapped in interdimensional space.
L'ak is a Breen with a blood bounty on his head, and his backstory with Moll is revealed.
The USS Discovery crew, led by Commander Rayner, helps save Burnham and Book and bring the ISS Enterprise into the Prime Universe, but Moll and L'ak escape.

Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 5, "Mirrors," ends with Captain Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) and the USS Discovery's crew grappling with jaw-dropping reveals about the Mirror Universe's ISS Enterprise, L'ak's (Elias Toufexis) species, and the next clue in the hunt for the Progenitors' treasure. Written by Johanna Lee and Carlos Cisco and directed by Jen McGowan, the thrilling "Mirrors" sends Burnham and Cleveland Booker (David Ajala) into interdimensional space after Moll (Eve Harlow) and L'ak and the third Progenitors' clue , but they found a lot more than they bargained for.

In Star Trek: Discovery s eason 5, episode 5, Captain Burnham, Cleveland Booker, Moll, and L'ak are all trapped aboard the derelict ISS Enterprise after Burnham's shuttle and L'ak's ship are destroyed by interdimensional space, a dangerous region between Star Trek 's Prime and Mirror Universes . Michael ingeniously uses the Enterprise's tractor beam to send a distress signal to the USS Discovery, where Commander Rayner (Callum Keith Rennie) and the bridge crew find a way to keep the aperture of the interdimensional space wormhole open to fly the ISS Enterprise through. However, L'ak and Moll make their escape, leaving Burnham, Book, and the Starfleet heroes to grapple with the third clue to the Progenitors' treasure, and what they learned and found in the wormhole.

The ISS Enterprise's first and only previous appearance was in Star Trek: The Original Series season 2's "Mirror, Mirror", which introduced the Mirror Universe.

Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 Returning Cast & New Character Guide

Captain kirk's mirror universe iss enterprise now belongs to 32nd century starfleet, it's been a long road for the iss enterprise.

The Mirror Universe's ISS Enterprise becomes the property of the 32nd century's Starfleet and United Federation of Planets at the end of Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 5, "Mirrors." Captain Burnham assigned Lt. Commanders Kayla Detmer (Emily Coutts) and Joann Owosekun (Oyin Oladejo) - who don't actually appear in the episode - to fly the ISS Enterprise back to Federation HQ to be put into "storage". However, the acquisition of a major historical find like a 23rd-century Constitution Class starship filled with Terran Empire technology from the Mirror Universe is bound to be of interest to Dr. Kovich (David Cronenberg).

After the Temporal Wars, crossing over between the Mirror Universe and Star Trek 's Prime universe is now impossible, but the ISS Enteprise was trapped in interdimensional space for centuries, which crossing over could still happen.

Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 5's ISS Enterprise scenes were filmed on the USS Enterprise sets of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds . Discovery season 5's production took place at the end of 2022, after Strange New Worlds season 2 had wrapped in June and long before Strange New Worlds season 3 filming started in December 2023. The USS Enterprise's bridge, medical bay, transporter room, and hallways were redressed to turn the starship into its Mirror Universe counterpart.

Commander Michael Burnham previously came aboard Captain Christopher Pike's (Anson Mount) USS Enterprise in Star Trek: Discovery season 2.

Star Trek: Discovery's Mirror Universe Revelations

We found out what happened to mirror spock and mirror saru.

Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 5's ISS Enterprise appearance answered some big questions about the events of the Mirror Universe after Star Trek: The Original Series ' "Mirror, Mirror." Cleveland Booker learned from the plaque where the Enterprise's missing crew left their story behind that the Terran High Chancellor was assassinated after making reforms. This refers to the Mirror Universe's Spock (Leonard Nimoy), who was urged by the Prime Universe's Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner) to make reforms to prevent the inevitable collapse of the Terran Empire, which happened anyway.

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine 's Mirror Universe episodes revealed that the Terran Empire, weakened by Spock's reforms, was conquered by the Klingon-Cardassian Alliance.

Refugees led by a Kelpien slave-turned-rebel leader - Saru (Doug Jones) - used the ISS Enterprise to flee the Mirror Universe for the Prime Universe in the 23rd century, but the starship was trapped in interdimensional space. The Enterprise's crew eventually used the ship's shuttles and escape pods to abandon the starship in an effort to make it to the Prime Universe. Some did make it through, including the ISS Enterprise's junior science officer, Dr. Cho , who later joined Starfleet and became a branch Admiral in the 24th century.

Jinaal Bix redacted the names of the scientists who found the Progenitors' technology, including Dr. Cho.

Moll & L'ak Escaped Discovery With A Breen Bounty On Their Heads

L'ak is the nephew of the breen primarch.

Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 5 revealed the backstory of Moll and L'ak, including the revelation that L'ak is Breen . Years before Star Trek: Discovery season 5, Moll was a courier who sold latinum to the Breen Imperium, where she met L'ak, the nephew of the Breen's Primarch Ruhn (Tony Nappo), who had fallen out of favor and was working in the shuttle bay. Moll and L'ak fell in love , and L'ak committed a crime against the Breen by consorting with "a lesser being" and removing his helmet to show Moll his true face. Confronted by his uncle, L'ak shot the Primarch and fled with Moll.

Moll and L'ak used one of the ISS Enterprise's remaining warp pods to flee capture.

Moll and L'ak both have an Erigah, a Breen blood bounty, on their heads, and they hope that finding the Progenitors' treasure and selling it to the Breen will buy their freedom. Neither Moll and L'ak want the Federation's help offered by Captain Burnham, and they would "rather die" than be separated in a Federation prison. L'ak was injured in a brawl with Burnham, but instead of seeking medical attention from the USS Discovery, Moll and L'ak used one of the ISS Enterprise's remaining warp pods to flee capture. However, this time, Moll and L'ak left behind a warp trail Discovery can follow.

Cleveland Booker Tries To Connect With Moll

Booker's mentor was moll's absentee father.

Cleveland Booker has personal reasons to connect with and save Moll. Moll's real name is Malinne Booker, and she is the daughter of Book's late mentor, Cleveland Booker IV . Moll's father abandoned her and her mother to become a courier and raise the funds needed to move his family to a new home in the Gamma Quadrant. However, Booker IV's dangerous life as a courier and dealings with criminal organizations like the Emerald Chain made him keep his distance from Malinne, who blamed him for leaving her behind.

Moll doesn't want Cleveland Booker in her life.

Moll became a courier like her father to do what he didn't and earn enough latinum to move to the Gamma Quadrant, but Moll's entire world shifted when she fell in love with L'ak and the Breen placed a blood bounty on their head s. Moll doesn't want Cleveland Booker in her life , but she relents when she has the chance to kill the man who took her father's name. Whether Moll will ever come to see Book as the "only family" she has left, the way Book sees her, remains to be seen.

Commander Rayner Got The Best Out Of USS Discovery's Crew

Citrus mash for everyone.

Captain Burnham left Commander Rayner at the conn of the USS Discovery while she and Book went on their away mission, despite Rayner's reservations about leading Burnham's crew. However, Rayner was impressed that Burnhum learned Kellerun literature to connect with her new First Officer. This knowledge was the key to Rayner saving Burnham from interdimensional space. Burnham used the ISS Enterprise's tractor beam to send a signal the Kellerun commander would understand.

Rayner gained a new appreciation for Discovery's crew and how to work with them as his own crew.

Commander Rayner placed his trust in the USS Discovery's crew to "science" a way to open the wormhole's aperture and pull the ISS Enterprise into the Prime Universe. Commander Paul Stamets (Anthony Rapp). Lt. Sylvia Tilly (Mary Wiseman), Ensign Adira Tal (Blu del Barrio), Lt. Commander Gen Rhys (Patrick Kwok-Choon), Lt. Christopher (Orville Cummings), Lt. Linus (David Benjamin Tomlinson), Lt. Naya (Victoria Sawal), Lt. Commander Asha (Christina Dixon), and Lt. Gallo (Natalie Liconti) all rose to the occasion and found a way to save Burnham and Book. In turn, Rayner gained a new appreciation for Discovery's crew and how to work with them as his own crew.

Dr. Culber Reaches Out To Tilly

Culber has questions science can't answer.

The USS Discovery's counselor, Dr. Hugh Culber (Wilson Cruz), needs a counselor of his own. Culber continues to deal with the unimaginable experience of Trill scientist Jinaal Bix occupying his mind and body in Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 3, "Jinaal." Being taken over by a Trill has left Culber with existential questions, and he hopes finding the Progenitors' technology will provide him with the answers he seeks.

Hugh finds a sympathetic ear in Lt. Sylvia Tilly.

Unfortunately for Hugh, he doesn't believe he can share his feelings with his husband, Commander Paul Stamets because Paul is a man of science, and Culber's questions are ineffable. Hugh finds a sympathetic ear in Lt. Sylvia Tilly, but the answers Dr. Culber seeks are tied to what the USS Discovery finds when they locate the Progenitors' treasure - or so Hugh hopes. Culber, who has already died and been resurrected, may find himself in a new scenario that has pivotal life-or-death decisions in Star Trek: Discovery season 5.

Dr. Hugh Culber's dilemma in Star Trek: Discovery season 5 is a rare attempt by Star Trek to address spiritual questions.

Where Star Trek: Discovery's Next Progenitors' Treasure Clue Leads

The next clue involves water.

Captain Burnham acquired the third clue from Moll and L'ak, which is a vial of water contained within a piece of the Progenitors' treasure map. Burnham is waiting for Commander Stamets to conduct a chemical analysis of the water, which will reveal where the USS Discovery must go next for the 4th clue . However, Michael told Book that Dr. Cho, the former Terran scientist who became a Starfleet Admiral, went back to the ISS Enterprise in interdimensional space and hid her clue to the Progenitors' technology there.

Michael also told Book she saw him in the past during Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 4, "Face the Strange's" time loops, and that they were happy back then.

Burnham and Book mused over the lessons attached to each clue. On Trill, finding Jinaal's clue was dependent on Burnham and Booker proving they value lifeforms other than their own. On Lyrek for the first clue, the lesson was the importance of cultural context. Michael surmised that the lesson Dr. Cho left behind with her clue on the ISS Enterprise was to have the hope to shape your own future in Star Trek: Discovery season 5 as the search for the Progenitors' treasure and the answers to life, itself, continues.

New episodes of Star Trek: Discovery season 5 stream Thursdays on Paramount+

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Long-lost first model of the USS Enterprise from ‘Star Trek’ boldly goes home after twisting voyage

The first model of the USS Enterprise is displayed at Heritage Auctions in Los Angeles, April 13, 2024. The model — used in the original “Star Trek” television series — has been returned to Eugene “Rod” Roddenberry, the son of “Star Trek” creator Gene Roddenberry, decades after it went missing in the 1970s. (Josh David Jordan/Heritage Auctions via AP)

Joe Maddalena, executive vice president of Heritage Auctions, left, and Eugene “Rod” Roddenberry, the son of “Star Trek” creator Gene Roddenberry, shake hands over the recently recovered first model of the USS Enterprise at the Heritage Auctions in Los Angeles, April 13, 2024. The model — used in the original “Star Trek” television series — has been returned to Eugene, decades after it went missing in the 1970s. (Josh David Jordan/Heritage Auctions via AP)

Joe Maddalena, executive vice president of Heritage Auctions, left, and Eugene “Rod” Roddenberry, the son of “Star Trek” creator Gene Roddenberry, view the recently recovered first model of the USS Enterprise at Heritage Auctions in Los Angeles, April 13, 2024. The model — used in the original “Star Trek” television series — has been returned to Eugene, decades after it went missing in the 1970s. (Josh David Jordan/Heritage Auctions via AP)

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DALLAS (AP) — The first model of the USS Enterprise — used in the opening credits of the original “Star Trek” television series — has boldly gone back home, returning to creator Gene Roddenberry’s son decades after it went missing.

The model’s disappearance sometime in the 1970s had become the subject of lore, so it caused a stir when it popped up on eBay last fall. The sellers quickly took it down, and then contacted Dallas-based Heritage Auctions to authenticate it. Last weekend, the auction house facilitated the model’s return.

Eugene “Rod” Roddenberry, CEO of Roddenberry Entertainment, said he’s thrilled to have the model that had graced the desk of his father, who died in 1991 at age 70.

“This is not going home to adorn my shelves,” Roddenberry said. “This is going to get restored and we’re working on ways to get it out so the public can see it and my hope is that it will land in a museum somewhere.”

AP AUDIO: Long-lost first model of the USS Enterprise from ‘Star Trek’ boldly goes home after twisting voyage.

AP correspondent Margie Szaroleta reports on the return of the original model of the USS Enterprise from the TV show “Star Trek.”

Heritage’s executive vice president, Joe Maddalena, said the auction house was contacted by people who said they’d discovered it a storage unit, and when it was brought into their Beverly Hills office, he and a colleague “instantly knew that it was the real thing.”

This photo provided by CBS News shows Dan Rather with CBS correspondent Lee Cowan during an interview on “CBS Sunday Morning." Rather returned to the CBS News airwaves Sunday, April 28, 2024, for the first time since his bitter exit 18 years ago, appearing in a reflective interview on “CBS Sunday Morning” days before the debut of a Netflix documentary on the 92-year-old newsman's life. (CBS News via AP)

They reached out to Roddenberry, who said he appreciates that everyone involved agreed returning the model was the right thing to do. He wouldn’t go into details on the agreement reached but said “I felt it important to reward that and show appreciation for that.”

Maddalena said the model vanished in the 1970s after Gene Roddenberry loaned it to makers of “Star Trek: The Motion Picture,” which was released in 1979.

“No one knew what happened to it,” Rod Roddenberry said.

The 3-foot (0.91-meter) model of the USS Enterprise was used in the show’s original pilot episode as well as the opening credits of the resulting TV series, and was the prototype for the 11-foot (3-meter) version featured in the series’ episodes. The larger model is on display at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum.

The original “Star Trek” television series, which aired in the late 1960s, kicked off an ever-expanding multiverse of cultural phenomena, with TV and movie spinoffs and conventions where a fanbase of zealous and devoted Trekkies can’t get enough of memorabilia.

This USS Enterprise model would easily sell for more than $1 million at auction, but really “it’s priceless,” Maddalena said.

“It could sell for any amount and I wouldn’t be surprised because of what it is,” he said. “It is truly a cultural icon.”

Roddenberry, who was just a young boy when the model went missing, said he has spotty memories of it, “almost a deja vu.” He said it wasn’t something he’d thought much about until people began contacting him after it appeared on eBay.

“I don’t think I really, fully comprehended at first that this was the first Enterprise ever created,” he said.

He said he has no idea if there was something nefarious behind the disappearance all those decades ago or if it was just mistakenly lost, but it would be interesting to find out more about what happened.

“This piece is incredibly important and it has its own story and this would be a great piece of the story,” Roddenberry said.

Thankfully, he said, the discovery has cleared up one rumor: That it was destroyed because as a young boy, he’d thrown it into a pool.

“Finally I’m vindicated after all these years,” he said with a laugh.

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To Boldly Return —

Long-lost model of the uss enterprise returned to roddenberry family, it showed up in an ebay listing; now roddenberry's son wants to show it to fans..

Samuel Axon - Apr 19, 2024 9:05 pm UTC

This mysterious model appeared on eBay with little fanfare.

The first-ever model of Star Trek's USS Enterprise NCC-1701 has been returned to the Roddenberry family, according to an ABC News report.

The 3-foot model was used to shoot the pilot and credits scene for Star Trek's original series in the 1960s and was used occasionally for shots throughout the series. (Typically, a larger, 11-foot model was used for shots after the pilot.) The model also sat on series creator Gene Roddenberry's desk for several years.

It went missing in the late 1970s; historians and collectors believe it belonged to Roddenberry himself, that he lent it to a production house working on Star Trek: The Motion Picture, and that it was never returned. Its whereabouts were unknown until last fall, when a listing for a mysterious model of the Enterprise appeared on eBay .

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