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The Keeper (Item No. 51203/2) , is a hybrid of two "Star Trek" aliens. This figure shares its name with the Talosian designated as The Keeper (from the episode "The Cage" or "The Menagerie"--take your pick), but possesses a head and robe that bears a striking resemblance to Balok's viewscreen "puppet" from "The Corbomite Manuever." Mego would revisit the Talosian theme in their third series of figures.

The Keeper was a logical choice as his visage appeared in the end credits for Star Trek, he was easily recognized even by those who hadn't seen the episode.

The head sculpt is adequately otherworldly, and, as mentioned previously, is an interesting echo of Balok's puppet. The body of this figure is a standard Type 2 male, but is cast entirely in powder-blue (a body shared with another "Trek" Alien: the Andorian). The figure came outfitted in a white robe with a large collar; the sleeves, collar and hem were all trimmed in orange.

Due to the total lack of accessories, and the presence of only one article of clothing, this Alien is, hands-down, the easiest to find loose and complete. However, since his robe is white, it almostALWAYS has a stain or soiling of some kind.

The Keeper's robe came in two different shades of orange: light-orange (left) and dark-orange (right). The difference is subtle, but they are definitely two different colors. However, it is difficult to tell which shade a particular Keeper has without the other shade with which to compare it.

Generally speaking, the light-orange-robed Keepers seem to come on the "10-back" cards, while the dark-orange-robed Keepers tend to be found on the "14-backs." This further suggests that the light-orange was the first robe manufactured, while the dark-orange was last.

Above we have a Keeper on a "10-back" card. This specimen is wearing the lighter Orange robe.

Above we have a Keeper on a "14-back" card (considerably rarer than the "10-back"). This specimen is wearing the dark-orange style of robe. Note the broken legs; Keeper figures (and Andorians) are notorious for having broken knee joints, even inside sealed packages.

Above we have a Keeper on a UK-exclusive Palitoy package. Noticeably different from its American counterpart, these cards are extremely rare, bold, beautiful, and highly desired--an extremely expensive mixture, to be sure. All four of the second series figures (Neptunian, Keeper, Gorn, Cheron) were available on this card in the UK.

Here Mike Farrence provides us with a shot of the prototype Keeper from the Mego sales reels. Note the wide butterfly collars on the mocked up uniforms.

Look Familiar? The Larami company produced dolls based on the TV Mini Series the MArtian Chronicles and based the clothing on the Keepers Robe. For more info on these and other companies check out our Mego Esque Gallery

'Star Trek: Picard' Season 3 Finale Post-Credits Scene Explained: Ending at the Beginning

"A simple name for a complicated being."

Editor's Note: This article contains spoilers for the series finale of Star Trek: Picard.

After ten thrilling weeks, Star Trek: Picard has, at long last, aired its final episode bringing the final story for The Next Generation crew to an end. The long-awaited final season delivered the even longer-awaited reunion of the TNG cast for one last ride, giving them a more fitting send-off than the one fans had been left with after the last (poorly received) Next Gen movie, Star Trek: Nemesis .

Season 3 kicked off with a distress call from Beverly Crusher ( Gates McFadden ) leading Jean-Luc Picard ( Patrick Stewart ) into the greatest adventure of his life. When Picard and Riker ( Jonathan Frakes ) arrive aboard her ship — finding her in dire straits — they're greeted by a son they never knew she had and it quickly becomes clear that Picard is his father. The mystery that unfolds from there brings in some of Star Trek 's greatest foes and most legendary heroes. From a harrowing showdown with one of the most formidable changelings we've ever seen on screen, to the return of Picard's most personal enemy, the Borg , Season 3 is jam-packed with action, Easter eggs, and emotional performances.

The final two episodes of the series play together like a movie, bringing the crew of the Enterprise-D home to the bridge where they spent their lives learning to trust each other and defend the galaxy. In the Picard finale, Jack Crusher ( Ed Speleers ) finally discovers the mystery that has been plaguing him his entire life — Picard's fateful run-in with the Borg has made his son into a sort of human-borg hybrid. As the crew sets out to rescue Jack and save Earth and all of Starfleet from one of the most dangerous attacks they've ever faced, every member of this found family is in fine form. Picard is forced to face his darkest fears to rescue the people that mean the most to him—Beverly, Riker, and Worf ( Michael Dorn ) are action heroes, Geordi ( LeVar Burton ) takes the captain's chair, Data ( Brent Spiner ) is able to rely on his instincts, and Deanna ( Marina Sirtis ) flies the D into the heart of the Borg cube to bring them all home.

Elsewhere, Seven ( Jeri Ryan ) and Raffi ( Michelle Hurd ) serve as Starfleet's last line of defense. And when all is said and done we're left with a profound sense of hope. Flash forward to a year later, and Jack has fully embraced his father's chosen family and is now an ensign assigned to one of Starfleet's most notable ships—the Titan turned Enterprise-G. Woven into the merriment of these final moments is the sense that the game never ends, there will always be new adventures for these heroes even if we never see them again. As we close out the series with a shot that beautifully mirrors the series finale of The Next Generation , we linger with the crew playing one last round of poker. We stay here through the end of the main credits, and we're greeted with a lovely little post-credits scene of Jack unpacking his things in his crew quarters. In this final moment, Picard squeezes in one last infamous Easter egg with the appearance of John de Lancie 's Q . Though humanity's trial has long ended for Picard, Q informs Jack that it has only just begun for him. RELATED: 'Star Trek: Picard's Gates McFadden Talks 'InvestiGates' Season 2, Dream Guests, and What She Loves About Beverly Crusher

The Q Continuum is an omnipotent alien race of godlike beings that can travel anywhere in time and space and do almost anything you can imagine with the snap of their fingers. This particular Q hs appeared to Picard in both the premiere and finale of The Next Generation — as well as several times in between, and he also appeared on both Voyager and Deep Space Nine .

While Q is not exactly an outright villain, he's somewhat of an antagonist, especially for Picard who often found him to be the very bane of his existence. De Lancie has always played the character as a roguish foil to Stewart's more formal Picard, and their chemistry throughout the years created a fascinating sort of love-hate relationship that was a genuine pleasure to watch whenever the two shared the small screen.

Bringing Q Back From the Dead

In the final episodes of Season 2 of Picard , Q assumed that he was dying and fans expected to never see him again. However, it's so extremely like this trickster to rise from the dead upon learning that the son of Jean-Luc Picard has joined Starfleet. Collider's own Maggie Lovitt recently sat down with Season 3 showrunner Terry Matalas to discuss the series finale, including this special moment. During their conversation, Matalas spoke about bringing the series back to where it all began. "Where better to end than at the beginning, right," he told Lovitt. "It was an honor." Q's appearance in this post-credits scene echoes his first appearance to Picard, down to his regal red and black costuming. Getting de Lancie to come back for this special moment was as easy as asking according to Matalas, who told the actor about his plans on his final day on set for Season 2 — "I told John [de Lancie] about it on his last day, and he was like, 'Absolutely, I'll come back. It would be amazing.'"

Matalas also explained that the moment serves as a sort of callback to a moment from the Next Generation finale. "That moment at the end of “All Good Things…” when Q goes to whisper about, 'There's a thing you should know, Jean-Luc,' and then he's like, 'Ah, you'll see.' Maybe that was about Jack," the writer/director told Lovitt. This moment acts as a hopeful cherry on top of the final season of Picard . With the introduction of the next Next Generation alongside so many iconic legacy characters, fans have been calling for a spin-off series . While nothing has been greenlit yet at Paramount, the inclusion of this moment certainly proves that the possibility is there. Whether we see these characters again on our screens, in comics, or in novelizations, Q's return is a happy reminder that these adventures could continue for eternity.

Don't miss Lovitt's full conversation with Matalas on the series finale. All 10 episodes of Picard Season 3 are now available on Paramount+.

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Help - Who is the Screaming Guy in the Star Trek credits?

• Thread starter DisneyBoy
• Start date Aug 23, 2010

Searchin' My Soul

• Aug 23, 2010

There's this crazy alien face in the original Trek credits that has scared me for years, and now I have to know who/what he is. And find a nice clear picture of him without the credits blocking his face. Can anyone help me? Here's the bugger of which I speak.... http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3coZeukKrUc/SeadMHsQu2I/AAAAAAAAAds/d8TN8P31YPQ/s1600-h/startTREK.jpg  

Ravioli, Ravioli

All the information concerning this character can be found here .  

Aquadementia

That's a lot of mulaney.

But if you don't want to be spoiled, he is from the season one episode “ The Corbomite Maneuver .” Go watch it now! Spoiler You are supposed to be frightened. Spoiler He is a puppet man used by a diminutive alien when communicating with new species to intimidate them until he knows if they are good people.  

Uncreative Hack

• Aug 24, 2010

Aquadementia said: Spoiler You are supposed to be frightened. Spoiler He is a puppet man used by a diminutive alien when communicating with new species to intimidate them until he knows if they are good people. Click to expand...

That puppet scared the pants out of me when I was a child. In fact, I avoided watching the TOS credits because it scared me so much. I only got over my fear by watching the episode which the puppet appeared. Ironic.  

Gatomon41 said: That puppet scared the pants out of me when I was a child. In fact, I avoided watching the TOS credits because it scared me so much. I only got over my fear by watching the episode which the puppet appeared. Ironic. Click to expand...

• Aug 25, 2010

Lord Dalek said: Spoiler I don't know whats more terrifying, the puppet or the fact that "real Balok" is actually Clint Howard Click to expand...

Aquadementia said: Yes. See DisneyBoy, you're not alone. I think it had me too for a while, but since I was always watching Trek I got used to him. It’s one of the scariest creatures from that tv era. I’m sure it inspired plenty of nightmares. Actually, I find Sci-Fi that features some sort of puppet or doll to be some of the most frightening stuff. Spoiler The thing is even though the other alien is jovial there is a whole different creep factor working there once you hear him talk. Click to expand...

Fourteen Years!

Really funny timing. I was watching the Futurama episode "Where No Fan Has Gone Before" yesterday with the commentary. Someone (I forget who - David X Cohen?) confessed to being afraid of Balok and would hide his eyes whenever Star Trek would end.  

• Aug 26, 2010

Lord Dalek said: It's deffinetely one of the more effective alien designs they had in TOS, along with the Horta. But is it scarrier than the "giant eye from hell" from the last few Season 1 Twilight Zone's? Probably not. Click to expand...

• Sep 2, 2010

Aquadementia said: The one with the messed up eyelashes? Yeah, that's not something you want to see late at night. I think the doll's eye freaks out plenty of people too. Click to expand...

Mack Kinnon

• Aug 3, 2017

DisneyBoy said: There's this crazy alien face in the original Trek credits that has scared me for years, and now I have to know who/what he is. And find a nice clear picture of him without the credits blocking his face. Can anyone help me? Here's the bugger of which I speak Click to expand...

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In the 23rd Century, Captain James T. Kirk and the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise explore the galaxy and defend the United Federation of Planets. In the 23rd Century, Captain James T. Kirk and the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise explore the galaxy and defend the United Federation of Planets. In the 23rd Century, Captain James T. Kirk and the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise explore the galaxy and defend the United Federation of Planets.

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• Goofs The deck locations for Kirk's Quarters, Sickbay and Transporter Room vary (usually between decks 4-7) throughout the series.

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• Crazy credits On some episodes, the closing credits show a still that is actually from the Star Trek blooper reel. It is a close-up of stunt man Bill Blackburn who played an android in Return to Tomorrow (1968) , removing his latex make up. In the reel, He is shown taking it off, while an off-screen voice says "You wanted show business, you got it!"
• Alternate versions In 2006, CBS went back to the archives and created HD prints of every episode of the show. In addition to the new video transfer, they re-did all of the model shots and some matte paintings using CGI effects, and re-recorded the original theme song to clean it up. These "Enhanced" versions of the episodes aired on syndication and have been released on DVD and Blu-Ray.
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Star trek already did avengers: endgame's signature credits years ago.

The original six Avengers actors wrote their signatures on the screen during Endgame's closing credits, a tribute Marvel borrowed from Star Trek VI.

Avengers: Endgame 's closing credits featured a fitting tribute with the original six Avengers actors signing their names on the screen, which is the exact same thing  Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country did back in 1991. Like Endgame, Star Trek VI was the cinematic final bow for the cast of Star Trek: The Original Series led by William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy. Both Avengers: Endgame and Star Trek VI passed the torch to the next generation and the actors' signatures honored their achievements and stamped their everlasting legends onto the screen.

Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country not only wrapped up the Star Trek movie saga that began in 1979 but it also definitively concluded the voyages of Captain James T. Kirk's Starship Enterprise which began in 1966. Thanks to its enduring popularity in syndication, Star Trek survived cancelation in 1969 and was rebirthed as a movie franchise that revitalized the franchise and spawned decades of spinoff series starting with Star Trek: The Next Generation in 1987. The Star Trek movies were, by and large, hits with audiences that brought new fans to the franchise and the films created indelible moments that Star Trek still references and homages to this day. At the end of Star Trek VI , Kirk and his crew saved the galaxy one last time but were faced with orders that the Enterprise  was to be decommissioned. Instead, Captain Kirk ordered the Enterprise to fly to the "second star to the right and straight on 'til morning." After the Enterprise warped into the final frontier, each legendary Star Trek actor wrote their names onto the stars.

Related: Star Trek: TNG Movies Made A Big Mistake By Not Following TOS Formula

Like Star Trek VI , Avengers: Endgame was the touchstone that capped off the monumental achievement of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Starting with  Iron Man in 2008, Marvel Studios' 22 movies that concluded with Endgam e became the most successful movie franchise of all-time, and the fourth Avengers movie checks in as the highest-grossing film of all-time. Endgame  wrapped up the Infinity Saga involving Thanos (Josh Brolin), and it delivered heartwarming endings to the stories of Tony Stark/Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) and Steve Rogers/ Captain America (Chris Evans) . Endgame also saw the tragic death of Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), who sacrificed her life for the Soul Stone. In the end, the original six Avengers led the fight to save the universe before saying their goodbyes and the film's massive closing credits listed every Marvel actor who appeared in the film. But it saved the best for last: the original six Avengers actors each signed their names over images of their heroic counterparts accompanied by Alan Silvestri's iconic Avengers theme.

Of course, Avengers: Endgame isn't the last fans will see of most of the actors. Scarlett Johansson will headline the long-awaited Black Widow movie and Thor (Chris Hemsworth) will become the first Avenger to get a fourth solo film with Thor: Love and Thunder . In addition, Jeremy Renner's Hawkeye will get a Disney Plus spinoff series and Mark Ruffalo's Hulk may join the announced  She-Hulk Disney Plus show as well. There is also the possibility that Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Evans may one day return as Iron Man and Captain America, respectively. But, at least for now, Avengers: Endgame was the last time the original six heroes who started it all will appear together in the same film.

Similarly, Star Trek VI proved to be the final time the original cast ever appeared together. Later, Shatner, James Doohan, and Walter Koenig cameoed in Star Trek Generations , George Takei appeared on Star Trek: Voyager , and Leonard Nimoy reprised Spock for J.J. Abrams' Star Trek and Star Trek Into Darkness but the TOS cast was true to their word that Star Trek VI was to be their collective swansong. By resisting any full reunions,  Star Trek 's original actors were very careful not to sully the perfect ending of Star Trek VI, which they all literally signed off on.

However, the original idea for the signatures over Star Trek VI 's end credits was that it was supposed to be the characters signing their names as if they were signing off on the final log of the Enterprise . Instead, it was changed so that the actors signed their names across the stars to honor their status as Star Trek icons. Avengers: Endgame adopting the same idea for its closing credits was a fitting way to illustrate that the original Avengers actors are every bit the legends to the superhero genre as Star Trek' s actors are to sci-fi.

Next: Avengers Endgame Theory: Captain America Fixed Every Timeline Except One

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Black widow, shang-chi and the legend of the ten rings, thor: love and thunder, guardians of the galaxy vol. 3, doctor strange in the multiverse of madness, black panther: wakanda forever, captain marvel 2.

Star Trek: Best Book-Only Characters

• The Star Trek novels introduce unique characters like Akaar and Treir, adding depth to the expansive Starfleet universe.
• Characters like Nick Keller and Elias Vaughn bring new perspectives to the post- DS9 era, facing challenging galactic events.
• Mackenzie Calhoun leads the USS Excalibur in a new hero ship series, showcasing tactical genius in the New Frontier books.

Just like the universe itself, the Star Trek franchise is huge and far-reaching, encompassing several television shows, and numerous video games, movies, and books. While many of Star Trek 's most iconic characters appear in various series and films, there are many other great characters who only feature in alternative media sources. For instance, the final frontier has spawned some memorable video game-based characters .

Star Trek: 8 Most Powerful Federation Starships, Ranked

Yet perhaps the richest source of characters is the now questionably canon series of books that take place following The Next Generation and Deep Space Nine . From fresh takes on classic species like the Andorians and Orions, to some of Starfleet's finest officers, the Star Trek novels are a treasure trove of notable figures.

Leonard James Akaar

First appearence: star trek mission gamma book one: twilight.

• Author: David R. George III
• Publication Date: September 2002

Leonard James Akaar is unique among novel-only characters in that he does, in fact, make a blink-and-you'll-miss-it appearance on televised Trek . "Friday's Child," an episode of The Original Series , ends with his birth; however, the Capellan royal would not be seriously fleshed out until 2002's Mission Gamma: Twilight . By the time of the Deep Space 9 novels, Akaar had risen through the ranks of Starfleet to become an influential admiral with the ear of the Federation president.

Akaar's strategic mindset and steely resolve proved essential in preserving the Federation through some of its darkest periods, including the Borg invasion depicted in the Star Trek: Destiny series. The Starfleet legend may have been born in The Original Series , but the Star Trek novels were where he made his name.

First Appearence: Star Trek: Demons of Air and Darkness

• Author: Keith R. A. DeCandido
• Publication Date: September 2001

Star Trek features many inspirational female characters, from Kira Nerys to Katherine Janeway. However, few are as resourceful or as motivated as Treir , an Orion Dabo girl who transformed Quark's Bar into a highly successful business during the post- DS9 novels. Following her escape from Orion servitude, Treir earned her place as Quark's right-hand woman by implementing a series of radical reforms, including hiring a Dabo boy to attract more customers.

Star Trek: The Fates Of Every Live-Action TV Show's Main Character

Treir may not play a significant role in the canon-shattering events depicted in the Deep Space 9 novels, but this ruthless businesswoman helped to make Star Trek 's prose universe feel like a living, breathing place. If anyone is capable of giving Quark a run for his latinum, it's her.

Nick Keller

First appearence: star trek new earth: challenger.

• Author: Diane Carey
• Publication Date: August 2000

New Earth , a series of six novels that take place between Star Trek: The Motion Picture and The Wrath of Khan , was intended to act as a backdoor pilot for a new narrative focusing on Commander Nick Keller . In the final novel, Keller takes command of a makeshift starship in order to defend the human colony of Belle Terre from alien attack. Keller was conflicted between overthrowing his inept captain and preserving the lives of his comrades, and it's a great shame that a full series based on the space cowboy's adventures never emerged.

Interestingly, author Diane Carey based Keller's appearance on Scott Bakula, who would go on to play Captain Jonathan Archer in Star Trek: Enterprise . Keller, however, would make only two more appearances in the Star Trek universe, with both being part of the multi-series Gateways crossover event.

Elias Vaughn

First appearence: star trek: avatar (book one).

• Author: S. D. Perry
• Publication Date: July 2001

Elias Vaughn was a Starfleet officer and intelligence operative who joined Deep Space 9's command staff following the end of the Dominion War . Despite only holding the rank of commander, Vaughn's expertise proved a boon to the Federation outpost, and he played a role in several key events, including the USS Defiant 's post-war exploration of the Gamma Quadrant (depicted in the Mission Gamma sub-series).

Star Trek: 8 Impressive Things Kirk Did Before Joining The USS Enterprise

Vaughn was haunted by the death of his wife, Ruriko, and his troubled relationship with his estranged daughter, Prynn. This relationship was complicated by the fact that Prynn was also assigned to Deep Space 9. However, father and daughter were eventually able to reconcile–but not without some bumps along the way.

Christine Vale

First appearence: star trek: the belly of the beast.

• Author: Dean Wesley Smith

While William Riker's USS Titan has made notable appearances in Star Trek: Lower Decks , the starship's adventures were originally chronicled in a series of spin-off novels. These books featured Christine Vale , a former detective turned Starfleet officer, as Riker's second-in-command. Vale was initially unwilling to take the post, as she disliked the idea of Riker working so closely with his wife, Deanna Troi.

Luckily, Vale took the post, which allowed her to act as a counterweight to any of Riker's Troi-related biases. During her time aboard the USS Titan , she helped to explore the Beta Quadrant and fend off a Borg invasion. Indeed, her record was so good that, following Riker's promotion to admiral, she took command of the Luna -class starship.

Thirishar ch'Thane

From their initial appearance in 1967's "Journey to Babel" and 2001's "The Andorian Incident," references to Star Trek 's Andorians were true and far between. One important detail was disclosed in The Next Generation , however: Andorians have four sexes , with all four required for successful reproduction.

The character of Thirishar ch'Thane (or "Shar") was a response to this premise. Shar served as Deep Space Nine's science officer following the end of the Dominion War, but was torn between his commitments to Starfleet and to his mating group, who wished him to return to Andor. This dilemma was further complicated by a dangerous decline in Andorian fertility, which threatened to cause the Andorians' extinction in the long term. Shar was eventually able to use his scientific knowledge to help solve the Andorian fertility crisis.

The Jem'Hadar are one of Star Trek 's most iconic creations , a powerful race of warriors motivated by their addiction to the chemical ketracel-white. During the Dominion War of 2373–2375, the Jem'Hadar were central to the Dominion assaults which nearly overwhelmed the Federation Alliance.

8 Best Starfleet Ships During The Dominion War

After the war's conclusion, Taran'atar , a Jem'Hadar without a ketracel-white dependency, was sent to Deep Space Nine as a cultural observer. Taran'atar's struggle to adjust to the Alpha Quadrant during peacetime makes for fascinating reading, as does seeing the fearsome warrior growing closer to his former enemies. Taran'atar's story takes some strange twists and turns, but he remains a fascinating character.

Mackenzie Calhoun

First appearence: star trek new frontier: house of cards.

• Author: Peter David
• Publication Date: July 1997

In 1997, Pocket Books published the first of Peter David's New Frontier books. While these novels included several characters from TV Trek (mostly notably Commander Shelby from "The Best of Both Worlds" ), they focused on a new hero ship, the USS Excalibur , and a new captain: Mackenzie Calhoun . Calhoun, an alien warrior modeled after Mel Gibson, was depicted as a tactical genius capable of beating Starfleet's toughest challenges–including the infamous Kobayashi Maru test.

Calhoun soon became a fan-favorite, with his New Frontier series including over 20 volumes. The Xenanian captain was even popular enough to be made into an action figure, the only example of this honor being bestowed on a character originating from any of Star Trek 's novels.

Created by Gene Roddenberry

First Film Star Trek: The Motion Picture

Latest Film Star Trek Beyond

First TV Show Star Trek: The Original Series

Latest TV Show Star Trek: Strange New Worlds

Creation Year 1966

'Star Trek: Discovery' opens its 5th and final season in unremarkable fashion (Red Directive recap)

Hello smartmatter, my old friend, I've come to watch you once again. Because no item is impossible, it makes the story unbelievable... ♬

Warning: Spoilers ahead for "Star Trek: Discovery" season 5, episode 1

Well, here we are. Again. It's the fifth and final time around for "Star Trek: Discovery" and the single biggest question every sci-fan will be asking themselves is, will this season actually be any good. The tragic thing is, no one can really remember what happened in season 4 and that speaks directly to the fact that "Discovery" is not exactly a high-scoring show when it comes to rewatchability.

It's been two years and two weeks, give or take a day, since we last saw the crew of the USS Discovery risk everything to save all life in the universe, again. During that time, we've seen a lot of sci-fi, both awesome and awful, including two seasons of " Picard " and " Strange New Worlds ," the third and final season of " The Orville ," season 1 of " Andor ," "The Book of Boba Fett," "Ahsoka" and the less said about "Obi-Wan Kenobi," the better. If you're wondering where to see all that Trek, check out our Star Trek streaming guide for Paramount Plus and more.

Not to mention, the vastly underrated second season of "Invasion" and "Halo" seasons 1 and 2, plus, the first mind-blowing season of "Silo" the second and sadly last season of " Avenue 5 " and two seasons of " For All Mankind ." The point is that the standard has, for the most part, been refreshingly high. And frankly before we even get into season 5 of "Discovery," it's worth remembering that what executive producers and showrunners Alex Kurtzman  and Michelle Paradise have given us up until now, has not exactly been a consistently high quality of sci-fi writing. In fact, it's been rather disappointing.

Related: 5 things Star Trek: Discovery season 5 needs to fix

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Get all the Star Trek content you can possibly handle with this free trial of Paramount Plus. Watch new shows like Star Trek: Discovery and all the classic Trek movies and TV shows too. Plans start from $4.99/month after the trial ends.

Are we in-store for another cookie-cutter season of what's-in-the-box plot threads that deliver misdirected build ups with unsatisfying pay offs...you know like we have for the past two seasons plus all three seasons of "Picard"..? Even "Andor," despite its peak and trough-style of repetitive set-piece storytelling, was impressive and that was down to how well those set pieces had been fleshed out along with well written character development and dialogue. Less can very easily be so much more. 

Moreover, now we're in the 32nd century and we've seen that transporter technology can be used to replace stairs and even change outfits, so to be perfectly honest, there really isn't a single story idea that cannot be solved by a simple combination of transporter and replicator technology. Not to mention smartmatter. Ah, hello smartmatter, my old friend. Because this is what happens when you throw three seasons of a "Star Trek" series 1,164 years into the future.

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Regardless, it would seem that within the story, between four and six months have passed since the events of last season , where you may remember, the United Federation of Planets was desperately trying to save all life as we know from being accidentally exterminated by species 10-C, all while Ruon Tarka (Shawn Doyle) was still hell bent on using the illudium Q-36 explosive space modulator to destroy the dark matter anomaly. Book (David Ajala) gets killed when his ship explodes then bought back to life before he faces repercussions for siding with Tarka. General Ndoye (Phumzile Sitole) seems to get away scot-free despite sabotaging the Discovery's warp drive and everyone lives happily ever after. 

 —   Watch the bittersweet trailer for 'Star Trek: Discovery's final season (video)

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—  Star Trek's Seven of Nine returns in new novel 'Picard: Firewall' (exclusive)

Coming in at nearly 60 minutes long, the premiere episode is titled "Red Directive" and drops at the same time as the second episode, entitled "Under The Twin Moons." Michelle Paradise wrote the former, which could explain why it's so dull, and Olatunde Osunsanmi directed. The latter was written by Alan B. McElroy and directed by Douglas Aarniokoski, so fingers the second installment might be a bit better. Aarniokoski directed the season 3 premiere episode of "Picard" and while the rest of that was a disappointing, drawn out, nostalgia-fueled, 10-episode long epilogue to another series that ended three decades ago, the premiere installment was actually okay. 

The gang seems mostly all here, including Lt. Tilly (Mary Wiseman) and Adira (Blu del Barrio) and there are some characters who don't seem to have made it back, some of whom will be very much missed, like Grudge, while others won't be. No sign of Zora yet either. It's also entirely likely that the amazing talents of Callum Keith Rennie, who plays a Starfleet Captain named Rayner, will be spectacularly underused, much like Todd Stashwick was in season 3 of "Picard."

Credit to the production team though, as they're are really making the most of their Volume-esque video wall soundstage. There are a couple of interesting choices in terms of editing, much like there were in the second season premiere where Alex Kurtzman showed us what he'd learned in the Vince Gilligan School of Cinematography. It's doubtful we'll ever see them again, just like we didn't before. 

To conclude then, the opening episode of the final season "Star Trek: Discovery" is a far, far cry from strong openings that this show has demonstrated it's capable of in the past. And that's a sentence we've had to write far too many times. The TNG throwback right at the end is...well, disappointing, mostly because of the extent that nostalgic fan service has been dialed up since the first episode of Nu-Trek aired in September 2017. However, it could still provide an interesting story thread — we will just have to wait and see.

The fifth and final season of "Star Trek: Discovery" and every episode of every "Star Trek" show — with the exception of "Star Trek: Prodigy" — currently streams exclusively on Paramount Plus in the US while "Prodigy" has found a new home o n Netflix.  

Internationally, the shows are available on Paramount Plus in Australia, Latin America, the UK and South Korea, as well as on Pluto TV in Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Switzerland on the Pluto TV Sci-Fi channel. They also stream on Paramount Plus in Italy, France, Germany, Switzerland and Austria. In Canada, they air on Bell Media's CTV Sci-Fi Channel and stream on Crave.

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When Scott's application to the NASA astronaut training program was turned down, he was naturally upset...as any 6-year-old boy would be. He chose instead to write as much as he possibly could about science, technology and space exploration. He graduated from The University of Coventry and received his training on Fleet Street in London. He still hopes to be the first journalist in space.

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Why ‘Star Trek: Discovery’ Built Season 5 Around a Classic Episode From a Legacy Series

By Adam B. Vary

Adam B. Vary

Senior Entertainment Writer

• Why ‘Star Trek: Discovery’ Built Season 5 Around a Classic Episode From a Legacy Series 3 days ago
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SPOILER ALERT: This story discusses major plot developments in Season 5, Episode 1 of “ Star Trek : Discovery,” now streaming on Paramount+.

By the end of the episode, however, the mission has pushed Burnham and her crew to their limits, including slamming the USS Discovery into the path of a massive landslide threatening a nearby city. Before they risk their lives any further pursuing this object, Burnham demands that Kovich at least tell her why. (MAJOR SPOILERS FOLLOW.)

Kovich’s explanation evokes the classic “ Star Trek: The Next Generation ” episode “The Chase” from 1993 in which Capt. Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) — along with teams of Romulans, Klingons and Cardassians — learn that all humanoid life in the galaxy was created by a single species that existed billions of years earlier, and seeded thousands of planets with the DNA to pass along their legacy. (Along with presenting a profound vision of the origins of life, the episode also provided an imaginative explanation for why almost all the aliens in “Star Trek” basically look like humans with different kinds of forehead ridges.)

Kovich tells Burnham that the Romulan scientist was part of a team sent to discover exactly how these aliens — whom they call the Progenitors — made this happen; the object they’re seeking winds up being one part of a brand new “chase,” this time in the 32nd century, to find the Progenitors’ technology before it can fall into the wrong hands. 

“I remember watching that episode and at the end of it just being blown away that there was this huge idea where we all come from,” Paradise says. “And then they’re going to have another mission the next week. I found myself wondering, ‘Well, then what? What happened? What do we do with this information? What does it mean?’”

Originally, Paradise says the “Discovery” writers’ room discussed evoking the Progenitors in Season 4, when the Discovery meets an alien species, the 10-C, who live outside of the galaxy and are as radically different from humans as one could imagine. “As we dug deeper into the season itself, we realized that it was too much to try and get in,” Paradise says.

Instead, they made the Progenitors the engine for Season 5. “Burnham and some of our other characters are on this quest for personal meaning,” Paradise says. Searching for the origins of life itself, she adds, “feels like a big thematic idea that fits right in with what we’re exploring over the course of the season, and what our characters are going through.”

That meant that Paradise finally got to help come up with the answers to the questions about “The Chase” that had preoccupied her when she was younger. “We had a lot of fun talking about what might’ve happened when [Picard] called back to headquarters and had to say, ‘Here’s what happened today,’” she says. “We just built the story out from there.”

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• View history

Balok's puppet

Naomi Wildman playing with a hand puppet

A puppet was a toy or doll of an individual that could be operated and made to appear alive. One who used a puppet was called a puppeteer . ( DS9 : " Looking for par'Mach in All the Wrong Places ")

• 2 Negative connotations
• 4.1.1 The Balok puppet
• 4.2 External link

History [ ]

In 2152 , Tarah called mediator Captain Jonathan Archer a puppet of the Vulcans . ( ENT : " Cease Fire ")

The Balok puppet as it first appeared to the Enterprise crew

In 2266 , a puppet was used by the commanding officer of the First Federation starship Fesarius , Balok , into fooling the crew of the USS Enterprise that the puppet itself was Balok. The puppet was a cat-eyed alien in an eerily lit control center that wavered and rippled on the Enterprise 's viewscreen .

After Spock made several determined efforts to establish contact with the Fesarius ' captain, Balok's puppet made its first appearance to the Enterprise crew members. The puppet condemned the crew as warlike because they had been forced to destroy a marker buoy . In fact, he had forced their hand, goading and threatening them with the device. Then, he advised the crew that they and their vessel, "obviously the product of a primitive and savage civilization ," were to be destroyed.

A tense standoff followed, during which Captain Kirk sought vainly for a solution. Eventually, he bluffed Balok with corbomite – a ploy that apparently worked, for Balok decided not to immediately destroy the Enterprise . Instead, it would be towed to a planet of the First Federation, where the crew would be imprisoned and the Enterprise destroyed.

Kirk gambled again, as his ship was being dragged to its fate; he attempted to shear away from Balok's pilot vessel (a much smaller craft, launched from the Fesarius ) and succeeded, apparently damaging Balok's ship in the process. At this point, Kirk could have attacked – certainly, he'd been provoked – or he could have fled. He chose instead to board the small vessel and offer aid. There, he learned the truth that what he thought had been Balok was merely a puppet. When he asked the real Balok about the puppet, the alien admitted, referring to the puppet as "Mr. Hyde to my Jekyll ", that he'd used it to frighten Kirk and the rest of the crew of the Enterprise . ( TOS : " The Corbomite Maneuver ")

In 2268 , Lieutenant Uhura compared being compelled to beam down to the surface of Platonius to becoming someone's puppet. ( TOS : " Plato's Stepchildren ")

In 2366 , Jean-Luc Picard used the analogy of cutting a puppet's strings to describe freeing the USS Enterprise -D from the effects of an entity posing as Marla Aster . ( TNG : " The Bonding ")

Later that year, Kira Nerys declined a massage from Malko , calling him a "puppet made out of holographic light and replicated matter." ( DS9 : " The Way of the Warrior ")

In 2372 . when attempting to explain teddy bears to Ekoria , Julian Bashir described them as a sort of soft puppet. ( DS9 : " The Quickening ")

In 2373 , after partaking in combat training with Jadzia Dax and winning, Quark was asked by the Trill how he felt, to which he responded, " Like a puppet. " ( DS9 : " Looking for par'Mach in All the Wrong Places ")

Also that year, Chakotay compared Marayna 's use of a holographic character to interact with crew members on the USS Voyager to a puppet. ( VOY : " Alter Ego ")

In 2376 , Naomi Wildman played with a hand puppet in her bedroom while waiting to say goodnight to Neelix . ( VOY : " Dragon's Teeth ")

In 2381 , when discussing an unknown individual or group that may have been directing Pakled incursions, the first officer of the USS Titan referred to the hidden player as the Pakleds' "puppet master." Captain William T. Riker continued the metaphor, saying that if the Titan crew could discover the puppet master's identity they would "cut the strings." ( LD : " Kayshon, His Eyes Open ")

Around the same time, one of the automated defenses on Kerner Hauze 's ship transformed Lt. Kayshon into an actual hand puppet. The away team brought the Kayshon puppet back to the USS Cerritos , where Dr. T'Ana restored Kayshon to his normal form, saying, " This isn't my first guy turned into a doll. " ( LD : " Kayshon, His Eyes Open ")

Negative connotations [ ]

Calling someone a puppet could also be an insult , implying that the individual was incapable of thinking or acting for themselves. In 2286 , the Klingon Ambassador said that Vulcans were "well known as the intellectual puppets of the Federation ." ( Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home )

In 2372 , Kor referred to Kahless as Gowron 's puppet, a statement Worf disputed. ( DS9 : " The Sword of Kahless ")

In 2375 , a warhead that hijacked The Doctor 's program called him a "holographic puppet." ( VOY : " Warhead ")

Kai Winn , while being manipulated by Dukat posing as Anjohl Tennan , referred to vedeks who supported the Federation as vedek puppets. ( DS9 : " Strange Bedfellows ")

In 2377 , T'Greth expressed his disdain for B'Elanna Torres ' taking Kohlar at his word by asking if she was his puppet in the bedchamber as well. ( VOY : " Prophecy ")

See also [ ]

• Howdy Doody
• The Puppet Masters

Appendices [ ]

Background information [ ], the balok puppet [ ].

Concept art of the puppet Balok

The voice of the Balok puppet was supplied by Ted Cassidy .

In the final draft script of "The Corbomite Maneuver" (dated 3 May 1966 ), the Balok puppet's voice was described as "deep, firm and full of resolve" as well as "a firm, militant voice that leaves nothing to doubt." In the second revised final draft of the script (dated 20 May 1966), the puppet's voice was characterized as "deep, a frighteningly strong voice."

In the final draft script, the Balok puppet was described thus; " He seems huge, apparently a giant of a man on a giant ship, but it is his face – a hideously twisted and grotesquely distorted face – that is frightening, for it is glaringly highlighted and formidably immobile. Its skin texture has an almost golden metallic lustre, its eyes are hidden under thick, drooping lids, and its mouth – if it is a mouth – does not move when it speaks. " In the second revised final draft, this description was changed to say, " He appears huge, a giant of a being on a giant ship; his face is long and grotesquely grimacing, his eyes are hideous cat-like things. " Also, the puppet's mouth was scripted to move when speaking. When this version of Balok was to be revealed as merely a puppet later in the episode, the script (both the final draft and the second revised final draft) described his "grotesque" head as looking "even larger than we thought."

The Balok puppet was created by noted sculptor Wah Chang . ( Star Trek: The Original Series 365 , p. 35) The prop gave Clint Howard a much clearer idea of what the puppet would be like in the final version of the episode. " The puppet was written on the page. But until you saw the puppet, you didn't quite understand what that puppet was gonna represent, " he related. " That puppet was on the stage. They literally just turned the camera around and shot the puppet. " ("Inside the Roddenberry Vault, Part I", Star Trek: The Original Series - The Roddenberry Vault special features)

Ted Cassidy was selected to voice the role because his deep vocalizations were deemed appropriate for the part. After the producers asked him to record the puppet's lines, Cassidy did so during post-production, during the filming of " What Are Little Girls Made Of? ", in which Cassidy appeared as Ruk . ( Star Trek: The Original Series 365 , p. 34; These Are the Voyages: TOS Season One )

The wavering and rippling of the Balok puppet's appearance on the Enterprise viewscreen was added by the Howard Anderson Company . The same effect was also used to represent a Thasian in TOS : " Charlie X ". ( The Star Trek Compendium , 4th ed., p. 33)

The Balok puppet appears in the end credits of every second season episode as the last freeze frame shot, with the credit "Executive in Charge of Production: Herb Solow " superimposed over it. This was a joke by Robert H. Justman , who selected the still images for the credits, played on his friend, Solow. The puppet, like most other "monsters and creatures" of the show, ended up in various places in and around the Desilu offices. Gene Roddenberry even played a practical joke on Justman once, putting the puppet to the next seat to his on an airplane, when Justman went on a vacation. The pilot and crew asked them to remove it before flight commenced. ( Inside Star Trek: The Real Story )

Seeing the Balok puppet in "The Corbomite Maneuver" was one of Star Trek author David R. George III 's earliest memories of watching Star Trek . In his adulthood, he remarked, " The eerie, long-faced simulacrum of the alien who called himself Balok fascinated my young mind. " [1]

External link [ ]

• Puppet at Wikipedia
• 3 USS Antares (32nd century)