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Cast and Producers on “What’s Past is Prologue” Events

TrekCore Staff
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41
Cast and Producers on “What’s Past is Prologue” Events

Tonight’s Star Trek: Discovery was another crazy episode with lots of drama and action in the Mirror Universe, and the producers of the series, along with actor Jason Isaacs (Lorca), hit the interview circuit to add some insight into the events of “What’s Past is Prologue.”

MAJOR SPOILERS FOR THE EPISODE BELOW!

So after eleven episodes, Jason Isaac’s run on the show ends with a sword through the chest and a mycelial ball of energy to the face: but it wasn’t a surprise to the actor, as the plan for Lorca was always intended to conclude this year.

Speaking with Entertainment Weekly, Isaacs said he was aware of the former Discovery captain’s origins when he was hired, and detailed what happened when he arrived on the Federation’s USS Buran:

“I knew [about Lorca’s story] before I took the job. It was pitched to me that he was from the Mirror world. I said, “What’s he doing here? How did he get here? What does he want? And how’s he going to go about achieving those things?” And at first they went, “We’re not really sure, it could be one of 20 different things.”

And I blinked slightly and I said, “I’m not sure I want to do the job if I don’t know exactly what he’s after, because then I won’t be able to act!” Then we had a bunch of discussions and came up with a plan which we pretty much stuck to all the way through.”

He expanded upon that sentiment with IGN:

“I was very keen when I took the job on that we work out exactly what his plan was, how he was gonna get home, and what he wanted to do when he got there. And that wasn’t really clear when I first started talking to them. And I explained that I just couldn’t — I couldn’t do my job very well and I didn’t wanna play the part unless we would all figure those things out.

And they said absolutely, we agree to be a part of the discussion. So there were a number of times before we started shooting that we sat and said, well, it could be this, it could be that, it could be the other. But once we settled on what he was after, at least, that stayed the same.

And they changed… you know, stories were being written all the time, pages were being delivered on the day. But, no, it was always gonna end up with me, Michelle [Yeoh] and Sonequa [Martin-Green] in a room, knocking seven shades of s#!t out of each other.”

He also told EW about filming that epic fight scene from the last moments aboard the Charon:

“The fight was epic and shot in a day. It should have been a month, but it’s TV, so what are you going to do? Michelle is a brilliant fighter and can fight at six times the speed that my eyelids work at, so it was tough to keep up with her and look like I was fighting her and not just being beaten up by her.

Plus she’s also very delicate, so when I hamfistedly swing my big legs and arms around, I was being careful not to break this exquisite creature. She ended up very bruised.

The one that was a surprise was Sonequa because I hadn’t seen her fight; obviously, we’ve all seen Michelle fight. I mistook Sonequa a couple times for her stunt double across the room because she moves with such clean lines and dynamic energy. She looks like a Nintendo version of herself.”

Over at Buzzfeed, the actor spoke on the restrictions in speaking with the public — and fans — about Lorca, and that he had difficulty “lying” to keep the secret.

“It’s been embarrassing/awkward/torturous lying to so many people, including close friends and family members, but particularly to the press, and indirectly to the public.

But Star Trek fans particularly are incredibly smart and highly attuned to every nuance in the story. So you just couldn’t give them a clue.”

And with IGN:

“People… are always asking, how do you feel signing up for seven years for something, and what it’s gonna be like being on the ship forever? And you’ll be known as this for a long time, and I’m thinking, I’m dead in three weeks! So that’s been an odd feeling.

Even people in Toronto [where the show shoots] around me who I’ve become friendly with… who assume I’m gonna be visiting, coming back for six months every year, and I couldn’t tell anybody. I felt slightly ashamed.”

Series executive producer Aaron Harberts also shared the tidbit that while the inclusion of the Mirror Universe as part of Discovery‘s first season came from former showrunner Bryan Fuller, Lorca didn’t start out as being from the Terran Empire until Harberts and co-showrunner Gretchen Berg took command.

Harberts explained that the writers knew from the start, when creator Bryan Fuller was first planning out the show’s serialized storyline, that the inaugural season of Discovery would end up in the Mirror Universe. (Fuller eventually left the show due to creative differences with CBS, elevating Harberts and Gretchen J. Berg to showrunner status.)

But at first, the writers planned for Lorca to be a hawkish captain given a chance to shine thanks to the Federation’s war with the Klingon Empire. It was only after the writers began discussing why Lorca would be so skilled with warfare that they hit upon the idea that he’d secretly be from the militaristic world of the Mirror Universe.

Typically, showrunners keep their actors in the dark about any major twists in store for their characters — it helps contain the surprise, and saves the actors from having to actively lie about the role. But given that Lorca would have his own secret agenda throughout the season, Harberts and Berg realized they had to tell Isaacs about their plan for the character from the start.

Finally, speaking to IGN, the actor detailed how the seeds of Lorca’s deception were planted throughout the season to date.

“I had to know the whole thing, because I had to plant little seeds and secrets. I had to be able to give clues here and there, and more importantly, I had to play him honestly like a guy from the Mirror Universe who was lying and hiding. So if I hadn’t known, I wouldn’t have been able to play it.

And even when I’m doing things that seem noble or heroic, they’re always only to engender more loyalty in Michael Burnham, or to make sure that I keep the ship so that I can work on the spore drive and get home again.”

But what about the “good” Gabriel Lorca, who shared so much history with Admiral Cornwell and got universe-swapped with Mirror Lorca and the Buran? Isaacs shared a bit of backstory with EW.

“There was a Prime Lorca, he was captain of the Buran in the Prime world. He swapped with him and found himself captain of the Buran. This never came out, this backstory detail we never put in the dialogue: Although Lorca spins this story having had to sacrifice the men on Buran and had to blow them up to save them from Klingon torture.

Actually, if I remember correctly, there was some kind of DNA identification that would have exposed Lorca as not being Prime Lorca, and so he blew up the ship and killed everyone on it.”

But where is “Prime Lorca” now? The actor can only speculate to IGN:

“We don’t know anything about the fate of Prime Lorca. Is he as interesting as Mirror Lorca? What is his taste in fashion? Does he wear leather coats, does he wear puffy-sleeve shirts, does he have a goatee, does he blow-dry his hair? Who knows? We know nothing.

Or is he that different? Frankly, I mean, how different are any of us from the Mirror version of ourselves? They say we’re all five meals away from being savages. This particular administration in America has brought some of the ugliest parts of human nature out from in the shadows.

And who knows what other exposures the Mirror world might have done. Who knows where he is.”

The Gabriel Lorca we’ve been watching on Star Trek: Discovery is dead and burned, and Jason Isaacs bid his farewell to the Trek family tonight — and on After Trek, series star Sonequa Martin-Green also Skyped into the program to say goodbye to the departing actor.

That’s not the end for Jason Isaac’s time in the Star Trek world, however, as he’s already signed up to attend April’s Destination Star Trek – Germany convention, August’s annual Star Trek Las Vegas convention and the Destination Star Trek – Birmingham convention this October in the UK.

DISCOVERY Spoiler Discussion: “What’s Past is Prologue”

TrekCore Staff
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221
DISCOVERY Spoiler Discussion: “What’s Past is Prologue”

The newest episode of Star Trek: Discovery — “What’s Past is Prologue” — has just debuted, and we’re sure you’re ready to dive into a discussion on all the events that just took place.

Here’s your place to take on all the new Trek lore this episode brought us, with no restrictions on spoilers. If you haven’t yet watched the episode, that’s your last warning!

This thread will remain open until our episode review is posted, later this week.

Novel #4:
"The Way to the Stars"

Novel #5:
"The Enterprise War"

Novel #6:
"Dead Endless"

Review & Video — ANOVOS’ Type II Phaser STAR TREK: DISCOVERY Replica

Ken Reilly
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15
Review & Video — ANOVOS’ Type II Phaser STAR TREK: DISCOVERY Replica

ANOVOS announced the first Star Trek: Discovery Type II phaser for consumers back in November, and these high-quality prop recreations began shipping to preorder customers this past week — and we’ve got one here at TrekCore headquarters for your inspection!

Created based upon the original screen-used phaser prop seen in Discovery, the ANOVOS replica is built using the same 3D print techniques used to craft the “hero” models used on the television series, the three-part prop recreation is a three-piece unit that assembles to form the standard Starfleet sidearm of the 23rd Century.

The original DISCOVERY phaser prop, on display at STLV 2017.

This is ANOVOS’ second Star Trek phaser replica, after their Star Trek Beyond weapon kit went up for sale last fall, and their take on the Type II phaser is structured just like the Discovery prop, with a separable Type I ‘cricket’ phaser that slots into the top of the Type II phaser grip, and a removable power pack that slots into the grip itself.

Along with the 3D printed assembly, the phaser also includes LED components that light up to showcase power levels, plus ‘stun’ and ‘kill’ intensity settings, depending on your orders from Starfleet Command. This is not an inexpensive piece, retailing at $500 and matched up to the original components used on the Discovery television series.

Before we get into the review, please note that this is a prop replica, and not intended to be a ‘toy’ release like the Playmates Toys releases of the 1990s, which had integrated audio, colorful stickers and graphics, and were produced from injection-molded plastic.

Such a toy is, however, on the way from McFarlane Toys, which announced it would be bringing a $40-or-so Discovery phaser to market in late 2018 back at STLV in August — which was teased as having those ‘play action features’ one might expect from a play replica, though we don’t yet know the details of their plans for the release.

The replica arrives in a fairly plain cardboard box lined with protective padding. While it would be nice to see a prop of this expense come in a more formal delivery case, like the great Star Trek Original Series Phaser Universal Remote, at least it’s well-protected for shipment.

Also missing from the box are the advertised display stand and certificate of authenticity promoted to come with the phaser; ANOVOS notified preorder customers earlier this month that the certificates are expected for February shipments, but the display stand won’t be coming until April or May.

While the phaser is balanced so that it can stand on its own for a few months, it’s kind of disappointing that the accessories aren’t ready with the prop itself. It seems like the phaser would be a more labor-intensive production process than a stand and printed certificate.

Concept rendering of the phaser, with stand, via ANOVOS’ user guide.

The phaser’s power pack runs on three lithium batteries; two power the Type II’s setting display light, while a smaller one runs the LED on the power pack itself. Thankfully, there’s no proprietary battery or charging cables needed for this, replacements can be easily obtained if needed.

Unexpectedly, the power pack does not click in to the grip when you insert it; you actually need to hold it in place and then tighten a hex screw (with included hex key) to lock it in. It certainly stays in place once you’ve finished, but it lacks a certain satisfaction of loading the weapon for battle — but if McFarlane’s toy version has a removable power cartridge, it’s likely that one will have a pop-in-and-eject design.

There’s a small toggle button on the bottom of the power pack to activate the internal LED, which lights up the phaser’s energy meter on the side.

The Type I phaser, a smaller version of the overall weapon, is a pocket-sized component of the replica which slots into the top of the Type II grip with a set of built-in magnets.

This two-part design hearkens back to the phaser design of the original Star Trek series, and while it’s not yet been featured on the series, is a function of the Star Trek: Discovery hero prop as well.

The Type I has its own (non-functional) trigger and emitter assembly sculpted into the design, along with a pair of dials on its top. While the silver dial on the right has no function on the prop replica, the ridged dial on the left activates a spring-loaded targeting viewer, hidden under the bronze Starfleet badge, which pops up when released.

There’s no electronics or imagery on the viewer, but again, this is a replica of the on-screen prop rather than a phaser toy, which would tend to have a sticker or similar plant-on graphic. Once you’re done with the viewer, you can close it by just pressing it back into place.

The largest component of the phaser is the Type II grip, which holds the entire device together when assembled and gives it that classic Star Trek phaser shape.

Moving features a nice clicky trigger, rotating barrel for beam width and intensity, and a toggle switch to change between power settings. On the top rear of the phaser, you’ll find an activation button to power up the phaser (once fully assembled), along with a nicely-molded bronze heatsink along the rear structure of the phaser.

Until you assemble the rest of the device, however, the electronics remain deactivated.

Once you assemble the entire phaser, that’s when the interactive lighting functionality becomes available — pressing the rear activation button, it turns on, complete with a brightly-lit ring to indicate that the weapon is in either ‘stun’ or ‘kill’ modes, indicated by a blue or red light, respectively. (The LEDs shine brightly in low-lighting, but are still visible in bright settings as well — see the comparison photos in the gallery below.)

The side toggle switch instantly changes the lighting to match your intended setting, but neither the rotating barrel or the trigger interact with the phaser’s electronics in any way — again, expect that to be part of the McFarlane toy version coming in the fall.

You can also, of course, release the targeting viewer on the integrated Type I just as easily as when it is separated, and the power pack’s illuminated display is visible through a slot in the side of the grip.

There’s a lot of positives about this Discovery phaser design that make this a great piece for any Trek collector’s arsenal — it’s balanced well when you hold it, and having seen the “real” prop in person at the STLV 2017 display gallery last August, it really seems like this may have just found its way off of the Toronto set and into our hands.

That being said, while the 3D printed construction is surely exacting to the specifications of the screen-used props, this definitely shouldn’t be the Discovery toy you wear on your hip at a Trek convention. The plastic, while solid, has a waxy feel to it and is soft enough that you can make an impression with your fingernail with moderate pressure.

For the price point, we really hoped there’d be some more features like trigger functionality, electronic lighting in the phaser barrel, or some sort of audio component — but this is clearly an item meant to be a display piece for high-end collectors. And while the 3D printing construction process is likely expensive, $500 is a high target for a mostly-plastic item.

If you are planning Discovery cosplay, we’d really advise you to wait for the McFarlane version unless you are very, very careful with it — that toy version likely be much more “play friendly,” and won’t set you back $500 if you damage it.

So that’s our take on the ANOVOS Star Trek: Discovery phaser — which is still available for ordering, if you don’t mind waiting nearly a year for delivery (based on ANOVOS’ current estimates).

Be sure to check out the above unboxing, assembly, and hands-on video we’ve got up above to see the lighting interactive features in action, then sound off in the comments below with your thoughts!

Trek Comics Review: “DISCOVERY — Light of Kahless” #2

John Kirk
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5
Trek Comics Review: “DISCOVERY — Light of Kahless” #2

Mike Johnson must think he’s the luckiest Trek writer in the known galaxy right now.

Star Trek: Discovery — The Light of Kahless #2 hit the shelves this past Wednesday, co-written by Discovery staff writer, Kirsten Beyer. Johnson is no rookie when it comes to writing Trek, given his previous scintillating work for IDW’s line of Star Trek books and his association with Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci.

Johnson knows Trek, but getting a chance to write a comic with a current writer of the latest show has got to be a dream job for a Trek writer.

The greatest thing this comic offers is greater historical background on T’Kuvma, and to be frank, I think he left the series way too soon. We only get two episodes of him in the first season of Discovery, and that’s too little to get a decent understanding of the motivations behind this fundamental character. Both Johnson and Beyer rectify this and present an excellent amount of detail into the background of the “saviour” of the Klingon Empire.

In my opinion, history and continuity of that history are crucial in establishing the legitimacy of a franchise. While Discovery may have suffered some criticism in this area, the fact that there is a great deal of backstory in this comic needs to be recognized as a supplement to the show. The more history to offer, the more opportunities to connect with established continuity.

There is some justification for that idea with one of the actual writers of the show co-writing this comic, but there is also the notion that there isn’t enough information in the show about the character. That void needs to be filled and basically, whatever we get from Johnson and Beyer should be considered canon.

Speaking of which, the cultural aspects of the Klingons get a lot of attention in this focused look at T’Kuvma’s origins. For instance, we learn more about the religion of Kahless, which has always eluded me (aside from my particular enjoyment of the Deep Space Nine episode “The Sword of Kahless”).

There are other instances in Star Trek canon that provide a bit more information about the Klingon central religious figure, but I think this is the first time where we actually get to see devotions of the faith depicted. T’Kuvma endures privation rituals, vision quests and other tests and he emerges from them far and beyond the range of his peers. He stands out amongst the other disciples to his masters because he has a sacred purpose.

I find I actually like this character more. Perhaps that’s because we didn’t get a chance to learn as much about him as we should have, and that while that could be a criticism of the show, it’s to the benefit of the readers of this book to learn more about T’Kuvma and his experiences that prepared him.

Of course, it’s a little sad when we know how his introduction in Star Trek: Discovery, and makes me ask why he had to die, but as this is essentially a prequel, that’s the downside to these types of stories. Still, like I said, I know more about the character and that gives me a larger understanding and informs my appreciation of the show to a greater degree.

However, Tony Shasteen… I seriously cannot get enough of this guy’s art. His skill with likenesses, the seemingly effortless quality of his work – it’s a reason in itself to pick up this book. I find that if Shasteen is attached to any comic, my curiosity would make me buy the book to simply see how he represents the subject.

He’s a class A level talent and IDW should hold on to this talented artist.

Speaking of art, let’s take a look at the covers for this book.

  • Cover A is by Shasteen, and features an extremely detailed presentation of the albino Voq, Son of None – the successor to T’Kuvma’s legacy. Of course, Voq is being told the story by L’Rell and is perfectly detailed, right down to the sneer that thoroughly represents the character’s insecurity and aggression.
     
    Shasteen captures the essence of the character, making this a perfectly apt cover for this story. This one has to be my favourite out of the selections.
     
  • The B cover is a photographic cover of L’Rell, Voq’s second who not only believes in T’Kuvma’s message but also Voq’s role as his successor. I’m not an advocate of photographic covers – which I’ve stated before – but I’d have loved to see some artist’s representation of Mary Chieffo’s character. It’s a comic; it should have drawn art.
     
  • The A retailer-incentive cover by Aaron Harvey is a bold representation of T’Kuvma. It’s not only appropriate but it’s a very powerful presentation of the character. I like this stylized presentation very much and it’s a shame it’s only restricted to a few comic shops.
     
  • However, it’s the B retailer-incentive cover by Declan Shavley that I found really took my attention. I’m not a keen lover of the newly realized Klingons, but I have to confess, there’s a grandeur to the Klingon ships in this series that really commands my attention!
     
    I know Shalvey’s art from books like Image’s Injection and Marvel Comics’ Moon Knight and I have always loved his work. The problem though, is that it was a fairly simple sample of his work. I love the Klingon ships, but it was a fairly staid example of this extremely talented artist’s work.

However, bringing it back to the story, I want to know: why can’t I work with Kirsten? Why can’t I work with Mike? Sigh … at least I get to live vicariously through their work and surround myself with Tony Shasteen’s incredible art, as do we all.

Ever since the early days of Marvel Comics’ carriage of Star Wars, comics have held a vital role in filling in the canonical gaps of popular franchises and in this case, IDW is providing fans with important information that is necessary to the added appreciation of the television show.

The Light of Kahless is a comic vital to the added enjoyment of the show and Johnson, Beyer and Shasteen give us that. It’s an enjoyable book and certainly one to add to your comic list.

Lorca Makes His Move in New STAR TREK: DISCOVERY Clip

TrekCore Staff
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26
Lorca Makes His Move in New STAR TREK: DISCOVERY Clip

We’re still two days away from “What’s Past is Prologue,” the next episode of Star Trek: Discovery, but now we have a new preview of a coming Mirror Universe showdown thanks to a new clip released via IGN today.

In this new video, Gabriel Lorca — who we learned last week has a history with Emperor Georgiou in his home universe — makes his move to challenge Georgiou’s rule aboard the ISS Charon, while asking her followers to take his side… but leave Michael Burnham alone.

 
Interestingly, Lorca seems to be partnered with — or at least using — the Mirror Universe’s Paul Stamets to enact his plan, a move likely to involve the alternate version of Ellen Landry (Rekha Sharma), as seen in this episode’s promotional photos.

“What’s Past is Prologue” airs this Sunday on CBS All Access and Space, followed by a new After Trek with guests Jason Isaacs, Rekha Sharma, and writer/producer Ted Sullivan.

TOS Coloring Book: Vol. 1


TOS Coloring Book: Vol. 2
TNG Coloring Book: Vol. 1


TNG Coloring Book: Vol. 2

A Closer Look at Emperor Georgiou’s Fierce Sword Prop

TrekCore Staff
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19
A Closer Look at Emperor Georgiou’s Fierce Sword Prop

Emperor Georgiou of the Terran Empire has a number of weapons at her disposal, from the dagger on her hip to the ‘fidget spinner of death’ concealed in her royal throne — but perhaps the coolest piece in her arsenal is the royal sword the carries, ready to slay her enemies at a moment’s notice.

On the January 14 companion episode of After Trek, writer/producer Ted Sullivan shared that Michelle Yeoh herself had input on the design of the sword — and to create the custom weapon for her Star Trek: Discovery character, CBS turned to Gary and Suzy Zahradka of the Minnesota-based Omega Artworks, who has created custom swords and weapons for productions like Heroes Reborn (NBC), The Strain (FX), Secret Circle (The CW) and more to craft Georgiou’s deadly blade.

The hilt of Georgiou’s sword, featuring the Terran Empire logo. (Photo provided to TrekCore by Omega Artworks.)

Created based upon plans supplied by CBS, the pommel and crosspiece are hollow bronze castings. The handle is carved wood with red lambskin inset with bronze banding, and the silver blade is hand-ground aluminum for stunt fighting, but with a mirror polish.

Finally, the sheath Georgiou carries on her belt is hand-carved wood with a bronze inlay.

The royal sword and wooden sheath.(Photo provided to TrekCore by Omega Artworks.)

This impressive piece of craftsmanship made its debut in “The Wolf Inside,” and has been a mainstay of the emperor since her first appearance. But as we look ahead at photos from this Sunday’s “What’s Past is Prologue,” it looks like the sword may find itself wielded by another…

Emperor Phillipa Georgiou (Michelle Yeoh) of the Terran Empire. (CBS)

Omega Artworks unfortunately is not able to produce or sell duplicates of this screen-used prop, as the design is owned by CBS, but hopefully there will be some nice replicas available from licenced Star Trek vendors sometime down the line – like the Discovery phaser coming from Anovos – for those of you already preparing your Emperor Georgiou cosplay outfits.

Here’s some more images of the sword, from Omega Artwork’s gallery:

Various angles of Georgiou’s sword. (Photos: Omega Artworks.)
The original sword design cast in resin, deemed unusuable for stunt work due to the long handle and backswept hilt. (Photo: Omega Artworks.)

Star Trek: Discovery returns this weekend with “What’s Past is Prologue.”

STAR TREK: DISCOVERY’s Canon Connections: 111 & 112

Alex Perry
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13
STAR TREK: DISCOVERY’s Canon Connections: 111 & 112

The past two episodes of Star Trek: Discovery’s Mirror Universe excursion have given us a lot to chew on, with major revelations for several of the show’s main characters.

In last week’s “The Wolf Inside,” we received final confirmation of the popular fan theory that Lt. Ash Tyler is a surgically altered Voq. More surprisingly, however, we found out in this week’s “Vaulting Ambition” that Captain Gabriel Lorca is actually the Gabriel Lorca from the Mirror Universe!

With only three episodes left I have no idea where things are headed next, but let’s take a look back over these two episodes and how they referenced or connected to previous Star Trek canon.

Slaves

Early in “The Wolf Inside” we discover that Saru serves aboard the ISS Shenzhou, but rather than the science officer-turned executive officer of the Prime Universe, Saru is a slave aboard Discovery. T

he Mirror Universe has had a long history of slaveholding, most prominently in the 24th century following the collapse of the Terran Empire when humans are kept as slaves by the Klingon-Cardassian Alliance.

Andorians

After nearly an entire season of teasing we got our first look at the Andorians in Discovery in “The Wolf Inside.”

The updated look is very faithful to previous appearances of the Andorians in the Star Trek TV shows and movies, and while not as active as they were when seen during Enterprise, the Andorian’s antennae can be seen moving slightly in several scenes.

Tellarites

Alongside Andorians, Vulcans, and Klingons, the resistance to the Terran Empire also includes the Tellarites, who are present at Mirror Voq’s council on Harlak in “The Wolf Inside.”

The makeup for the Tellarites is another relatively faithful update, with the addition of tusks that give the race more of a boar-like appearance than the more pig-like depictions we got in The Original Series and Enterprise.

Vulcan Facial Hair

One of the leaders of the resistance against the Terran Empire is Sarek, and like his son, Spock, Sarek wears a goatee in the Mirror Universe during his appearance in “The Wolf Inside.” This Vulcan style choice has been popular among males of the species dating back at least a century, seen on Soval in “In a Mirror, Darkly.”

Interestingly, father and son seem to have taken different paths in the Mirror Universe just like in the Prime Universe, with Mirror Spock serving in the Terran Empire’s Starfleet and Sarek actively working against it.

Command Training Program

While working to cure Lt. Stamets of his spore-induced coma during “The Wolf Inside,” Cadet Tilly asks First Officer Saru if he will recommend Tilly for the Command Training Program.

A very similar program, the Starfleet Academy Command School, was referenced by Captain Janeway in the Voyager episode “Parallax,” and Deanna Troi took a similar educational path in “Thine Own Self,” studying for, and finally passing, the Bridge Officer’s Test to achieve a command status aboard the Enterprise-D.

Philippa Georgiou Augustus Iaponius Centarius

Empress Georgiou is introduced in “Vaulting Ambition” by the name, “Imperial Majesty, Mother of the Fatherland, Overlord of Vulcan, Dominus of Kronos, Regina Andor, All Hail Philippa Georgiou Augustus Iaponius Centarius.”

According to episode writer Jordon Nardino, “Iaponius” is Latin for Japanese. Nardino indicated this was meant to be a reference to the previous Terran Empress seen in canon, Hoshi Sato, who was of Japanese descent.

Interphasic Space

At the beginning of “Vaulting Ambition,” while traveling by shuttle to the Imperial flagship, Burnham and Lorca discuss the classified data on the USS Defiant that they stole from the Shenzhou in the previous episode.

The data shows that the Defiant crossed into the Mirror Universe through Interphasic space, depicted in The Original Series episode “The Tholian Web” and the Enterprise two-parter “In a Mirror Darkly.”

Commander Jonathan Archer

During the same scene in “Vaulting Ambition,” we are briefly shown the heavily redacted data file about the Defiant. While large portions of the text are redacted, as detailed by Burnham in dialogue, the opening paragraph describes the ISS Enterprise NX-01’s trip into Tholian Space under command of Jonathan Archer to capture the Defiant – the plot of “In a Mirror Darkly, Part I.”

Georgiou Describes “The Tholian Web”

After Burnham reveals herself to Empress Georgiou as originating in the Prime Universe in “Vaulting Ambition,” she tells Georgiou about the Discovery’s plan to recreate the method the USS Defiant used to cross into the Mirror Universe.

However, Georgiou quickly dashes Burnham’s hopes by describing how the Defiant’s travel through interphasic space created a temporal anomaly and sent the crew of the Defiant insane. The temporal anomaly was not known until Enterprise, but the Enterprise NCC-1701 under the command of Captain Kirk discovered the fate of the Defiant’s crew during the episode “The Tholian Web,” in which the starship first vanished.

[td_smart_list_end]

We’ll be back with our next round of Canon Connections soon as Star Trek: Discovery continues! The next episode, “What’s Past is Prologue,” arrives this Sunday on Space and CBS All Access, and debuts on Netflix Monday for global audiences.

Novel #4:
"The Way to the Stars"

Novel #5:
"The Enterprise War"

Novel #6:
"Dead Endless"

More DISCOVERY 113 “What’s Past is Prologue” Photos

TrekCore Staff
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27
More DISCOVERY 113 “What’s Past is Prologue” Photos

While CBS first shared eight photos from this Sunday’s episode of Star Trek: Discovery this Tuesday, we’ve got more photos from “What’s Past is Prologue” — as well as some new behind-the-scenes shots — today as we approach this weekend’s airing.

Here’s the logline for Episode 113:

Episode #113: “What’s Past Is Prologue” (Episode #13, 1/28/18)

Lorca plans to move forward with a coup against the Emperor, propelling Burnham to make a quick decision to save not only herself, but the U.S.S. Discovery. Written by Ted Sullivan and directed by Olatunde Osunsanmi.

SyFy.com debuted a trio of new images from Burnham’s time aboard the ISS Charon palace ship, which what looks to be a fiery moment in the emperor’s reign:

Georgiou (Michelle Yeoh) and Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) discuss their next moves. (CBS)
Burnham moves through the flames. (CBS)
Georgiou stands in her burning throne room. (CBS)

Episode writer Ted Sullivan also tweeted out a number of teasing behind-the-scenes images from production, centering mostly the crew of the USS Discovery:

https://twitter.com/karterhol/status/956552028339167233

https://twitter.com/karterhol/status/956547745375911938

https://twitter.com/karterhol/status/955800726990503936

https://twitter.com/karterhol/status/955586782753472512

https://twitter.com/karterhol/status/956180428112605184

We’ll see what happens with “What’s Past is Prologue” debuts this weekend.

S1 Soundtrack: Chapter 1

S1 Soundtrack: Chapter 2

S2 Soundtrack

Updates from Ira Behr on WHAT WE LEFT BEHIND DS9 Doc

TrekCore Staff
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Updates from Ira Behr on WHAT WE LEFT BEHIND DS9 Doc

It’s been a while since we’ve heard much about What We Left Behind, the in-progress documentary focused on the history and legacy of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, and this month series and documentary producer Ira Steven Behr spent some time discussing DS9 with the Comic Book Central podcast, where he shared a few thoughts about the doc, and when we may see it arrive.

One of the big questions about What We Left Behind has been about the participation of Avery Brooks (Captain Sisko), and Behr confirmed that there is still no expectations of new Brooks interview footage on this project, but that we will see some archival Brooks material in the final project.

Avery feels very strongly that he’s said everything he needs to say; he did [William Shatner’s] “The Captains” and “The Captains – Close Up,” and he doesn’t feel that he’ll bring anything to the table.

He’s said a couple of things to us that we’ve taken very seriously, in terms of widening the amount of people we talked to, in terms of finding things [for] the documentary so that it’s not just a talking-heads documentary. We’ve done over 100 hours of interviews, so there will be plenty of ‘talking heads,’ but plenty of other things beside that.

So I have his voice in my head, but he’s also in the doc – interviews from conventions from a few years ago – so Avery’s point of view will be represented.

Behr also reiterated his hopes that the documentary may lead to a full remastering of the Deep Space Nine television series, where he again shared his frustration with the current 480p presentation of the show — but he did not comment on any current use of HD footage in the project.

Here’s the thing: what I want to believe is that this documentary will get the show remastered in HD. That’s what I want; it’s what I’ve wanted since the beginning. I’ve never been happy with the DVDs, even back in the day I thought they were a little muddy. Especially the early seasons.

I have not watched — with the exception of the pilot, after Michael Piller passed away — a complete episode of Deep Space Nine since the show went off the air, because I said, ‘I’m not watching it until it gets remastered.’

Little did I know that I’d be waiting so long, especially doing this documentary when we’re talking to so many people about so many episodes, and I go, ‘Geez, I’d like to sit down and watch that episode, you know? But not gonna do it!’

Behr (left) and the WHAT WE LEFT BEHIND team at STLV 2018.

Finally, Behr indicated his current expectation of when What We Left Behind may reach us, but cautioned that it’s still dependent on when all material is completed and approved.

The goal is to have the doc out for viewing by the fall, that’s what I would predict.

I never shot for any [specific date]; what I told [the team] from the start is that it’ll be done when it’s done, when I think it’s ready and finished. The fact is, once we started — look, this is all because of the IndieGogo campaign. The fans want something special, we have to give them something special.

This has to be an outlier documentary, just like the show as an outlier to the franchise. This should not feel like any other documentary about Star Trek. It’s gotta have it’s own voice, and we’re talking with everyone. We’re doing the writers’ room [feature], we’re doing all these things – and we’re doing some other stuff that we’ve been filming, which is going to be interesting and different.

So that’s all I care about… It’s a documentary, we’ll do it how we want to do it and we’ll do it ’til it’s done!

While we’re all hungry to see this awaited project — expected to include not only new and archival interviews, but also alternate takes, deleted scenes, and actor audition tapes unearthed from the CBS/Paramount archives — we’ll certainly be patient to make sure it’s the best it can be.

Backers of the Indiegogo campaign can see exclusive, periodic video updates on the official What We Left Behind website.

Keep checking back to TrekCore for more news on this exciting endeavor as it breaks!

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STAR TREK ONLINE Celebrates 8th Anniversary

Bob Stutzman
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3
STAR TREK ONLINE Celebrates 8th Anniversary

Star Trek Online is celebrating its 8th anniversary on the PC. Originally launching in February 2010, the game is now one of the longest running Star Trek series in the history of the franchise and offers 161 episodes, three major expansions and 14 full seasons of playable content.

Beginning today, captains face their final battle in the war against the genocidal Tzenkethi. In the new featured episode, “Scylla & Charibdis,” players must find a way to stop a new escalation by the Tzenkethi fleet that puts the entire quadrant in immediate danger.

While warping from system to system in pursuit of the enemy, captains receive communication from Captain Geordi La Forge — voiced by LeVar Burton — that an unexpected ally has offered to help finally put an end to these deadly attacks.

[metaslider id=35693]
 
The update also introduces a new modification feature and special events to celebrate the game’s anniversary. A full list of new features and planned festivities includes:

  • New Featured Episode: Captains must rally the fleet to stand in the way of the Tzenkethi’s path of destruction through the Alpha Quadrant in the new episode “Scylla & Charibdis.”
  • Re-Engineering: This new feature allows players to change the mods on their existing items, including weapons.
  • Omega Molecule Stabilization: Back by popular demand, players can join this event to collect Omega particles that Q has hidden across space. Stabilizing these molecules will yield prize vouchers, which can be redeemed for this year’s anniversary ship, the T6 Denorios-class Bajoran Interceptor.
  • 8th Anniversary Party Poppers: Captains can meet up with Q to score a special event party popper, which allows them to generate exciting new effects!
  • LootCrate Giveaway: Players can follow Star Trek Online on Facebook and Twitter to find out how they can enter to win a one-year subscription to the Star Trek Mission Crate from Loot Crate, which offers exclusive Star Trek apparel and collectibles every two months. Starting at the end of this month, each crate will also include codes to unlock in-game items for Star Trek Online, including starships, Bridge Officers, gear and exclusive emotes.

Finally, Star Trek Online executive producer Stephen Ricossa shared some thoughts on the game’s anniversary on the official blog today.


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