An Enterprise-ing Special

"Captain's Log: Stardate 58044.1 The Enterprise has arrived at Garadia IV where we have been asked to mediate a dispute between the-"

Wait, this isn't a Trek story! This is a special post as we get ready for the next episode of Star Trek Picard! And wow, do we have a big one this time.

Not one Enterprise, but two!

First up, is the new Classic Trek U.S.S. Enterprise, NCC-1701, from Playmates. Recreating the Enterprise toy from the late 90's (almost exactly down to the box). It features lights and classic Trek sounds, including orders from Captain Kirk himself, and can be showcased with display stand.

I Want My 1996 Back

And to follow up on that, we've got a starship right out of 1996--the U.S.S. Enterprise, NCC-1701-E. Borg not included. Probably my favorite Enterprise, this one was the Playmates toy that was part of the Star Trek: First Contact line when the movie came out all those years ago. Her sounds don't work anymore, but this never-before-opened beauty is a long-sought out addition to my Star Trek collection. The unique thing about this, along with some other Trek licensed merch of the day, is that the design for the Enterprise-E wasn't locked when toy companies had to start production of the toys in order to have them available for the movie premiere. You'll note the dual impulse engines on the saucer, red shuttlebay / thruster, nacelle pylons, fully exposed Bussard collectors and other differences between this design and the movie's final version. This also happened to Playmates a few years earlier with the Star Trek: Generations figures. Recall the Starfleet uniforms were a cool, all-new version for the toys, but in real life were scrapped for TNG and DS9 existing variants in the film itself.

I'm very happy with both toys and hope we get more from Playmates in the present day. While we've seen the classic Enterprise (and its Strange New Worlds variant) quite a bit in recent years, we've only gotten one glimpse of the Enterprise-E herself in Star Trek: Prodigy. Here's hoping we get a little more of Picard's second Starship Enterprise in Picard Season 3!