Leonard Nimoy as Spock

Vulcans in Plastic: Unmade Playmates Designs

eBay user kateunc2 has listed some interesting artwork. They say it was obtained from a Playmates employee.  The artwork is for Star Trek (2009) action figures and ship toys that were never produced. Several of the pieces are Vulcan-related so I'm sharing them here as Vulcans that didn't quite make it to plastic!

This first figure is Spock as he was dressed when he appeared before the Vulcan Science Academy.

I'm not sure about this next one. It seems to represent Spock in his dress uniform from TOS but the reference photo is clearly of Zachary Quinto from the Kelvin Universe.  Does it represent a scene that was conceived for the movie but ultimately cut before filming?

I love this next one! Spock Prime's parka was one of my favourite costumes in Star Trek (2009) and I would loved to add this figure to my collection.

I also quite like this Young Spock design. It's not quite the costume we saw in the final film so perhaps it's based on an earlier design.

I don't care much for these Starfleet Defender designs.

Here's some art for Spock's Jellyfish Ship.

I previously wrote about the Star Trek 2009 figures including an unproduced second wave that would have included Sarek and Spock in his Starfleet Academy Instructor's uniform.  I would guess that the above designs never made it as far as prototypes because I've never seen photos of them like I have of the second wave figures.

It was recently announced that McFarlane Toys picked up the license for Star Trek figures. I'll be interested to see what they come up and whether they might do a Spock Prime in his parka figure!

IDIC: Happy Pride

June is Pride month! I have always felt the Vulcan philosophy of IDIC: Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations was a perfect message for this month. Happy Pride!

Queer IDIC by Bristrek

Roddenberry Vault: TOS Films

In today's installment, we examine some Roddenberry Vault images from the era of the TOS films. Here are some storyboards by Andrew Probert of the Vulcan shuttle from Star Trek: TMP.  I've previously covered this shuttle in detail here.

Here's a costume sketch by Robert Fletcher for Spock in Star Trek: TMP.

Here's a behind the scenes shot of Leonard Nimoy in make-up as he directs Star Trek III: The Search for Spock.

Next we have a series of negatives of publicity stills featuring Jane Wyatt as Amanda and Leonard Nimoy as Spock in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home.  I was so glad the filmmakers were able to bring back Jane Wyatt to reprise her TOS role.  Having that continuity really did make Vulcan seem like Spock's home.

Finally, here is a series of negatives featuring shots of Leonard Nimoy preparing to film on the Klingon bridge in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home.

The next installment of my coverage of the Roddenberry Vault will jump nearly 100 years into the future with Star Trek: The Next Generation.

Star Trek: Discovery - First Look Trailer

By now, most Trekkies will have seen the "first look" trailer for Star Trek: Discovery that was released on May 17, 2017.  Now, let's examine it with the eyes of a Vulcanologist.



The trailer opens in a desert with lighting storms in the background.  This footage was shot in Jordan and from the first frame it's clear that Discovery is cinematic.  It's generally agreed that the footage in this trailer is all from the pilot. The Director of Photography on the pilot was Guillermo Navarro (Pan's Labyrinth, Pacific Rim).  Some are speculating that this desert is Vulcan's Forge. That's certainly possible. The storms make it difficult to tell whether the sky is red or not.  In these shots we are introduced to Michelle Yeoh as Captain Georgiou and Sonequa Martin-Green as Michael Burnham.

Next, we hear a male voice saying "Great unifiers are few and far between but they do come. Often such leaders will need a profound cause for their followers to rally around."  It turns out this is Sarek, or rather a hologram of Sarek, played by James Frain. It seems as though he is addressing Burnham which makes sense since it is rumoured the series will deal at least partially with Burnham's rise to command.  It sounds as though Sarek is giving Burnham advice. Is he a mentor of sorts to Burnham?

We next see Sarek, still in holographic form, saying (presumably to Burnham) "What have you done out there on the edge of Federation space?". It seems as though the two are communicating over some distance and the question is informal enough that it suggests Sarek and Burnham have some significant relationship. The idea that Sarek and Burnham have a relationship is further supported by the fact that the hologram seems to be in crew quarters which would make it a personal communique from Sarek to Burnham.

The next shot of Sarek is him in-person rather than a hologram but it's suggested that this is a flashback because the following shot is a young person, presumably Burnham as a child.  Sarek says, "You will never learn Vulcan. Your tongue is too Human."  The child's haircut seems to be in the traditional Vulcan style which suggests we are on the planet Vulcan for this flashback.

Perhaps Burnham was raised or educated on Vulcan?  Was Sarek Burnham's teacher or guardian?  if an orphaned Human was left on Vulcan it might make sense that Sarek would adopt that child since he has experience with a Human wife and with raising a half-Human child (Spock).

Sarek's costume, to me, is reminiscent of Michael Kaplan's Kelvin Universe Vulcan costumes. The high collar reminds me of Spock's learning pod costume or of Spock Prime's parka.  iMDB currently lists some costume assistants but not the costume designer so I'm not sure whose work we are seeing.

That's pretty much all we get in the trailer that might be related to Vulcans. Some additional details and information will probably trickle out over the summer but we'll have to wait for the series to premiere in the Fall to, ahem, discover the rest.  i'm looking very forward to the new show!

CBS released the below poster which seems to feature Michael Burnham giving the Vulcan salute. That's further evidence that Burnham might have close ties with Vulcan.

Trek Core's Rare Photos May & June 2017

I'm sure most of you are familiar with the amazing site www.trekcore.com.  The folks at Trek Core work diligently to provide high quality screen caps from all the Star Trek series and films. They also collect behind the scenes images, publicity photos, video and audio clips and report on the latest Trek news. If you don't follow them I recommend you bookmark them immediately!

Occasionally, Trek Core puts together a new album of rare Trek photos.  Their latest has two images that will be of interest to Vulcanologists.  First up is a great shot of Leonard Nimoy as Spock with his Vulcan Lyre.

Next is a publicity shot of Kirstie Alley as Saavik from Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.  I've previously posted some other publicity shots of Alley as Saavik.  I find this shot really interesting. The playful pose is either pure Kirstie Alley or it's showing the emotional Roman half of Saavik.

Thanks to Trek Core for all their work in uncovering images like this and archiving Star Trek's history.

Roddenberry Vault: The Animated Series

In today's installment of the Roddenberry Vault review we look at images from Star Trek: The Animated Series (which I've covered in detail here).  First up is a painted cel featuring Spock's model sheet pose.

Here are a couple of drawings showing Spock's head at different degrees of turning. These also show the different scale for closeups and long shots.

Here's a painted cel of Spock. The episode details are cut off at the bottom.

Next up is some art featuring the design of the tricorder and demonstrating how Spock would wear it.  I have a nice clean copy of this art in my collection which I've covered here.

Here's some art featuring Aleek-Om and a young Spock.

This art would become one of the most iconic images of TAS.  It features I-Chaya and a ferocious le-matya.

Finally, here's a sweet drawing of young Spock and his friend, I-Chaya.

In the next installment we'll look at images from the TOS movies.

Roddenberry Vault: TOS Part Two "Amok Time"

In this second installment of the Roddenberry Vault review, we examine images and negatives from the quintessential Vulcan episode of TOS, "Amok Time". Here's a negative with Celia Lovsky as T'Pau.

Here's a negative featuring Leonard Nimoy as Spock, deep in the plak tow, as T'Pau looks on.

This next selection is a contact sheet of rare publicity photos featuring Celia Lovsky and William Shatner.  The bottom right shot of Kirk wielding the Lirpa is amazing!

This next series of contact sheets are all images from the infamous fight scene. There are some great shots of Arlene Martel as T'Pring, watching stoically.

Here's a final contact sheet featuring publicity shots of Arlene Martel as T'Pring.

I think this Roddenberry Vault social media project was a wonderful way to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Star Trek.  The images and documents are great companions to the Roddenberry Vault Blu-ray collection.

Next Up: Star Trek: The Animated Series!