Friday, July 20, 2007

Sci Fi Fun Facts

Behind the mask, breathing heavily is Darth Vader. Darth vader is one of the most gripping sci fi characters, that I have encountered on my intergalactic trek of the blogsphere. When Vader's gets mad, his opponents usually experience the wrath of the darkside and die quite horribly. Fans associate the unique Tie Bomber as Vaders starship vehicle of choice. The Ties design is one of gothic evil fully intended to be a terrifying psychological weapon produced to strike fear into enemies hearts by "wailing" and terrorizing them before battle has even begun. Vader's patience for Princess Leia (of the planet Alderaan.) eventually runs out. Leia was put on Darth Vader's torture short list and the dark lord of doom, destroyed her home world for good measure too.

Author JJ Palomo (JJ)

Your skills are no match for the Power of the Dark Side. You will pay the price for your lack of vision. Emperor Palpatine uses his fiery powers in a attempt to destroy Luke Skywalker, while the former Jedi knight now engulfed in darkness stands by and watches until he can bear it no more..... watch the trailer. It doesn't sit well with the heavy breather because Luke spared Vader with mercy. I love this Star Wars scene. Palpatine gets a close up view of the ships reactor shaft. Lol. Notice how Vader struggles with his breathing now that his link with Palpatine and the dark side is severed. The mask comes off......to reveal a shocking, blister ridden, pale faced creature beneath.



Worf begins a relationship with Dax aboard DS9. They fall in love and we get to see a Klingon wedding ceremony for the first time.

Believers Babylon 5 - Vorlon Ambassador Kosh Naranek.
This is a heart rendering episode where a doctor operates on a boy in order to save his life, thus rendering him a soulless demon in the eyes of the boys parents. The terrified boy learns of his fate and tries to escape! His parents even handed him a special "travel robe" used for sacrifices. Poor guy, as General Chang aptly put it in Star Trek the Undiscovered Country. - Parting is such sweet sorrow. -

Ok, ok! Everyone from non-aligned worlds get in line.
Babylon 5 - Zac : War without end

No boom today. Boom tomorrow
There's always a boom tomorrow.
Babylon 5 - Commander S. Ivanova

The universe is run by the complex interweaving of 3
elements; energy, matter & enlightened self interest. -
Babylon 5 - Ambassador G'kar

Just don't give away the home world
Babylon 5 - Londo & G'Kar

It moved faster, I swear. If you see something big with eight legs coming your way. tell me, I have to kill it before it develops language skills. Babylon 5 in 'Sic Transit Vir' -
Londo is attempting to exterminate a rather large bug that has got into his quarters. A beautiful young Centauri, Lyndisty, enters his room. How inconvenient!!!!! Luckily shes Vir's arranged bride. Creepy crawlies on the loose make an impression, especially big ones. My sister freaks out every time. Of course I'm called to the rescue, so I remove the harmless creature and set it free. No need for my ray gun.

I have already been born once & quite sufficiently I think.
Babylon 5 - Ambassador G'kar:
Can not say. Saying, would know. Do not know, so can not say!

Babylon 5 - Zatheris, War Without End Zathrus had a sad life;
Epsilon III is one of Babylon 5 episodes which involves the Great Machine. It reminded me of Spocks Brain although the Great Machine had incredible galactic knowledge whereas the Eymorg's "controller" machine was just common knowledge to the inhabitants of the Sigma Draconis VI planet... and Captain James Tiberius Kirks' Enterprise 1701 crew.

I am endeavoring to construct a pneumatic memory circuit using stone knives and bear skins.
Spock was constructing a tricorder, Stardate: 3134.0 which proved vital to the mission.
The City on the Edge of Forever

Scotty: I beamed the whole kit and caboodle over to the Klingon's engine room... where they'll be no Tribble at all. Star Trek TOS - The Trouble With Tribbles.

The Klingon's later viewed Tribbles as a threat to the Klingon home world. They reacted with fury and unforgivably hunted them down. It was hardly one of the great triumphs for the mighty Klingon empire! Poor Tribble critters. Read my post on Tribbles and Klingons! When Tribbles are near, Klingon's have plenty to fear which proved true. These warm furry creatures make good detectives and are good for rooting out Klingon spies!

Excuse me, there is a multi-legged creature crawling up your shoulder.
Spock, A Taste Of Armageddon

Geordi LaForge : 'The laws of physics just went right out the window.
Q : 'And why shouldn't they? They're so inconvenient!
Star Trek TNG - True Q

"Don't tell me, their rubber band broke, right?" Aaaww... don't be mean.....Geordi (performed by LeVar Burton.)The Pakleds want to be smart too and they set their sights on the Chief Engineer of the USS Enterprise NCC 1701-D, except Geordi doesn't realise the Pakleds are playing cat and mouse with him.......at first. Maybe Geordi isn't such a smarty pants after all. The Pakleds want to be strong, want their ship to go faster and look for things...such as.... Geordi actually has to ask. Things like GEORDI!

"Things we need" in other words you! Geordi. Duh! and you beamed over. Who's not so smart now? The Pakleds are smart and funny.
LaForge Samaritan Snare

Data: "I could be chasing an untamed ornithoid without just cause!'
Star Trek TNG - Data's Day

Star Trek Generations: You're dead, Jim.

"Things are only impossible until they're not."
Star Trek TNG - Good one Picard! Q (the Omnipotent one) tries to get Picard to lighten up and stop harping on about duty and honor. Picard can't stand Q's fixation with costumes or Q's quirky sense of humour either.

Troi: 'You spell 'knife' with a 'k'.
Picard: 'I spell 'knife' with an 'n', but then I never could spell.
Star Trek TNG - The Big Goodbye

It's hard to work in a group when you're omnipotent
Star Trek TNG - Q

Q: 'Let us pray for understanding and for compassion.
Picard: 'Let us do no such damn thing. John De Lancie's "Q episodes" are well worth watching. This one is funny because we see Q taking pleasure in nagging Picard, much to the captains irritation.
Star Trek TNG - Hide And Q

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Data: Sensors still show nothing out there.
Geordie: Sure is a damned ugly looking nothing! This is the episode the Enterprise D crew encounter a mysterious space entity called Nagillum. He tried so hard to configure a human face to please the Enterprise carbon based life forms.

No-one was impressed. Nagillums demands on the crew were even more distressing, after it revealed an experiment that involved killing only half the crew. No-one felt obligated to raise their hands. Its an interesting episode in that we get to hear Captain Picard's views on the universe, life after death, where do carbon based life forms go afterwards etc. I love this episode because its so mysterious and spooky.
Star Trek TNG - Where Silence has Lease.

Data: 'I hope I did not do anything unbecoming a Starfleet officer.
Riker: 'Does wrestling a Klingon targ ring a bell?
Data: 'Did I win?
Star trek TNG - The Schizoid Man.

Riker: 'No, the name of my ship is the 'Lollipop'.
Rice: 'I have no knowledge of that ship.
Riker: 'It's just been commissioned. It's a good ship.
Star Trek TNG - The Arsenal Of Freedom, This is an interesting episode because we get to see the Enterprise NCC 1701-D separate and its Geordi La Forge's first time in charge of a starship much to Logan's bitterness.

Dr Bashier: 'Who told you that?
Miles O'Brien: 'You did!

Well who am I to argue with me!! Star trek DS9 - Visions

Miles O'Brien & Miles O'Brien: I hate temporal mechanics !!!
Star trek DS9 - Visions


Kirk: 'Take us out.
Chekov: 'Very good, sir.
Scott: 'Brought a tear to my eye.
Star Trek -

Generations
Heres a site with some interesting continuity errors that you can look out for next time star trek is on Tv!

"This is no time to argue about time... We don't have the time." Deanna Troi.
Star Trek The Next Generation - First Contact, Captain Picard's empath, Deanna Troi gets totally wasted in a scene by the time Commander Riker finds her in the bar shack. I mean, why was it necessary for Deanna to get totally skulled out of her head before Zeffram Cochrane revealed who he was?. We soon learn the Bar shack is where rocket man likes to hang out, knocking back the good stuff and chilling out with his music. I find it hard to believe that the counsellor's mind reading abilities failed to detect Zeffram Cochrane true identity. How many times has counsellor Troi given Picard the edge on the bridge of the U.S.S. Enterprise NCC 1701-D by revealing the other sides modus of operandi? Congratulations Martina, I never once considered critising your counselling techniques!

"You say history considers me dead. Who am I to argue with history?" Captain Jean Luc Picard's mission involved recruiting Captain James Tiberius Kirk's help (who was stuck in an Energy Nexus, frozen in time) and defeating the mad scientist Dr. Tolian Soran, performed by Malcolm McDowell.
James T. Kirk: Who am I to argue with the Captain of the Enterprise?
Kirk to Picard : Star Trek : Generations.

Star Trek - The Undiscovered Country. Starfleet recalls James Kirk's crew so that the U.S.S. Enterprise NCC 1701-A can be decomissioned. I remember, the crew falling silent on the bridge of the Enterprise as Uhura delivered the fatal news. Starfleet's communication stunned Trekkies to their seats that fateful day sending shockwaves sweeping thoughout cinemas worldwide. The phaser blast was certainly a big surprise to everyone with allot of Star Trek fans reacting like they were vaporised in their cinema seats where they sat rooted in agony. I simply couldn't believe my ears. Spocks response was " I believe if I were human my response would be - Go To Hell - if I were human." That settled it. Starfleet be dammed which brought a great end to the human adventure for the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise NCC 1701-A.
Chekov: 'Course heading, Captain?
Kirk: 'Second star to the right and straight on till morning.


Live long and Prosper! Science-fictional Trekkers!

Wednesday, July 11, 2007

Space Pirates and Space Heroes

The driving force of many Science fiction shows often embroils starship commanders pitted against unreasonable space pirates. In Star Wars, Darth Vader represents the dark side of the force. His corrupt emotions makes him a great space pirate. I loved the scene in the Empire Strikes Back when Vader grabbed Emperor Palpatine and flung him down the death star's reactor shaft, all to save Luke Skywalker. It was great. Later we find out who the man behind the mask is. We need our science fictional heroes to seek out and defeat galactic enemies of peace.

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"Fire when ready, Mr Checkov. Lay in a pattern, fire, fire, fire!" is the Kirk attitude! When a ship gets blown to blue blazes or the bad is guy melted by a ray gun, hey thats what you call sci fi exhilaration. My reaction is nearly always, Yessss!!




A great story creates a sense of danger like a threat to the ship or an invasion force beaming aboard just to get the viewer excited! And it works!! I sure didn't feel sorry for Commander Kruge when Kirk shoved him over the cliff on the Genesis planet in Star Trek III. Kirk and Kruge had been fighting for ages and the klingon had it coming. After all, Kruge had Kirk's son David, murdered. Kirk gets his revenge on the ugly Klingon brute who's trying to drag the captain to his death. Finally Kirk has enough! He gives ugly a boot in the face and sends the Klingon warlord flying into the fiery abyss of Genesis flames below. See you sucker! Geeze, those flames sure must have hurt!!!

When the entertaining, clever android, Commander Data in Star Trek's TNG movie "Nemesis", got blown to bits aboard Praetor Shinzon's ship, it was different. I wasn't celebrating when Shinzon's ship went sky high. I was stunned and thinking wheres Data gone, much like Data's Enterprise-D crew mates. Unfortunately there was no escape pod or floating Data in space.

It was a blunt act for the studio to play on the fans. The Trekkies were hit hard. I was left in a state of puzzled, emotional turmoil. My android hero Data was gone. Sniff, maybe its a hit trend. So which sci fi hero is going to be snuffed out next?

I've recently learnt from trektoday that William Shatner aka Captain James T. Kirk is not going to be in Star Trek XI. What a shocker. Spock, Kirk(TOS) and co-stars work a special magic onscreen. So why delay? New isn't always better. You'd think Paramount could make Trek films with new talent anytime. The "current movie talent" TOS and TNG are missed badly...

William Shatner was very disappointed, but Leonard Nimoy aka Spock got a part. It'll be good to see pointy ears again.

Star Trek XI is the movie where the "trio" Kirk, Spock,and McCoy get to meet up as young men, going back to their academy days.

Moving on, in 1978 the Daily Intelligencer caught my interest. Seemingly Cylon Warriors have a Prime Directive and it doesn't concern ethics or non interference with other cultures. Oh No. The Cylon Prime Directive involves seeking out and destroying all earthling lifeforms. Gasp. Imagine watching that, doesn't it send a shiver of excitement down your back?...

Live Long and prosper, trekker earthlings!

Saturday, June 30, 2007

Which Sci Fi Character Am I?

Here he is, the Dark Lord of Doom himself, the baddest Sci Fi guy in the whole universe. Look at him. He's calculating which pesky foe to defeat next. The U.S.S. Enterprise NCC 1701-D crew scarpered for their lives when 400 gigawatts of particle energy made Starfleet's Captain Jean Luc Picard think twice about attacking. It was shameful. Picard shamed trekkies everywhere that day, but he saved his starship by reacting cowardly. Sniff. Worf must have felt humiliated. I was so choked up with soppy emotionalism.
The evil dark lord uses his power aligned with fear, hatred, aggression, and malevolence to crush his enemies. The dark side of the Force is more powerful than the light side which is concerned with elegance and beauty. So whats his name? If you have'nt guessed the Sci Fi Character by now, the first link will reveal who I'm talking about. Enjoy the movie. My final word is, this movie is vader sci fi propaganda, be warned Lol. Never underestimate the power of the dark side......
Live long and Prosper Trekkers.

Wednesday, June 27, 2007

The Voyage Home

The year was 2285. Out of the vast darkness of space, a mysterious probe appears in earths orbit. Its high pitched distressing communications, interfere severely with the planets environment and all surrounding power sources, including starships. Earthlings are powerless and panic is rife. All of Starfleet is on red alert. The probe is the bad guy and wants to find out why his friendly humpback whales are no longer answering. Little does it know humans have murdered them to extinction.

Image Copyright Belongs To Paramount Pictures or CBS Paramount Television.

Star Trek IV, The Voyage Home is a supreme space adventure concerning an extremely powerful alien probe, Time travel, late 20th century paranoid earthlings, Captain Kirk's heroic crew of explorers, a Klingon ship and the small matter of saving earth with George and Gracie. Packed with wit, mischief, neat special effects, a funny Spock and great storyline, the Voyage Home is one of my favourite Star Trek movies. Star Trek IV is epic in nature and spirit and has all the ingredients of a great sci fi movie.

After three months of exile on Vulcan, Kirk decides to return to Earth with his loyal, gallant Enterprise crew mates, in a Klingon B'rel-class, Bird of Prey to face charges of theft, damage and saving Mr Spock's life.

The odds of returning in one piece in the enemy's shabby Klingon ship, did little to inspire Dr Mc Coys confidence. He named their new ship "HMS Bounty" courtesy of the Klingon Empire and Lord Kruge of course, who got snuffed out by Kirk on the Genesis planet. Yessss! The crew voted in favor of going back to Earth and facing federation justice for their "crimes." So much for being the good guys.

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Kruge's stolen D-12 Scout rattled and groaned as the crew approached warp speed. I remember this had me on the edge of my seat, rooting for my heroes as I prepared myself for our warp 10 around the sun. I felt like part of the crew. This was an exhilarating moment for me and my eyes never left the screen. When the "Bounty"crew did arrive at earth it seemed so realistic. When I was a young Trekkie, I recall looking out the Klingon viewer on TV and seeing earth. Kirk's crew had arrived secretly. Wow I said, "This is whats its like in space."

Spock asks Kirk about the use of language which has altered since their arrival. "It is currently laced with colourful metaphors."Double dumb ass on you" and so forth " enquires Spock innocently.

"You mean the profanity, that's simply the way the way they talk here. Nobody pays any attention to you if you don't swear every other word. You'll find it in all the literature of the period." replies Kirk.

Spock: For example?

Kirk: Oh the complete works of Jacqueline Susann, the novels of Harrold Robbins....

Spock: Ah.... The Giants....


It was the ships chronic condition, whining dilithium crystals, destabilising hull, warping around the sun, the chase around the hospital, and Chekov's capture by earthlings that really got me amped. I realised anyone of these could put "the mission" in serious jeopardy. McCoys dialogue with the hospital surgeon is hilarious, Spock gets to grips after coming back from the dead with amusing "best guesses" for his usually precise time computations. Stay clued for Spock's profanity on the planet. Star Trek IV really is a pleasure to watch. The cursing bit is just so not Spock but Spock despite Captain Kirks vain attempts just can't remember.

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KIRK: Spock.....
SPOCK: Yes?

KIRK: About those colorful metaphors we discussed. I don't think you should try to use them.
SPOCK: Why not?
KIRK :Well, for one thing, you haven't quite got the hang of it.
SPOCK: I see.
KIRK :And another thing... It is not always necessary to tell the truth.
SPOCK :I cannot tell a lie.
KIRK :You don't have to lie... You could exaggerate.
SPOCK :Exaggerate.
KIRK :You've done it before. Can't you remember?
SPOCK :The hell I can't
KIRK :(Sighs) What else did you learn from your mind meld?
SPOCK: They are very unhappy about the way their species has been treated by man.
KIRK :They have a right to be... Do you think they'll help us?
SPOCK I believe I was successful in communicating our intentions.

The real stars of the movie "George and Gracie" were two Humpbacked whales. They respond to the mystery space caller, after Kirk warps 300 years into the past and beams them away from their 1986 hostile environment. 23rd century earth of the future filled with Starfleet hopefuls is saved. Yes! It worked. Earth was saved. lets not forget however that the plight of 21st century whales is a real one which the movie clearly demonstrates.
Here's some amusing dialogue between an extremely worried Dr "Bones" McCoy as he demands of kirk,

" Are you sure this is such s bright idea?"
"What do you mean?" answers Kirk calmly.
"I mean him, back at his post like nothing happened. I don't know if you've got the whole picture but Spock's not exactly working on all thrusters!!" retorts a worked up McCoy

"It'll come back to him" reassures Kirk with doubt written all over his face.
"Are you sure?" presses McCoy
Kirks looking lost now.
"Thats what i thought." An anguished McCoy leaves Kirks side.
"Mr Sulu, take us home." commands Kirk.



Kirk seemed to take Mc Coys antics in his stride. Its a pity McCoy didn't prescribe himself some of his own medicine! A hypospray or two is good for you! Doc! It would have done wonders for his stress levels. Uhuru which means freedom in Swahili was at her communications station.

Sulu was at the helm and Chekov was at the weapons station. The plan was to warp the Bounty around the sun accounting for time computation, warp capability acceleration and decelerating the ship mass, etc and of course most important of all,

" making the best guess that I can." said Spock earnestly to Dr McCoy at a critical moment.
Scotty held the ship together in the engine room with the re-energized Klingon crystals. One of his funniest lines in the movie is when he informed Kirk,

" Admiral I have replaced the Klingon food packs, they were giving me a sour stomach!"
" O, Is that what it was?" Clearly Kirk discovered something only he didn't care for the details.

One solar flare colliding with the Bounty could have sent them off course but the ship survived. The slingshot around the sun succeeded saving the whales from Earth of the past in time to save 23rd century mankind from a destructive interstellar space probe.. The HMS Bounty and the Enterprise crew sweep down on Planet Earth just in time to release the whales. The message in the movie is these endangered humpback whales belong on our world just as much as humans. Its is because of our activities there is only one third of Humpbacks roaming the Seven Seas so we've got to stop the slaughter and pollution of our oceans. The Voyage Home has been hailed as one of Star Trek's popular and successful movies and I highly recommend watching this movie.

Live Long and Prosper, Trekkies!

Friday, June 22, 2007

Picard wrecks Vaders Star Destroyer

Star Trek's Enterprise NCC 1701-D Rules! Captain Picard wrecked Darth Vaders Super Star destroyer and beat his forces of evil into submission. Bye, Bye, little ships. Woo Hoo! Star Trek is the best! This is fun to watch, its like watching a sci fi movie!
"Thats carrying enough arnament tp pulverise a planet." warns Riker.
" Red alert, battle stations, bring us to an attack posture Mr Worf!" commands Picard.
" Fire at Will!" bellows Picard with a confused looking Riker following his captains lead.



Remember Governor Wilhuff Tarkin in Star Wars? His crew got blown to smithereens on the Star Destroyer's bridge with Vader nearby, yet somehow Vader survives the attack and subsequent collapse of their viewscreen. I guess no-one can kill that evil lord!!! Hmmmmm... Neither were the crew sucked out into the vacuum of space either which would have been totally amusing. There's dark side forces at work here, or maybe it was the ships emergency force fields that saved them.



The upshot of it is some unimportant general guy croaks it on the bridge along with another crewman that gets iced when the Federations Flagship Enterprise, blows Vaders Super Star Destroyer to bits. Lets be soooooo clear about this. The Star Destroyer was a burning hulk of metal in space! WooHoo! Yet at the very end... the Generals crew is ALIVE with Vader. So while Captain Picard's Enterprise conquered Vader's Super Star Destroyer, more like totally pulverized and wasted it..... YESSSS!!!! The Federation beat an Imperial Super Star Destroyer! YESSSS, (This is a momentous occasion for Trekkies.) Vader apparently wins on a technicality because he's still alive with the reincarnated crew of Governor Tarkin. Meh. This just can't be allowed. I must Protest! Watch the vid and judge for yourselves.



Curse that sagging rust bucket!!!! It's not fair, we Trekkies won!! We did!! but
Darkside Star Warsians got the better of us. Trekkie fans must demand a rematch. Of course Emperor Palpatine gangs up on the beleaguered Enterprise and Picard turns chicken, hastening the Enterprises speedy departure obviously added to make the Federation look cowardly. Like Trekkies so needed Q right about now, where was that dude? D-mn Picard, if it had been Kirk in command, he would have kicked ass. My guess is the maker of this Star Wars video is obviously one of Vader's dark side associates. Perhaps its Vader Propaganda but totally awesome fun to watch. I reckon Picard's Galaxy Class USS Enterprise NCC 1701-D still won? and Darth Vader's Star Destroyer got wasted. Hehehe....

Do not underestimate the power of the USS Enterprise! Live long and Prosper Trekkies!

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