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alchemicinkI found this 30 day Star Trek challenge floating around Twitter, and decided to forgo the "rules" and just answer all the questions here at the same time 😅
It's a good variety of questions that had me thinking hard about my answers. Here they are below:
1) Favorite TOS Episode
I should preface this by noting that I've never watched the full TOS series. I just watch it when I get a chance to catch an episode on TV, so my viewing experience is very scattered.
That being said, my answer is definitely "The Trouble with Tribbles" because it's an absolute hoot from start to finish. I recently rewatched it, and had forgotten how funny almost every moment is. You've got humor ranging from snarky dialogue with the Klingons to the visual comedy of the tribbles continuing to pop up everywhere.
I, for one, enjoy whenever a Star Trek episode takes a break from high-concept sci-fi to give us an hour of sitcom level shenanigans.
2) Favorite Federation Race
If the Klingons were part of the Federation, they'd be my first choice. But alas, they aren't. So I'm going with Betazoids.
I think a race of telepathic empaths is just a cool concept, and I always enjoyed how Marina Sirtis (as Deanna Troi) played one on TNG. Plus, Lwaxana is absolutely hilarious, showing that not all Betazoids have the same personality.
3) Favorite Starship
Incredibly biased answer, but it's definitely the USS Voyager. That's the one I grew up watching first, so I know it quite well. They've got an aeroponics bay, astrometrics, and even borg regeneration alcoves onboard. How many other ships can boast that?
On the downside, cheese once broke the ship. But, hey, that's pretty unique too.
4) Best Captain
This is a tough one because I think they're all pretty good choices. Different styles for everyone, and there are some I'm not really familiar with because I haven't seen their show yet.
So I'm just gonna go with the easy answer for me: Captain Janeway. After all, she did manage to navigate the ship through the Delta Quadrant for seven years with absolutely no backup.
5) Saddest Event
Plenty of things to choose from (season one of Strange New Worlds somehow had me crying three episodes in a row??), but the first answer that popped in my head was "Course: Oblivion" from Voyager.
An extremely tragic episode where we get to see the duplicate crew from "Demon" slowly die, and then leave behind no trace so that no one will ever know what happened or even that they existed.
It gets me every time I watch it.
6) Happiest Event
Voyager finally returning home after seven long years separated from everyone they know and love. Like, of course, you know this is ultimately the only way the series could end, and yet it's still satisfying to know that they made it.
(Yeah, a lot of these answers will probably be very Voyager-centric...)
7) Favorite TNG Episode
That would be "Deja Q" from season three. The one where Q is temporarily a regular, powerless mortal!
There are so many funny moments in this episode, including one of my all-time favorites: Q bringing a mariachi band to the Enterprise bridge 😂
(Some honorable mentions for this category include "Rascals", "Remember Me", "Qpid", and "The Next Phase". In fact, I waffled for a long time about whether to pick Rascals or Deja Q. The mariachi band won in the end.)
8) Favorite Federation Enemy
Can I say Klingons here?? They were enemies at one point!
I just really love Klingons. I think they're really fun as a concept (buncha warrior dudes and ladies). Plus bat'leths look cool, and the language is fun to speak (it requires spitting, lol).
I also enjoy how they go from enemy to sorta begrudging ally over the years.
9) Favorite Character
B'Elanna Torres! She was immediately my favorite when I first started watching Voyager. She didn't quite fit in with everyone else because she was only half-human, and I was really drawn to that storyline. Plus, she was just this really cool and smart engineer too, always figuring out the answer to tough stuff.
To this day, I still tend to be drawn to angry characters and mechanics, and I feel like that's all because of B'Elanna 😅
10) Most Shocking Moment
(This is a spoiler for the first episode of Discovery)
I remember tuning in for the premiere of Star Trek Discovery and being incredibly excited about Michelle Yeoh as Captain Georgiou. Not only is the actress just amazing, but it's so rare to see Asians in the captain seat.
So imagine my shock when they killed her off in the first episode!! I was devastated, and honestly, this was partially why I just couldn't vibe with the series. Though I know now she gets to make appearances again later. It still doesn't make up for the initial shock.
11) Crew Position You Would Want
I think I'd enjoy some sort of science officer position where I get to study cool space phenomenon. The other positions seem way too dangerous or something I'd be terrible at.
Honorable mention, however, goes to Ops. I wouldn't mind standing in Harry Kim's shoes for a day and just scanning stuff.
12) Crew Position You Wouldn't Want
Security! These guys and gals are always getting shot at or having to punch intruders. No thanks!
13) Favorite DS9 episode
Extremely basic answer but it's "Take Me Out to the Holosuite" aka the baseball shenanigans episode. This is my kind of silly story: the crew forms a baseball team to beat some haughty Vulcans, but they're unfortunately terrible at baseball. Hilarity ensues.
This episode has a ton of really quotable lines, several from Worf. ("Death to the opposition!" he yells to intimidate a batter.) It's a great hour of low stakes fun, and perhaps Sisko said it best with this toast: "To manufactured triumph! Hear, hear!"
(Honorable mentions include "Blood Oath", "The Wire", "Past Tense", "Bar Association", "In the Cards", and "In the Pale Moonlight." There are a LOT of great DS9 episodes.)
14) Favorite Time Travel Episode
That would be Voyager's "Future's End" two-parter. This one has a lot of great moments: the 90s fashion, guest star Sarah Silverman, the word "freakasaurus", and the Doctor's new holo-emitter! Very entertaining all around.
Time travel is a narrative device I enjoy because there are so many ways to do it. But I enjoy this episode in particular because there's just something about seeing the crew in present day (when it aired) California that's really fun. It feels kind of like these characters could just pop up in our real world at any time.
(Honorable mention to DS9's "Little Green Men" which is one of the wackiest time travel episodes ever!)
15) Best First Officer
Una Chin-Riley, the Enterprise's first officer in Strange New Worlds. She is "Number One" after all 😁
I've only had the opportunity to watch the first season of Strange New Worlds so far, but I really like Una. She's dependable, levelheaded, and a good mentor to La'an. (Them playing Enterprise Bingo together was a highlight.)
16) Favorite Trek Game
I can't answer this because I haven't played any!
But if we want to go with an in-universe answer, I pick parrises squares! (I just like the name)
17) Favorite Trek Novel
I,Q by John de Lancie and Peter David.
Basically, it's the End of Everything, and Q goes on a journey through the five stages of grief. Literally. It's a weird novel but I read it so many times in high school. (I should reread it again sometime)
The opening line from Q's perspective is very memorable, and so very perfect for the character: "I, Q. My instinct is to start with me."
18) Favorite Non-Aligned Race
Speaking of Q, I think I'll pick them for this one. Of course, John de Lancie's Q is an absolute hoot to watch, but I enjoy the glimpses of other Q as well, making them quite fascinating as a whole. Voyager's episode "Death Wish" in particular is a great example.
19) Favorite Voyager Episode
Season four's "Day of Honor" or as I like to call it "B'Elanna's terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day."
Of course, I was gonna pick a B'Elanna episode, and I really enjoy this one not only because she weathers so many challenges here, but also she gets an opportunity to be extremely vulnerable, especially in her relationship with Tom. I just enjoy it, even though it's not one of those extremely hard-hitting memorable episodes.
(Honorable mentions include "Twisted," "Death Wish," "The Thaw," "Extreme Risk," "Spirit Folk," and "Muse")
20) Character You're Most Like
Hmm... this was difficult for me, because I don't think I have much in common with many characters. But I think maybe Deanna Troi and I are kinda similar. I'm not an alien empath, but I am quite empathetic. And I spend a lot of time listening to people and helping them come up with solutions to problems, just like Deanna.
21) Least Favorite Character
I don't particularly care for Kes.
22) Favorite Trek Film
The one with the whales!! (Star Trek 4)
Can y'all tell I really like things that make me laugh? 😂 this was my first Star Trek movie, so I didn't have the context of what had happened in the previous two movies, but the plot was so entertaining that I didn't need it. It's got silly time-travel shenanigans, plus Spock who's still a little loopy from coming back to life in the previous film. Like I mentioned when talking about "Future's End," it's extra fun to see the characters in modern times, surrounded by things we deal with on a daily basis.
Also, you know, humpback whales are cool too.
23) Best Trek Tech
Medical scanners! Can we please develop the technology to just wave a tricorder around and instantly diagnose anything? It would be so much nicer and faster.
24) Best Overall Space Vessel
I don't really have strong opinions on space vessels in general (though I think Klingon birds-of-prey are a cool name). So I guess I'll pick the Delta Flyer for this one.
Along with the standard touchscreen controls, Tom added buttons and knobs to use too. Which I think is a nice practical design while flying 😁
25) Favorite Enterprise Episode
I unfortunately have not watched Enterprise, so I've gotta skip this one.
26) Planet You Would Most Like to Visit
I think Bajor would be a fascinating visit, especially from a cultural and historical perspective. I'd just be curious to see it and learn more. (It's been a while since I fully watched through DS9 but I don't remember many episodes featuring the planet itself, and I would have liked to see more of it.)
27) Character You Would Date
😂 none of them! This is a silly question
28) Name Your Own Starship
I'm terrible at naming things, so this answer is really lame, but I kinda like the name "Persistence." (I didn't check to see if there was already a ship with that name.)
I was thinking about the Defiant and that kind of descriptive name, and Persistence popped into my head. I think it's a good trait for people to have, and so it'd be a good name for a ship full of persistent explorers.
29) Favorite Trek Quote
This exchange between Dr. Bashir and Garak in the DS9 episode "The Wire" just lives rent-free in my head all the time. Part of it was Andrew Robinson's perfect line delivery, but also, it was simply the perfect way to end that episode.
30) Favorite Trek Series
It's Voyager, of course! My gateway series into the franchise and something I always think about fondly when I think back on my childhood. Sure, the series has its flaws, but it has a lot of moments and characters I still enjoy all these years later.
Plus, it's just one big road trip story, and that's honestly my favorite kind of story!
Thanks for reading, and feel free to share your own answers to the questions as well!
It's a good variety of questions that had me thinking hard about my answers. Here they are below:
1) Favorite TOS Episode
I should preface this by noting that I've never watched the full TOS series. I just watch it when I get a chance to catch an episode on TV, so my viewing experience is very scattered.
That being said, my answer is definitely "The Trouble with Tribbles" because it's an absolute hoot from start to finish. I recently rewatched it, and had forgotten how funny almost every moment is. You've got humor ranging from snarky dialogue with the Klingons to the visual comedy of the tribbles continuing to pop up everywhere.
I, for one, enjoy whenever a Star Trek episode takes a break from high-concept sci-fi to give us an hour of sitcom level shenanigans.
2) Favorite Federation Race
If the Klingons were part of the Federation, they'd be my first choice. But alas, they aren't. So I'm going with Betazoids.
I think a race of telepathic empaths is just a cool concept, and I always enjoyed how Marina Sirtis (as Deanna Troi) played one on TNG. Plus, Lwaxana is absolutely hilarious, showing that not all Betazoids have the same personality.
3) Favorite Starship
Incredibly biased answer, but it's definitely the USS Voyager. That's the one I grew up watching first, so I know it quite well. They've got an aeroponics bay, astrometrics, and even borg regeneration alcoves onboard. How many other ships can boast that?
On the downside, cheese once broke the ship. But, hey, that's pretty unique too.
4) Best Captain
This is a tough one because I think they're all pretty good choices. Different styles for everyone, and there are some I'm not really familiar with because I haven't seen their show yet.
So I'm just gonna go with the easy answer for me: Captain Janeway. After all, she did manage to navigate the ship through the Delta Quadrant for seven years with absolutely no backup.
5) Saddest Event
Plenty of things to choose from (season one of Strange New Worlds somehow had me crying three episodes in a row??), but the first answer that popped in my head was "Course: Oblivion" from Voyager.
An extremely tragic episode where we get to see the duplicate crew from "Demon" slowly die, and then leave behind no trace so that no one will ever know what happened or even that they existed.
It gets me every time I watch it.
6) Happiest Event
Voyager finally returning home after seven long years separated from everyone they know and love. Like, of course, you know this is ultimately the only way the series could end, and yet it's still satisfying to know that they made it.
(Yeah, a lot of these answers will probably be very Voyager-centric...)
7) Favorite TNG Episode
That would be "Deja Q" from season three. The one where Q is temporarily a regular, powerless mortal!
There are so many funny moments in this episode, including one of my all-time favorites: Q bringing a mariachi band to the Enterprise bridge 😂
(Some honorable mentions for this category include "Rascals", "Remember Me", "Qpid", and "The Next Phase". In fact, I waffled for a long time about whether to pick Rascals or Deja Q. The mariachi band won in the end.)
8) Favorite Federation Enemy
Can I say Klingons here?? They were enemies at one point!
I just really love Klingons. I think they're really fun as a concept (buncha warrior dudes and ladies). Plus bat'leths look cool, and the language is fun to speak (it requires spitting, lol).
I also enjoy how they go from enemy to sorta begrudging ally over the years.
9) Favorite Character
B'Elanna Torres! She was immediately my favorite when I first started watching Voyager. She didn't quite fit in with everyone else because she was only half-human, and I was really drawn to that storyline. Plus, she was just this really cool and smart engineer too, always figuring out the answer to tough stuff.
To this day, I still tend to be drawn to angry characters and mechanics, and I feel like that's all because of B'Elanna 😅
10) Most Shocking Moment
(This is a spoiler for the first episode of Discovery)
I remember tuning in for the premiere of Star Trek Discovery and being incredibly excited about Michelle Yeoh as Captain Georgiou. Not only is the actress just amazing, but it's so rare to see Asians in the captain seat.
So imagine my shock when they killed her off in the first episode!! I was devastated, and honestly, this was partially why I just couldn't vibe with the series. Though I know now she gets to make appearances again later. It still doesn't make up for the initial shock.
11) Crew Position You Would Want
I think I'd enjoy some sort of science officer position where I get to study cool space phenomenon. The other positions seem way too dangerous or something I'd be terrible at.
Honorable mention, however, goes to Ops. I wouldn't mind standing in Harry Kim's shoes for a day and just scanning stuff.
12) Crew Position You Wouldn't Want
Security! These guys and gals are always getting shot at or having to punch intruders. No thanks!
13) Favorite DS9 episode
Extremely basic answer but it's "Take Me Out to the Holosuite" aka the baseball shenanigans episode. This is my kind of silly story: the crew forms a baseball team to beat some haughty Vulcans, but they're unfortunately terrible at baseball. Hilarity ensues.
This episode has a ton of really quotable lines, several from Worf. ("Death to the opposition!" he yells to intimidate a batter.) It's a great hour of low stakes fun, and perhaps Sisko said it best with this toast: "To manufactured triumph! Hear, hear!"
(Honorable mentions include "Blood Oath", "The Wire", "Past Tense", "Bar Association", "In the Cards", and "In the Pale Moonlight." There are a LOT of great DS9 episodes.)
14) Favorite Time Travel Episode
That would be Voyager's "Future's End" two-parter. This one has a lot of great moments: the 90s fashion, guest star Sarah Silverman, the word "freakasaurus", and the Doctor's new holo-emitter! Very entertaining all around.
Time travel is a narrative device I enjoy because there are so many ways to do it. But I enjoy this episode in particular because there's just something about seeing the crew in present day (when it aired) California that's really fun. It feels kind of like these characters could just pop up in our real world at any time.
(Honorable mention to DS9's "Little Green Men" which is one of the wackiest time travel episodes ever!)
15) Best First Officer
Una Chin-Riley, the Enterprise's first officer in Strange New Worlds. She is "Number One" after all 😁
I've only had the opportunity to watch the first season of Strange New Worlds so far, but I really like Una. She's dependable, levelheaded, and a good mentor to La'an. (Them playing Enterprise Bingo together was a highlight.)
16) Favorite Trek Game
I can't answer this because I haven't played any!
But if we want to go with an in-universe answer, I pick parrises squares! (I just like the name)
17) Favorite Trek Novel
I,Q by John de Lancie and Peter David.
Basically, it's the End of Everything, and Q goes on a journey through the five stages of grief. Literally. It's a weird novel but I read it so many times in high school. (I should reread it again sometime)
The opening line from Q's perspective is very memorable, and so very perfect for the character: "I, Q. My instinct is to start with me."
18) Favorite Non-Aligned Race
Speaking of Q, I think I'll pick them for this one. Of course, John de Lancie's Q is an absolute hoot to watch, but I enjoy the glimpses of other Q as well, making them quite fascinating as a whole. Voyager's episode "Death Wish" in particular is a great example.
19) Favorite Voyager Episode
Season four's "Day of Honor" or as I like to call it "B'Elanna's terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day."
Of course, I was gonna pick a B'Elanna episode, and I really enjoy this one not only because she weathers so many challenges here, but also she gets an opportunity to be extremely vulnerable, especially in her relationship with Tom. I just enjoy it, even though it's not one of those extremely hard-hitting memorable episodes.
(Honorable mentions include "Twisted," "Death Wish," "The Thaw," "Extreme Risk," "Spirit Folk," and "Muse")
20) Character You're Most Like
Hmm... this was difficult for me, because I don't think I have much in common with many characters. But I think maybe Deanna Troi and I are kinda similar. I'm not an alien empath, but I am quite empathetic. And I spend a lot of time listening to people and helping them come up with solutions to problems, just like Deanna.
21) Least Favorite Character
I don't particularly care for Kes.
22) Favorite Trek Film
The one with the whales!! (Star Trek 4)
Can y'all tell I really like things that make me laugh? 😂 this was my first Star Trek movie, so I didn't have the context of what had happened in the previous two movies, but the plot was so entertaining that I didn't need it. It's got silly time-travel shenanigans, plus Spock who's still a little loopy from coming back to life in the previous film. Like I mentioned when talking about "Future's End," it's extra fun to see the characters in modern times, surrounded by things we deal with on a daily basis.
Also, you know, humpback whales are cool too.
23) Best Trek Tech
Medical scanners! Can we please develop the technology to just wave a tricorder around and instantly diagnose anything? It would be so much nicer and faster.
24) Best Overall Space Vessel
I don't really have strong opinions on space vessels in general (though I think Klingon birds-of-prey are a cool name). So I guess I'll pick the Delta Flyer for this one.
Along with the standard touchscreen controls, Tom added buttons and knobs to use too. Which I think is a nice practical design while flying 😁
25) Favorite Enterprise Episode
I unfortunately have not watched Enterprise, so I've gotta skip this one.
26) Planet You Would Most Like to Visit
I think Bajor would be a fascinating visit, especially from a cultural and historical perspective. I'd just be curious to see it and learn more. (It's been a while since I fully watched through DS9 but I don't remember many episodes featuring the planet itself, and I would have liked to see more of it.)
27) Character You Would Date
😂 none of them! This is a silly question
28) Name Your Own Starship
I'm terrible at naming things, so this answer is really lame, but I kinda like the name "Persistence." (I didn't check to see if there was already a ship with that name.)
I was thinking about the Defiant and that kind of descriptive name, and Persistence popped into my head. I think it's a good trait for people to have, and so it'd be a good name for a ship full of persistent explorers.
29) Favorite Trek Quote
"Of all the stories you told me, which ones were true and which ones weren't?"
"My dear Doctor, they're all true."
"Even the lies?"
"Especially the lies."
This exchange between Dr. Bashir and Garak in the DS9 episode "The Wire" just lives rent-free in my head all the time. Part of it was Andrew Robinson's perfect line delivery, but also, it was simply the perfect way to end that episode.
30) Favorite Trek Series
It's Voyager, of course! My gateway series into the franchise and something I always think about fondly when I think back on my childhood. Sure, the series has its flaws, but it has a lot of moments and characters I still enjoy all these years later.
Plus, it's just one big road trip story, and that's honestly my favorite kind of story!
Thanks for reading, and feel free to share your own answers to the questions as well!
no subject
Date: 2023-11-02 03:27 am (UTC)For your #10 just - what?!! Realistically I probably wasn’t going to watch it anyway but now even more so.
no subject
Date: 2023-11-02 11:42 pm (UTC)Yeah, I'm still mad about it! I think I'd probably like the later seasons of Discovery from what I've heard, but I definitely didn't start out with a great impression of the series