Captain Storil: Battle of Wolf 359

As seen in the pilot episode for Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. 

 

On Stardate  43997, Captain Jean-Luc Picard of the Federation Starship Enterprise was kidnapped for six days by an invading force known as the Borg.  Surgically altered, he was forced to lead an assault on Starfleet at Wolf 359.

 

At the Battle of Wolf 359, Starfleet assembled a fleet of 40 starships to stand against the Borg in their advance towards Earth.  One of the first ships to attack was the U.S.S. Saratoga, a Miranda-class starship under the command of a Vulcan named Storil.

 

 

Charging into the fray, Saratoga was one of the first vessels to fire on the Borg cube.  She was also one of the first to be caught by the Borg tractor beam.  Once her shields had drained, the Borg ripped into the small ship with their deadly cutting beams.  The bridge exploded in flames, killing Captain Storil and most of the command crew.  Surviving the blast, Lt. Commander Benjamin Sisko ordered an evacuation of all hands. 

 

Storil was never actually named in the series.  The name comes from the literary adaptation of the pilot episode and the script and is generally accepted. 

 

To make the figure, I took the Duty Uniform Picard and placed a slightly augmented Vulcan head on his shoulders. 

 

Seeing as how the Saratoga was a much smaller vessel than the Enterprise, some adjustments had to be made in order to present a passable action environment.  I chose the Action Fleet Stargazer as its design was similar to that of the Saratoga. 

 

Obviously, these models offer a rather comedic perspective when one compares the size of the chairs and consoles to the figures.  However, the objective is to create a somewhat believable background. 

 

Captain William T. Riker from “Parallels”

I think this figure fits with the theme of doomed sister ships of the U.S.S. Enterprise.  Although, this is not a sister ship—it’s the Enterprise herself from an alternate universe.  Imagine a reality where the Borg not only won the Battle of Wolf 359, but prevailed in the subsequent Battle of Sector 001 as well. 

 

In this reality, the Borg went on to assimilate or destroy Earth and the vast majority of the Federation.  This battered Enterprise is one of the only ships left. 
 

Commanding this barely functioning former flagship of the now defunct Federation is a grizzled and unkempt Captain William T. Riker.  

 

We first see this alternate reality in an episode called, “Parallels.”  Otherwise known as Lt. Worf’s adventures while surfing the multi-verse, this episode features a variety of possible divergent realities. 

 

Loved by many, I feel this episode was rather a let-down.  I think more could have been done to make it interesting, but the writers just seemed to give up.  Or, their high wore off and they just couldn’t go on.  The only good take away from this episode is the quantum reality where the Enterprise which has seen better days crosses into the prime reality and attempts to defect. 

 

Here we see a Mountain Man in a Starfleet uniform pushed past the breaking point.  Handling situation rather badly, Captain Riker fires on the shuttle carrying the Worf from the prime reality to his own Enterprise.  An Enterprise from one of the other realities fires back.  The Enterprise from the Borg-occupied reality explodes. 

 

This was a bit difficult to make, and I am sure the purists out there will find some fault with my interpretation.  I took the Duty Uniform Picard and placed one of the alternate heads to Admiral James T. Kirk on the shoulders—the one in mid-shout.  Then, I carefully added the beard and an appropriately messy hairstyle. 

A New Direction: Taking Crap and Making It Credible

Captain Jean-Luc Picard and the Enterprise-D

I know.  This is not a custom figure.  It’s true.  There has been no alteration to this particular figure.  This is the Captain Jean-Luc Picard figure created for the Minimates line.  However, while the designers of this line took the time to make figures from other incarnations of the series, they left collectors with absolute bollocks for environments.  This oversight left me with an opportunity to create something new. 

 

While made for much smaller, and arguably badly rendered figures, the Strike Force series accomplished very little.  In fact, it was one of the contributing factors to the end of decent Trek collectibles.  However, the vessels themselves are not bad at all.  The figures on the other hand are sad.  The Strike Force ships, however, did give us some really nice interior designs.   

For instance, Captain Picard standing on the bridge of his Enterprise. 

 

Cause and Effect: Captain Morgan Bateson

Beginning with the destruction of the Enterprise, "Cause and Effect" is a mind and time-bending episode featuring a seemingly endless series of recurring events.  It starts with a bizarre spacial anomaly (yay...another).  The ship is trapped.  Suddenly, an older Federation vessel appears on a collision course with Enterprise.  Despite some brilliant strategy, the older ship scrapes across the starboard nacelle, causing Enterprise to list out of control and eventually explode.  

Each time we see the ship destroyed, the timeline starts over and we are given more and more information on the series of events that lead up to the collision.  Eventually, the crew determines that they are trapped in a time-loop, forced to repeat the same series of events over and over again...kind of like how we all feel when the holidays roll around.  Finally breaking the cycle, the crew contacts the mysterious vessel. 

Its the U.S.S. Bozeman, lost almost eighty years ago.   

Played by veteran character actor, Kelsey Grammer, Captain Morgan Bateson is totally unaware that his ship and crew have been trapped in time.  The fact that the Enterprise found itself trapped in the same phenomenon allowed for both vessels to finally break the cycle.
 

Bateson was made by taking an extra Captain Kirk head and adding the beard.

I found a hairline that was close to the thinning hairline shown in the final broadcast. 

 

 

No longer lost in time...and lost in space...Captain Bateson is ready to re-join Starfleet with his crew of temporal refugees.  

Captain Spock

I know, its kind of a cheat.  There really wasn't much to do to create this figure, but I think it was necessary. 

Here is Captain Spock, as he first appeared commanding a ship of "children" in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.  Its 2285 and the U.S.S. Enterprise is now a training ship. 

Cadets under the supervision of Captain Spock engage in what was to be a three-week training cruise.  While technically the senior officer, Admiral James T. Kirk was along for the ride.  Kirk would eventually take command of the vessel to engage the mad potentate Kahn Noonien Singh.

To create this figure, I took the Admiral Kirk figure and placed a Spock head on it.  Sitting him in the command chair, gives him the appearance of command. 

 The simplicity of this figure is most likely the reason why it wasn't part of the line up.  Either that, or the designers were just asleep at the wheel. 

The Tholian Web: Mutiny on the Defiant

Not my favorite episode, but it does feature another of the unfortunate sisters of the Enterprise.  The Tholian Web features the U.S.S. Defiant and introduces us to the mysterious Tholians--a warlike, xenophobic species with an interesting weapon.  On a routine patrol, the Defiant is caught in a spacial anomaly (a great word for an otherwise scientifically impossible plot device) and trapped.  After three weeks, the crew goes mad and falls upon one another in a barbaric frenzy.  Though the events are not fully explained, the entire crew die in a variety of violent ways.  When discovered by the Enterprise, the Defiant is enveloped in an eerie green mist, shifting between dimensions.  Upon beaming aboard, Captain Kirk and party discover the entire crew dead. 

While he spoke no lines and is only visible for a moment, I decided to include the ill-fated Captain of the Defiant in this collection.  The reason, I had the parts and wanted to see how it would look.  Here is my attempt:  

We really know nothing about the crew of the ship, except that they all killed each other.  The Captain was found dead with a Red Shirt on the bridge.   

 
To accomplish this scene, I simply removed Captain Kirk's hair and posed the figures as close to the image from the show.  While the actual name of the captain of the Defiant remains a mystery, some of the non-cannon novels refer to him as Captain Thomas Blair.  The unknown Red Shirt is simply unknown...and a dirty mutineer so his name should be lost to history. 

The actual insignia patch for the Defiant is never seen on the screen--at least not until Star Trek: Enterprise took us back to the mirror-universe in its hackneyed attempt to draw in viewers.  The less said about that abortion the better.  For this creation, I used the original episode as my template.  I arranged the figures as accurately as I could to be true to the original episode.   

  

Captain J. T. Esteban, U.S.S. Grissom

Star Trek III: The Search for Spock has long been considered the best of the Star Trek films.  It has a fantastic plot and some really great acting.  Debuting here is one of the tertiary characters of the film--Captain J.T. Esteban of the U.S.S. Grissom. 

A by the book man, Captain Esteban arrives at the Genesis Planet with a team of scientists to supervise a routine survey mission.  Some have considered him overly cautious.  Others agree that he represents the better characteristics of command.  His concern for his ship and crew are evident in his manner.  Unfortunately, we all know how that turned out.   

Despite his concern for security, Esteban would fall victim to an attack by a Klingon Bird of Prey.  To make the ill-fated captain, I took the standard movie uniform body of Admiral James. T. Kirk.  I used the hair from the Dr. McCoy figure to provide the comb-over effect so popular in the 1980s...and, apparently, the 2280s. 

 

I created the small data padd from an piece of cardboard in an effort to re-create the device as seen when Grissom arrived in orbit of the planet.  To stand in for the cramped bridge of the Oberth-class Grissom, I used the Star Trek: Innerspace collection U.S.S. Stargazer.

 
This custom may seem simple compared to the re-painting and sculpting done by so many others in their efforts to create the perfect figure.  The truth is, they are easy.  The interchangeable parts make it easy to construct the basic figure.

 

 





Captain Rachel Garret, U.S.S. Enterprise-C

Appearing out of a time loop, the physics of which confound me to this day, the Enterprise-C makes a terrific appearance on season three of Star Trek: The next Generation.  In "Yesterday's Enterprise", the battered and barely functioning Ambassador Class starship falls through time--appearing twenty-two years after it was supposedly lost in space.  At the moment this ship from the past arrives, the future that we all know and love is changed.  The Federation is not engaged in benevolent interplanetary exploration.  It is fighting for its very existence.  The threat--the Klingon Empire!  Indeed, the future is not what it used to be. 

 

 

The differences are clear from the moment the Enterprise C comes through the time loop.  The bridge of the Galaxy Class Enterprise-D is darker and more militaristic.  The crew is even changed.  Worf is nowhere to be found.  Tasha Yar is alive and running the weapons console.  Wesley Crusher is dashing as ever as a full Ensign.  Well, you know the story. 

 

Commanding the Enterprise-C is the tough as nails Captain Rachel Garret--the first women to command a ship named Enterprise.  Played brilliantly by Tricia O'Neil, Captain Garret still manages to keep composure amid the chaotic revelation that the Federation is near defeat and that the destruction of her ship all those years ago might have prevented twenty-two years of war. 

To create this figure, I took Admiral Kirk from the Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan line and removed the head.  I then placed Nurse Chapel's head on the shoulders.  Lacking any properly sculpted hair, I used sculply--a great tool.  I'm sure the purists out their will argue that the hair isn't perfect.  Its not, but it will do for the scale. 

 

 

Even though she dies a little more than half-way through the episode, Captain Garret stands out as one of the more memorable guest stars. 

 

 

 

 

Back Again!

Its been a while since I posted. 

Honestly, I did not expect a large following, but it looks like there are quite a few people who have viewed the blog and liked what they saw.  I have even had offers for some of my custom figures--the Romulan Commander in particular.  While I am not looking to make money, I am happy to hear that my tiny contribution to the realm of custom figures is drawing attention.

I have come up with some new designs and have started playing around with some new characters.  Sadly, it looks like Minimates (like all other overpriced and under-produced Star Trek products) are a dim memory.  There shall be no more official creations coming forth.  Which means, if we want to see our favorite characters, we will have to make them. 

The great thing about Minimates is that they are easily adaptable.  Some only require minor re-ordering of parts.  Other figures may require re-painting or slight re-design.  Take Captain Rachel Garret of the Enterprise C. 


 This one was easy to an extent.  Take the Admiral Kirk figure 9from Star Trek II).  Place Nurse Chapel's head on the shoulders.  Remove the blonde hair and use sculpy to create her futuristic helmet-hair.  The hair was the most difficult part for me.  I am not very skilled with re-creating hair styles but I think I did a passable job. 

 

I will add a more detailed article about her in future.  Over the next few months, I will create some of the figures I have wanted to see--some of which were quite memorable.  I have tried to put these concepts into some order, like I did with my first offerings--doomed sister ships of the U.S.S. Enterprise.  While the muse may take me at any moment, I will try to come up with some order here.  Continuing with the "doomed starship captains" theme, I wanted to see if I could expand beyond the realm of the original series. 

Aside from Captain Garret, I have designs for Captain J.T. Esteban (U.S.S. Grissom)



Captain Clark Terrell (U.S.S. Reliant),Captain Ronald Tracy (U.S.S Exeter), and Captain Jean-Luc Picard from the alternate universe of Yesterday's Enterprise--you know it didn't end well.



Other concepts I am kicking around are Commander Hansen from "Balance of Terror", the Klingon Captain from The Motion Picture, Kirk and Picard from Generations, and a few others.  Hope you like them.