Friday Creature Feature - Tribbles

Back in the 1960s, Doctor Who and Star Trek had some of the funniest low-tech ideas for aliens (see also unicorn doggo). Because special effects were limited compared to today, it’s funny to look back and see some of the things that passed for dangerous extraterrestrials back in the day. Besides Star Trek’s unicorn doggo, one of my favorites while watching The Original Series was showcased in “The Trouble with Tribbles”. 

Stardate 4523.3: While the Enterprise’s crew was at Station K-7, a seemingly harmless tribble (literally a chittering furball) was sold to Uhura. Within a day it had multiplied. Meanwhile, Captain Kirk was trying to deal with Klingons. Tribbles, usually a calming creature while encountering other species, like humans and Vulcans, were agitated by Klingons. At least that discontent helped Captain Kirk find an undercover Klingon agent.

Since the days of Captain Kirk and the Enterprise, Tribbles have appeared periodically throughout Star Trek, usually as pets or referenced as a joke. In fact, on Big Bang Theory, Sheldon viewed Raj’s dog as an “attack tribble”. What better way to classify the yappy little dogs? 

Overall, the little creature is pretty harmless. A tribble will lull other species into this tranquilizing calmness. Call it pheromones or incredible cuteness (honestly, if it is something chemical, I could use a tribble at work sometimes) the exact mechanism of lulling creatures in is somewhat unknown. The danger in a tribble lies in their ability to reproduce faster than rabbits. In a matter of days, they’d deplete a ship’s food supply, given the chance.

But at least they’re cute, right?

Captain Kirk's Enemy Within

Today’s blog post is brought to you by Paramount Plus and Unicorn Doggo.

Recently, after finishing the first season of Strange New Worlds, I started watching the Original Series (logical place to go). It’s cheesy and the effects suck compared to 21st Century special effects. But the storytelling is timeless (I’ve said the same thing about Classic Doctor Who). Working my way through the first season, “The Enemy Within” caught my attention.

If you need a refresher, “The Enemy Within” features Captain Kirk being split in two during a transporter malfunction. We end up with a “good” Kirk and a “bad” Kirk. But naturally as the story progresses, it would be too straightforward for it to be a matter of good and bad. I mean just look at this conversation between Kirk, Spock, and McCoy:

Captain Kirk: What's the matter with me? 

Spock: Judging from my observations, Captain, you're rapidly losing the power of decision.

Dr. McCoy: You have a point, Spock?

Spock: Yes. Always, Doctor. We have here an unusual opportunity to appraise the human mind, or to examine, in Earth terms, the roles of good and evil in a man: his negative side, which you call hostility, lust, violence, and his positive side, which Earth people express as compassion, love, tenderness.

Dr. McCoy: It's the captain's guts you're analyzing. Are you aware of that, Spock?

Spock: Yes, and what is it that makes one man an exceptional leader? We see indications that it is his negative side which makes him strong, that his "evil" side, if you will, properly controlled and disciplined, is vital to his strength. Your negative side removed from you, the power of command begins to elude you.

Captain Kirk: What is your point, Mr. Spock?

Spock: If your power of command continues to weaken, you'll soon be unable to function as captain.

I wrote before about there being “grace in our failings” (as Vision put it), but I want to expand on that and relate it to Captain Kirk’s experience. As Alma taught his son Shiblon, “bridle all your passions, that ye may be filled with love” (Alma 38:12). As noted by Spock, Kirk’s “evil” side was driven, powerful, and passionate. But by reigning these traits in with his “good” side, he’s able to be a stronger leader. In fact, without his “evil” side, he had lost his ability to make decisions and lead the Enterprise.

Similarly, in an Animorphs book, Rachel got split in two and ends up with a “mean” side and a “nice” side. Like Captain Kirk, we’re kind of meant to feel that her “mean” side was evil. However, as the story progresses, it turns out neither side was evil. The “mean” Rachel has unbridled rage, anger, and drive… but she has no ability to act on anything but impulse. On the flip side, “nice” Rachel was too scared and timid to do anything, but she had foresight and was able to plan a battle like a war general. In our biggest vices often lie our strongest virtues. Can't have one without the other.

You can’t have the good without the bad. To quote Father Lehi, “it must needs be, that there is an opposition in all things. If not so, my firstborn in the wilderness, righteousness could not be brought to pass” (2 Nephi 2:11). So the drive we have to act, to take care of ourselves (even in unhealthy ways), and to live may feel in conflict with our divine potential. But to wish away our dark side, we just end up with more problems (just ask Regina after she split herself from the Evil Queen). Both sides are needed. By bridling the “dark side”, we’re able to use that drive and those passions (as Alma phrased it) to move forward the work of salvation, to serve our families, and change the world.

It's a good time for some self-compassion.

10 Cuddliest Creatures in Fiction

Life's too hard. Let's focus on something nice for once.

That's pretty much all the premise this article needs.

10: Dex-Starr
A more obscure character for those not at least neck deep in DC Comics, this cosmic kitty is a dangerous member of the Red Lanterns. His fury is only matched by his tragic backstory. He's not an alien or a mutant, he's just a kitty who wants to be loved.

9: Appa
This strange six-legged flying bison was introduced to us in Avatar the Last Airbender, and immediately flew away with our hearts. He's a big friendly mode of transportation and best friend to Aang. His only real competition in his world is when we were treated to baby sky bisons in the sequel series Legend of Korra.

8: Snorlax
When we first ran into Snorlax sleeping in the road in the Kanto region, did any of us really want to wake him up? He's just sleeping there, living his best life in the afternoon sun. It's almost tempting to just hang the rest of the adventure and join him on his big soft belly.

7: Baymax
Specially engineered to be as friendly and cuddly as possible, Baymax is the perfect healthcare administrator. He heals wounds, can warm you up to stave off hypothermia, and is just a pleasant personality program to tell your woes to. Baymax will even read up on you woes to find the best way to help you deal with whatever your dealing with.

6: Baby Owlbear
Found in the Dungeons and Dragons Monster Manual, owlbears have been around since near the beginning. They're large menacing creatures that are not to be taken lightly, unless they're cute little cubs. Found in some supplemental guides, adventurers lucky enough to come across one of these little darlings can train them to be powerful and loyal pets. While they'll be perfect in battle, they also make great places to sleep on the long road.

5: Tribbles
Seen first in the classic Star Trek episode "The Trouble with Tribbles" and later in the Deep Space Nine episode "Trials and Tribble-ations", these parasites multiply incredibly fast, and if left unchecked can endanger starship operations. The reason they are kept though is because they're soft, furry and purr like cute little alien kitties.

4: Nibbler
The deceptively intelligent alien pet from Futurama, Nibbler is a three-eyed bundle of love (as long as he's not hungry). Nibbler is part of a race of powerful warriors tasked with defending the universe from the Brains and other cosmic terrors, but in between life saving missions they're always up to snuggle and put on cute outfits.

3: Niffler
Formally introduced to us in Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them, these little mole-like critters are attracted to shiny things, for better or worse. They only get to about the size of a house cat, and while cuddling up to you may be a rouse to get that fancy pocket watch they spotted earlier, it's still a nice cuddle for everyone involved. Plus if you can get the Niffler to fall asleep you may get access to its secret magic pouch and get some treasure of your own.

2: All Baby level Digimon
Digimon can be big scary monsters that look like they climbed out of a high school student's edgiest sketchbook, or they can be the cutest little critters to rival even the squishiest of Pokemon. Baby level Digimon, no matter what they turn into, are all like this. Cuddly, friendly and fun little balls of squish, that you almost don't want to Digivolve.

1: Totoro
Duh.
Totoro from Ghibli studio's My Neighbor Totoro is the ultimate cuddle buddy. A forest spirit that protects children who are lost and in need of a friend, Totoro is there if you need an umbrella in the rain or a nap in the woods. Totoro is a big cat spirit ready to give you all the love you need, all you have to do is believe.

***Honorable Mention: Stitch***
Stitch, the adorable and lovable alien from Lilo and Stitch, would be on this list, except for the fact that while cuddling with him there would always be that nagging worry that at any moment he may try to destroy major cities, back up sewage lines, and steal everyone's left shoe. Stitch is cuddly, no doubt about it, but he's a little too unstable to make this list.

Westerns, a Heist and More… 13 Obscure but Amazing Star Trek Episodes

(Guest Post by Jared)

Star Trek is one of the largest franchises in history, spinning off multiple movies and six – soon to be eight - television show. While it's best known for being futuristic political science fiction, through the years it has explored dozens of genres. We've had plenty of comedies, romantic comedies, even an episode where the Captain and crew rip off a casino! As a lifelong Trekkie here are some of the most obscure Star Trek episodes you've probably never seen!

Comedies

1. 'Qpid' (The Next Generation, 1991)

When Captain Picard is reunited with an old flame, Vash, the antihero Q sends the entire crew into a Robin Hood fantasy where they take up the roles of the heroes. Picard becomes Robin Hood and learns he has until the next day to rescue Maid Marian (Vash) or she'll be killed. We get to see the futuristic crew fight with swords and bows instead of phasers and it's exactly as hokey and fun as it sounds!

2. 'Trouble With Tribbles' (The Original Series, 1967)

AND

3. 'Trials And Tribble-ations' (Deep Space Nine, 1996)

One of the most iconic episodes from The Original Series was "The Trouble With Tribbles" a comedy about some pesky alien critters. Later the crew of Deep Space Nine were sent back in time to the events of this episode with Kirk, Spock and the original Enterprise. It's fun because they use green screen to put the new crew into scenes from the original episode. Both episodes have become iconic, and are incredibly fun to watch back-to-back.

4. 'Message in A Bottle' (Voyager, 1998)

Voyager is unique because on their first mission an alien kidnapped them and then died before he could return them home, and as a result the entire show is about the crew exploring new places and cultures as they begin their 75-year journey back to Earth. In the fourth season Voyager finally was able to make long distance contact with home, letting them know they were alive. Andy Dick guest stars as EMH-2 and his scenes and interaction with the Voyager EMH are some of the funniest in all of Trek.

5. 'Little Green Men' (Deep Space Nine, 1995)

The Ferengi characters were perfectly used as comedic breaks during the high war and religious drama that made Deep Space Nine great. In this episode Quark, his brother Rom, and nephew Nog accidentally travel back in time to 1947 Roswell and become the little green men that have been immortalized by conspiracy theorists around the world. Maybe instead of raiding Area 51 in September watch this episode to learn what Area 51 is all about!

6. 'Take Me Out To The Holosuite' (Deep Space Nine, 1998)

Captain Sisko was a lifelong fan of baseball, and throughout the series we occasionally saw references to his love of the game. In 'Take Me Out to the Holosuite,' he is challenged by a rival from his youth to a game of baseball, one Captain’s crew against the other. Sisko and his son teach their shipmates how to play, but they stand no match to the physically superior Vulcan crew. Watching these aliens and humans attempt to play baseball is one of the most funny and oddest things to ever happen in Star Trek.

Westerns

7.  'A Fistful Of Datas' (The Next Generation, 1992)

Holodecks often play a pivotal role on Trek, and in this episode Troi, Worf, and his son Alexander become trapped in an Old Western story because of some experiments Data is running in another part of the ship. In order to escape alive they must play out the Western. Fun fact: this episode was actually directed by Patrick Stewart!

8. 'North Star' (Enterprise, 2003)

Star Trek Enterprise was a prequel series that took place before the stories of Captain Kirk and his Enterprise; it took fans to the beginning of Starfleet and the Federation. In this episode Archer and his crew come across a human colony living far from Earth, still living out the Old West ways. These humans had been taken from Earth and brought to this planet as slaves hundreds of years earlier, but their ancestors had fought back and destroyed the alien oppressors

Casino Heist

9. 'Badda-Bing, Badda-Bang' (Deep Space Nine, 1999)

Another obscure holodeck episode involves Captain Sisko and his crew robbing a Vegas casino! This time there's no malfunction, but when the crew is visiting their favorite program (a recreation of 1950s Las Vegas) for some relaxation their favorite hangout is bought by gangsters and the entire vibe changes. They decide the best way to get rid of the gangsters is to steal from them before any money can be given to their investors and then leave the holographic gangsters to the mob.

War Dramas

10. 'The Killing Game: Parts 1 & 2' (Voyager, 1998)

You guessed it....another holodeck episode, although this time there's no malfunction. The ship has been taken over by aliens, and they've erased the crew's memory and forced them to run out holodeck programs so they can practice their "hunting" by chasing and murdering the crew in a WWII story where they play out the parts of the French Resistance and their American allies. This episode has a ton of action, some decent comedy, but best of all it has Klingons fighting Nazis.

11. 'Storm Front: Parts 1 & 2' (Enterprise, 2004)

An ongoing arc through Enterprise was the temporal cold war where aliens from the far future were manipulating the time stream and changing the past to suit their needs. At the end of the arc the Enterprise crew is thrown back in time to World War II, but find a very different world than what their history remembers. In a The Man In The High Castle-like twist, it's one where the Nazis are winning, have invaded New York, and all with alien technology!

12. ‘Memorial’ Voyager (2000)

The crew randomly starts to have memories resurface of a dark planet and an intense personal war.  As they begin to investigate how someone could have recruited them for a secret war and then wiped all their memories of it they find something even more surprising. This is a great episode that shows how dark war is for both sides and deep those wounds can go.

13. ‘The Seige of AR-558’ Deep Space Nine (1998)

Deep Space Nine already has the reputation for being the darkest of the franchise and there are so many episodes that feature the dark parts of the Federation’s war with the Dominion, but this episode is one of the very best because of Aron Eisenberg’s performance as Nog. Eisenberg has stated that because of Nog’s leg amputation storyline he has become a fan favorite among veterans at Trek Conventions.

A Tribute to Leonard Nimoy

Leonard Nimoy 1960

On February 27, 2015 we lost an icon, but Leonard Nimoy was more than that, he was a hero. Those of us that grew up in the 60’s and 70’s first met him as Mr. Spock on Star Trek, the half human, half Vulcan science officer onboard the USS Enterprise. However, I also remember him as different characters throughout different television series that my dad watched all the time. Bonanza, Sea Hunt, Rawhide, and even Get Smart. The one thing that all of his characters had in common was that he was believable. He was never the handsome heart-throb. He was the man that told you how it was, like it or not.

As Mr. Spock, Leonard gave hope to those who felt different, looked different. He showed that differences could be bridged through friendship and by trying to understand the feelings and opinion of others even if you didn’t share them. He never judged Jim (William Shatner) for being a he-whore, or McCoy for being as over-the-top emotional. He didn’t care that Ohura was African American or that Chekov was Russian (we were in the middle of the cold war). And that Vulcan eyebrow didn’t raise a bit when America experienced its first inter-racial kiss between Kirk and Ohura!

Throughout the years, Leonard was never able to shake the Mr. Spock persona even though the series only lasted 3 years but he used it to his advantage. He was able to play the same character in three different mediums, the first to do so. Star Trek the original series, Star Trek the animated series, and all of the Star Trek movies.

In many interviews since the beginning of Star Trek (1966), Leonard Nimoy has recounted the origin of the Vulcan salute, which he introduced into the series. In one such interview (with The A.V. Club in July 2010), he explained, "The gesture that I introduced into Star Trek, the split-fingered Vulcan salute, we'll call it... that came from an experience -- I'm going all the way back to my childhood again -- when I was about 8 years old, sitting in the synagogue at high holiday services with my family. There comes a moment in the ceremony when the congregation is blessed by a group of gentlemen known as Kohanim, members of the priestly tribe of the Hebrews. And the blessing is one that we see in the Old and New Testament: 'May the Lord bless you and keep you; may the Lord cause His countenance to shine upon you', and so forth. When they give this blessing, you're told not to look! You're supposed to avert your eyes. I peeked, and I saw these guys with their hands stretched out - there were five or six of them, all with their hands stretched out toward the congregation - in that gesture, that split-fingered gesture. Sometime later, I learned that the shape that hand creates is a letter in the Hebrew alphabet, the letter shin, which is the first letter in the word Shaddai, which is the name of the Almighty. So the suggestion is that they're using a symbol of God's name with their hands as they bless the congregation.".

Leonard, as you begin your journey into your final frontier, may your spirit “Live long and prosper” for you will be in our hearts forever.

-Tammy