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Published Mar 15, 2016

Star Trek Vault: Read-Along Records

Power Records began releasing Star Trek -themed albums in 1975. The first ones were 12-inch, 33 1/3 RPM recordings that featured original Star Trek stories. Power Records also released 7-inch records, in either the 33 1/3 or 45 RPM formats, occasionally accompanied by a related 20-page book. Later on, in 1979, Peter Pan Records took over, unveiling 12-inch, 33 1/3 records and a couple of 7-inch, 45 RPM discs, that recycled the Power Records recordings and sometimes, but not always, included 16- or 20-page books.

All in all, there were 11 actual new Star Trek stories, billed as "original stories for children inspired by Star Trek ." The story titles included "In Vino Veritas," "The Time Stealer," "Passage to Moauv," "The Crier in the Emptiness," "The Robot Masters" and "Dinosaur Planet." As the good folks from Peter Pan Records in Newark, New Jersey, promised... "The action comes alive before your eyes!"

These days, all of the Trek material from Power Records and Peter Pan Records can be found in the dealers rooms at conventions and, of course, via online retailers such as eBay. The 7-inch versions typically cost less than $10, while 12-inch editions cost more, roughly $10-$25. The albums produced before 1979 generally fetch in the higher range, and the final two 12-inch LPs are even more valuable, as they're rare and include several stories (but no comic book).

Now here's the debate: Sealed items are usually worth more money; that's a general rule of thumb. But if your Star Trek record is sealed, then you can't listen to it or read along with the book. And what fun is that? So before you visit the dealers room or search online, we recommend that you decide in advance what you really want.

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On the Star Trek Peter Pan Records of 1979

In the last two days, we’ve discussed the seven original Star Trek stories produced by Peter Pan Records in 1975-1976 (parts one and two ). Today, we look at the company’s 1979 Star Trek offerings.

The Final Four Stories (1979)

Although Peter Pan Records hadn’t produced a Star Trek record in three years, it apparently still had the license to produce them. With the release of Star Trek: The Motion Picture , the record company went back to press on its original seven stories, reissuing them, both as singles and as 12″ collections but now under covers bearing photos from the new movie. Despite this, when comics were contained inside, the art for those comics reflected the uniforms of the original five-year mission, rather than the uniforms seen in the motion picture.

After six such reissues (the two original 12″ records, the two 7″ singles with comics, the record with both “A Mirror for Futility” and “The Time Stealer” that had comics adaptations for both, and a new combination of “Passage to Moauv” and “Crier in the Emptiness” that included both their comic adaptations), Peter Pan issued an all-new 12″ record containing four new stories (its fifteenth release overall).

This echoed the pattern Peter Pan had taken in 1975-1976, in which all seven original stories were first released on two 12″ records without comics, and only then re-released as singles, either with or without comic books. Following this all-new album, Peter Pan re-released the three book-less singles from 1975-1976 (even though this meant two singles again for “The Time Stealer,” one with a comic book and one without, and no single for “The Logistics of Stampede” or “A Mirror for Futility”). It seems as if Peter Pan was trying to churn out as much product as possible, while avoiding pressing new records — the only new pressing of old material was the combined 12″ record for “Passage to Moauv” and “Crier in the Emptiness.” With these re-releases exhausted, Peter Pan released three singles from the four stories on its all-new 12″ album, the latter two of which had new comic-book adaptations.

Then, after 21 albums containing various permutations of the same 11 stories, Peter Pan released two final 12″ records (its 22nd and 23rd releases), mixing all 11 stories in a new order onto two albums instead of three. Visually, these final two albums were distinguished by using images of the new movie’s Enterprise, whereas prior albums had only used photos of the new movie’s cast.

And that was it for Peter Pan’s Star Trek offerings.

This flurry of albums, released around The Motion Picture , apparently did good business for Peter Pan. They still exist in such quantities that it’s not rare to find them sold online still in their shrinkwrap.

Besides having photographic elements on their covers, the 1979 releases didn’t carry the Power Records logo, instead going with the logo of parent company Peter Pan.

These four new stories aren’t up to the quality of the seven original ones, especially those written by Alan Dean Foster. In fact, it’s not known who wrote these four new stories. The two original 12″ records, which had contained all seven original stories and which were released in 1975, had specified the stories’ writers on their album covers. No such information was given for the four new stories.

And instead of tapping some of the best comics artists to produce the two new comics released in 1979, the art for those stories also isn’t up to the par set by the 1975-1976 comics.

If the album covers and the art produced for the two new comics is any indicator, these stories are supposed to be set after The Motion Picture . But there’s nothing in the stories themselves that reflects this. Indeed, these feel like they’re supposed to be missions from the original (or animated) series. It’s likely that Peter Pan Records wasn’t privy to the movie’s plot, when it produced these four tales to capitalize on the movie’s release.

“The Man Who Trained Meteors”

“The Man Who Trained Meteors,” the first track on the new 12″ record containing all four new stories, was the one new story that never got its own single. It was included, however, on Peter Pan’s penultimate release, a 12″ record collecting various stories in a different order. (The story thus appeared on only two records, the lowest number of releases for any of the eleven stories.) The audio play runs 15:23; no comic-book adaptation was ever produced.

In the story, a meteor storm wipes out Parynda City, capital of the colony on Parynda IV. In a rare scene of brutality, Kirk and Spock visit the devastated city and learn that it received threats a few weeks ago.

The same man soon threatens the Enterprise with his meteors. After Scotty traces the signal to a hollow meteor at the center of a swarm, Kirk, Spock, and Scotty take a shuttlecraft to investigate. Tyranneous, the villain in the hollow meteor, takes control of the shuttlecraft with his mind. Tyranneous says he deserves to rule by virtue of his powers and attacked Parynda IV to drive people away, since there are too many people there to control.

Tyranneous orders Scotty to take the shuttlecraft back to the Enterprise and blow it up. Spock uses a “Vulcan mind lock,” so he’s unaffected by Tyranneous’s powers, and stops the villain. He then has to use Tyranneous’s mind to steer the meteors to the Enterprise, where Kirk calls to be beamed aboard and instructs that Scotty be stopped “at all costs” — and he is when he hesitates, resisting his orders.

The story ends with Kirk saying that Scotty’s “not just a good Scott… but a great Scott” — and everyone laughs.

Despite the intoxicating idea of a “man who trained meteors” and is headquartered in a hollow meteor base, the story’s a lackluster one, relying upon poorly-articulated psychic powers, Spock’s “mind lock,” and massive death with no follow-up (and even a laugh at the end, despite the dead).

“The Robot Masters”

“The Robot Masters,” the second track on the new 12″ record containing all four new stories, was the third and last of those new stories to get its own single — which included a comic book. It was included on the same penultimate compilation record as “The Man Who Trained Meteors.” The audio play runs 14:21; the comic-book adaptation runs 20 pages.

Things are quiet with the Romulans and the Klingons, but Kirk learns that there’s a scourge of robots going missing — including the robots that Scotty’s ordered. Kirk learns that the robots aren’t being stolen, but being “trained” to be “soldiers… for the Romulans!”

Spock arranges a decoy ship to attract the Romulan pirates. It does, and the Enterprise quickly captures the Romulans. Although interrogations don’t produce useful information, the captured ship’s computers show its destination. So Kirk and crew disguise themselves as the pirates and pretend to deliver the stolen robots — which Scotty says he’s reprogram so they won’t fight. (His explanation of how this is possible is completely absurd and certainly doesn’t sound like someone who knows how to program anything, let alone a complex robot’s systems.)

The pirate ship’s path takes it to “unexplored regions outside the galaxy” (which, in Star Trek, is supposed to be a big deal). The ship’s destination is “a small moon on the edge of the Federation galaxy!” Incidentally, the Federation doesn’t have its own galaxy, and that’s central to the premise of Star Trek. Such a mistake recalls the notion that the Enterprise explores multiple galaxies , as is the case in the first Gold Key Star Trek comic .

Also recalling the Gold Key comics, the pirate ship seems to be a rocket , with a large flame coming out of its back.

Upon landing, Kirk and crew discover that the robot ringleader is a humanoid, green-skinned alien named Pragmar. He wears a hat with a red “M” on it, though it’s not clear why. He obviously looks nothing like a Romulan, and we might hope that he’s not intended to be one… until he uses the phrase “my fellow Romulans.” Multiple times — almost as if some sick writer is trying to increase our pain. Soon enough, we’re shown these “fellow Romulans,” who are also green-skinned and wear silly hats.

Kirk, Spock, and Scotty deliver the robots — including their leader, who Scotty says is named Mastero and whom Scotty’s been trying to reprogram, although he’s unsure if he succeeded. Mastero delivers a speech about destroying the Federation, so Scotty assumes he’s failed.

Pragmar then orders the robots to capture Kirk, saying he’s recognized Kirk all along. “Every Romulan warrior knows your face,” he says, referencing how Kirk’s defeated the Romulans time and time again. One wishes the artist knew a Romulan face.

But when Pragmar orders Mastero to kill Kirk and company, Mastero hesitates — and then orders his robots to attack the Romulans instead.

With the Romulans defeated, Spock talks admiringly about the robots’ logic. Kirk then introduces Mastero to Spock. Laughs all around, of course.

It’s not as terrible a story as it sounds, but it’s made much worse by its incongruities with the Star Trek universe. Beyond the Romulans’ appearance and the “Federation galaxy” business, robots in Star Trek were always limited. (That’s part of why the first British Star Trek strip, with its futuristic robots, feels so out-of-sync with the Star Trek universe.) When did the Federation get filled with so many robots?

But what’s really unpardonable, at least in the comic-book adaptation, is how not futuristic the robots look. They look like something that might have looked cool in the 1950s. In fact, they look decidedly retro- futuristic today. And in the audio play, they even clang around loudly. They can’t even speak well.

When robots are used in Star Trek, they’re far more likely to look like Data, of  The Next Generation , than the clunky designs seen here.

The robots in the story also all look the same. You’d think an artist would seize the opportunity to draw some wild robot designs. Instead, all the robots the Romulans have stolen look alike. Is the Federation filled with robots of this same, bizarrely retro-futuristic design? If so, why haven’t we seen them before?

There are a couple indications that the robots weren’t meant to all look alike. Scotty identifies the robot leader as “the one with the almost human arms, legs[,] and head.” Later, Pragmar says Mastero looks “magnificent! So big! So life-like!” But in the comic, the robot looks like all the others and certainly not any more “life-like.”

The comic-book adaptation, thanks to its wild infidelity to the show and its unimaginative designs, is worse than the audio play. But even it’s not good.

Like these other stories, there’s no reason this one should be set after The Motion Picture — except that drawing the uniforms that way might have led to increased sales. Oddly, the story briefly features Commodore Decker, who died in the classic “The Doomsday Machine” — long before The Motion Picture . But then, the story can’t even get his first name right (it’s given as Steve, instead of Matthew).

Heck, at one point Chekov refers to the Klingons, when he means Romulans. It’s a silly mistake, but if you don’t know what Romulans look like, it’s not surprising you can’t tell them and Klingons apart.

“Dinosaur Planet”

“Dinosaur Planet,” the third track on the new 12″ record containing all four new stories, was the second of the three singles culled from these stories. It was also the first of these stories to get its own comic book. It was the only one of the four new stories to be included on the second of the two 12″ compilation records — and thus on the final Peter Pan Star Trek release. The audio play runs 13:45; the comic-book adaptation runs 20 pages.

The Enterprise arrives at Oblik III, an unexplored world teeming with violent volcanoes — which surprisingly has intelligent life on it. Kirk leads a party that beams down and discovers a planet much like Earth’s distant past.

Soon, the crew’s attacked by a pterodactyl, but phasers aren’t effective on it (said to be due, absurdly, to thick skin). The creature’s soon joined by others, and the crew takes refuge within a cave.

Unable to go back outside, the crew follows a stream “of golden liquid” deeper into the cave, coming upon a cavern made of rare gems. (We later find out the liquid is literally gold.) Security officer Wodsworth instantly wants the gems for himself — but corrects himself to advocate instead that Kirk wipe out the dinosaurs and claim the gems for the Federation. (On the original show, gems can be manufactured, and money is said to be unimportant. This wasn’t always consistent. Still, Wodsworth’s reaction is completely out of character for a member of Starfleet, and Roddenberry did his best to prohibit such behavior.)

In the cavern, the crew is attacked by a couple tyrannosaurus rexes. But Spock notices that these dinosaurs differ from those of Earth’s past — they have longer arms and larger heads. (It’s not just the artist!) Spock reasons that these were the intelligent lifeforms the ship scanned. And then the tyrannosaurus rexes communicate via telepathy, explaining that since it’s been “eons” since they communicated with anyone other than themselves, they “naturally attacked without first trying to communicate.”

But Wadsworth, furious at the dinosaurs, blasts at one — destabilizing the cave. Spock absurdly informs Bones that there’s “not enough time” to beam up. Instead, Kirk asks the tyrannosaurus rexes for help, and the dinosaurs (of course) insist the crew rided on their backs.

Clearly, this is what the story’s really all about: getting Kirk and company to interact with dinosaurs — including the obligatory ride on their backs. In fact, this is the climax of the story — there’s no threat, outside of escaping the crashing caves; the joy of Kirk and the others riding telepathic tyrannosaurus rexes is supposed to substitute for any other drama. It doesn’t even really matter that they’re telepathic; they have no dialogue during the escape.

We don’t even get to see (or hear) Kirk and the others saying goodbye to these intelligent dinosaurs. Instead, after the escape, we’re right back on the Enterprise, where Kirk’s congratulating himself on “another solar system explored and another planet signed up as a member of the Federation.”

Wait… these dinosaurs are in the Federation? That’s always been depicted as involving time and diplomacy, but here Kirk treats it as little more than getting someone to sign a form. In fact, he sounds like a salesman who’s getting a commission — “another planet signed up.” Perhaps the dinosaurs are paying with some of those gems…

The episode ends with the conventional banter between Bones and Spock, who’s been a bit uncharacteristically harsh during this story.

As terrible as the story is on logical and structural levels, it manages to pull off its real agenda pretty well. Dinosaurs are cool — and beloved by kids — and it’s fun to see Kirk and the others interact with them. (If you think this is too absurd an idea, it’s worth noting that the revived  Doctor Who did this, in “Dinosaurs on a Spaceship,” in late 2012!)

And there’s no reason why, given all of these Earth-like planets in the galaxy, the Enterprise would have encountered so many humanoids and so few dinosaurs. After all, dinosaurs ruled the Earth for millions of years — longer than humans have even been around. In this sense, having the Enterprise encounter dinosaurs — while done in this story purely for fun — is actually a step towards realism, not a silly divergence from it.

This doesn’t redeem the story by any means. But the story’s so bizarre that it’s great it exists, if only for novelty’s sake. And the story’s strengths, despite its quality problems, illustrate that its premise is still worth exploring.

“The Human Factor”

“The Human Factor,” the fourth and final track on the new 12″ record containing all four new stories, was the first of the three singles culled from these stories — which was the only of those three not to come with a comic book. The story was (like “The Man Who Trained Meteors” and “The Robot Masters”) included on the first of the final two compilation albums, Peter Pan’s penultimate Star Trek release. The audio play runs 13:56; no comic-book adaptation was ever produced.

Kirk’s opening log refers to dinosaurs, Romulans, and meteors — the last three stories, in other words. The Enterprise is on a mission to convey the diminutive ambassador from Garus, a new member of the Federation, back to his home planet. The ambassador asks to see the Enterprise’s computer, and Uhura is assigned to assist him. But when the ship arrives at Garus, a shuttlecraft goes missing — along with Uhura and the ambassador.

Kirk, Spock, Sulu, and Chokov beam down to the surface and meet the planet’s president, Garmin. Kirk challenges Garmin, who reveals he’s in on the kidnapping and orders his men to capture Kirk and his crew. Sulu and Chekov are subdued, but Kirk and Spock escape into the capitol’s mile-long hall of worship. Spock picks a lock on a huge door, and inside he and Kirk discover a huge room with a fabulous computing system that monitors the whole planet. On one monitor, in what seems to be a religious ritual, Sulu and Chokov are helpless as Uhura is escorted away to serve “the Master.”

When Kirk and Spock arrive on the scene, they find out the truth: that the Garusians worship their vast computer (which presumably runs their society) as a god. Their religion forbids them to touch this “Master,” and so they have kidnapped outsiders to be trained to work the computer, which they regard as the highest honor. When Kirk asks why the Garusians didn’t simply request help, they explain that even speaking of their deity is forbidden. Kirk and crew return to the Enterprise.

To solve the Garusians’ problems, the Federation will deploy a satellite that will send “peaceful programming” to the computer on Garus. It’s an unsatisfactory — and very quick — explanation that seems to suggest that the computer doesn’t really need an operator; it’s just hungry for programming, which it seems to need a constant supply of. That’s how computers work, right? They eat programming?

Despite this, the story’s not bad overall. Very different planetary cultures were often used on the original show as a source of conflict, and the idea of a religion based on an advanced computer also reflects the religious messages of the original show. The story’s not as good as the best of the first seven stories (such as “A Mirror for Futility”), but it would be solid with a few minor changes.

Unfortunately, this was the final Star Trek story Peter Pan Records ever produced.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

In 1996, while still an undergraduate, Dr. Julian Darius founded what would become Sequart Organization . After graduating magna cum laude from Lawrence University (Appleton, Wisconsin), he obtained his M.A. in English, authoring a thesis on John Milton and utopianism. In 2002, he moved to Waikiki, teaching college while obtaining an M.A. in French (high honors) and a Ph.D. in English. In 2011, he founded Martian Lit , which publishes creative work, including his comic book Martian Comics . He currently lives in Illinois.

See more, including free online content, on Julian Darius's author page .

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STAR TREK REVIEWED

Links to hundreds of star trek fan films. founded by barb reader., you are on the new str website, which is still under construction. the original str website will remain online until this new site is complete., curt danhauser's guide to the star trek story records.

http://www.danhausertrek.com/Records/Main.html

CJ Danhauser, better known in Star Trek fan circles for his excellent animations in the Filmation style of TAS, The Animates Series, has also taken an interest in the eleven 'story records' created by Peter Pan Ind. As described on his exhaustive website...

"In 1975, Peter Pan Industries, long-time maker of records for children since the late 1940's, produced eight STAR TREK Story Records which included 7 different stories. These took the form of packages which included a phonograph record (either a 7 inch 45 rpm, a 12 inch 33-1/3 LP or a 7 inch 33-1/3 mini LP) and often a read along comic book typically 20 pages long. These were produced under the Power Records label, Power Records being a division of Peter Pan Industries. With the successful sales of these first offerings, Peter Pan Ind. would eventually produce four more stories, for a total of eleven."

Crier in the Emptiness

01 — 11min 52sec — 29 July 2017 The Enterprise crew encounters a being of pure sound whose attempts at communication threaten to deafen them and possibly rattle the ship apart.

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/89S83edQb7Y

Curt created this by combining the audio from the record with moving frames from the comic book.

The Time Stealer

02 — 16min 16sec — 13 September 2017 After venturing near a phenomenon that slows down time, the Enterprise crew encounters the inhabitants of a ship that is powered by magic.

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/h6_bI8NYR3k

Created by combining the audio from the record with moving frames from the comic book.

Passage to Moauv

03 — 16min 47sec — 06 October 2017 The crew of the Enterprise must contend with the escape aboard ship of a small but ferocious alien animal that telepathically projects its terror into the minds of anyone who ventures near. (1975) Written by Alan Dean Foster.

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/hNY98KcCmns

A Mirror For Futility

04 — 11min 31sec — 22 November 2017 The Enterprise crew encounters two vastly powerful and ancient starships that are locked in eternal combat, and struggles to convince them both that they are not enemies of either side. (1975) Written by Alan Dean Foster

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/JapkBqo19U8

In Vino Veritas

05 — 15min 40sec — 30 November 2020 While at a diplomatic conference with the Klingons and Romulans, Kirk and Spock must deal with the presence of an infamous galactic troublemaker whose unwitting actions threaten the talks. Written by Alan Dean Foster, 1975.

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/uo3rLm4RQOw

An audio drama played against a graphic of the cover of the original.

To Starve a Fleaver

06 — 15min 25sec — 07 January 2021 The laugh-inducing microscopic parasites that benignly live on the body of a visiting ambassador begin to infest the ship's crew. Written by Alan Dean Foster, 1975.

Listen on Youtube: https://youtu.be/Jtsl8VS3DUU

The Logistics of Stampede

07 — 14min 36sec — 11 February 2021 The problem-solving abilities of Mr. Spock are put to the test when a periodically occurring mass stampede threatens all crops on a Federation planet. Written by Alan Dean Foster, 1975.

Listen on Youtube: https://youtu.be/kZeBuQrmuJY

The Man Who Trained Meteors

08 — 15min 21sec — 11 March 2021 After the Enterprise crew witnesses a vast meteor swarm devastate a Federation city renowned for its beauty, they undertake to follow clues that indicate that the meteors were being controlled by artificial means. Written by Alan Dean Foster, 1975.

Listen on Youtube: https://youtu.be/Ui23VXnc9ns

The Robot Masters

09 — 14min 16sec — 08 April 2021 As hundreds of sophisticated robots disappear throughout Federation space, the Enterprise crew sets a trap for the culprits only to discover that the Romulans are hoarding the robots in a plot to use them as soldiers in a massive attack on a Federation starbase. Story written by Alan Dean Foster, 1975.

Listen on Youtube: https://youtu.be/bNP0FjqOii0

An audio drama played against a graphic of the cover of the original although the record appears to have been issued with a comic.

Dinosaur Planet

10 — 13min 39sec — 06 May 2021 While investigating a rocky, earthquake and volcano-wracked world, the Enterprise's sensors detect intelligent life-forms on the impossibly inhospitable planet's surface. After a landing party beams down to rescue these beings from the earthquakes and lava, they are menaced by huge dinosaurs.

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/_ep68J-x4io

The Human Factor

11 — 13min 56sec — 10 June 2021 The Enterprise crew must mount a rescue when visiting ambassadors abduct Lieutenant Uhura after learning that she has the computer skills needed to tend to their electronic god. Written by Alan Dean Foster in 1979

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/9rVufAtij2s

An audio drama played against a graphic of the cover of the original. The record does not appear to have been issued with a comic.

More from Curt Danhauser's Guide to Animated Star Trek

Curt Danhauser's Guide to Animated Star Trek also created Star Trek Logical Thinking , Star Trek Public Service Announcements , Klingon PSA: Warrior's Lessons and Curt Danhauser's Guide to Animated Star Trek .

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Peter Pan Records

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Peter Pan Records was a company which produced records for children under both the Peter Pan and Power Records labels. The company held licenses for many TV, comic book and film franchises, for which it produced original, full-cast audio dramas for release on vinyl records, primarily in the 1970s . Some stories were accompanied by a read-a-long comic book illustrating the audio drama. Peter Pan/Power released a number of Star Trek records, most written by an uncredited Alan Dean Foster . Artists for the comic book versions included well-known comic book artists such as Neal Adams and Dick Giordano . Some of the stories featured characters from the animated series , and later stories were published as tie-ins with Star Trek: The Motion Picture .

The voice actors for these productions were not credited; Peter Pan utilized a repertory company of voice actors who played different roles throughout their licenced productions.

List of Records [ ]

Connections [ ].

• Peter Pan Records article at Memory Alpha , the wiki for canon Star Trek .
• Curt Danhauser's Guide to the Star Trek Story Records
• 1 Ferengi Rules of Acquisition
• 2 The Chase
• 3 Preserver (race)

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Star Trek Power Records book & record sets

For more detailed plot summaries of these sets and those on the next page, you can go offsite and visit Curt Danhauser's Guide to the Star Trek Story Records .

PR-25 1975 Passage to Moauv The Enterprise is ordered to transport the noisy, cat-like pet waul of the Moauvian ambassador to his home world. The waul escapes and its telepathic projections of fear affect all crew members except Lt. M'Ress ( The Survivor ) who manages to calm the alien kitty cat. Stardate 5440 For reasons unknown, Sulu is black rather than Asian, Uhura is a blonde, and M'Ress appears to be Orion. Illustrated cover. 7" 45-rpm record and 20-page comic book. Writer: Alan Dean Foster Artists: Russ Heath, Dick Giordano, Neal Adams Cover artist: Neal Adams

PR-26 1975 Crier in emptiness The Enterprise encounters a being of pure sound, whose musical voice causes damage all over the ship until a crewman establishes a musical rapport with the being. Stardate 5444.9 Illustrated cover. 7" 45-rpm record and 20-page comic book. Writer: Alan Dean Foster Artists: Russ Heath, Neal Adams? Cover artist: Neal Adams

The Human Factor

• View history
• 2 Memorable quotes
• 3.1 Releases
• 3.2 Continuity
• 3.3 Characters
• 3.4 References

Summary [ ]

Gardis, the leading ambassador from Garrus, meets with Captain Kirk , and points out that Dr. McCoy has shown them sickbay , Spock has shown them crew quarters and recreation areas, Scott has shown them the engine room , Sulu the laboratories, and Chekov the transporter room . He asks to see the computer , finding the "machine brains most fascinating". Kirk assigns Uhura to the task at their request, especially since he will be busy planning the orbit about their planet. Spock contacts Kirk, asking him to report to the bridge , as they are approaching the planet. Kirk responds, asking Spock to have Uhura report to the ambassadors immediately.

On the bridge, Kirk expresses relief at their approach, commenting that the Garrusians were a bit hard to deal with and that " you find yourself either apologizing or forgiving them ". The rest of the bridge crew, other than Scott, agree with the sentiment. Suddenly the alarm sounds as a shuttlecraft is reported missing by security officer Frank Tanka. He also reports that the ambassadors and Uhura are missing.

Despite McCoy's misgivings, Kirk beams down to the planet with Spock, Chekov, and Sulu. On the planet, they arrive in Gartin, home to the " famous Mile-long Hall of Worship ". There, they meet Garmin, the president of Garrus. They enter the hall, marveling at its size. Garmin notes that their riches and real estate is for Federation use, it is only a matter of trade. When Kirk tells Garmin of their mission to find Uhura, Garmin tells him that he is sure that Gardis and Uhura are alright, and that it must be a big mistake.

They enter a large room, where Garmin tells them to enjoy themselves, telling them that it is " just a token of [their] belief and worship of the almighty Master. " Kirk demands Uhura's return. Garmin is stunned at his knowledge, and Kirk reveals that he spoke too much earlier in the conversation, knowing Uhura's name before Kirk told him. Garmin tells them that Uhura is with the Master and that they will never get her back. As Kirk contacts Scotty to beam down the security detail with Tanka, Garmin orders the away team subdued. Sulu and Chekov are quickly disabled, but Spock and Kirk manage to escape into the hall, where Spock spots a huge locked door. They pick the lock and open the door into an enormous room.

Inside the room, they discover that it is filled with computers, the " greatest array of scientific equipment " Spock has ever seen. On one viewscreen, they spot Gardis wearing religious robes and conducting a ceremony. Behind him stand Uhura, Chekov, and Sulu. They are being given to the Master. It turns out that the Garusians worship the huge computer as their god , and that they were using the Humans to manage the computer, something that they were forbidden to discuss with any outsider. Kirk promises to have the Federation send computer experts to assist them.

Memorable quotes [ ]

" Captain, please. The Vulcan race is known for more than our mind blocks and nerve pinches. When my race is faced with a problem, we pride ourselves on solving it. " " You mean, you're going to pick the lock? " " A crude way of putting it, Captain. I prefer the idea that I'm going to discover the necessary secret to unlock the door. "

Background information [ ]

Releases [ ].

• This story was released three times during the Peter Pan Records run. It could be found on Records #15, #19, and #22.

Continuity [ ]

• Like other later releases in the Peter Pan Records series, the stardate used does not correspond to the standard format for the dating system.

Characters [ ]

References [ ].

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The long lost original model of the USS Enterprise has been returned

The model, in the opening credits of Star Trek , had been missing since the 1970s. It popped up on eBay last fall. The seller helped facilitate its return to the family of the creator of Star Trek .

(SOUNDBITE OF ALEXANDER COURAGE'S "THEME FROM STAR TREK")

LEILA FADEL, HOST:

Good morning. I'm Leila Fadel.

The long-lost original model of the USS Enterprise, the one that could be seen in the opening credits of the TV show "Star Trek," has been returned. Missing since the 1970s, the model popped up on eBay last fall. The seller eventually took down the item and helped facilitate its return to Rod Roddenberry, the son of the late "Star Trek" creator Gene Roddenberry. Roddenberry, the son, says he now hopes to get the model into a museum for the public to enjoy.

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NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.

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Original ‘Star Trek’ Enterprise Model Is Found After Being Missing for Decades

The 33-inch model surfaced on eBay after disappearing around 1979. An auction house is giving it to the son of Gene Roddenberry, the creator of “Star Trek.”

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By Emily Schmall

The first model of the U.S.S. Enterprise, the starship that appeared in the opening credits of the original “Star Trek” television series , has been returned to Eugene Roddenberry Jr., the son of the creator of the series, decades after it went missing.

“After a long journey, she’s home,” Mr. Roddenberry wrote on social media on Thursday.

For die-hard Trekkies, the model’s disappearance had become the subject of folklore, so an eBay listing last fall, with a starting bid of $1,000, didn’t go unnoticed.

“Red alert,” someone in an online costume and prop-making forum wrote, linking to the listing.

Mr. Roddenberry’s father, Gene Roddenberry, created the television series, which first aired in 1966 and ran for three seasons. It spawned numerous spinoffs, several films and a franchise that has included conventions and legions of devoted fans with an avid interest in memorabilia.

The seller of the model was bombarded with inquiries and quickly took the listing down.

The seller contacted Heritage Auctions to authenticate it, the auction house’s executive vice president, Joe Maddalena, said on Saturday. As soon as the seller, who said he had found it in a storage unit, brought it to the auction house’s office in Beverly Hills, Calif., Mr. Maddalena said he knew it was real.

“That’s when I reached out to Rod to say, ‘We’ve got this. This is it,’” he said, adding that the model was being transferred to Mr. Roddenberry.

Mr. Roddenberry, who is known as Rod, said on Saturday that he would restore the model and seek to have it displayed in a museum or other institution. He said reclaiming the item had only piqued his interest in the circumstances about its disappearance.

“Whoever borrowed it or misplaced it or lost it, something happened somewhere,” he said. “Where’s it been?”

It was unclear how the model ended up in the storage unit and who had it before its discovery.

The original U.S.S. Enterprise, a 33-inch model, was mostly made of solid wood by Richard C. Datin, a model maker for the Howard Anderson Company, a special-effects company that created the opening credits for some of the 20th century’s biggest TV shows .

An enlarged 11-foot model was used in subsequent “Star Trek” television episodes, and is now part of the permanent collection of the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum , where it was donated by Paramount Studios in 1974.

Mr. Roddenberry, who said he gave the seller a “reward” for its recovery but did not disclose the terms, assembled a group of “Star Trek” production veterans, model makers and restoration specialists in Beverly Hills to authenticate the find.

The group included a “Star Trek” art supervisor, Michael Okuda, and his wife, Denise, an artist on “Star Trek” television series and films, and Gary Kerr, a “Trek x-pert” who served as technical consultant for the Smithsonian during a 2016 restoration of the 11-foot model.

“We spent at least an hour photographing it, inspecting the paint, inspecting the dirt, looking under the base, the patina on the stem, the grain in the wood,” Mr. Roddenberry said.

“It was a unanimous ‘This is 100 percent the one,’” he said.

Gene Roddenberry, who died in 1991 , kept the original model, which appeared in the show’s opening credits and pilot episode, on his desk.

Mr. Kerr compared the model to 1960s photos he had of the model on Mr. Roddenberry’s desk.

“The wood grain matched exactly, so that was it,” he said on Saturday.

The model went missing after Mr. Roddenberry lent it to the makers of “Star Trek: The Motion Picture,” which was released in 1979, Mr. Maddalena said.

“This is a major discovery,” he said, likening the model to the ruby slippers from “The Wizard of Oz,” a prop that was stolen in 2005 and recovered by the F.B.I. in 2018, and that Heritage Auctions is selling.

While the slippers represent hope, he said, the starship Enterprise model “represents dreams.”

“It’s a portal to what could be,” he said.

Emily Schmall covers breaking news and feature stories and is based in Chicago. More about Emily Schmall

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Star Trek: Discovery Just Brought A Legendary Original Series Episode Back Into The Mix

Let's fly ... away from spoilers . Read no further if you haven't watched the latest episode of "Star Trek: Discovery."

Mirror, mirror on the wall, who's the strangest of them all? In "Star Trek," that title goes to one of the zaniest concepts ever introduced into the canon: The Mirror Universe. The idea of our alternate selves living completely different lives somewhere out there is no longer the sole domain of perhaps the nerdiest franchise in all of sci-fi (although shows like "For All Mankind," "Foundation," and "3 Body Problem" are creating some stiff competition), the Marvel Cinematic Universe, or the best episode of "Community" ever made . Fans might be surprised to find out that many in the scientific community believe the theory is worth discussion these days . But "Trek" put its own unmistakable fingerprints on the multiverse by emphasizing one in particular that stands at odds with the usual Prime Universe -- one that poses a fundamentally moral dilemma between the paragons of Starfleet we know and love, and the absolute worst versions of themselves.

It doesn't come as a huge surprise that "Star Trek: Discovery" would use its final season to travel full circle and return to the Mirror Universe that played such a significant role back in season 1 (even if, ironically, there might be a parallel universe out there where we were able to see  former showrunner Bryan Fuller's more complex and nuanced take on it ). But what's sure to shock and delight longtime fans in episode 5, aptly titled "Mirrors," is a deep-cut reference to arguably one of the most influential hours of "Trek" ever made, and the one that introduced the Mirror Universe in the first place.

Read more: Every Star Trek Show And Movie In Chronological Order

A Different Kind Of Black Mirror

There might not be any sinister goatees or chest-baring V-necks in sight throughout this episode of "Discovery," but the lasting effects of "The Original Series" episode "Mirror, Mirror" are plain to see. Upon entering the wormhole that took scavengers Moll (Eve Harlow) and L'ak (Elias Toufexis) into multidimensional space, Captain Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) and Book (David Ajala) discover the wrecked remains of their ship ... alongside the still-functioning husk of a familiar-looking Starfleet vessel, emblazoned with the name, "ISS Enterprise." For those who haven't brushed up on their 1967 "Trek" lore (and, quite frankly, shame on you if that's the case), Burnham helpfully points out that this isn't exactly the same starship captained by the fabled James T. Kirk thousands of years ago. It's one that has somehow found its way from the depths of the Mirror Universe (the exact specifics are oddly brushed aside) and remained stranded ever since.

But then "Discovery" goes a step further and hearkens back to "Mirror, Mirror" more thematically. While exploring the derelict ship, Burnham and Book stumble upon information about the previous occupants of the ISS Enterprise and specifically that of a certain Kelpian who rose from a slave to a leader in his own right. That, of course, refers to none other than the Mirror version of Saru (Doug Jones) seen in season 3, whom Emperor Georgiou (Michelle Yeoh) saved from certain death and pointed towards his proper path. Where the ending of "Mirror, Mirror" suggests that Mirror Spock is still "a man of integrity" despite the ruthlessness of the Empire he serves, "Discovery" reconfirms that even the comically rampant evil of the Mirror Universe is no match for the stubborn idealism of "Trek."

New episodes of "Star Trek: Discovery" stream on Paramount+ every Thursday.

Read the original article on SlashFilm

A Long-Lost Piece Of Star Trek History Has Been Found – And Returned To The Roddenberry Family

The next time you fire up eBay looking for a lightly used PS5 or a random everyday item that kind of resembles the face of Jesus Christ (look, do whatever you want with your hard-earned money, folks), take a closer look — you might just come across a priceless pop-culture relic that has been missing for decades. Anyone who's used these sorts of online marketplaces for long enough undoubtedly has their fair share of horror stories, but this is one case that ultimately resulted in a happy ending for all involved.

It's a tale that has gone down as part of "Star Trek" lore over the long years. A franchise as long-lasting as this one will inevitably rack up its fair share of fan-favorite props and other objects of import, created by talented and pioneering artists to bring genuinely out-of-this-world visuals and legendary concept art to life. Historically, "Trek" has relied on matte paintings, cutting-edge VFX techniques, and all sorts of innovative production designs to help turn various shows and movies into the beloved entries they became. One in particular that had been lost to time, a 33-inch model of the USS Enterprise used in the classic opening credits for  "The Original Series," has managed to find its way back where it belongs.

The news was announced on Twitter (only the Borg would call it "X") by Eugene Roddenberry, Jr., the son of late franchise creator Gene Roddenberry, via a report by the New York Times . Roddenberry had some eagle-eyed fans to thank for it, who spotted an eBay listing auctioning the starship for $1000. The seller, upon being alerted to its significance, authenticated the find and eventually handed it over to Roddenberry for an unspecified reward. How's that for a feel-good story?

Back where it belongs

Perhaps no other fanbase understands the value of memorabilia and franchise history quite like Trekkies do. This probably explains why, rather than selling the Enterprise model for a quick buck, the unnamed seller instead went through the proper channels and made sure the priceless artifact was returned to its rightful owner. But how did it end up lost in the first place, you ask? Well, Gene Roddenberry originally lent the model to be used during production of 1979's criminally underrated "Star Trek: The Motion Picture," whereupon it mysteriously went missing. For their part, the seller claimed to have found the model in a storage unit — the exact path it took to end up there, however, will likely never be known.

In order to fully authenticate the find, according to the New York Times report, Eugene Roddenberry enlisted the help of "Star Trek" art supervisor Michael Okuda, "Trek" VFX artist Denise Okuda, and technical consultant Gary Kerr, the latter of whom used an old photo of the model from the 1960s as a point of comparison. According to Eugene:

"We spent at least an hour photographing it, inspecting the paint, inspecting the dirt, looking under the base, the patina on the stem, the grain in the wood ... It was a unanimous, 'This is 100 percent the one.'"

With that, an age-old cold case in the "Star Trek" universe has finally been solved.

"It's a dream come true": Rome Odunze talks about epic journey to the 2024 NFL Draft

From early rome odunze days to the nfl draft..

It's Week 4 of the 2023 college football season. The No. 8 Washington Huskies are up 38-12 over Pac-12 foe Cal on a chilly Seattle night. Late in the first half, Washington's top receiver, Rome Odunze , is split wide to the left.

Quarterback Michael Penix Jr. takes the snap and Odunze beats press coverage immediately, racing up the seam. Penix Jr. knows where he wants to go but sees a safety lurking in Odunze's way. He launches a deep pass to the corner, away from the safety but also away from Odunze's original path, forcing a tight-window throw.

In a split second Odunze looks back at the ball, adjusts his route, and looks back again in time to secure the pass for a touchdown - a sight Huskies fans saw 13 times over the course of the season.

"That was one of my favorite plays from the season," Odunze said, crediting teammate Jalen McMillan with helping develop his elite ball-tracking abilities. "You have to be ready for that moment and retain the focus through a route adjustment to make the catch."

It's plays like that on the field - and the man Odunze is off of it - that make him one of the top prospects in the 2024 NFL Draft. That potential began in Utah more than a decade ago.

NFL DRAFT HUB: Latest NFL Draft mock drafts, news, live picks, grades and analysis.

Rome Odunze's journey from Utah to Seattle

Odunze, named after the Roman Empire thanks to his father's love of history, was born in Orem, Utah. At age 3, his parents moved to Las Vegas. Even with the distance, Odunze made the trek back to Provo, Utah to spend summers with Wayne and Helen Bunnell, his maternal grandparents, at their farm.

"I remember the four-wheelers, I remember the cows, the hay, the barn, the tractors," Odunze recalled with ESPN . "Also the hard work."

Odunze made the varsity team at high school football powerhouse Bishop Gorman High School mid-way through his freshman year. He earned All-State honors as a junior as Bishop Gorman won a state title in 2018.

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Odunze credits Wayne's work ethic providing for the family as a model for success.

"My family, my mother, my pops, where I come from, we're all hardworking and determined people with tenacity," Odunze said. "It was naturally instilled in me as a young man and continues to be instilled in me to this day."

Success kept coming for Odunze on the football field. Bishop Gorman fell short in the title game in 2019 but Odunze earned Gatorade Nevada High School Player of the Year honors.

His outstanding play on the field complemented his stellar work off of it. Odunze was a 3.47 GPA student and a volunteer with charities including the Catholic Charities of Southern Nevada and the Special Olympics.

In August 2016, Wayne went out for a bicycle ride as he did often after a day of work on the farm. But this time he crashed and went over his handlebars, suffering a traumatic brain injury in the process.

He's legally blind and never got to see Odunze shine on the field for the Huskies. Instead, Helen watches diligently and fills him in on every catch.

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Building a winner in Seattle

In the Huskies' 2020 recruiting class, Odunze wasn't even the top-ranked receiver. That honor went to McMillan, a four-star wide receiver out of Fresno, Calif.

During his second year in Seattle, Washington fired coach Jimmy Lake after video showed him shoving linebacker Ruperake Fuavai during a loss to Oregon. As a highly touted recruit, Odunze could've entered the transfer portal and looked elsewhere.

"I had already made my mind up that I wanted to leave the place better than I found it," Odunze said. "I felt like there was so much still to accomplish. When the new staff came in and we talked about their offense, they talked about [Penix Jr.] coming in, I knew it could be something special."

He stayed as the Huskies hired new head coach Kalen DeBoer and the results on the field were immediate. Odunze made a leap and led the conference with 1,145 receiving yards and eight total touchdowns.

"The offense allowed for a lot of plays to be made by the receivers," Odunze said. "I had the skillset, I had the talent, just putting more work in through the offseason and I grew as a player... the offense started to allow me and all my brothers to eat."

During that breakout season, he took a day in December with teammates McMillan, Bralen Trice , Troy Fautanu , and Alphonzo Tuputala to wrap gifts for underprivileged children with The Forgotten Children's Fund .

That community work continued ahead of his third season, too. During Dawg Derby , a charity event put on in July by the University of Washington that pairs players and fans for a fishing tournament on Puget Sound, Odunze's foundation donated $5,000 to the Tulalip Boys & Girls Club .

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Odunze's record-breaking 2023 season

After earning first-team All-Pac-12 honors in 2022, Odunze earned a new title before the first kickoff of 2023: team captain.

"It's one of the biggest honors I've ever received," he said. "That's something I hold closer to my heart than a lot of awards that I've received and that's because it's voted on by the team. For those boys to see me as a leader, as someone they want to captain the team, to lead them out into battle every game, I felt very blessed."

His third season in Seattle was a record-breaking one. Odunze's 1,640 yards in 2023 broke the program's single-season record by nearly 200 yards. All of this while playing through a fractured rib and a collapsed lung suffered late in Washington's 31-24 win over Arizona .

This is the same man who played for two weeks of his sophomore season in high school with a broken collarbone . He'd miss no playing time for the Huskies who were gearing up for a showdown with Oregon.

“That dude was already worried about what he could do to get better and be ready for Oregon," Washington's head trainer Daren Nystrom told Christian Caple of On Montlake . “He did not make a big deal of it. If you didn’t know what was going on, you wouldn’t have known. You couldn’t tell by looking at him.”

Odunze kept playing and Washington kept winning. A win over Oregon in the final Pac-12 championship game ensured a spot in the College Football Playoff.

"I've been winning championships playing football for a long time," Odunze said. "Finally, to get my first Pac-12 championship with my brothers, it was a four-year journey. When we finally did and we could relish in the moment, that's something that I'll never forget."

After winning the Sugar Bowl over Texas , Odunze was the last player on the field at the Superdome. He was signing autographs for any kid who wanted one.

Though the Huskies lost the College Football Playoff national championship game, Odunze's proud of building one of the most successful teams in program history. His impact didn't go unnoticed by key figures in the program, either.

“Just over and over again, think about how many times he’s come through when you really needed it," DeBoer, now at Alabama , told reporters . "A lot of times you think about when you lose football games or you didn’t come through in the big moment. You remember those. I can’t remember Rome not coming through.”

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Rome Odunze's draft potential

You don't have to look far to find praise from scouts and analysts about Odunze. He put on a show at the scouting combine while other top prospects sat out, including staying later than any other prospect to get the time he wanted in the three-cone drill.

That drive - in addition to his talent and production - is grabbing plenty of attention.

NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah said Odunze is his favorite player in the draft in a media call. An NFL scout told The Athletic's Bruce Feldman Odunze is the safest guy of the top tier receivers and "he's built right to last and run routes." A wide receiver coach also raved about Odunze's football IQ. NFL.com draft analyst Lance Zierlein compared Odunze to future NFL Hall of Famer Larry Fitzgerald .

In most other years, Odunze's production, athleticism, and character make him the top wide receiver in a draft class. But Ohio State's Marvin Harrison Jr. and LSU's Malik Nabers are a pair of other top prospects at the position.

"I think [Harrison Jr.] is a tremendous wide receiver," Odunze said leading up to the draft . "He has a Hall of Fame father who has installed that in him... he kind of emulates that in his own game."

Regardless of how you rank the top receivers, Odunze is a near-lock for the top 10. USA Today's latest mock drafts have Odunze going No. 9 overall to the Chicago Bears and No. 10 overall to the New York Jets .

He's one of the few prospects invited to Detroit to be at the NFL Combine live. When he hears his name called, it'll be the culmination of more than a decade of work that sprouted from a family farm in Provo.

"It's a dream come true," Odunze said. "It's something I've been chasing since I was six years old... and I think my family's even more excited than I am."

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Following Odunze's rookie season

Fans of the franchise that drafts Odunze can look forward to a standout weapon in the passing game. Advanced metrics from Reception Perception show he stands out even at the top of the draft class at route success rate.

"I'm going to work," Odunze said. "I'm a young guy coming into a team, an organization that's been there for many years with many players going through so I'm just going to play my part and put the work in it."

He's also keen to do more than just produce on the field. Odunze noted in a recent interview on This Is Football that his locker room presence and leadership will be an emphasis early on.

"My involvement in the community as well, I feel, is second to none," he added.

He's working with Verizon this year to take fans through his experience. Verizon's following Odunze as well as Texas wide receiver Adonai "AD" Mitchell as they transition from college to the NFL in a series titled "Call to Pro," similar to the annual "Hard Knocks" documentary program .

The first part of Odunze's series will feature him making the call back home to tell Wayne and the rest of his family where he'll be playing professional football.

"He won't be able to make it to the draft because of his condition," Odunze said. "So Verizon hooked me up and that'll be the first person I call to let them know that I've been drafted."

That first part of the series will be released Friday with Odunze's social media platforms.

"I'm sure there'll be so many people I'll be connecting with," Odunze said. "The whole NFL experience is an incredible journey so they'll be right there along the way."

Walton Goggin’s ‘Fallout’ Ghoul Wasn’t as Gruesome as the Games For A Reason

Walton Goggins doesn't look much like his game counterparts.

The Big Picture

• The appearance of Walton Goggins' character as a ghoul in the Fallout adaptation was intentional to retain his humanity.
• Fallout creator Jonathan Nolan chose Goggins for the role specifically to show some aspect of his face while acting.
• Goggins' immersive performance in Fallout showcases his ability to emote, providing viewers with a tragic portrayal of his character.

While Fallout fans exited the Vault in droves to catch the adaptation of their favorite game, some noted deviations from the source material. But as costume designer Amy Westcott told Polygon , there was a specific reason for some of them. The most apparent was the appearance of Walton Goggin’s character, Cooper Howard, who becomes a sentient ghoul after nuclear bombs turn America into a wasteland. As opposed to many of his game counterparts, Coop retains his humanity and doesn’t maintain the zombie aesthetic game fans are used to.

“I think the only reason that he was downplayed in terms of being more grotesque was because he still had his wits about him,” Westcott said. “When you get to those ghouls that are really, really gross, they were really losing their minds. So I think to keep Walton as a central character -- in terms of him being still with us, so to speak -- it was imperative to see him at a stage of ghoulness, not all the way gone. You know, he couldn’t be feral.”

Humanity is at the center of Fallout , a theme that Westcott was highly aware of when designing the concept of Goggins’ ghoul. As soon as Lucy ( Ella Purnell ) exits the Vault , her optimism is immediately confronted. The world isn’t what she thought it was, and the Ghoul goes on later to remind her of this. The Wasteland takes everything from those still living. Even so, Coop still has some remnants of his former self. And that is what is at the heart of the character. Westcott wanted to make sure that viewers were able to empathize with him, even at the end of the world. This also was not lost on Goggins, who readily agreed that his character should remain — for lack of a better term — sexy.

The Ghoul Is Still A Person In ‘Fallout’

Though irradiated by nuclear waste, Coop is still a person. He has human drives, which he vocalizes in the Fallout finale . The drive to find his family. There is a reason why Fallout creator Jonathan Nolan cast Goggins, and it is the very reason it was important to show some aspect of his face while acting. When hiring Goggins for any role, he gives it 100%. The actor told Collider in a separate interview that being able to see him even fractionally was essential.

“For all of us, it was very important that you see me and that the pieces would be thin enough where I could not think about conveying feeling or thoughts to another person. At one point, we were gonna use contact lenses, and we did on the very first day, much to my dismay because those things freak me out. I put them in and stood up, and I couldn’t really see with them.”

Ultimately, Nolan decided that Goggins’ eyes were the most important to see, as they offer a window to the soul. From the onset, the Ghoul may seem cold, but it is because he is reacting from a very human place. Seeing Coop emote is the only way to get the tragedy of his character across . And by all accounts, Goggins was more than successful. Viewers can see the actor’s immersive performance in Fallout by streaming all eight episodes on Prime Video.

In a future, post-apocalyptic Los Angeles brought about by nuclear decimation, citizens must live in underground bunkers to protect themselves from radiation, mutants and bandits.

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