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The new Trek CarBack radar and light vs. the Garmin Varia

A look at how each device looks out for you.

I’ve been a radar rider for four years. I like it, especially out of the city, where a car can truly sneak up on you if the wind or acoustics of an area are just right. The devices I’m most familiar with are by Garmin. Since I’m always keen to try something new, I thought it would be fun to compare the new Trek CarBack with the Varia RCT715.

Introducing the new Trek CarBack

Trek’s CarBack is the company’s first go at a radar and light. It works with most cycling computers. I connected it without any trouble to a Garmin Edge 540 Solar, Edge 530 and Wahoo Elemnt Roam v1. Later on, I’ll get into the details about how the CarBack behaved with each head unit.

The radar unit comes with a USB-C charging cable and a mounting strap. The mounting strap worked well with round and flat-back seatposts. Trek says it works with aero seatposts, too. I haven’t been able to check that out yet, but I’m not so sure about that claim. The rubber straps don’t seem to have enough stretch for a deep seatpost. There’s also a Blendr mount for connecting the radar to a Bontrager saddle. That’s probably the best way to run the CarBack on your Madone.

It has four light modes: day steady (maximum 25 lumens), day flash (90-lumen bursts), night steady (5 lumens) and night flash (5-lumen bursts).

Like Garmin, Trek has a specific app that lets you get radar alerts on your phone. The Trek app has just been released so I’ll let you know my thoughts on that in the long-term review.

Here are some key specs for the CarBack, as well as the Garmin Varia RCT715 and Varia RTL515. Two things to note: the RCT715 is bigger because it not only has a light and radar, but a camera. Second thing: I verified the light settings, weight and dimensions of the CarBack and the RCT715 because I have those units on-hand. The rest of the figures come from the companies themselves.

Trek CarBack battery life

With the Trek CarBack, I get close to seven hours of battery life. Throughout that time, I don’t stick with one flash setting but select whichever one is best for the riding conditions. In similar circumstances, I get four to five hours out of the Varia RCT715.

Trek says it takes three and a half to four hours to charge the device’s battery from dead to full. I ran it down to a charge of five to 25 per cent (one light of four indicating battery life), and got it charged to about 50 to 75 per cent (three lights) in about an hour and a half. It was fully charged in about two and a half hours.

How the Trek CarBack behaves with different head units

I paired the CarBack with the Edge 530 and the Varia RCT715 with the Edge 540. I rode around, then switched the radars among the Garmin head units. In each case, the Varia would mostly alert me to an approaching vehicle about a half to a full second before the CarBack did.

Next, I put the Varia on a Wahoo Elemnt Roam and the CarBack on the Edge 540 to see what that would show. Generally, the Varia was quicker on the draw when detecting a car within 140 m, a range that both radar devices could handle. For the farther stuff, naturally, the CarBack alerted me as it’s scanning all the way back to 240 m.

I then played around with the Varia on Edge units (both Varia/Edge combos seemed identical in their behaviour) while the CarBack was on the Elemnt Roam. Sometimes the CarBack would notice a vehicle before the Varia. Other times it wouldn’t. There were a few ties, too.

The CarBack “clears” cars sooner. Remember, once a radar detects a vehicle, the head unit it’s paired with beeps, and then displays a combination of lights and icons to indicate the car’s approach. Once the car passes, the head-unit screen returns to its default display. The CarBack usually indicated a car had passed sooner than the Varia, regardless of the head unit it was paired with. I should be clear here: the CarBack was never wrong when it said the cars were gone. The Varia is a more cautious device, sometimes indicating there’s a vehicle behind even when I could clearly see it had moved ahead of me. You might say the CarBack is more accurate in this regard.

Trek says that CarBack’s detection zone widens behind you. From the radar device to 50 m behind your bike, the CarBack is capturing movement 15 m to the left and 15 m to the right. From 50 to 100 m behind, the field is about 20 m left and right. From 100 m to 240 m, the limit of the CarBack’s range, the detection area is at its widest: 30 m to the right and left. Only once did a car sneak in behind me. It had made a left-hand turn, arriving on my road at my seven o’clock—my blind spot if I was in a car. I don’t want to make too much of this miss. Afterall, radars are not infallible. As I mentioned, I’ve used the Garmin radars for years. Throughout that time, I’ve noticed that on roads with a lot of ups and downs and/or bends, a car can get pretty close to me before the radar picks it up.

Another thing I’ve noticed, and that’s hard to quantify, is that the Varia RCT715 seems a bit “chattier” than the CarBack. Here’s an example. I was on a bike path that ran parallel to a fast and busy four-lane road. The path was around 5 m to the right of the traffic, separated by a raised curb and a grass strip. Yet, the traffic had the Varia and my head unit pinging. There were cars around, sure, but nothing coming at me. The CarBack was quiet. It seems to have less of the Varia’s cry-wolf factor, which is a good thing. If you think your device is behaving like the boy in the fable, you won’t pay attention to it as much as you should.

The Varia is more likely to be set off by other cyclists and pedestrians.

Finally, note that with a Garmin computer, you can control the light settings of the CarBack. You can even set it to auto, and let the head unit manage the light. The Wahoo doesn’t offer that functionality. While you’ll get radar alerts displayed on the Elemnt, you’ll have to reach back and push the button on the CarBack to find the light setting you want.

There’s an app for the CarBack

I got a CarBack before launch, but not its smartphone app. I’ve just downloaded it and snagged a few screen grabs. On a head unit, dots or car icons indicate the in-coming cars in a bar to the side of the screen. The Trek app gives a richer picture of where the cars are in relation to you, not just how far back, but laterally when vehicles are 75 m or closer. Head units don’t show if a car is to left or to the right of you.

First thoughts on the Trek CarBack

I do like the CarBack’s compact size. Afterall, the Varia RCT715 is a bit of a chunky monkey. (That’s what you get if you want video.) The better battery life of the Trek device is a boon, too. The Varia has occasional drop outs. I did not notice any with the CarBack; its connection with all the head units was strong and consistent. I am intrigued by how a radar’s performance changes somewhat depending on the head unit it’s paired with. As I continue to use the Trek CarBack , I plan to match it with other bike computers, as well as its app. I’ll let you know what I detect.

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Trek takes the fight to Garmin with new CarBack Radar rear light

Brand promises 'best in class experience compared to Garmin Varia and other competitors'

Trek, known predominantly for its bikes, has long made a selection of genuinely excellent bike lights under its Bontrager subsidiary. Its Flare RT, for example, has long existed in our guide to the best bike lights , as has a selection of its front lights. 

In recent years, that Bontrager name has been phased out somewhat, but if today's news is anything to go by, the product development continues apace, as the Trek range has an all-new flagship light on offer, complete with inbuilt radar technology, called the CarBack.

Now, I know what you're thinking, and much like the existing – longstanding – Garmin Varia RTL515, Trek's new product promises to combine the performance of the brand's market-leading rear light technology with a rear-facing radar that will alert you of approaching traffic from behind. 

Trek says it will connect to your bike computer via ANT+ or an app on your smartphone (presumably via Bluetooth), and allow you to see where on the road behind you a car is at any given time, and how quickly they may be approaching.

Like its Flare RT rear light, Trek describes it as a Daytime Running Light, promising visibility from up to two kilometres away. Meanwhile, it also says the new inbuilt radar is able to detect vehicles at up to 240 metres. 

Radar technology is well revered by the Cyclingnews product testers. It integrates naturally into riding habits and gives a real sense of increased safety, but Trek knows that it's got stiff competition from Garmin, whose Varia radar and rear-light combos have been on the market for over half a decade already. 

But Trek remains confident. In the product's media release, Trek explicitly calls out its competitor by promising a "best in class experience compared to Garmin Varia and other competitors."

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Those other competitors are currently few in number. Garmin's patent on the technology expired in 2021, according to reports by DC Rainmaker , and two lesser-known companies were both quick to jump on the bandwagon with Bryton launching the Gardia and Magene launching the Magicshine Seemee in the summer of 2022. 

Trek's entry into the market might be a little delayed by comparison, but the on-paper specs appear competitive. It will feature USB-C charging, IPX7 waterproofing, and connectivity to all of the major bike computers . It will also boast a newly designed mount that Trek says will work with all bikes, including its Madone aero bike.

It will be priced at £169.99 / $199.99 / €199.99 / AU$299, and is available to buy at Trek Bikes right away. 

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Josh is Associate Editor of Cyclingnews – leading our content on the best bikes, kit and the latest breaking tech stories from the pro peloton.

Josh has been with us since the summer of 2019 and throughout that time he's covered everything from buyer's guides and deals to the latest tech news and reviews. On the bike, Josh has been riding and racing for over 15 years.

He started out racing cross country in his teens back when 26-inch wheels and triple chainsets were still mainstream, but he found favour in road racing in his early 20s, racing at a local and national level for Somerset-based Team Tor 2000. 

These days he rides indoors for convenience and fitness, and outdoors for fun on road, gravel, 'cross and cross-country bikes, the latter usually with his two dogs in tow.

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Published Apr 30, 2024

WARP FIVE: David Ajala on Embracing Second Chances and the Heavy Burden of Legacy

The Star Trek: Discovery actor takes us behind-the-scenes of ‘Mirrors’ as Book’s journey this season.

SPOILER WARNING: This article contains story details and plot points for the fifth season of Star Trek: Discovery.

Getty Images / StarTrek.com

Welcome to Warp Five, StarTrek.com's five question post-mortem with your favorite featured talent from the latest Star Trek episodes.

The 32nd Century has not been easy for the courier known as Cleveland "Book" Booker. The Dark Matter Anomaly erased everything his home and Kwejian culture from existence entirely, along with his family.

In his desperation to stop the DMA, he allies with scientist Ruon Tarka to eliminate the threat once and for all by destroying its power source, putting him at odds with the Federation and his partner Captain Michael Burnham. While enacting their extreme plan, Tarka and Booker end up careening towards the edge of a hyperfield with their ship destroyed on impact. However, he was saved by the 10-C, a species that utilized the DMA, and held him in stasis as they worked to understand the predicament at hand. Despite his second lease on life, the Federation had to hold Book accountable for his actions but would take his “reasons” into account as they do matter. As penance, he would aid families displaced by the DMA.

The fifth season of Star Trek: Discovery welcomes Cleveland "Book" Booker into the fold as his expertise are needed when the Discovery crew are handed a Red Directive mission that involves trailing a pair of ex-couriers across the galaxy as they collect clues that will reveal the whereabouts of a device of immense power.

StarTrek.com had the opportunity to sit down with David Ajala ahead of last week’s episode, " Mirrors ," to discuss all things Cleveland "Book" Booker.

Mirrors Milestones

"Mirrors"

StarTrek.com

The latest episode of Discovery, “Mirrors,” opens with a personal log from Book as he reflects on a piece of advice provided to him by his mentor and namesake. "Mirrors" had no shortage of exciting features for the cast as it finds Book and Burnham trapped on the Mirror Universe's I.S.S. Enterprise along with this season's antagonists Moll and L'ak, who provide us with insight on the mysterious yet aggressive Breen .

"It was super, super special," David Ajala recalling his thoughts when he got the script for the episode and seeing all these elements that would delight any Star Trek fan, "It was a cherry on top of another cherry."

"It really was," elaborates Ajala. "Sometimes when you're reading these episodes, you just never know. I personally don't know what the story's going to be because I reached out to the producers and told them that I don't want to know anything, let me just go from episode to episode. And then you see these wonderful touchstones, from across Star Trek history, that they put in the episodes. And it is just glorious. And of course, the fans are going to love it. They absolutely will."

As for how he approached the momentous tasks at hand? Ajala shares, "In all honesty, my main thing is just to always be as present as possible. Sometimes you look around, you're on set and there's so much going on in a wonderful way, and just being part of this franchise, it's always very healthy to simplify it and just be as present as possible. And I think that's the ethos I try to take into everything that I did."

The Enduring Grace of Michael Burnham

"Face the Strange"

Previously, Ajala spoke to StarTrek.com, during the Season 5 press junket, about the grace afforded him by his love, Michael Burnham . The "grey area" the former couple exists in gets even murkier as Burnham got to relive a happier time in their relationship in " Face the Strange ," and the duo face imminent destruction aboard the I.S.S. Enterprise in “Mirrors.”

A romantic at heart, the Discovery actor notes Book and Burnham’s unyielding connection to one another, "Because love prevails, love perseveres through, they're always, always going to connect."

"Their relationship is made a lot stronger because of what they have to overcome during Season 5," hints Ajala, before diving into what’s going through Book’s head during the dire scene in "Mirrors." "It is bittersweet, but I think those happy moments are full of so much joy that they'll be able to exist. So Michael Burnham and Cleveland Booker will continue to be in each other's lives. In what capacity? The future will tell or unfold, even. But I really do believe that these are two individuals that bring out the best in each other. And the course of true love never did run smooth, but it's worth it."

The Complicated Legacy of Cleveland Booker IV and the Only Family He Has Left

It's not just being on the same starship with his former lover that has Book entangled this season. The ex-courier realizes that half of the fugitive duo he's chasing — Moll — is actually Malinne Ravel, the daughter of his late mentor, Cleveland Booker IV.

"It was a really brave thing for the writers to come up with this very specific story to introduce Moll as Cleveland Booker's sister," states Ajala. "And to have someone who speaks of this Cleveland Booker, Moll speaks about a Cleveland Booker that Book doesn't recognize at all."

"To hear someone speaking negatively about someone who you hold in such high regard was definitely going to be very painful for him, but at the same time, healing," elaborates Ajala. "At the same time, I think sometimes you do need to be challenged. The substance of who you are and what you stand for needs to be challenged because it crystallizes your identity."

Understanding Moll's desperation to protect the only person she loves, Book goes to the wisdom imparted on him by his mentor, " No matter how bad things get, the one thing you always have is a choice ." Even at one point, offering his phaser to his "sister" as a token of trust.

Recalling an earlier moment in the season he connected with, Ajala says, "There’s a scene where they're in Sickbay, it's Cleveland Booker and Dr. Culber. They're looking at the monitor, watching Moll and L'ak flying through the air. And what Cleveland Booker recognizes is that they are thrill seekers like him and Michael Burnham. It just adds a very deeper, nuanced, complicated level of connection with Moll. He will always continue to try to reach her, but he'll be challenged. The reason why he continues to pursue her is because he's been afforded a second chance and he knows what it feels and the benefits of being afforded a second chance. So he wants to offer that same grace to Moll. Whether she's willing to accept it or not is another question."

"I love their relationship. I love how they grow," Ajala teases. "I love how grey their relationship is. And by the end of the season there is a resolve between these two, but it's not a resolve that has a neat ribbon on it. It's still grey. That's life."

It's the grace afforded to him by Burnham that allows him to want to offer that to Moll. "Having experienced that level of grace, he is now able to give Moll that level of grace. It's all tied around the word grace and kindness. And I believe the world would be a better place if we offered each other a bit more grace."

"It means so much more now than it did the previous season," continues Ajala. "To know that one has a choice gives an individual a bit of freedom and a bit of power, so to say. And it's also very important to be able to make the right choice from an informed place. Worst case scenario is Moll will make a decision that Cleveland Booker could have helped her to prevent. That's worst case scenario. Best case scenario is that Moll makes a decision influenced by Cleveland Booker that helps her to avoid self-destruction."

The Last Kwejian

"The Hope That is You, Part 1"

In a tense moment in "Mirrors," Moll demands to know why Book is unrelenting in his support of her. Book painfully pleads, "Because I'm Kwejian. Everything I cared about out there is gone. And he may have been a shit dad to you, but he was a great mentor to me and like it or not, that makes you just about the only family I have left."

Ajala knows the pressure on Book to continue his culture’s legacy. "It's a huge task to take on board," he explains. "We have to remember he was the Prodigal son and he was ostracized from his family, so he didn't hold onto much of his culture. And then to be welcomed back into the fold and then to lose his whole entire planet, any bit of that culture will hold such incredible significance."

"I would hope that in a world or in the future, there is a world in which Cleveland Booker is able to maintain that culture and pass it down like an heirloom," says Ajala. "Kwejian culture is special. It's special. And it talks about us all being part of the same tree and being interconnected. I hope he will be a testament to what Kwejian culture stands for."

The previous seasons of Discovery was meaningful to Ajala because they were able to share more of Kwejian culture. "Do you know what's interesting about this," asks Ajala. "When we talk about the culture and the world of Kwejian? Of course, in Season 3, we got to see some of the world. And in Season 4, we got to see some of the world. But now that world of course is obliterated. Now you'll see the physical manifestation of that through Cleveland Booker. And the physical manifestation of it is grace, kindness. And it's also the ethos that we are all connected. The world is a better place with us all connected rather than existing independently. Again, going back to being afforded a second chance, I think he has a much bigger capacity of love and of patience to be able to be the right individual to reach Moll."

Offering A Spiritual Perspective to the Ship's Doctor

"All is Possible"

While aboard the U.S.S. Discovery , we get to see Book strengthen his relationship with the crew, especially Dr. Culber.

In " Jinaal ," Burnham and Book were present on Trill as Dr. Culber partakes in the zhian’tara ritual , which allows a symbiont's consciousness to take full control of his body. The experience shakes Culber at his core as it challenges what he knows to be true.

On getting to bond with Wilson Cruz and watching the friendship between Book and Culber strengthen, Ajala shares, "It's one of the relationships that organically developed, which I love. The texture of that relationship just feels so pure for the two individuals. The way Cleveland Booker is able to speak to Culber is different from anyone else. And I feel that Culber is able to speak with Cleveland Booker is also uniquely different. I love the way these two hold space for each other, curious without being judgmental. And I think it's a relationship that will continue to thrive and they'll continue to learn from each other."

"Mr. Cruz is so great to work with, he's just good people," Ajala adds. "It doesn't feel like work with him. What does feel like work is trying not to laugh. I don't think people realize how funny Wilson is. He is hilarious. He is so freaking funny. And I just love how you can go from just being wildly funny then in the zone, focused and back to storytelling."

BONUS: An Update to Queen Grudge

"Stormy Weather"

Of course, we couldn't let Ajala leave without an update to his queen, Grudge, and her legacy on the series.

"Queen Grudge's legacy will always be that she will be able to say, 'I didn't go to drama school and yet I was able to upstage my co-star who went to drama school for two years,'" quips Ajala. "It breaks my heart. My heart is still open because she is my queen. Her legacy will be the mystery will continue that no one apart from Cleveland Booker understands or knows why she is a queen and why she was named Grudge. I think that's a wonderful mystery, which I will keep for as long as possible, but her legacy will always be that she reigns supremely with attitude and sass."

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Christine Dinh (she/her) is the managing editor for StarTrek.com. She’s traded the Multiverse for helming this Federation Starship.

Star Trek: Discovery Seasons 1-4 are streaming exclusively on Paramount+ in the U.S., the UK, Canada, Switzerland, South Korea, Latin America, Germany, France, Italy, Australia and Austria. Seasons 2 and 3 also are available on the Pluto TV “Star Trek” channel in Switzerland, Germany and Austria. The series streams on Super Drama in Japan, TVNZ in New Zealand, and SkyShowtime in Spain, Portugal, Poland, The Nordics, The Netherlands, and Central and Eastern Europe and also airs on Cosmote TV in Greece. The series is distributed by Paramount Global Content Distribution.

• Behind The Scenes

Krall's Bizarre Vampire Powers In Star Trek Beyond Explained

Justin Lin's 2016 film "Star Trek Beyond" came at a strange juncture in "Star Trek" history. Paramount had two enormously successful "Star Trek" films in 2009 and 2013, both taking the ordinarily talky and contemplative franchise into a quicker, more violent, action-packed direction. Audiences flocked to those movies, both helmed by J.J. Abrams, enjoying the fact that "Star Trek" now more closely resembled "Star Wars." One year before "Beyond" was released, however, the Disney-backed Lucasfilm released "Star Wars: The Force Awakens," the first "Star Wars" theatrical feature film since 2008. "The Force Awakens" was a massive success, and the public's itch for space action was now being satisfyingly scratched. It, too, was helmed by J.J. Abrams. 

With real "Star Wars" back in the public eye, audiences no longer needed the supposed "fake 'Star Wars'" action that the new Trek films provided. "Beyond," as a result, was not as massive a hit as its forebears, and Paramount put the kibosh on further entries. Note: we may still get a fourth "Star Trek" film in the Kelvin continuity , but I'll believe that when I see it. 

In all three of the Kelvin movies, the story revolves around a passionately evil villain who sought revenge. For "Beyond," the villain was Krall (Idris Elba), a strange alien monster with access to millions of destructive space drones, and a device that allows him to "vampire" life energy out of people. He crash-landed on the planet Altamid a century ago and spent the ensuing time salvaging ancient Altamid technology and scheming against the Federation.

Krall's "DNA vampire" powers aren't well explained in "Beyond," so co-writer Doug Jung talked to Trek Core in 2016 to clarify a few things.

Read more: Star Trek's Gene Roddenberry Always Regretted Cutting One Character From The Show

Balthazar Edison

Late in the film, it will be revealed that Krall was actually once a human named Balthazar Edison, a Starfleet officer who served on board a starship called the U.S.S. Franklin. Edison was able to stay alive on Altamid thanks to the DNA vampire technology which prolonged his life but also caused him to mutate. Edison has been alive long enough to remember the days before the Federation -- his ship and uniform are from the era of "Star Trek: Enterprise"  — and he resented that the Federation made peace with previously violent enemies like the Xindi. For years, he's been searching for a destructive relic that he could as a biological weapon to kill millions and wipe out the Federation. 

When Krall uses his vampire technology to siphon the life out of captured Starfleet officers, his mutations begin to correct themselves. Throughout the film, he looks more and more human. Jung said that the "Beyond" makeup team had to design the un-mutation carefully, so as not to reveal to audiences too soon that Krall was actually a human. He said: 

"We had a lot of different versions. We hinted at it a lot more at one point. We talked about it more at one point. And then ultimately we just sort of decided that we needed it to be part of the whole reveal package. It's a complex idea, if you really think about what he had to do and how he had to get there. [...] [T]here was actually another phase that we took out, where Krall became too human-looking, and you would have connected the dots a little more."

No one, Jung said, was able to guess Krall and the crashed NX starship were connected. He was proud of that.

Krall's Timeline

The film explains that the local technology on Altamid physically transformed Balthazar Edison into a non-human species, but why does he use the name Krall, and why doesn't he speak any human languages when audiences first see him? That will require a little delving into the timeline of events in the broader "Star Trek" chronology . Edison, recall, was commanding a ship that resembled the Enterprise from "Star Trek: Enterprise," and his uniform matched that series as well, making his life contemporary with Captain Jonathan Archer (Scott Bakula). 

"Enterprise" takes place in the 2150s, and by Trek's history, the Federation was formed in 2161, after the Xindi War that destroyed the state of Florida and killed millions. That means the U.S.S. Franklin flew through a wormhole, post-Xindi conflict, and crashed on Altamid in the mid-2160s. "Star Trek Beyond," incidentally, takes place in 2263. 

Altamid was uninhabited when Edison crashed, only occupied by abandoned technology. Edison, as well as a pair of surviving crewmates, would lure passing alien ships to their planet, drag them down to the surface with killer drones, and use an infernal machine to absorb the DNA of the survivors. Edison so hated the Federation's gentle humanity that he deliberately abandoned being human. He turned into an alien, changed his name, and deliberately stopped using human language. 

Krall sustained himself, vampire style, for 100 years before attacking the new U.S.S. Enterprise, captained by James T. Kirk (Chris Pine). Because Kirk's Enterprise was populated by many humans, Krall vampired human DNA back into his system, and he began to change back. 

All the above exposition is given in "Star Trek Beyond," however in a non-explicit fashion. Krall is still a revenge villain, but his backstory is good for a Kelvin movie.

Read the original article on SlashFilm

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Just ahead of  Star Trek: Discovery’s final season, today the  Star Trek Universe got a bright spotlight shined upon it — and bringing readers a lot of new information about the future of this decades-old franchise.

In a lengthy cover feature for Variety, writer  Adam B. Vary talks to Trek’s cast and creative team, visiting the sets of  Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 3, the upcoming  Star Trek: Section 31 film starring Michelle Yeoh, and even going inside preproduction on the next television adventure, Star Trek: Starfleet Academy.

For the currently-filming third season of Strange New Worlds , the  Enterprise sets will be expanding with a dedicated laboratory where Lieutenant Spock (Ethan Peck) will investigate scientific dilemmas in front of a bank of large monitors — and above a water-filled tank which has already led some fans to joke that it may be a live-action Cetacean Ops.

In this new photo showcasing the new science lab from production designer Jonathan Lee , Spock is seen wearing an updated version of the Original Series’ red hazmat suits first seen in “The Naked Time” — redesigned by series costumer Bernadette Croft for the modern era.

Season 3 will also continue the trend of bringing new genres to Strange New Worlds episodes — as longtime Trek director Jonathan Frakes does reveal he’s finished a story “framed as a Hollywood murder mystery” that he describes as “the best episode of television I’ve ever done.”

Moving to the next live-action adventure — Michelle Yeoh’s  Section 31 film, which just finished filming last week — the  Variety piece confirms that the project shifted from an ongoing series to a one-off movie due to the impact of the pandemic, as well as Michelle Yeoh’s rise in popularity that reduced her availability.

Despite her limited schedule, the actor returned to the  Trek fold for this new Philippa Georgiou project, which sees the one-time Terran emperor zapped back in time after departing the 32nd century in Star Trek: Discovery Season 3. But where, you may ask, did the Section 31 agent arrive?

Surprisingly, it seems that the film will be spending at least some time in the 24th century’s ‘Lost Era’ — between the launch of the Enterprise- B in Star Trek: Generations and the launch of the Enterprise- D in Star Trek: The Next Generation — as Variety reveals the identity of one of Yeoh’s  Section 31 co-stars.

Kacey Rohl ( Hannibal, The Magicians ) will be portraying as a young Rachel Garrett , better known to Trek die-hards as the future captain of the  Enterprise -C. The character appeared only once, in  Next Gen’s “Yesterday’s Enterprise,” leading her ship and crew into a dark alternate future where she died in a Klingon attack before the  Enterprise- C could return to its own time. (The older Garrett was played by Tricia O’Neil.)

The article also mentions that despite its temporal setting, the Section 31 film has repurposed some sets originally built for the now-finished  Discovery series — and that the budget is, as shared by Alex Kurtzman, “much less” than a theatrical Trek production.

Kurtzman also noted that his team at Secret Hideout is considering other possible streaming movie concepts, including a possible  Star Trek: Picard follow-up, and that Michelle Yeoh is interested in a  Section 31 sequel… if the first film is successful.

Speaking of  Trek theatrical projects, the years-long efforts to drum up a fourth and final outing for Chris Pine’s  Star Trek Kelvin Timeline crew continue — I know, I know, you’ve heard that  many times before — with the current Kelvin project in the hands of screenwriter Steve Yockey (HBO’s The Flight Attendant ).

Also still chugging along is that other film concept first discussed back in January — said to be a prequel to the overall Star Trek timeline — expected to move into active preproduction later in 2024.

As always… we’ll see what happens in this department!

The next big television project, Star Trek: Starfleet Academy , has been oddly coy about its place in the Star Trek timeline — and while fans have speculated for months about when the series will take place, Variety has confirmed that the show will be set in the post- Discovery 32nd century era.

Set to start filming later this summer as previously reported ,  Starfleet Academy has taken over the former home of  Star Trek: Discovery in Toronto’s Pinewood Studios. The biggest soundstage in Canada, the series is expected to film on “the largest single set ever created for  Star Trek television.”

“Plans [include] the series’ central academic atrium, a sprawling, two-story structure that will include a mess hall, amphitheater, trees, catwalks, multiple classrooms and a striking view of the Golden Gate Bridge in a single, contiguous space. To fit it all, they plan to use every inch of Pinewood Toronto’s 45,900 square foot soundstage.”

As for the still-uncast  Academy cadets, showrunner Noga Landau describes them as kids who have “never had a red alert before, [and who] never had to operate a transporter or be in a phaser fight.”

Finally, Alex Kurtzman went onto share that he has no plans to hand over the Star Trek franchise reins anytime soon.

“The minute I fall out of love with [‘Star Trek] is the minute that it’s not for me anymore. I’m not there yet,” he says.   “To be able to build in this universe to tell stories that are fundamentally about optimism and a better future at a time when the world seems to be falling apart — it’s a really powerful place to live every day.”

You can read the entire feature piece — truly worth your time — on Variety’s  website.

Star Trek: Discovery returns next week, followed by new episodes of Star Trek: Lower Decks and Star Trek: Prodigy later in 2024. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is expected to return in 2025. Release dates for Star Trek: Section 31 and Star Trek: Starfleet Academy have not yet been announced.

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In the 23rd Century, Captain James T. Kirk and the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise explore the galaxy and defend the United Federation of Planets. In the 23rd Century, Captain James T. Kirk and the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise explore the galaxy and defend the United Federation of Planets. In the 23rd Century, Captain James T. Kirk and the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise explore the galaxy and defend the United Federation of Planets.

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• Trivia In the hallways of the Enterprise there are tubes marked "GNDN." These initials stand for "goes nowhere does nothing."
• Goofs The deck locations for Kirk's Quarters, Sickbay and Transporter Room vary (usually between decks 4-7) throughout the series.

Dr. McCoy : "He's dead, Jim."

• Crazy credits On some episodes, the closing credits show a still that is actually from the Star Trek blooper reel. It is a close-up of stunt man Bill Blackburn who played an android in Return to Tomorrow (1968) , removing his latex make up. In the reel, He is shown taking it off, while an off-screen voice says "You wanted show business, you got it!"
• Alternate versions In 2006, CBS went back to the archives and created HD prints of every episode of the show. In addition to the new video transfer, they re-did all of the model shots and some matte paintings using CGI effects, and re-recorded the original theme song to clean it up. These "Enhanced" versions of the episodes aired on syndication and have been released on DVD and Blu-Ray.
• Connections Edited into Ben 10: Secrets (2006)
• Soundtracks Star Trek Music by Alexander Courage

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V’varia (21) – Romulan Star System

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Appendices [ ]

References [ ].

• DS9 comic : " Images "

Screen Rant

Star trek: discovery’s new vulcan name ni’var is a deep cut enterprise callback.

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10 Star Trek Female Vulcans Ranked Worst To Best

Star trek: discovery reveals seven of nine's surprising legacy, star trek: discovery season 5 episode 7 ending explained.

• Star Trek: Discovery reintroduces Vulcan with the new name Ni'Var, uniting Vulcans and Romulans in peace under one planet.
• The name Ni'Var originated in Star Trek fanzines in the 1960s, representing two forms coming together in unity.
• Ni'Var is a deep-cut reference to Star Trek: Enterprise, where it was used as the name of a Vulcan starship in the 22nd century.

Star Trek: Discovery gave the planet Vulcan a new name, Ni'Var, which is a deep-cut reference to Star Trek: Enterprise and goes even further back in Star Trek 's storied history. As the homeworld of Spock (Leonard Nimoy/Zachary Quinto/Ethan Peck), Vulcan is one of the most important worlds in the Star Trek universe . First Contact with Vulcan on April 5, 2063, is what launched the human race to its destiny as a galactic power with the founding of Starfleet and the United Federation of Planets.

Star Trek: Discovery season 3, episode 7, "Unification III", reintroduced Vulcan in the 32nd century under its new name, Ni'Var. Along with introducing seminal characters like President T'Rina (Tara Rosling), the future betrothed of Ambassador Saru (Doug Jones), "Unification III" revealed that Ni'Var is now a planet shared by the Vulcans and Romulans , with peace kept by the Qowat Milat sect of Romulan warrior nuns . Star Trek: Discovery 's Ni'Var is the dream of Spock that is realized 800 years after the Vulcan Ambassador attempted to reunite the Vulcan and Romulan people in Star Trek: The Next Generation . But where did the name 'Ni'Var' come from?

The Romulans made their way back to Vulcan, their original homeworld, after a supernova destroyed Romulan in 2387.

Many of Star Trek's greatest (and most notorious) Vulcan characters are women who made indelible impacts on Federation history.

Star Trek: Discovery’s Ni’Var Calls Back To An Enterprise Vulcan Ship

Ni'var was a 22nd-century vulcan starship.

Ni'Var is a Vulcan word that means “two forms”, or an object that has two different viewpoints or two different natures. It's a perfect word to describe the unified homeworld of the Vulcan and Romulan people. Ni'var is also a callback to a Vulcan ship in Star Trek: Enterpris e season 1, episode 15, "Shadows of P'Jem." The Ni'Var was a Surak Class combat cruiser used by the Vulcan High Command in the mid-22nd century.

Star Trek: Enterprise is the first time the name 'Ni'Var" was used in canon.

Commanded by Sopek (Gregory Itzin), the Ni'Var was ordered to intercept the NX-01 Enterprise and return Subcommander T'Pol (Jolene Blalock) to Vulcan , as T'Pol's original service with Captain Jonathan Archer (Scott Bakula) and the Enterprise was originally supposed to last only 8 days. Star Trek: Enterprise is the first time the name 'Ni'Var" was used in canon, and it predates Star Trek: Discovery in the Star Trek timeline by a thousand years.

Discovery’s Ni’Var Has A Deeper Star Trek Origin & Meaning

Ni'var was coined in the first star trek fanzine.

The word "Ni'Var" in Star Trek originates in ancillary material tying into Star Trek: The Original Series . The word "Ni var" was coined by Dorothy Jones, a linguist who wrote for Star Trek fanzines in the 1960s. Jones wrote “The Territory of Rigel” in Spockanalia , published and edited by Devra Langsam and Sherna Comerford in 1968. “The Territory of Rigel” was a kind of song that Jones imagined Spock sang with another person , with one singing of light and the other of darkness. Jones established 'Ni var' as literally meaning 'two forms.'

The first union of a Vulcan and Kelpien can be considered an all-new version of 'Ni'Var.'

Executive producer and co-creator of Star Trek: Picard , Kirsten Beyer, wrote Star Trek: Discovery 's "Unification III". Beyer adopted 'Ni'Var' as the name of the unified Vulcan and Romulan planet from Dorothy Jones' fanzine work . In StarTrek.com , Beyer said of Ni'Var, "I just thought it was beautiful and captured perfectly what would be happening on Vulcan should they truly attempt reunification with the Romulans.” With Star Trek: Discovery season 5 setting up the wedding of President T'Rina and Ambassador Saru, the first union of a Vulcan and Kelpien can be considered an all-new version of 'Ni'Var.'

Star Trek: Enterprise, Star Trek: Discovery and Star Trek: The Original Series are streaming on Paramount+

• Star Trek: Discovery (2017)
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The Vorta were a humanoid species genetically-engineered by the Founders of the Dominion to act as field commanders, administrators , scientists , and diplomats . The Vorta saw themselves as those who "served the Founders."

• 1 History and sociology
• 2 Physiology
• 4 Food and beverages
• 5.1 Appearances
• 5.2.1 Origins
• 5.2.2 Evolution
• 5.2.3 Trivia
• 5.3 External links

History and sociology [ ]

The Vorta believed, perhaps apocryphally, that they previously existed as small, timid, ape -like forest dwellers living in hollowed-out trees to avoid predators , of which there were many, on their homeworld . Legend has it that one day , a family of Vorta hid a Changeling from an angry mob of " solids " that were pursuing it. In return, the Changeling promised that, one day, they would be transformed into powerful beings and placed at the head of a vast interstellar empire that would stretch across the galaxy . ( DS9 : " Treachery, Faith and the Great River ")

Apparently in fulfillment of the Founders' earlier promise, the Vorta were genetically changed by them into humanoids and were employed at the highest level of the Dominion, as the Founders' tools of conquest. Perhaps the most important of the genetic alterations made to the Vorta was an intrinsic belief that the Founders were gods . This ensured the Vorta's absolute obedience to the Founders. ( DS9 : " Treachery, Faith and the Great River ") Weyoun, while speaking to a Founder would typically assume a submissive posture, holding his hands down by his sides with palms faced out and slightly bowing his head . ( DS9 : " Call to Arms ", et al. )

Because of their high status within the Dominion, many species mistakenly assumed that the Dominion is led by the Vorta. In reality, the Vorta merely acted as its administrators, commanders, scientists, and diplomats, operating under the authority of the Changeling founders. Owing to their position in the Dominion hierarchy, the Vorta also served as the commanders of the Jem'Hadar . A single Vorta commanded each Jem'Hadar ship and the Jem'Hadar First was directly responsible to that individual, though the other Jem'Hadar were instead responsible to the First. The Vorta were tasked with the distribution of ketracel-white , a drug that ensured the loyalty of the Jem'Hadar (although it had been indicated that this was not entirely necessary). ( DS9 : " To the Death ")

Other Vorta were doctors . By 2375 , Weyoun had a team of Vorta doctors working night and day attempting to find a vaccine for a morphogenic virus afflicting the Founders. At one point, the Female Changeling decreed that they were to document their research and should then be eliminated and replaced by their clones. She felt that perhaps a fresh perspective might speed matters along. ( DS9 : " Penumbra ")

Physiology [ ]

Vorta had pale skin , violet eyes , and elongated ears that were completely joined to the rest of the head. The Founders altered the Vorta genome to include a sense of hearing greater than that of most other humanoid races, but they had comparatively weak eyesight. Vorta were immune to most forms of poison ; Weyoun once observed that this trait "came in handy as a diplomat." ( DS9 : " Favor the Bold ", " Sacrifice of Angels ", " Ties of Blood and Water ")

Eris using her telekinetic abilities

At least one Vorta agent, Eris , was capable of generating powerful blasts of telekinesis , similar in strength to a standard-issue phaser set to stun. It is unknown how widespread this ability is, though it does not appear to be all that common. ( DS9 : " The Jem'Hadar ", Star Trek Adventures - Alpha Quadrant )

Vorta only had a limited sense of taste and aesthetics. They enjoyed kava nuts and rippleberries , as they purportedly did before they were genetically engineered, but little else. Vorta generally had no appreciation for art . ( DS9 : " Favor the Bold ", " Treachery, Faith and the Great River ")

Unlike the Jem'Hadar, there were both male and female Vorta in service. If a Vorta was killed, they could be replaced with a clone , which retained all the memories of their predecessor through an unspecified process. Vorta clones could occasionally become defective, taking on different personality traits than those of their predecessors ( see Weyoun 6 ). ( DS9 : " Ties of Blood and Water ", " Treachery, Faith and the Great River ")

Vorta regarded their previous incarnations as distinct individuals from themselves, referring to previous clones by number or as "my predecessor". Even non-defective clones would exhibit slightly different personalities to other incarnations of the same Vorta. For instance, while Weyoun 4 found the ritual distribution of ketracel-white tedious, later Weyouns quietly reveled in the power it gave them; and Weyoun 5 was more introspective and philosophical than other Weyouns, openly musing on the will of the Founders and their choices in engineering the Vorta. ( DS9 : " To the Death ", " A Time to Stand ", " Favor the Bold ")

In the event of capture, Vorta were expected to commit suicide via their termination implant . Vorta were told that this death was quick and painless, but this proved not to be the case. ( DS9 : " Treachery, Faith and the Great River ")

• See : Unnamed Vorta

Food and beverages [ ]

• Rippleberry

Appendices [ ]

Appearances [ ].

• " The Jem'Hadar " ( Season Two )
• " The Search, Part II " ( Season Three )
• " To the Death " ( Season Four )
• " The Ship " ( Season Five )
• " In Purgatory's Shadow "
• " By Inferno's Light "
• " Ties of Blood and Water "
• " In the Cards "
• " Call to Arms "
• " A Time to Stand " ( Season Six )
• " Rocks and Shoals "
• " Behind the Lines "
• " Favor the Bold "
• " Sacrifice of Angels "
• " Statistical Probabilities "
• " The Magnificent Ferengi "
• " Far Beyond the Stars "
• " One Little Ship "
• " Honor Among Thieves "
• " Inquisition "
• " In the Pale Moonlight "
• " Tears of the Prophets "
• " Image in the Sand " ( Season Seven )
• " Shadows and Symbols "
• " Treachery, Faith and the Great River "
• " Penumbra "
• " 'Til Death Do Us Part "
• " Strange Bedfellows "
• " The Changing Face of Evil "
• " Tacking Into the Wind "
• " The Dogs of War "
• " What You Leave Behind "

Background information [ ]

Origins [ ].

The Vorta were initially conceived as rugged space traders, what Ira Steven Behr has referred to as " Brian Dennehy -types." ( The Birth of the Dominion and Beyond , DS9 Season 3 DVD special features) He elaborated, " At the beginning, we thought the Vorta were going to be big burly kinds of humanoids that looked like Brian Dennehy or Bob Hoskins . But it didn't work out like that. " ( Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion  (p. 154))

Robert Hewitt Wolfe speculated that the Vorta supplied the Hunters with genetically engineered Tosks . ( Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion  (p. 154)) Wolfe also described the Vorta as "the nice guy [merchant]s who would have sold anti-gravity tanks and phaser rifles to the Mongol s in the 1500s ." ( Star Trek: Communicator  issue 113 , p. 67) Additionally, he explained, " They were supposed to be kind of sexy, and ingratiating, and a little oily. " Wolfe wrote about the Vorta in an early Dominion-defining memo, at which point he knew that the Vorta (and the Jem'Hadar) had been genetically engineered by the Founders. " I think, to a certain extent, the Vorta's ability to pull the wool over people's eyes is due to a bit of genetic engineering, " Wolfe speculated. " On the other hand it's training, but I think if they do have any kind of psychic ability it's looking at someone and knowing what they want, and what their motivations are. They can then turn around and exploit those things. " When he wrote the memo, Wolfe was entirely unsure what the Vorta were like before their DNA was altered by the Founders. " We didn't know what the Vorta started out as, " he noted. ( Star Trek: The Magazine  Volume 1, Issue 13 , p. 57)

The Vorta makeup took approximately two and a half hours to be applied. " And yet when you see the Vorta it doesn't really look all that complicated, but it is, " remarked Weyoun actor Jeffrey Combs . He further explained that the look of the Vorta was a collaboration between the makeup and hair departments, and that traveling back-and-forth between the two was what made the process longer. Combs opined that the Vorta makeup was easier to wear than the Ferengi makeup. ( Cinefantastique , Vol. 29, Nos. 6/7, p. 61) He also stated about the Vorta makeup, " [It] was quite comfortable. It was a longer makeup, because hair was involved. " Unlike the Ferengi makeup, the Vorta equivalent allowed the wearer to hear quite well, as the Vorta "ears" actually were small holes. ( Star Trek: The Magazine  Volume 1, Issue 17 , p. 19)

Costume Designer Robert Blackman dressed the Vorta in sophisticated costumes which had details that were very alike. A typical Vorta suit included an asymmetrical tunic with unusual fabrics, and a wide, shawl-like collar. ( Star Trek: Costumes: Five Decades of Fashion from the Final Frontier , p. 202)

Evolution [ ]

Following " The Search, Part II ", the Vorta seemed to disappear for a while. This was because the DS9 writing staff was extremely busy with other things. Since the Vorta were considered vital to future stories, though, they were eventually brought back late in DS9 Season 4 , as a way of keeping the Founders mysterious and withdrawn. " It was necessary to see the Vorta again, as the conduit between them and the Jem'Hadar, " explained Ira Behr. That idea led to the possibility of the Vorta having enmity with the Jem'Hadar, and vice versa, which inspired the return of the Vorta in " To the Death ". ( Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion  (p. 168))

Before portraying Weyoun in "To the Death", Jeffrey Combs had never seen a Vorta. " I had no idea what a Vorta looked like until the makeup was done at 6:30 in the morning, when I looked in the mirror, " he recalled. [1]

Jeffrey Combs was, however, instrumental in developing the Vorta. " I kind of had a lot […] [of] input into kind of discovering and fleshing out who this species were, " he remembered, " and how they carried themselves, and how they operated and deceived and reassured you and had you… killed. " [2] Combs enjoyed influencing "what this whole race of people is, what the Vorta's values are and what makes them tick." ( Star Trek Monthly  issue 33 , p. 48) Writer Terry J. Erdmann noted about Combs, " He's one of the reasons the Vorta became so important. " ( Star Trek: The Magazine  Volume 1, Issue 17 , p. 92) A specific example of how Combs influenced the Vorta was by deciding that, via their body language, they "put people at ease." ( Cinefantastique , Vol. 32, Nos. 4/5, p. 83)

While working on "To the Death", DS9's in-house writers formed the opinion that the Vorta were a significantly more fascinating species to explore than the Jem'Hadar, as Jeffrey Combs later explained; " That's when they realized that, with Weyoun, it was much more interesting to examine the keepers than it was the Jem'Hadar themselves. " ( Star Trek: Communicator  issue 123 , p. 65) In fact, once "To the Death" introduced the character of Weyoun as played by Combs, the DS9 producers found difficulty with thinking of the Vorta in any other way. This impacted the species when it came time to cast other Vorta roles. " It's really tough to find actors who can play the many colors that he [Combs] gives it, " Ira Behr lamented. ( Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion  (p. 372))

Although Weyoun dies in "To the Death", establishing that the Vorta were genetically engineered, in DS9 Season 5 installment " Ties of Blood and Water ", allowed the writing staff to bring the character back as a clone. " As the writers would have it, they merely decided that the Vorta are aliens very adept at cloning, " noted Jeffrey Combs. ( Cinefantastique , Vol. 29, Nos. 6/7, p. 60) Concerning how the advent of Vorta cloning techniques facilitated the return of Weyoun, Ira Behr commented, " It seemed like a viable way of doing it. " The idea of introducing cloning into Vorta society also fit well with the Founders having been established as skilled at genetic engineering. ( Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion  (p. 442)) Yet another reason why the Vorta cloning idea was conceived was that the writing team felt it was a way they could distinguish the Vorta from other Star Trek species. The change was therefore one of multiple ways that the writers tried to distinguish the species of the Dominion as being unique. ( Star Trek: Communicator  issue 113 , p. 67)

Although the fact that a Vorta clone retained the memories of their predecessor wasn't initially established, Jeffrey Combs suspected at the end of the fifth season that this was the case. " The Vorta have probably succeeded in being able to clone with everything intact, including memory, " he reckoned. ( Cinefantastique , Vol. 29, Nos. 6/7, p. 60) Bradley Thompson later hypothesized, " We assume […] they download their memories every so often into some kind of 'brain jar.' It's just like backing up a computer program. You still have what you had the previous time you backed it up. But if you had a bad disk or something like that, it's going to be a corrupted copy. " ( Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion  (p. 618))

In an ultimately unused line of dialogue from the first draft script of "Ties of Blood and Water", Weyoun commented, " The Vorta will soon be a common sight in the Alpha Quadrant. "

Jeffrey Combs was of the opinion that a less serious aspect of the Vorta was introduced in "Ties of Blood and Water". " [We learned] that the Vorta […] have a sense of fun. They do love games, " Combs observed. " That's the one thing that I'm exploring – their genuine joy and a childish enthusiasm for everything. So at least we got that conveyed in that episode. " Similarly, Combs thought the absolutism of the Vorta mindset was explored in subsequent season five episode " In the Cards ". " I think that you see the lethal side of these [Vorta], " he said. " They'll hold no quarter. They won't take any nonsense . " Suspecting that the Vorta and the rest of the Dominion were manipulating Dukat when they form an alliance in the fifth season, Combs stated, " I don't think the Vorta trust anybody […] The Vortas [sic] are very gentle and pleasant cobras. " ( Cinefantastique , Vol. 29, Nos. 6/7, p. 60)

Just before DS9 Season 6 began airing, Ira Behr declared that the Vorta would be significantly more fleshed out during the course of the season. " This season we're going to be working on the Vorta, " he predicted. " We haven't even touched on the Vorta all that much. " By this time, Behr also felt that all the other Vorta were far less satisfying characters than Weyoun. ( Star Trek Monthly  issue 30 , p. 11) On the other hand, fellow writing staffer Ronald D. Moore commentated, " I think we have started to realize that the Vorta are more fun to play with because the guy holding the leash on the dogs at his command is very interesting. " ( Star Trek: Communicator  issue 113 , p. 67)

Some new details regarding the Vorta were added, through the characterization of Weyoun, in a six-part Dominion War arc at the start of the sixth season. These facets of the species were introduced by the show's writing staff and Jeffrey Combs. " They explored the Vorta a little bit more, " said Combs, " and through me, let some of their weaknesses be known. " Speaking from the perspective of the Vorta, Combs referred to these vulnerabilities as "chinks in our armor." ( Cinefantastique , Vol. 30, No. 9/10, p. 68) The inadequacies specifically included "poor eyesight and no sense of aesthetics," stated Combs, who went on to comment, " I thought that was just great. " ( Star Trek Monthly  issue 43 , p. 22)

Vorta-playing actors Iggy Pop and Christopher Shea as Yelgrun and Keevan in DS9 : " The Magnificent Ferengi "

At the end of the sixth season, Jeffrey Combs was extremely pleased with how the DS9 writers were continuing to develop the Vorta. " Through their writing they are really exploring who these guys are. That's great, " he commented. ( Cinefantastique , Vol. 30, No. 9/10, p. 68)

Much of the workload which Makeup Supervisor Michael Westmore had to contend with during the seventh and final season of DS9 consisted of manufacturing Vorta ears for the character of Weyoun (along with Klingon foreheads for Worf ). ( Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion  (p. 594))

In an initial form of the story for DS9 Season 7 entry " Treachery, Faith and the Great River ", it was eventually revealed that the Vorta were intended to be replaced by a new Dominion race of warriors named the Modain, resulting in "the phasing-out" of all the Vorta. As the story evolved, the concept of a Modain hatchery developed into some references to the Vorta cloning process, although the idea of the Vorta being replaced by the Modain was essentially discarded, instead changed into the replacement of Weyoun 6 by Weyoun 7. ( Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion  (p. 617))

The notion of revealing some backstory about the Vorta, in "Treachery, Faith and the Great River" (in whose title the word "faith" was intended to refer to the Vorta religion), was thought up by Ira Behr, as a way to deepen Weyoun 6's backstory. " Ira finally hit upon the idea of telling the story behind how the Vorta formed their alliance with the Founders, " David Weddle recollected. With a shrug, Behr himself explained, " The episode called for it. I like to get the audience thinking one way about a character or a race, making them think that these are definitely the bad guys. Then you slip something like this in so they have to reevaluate the opinion you've already given them. " ( Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion  (pp. 618-619))

Jeffrey Combs was appreciative of how much insight into the Vorta was provided for viewers in "Treachery, Faith and the Great River". [3] He elaborated by saying that one thing he highly valued about how the species was developed in that episode was how he was " able to bring to life all that backstory, of where the Vorta came from, and why they are so beholden to the Founders, and why they are so ingrained in their loyalty to them. " Combs added, " I was learning all along with everybody else. " ( Cinefantastique , Vol. 32, Nos. 4/5, p. 83)

The Vorta backstory in "Treachery, Faith and the Great River" was also popular with several of the DS9 writers. David Weddle reminisced, " It was brilliant. It was the one thing that we needed. " Ira Behr commented about the Vorta, " These are still the bad guys, but now, at least, you understand something about why. So I just loved that the Vorta, this calculating, Machiavellian race, started out as Hobbit-like cute little creatures who were genetically altered and directed to do these horrible things. " ( Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion  (pp. 618 & 619)) However, Robert Hewitt Wolfe, who had left the series by the time "Treachery, Faith and the Great River" was in development, got the mistaken impression that, prior to their contact with the Founders, the Vorta were non-sentient "squirrels!" He remarked, " I thought [that] was pretty funny. " ( Star Trek: The Magazine  Volume 1, Issue 13 , p. 57)

In an ultimately unused line of dialogue from the first draft script of " The Changing Face of Evil ", Damar remarked, " Actually, every Vorta I've ever met is exactly like [Weyoun 8]."

Jeffrey Combs suspected the Vorta were too clever to be affected by the destruction of their cloning facilities. " If you don't think that the Vorta are clever enough to not put all their cloning eggs in one basket, you're sadly mistaken. They're out there somewhere! " he exclaimed. ( Star Trek: The Magazine  Volume 1, Issue 17 , p. 18) Combs made much the same statement to Ira Behr, later recalling, " I said to Ira, 'If you think that the Vorta have all their clones in one basket, you've got another think coming.' " ( Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion  (p. 708))

At one stage, Jeffrey Combs pointed out that the Vorta were generally extremely graceful, contemplating, " Grace is very important to the Vorta. " ( Star Trek Monthly  issue 35 , p. 35) On another occasion, Combs drew a parallel between the Vorta and "corporate middle men." Concerning how the Vorta were able to charm people into forgetting their own aims, Combs mused that the Vorta were akin to " the guy from the corporate office who comes into the branch, and looks over the books, and reassures everybody that there is no problem, and leaves. Then the edicts come down, and the hammer falls, and they don't understand what could have happened because everything went so well with the audit. " ( Cinefantastique , Vol. 30, No. 9/10, p. 68) Combs believed that the Vorta being "very comfortable in a system of hierarchy" was significant to "the very essence of the Vorta" and went on to remark, " That's why they are where they are, and that's why the Founders put the Vorta in the position that they are in, because of that strange ability. " ( Star Trek Monthly  issue 43 , pp. 22–24)

Molly Hagan was pleased that she was the first Vorta: " I immediately began working on a physical gesture that would indicate when I was using my telekinesis. I thought it could become the defining gesture of my people, like the Vulcan 'Live Long and proper' hand gesture . So, I came up with a motion where both my hands looked like they were taking energy in from my body before I pulsed it back out through my hands. It reminded me of something I saw Bruce Lee do. It never got used because a) they had great special effects and didn’t need me to do any gestures to sell 'my powers' and b) they were concerned that any future Vorta may not be able to replicate it. I was beyond disappointed. It was a thrill to get to meet Mike Westmore, let alone have something designed by him on my face. I was so excited to have my face cast done in the workshop where they imagined and created all the appliances. I loved my wig, loved the prosthetics and loved the beauty makeup they put on over it all. I thought I was so pretty. And the contacts! I loved the contacts. It made me instantly feel 'other.' That is the beauty behind getting an opportunity to wear a Mike Westmore design. The outside helps the actor create an internal experience that they would not otherwise have. It makes the acting better. " [4]

Ronald D. Moore once speculated, " Even the Vorta know that Starfleet engineers can do just about anything. " ( Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion  (p. 500))

Ira Behr characterized the Vorta as "the most untrustworthy guys" in the galaxy. Behr also described the Vorta as "one of the most immobile of characters" but having a "demented quality." Behr referred to Weyoun and Yelgrun as possessing the latter characteristic and, when interviewed, he suggested, " Think Caligula! " ( Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion  (pp. 703 & 517))

In an interview StarTrek.com apparently conducted with the adult Horta from TOS : " The Devil in the Dark ", the Horta claimed it was occasionally mistaken as a Vorta, though they look nothing alike. [5]

Jeffrey Combs and Christopher Shea played Vorta and subsequently portrayed Andorians . Both actors also had multiple roles on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine , Star Trek: Voyager , and Star Trek: Enterprise . ( Star Trek: The Official Starships Collection , issue 55, p. 18) Likewise, Vorta-playing actors Dennis Christopher and Christopher Shea additionally portrayed Suliban in ENT : " Detained ".

External links [ ]

• Vorta at Memory Beta , the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
• Vorta at Wikipedia