Subcommander Tal
@subcommandertal.bsky.social
Mostly here to riff on Original Series Star Trek.
I know Scotty was not in the Big Three but sometimes I wish he was just because I like the contrast of the gold/green, blue, and red uniforms side by side.
November 24, 2025 at 10:53 PM
I know Scotty was not in the Big Three but sometimes I wish he was just because I like the contrast of the gold/green, blue, and red uniforms side by side.
Science Fiction is so often presented with a sleek, minimal aesthetic… Monochromatic greys, whites, and metal shades predominate. One of the things that makes Star Trek stand out is its extravagant use of color.
November 24, 2025 at 10:52 PM
Science Fiction is so often presented with a sleek, minimal aesthetic… Monochromatic greys, whites, and metal shades predominate. One of the things that makes Star Trek stand out is its extravagant use of color.
It does feel like that sometimes!
November 24, 2025 at 1:08 PM
It does feel like that sometimes!
me and my wife leaving the mall and trying to remember where we parked
November 23, 2025 at 11:50 PM
me and my wife leaving the mall and trying to remember where we parked
When Matt Jeffries was called upon to update the Enterprise design for Phase II, he hit on the idea of angling the supports for the nacelles: I love the that from his sketches you could see he was apparently inspired by the human arm in the act of throwing a spear or projectile.
November 20, 2025 at 2:07 AM
When Matt Jeffries was called upon to update the Enterprise design for Phase II, he hit on the idea of angling the supports for the nacelles: I love the that from his sketches you could see he was apparently inspired by the human arm in the act of throwing a spear or projectile.
I know this is lame but I’m posting it anyway
November 18, 2025 at 7:53 PM
I know this is lame but I’m posting it anyway
I wonder if he ever tried Kaferian apples like his pal Gary… ;)
November 16, 2025 at 9:44 PM
I wonder if he ever tried Kaferian apples like his pal Gary… ;)
Ham-handed??
November 16, 2025 at 5:37 AM
Ham-handed??
Drop something BRIGHT 🌟
November 15, 2025 at 1:14 AM
Drop something BRIGHT 🌟
“Ach, Mister Harper! It’s just like with USB ports, ye always attach the connector upside down at first!”
November 11, 2025 at 8:55 PM
“Ach, Mister Harper! It’s just like with USB ports, ye always attach the connector upside down at first!”
Anyway, enough rambling! My appreciation for Star Trek and my love of Mesoamerican archaeology in general stay in their own lanes but there are a couple fun overlaps for me. Sorry if I’ve posted about all this before!
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November 8, 2025 at 11:55 PM
Anyway, enough rambling! My appreciation for Star Trek and my love of Mesoamerican archaeology in general stay in their own lanes but there are a couple fun overlaps for me. Sorry if I’ve posted about all this before!
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I also like that a couple early TOS episodes explicitly had scenarios with Federation archaeologists working in the ruins of alien civilizations. It was also generally the time of outlandish theories about extraterrestrial influences on Earth cultures.
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November 8, 2025 at 11:53 PM
I also like that a couple early TOS episodes explicitly had scenarios with Federation archaeologists working in the ruins of alien civilizations. It was also generally the time of outlandish theories about extraterrestrial influences on Earth cultures.
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And don’t get me started on TNG’s “Masks”, which is often reviled but I have a fondness for because of its riffing on ancient Puebloan and Mayan iconography…
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November 8, 2025 at 11:52 PM
And don’t get me started on TNG’s “Masks”, which is often reviled but I have a fondness for because of its riffing on ancient Puebloan and Mayan iconography…
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The decipherment of Maya hieroglyphic writing took some big steps forward in the 1960s and 70s, and I always loved the alien scripts Star Trek came up with, mostly in the third season.
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November 8, 2025 at 11:49 PM
The decipherment of Maya hieroglyphic writing took some big steps forward in the 1960s and 70s, and I always loved the alien scripts Star Trek came up with, mostly in the third season.
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And of course there actually was an Animated Series episode that references Kukulkan, which is the late Maya variant of the Feathered Serpent deity which originated in Central Mexico at such sites as Teotihuacan and Toltec Tula.
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November 8, 2025 at 11:47 PM
And of course there actually was an Animated Series episode that references Kukulkan, which is the late Maya variant of the Feathered Serpent deity which originated in Central Mexico at such sites as Teotihuacan and Toltec Tula.
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In the films with the Original Series cast the years of service numerical convention is the same one used by the ancient Maya (i.e. bars = 5, dots = 1).
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November 8, 2025 at 11:46 PM
In the films with the Original Series cast the years of service numerical convention is the same one used by the ancient Maya (i.e. bars = 5, dots = 1).
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The little statue in Kirk’s quarters is (probably) Xochipilli, the Aztec God of love and creativity. Its name literally means “Prince of Flowers.”
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November 8, 2025 at 11:44 PM
The little statue in Kirk’s quarters is (probably) Xochipilli, the Aztec God of love and creativity. Its name literally means “Prince of Flowers.”
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Besides Star Trek, another long standing interest of mine is Mesoamerican history and archaeology. You wouldn’t think there are a lot of connections between the two, but there are a few! So I thought I’d write a short thread about them (apologies if you’ve seen it before on the other site)…
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November 8, 2025 at 11:43 PM
Besides Star Trek, another long standing interest of mine is Mesoamerican history and archaeology. You wouldn’t think there are a lot of connections between the two, but there are a few! So I thought I’d write a short thread about them (apologies if you’ve seen it before on the other site)…
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I’m going on a trip and am currently stomping around the airport with my phone on low battery trying to find a single electrical outlet that’s not either being used or broken…
November 8, 2025 at 3:02 PM
I’m going on a trip and am currently stomping around the airport with my phone on low battery trying to find a single electrical outlet that’s not either being used or broken…
True, we never actually see it, but Kirk clearly looks up at it to check how much time is left. I’m guessing it looks like this ;)
November 5, 2025 at 7:25 PM
True, we never actually see it, but Kirk clearly looks up at it to check how much time is left. I’m guessing it looks like this ;)
Precisely! I also like the shot also because it’s one of the few times we see just the three gold/green shirt regulars together, who also happen to be the only remaining surviving cast members…
November 4, 2025 at 12:41 AM
Precisely! I also like the shot also because it’s one of the few times we see just the three gold/green shirt regulars together, who also happen to be the only remaining surviving cast members…
Spock’s Brain is not a good episode (although it’s not as bad as is often claimed), but one thing I like about it is the moment when Kirk discusses which planet to explore and seeks input from Sulu, Chekov (and Uhura). It’s an unusual moment in the series, without the presence or Spock or McCoy.
November 4, 2025 at 12:26 AM
Spock’s Brain is not a good episode (although it’s not as bad as is often claimed), but one thing I like about it is the moment when Kirk discusses which planet to explore and seeks input from Sulu, Chekov (and Uhura). It’s an unusual moment in the series, without the presence or Spock or McCoy.
R.I.P. Ralph Senensky, legendary Star Trek director of some of the most sensitive episodes of the series.
November 2, 2025 at 12:32 AM
R.I.P. Ralph Senensky, legendary Star Trek director of some of the most sensitive episodes of the series.