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STAR TREK: SOUND EFFECTS – OST 1988

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The avaiable sound effects files were taken directly from the according Star Trek TV series or movies, and from diverse interactive CD-ROM applications or games (Star Trek: TNG Interactive Technical Manual, Star Trek Captain's Chair, Star Trek Generations, Star Trek: DS9 Harbinger). All copyrights are the property of their respective holders. Concerning the public use of the files: since the sounds have been reworked and enhanced by the author, I expect credits with link to the Star Trek Dimension at all events.  

© 1999-2000 by Star Trek Dimension / Webmaster . Last update: November 12th, 2000

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Type-2 hand phaser, 2260s

Starship phasers, 2360s

Phasers were the most common and standard directed energy weapon in the arsenal of Starfleet and several other powers. Most phasers were classified as particle weapons and fire nadion particle beams , ( Star Trek: First Contact ; TNG : " The Mind's Eye "; VOY : " Time and Again ", " Demon ") but some, like the Ferengi hand phaser , were classified as plasma weapons and fired forced plasma beams . ( TNG : " Descent ") Based on the intensity and field of the beam and a variety of adjustments, a wide variety of effects could be achieved.

• 2 Descriptions and uses
• 3 Modifications
• 4 Sidearm settings
• 5.1 Hand-held phasers
• 5.2 Planetary or starship-mounted phasers
• 6.1 See also
• 6.2 References
• 6.3.1 Establishing phaser technology
• 6.3.2 Phaser settings
• 6.3.3 Other types of starship phasers
• 6.4 External links

History [ ]

Phaser rifle, 2260s

Phaser technology used by Starfleet was preceded by phase-modulated particle weapons in the mid- 22nd century , including such weapons as the hand-held phase-pistol and ship-mounted phase cannon . Laser weapons , such as the laser pistol , were also used before phasers became the standard-issue weapon in the Starfleet arsenal. ( Star Trek: Enterprise , all; TOS : " The Cage ")

Rose holding a Type 2 phaser in 2257 .

Phaser weaponry was invented during the 23rd century . ( TNG : " A Matter Of Time ") The technology was used by Starfleet as early as 2233 ; the USS Kelvin was equipped with ship-mounted phaser banks . ( Star Trek ) Phaser rifles were used as early as 2265 , although at that time officers were still armed with laser pistols. ( TOS : " Where No Man Has Gone Before ") In 2269 , starship bridges were defended by an automatic bridge defense system programmed to defend the ship from capture. ( TAS : " Beyond the Farthest Star ") On Deneb V , in 2268 , death by phaser was one method of execution for those who were given the death penalty . ( TOS : " I, Mudd ")

Akira -class starship firing from a phaser array and a Defiant -class starship firing with phaser cannons

In the 2270s , phaser power systems of Federation starships were redesigned to channel power directly from the warp core , thereby increasing the power output of phaser banks. If the ship went to warp and experiences antimatter imbalance or gets trapped in a wormhole or a subspace rift phasers will not work until the ship has cleared the distortion and the wormhole effect has dissipated. ( Star Trek: The Motion Picture )

23rd century Starfleet phasers became inoperative from exposure to the radiation eminating from 20th century nuclear fission reactors , even if said reactors were safely shielded for Humans. ( Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home )

The 24th century saw many new advanced forms of phaser weaponry for the Federation, such as the ever more powerful phaser arrays that made use of multiple phaser emitter segments, the rapid-fire phaser cannons and new compression phaser rifles . ( Star Trek: The Next Generation , all; DS9 : " The Search, Part I "; VOY : " Caretaker ") As a historical note, the regenerative phaser was chosen instead of the TR-116 for development. ( DS9 : " Field of Fire ")

In the 29th century , phaser pistols were still used by Starfleet, ( VOY : " Relativity ") but subatomic disruptors were used on timeships , such as the Aeon , as a ship-mounted directed energy weapon. ( VOY : " Future's End ")

Descriptions and uses [ ]

Phaser rifle, 2370s

The phaser beam could stun , heat, kill, or disintegrate living creatures. Phasers could damage shields or other systems or even cut through a hull . Phasers could also be used to cut through walls and burrow through rock. The beam could be focused to a single spot or widened to impact a large area.

In the nadion particle beam phasers, plasma was passed to a phaser emitter resulting in a discharge of nadion particles . Residual particles could be found in places where a battle had recently taken place. The disruptive effects of nadion discharges were moderated to produce varying effects (discussed below), ranging from benign to extremely destructive. ( VOY : " Phage ", " Memorial ", " Endgame ")

Using phaser drills

The Starfleet-issue personnel phasers came in three types: The phaser type-1 ( hand phaser ) was small and could be concealed easily. The type 2 phaser was larger and hand-held. It had a longer hand grip or a pistol grip, depending on the model. The phaser type-3 was also known as the phaser rifle. It had a longer barrel , a stock, and some models had a second grip. Over the centuries of use, there have been several models of these weapon types. ( TOS : " The Devil in the Dark "; TNG : " The Mind's Eye ")

Beyond these types, phasers were usually mounted devices, such as the type 4 phaser emitters , which were sometimes used on Starfleet shuttlecraft , all the way up to the large phaser banks and phaser arrays of starships and space stations . Various types of banks, arrays, and emitters existed, such as the more powerful phaser type-8 and the phaser cannon . ( TNG : " The Outcast ", " Preemptive Strike "; VOY : " Live Fast and Prosper ")

A phaser being used to heat rocks

Hand-held phasers were also used by Starfleet personnel as tools and not just weapons. The phaser could be used to heat rocks and stones for warmth. ( TOS : " The Enemy Within ", " A Private Little War ", " Spock's Brain "; TNG : " Final Mission "; VOY : " Parturition "; DS9 : " Rocks and Shoals ") While there were specialized tools like phaser bores and phaser drills , ( TAS : " Once Upon a Planet "; VOY : " Once Upon a Time ") Worf once used his type-2 phaser to open a tunnel on the Cardassian planet Celtris III . ( TNG : " Chain Of Command, Part I ") A phaser, when fired together with another in tandem or set to a high setting could create an opening in a solid rock wall. ( VOY : " Caretaker "; DS9 : " Rapture "; Star Trek: Insurrection ) Hand phasers were used to clean carbon filters by scraping off the build up of carbon , ( LD : " Moist Vessel ") and with the right setting could even do something as mundane as removing graffiti off a bulkhead . ( LD : " Temporal Edict ")

Different models of phasers made different sounds when fired, depending on the model and setting. Federation phaser fire typically made a high-pitched "whistling" or "tearing" sound, for example. A knowledgeable person could use the sound to differentiate between types and power settings. ( TOS : " Errand of Mercy "; TNG : " Too Short A Season "; DS9 : " Sacrifice of Angels ")

The alternate Enterprise firing all phasers

In the alternate reality created by Nero 's temporal incursion, hand phasers of the late 2250s emitted concentrated bolts of phaser energy rather than the steady streams generated by phasers of the prime reality.

An alternate reality phaser pistol

In addition, these phasers had a rotating nozzle which flipped when set from stun to kill or vice versa. The ship-mounted phaser banks aboard the USS Enterprise were also used to fire bolts resembling proximity blasts. ( Star Trek )

The advanced phaser weaponry of the USS Vengeance included emitters capable of firing powerful arcing phaser blasts. ( Star Trek Into Darkness )

Soran firing his phaser

Bajoran phaser rifles were used by the Bajoran Militia , based on the design of their own hand phasers . ( DS9 : " The Way of the Warrior ") Regalian phaser rifles were less powerful than their Starfleet counterparts. ( TNG : " The Vengeance Factor ") The phaser used by Tolian Soran in 2371 fired concentrated bolts of phaser energy. ( Star Trek Generations )

While phasers were powerful weapons, they also had limitations. Phasers had no effect on neutronium alloys or the dikironium cloud creature . ( TOS : " The Doomsday Machine ", " Obsession ") The creature known as Armus even seemed to be able to feed off of phaser blasts. ( TNG : " Skin Of Evil ") In 2369 , two type-2 hand phasers at maximum level were unable to penetrate the toranium inlays of Cardassian doors. Major Kira Nerys recommended a bipolar torch to be used to cut through the door. ( DS9 : " The Forsaken ")

Hand phasers could be made to overload, either deliberately or by sabotage. Phasers in the process of overloading emitted a distinctive high-pitched whine. The weapon released all of its energy in an explosion capable of doing considerable damage to its surroundings. In 2266 , Lenore Karidian attempted to murder James T. Kirk by hiding an overloading phaser in his cabin. ( TOS : " The Conscience of the King ") In 2269 , Kirk, McCoy , and Sulu were almost killed while on the Kalandan outpost planet, when its defensive computer fused the controls on Kirk's phaser, causing it to overload. ( TOS : " That Which Survives ")

Modifications [ ]

Personnel phasers were normally set to fire a single steady stream of nadion particles. This beam could be widened to perform a phaser sweep . Most types of phasers could be set to alternatively fire a concentrated bolt of phaser energy. In addition a personnel phaser could be set to fire a spread of multiple beams at once, a field burst of a specific frequency, a luvetric pulse , or an expanding energy pulse . ( TOS : " The Enemy Within "; TNG : " Time's Arrow, Part II ", " Descent "; DS9 : " The Way of the Warrior ", " The Adversary ")

Phasers had an adjustable resonance frequency . When modified, the color of the beam changed. Borg systems were vulnerable to a frequency spread in the high narrow band, but compensated for the weakness after Locutus was assimilated in 2366 . ( TNG : " The Best of Both Worlds ") In 2367 , the phaser adapter was designed, a chip that automatically retuned the phaser to a random setting after each discharge. Using the adapter, phasers were set on a rotating modulation to allow at most twelve shots to penetrate Borg shielding before they adapted. ( TNG : " The Best of Both Worlds, Part II "; Star Trek: First Contact ; VOY : " Scorpion ")

Phasers could be reconfigured to fire a low-intensity burst which would not cause damage to a spacecraft 's hull and would also not affect a hull resiliency evaluation's test procedure. ( TNG : " Lower Decks ")

Hand phasers also had an adjustable dispersion frequency measured in gigahertz and they could be set for specific phase variances . These allowed the phaser beam impact targets that were phased or interphased . ( VOY : " Distant Origin ", " Scientific Method ") A phaser's setting could be modified to disrupt a hologram 's holo- matrix . ( VOY : " Renaissance Man ")

Like the transporters and sensors , hand-held and starship-mounted phasers were also inoperative in areas with high levels of hyperonic radiation , because the phaser beams were randomized by the radiation. To compensate, it was possible to modify a phaser with a servo circuit that continuously recollimated the output. Neural subprocessors of Soong-type androids could be utilized as these servos. ( TNG : " The Ensigns of Command ")

Starship-mounted phasers were normally set to fire steady streams. They could also be set to fire concentrated bolts of phaser energy that detonated at a specific point in space known as proximity blasts . In addition to the powerful settings, the ship's phasers also had a stun setting that could be used to render lifeforms unconscious when fired at a planetary surface from orbit. ( TOS : " Balance of Terror ", " The Trouble with Tribbles ", " A Piece of the Action ")

It was possible to configure starship phasers to also fire energy beams for power transfer, antimatter spreads , laser pulse beams , photon pulses , pulse compression waves , modulating phaser pulses , and covariant phaser pulses . ( TNG : " Encounter at Farpoint ", " Sub Rosa ", " Peak Performance ", " The Best of Both Worlds, Part II ", " The Outcast "; DS9 : " Emissary "; VOY : " Dark Frontier ", " Parturition ")

Sidearm settings [ ]

The 23rd and 24th century personnel phasers included several settings.

• Setting number one is also called the base cycle stunning force. ( TOS : " The Enemy Within ") This minimal setting caused only a stun effect to the average humanoid lifeform. A hit would leave the target dazed and unable to stand or think straight for a short time. ( TOS : " The Man Trap ") When used at close range, a phaser set on stun was still capable of inducing sufficient trauma to kill a Human if fired at a vital organ such as the brain . ( Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country ) However, even several hits on stun had very little effect on an Augment , though only by hitting the torso, while a shot to the head would be enough to knock them out for less than a minute. ( Star Trek Into Darkness ) Two phasers set on setting one fired simultaneously could break large objects into pieces, such as the urns of the second planet of the Taurean system . ( TAS : " The Lorelei Signal ")
• Setting 3.1 was enough to cause a Changeling to experience the stun effect. Setting 3.4 or 3.5 was determined to be a stun setting that would effectively stun and force any Changeling to revert back into the gelatinous state. ( DS9 : " Homefront ") A wide-field stun setting was used when large groups needed to be stunned with a single shot. ( TOS : " The Return of the Archons ") Some stun settings could also cause unconsciousness. Although mostly harmless when used at these low settings, multiple phaser stuns like this could result in injury and death. ( TNG : " Samaritan Snare ") There was a heavy stun force setting and a maximum stun setting also known as full stun charge. ( TOS : " Tomorrow is Yesterday "; TNG : " Legacy "; TAS : " The Eye of the Beholder ") The highest stun setting was strong enough to immobilize a Soong-type android . ( TNG : " A Matter Of Time ")

Damage caused by setting 6 or 7

• A phaser could be used as a heat beam , to heat up a variety of substances, such as rocks or even coffee . ( TOS : " The Enemy Within ", " The Corbomite Maneuver ", " Spock's Brain ") Phasers could be set to inflict non-lethal second degree burns. ( VOY : " Worst Case Scenario ") Settings 6 and 7 caused severe burns in the flesh of humanoids. ( TNG : " Night Terrors ") Setting 7 was also powerful enough to vaporize noranium carbide . ( TNG : " The Vengeance Factor ") Phasers could be used to melt certain ores from solid to liquid. ( TNG : " The Enemy ") They could also be used to quickly boil through tens of meters of ice. ( TAS : " The Slaver Weapon ")
• One-quarter, force 3 and level 10 were different names for the kill setting on a hand phaser. ( TOS : " The Man Trap ", " Operation -- Annihilate! "; TNG : " Aquiel ") The kill setting on hand phasers used by the Mordanites had a distinct sound from the stun setting. ( TNG : " Too Short A Season ") To a humanoid infected by a parasitic being , the kill setting only caused unconsciousness, due to the high levels of adrenaline in the target's body. However, extended exposure to a body part such as the head of a humanoid would cause it to explosively vaporize. Two phasers set to kill could also disintegrate smaller lifeforms such as the neural parasite mother creature with extended exposure. ( TNG : " Conspiracy ") The kill setting was also non-lethal to the flying parasites that invaded Deneva in 2267 . Because each parasite was part of a huge organism, and drew strength from that organism, it could largely resist force 3. Parasites exposed for five to ten seconds reacted as if mildly stunned; they fell from the surface to which they were attached, and did not react to external stimuli for about a minute . ( TOS : " Operation -- Annihilate! ") Firing a phaser on kill at point blank range against an Andorian can cause phase pulse infection and at higher frequencies it can also kill them. ( ENT :" Babel One ")

Phaser used to cut through a corridor wall ( TOS : " The Naked Time ")

• Cutting settings could be used to slice off segments of a steelplast wall, ( TNG : " Too Short A Season ") a standard Starfleet corridor wall, ( TOS : " The Naked Time ", " The Way to Eden ") or even to slice off body parts. ( Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country )
• The normal maximum setting on a hand phaser would vaporize a humanoid lifeform or a Human-size android with a single hit. ( TOS : " What Are Little Girls Made Of? "; TOS : " Mirror, Mirror "; TNG : " The Vengeance Factor "; Star Trek: First Contact ) This was also called disintegration. ( ENT : " In a Mirror, Darkly, Part II ") When used as a means of suicide , the phaser would also disintegrate along with the person shooting at himself. ( TOS : " Elaan of Troyius ") There was also a maximum setting that could set parts of clothing or humanoids on fire. ( TNG : " Datalore ", " The Wounded ") Against a Horta , even when set specifically for silicon , the maximum setting would only hurt the creature. ( TOS : " The Devil in the Dark ") Disruptor-B was another maximum setting for the type 2 phaser . It was also called the disruptor effect setting. This setting was assessed to be the most effective against gaseous dikironium . ( TOS : " Obsession ") According to Valeris , and demonstrated to Mr. Chekov , a phaser fired on a setting of vaporize aboard a starship releases so much energy that it will trigger a security alarm. ( Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country )
• The standard level 16 setting on a type 2 phaser could be used to vaporize tunnels through rock large enough to crawl through. ( TNG : " Chain Of Command, Part I ") The level 16 wide-field setting could easily destroy half of a large building with a single shot. ( TNG : " Frame of Mind ") However there were materials phasers couldn't cut through even at this maximum level, such as toranium ( DS9 : " The Forsaken ") and the unknown material used to create the Hotel Royale on Theta VIII . ( TNG : " The Royale ")

Types of phaser weapons [ ]

The diagram of the ship-mounted phaser bank on Constitution -class starships

Constitution -class forward phaser bank in a schematic

Enterprise phaser banks disintegrating a building

There were several numbered types of phasers of increasing size and capability: types 1, 2, and 3 were personnel phasers, and types 4 and above were ship-mounted weapons. The phasers mounted aboard starships were considerably more powerful than those used by Starfleet personnel, owing to the increased power reserves available. Early phasers, such as the MK IX/01 type found on the USS Enterprise , were mounted in banks of one or two emitters.

Hand-held phasers [ ]

• A type 1 phaser was a small, concealable sidearm weapon
• A type 2 phaser was a larger sidearm weapon, which evolved from a pistol-styled design
• A type 3 phaser was a rifle -sized weapon

These main types and technologies were further classified to distinguish the many variations.

• Ferengi phaser
• Phaser bazooka (possibly fictional)
• Bajoran phaser
• Cardassian phaser
• Klingon phaser
• Kzinti phaser
• Vulcan phaser
• Bajoran phaser rifle
• Compression phaser rifle
• Regalian phaser rifle
• Plasma phaser – a proposed anti- Borg weapon
• Regenerative phaser

Planetary or starship-mounted phasers [ ]

• Class 3 defensive – used on Miranda -class supply ships
• Particle phaser – used on transport ships from Boreal III
• Phaser array
• Phaser battery
• Phaser cannon – used on Defiant -class starships
• Type 4 phaser emitter – used on Type 6 shuttlecraft
• Phaser type-8 – used on Excelsior -class starships
• Galor -class phaser bank

Appendices [ ]

See also [ ].

• The sound of a hand phaser firing  file info

References [ ]

• " The Cage "
• " Where No Man Has Gone Before "
• " The Man Trap "
• " The Conscience of the King "
• " The Devil in the Dark "
• " A Piece of the Action "
• " Obsession "
• " That Which Survives "
• Star Trek V: The Final Frontier
• Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country
• " Encounter at Farpoint "
• " Samaritan Snare "
• " The Outcast "
• " Chain Of Command, Part II "
• " Sanctuary "
• " Second Skin "
• " Starship Down "
• " Extreme Measures "
• " Field of Fire "
• " Broken Bow "

Background information [ ]

Gene Roddenberry had some problems with the look of hand-held phasers. " He didn't want the phasers to look like guns, " explained Production Designer Herman Zimmerman , " with handles and trigger guards and triggers [....] But he didn't do that on the classic series and they didn't do it in the features , which Gene had very little to do with; they used pistol grips and rifles, and Gene was never happy with any of that. " ( Star Trek: The Magazine  Volume 2, Issue 12 , p. 24)

According to Ben Burtt , for the Original Series , " the steady blast of the phaser was derived from the hovering sound of the Martian war machines made for the 1953 version of Paramount 's War of the Worlds . The original was made with tape feedback of an electric guitar and a harp. " For Star Trek , Burtt said, " the steady sound just wasn't the right way to go because the visuals are so different, so I made something that recalls it, but features a Doppler effect and is shorter and sharper. My sounds were added to those that had already been supplied by Mark P. Stoeckinger and Alan Rankin ". Stoeckinger stated that " Harry Cohen made tonal sounds with a concussive element that served what the phaser was doing along with adding a version of that neo classical space phone-like element that Ben Burtt provided to give the phaser roots in the franchise along with adapting it for the current film. " [12] [13]

Establishing phaser technology [ ]

According to the unauthorized 2013 reference book These Are the Voyages: TOS Season One , (p. 40) the term phaser was originally invented as a mash-up of the words ph oton and m aser .

During The Original Series , the mechanics of phasers were never explained on screen. However, as early as the release of The Making of Star Trek in 1968 , the technology behind phasers was explained. Phasers are, according to the book, basically lasers , but they have the beam set on a pulsating frequency that can be specifically set to interfere and interact with the wave pattern of any molecular form. This is called " phasing " the beam frequency, hence the name phaser .

According to Gene Roddenberry in The Making of Star Trek , two days into filming of the second pilot, they realized that three years later, people were going to say, " Oh, come on, lasers can't do that. " The term was consequently substituted, based on the idea of the phasing principle of physics, which is a way of increasing power. Apparently, Roddenberry was talking of using higher phase velocities (aka frequencies) of light that, in turn, consist of higher energy photons. These accounts suggest that the laser weapons seen in " The Cage " and phasers of the rest of the show were possibly just two different terms for the same thing.

Released in 1979 , the Spaceflight Chronology (p. 173) offers an alternative explanation of the technology. It states that phaser weapons were in fact developed by Starfleet to combine the benefits of two previously used weapon technologies: particle-beam cannons and laser banks. While particle weapons delivered a big punch, they had trouble penetrating shields, whereas lasers penetrated shielding easily, but had very little impact force to do damage. Two years after the events of "The Cage", when the problem with frequency aligning the two systems to work simultaneously in ship-mounted phasers was solved, the development of hand phasers began. This timeline for phaser development would, however, not be compatible with canonical accounts, as we saw ship-mounted phasers used by the USS Kelvin in the 2009 film Star Trek , over twenty years before the events of "The Cage".

According to the 1990 Star Trek: The Next Generation Writers' Technical Manual (Fourth season edition, p. 14), the term "phaser" is short for " phase d array emitte r ".

The 1991 reference book Star Trek: The Next Generation Technical Manual (pp. 123-125) explain the inner mechanisms of a phaser in more elaborate detail. "Phaser" is, according to the book, an acronym for " phas ed e nergy r ectification" – named for the process of turning stored energy into an energy beam without an intermediate transformation. Energetic plasma is pumped to a prefire chamber made out of a superconducting lithium-copper. There, it undergoes a rapid nadion effect in which strong nuclear forces are liberated. A protonic charge forms and is released in pulses to the emitter made out of the same superconductive crystal. A beam of electromagnetic energy is released from it, at the speed of light. On starships, energy for phasers originates from the EPS, while on hand units, the charge of energetic plasma is stored into sarium-krellide. This material is used because it can't accidentally release the charge of plasma.

Dialogue in the 1991 episode TNG : " The Mind's Eye " concerning the internal mechanics of a type 3 phaser rifle confirm, canonically, all the elements as they were established in the Manual . However, in Star Trek , phasers have been regularly used while starships travel at warp speeds, so the beam must also be traveling at faster-than-light velocities. Beginning with the 1993 episode TNG : " Inheritance ", instead of being labeled as EM weapons, as the reference works have stated, phasers have been consistently referred to as particle beam weapons on screen. This information was also included in the 1994 Star Trek: Voyager Technical Manual – Writer's Guide, and has been corroborated in Star Trek: First Contact and such episodes as " Time and Again ", " Memorial ", and " Endgame ".

Even though the phaser beam was canonically established as not a beam of pure EM energy but a particle beam of nadions, the 1998 reference book Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Technical Manual still goes on to describe the phaser beam as an EM energy beam. According to page 84 of the Manual , a phaser beam can be delivered at warp speeds due to an annular confinement beam jacket and other advances in subspace technology. These are stated to be new inventions in the late-24th century. However, considering that first on-screen uses of phasers at warp occurred as early as the first season of The Original Series , this timeline for the invention would be inconsistent with canon. Furthermore, according to page 92 of the Manual , when phasers are fired by a ship with deflector shields active, the beam is frequency locked to the second-order harmonics of the shield emissions. This prevents the beam impacting on the shields and overloading them, or rebounding back at the firing ship.

It is not known what class of Federation starships was the first to use phaser array strips instead of banks, but " Yesterday's Enterprise " establishes the Ambassador -class to be the earliest known ship design to employ them in the 2340s .

Recalling how the phasers in Star Trek: Discovery were designed, Aaron Harberts described them as "super-important [...] key props" that "nobody wanted to really change." [14]

Phaser settings [ ]

A type 2 phaser at settings one through sixteen

Skin vaporization and internal organ explosion

Remains of Commander Remmick

The Star Trek: The Next Generation Technical Manual (pages 135 – 137) and The Star Trek Book ( citation needed • edit ) list various settings for type 1, type 2, and type 3 phasers, some of which have not been mentioned on screen and some which have been given a different effect. Type 1 phasers had the first eight settings; type 2 and 3 phasers had all sixteen settings.

• Light Stun – causes central nervous system impairment on humanoids, unconsciousness for up to five minutes. Long exposure by several shots causes reversible neural damage.
• Medium Stun – causes unconsciousness from five to fifteen minutes. Long exposure causes irreversible neural damage, along with damage to epithelial tissue.
• Heavy Stun – causes unconsciousness from fifteen to sixty minutes depending on the level of biological resistance. Significantly heats up metals.
• Thermal Effects – causes extensive neural damage to humanoids and skin burns limited to the outer layers. Causes metals to retain heat when applied for over five seconds.
• Thermal Effects – causes severe outer layer skin burns. Can penetrate simple personal force fields after five seconds of application.
• Disruption Effects – penetrates organic and structural materials. The thermal damage level decreases from this level onward.
• Disruption Effects – due to widespread disruption effects, kills humanoids.
• Disruption Effects – causes a cascade disruption that vaporizes humanoid organisms. Any unprotected material can be penetrated.
• Disruption Effects – causes medium alloys and structural materials, over a meter thick, to exhibit energy rebound prior to vaporization.
• Disruption Effects – causes heavy alloys and structural materials to absorb or rebound energy. There is a 0.55 second delay before the material vaporizes.
• Explosive/Disruption Effects – causes ultra-dense alloys and structural materials to absorb or rebound energy before vaporization. There is a 0.2 second delay before the material vaporizes. Approximately ten cubic meters of rock are disintegrated per shot.
• Explosive/Disruption Effects – causes ultra-dense alloys and structural materials to absorb or rebound energy before vaporization. There is a 0.1 second delay before the material vaporizes. Approximately fifty cubic meters of rock are disintegrated per shot.
• Explosive/Disruption Effects – causes shielded matter to exhibit minor vibrational heating effects. Approximately 90 cubic meters of rock are disintegrated per shot.
• Explosive/Disruption Effects – causes shielded matter to exhibit medium vibrational heating effects. Approximately 160 cubic meters of rock are disintegrated per shot.
• Explosive/Disruption Effects – causes shielded matter to exhibit major vibrational heating effects. Approximately 370 cubic meters of rock are disintegrated per shot.
• Explosive/Disruption Effects – causes shielded matter to exhibit light mechanical fracturing damage. Approximately 650 cubic meters of rock are disintegrated per shot.

The Star Fleet Technical Manual gives the effective ranges for different settings. On the type 1 phaser they were: stun – thirty meters, heat – two meters, disrupt – twenty meters, dematerialization – ten meters. On the type 2 phaser the ranges were: stun – ninety meters, heat – six meters, disrupt – sixty meters, dematerialization – thirty meters. Setting dials on the hand phasers indicated nine settings on the type 1 phaser and fifteen on the type 2 phaser, of which all above ten were labeled by the letters A through E. The letters might be a reference to the disruptor-B setting mentioned in "Obsession", which would make it setting 10B. According to Mr. Scott's Guide to the Enterprise , the hand phasers used during the first four movies had only three preset levels: stun, disrupt, and dematerialize.

Commenting on phaser firepower, Ronald D. Moore said: " The weapons are way too powerful to present them in any realistic kind of way. Given the real power of a hand phaser, we shouldn't be able to show ANY firefights on camera where the opponents are even in sight of each other, much less around the corner! It's annoying, but just one of those things that we tend to slide by in order to concentrate on telling a dramatic and interesting story. " ( AOL chat , 1997 )

The relative power of phasers was also referenced on screen in TOS : " Bread and Circuses ", when Proconsul Claudius Marcus of the planet 892-IV stated that it was his understanding that one hundred men armed with phasers could probably defeat the combined armies of his entire empire. The natives on 892-IV were at the time armed with machine guns and early 20th century level technology.

Other types of starship phasers [ ]

• Type V phaser was used on auxiliary craft. In Star Trek: The Next Generation Technical Manual it was stated that Type 7 shuttlecrafts and type 9A cargo shuttles used phaser emitters of this type during special operations. According to Star Trek: Starship Spotter the Chaffee shuttlepod and the Delta Flyer also used this phaser type.
• Type VI phaser was used on auxiliary craft and runabouts. According to the Star Trek: Starship Spotter , the Aeroshuttle and Danube -class starships phaser arrays were of this type.
• Type VII phaser was used on starships. According to the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Technical Manual and Star Trek: Starship Spotter , the twin phaser banks on Miranda -class starships were of this type.
• Type IX phaser is used on starships. According to the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Technical Manual , the Ambassador -class , Centaur -type , Curry -type , and one type of Excelsior -class variant used them. The phaser emitters in the rotary weapon arrays of the weapon sail towers of Deep Space 9 were of this type.
• Type X phaser was used on starships. According to Star Trek: The Next Generation Technical Manual , this was the type name of the phaser arrays used on the Galaxy -class starships. According to the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Technical Manual the Akira -class , Norway -class , Nebula -class , Saber -class , Soyuz -class , and one type of Constitution -class variant also used them. The fixed phaser emitters in the weapon sail towers of Deep Space 9 were of this type. According to Star Trek: Starship Spotter , the Intrepid -class and Nova -class also used them.
• Type X+ phaser was used for planetary defense. According to Star Trek: The Next Generation Technical Manual , this was the designation of some large dedicated planetary phaser defense emitters.
• Type XI phaser was normally used for planetary defense. According to the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Technical Manual', the emitters were designed to minimize atmospheric blooming of the beam. The phaser emitters in the carriages, embedded into the habitat ring of Deep Space 9, were of this type, modified for use in space.
• Type XII phaser was used on starships. According to Star Trek: Starship Spotter this is the type designation of the phaser cannons of the Defiant -class starships and the standard beam phaser arrays of the Prometheus -class and Sovereign -class starships.

None of these type designations have been mentioned on screen.

External links [ ]

• Phaser at Memory Beta , the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
• Phasers.net
• 1 Daniels (Crewman)
• 2 Jamaharon

Douglas Grindstaff’s Sound Effects for the Original ‘Star Trek’

by Michael Kunkes

The original  Star Trek  series, which ran on NBC from 1966 to 1969, boldly went where no series had gone before in terms of sound effects editing.  The universe of the USS Enterprise was alive with sound, much of it musical in nature: computer banks, phasers, transporters, photon torpedoes, communicators, and alien and creature vocals.  Much of that was due to the singular vision of writer/producer Gene Roddenberry, along with the inventiveness of Douglas H. Grindstaff, who served as the show’s supervising sound effects editor for the entire 80-episode run.

Grindstaff, who entered the industry in 1954 after service in the Korean War, won five Emmy Awards for his television sound work as well as the Motion Picture Sound Editors’ Lifetime Achievement Award in 1998.  He also headed the sound departments at Paramount Studios, Lorimar Telepictures, Columbia Studios and Pacific Sound before his retirement in 1990.

“When I went to work on the series, Gene described to me what he wanted the Enterprise to sound like,” Grindstaff recalls.  “I asked him if he didn’t think we were getting a little too ‘cartoony’ with the sound effects, and he told me, ‘Doug, I want you to think like an artist and paint everything with sound.’  That’s what he wanted, and that’s why the show sounded the way it did.  He had a very strong vision; you had to give him what he wanted, but you also had to use your own instinct about what should be.  You were either on his wavelength or you weren’t.”

Grindstaff and his crew built their tracks mainly from some material in the Paramount and Desilu sound effects libraries, as well as their own personal libraries.  Additional sounds came from Paramount’s 1953 version of  War of the Worlds .  Sadly, the library he meticulously created, bundled and catalogued is now lost to history.

Working with small TV budgets, Grindstaff maximized what he had.  For example, to create the shimmering, musical sound of the Enterprise transporter, he blended together a few musical effects and electric generator sounds.  Then, on a Moviola, he would create his own fades by shaving the mag sound with a razor blade at the desired point, a technique he learned from the late George Emich, who was Fred Astaire’s music editor at RKO, and who is co-credited with applying the click track to music editing.  “I created my own fades because I didn’t trust the mixers to get it the way I wanted it,” Grindstaff laughed.  “We also did all our own Foley and ADR looping.”

Other sounds were just as inventive.  At Roddenberry’s insistence, each planet visited by the Enterprise had to have its own sound, and for these, Grindstaff would use variations of an orchestra tuning up.  In one legendary episode, “The Trouble with Tribbles,” Grindstaff used screech-owls, doves and rat “vocals” for the voices of the furry pets, who came aboard the Enterprise and began reproducing at an alarming rate.  “I had to go from a single Tribble to the sounds of thousands of them filling the ship,” he says.  “I ran them backwards and forwards, put them on the variable speeder and edited loops, so I could have multiple tracks and mix them at different levels for different spots in the ship.”

The schedule was brutal.  “You were making things every week, and that was the tough part,” he recalls.  “I’d try and get as much ready as I could a couple of weeks before we got an episode, so that when the show was turned over to the editors, I had the sound effects pretty well set, and could tell them the right spots to put everything.  I also always insisted on having a sound effects editor at every mix.”

Nearly ten years after the Enterprise concluded its five-year mission, Grindstaff was offered a job by Roddenberry on Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979).  He turned it down.  “Not long before that, I had gone to see Star Wars , and I flipped out,” he says.  “I just said to myself, ‘Man, we blew it; we should have made a Star Trek movie a lot sooner.’  But I sure intend to go see this one.”  Was he aware that he was creating something entirely new in sci-fi sound effects?  “Hardly; I was too busy working for Gene.”

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Star Trek Phasers and Communicators

Star trek chracters needed two things more than you realize watching the show, phaser pistols and communicators. They got them out of a high percentage of jams. Some additional fun sounds like the tricorder and red alert are here as well!

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by Jason Booth - 13 tracks

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(PHASER SOUND)

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Description: 4 seconds sound clip from the Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan movie soundboard.

You can hear this line at 01:10:23 in the Blu-ray version of the movie.

Quote context

- I'm sorry, Admiral.

- Your Excellency, have you been listening?

- I have indeed, Captain.

- You have done well.

- I knew it! You son of a bitch!

- Don't move! Anybody!

- Captain? We are waiting.

- What's the delay?

- All is well, sir.

- You have the coordinates to beam up Genesis.

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Actors : William Shatner ( Captain James T. Kirk ), Leonard Nimoy (Captain Spock), DeForest Kelley ( Dr. Leonard McCoy ), Ricardo Montalbán ( Khan Noonien Singh )

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Read This: The story behind Star Trek ’s iconic, ceaseless sound effects

Very few programs in television history can be easily identified by their sound effects alone. The original 1966-69 run of Gene Roddenberry’s Star Trek belongs in that select fraternity, thanks to the efforts of sound mixer Doug Grindstaff and other craftsmen who toiled on the classic science-fiction series, setting the tone for the multimedia franchise to come. The sound effects on Star Trek are as cool as they are relentless. This is, in short, a noisy version of space exploration. Despite the supposed lack of oxygen in the vast reaches of the cosmos, the onslaught of beeps, bleeps, pings, clicks, and whooshes never really stops during the average Trek episode. And that’s wholly by design. Over at Audible Range , having interviewed Grindstaff and other experts on the topic, writer Mark Altman has assembled a revealing historical article entitled “ Kittens, Kisses, And Razorblades: Behind Star Trek ’s Iconic Sounds .” Here, to set the proper mood, is some genuine LBJ-era Trek ambiance.

According to the article, the show had “wall-to-wall sound effects” because Roddenberry wanted it that way. Cacophony was very much part of the Star Trek brand. In those early days, the TV series did not have the budget to compete with feature films, so sound effects helped create the illusion that scenes were taking place on strange alien worlds. Roddenberry wasn’t aiming for realism but drama. So committed was Roddenberry to this idea that he even had Grindstaff add a sound effect to a scene in which Dr. McCoy (DeForest Kelley) administers a shot. “Gene Roddenberry wanted to paint the whole show like you were painting a picture,” Grindstaff explains.

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Some tricks of the trade are also revealed here. Composer Alexander Courage, who created the original music for Star Trek , was hugely important in determining how the series would sound, working hand in hand with effects people to create weird, often electronic-based noises. Certain noises, however, were decidedly low-tech. When the Enterprise swooshes across the screen during the opening credits, for instance, that’s Courage himself blowing into a microphone. The sound of the Tribbles, meanwhile, came from doves, while the parasites of “ Operation: Annihilate ” were represented by “sampling about a hundred kisses.” Fascinating, Captain.

Star Trek Sound Effects (From the Original TV Soundtrack)

September 1, 1987 69 Songs, 40 minutes ℗ 1987 GNP Crescendo Records

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Star Trek Universe: Original Series” Classic Phaser with Lights and Sounds

Purchase options and add-ons.

• HIGHLY DETAILED: Highly detailed classic phaser replica from the Original Series
• MULTIPLE SETTINGS: Set phaser dial to Full, Stun, or Overload
• BATTLE SOUNDS: Includes authentic sound effects from the show
• LIGHTS UP: Features a light-up Beam Emitter
• RETRO PACKAGING: Inspired by the Original Star Trek series

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In 2063, Earth made its first contact with an alien species, launching the planet and its inhabitants onto an interstellar stage. In the next century, United Earth established a space exploration and defense service called Starfleet and co-founded The United Federation of Planets, a benevolent organization of hundreds of worlds. The chronicles of Starfleet are collectively known as the Star Trek Universe. This Type II Phaser was Starfleet’s standard-issue sidearm from the Original Star Trek Series. With various power settings, this versatile hand-held weapon was used by all Starfleet personnel and could disrupt or destroy the molecular energy in any target.

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Customers say

Customers like the sound quality, appearance and value of the toy figure. They mention that it makes the phaser stream sound when you press the trigger, it looks and acts like the real thing and is worth the price. Customers are also impressed with the build quality, saying it's well made and solid. They also appreciate the entertainment value, detail, and age range.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

Customers are impressed with the sounds of the toy figure. They say it makes the phaser stream sound when you press the trigger. They also appreciate the several different sound effects, saying it's a cool replica with several sound settings. Customers also mention that the phased weapon feels nice in the hands and has a decent hand feel.

"...Love the way it flips open and the sound effects . It was worth the price." Read more

"...The paint details, lights, and sounds are very accurate . I brought it to a Trek convention and saw William Shatner...." Read more

"...The sound effects are good and come from a grille on the top. It's nice that it takes standard AA batteries...." Read more

"...It makes the phaser stream sound when you press the trigger. It is awesome, except its is white, sky blue and pastel orange...." Read more

Customers like the value of the toy figure. They mention that it's worth the price, the sound and lights are spot on, and is not a cheapy kids toy.

"This is a pretty good replica for a low price . If you don't want to spend a lot of money on a type II phaser this is great...." Read more

"...Love the way it flips open and the sound effects. It was worth the price ." Read more

"...I absolutely love it. AND,....it's a fantastic price !!!" Read more

"... Worth it ! The sound and lights are spot on" Read more

Customers are satisfied with the appearance of the toy figure. For example, they mention it looks decent, acts like the real thing, and is a nice replica. Some say the build quality is great and the tow phaser is able to stun others. Overall, most are happy with the product's appearance and recommend it to others.

"This is a pretty good replica for a low price. If you don't want to spend a lot of money on a type II phaser this is great...." Read more

"...I got this one and it looks great at first ...." Read more

"...I do have the diamond ver also and while I think it looks nice and is more screen accurate I think I like this one a bit more due to the lights and..." Read more

"...Better sounds, better lights, better trigger, and slightly sleeker design ...." Read more

Customers like the build quality of the toy figure. They mention that it's well-made, detailed, and solid. The switch at the top-back feels good and clicks between settings nicely. Customers also say that it is reliable and a usable discussion piece.

"...The rotating setting switch at the top-back feels solid and clicks between settings nicely...." Read more

"Three settings. No voices from the crew. Solid build , and feels nice in hand. Waiting for Playmates to re-release the classic tricorder from TOS." Read more

"It's not "prop" quality and the type 1 phaser is not removable, but for the price it's a fun toy...." Read more

" Well made and detailed" Read more

Customers find the toy figure awesome, fun, and nostalgic. They also say it's enjoyable to use and play with, and a great product for any Star Wars enthusiast. Customers also say the tote brings back happy memories.

"...It makes the phaser stream sound when you press the trigger. It is awesome , except its is white, sky blue and pastel orange...." Read more

"... Great product for any ST enthusiast ." Read more

"...and the type 1 phaser is not removable, but for the price it's a fun toy ...." Read more

"... It's awesome . I'm 65 years old and I want one for myself. My son is 42 years old and thought it was really cool." Read more

Customers like the quality of the toy figure. For example, they say it's an excellent product, looks like the real thing, and works great as a prop. Some mention it'll be a terrific addition to any Halloween costume.

"This is a very good product . It is writh the price.Thank you." Read more

" Works great once my friend figured out all the sound adjustments it has. I bought it for his birthday. Almost kept it lol...." Read more

"... They are both awesome and I highly recommend them without any hesitation at all especially for that price you won’t beat it, or will you be..." Read more

"...This is a worthy updated and improved version . Better sounds, better lights, better trigger, and slightly sleeker design...." Read more

Customers find the toy figure detailed and accurate to the actual show props. They also appreciate the intuitive instructions and no need for assembly.

"... No reading any instructions , they were intuitive enough that my 7 year old and 5 year old immediately figured out how to use them...." Read more

" Product is so detailed to the actual show props" Read more

"Playmates did a great job with this Star Trek TOS Phaser. The paint details , lights, and sounds are very accurate...." Read more

"The batteries are included. There is no need for assembly . The gun is lightweight and easily triggered. I wish it had been a little heavier...." Read more

Customers find the toy figure to be a great gift for grandkids, Star Trek enthusiasts, and collectors. They also say it's a fantastic little souvenir.

"...They were a hit with both of them. These definitely are great gifts for children ." Read more

"...Now you can do that too! Lol. This is a fantastic little souvenir- it is the phaser you always wanted when you were a kid. I absolutely love it...." Read more

"...Several different sound effects. Very cool gift for your Star Trek enthusiast...." Read more

" Awesome toy for my collection " Read more

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display – play – control

Star trek: the original series, phaser universal remote control prop replica, please note that the star trek phaser is no longer in production and no retailers have any remaining stock. we currently have no plans to resume production, although that may change at some point in the future., our star trek: the original series phaser universal remote control is an exceptionally accurate and highly detailed working replica that we launched at san diego comic-con in july 2014. it is also a gesture-based remote control compatible with most home entertainment equipment that use infrared remote controls..

Highly accurate: Created from 3D laser scans of the last known hero prop

Guided Setup: Teaches you how to use it with spoken prompts

FX Mode: Authentic special FX sounds from the Star Trek universe at the pull of a trigger

Built in rechargeable battery: USB charging cable included

Advanced gesture recognition: Nine gestures in four memory banks means that 36 remote control codes can be stored

Any-TV-Off mode: Easily turn off TVs without the need for programming

Hand-polished metal parts : nickel and brass-plated die-cast details

beautifully presented

The phaser prop replica is protected from damage and kept in pristine condition (when not on display) in a high quality, moulded-foam-lined presentation case. Manufactured in hardwearing engineering-grade ABS, the case is also designed to stack as if from the original Enterprise armoury.

quality materials

Hand polished, matt nickel plated die castings, painted and lacquered parts and an authentic mixture of rubber, plastic and metal components are all brought together to create an exceptionally well-finished Phaser replica that looks and feels like it means business.

the ultimate collectible

Whether you have just discovered Star Trek or have been hooked since you were a kid, this Phaser is something that you just have to own. Researched, designed and built with fanatical attention to detail, the simplicity of its embossed nickel-plated magnetic stand presents this iconic piece perfectly.

the fantasy made real

Designed from the first 3D laser scans of the last known hero Phaser, this amazing prop replica boasts a host of exciting features such as tactile feedback, multi colour light up nozzle, 10 authentic phaser firing sounds, a removable Phaser I and grip, while also being a fully-functional gesture based universal remote control.

The Wand Company’s unique gesture-based remote control technology brings the fantasy to life

This Original Series Phaser Universal Remote Control is not a toy: it is an advanced, gesture based universal remote control, designed to control almost all home entertainment equipment worldwide such as TVs, DVD players, Blu-ray players and iPod docks, using infrared codes learned from conventional remote controls by the means of gestures rather than by pressing buttons. A total of nine different gestures and four separate memory banks enable the Phaser to learn up to 36 remote control functions. At the press of the trigger button, the Phaser pulses and produces one of ten different Phaser firing sounds (depending on the setting of the Phaser II dial), and has the power to instantly stun almost any TV without any setup required.

The removable Phaser I is a fully functioning remote control in its own right and may be used when not docked to the Phaser II. It has a built-in rechargeable lithium power cell that is charged from any USB socket via the included cable.

Programming the Phaser by learning the codes from a standard remote control is easy

To program the Phaser, enter Programming Mode and perform the desired gesture; the Phaser will say which gesture has been done, then the emitter will glow yellow to signify that it is waiting to receive the IR code (button press) from a normal remote control. Hold a normal remote control about 1” (2.5cm) from the beam emitter of the Phaser I while it is glowing, and briefly press and release the normal remote control button for the function you want to program on to that gesture. It’s that easy!

What the Press and customers are saying about our Original Series Phaser

T3: boy this will take you to geek heaven.

If you’re a massive Star Trek fan, then get ready to hide your wallet away.

Remote control specialists, the Wand Company has unveiled its Star Trek: The Original Series Phaser Universal remote control for your TV. And boy, will this take you to geek heaven.

ABC News: One of this year’s coolest devices

Each year companies use Comic-Con International in San Diego to showcase new products that appeal to genre audiences.

One of this year’s coolest devices has to be a remote control that is in the shape of a ‘Star Trek’ original series phaser.

The pistol design is so unique because of the care and love The Wand Company took to create it.

The British firm previously made two ‘Doctor Who’ remote control devices in the shape of sonic screwdrivers. Those remotes got them some well-deserved attention.

Reviewify: A brilliant replica that can be easily displayed

Before looking at the Phaser itself a word on the presentation. Arriving in a cardboard box you might wonder what’s so large inside, after all the Phaser is a handgun. Brilliantly The Wand Company have taken that idea and run with it, creating a Starfleet issue case for the Phaser, the sort you see assassins and spy types making use of in films. Opening the case you’ll see a disassembled Phaser laid out into it’s key components, it’s a brilliant introduction that shows the level of details they’ve put into this…

… If there is one thing you can count on with The Wand Company it’s that they put a lot of effort into the details. It doesn’t stop at the excellent packaging, the Phaser itself looks fantastic and you can even take a look at the dilithium chamber ‘powering’ the Phaser by glowing and throbbing away whenever the trigger is pulled.

It would’ve been enough to pull the trigger and have the classic Phaser sound play, instead of leaving it at that you actually get a multitude of sound effects accessed via the stun setting. A nice touch is that the detachable Phaser 1 carries over the SFX you’ve selected on Phaser 2. It’s another ‘stunning’ (sorry, had to get one pun in!) remote from The Wand Company. A brilliant replica that can be easily displayed which also just happens to be an IR remote, the presentation case makes this a fantastic present idea for the special Trek fan in your life.

CNET: Turn it up Scotty

Turn it up Scotty: with the “Star Trek: The Original Series” Phaser Universal Remote Control you’re in the Captain’s seat every time you watch TV.

The Phaser remote is built by the Wand Company, the people behind the “Harry Potter” wand and “Doctor Who” Sonic Screwdriver remotes that change channels with a flick of the wrist…

Previously, CBS and Toshiba gave away a phaser-shaped remote with a “Star Trek” HD-DVD box set way back in 2007. That design made some compromises, with standard remote control buttons on the top, but this one is a much more accurate rendition.

Gizmodo: Wonderfully-detailed phaser prop

The only thing more satisfying for Star Trek fans than fast-forwarding through Enterprise’s awful opening credits would be doing it with this wonderfully-detailed phaser prop universal remote.

Daily Star: As close as it gets to wielding the real thing

This TV remote is a bit of a stunner.

The Phaser has just been launched by gadget website Firebox and if you are a Star Trek fan you’re going to love this. It’s been painstakingly 3D scanned from the last remaining Phaser prop in existence, used nearly 50 years ago by Star Trek hero William Shatner.

This ridiculously detailed replica is as close as it gets to wielding the real thing. And it won’t just change your TV channels but also your music devices and DVD players. It’s even packed with sound effects for the full Trekkie experience.

The only thing it won’t do is vapourise members of your family when they won’t be quiet during the football..

Geekstronomy: It is truly a thing of beauty

Now the next stage of phaser evolution has come and it is truly a thing of beauty. Produced by The Wand Company and distributed by Thinkgeek, the original series phaser remote kicked up the coolness factor to 11. This phaser was constructed using 3-D scans of the last surviving “hero” prop from the 1960’s. For those of you who do not know what a hero prop is; it is usually a functional and very highly detailed prop for use in close-ups. Holding this remote is the closest most of us will ever get to touch an original phaser.

When it comes to talking about the phaser remote I can honestly say I don’t know where to begin. While the Star Trek Original Series Phaser Universal Remote will change your channels, that is just the beginning. The Star Trek Original Series Phaser Universal Remote has a play setting where you can pretend to stun your friends, kill your enemies or you can set it to overload.

Mashable: A perfect replica phaser

Star Trek fans have always dreamed of having a trusty phaser at their sides, but thankfully, there’s not quite a need in everyday life to stun hostile alien lifeforms.

Now, Trekkies can now experience a perfect replica phaser — that powers on your TV.

Space.com: Retro Future Winner

Winner: This super-fun remote is actually modeled after one of the last known prop phasers from “Star Trek.” Just like the original phaser, the remote comes complete with a light-up dilithium crystal. You can program the phaser to any IR remote, and it actually senses your motions, meaning that you can program it in fun ways. For example, you can turn the volume on your TV up by moving the remote up above your head. What we love about it : This toy takes itself seriously. The phaser makes real “Star Trek” sounds and, simply put, it makes something as mundane as changing the channel on your TV fun. Plus, it’s the perfect gift for any “Star Trek” super-fan in your life.

All I can say is wow!

All I can say is wow! This phaser has all the bells and whistles from the look of it to the weight. It has more sound effects than the master replicas version through the Phaser II but the Phaser I can do all of them just one at a time. The wand company just makes a great product (I have both sonic screwdrivers). Oh and did I mention the remote function works great with a little practice.

The detail is second to none and the features are brilliant

When I’d finished ‘playing’ with my Phaser I had to email The Wand Company directly and congratulate them on making such a fantastic ‘toy’. It is remarkable. The detail is second to none and the features are brilliant. Although I’m too lazy to fully utilise its capabilities as yet I have had much fun zapping anything that moves, disabling any TV or remote controlled gadget that gets in my way. (It is, of course, a fully functioning remote control).

The amount of effects for the Phaser is good too. They range from a single pulse all the way through to self-destruct. I learned a few tips from YouTube on how to use it most effectively. There are a couple of ‘Easter Eggs’ you may want to know about.

One small thing I would like to point out is the cover to the dilithium crystal. It can work a little loose. This is easily fixable with a blob of BluTak placed inside the cover. This connects the cover to the crystal giving it stability and is unseen. (A very small problem that is easily fixed and you don’t lose the cover).

Lastly, if you are hesitating about buying one of these Phasers, don’t. It is now one of my most prized possessions and the envy of my fellow 50 year+ mates. It is sitting proudly on its magnetic stand on my bookcase.

It is the absolute best prop replica I have ever seen

This is far, far more than a novelty TV remote. It is the absolute best prop replica I have ever seen (and I’ve owned quite a few!). Clearly designed by passionate Star Trek fans, the detail is breathtaking. It is light years ahead of other great models from companies like Master Replicas or Franklin Mint. Every collector should have one of these, it is truly awesome.

I would recommend 100%

Great original phaser. Fantastic attention to detail, & the sound on the various settings are so like the original phaser, used by Captain Kirk, Spock etc. I was very causious at first, but am so pleased I bought it. If you are thinking of buying one of these magnificent phaser weapons do not think twice about it. Great product, & quite heavy. I would recommend 100%

Absolutely love this phaser

Absolutely love this phaser, I am a fan of the original series and having this phaser is as close as you are going to the actual prop at a reasonable price is great. Works out of the box just charge it up then follow the instructions and away you go.

Just to add my 7 year old lost the crystal cover from the side of the phaser, I contacted the Wand Company and asked if I could get a replacement. The next day FOC it was in the post, very good customer service 10/10

The quintessential one to own!

Of all the phaser props, toys, and models released over the years, this one, hands down, is the quintessential one to own! The look, the weight, the sounds effects are spot on! You can’t go wrong with this one! It is well worth the price, I myself have two of them! Do yourself a favor, if you are a Star Trek fan, or know one, it’s the perfect gift!

It is OUTSTANDING in every way!

To the team that designed and built this item – it is OUTSTANDING in every way! Your attention to detail is so dead on, it’s scary. I doubt that I will ever change a TV channel with it, but all the other fun functions only serve to enhance the superb quality of this prop. So glad that I bought one. Now you guys have a new challenge – a Tricorder and Communicator made with the same level of care. And, if you can work with one of the cell phone companies (even some of those back-water Chinese firms) to make a functioning mobile phone device, all the better. I am NOT easily impressed, but your work here really knocked my socks off. As stated before, OUTSTANDING!

It is right up there with the high end replicas

Just got mine, this thing is flawless. it is right up there with the high end replicas, yet has so many more features. This thing even talks you through the functions. The detail is awesome, every detail is perfect, right down to the rubber bushing to protect the nose section of the Phaser 1, when cradled. It blows my mind that they can offer it so cheap considering the level of detail and the great storage case that comes with the unit. Very pleased.

The Best I've seen on the market

This puppy is truly remarkable. Accurate, hefty, functional (ok, it doesn’t actually phase things out of existence…but the sound and lights are superb). The Best I’ve seen on the market.

The Phaser is packed with features that enrich the owning experience, making it perfect for any Sci-Fi fan

Setting the Phaser II dial selects one of ten authentic Phaser firing sounds that play when the Phaser’s trigger button is pressed. Rolling the thumbwheel lifts the aspirator grille and sight in a single smooth action. Pressing the multicolour illuminated mode indicator switches between Practice, Control and FX Mode to give you easy access to all the Phaser’s features.

Assemble the Phaser as if you are a member of the Enterprise crew: slot the grip neatly into the sockets on the underside of the Phaser II and tighten the securing bolt with the special screwdriver supplied. Dock the Phaser I and feel it snap positively into place. Unscrew the dilithium chamber door to inspect the glowing dilithium crystal.

Where you can buy a Phaser

Unfortunately, the Star Trek Phaser is no longer in production and no retailers have any remaining stock. At present, we have no plans to make any more phasers, however, that may change in the future.

Will the Phaser work with my equipment?

Can the phaser perform all functions of my remote control, is the phaser easy to use, what batteries does the phaser use.

• Is the Phaser a ``screen-accurate`` replica?

Can I charge the Phaser with any micro USB cable?

Will the phaser forget the programmed codes if i let the battery completely run down, where can i buy a phaser, frequently-asked questions.

Look down this list of frequently-asked questions to find answers that will help you if you are thinking of buying a Phaser and want to learn more about how it works or how accurate it is. Click on the question and the answer will be displayed here.

You might also like to download an easy-print PDF copy of the user manual , or go to a web version of the manual by clicking here .

Will the Phaser work with my equipment?

The Phaser is compatible with almost all makes of home audio-visual equipment around the world, such as TVs, DVD players, hi-fis and set-top boxes. Please note that the Phaser only works with infra-red (IR) remote controls, not radio-frequency (RF) remotes, and that the Phaser is not compatible with Bang & Olufsen equipment.

Can the Phaser perform all functions of my remote control?

No, the Phaser is not a full replacement for your standard remote control. However it can learn the infra-red (IR) codes from 36 of the buttons on your existing remote controls. This is enough for you to have some fun performing controlling your home entertainment equipment. You can over-write any of the 36 functions with new IR codes at any time, if you change your mind about the functions that you want the Phaser to perform.

Is the Phaser easy to use?

Like any sensitive instrument, it takes a bit of practice to master the Phaser. Some people seem to be natural members of the Enterprise crew and can stun TVs and iPod docks into silence with it straight away, but for most Starfleet trainee officers, about ten minutes’ practice is required to get the hang of the different movement gestures. Please note that the Phaser does require quite precise hand movements to perform the gestures, so we do not recommend it as a remote control for the elderly or infirm.

The Phaser I has a built-in rechargeable lithium power cell that is recharged via the USB cable supplied with the Phaser. (Any good quality micro USB cable may also be used). The Phaser II does not have a battery but takes its power from the Phaser I when they are docked together. The power cell in the Phaser I cannot be changed and will last the lifetime of the product.

Note that the battery should be looked after as lithium polymer batteries can become damaged and fail if not regularly charged. The Phaser should be fully charged at least once every six months to make sure that the battery remains in good condition.

Is the Phaser a “screen-accurate” replica?

For most users the answer is a definite “Yes!”. We have spent thousands of hours and taken great care to make this Phaser replica as accurate as possible to the actual last known screen-used hero prop that Shatner and Nimoy used in the original series of Star Trek. This has included taking the first 3D laser scans of the original hero prop, under the watchful eye of Academy Award-nominated prop maker and Star Trek authority, Greg Jein, who owns the original prop and kindly allowed us access to study it. We weighed the parts of the original prop, so as to be able to tune the weight of the replica to get it as close as possible to that of the original, and assessed the colour and lustre of the various parts of the original prop under a variety of lighting conditions to make sure that our Phaser replica was the closest possible match for both colour and surface finish. To complement the scans we took detailed micrometer measurements and numerous photographs, and discussed the provenance of the original hero prop at length with Greg Jein to make sure that our Phaser not only followed the data of the original accurately, but also captured the nuances of the original prop’s intention. However, in order to make the Phaser manufacturable and more affordable, and to iron out some of the original’s inconsistencies, we have had to make some slight changes, and as such, this replica may be considered to be an idealised version of the original hero prop.

The hero prop is made from a range of different materials including fibreglass, brass, aluminium, resin and acrylic. In order to keep the cost as reasonable as possible we have used the nearest equivalent material that is suitable for modern manufacturing methods. Generally, where metal has been used in the construction of the hero prop, we have used metal in the Phaser replica. In the hero prop, where aluminium is used for the muzzle, side door, heat sink, side rails, thumbwheel, and selector dial, we have used hand-polished, nickel-plated, die cast zinc. The grip of the original is made from hand painted brass tube embellished with popsicle sticks – our replica is also painted, but is made from die cast zinc. The original Phaser I and II bodies are made in fibreglass and have been painted (a number of times through the prop’s history), and we have replicated these parts as closely as possible in lacquer coated, injection moulded ABS. Finally, where the original hero prop uses cast resin or acrylic for the transparent elements, such as the nozzles and lens covers, we have used acrylic and a water-clear co-polyester called Tritan, to achieve the best optical clarity and mouldablity.

The original hero prop is not symmetrical. The parting line separating the two halves doesn’t run down the centreline of the Phaser II body, and even taking this into account, the two halves of the Phaser II body do not have symmetrical curves and features. The two halves of the body are held together with an off-centre screw on the underside of the Phaser in front of the trigger. When designing our Phaser replica, we decided to straighten out the Phaser II body, make the parting line run along the centreline and remove the fixing screw. The sweep of the sides in the plan view was a best-fit average of the left and right side 3D scan data. The original Phaser I only has a metal side rail on its right hand-side. On the left-hand side of the Phaser I, the side rail is replaced with a strip of black hook and eye (Velcro®) fastener, onto which a silver line is drawn. This was used to attach the Phaser to the actors’ costumes on set, and while this might have been acceptable for filming, in reality it doesn’t look very good, so we replaced the fastening strip with a metal side rail to match the right-hand side. In every other respect we have attempted to make the Phaser replica as close as possible to the exact dimensions of the original using the 3D scans in conjunction with detailed and accurate measurements we took of the original.

Functional differences

In order to improve infrared transmission reliability, the Phaser replica uses a rod of solid acrylic as a light guide, rather than a drilled-out tube that the original prop used for its Phaser I emitter tip. Our emitter tip is fixed so that it cannot extend and retract when the sight is raised and lowered. On the original prop, the indicator lens on top of the Phaser I is a simple piece of clear cast resin glued to the top housing over a numerical scale printed on paper. The Phaser prop replica is a complex piece of equipment and its indicator lens is put to good use as a functional mode selection button. As a result the lens is illuminated and instead of numbers, displays the letters, P, C and Fx, relating to the different modes (Practice, Control and FX modes). The original prop’s grip twists into place using curved pins that also form an electrical connection between the battery compartment (in the grip) and the Phaser II main body emitter lamp. Over time, this mechanical joint has been subjected to stress and wear and has become very weak. In the design of the Phaser replica we have addressed this issue. The replica grip pushes on to the Phaser II main body in a similar way to the original, but the grip is securely held in place using a long bolt that is positioned to resemble the nut that holds the battery door onto the base of the grip in the original. In the original prop there is no electrical connection between the Phaser I and II. However, in the replica, when the Phaser I and II are docked together there is a constant stream of information going between their respective microcontrollers. In addition, the battery power for the assembled Phaser comes from a lithium battery in the Phaser I. As a result there is an array of connector pins on the top surface of the Phaser II docking recess, which mate with matching gold pads on the underside of the Phaser I. The original Phaser hero prop has a large recess in its end face for the locking catch that holds it in place when it is docked, In the Phaser I replica, this recess is partially filled with a micro USB charging socket. Sound is an important part of the apparent function of any prop. Yet when making TV shows and films, the sound effects are almost always added afterwards in post-production, and it is unusual for props to make any sound. However, to make our replica as engaging as possible we decided that it should make an appropriate range of Phaser firing sounds. The Phaser I replica has a speaker mounted under the grille, which instead of being a thin sheet of pressed foil, is a nickel plated die casting which has been made with tiny holes in it to let the sound out. The shape and pattern of the replica grille’s surface features have been carefully matched to those of the original prop.

Over the years of filming, the original Phaser was naturally subjected to rough handling and needed to be repaired and repainted on occasion. Over successive repairs, the reeding on the top surface at the back of the Phaser II body became damaged. The Phaser replica has perfect reeding as it was originally created. On the Phaser replica, the circular knob/door feature on the front left-hand side of the Phaser II has been made removable so that it can be opened to reveal a glowing dilithium crystal inside the main body. In the original prop, this feature was not removable.

Yes. The Phaser is supplied with with a USB charging cable, but any good quality micro USB cable may be used to charge the Phaser.

No, the codes are not erased when the Phaser runs out of charge. The Phaser will retain the remote control codes it has learned even if it is not charged for a long period. However, to maintain the condition of the battery, it is recommended that the Phaser be charged at least once every six months.

The Phaser is no longer in production and unfortunately, all retailers that once stocked the phaser have sold through.

The Phaser is compatible with almost all makes of home audio-visual equipment around the world, such as TVs, DVD players, hi-fis and set-top boxes. Please note that the Phaser only works with infra-red (IR) remote controls, not radio-frequency (RF) remotes, and that the Phaser is not compatible with Bang & Olufsen equipment.

No, the Phaser is not a full replacement for your standard remote control. However it can learn the infra-red (IR) codes from 36 of the buttons on your existing remote controls. This is enough for you to have some fun performing controlling your home entertainment equipment. You can over-write any of the 36 functions with new IR codes at any time, if you change your mind about the functions that you want the Phaser to perform.

Like any sensitive instrument, it takes a bit of practice to master the Phaser. Some people seem to be natural members of the Enterprise crew and can stun TVs and iPod docks into silence with it straight away, but for most Starfleet trainee officers, about ten minutes’ practice is required to get the hang of the different movement gestures. Please note that the Phaser does require quite precise hand movements to perform the gestures, so we do not recommend it as a remote control for the elderly or infirm.

The Phaser I has a built-in rechargeable lithium power cell that is recharged via the USB cable supplied with the Phaser. (Any good quality USB to micro USB cable may also be used). The Phaser II does not have a battery, but takes its power from the Phaser I when they are docked together. The power cell in the Phaser I cannot be changed and will last the lifetime of the product.

Is the Phaser a “screen-accurate” replica?

For most users the answer is a definite “Yes!”. We have spent thousands of hours and taken great care to make this Phaser replica as accurate as possible to the actual last known screen-used hero prop that Shatner and Nimoy used in the original series of Star Trek . This has included taking the first 3D laser scans of the original hero prop, under the watchful eye of Academy Award-nominated prop maker  and Star Trek authority, Greg Jein, who owns the original prop and kindly allowed us access to study it. We weighed the parts of the original prop, so as to be able to tune the weight of the replica to get it as close as possible to that of the original, and assessed the colour and lustre of the various parts of the original prop under a variety of lighting conditions to make sure that our Phaser replica was the closest possible match for both colour and surface finish. To complement the scans we took detailed micrometer measurements and numerous photographs, and discussed the provenance of the original hero prop at length with Greg Jein to make sure that our Phaser not only followed the data of the original accurately, but also captured the nuances of the original prop’s intention.

However, in order to make the Phaser manufacturable and more affordable, and to iron out some of the original’s inconsistencies, we have had to make some slight changes, and as such, this replica may be considered to be an idealised version of the original hero prop.

The hero prop is made from a range of different materials including fibreglass, brass, aluminium, resin and acrylic. In order to keep the cost as reasonable as possible we have used the nearest equivalent material that is suitable for modern manufacturing methods. Generally, where metal has been used in the construction of the hero prop, we have used metal in the Phaser replica. In the hero prop, where aluminium is used for the muzzle, side door, heat sink, side rails, thumbwheel, and selector dial, we have used hand-polished, nickel-plated, die cast zinc. The grip of the original is made from hand painted brass tube embellished with popsicle sticks – our  replica is also painted, but is made from die cast zinc. The original Phaser I and II bodies are made in fibreglass and have been painted (a number of times through the prop’s history), and we have replicated these parts as closely as possible in lacquer coated, injection moulded ABS. Finally, where the original hero prop uses cast resin or acrylic for the transparent elements, such as the nozzles and lens covers, we have used acrylic and a water-clear co-polyester called Tritan, to achieve the best optical clarity and mouldablity.

The original hero prop is not symmetrical. The parting line separating the two halves doesn’t run down the centreline of the Phaser II body, and even taking this into account, the two halves of the Phaser II body do not have symmetrical curves and features. The two halves of the body are held together with an off-centre screw on the underside of the Phaser in front of the trigger. When designing our Phaser replica, we decided to straighten out the Phaser II body, make the parting line run along the centreline and remove the fixing screw. The sweep of the sides in the plan view was a best-fit average of the left and right side 3D scan data.

The original Phaser I only has a metal side rail on its right hand-side. On the left-hand side of the Phaser I, the side rail is replaced with a strip of black hook and eye (Velcro®) fastener, onto which a silver line is drawn. This was used to attach the Phaser to the actors’ costumes on set, and while this might have been acceptable for filming, in reality it doesn’t look very good, so we replaced the fastening strip with a metal side rail to match the right-hand side.

In every other respect we have attempted to make the Phaser replica as close as possible to the exact dimensions of the original using the 3D scans in conjunction with detailed and accurate measurements we took of the original.

In order to improve infrared transmission reliability, the Phaser replica uses a rod of solid acrylic as a light guide, rather than a drilled-out tube that the original prop used for its Phaser I emitter tip. Our emitter tip is fixed so that it cannot extend and retract when the sight is raised and lowered.

On the original prop, the indicator lens on top of the Phaser I is a simple piece of clear cast resin glued to the top housing over a numerical scale printed on paper. The Phaser prop replica is a complex piece of equipment and its indicator  lens is put to good use as a functional mode selection button. As a result the lens is illuminated and instead of numbers,  displays the letters, P, C and Fx, relating to the different modes (Practice, Control and FX modes).

The original prop’s grip twists into place using curved pins that also form an electrical connection between the battery compartment (in the grip) and the Phaser II main body emitter lamp. Over time, this mechanical joint has been subjected to stress and wear and has become very weak. In the design of the Phaser replica we have addressed this issue. The replica grip pushes on to the Phaser II main body in a similar way to the original, but the grip is securely held in place using a long bolt that is positioned to resemble the nut that holds the battery door onto the base of the grip in the original.

In the original prop there is no electrical connection between the Phaser I and II. However, in the replica, when the Phaser I and II are docked together there is a constant stream of information going between their respective microcontrollers. In addition, the battery power for the assembled Phaser comes from a lithium battery in the Phaser I. As a result there is an array of connector pins on the top surface of the Phaser II docking recess, which mate with matching gold pads on the underside of the Phaser I.

The original Phaser hero prop has a large recess in its end face for the locking catch that holds it in place when it is docked, In the Phaser I replica, this recess is partially filled with a micro USB charging socket.

Sound is an important part of the apparent function of any prop. Yet when making TV shows and films, the sound effects are almost always added afterwards in post-production, and it is unusual for props to make any sound. However, to make our replica as engaging as possible we decided that it should make an appropriate range of Phaser firing sounds. The Phaser I replica has a speaker mounted under the grille, which instead of being a thin sheet of pressed foil, is a nickel plated die casting which has been made with tiny holes in it to let the sound out. The shape and pattern of the replica grille’s surface features have been carefully matched to those of the original prop.

Over the years of filming, the original Phaser was naturally subjected to rough handling and needed to be repaired and repainted on occasion. Over successive repairs, the reeding on the top surface at the back of the Phaser II body became damaged. The Phaser replica has perfect reeding as it was originally created.

On the Phaser replica, the circular knob/door feature on the front left-hand side of the Phaser II has been made removable so that it can be opened to reveal a glowing dilithium crystal inside the main body. In the original prop, this feature was not removable.

Can I charge the Phaser with any micro-USB cable?

Yes. The Phaser is supplied with with a USB charging cable, but any good quality micro USB cable may be used to charge the Phaser.

No, the codes are not erased when the Phaser runs out of charge. The Phaser will retain the remote control codes it has learned even if it is not charged for a long period. However, to maintain the condition of the battery, it is recommended that the Phaser be charged at least once every six months.

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‘Star Trek' sound effects designer Michael Schapiro on the biggest challenge for ‘Strange New Worlds' Season 2 [Exclusive Video Interview]

Sound effects designer Michael Schapiro has boldly gone to great lengths over the last several years to connect the modern iterations of "Star Trek" with the franchise's past. A five-time Emmy Award nominee across three "Star Trek" properties – including "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds" and "Star Trek: Discovery" – Schapiro says he often tends to think of his work as "archeological sound design."

"We've got a lot of material from those old shows," Schapiro tells Gold Derby in an exclusive video interview as part of our Meet the Experts: Sound panel. "We can dive into old episodes and see what was done. But the initial pilot of the original series was from 1965. So it's digging into what they might have used to make these things then and then updating it or recreating it, and getting it more modern sounding."

But then the challenge becomes satisfying the "Star Trek" fans – many of whom are old enough to remember "Star Trek: The Original Series." 

"They will call us out if anything is off base," Schapiro says, noting how "Strange New Worlds," for instance, takes place in an era just before the "Original Series" timeline. "So we have to stick as closely as we can while updating it to modern standards, which can be tough. Sometimes some of those early sounds are a little cheesy, but they're also iconic. So it's keeping them what you'd expect from a modern show while still honoring what was done 60 years ago."

That balance was readily apparent in Season 2 of "Strange New Worlds," particularly with the the fearsome alien species the Gorn. In the "Original Series," the Gorn was depicted as a man in a suit – and while "Strange New Worlds" used a more modern approach to the prosthetics, the entire alien race was given a pretty horrific makeover.

"That is our horror episode," Schapiro says of the Season 2 finale – where the Gorn appear as both terrifying babies and full-grown monsters. "With the baby Gorn, they're small but also really scary. That was one of our sound editors Kip Smedley , he has an alpaca farm. So one of his alpacas on a shearing day, screams up a storm. Otherwise, she's perfectly fine – she's just unhappy being sheared. So he got a microphone and that is a good chunk of the baby gorn sound – this very unhappy alpaca. And I think there's another shearing day coming up in a few days, so he's getting ready for Season 3."

With "Star Trek: Discovery," now in its fifth season with a timeline 1,000 years after the events of "Strange New Worlds," Schapiro says a lot of the sound work was maintaining what worked in Season 4 but still pushing ahead to combine the classic "Star Trek" sound with original creations. "That is a chance to do something new," Schapiro says. "Again, with an eye on the older material."

"Star Trek: Strange New Worlds" and "Star Trek: Discovery" are streaming on Paramount+.

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Den of Geek

Strange New Worlds Easter Eggs Bring Back the Very First Star Trek Adventure in a New Way

With “Among the Lotus Eaters” and a return to Rigel VII, Strange New Worlds is reminding everyone exactly when on the Star Trek timeline this show takes place.

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This Star Trek: Strange New Worlds article contains spoilers.

The title of Strange New Worlds season 2, episode 4 — “Among the Lotus Eaters” — is a reference to Greek Mythology, specifically, the idea of lazy, memory-hazy people called “lotus eaters” from The Odyssey . Star Trek referencing older books and myth is nothing new, but, as Trek approaches its 60th anniversary in just three short years, it now commands its own rich mythology.

In “Among the Lotus Eaters,” Strange New Worlds goes back to the roots of Star Trek , both in style, but also, in its deep cuts. Here are all the best references from Trek canon, which, really, we should all start calling “ Star Trek mythology.”

USS Cayuga 

Captain Batel’s ship, the USS Cayuga appears here in another joint mission with the USS Enterprise . This previously happened in the season 1 finale, “A Quality of Mercy.” Whether or not the Cayuga is a Constitution-class ship like the Enterprise or the nearly-identical Sombra-class is up for debate right now.

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Batel mentions she picked up the “mariner’s keystone” on the planet Gault. This is probably the same Gault where Worf grew up, which, from the perspective of Strange New Worlds , is in the future.

This episode is all about Rigel VII, first glimpsed in telepathic flashbacks in “The Cage,” the very first Star Trek pilot episode from 1965. Number One mentions “we were there five years ago as a routine exploration of a class-M planet.” That would have happened in the year 2254, because it’s 2259 in the “present.” The entire backstory of “The Cage” occurs just before what Pike called “the fight on Rigel VII.”

Spock Injuries 

Pike mentions that on Rigel VII, “we lost three people, we had to get to Vega colony before Spock’s injuries made it four.” Later he says that “Spock was bleeding out.” In “The Cage,” Spock walks with a limp, which was an intentional choice. At the very beginning of “The Cage,” Pike says that the Enterprise is headed to “…the Vega Colony and take care of our own sick and injured first.”

Pike’s Mistakes on Rigel VII

Pike mentions that “last time we went down there we were in uniform, I am not making that mistake twice.” In “The Cage,” Pike also blames himself saying, “I should have smelled trouble when I saw the swords and the armor.” 

Subdermal Universal Translators

In order to communicate with the local Kalar, the landing party has “subdermal” universal translators. One wonders why these might not just be standard issue all the time? In Discovery , we saw the standard communicator working as a universal translator. In The Next Generation , it’s assumed that the combadge is also a built-in universal translator. Also, in “Patterns of Force,” Kirk and Spock had “subdermal transponders” injected into their arms, which were basically like homing beacons.

Is It the Same Castle?

In “The Cage” (and later, again in “The Menagerie”), the Rigel VII castle has a very distinct look. Is this meant to be the same castle? Probably not. In “The Cage,” Pike says, “I let myself get trapped in that deserted fortress and attacked by one of their warriors.” The castle here is certainly not deserted.

Pike Talking About Cages

When the landing party is captured, Pike says, “This is a cage.” More like this is “THE CAGE,” right?

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Tellarite Sonnets

Ortegas teases Uhura about “staying up late and translating Tellarite sonnets.” The Tellarites are the old-school pig-like aliens, first seen in “Journey to Babel.” They are founding members of the Federation.

“I flew the Enterprise before you did.”

Number One takes over the helm from Ortegas and says: “I flew the Enterprise before you did.” This is an implicit reference to “The Cage,” but also, to Discovery season 2 and Short Treks . Prior to Strange New Worlds , Number One was both the flight controller of the Enterprise and the first officer, at the same time.

Personnel Files

Spock gives everyone a datapad with their specific personnel files. Later, when Spock loses his memory, he can’t read it. Is this because his native language is Vulcan? Does the TARDIS  universal translator not work on text? Also, a close-up of Ortegas’ data file has this detail: “Lt. Ortegas is a 23rd Century Starfleet Officer.” With all the time travel shenanigans last week, it’s interesting to note here that her CENTURY is specified. 

The ship’s computer tells Ortegas that “officer’s quarters are on Deck 6.” This checks out with the TOS episode “The Ultimate Computer” in which we were told crew quarters were on Deck 6. 

Follow the Path

Just like in “Encounter at Farpoint,” in TNG , the hallway lights-up to show Ortegas where to go. Riker had the computer guide him in a similar way on his first day on the Enterprise-D , though his memory was fully intact at that point.

Walker-class Starship

Ortegas has two starship models in her room — one that looks like the Enterprise , and another ship that looks like the USS Shenzhou , from Discovery season 1. The Shenzhou was a Walker-class ship, and within Trek canon, was supposed to be older than the Enterprise .

M’Benga and La’an 

Although it has not been explained in dialogue, since the very first episode of Strange New Worlds , we’ve seen that M’Benga and La’an have a shorthand. A very specific hand gesture near the eye, lets us know they have some kind of inside understanding. When they both regain these memories, we see this same hand gesture, moving one finger under the eye, just as we did in the first episode of the show in season 1.

Pike’s Phaser Blasts

If you listen closely, the sounds of Pike’s phaser rifle blasts are very similar to the stun setting sound in The Original Series , which we also heard last year in “Spock Amok.”

Number One at Navigation 

By the end of the episode, Number One is back up at the front of the bridge, this time, working the navigation station, next to Ortegas. This would seem to indicate that Number One can basically do any job on the bridge when a seat needs to be filled.

Pike’s Quarters 

The end of this episode finds us zooming out from the windows of Pike’s quarters. And, from the look of it, it seems like that puts his room right near the front of the saucer section, slightly to the “left.” This probably means Pike’s quarters are on a different deck than everyone else’s. And those nice windows seem more than a little bit inspired by Ten Forward in The Next Generation .

Ryan Britt is a longtime contributor to Den of Geek! He is also the author of three non-fiction books: the Star Trek pop history book PHASERS…

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Published Apr 5, 2024

RECAP | Star Trek: Discovery 502 - 'Under the Twin Moons'

Power of creation, here they come!

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

StarTrek.com

In the fifth season's premiere episode , Kovich sent Captain Burnham and the U.S.S. Discovery crew on a Red Directive to retrieve a mysterious artifact hidden inside a 800-year-old Romulan vessel. Turns out, that mysterious artifact is a piece of Progenitors tech the race of ancient beings used to design life itself. Unfortunately, they're not the only ones on the hunt as the Discovery and Antares crew are hot on the heels of two ex-couriers Moll and L'ak who stole Dr. Vellek's diary, the first piece of the puzzle. Burnham assures Dr. Kovich that Discovery is the right team for the Red Directive mission.

In Episode 2 of Star Trek: Discovery , " Under the Twin Moons ," on Saru’s last mission as Captain Burnham’s Number One, the team ventures to a seemingly abandoned planet to hunt for what might be the greatest treasure in the galaxy.

• Michael Burnham
• Laira Rillak
• Charles Vance
• Cleveland "Book" Booker
• Queen Grudge
• Sylvia Tilly
• Dr. Hugh Culber
• Paul Stamets
• Moll (Malinne)

• U.S.S. Discovery -A
• Federation Headquarters
• Lyrek, a M-class planet with three moons, Vileen system, Beta Quadrant

Captain Michael Burnham gazes out at the stars from her Ready Room aboard the U.S.S. Discovery -A, reflecting on philosophical questions about the purpose and meaning behind humanity’s existence. The captain looks toward a hologram of a Progenitor and wonders if locating the ancient technology will provide her with the answers she is seeking. Her door chimes, and Saru enters as a DOT-23 continues to clean Q'Mau's radiative sands from Discovery 's hull. The Kelpien reports that repairs will be completed within the hour, pleased that the schedule has afforded him one last mission to say goodbye on his final day aboard the ship.

Before departing dry dock, Burnham heads to Federation Headquarters and attends an inquiry into Captain Rayner's actions on Q'Mau. The Starfleet Corps of Engineers is mired in a messy cleanup effort, yet Burnham is reluctant to openly criticize Rayner in front of Federation President Laira Rillak and Admiral Charles Vance. Pressed to offer her opinion, Discovery 's captain concedes that Rayner's plan represented an unjustifiable risk. Citing the Red Directive to secure an item that could compromise the Federation's safety, Rayner pushed back and emphasized his 30 years of experience.

Rillak counters, noting that they are in a different time — things have changed and the Federation is not at war. Rayner argues that the Breen are infighting over a new leader, the Orions are regrouping, and that war is always a possibility — the president is living in a "candy-colored holo fantasy" if she thinks otherwise. Rayner's temper boils at the notion he has leveled undue criticism during a delicate time of diplomacy and rebuilding, and the captain expresses frustration over not being able to complete his mission and preventing Moll and L'ak from accessing a technology of unbelievable power. The heated exchange crescendos, and Rillak calls for a break.

"Under the Twin Moons"

The senior officials step aside, and Burnham quietly tells Rayner that the world is bigger than their own corner of it. She departs with Vance, who thanks the captain for her candor. The admiral considers Rayner a friend who loves Starfleet and the Federation, so he also appreciates that Burnham recognizes Rayner to be a gifted officer. Vance informs Burnham that Dr. Kovich will monitor Discovery 's progress from Federation HQ before praising the addition of Cleveland "Book" Booker to the ship’s manifest. Although the admiral is glad to have Book's experience, he asks Burnham if the former courier's presence will be an issue for her. The captain assures him that it will not.

Book and Grudge settle in aboard Discovery , and Captain Burnham presents the duo with a holographic mouse toy as she enters their temporary quarters. Book is glad Vance hasn’t thrown him back in "the clink," and Burnham states that the admiral is genuinely impressed by Book's work with the Dark Matter Anomaly refugees. Book cuts to the chase, claiming he merely goes where the higher ups send him. Burnham outlines the mission — Dr. Vellek hid the Progenitor's power — or a clue as to where it's hidden — on Lyrek. Commander Paul Stamets is also analyzing a circular schematic found in Vellek's diary, so the captain tasks Book with reviewing Moll and L'ak's interactions with the dealer, a deceased synth named Fred.

Dr. Hugh Culber will simultaneously be working up a psych profile on the two couriers in case they encounter them on Lyrek, and Burnham adds that this will be Saru's last mission — at least for a while. Book laughs at the notion of "Action Saru" being chained to a desk, mimicking the Kelpien's quill deployment. This draws a smile from the captain, who tosses the holographic mouse's controller to Book and states that she got it for him, not for Grudge. Burnham orders the Discovery to Black Alert; the ship maneuvers away from the fleet at Federation HQ and activates its spore drive.

The Crossfield -class vessel appears over Lyrek, and Lieutenant Sylvia Tilly — joined in the Science Lab by Burnham, Saru, and Ensign Adira Tal — explains that the diary's clue about the "shadow of twin moons" points them to a large structure where a double solar eclipse occurs every seven years. Adira describes it as a burial ground that had been used by the Promellians until their own extinction.* The idea of a Romulan scientist choosing an ancient Promellian necropolis as a hiding place perplexes Saru, and Tilly promises that the crew will keep their eyes peeled — which is actually kind of disgusting if you think about it — for Moll and L'ak.

Happy to have Tilly assigned to this mission as a science specialist, Captain Burnham listens as the lieutenant outlines the reason for beaming down so far from their objective — the area is surrounded by a "weirdly strong" electromagnetic field which prevents them from transporting in any closer. Burnham is mindful that they will be entering a sacred space, but grins as she looks to Saru and says, "Last dance." Burnham and Saru beam directly to the planet's foliage-rich surface, astounded by the serene view from a position that overlooks the distant pyramid. Though he has compensated for Moll and L'ak's cloaking system, Saru does not detect any lifeforms. The two set out on their journey toward the "power of creation."

Book makes the trip to Sickbay and finds Culber scanning Moll and L'ak's records. The doctor greets him with a warm embrace and queries Book about how he is doing. The ex-courier professes he is just trying to figure out what's next, turning to examine the holographic files depicting the two thieves. Culber believes he knows more about the spirits his abuela prayed to than he does Moll and L'ak, as the couple uses hybridized tech from a variety of species and — while not violent for the sake of it — doesn't shy away from confrontation. Zora projects footage of Moll and L'ak's vessel deploying its decoy probes, the frivolous stunt allowing Book to deduce that they feel free and are in love. The doctor takes a shot at inquiring about Book's romance with the captain, but attention is shifted back to the thrill-seekers. Book wishes to give them a proverbial cliff and see if they're willing to jump.

Down on Lyrek's surface, Burnham learns that Commander Jett Reno — not Book — was the one who gave Saru his "Action Saru" moniker. The Kelpien's ferocity, along with his projectile-like quills, while facing off against the Emerald Chain's Zareh struck a chord with the engineer. Saru recalls when Michael Burnham first boarded Discovery as a mutineer and prisoner, declaring how much she has impressed and inspired him in the years since. Burnham supplies her own perspective, describing Saru as the bravest soul she’s ever known and wondering how she’ll ever find a new Number One. Tilly's plan to return to the Academy rules her out for the position, though Captain Burnham has been eyeing candidates from Discovery and across Starfleet.

Saru politely weighs in, referring to the captain as a "force" who would be aided by someone with a similar disposition — like Mr. Booker. Burnham prepares an incredulous response, but Saru clarifies that he simply means Book stands his ground. The sight of unearthed skeletal remains halts the discourse, and the corpses' deteriorated condition seems to demonstrate that these bodies likely belonged to grave robbers. They spot a large, sculpted stone hand protruding from the nearby forest and draw their phasers. The officers resolve to stay alert, particularly as Burnham would hate to miss Saru's wedding because she's dead. "That would be a grave disappointment," the Kelpien retorts.

Tilly and Adira track their colleagues' progress from Discovery , as the Science Lab’s holographic map keeps a live feed of the journey. Adira beams with joy over Tilly's return to the ship, and the lieutenant believes she has finally found her place at the Academy. Disappointed that her cadets haven't been rising to the challenge in the field, Tilly is concerned that her students don't grasp the meaning of the mission itself. Talk of fresh perspectives reminds Adira of Gray, and the ensign confesses that they liked being on their own. Their map chirps, notifying them of a spike in the electromagnetic field around the captain’s position.

Burnham's own holographic display projects them to be only 500 meters from their target, leading them through a maze of stone carvings — including a statue's severed head. Although the officers approach cautiously, the figure's eyelids open and release a flurry of drones which begin to target Burnham and Saru. They take cover and return fire while Tilly and Adira attempt to recalibrate the transporters to work around the electromagnetic field. With their superiors unable to move, Tilly and Adira search for the field's power source — no sign of an ion reactor, deuterium, cloaked antimatter, or…

A holographic transmission from Captain Rayner materializes in the lab, and he admits he has been clandestinely monitoring secure comms from Federation HQ. Rayner points out how slim the chances are that the Promellians used cloaked antimatter batteries over 2,000 years ago, urging Tilly to think like an ancient Promellian instead of a 32nd Century scientist. Zora scans Federation databases and shares that the Promellians utilized Lang Cycle fusion on their starships, but there's no indication of that technology on the surface. Rayner presses on — the Promellians built a graveyard that they wanted to protect for centuries, what else did they use to power their cities and ships? Zora lists gravity waves, gamma ray bursts, and electromagnetic waves — a revelation linking the drones to the electromagnetic field.

The sound of the drones gathering to detonate above their position motivates Burnham and Saru to sprint from their hiding spot. Tilly divulges that the security system is being powered by the electromagnetic field, suggesting that shutting down the statue's internal control mechanism will stop the drones. The weapons emerged from the severed head, but destroying it could cause a chain reaction that would demolish what they came to find — and possibly kill them in the process. Adamant that they must take great care to disconnect the system from its power source first, Saru proposes they employ an electromagnetic pulse to disrupt it. Setting the power packs from their phasers to "Emergency Discharge" could do the trick.

The captain hesitantly agrees, but — given his superior reflexes and speed — Saru volunteers to be the one to draw the drones' fire while Burnham places the phasers on the statue. Though T'Rina would be heartbroken if Saru died, he knows she would nevertheless want him to perform his duties. The Kelpien bolts through the underbrush, the drones pursuing close behind. Burnham reaches the statue's head, dropping the overloading weapons into its eye socket as Saru narrowly evades weapons blasts. He deploys his quills to dispatch a trio of drones, though three more float up behind him.

The EM pulse discharges, rippling through the jungle and disabling the remaining drones. Filled with worry, Burnham calls out to Saru, experiencing great relief when the Kelpien responds and announces that he is okay. The two converge and relish in a friendly hug, though a minor wound that "Action Saru" suffered does cause him discomfort. It’s now clear why Dr. Vellek chose a Promellian necropolis as a hiding place — it is exceedingly well-defended. Burnham and Saru draw new phasers from their programmable matter reserves and set their sights on their objective.

In Discovery 's Engineering section, Zora and Stamets narrow down potential matches for the symbol written in Vellek's diary. With Culber in his wake, Book rushes in and wields a piece of equipment he can harness to access "dark comms," a special subspace comms channel that can reach Moll and L'ak. Book thinks the two might be Sui — couriers who take the most dangerous jobs because they love the action and the latinum. Aware that Moll and L'ak likely hope to unload the diary as soon as they can, Book gambles that they will answer his call… and — moments later — the couriers arrive via a holographic transmission.

On the planet below, Burnham and Saru set foot in their target area near the pyramid, spying a section of ruins marked by Moll and L'ak's phaser burns. Readings don’t indicate that anything of great power was ever hidden here, so the stone's inscription must have been a clue. Moll and L'ak destroyed it to cover the next step to the Progenitors' tech, but hints of iridescent bacteria had settled into the grooves where the words were inscribed — recalibrating their tricorder for the UV spectrum unveils a hidden Romulan revlav , that begins with " Jolan tru, zarbalgon " —

Hello, Wanderer, Many worlds have you traveled to, Opaline waters call to you, Thoughts are shared. A world like no other, where two souls entwine, joined as one.

Romulan revlav, "Under the Twin Moons"

The clue seems to point toward Betazed's Opal Sea, but there are only four verses — a Romulan revlav typically has five. Tilly warns them that the electromagnetic field will regain power within two minutes.

In Engineering, Book banters with Moll and L'ak, unsure of whether the two couriers are running to something or from something. Moll interjects that the diary is Romulan and the Federation has no claim to it, but Book replies that the item will likely lead to unwanted Shine — their deaths or a stay in the brig. Moll's serious tone matches her ominous glare, and she asks Book for his true identity. The Kwejian mentions that he was a courier who primarily worked in the Beta Quadrant under the name Cleveland Booker. Recognition crosses Moll's features, and she retorts that all she and L'ak have is each other — and that’s more than enough. Moll ends the transmission, having routed the signal through an unstable wormhole to prevent a trace. Appearing unsettled by the chat, Book retrieves his kit and exits the room.

With time running out, Burnham and Saru take a page from Rayner's book and try to put themselves in Dr. Vellek’s mindset. Romulans were obsessed with secrecy in the 24th Century, often traveling with armed guards — the presence of another sizable stone sentry catches Saru's eye. Romulan dwellings typically had a shaiqouin — a false front door — to mislead enemies. The entrance for family and friends was in the back, persuading the captain to want to check beneath the obelisk. Saru lifts the stone, unearthing the final part of the clue and another relic. Unwilling to desecrate the sacred space, Saru covers it in a bid to prevent Moll and L’ak from gathering the additional intel. The second statue slowly turns its head, and the Starfleet officers beam out just before a new wave of energy blasts targets their position.

Burnham and Saru join Tilly and Adira in Discovery 's Science Lab, shocked to find out that Rayner had helped crack the planet's security system. The captain orders that a team of DOTs be dispatched to repair the damaged obelisk, and orbital sensors must be placed to notify Discovery when Moll and L'ak return to Lyrek. Stamets strolls in to examine the freshly procured relic, confirming that it has the same style and visual language as the symbol from the diary. Zora crafts a programmable matter version of the diary's symbol, producing a circular item containing its unique pattern. The relic fits into a section of the symbol, and the officers ascertain that the symbol is actually a map that was broken up into five pieces. The Romulan poem tells them where to go next so that they can locate the other four pieces and complete the map.

The prospect of obtaining the technology that the Progenitors used to create life astounds the group, so they begin to dissect the Romulan poem. While the first set of verses implies a need to visit Betazed, the final verse reads, "A world like no other, where two souls entwine, joined as one." Factoring in the previous hints about opaline waters and shared thoughts, Adira blurts out the true answer — Trill!**

In his quarters, Book reviews the recording of his talk with Moll. He freezes the playback on Moll, asking Zora to de-age the image to when Moll would have been just over 7 years old. Truth dawns on Book's face, but Culber's arrival draws him out of his silent reflection. The doctor is concerned that it seemed as if Book had seen a ghost. The ex-courier asks if Culber believes in fate, as Book discloses that he knows Moll. He’s only ever seen her birthmark on a holo-image of one person — Malinne, the daughter of his mentor, Cleveland Booker IV.*** Book wistfully supposes that this makes Moll the closest thing to family he has left.

The Discovery -A jumps back to Federation HQ, and Saru finishes packing up his belongings from his plant-filled quarters on the ship. The Kelpien looks around the misty room, recalling how he passed through Vahar’ai here, transitioning from a life of fear to a life of hope. Turning to Captain Burnham, he explains that her presence by his side is what he remembers most from that trying time. For the captain, everything she's experienced with Saru has been an honor. There's no replacing him, but Burnham is sure whoever comes will be great.

Saru's last words of advice? Continue forward as you have. While one cannot predict what is to come, giving yourself over to the journey — and trusting in the process — can provide great meaning regardless of where one eventually arrives. The captain nods her approval, and Saru jokingly adds that she should also not touch the swamp kelp while it is in bloom. Burnham thanks the Kelpien for giving her a second chance, and the two gently lean in and rest their heads against each other.

As Admiral Vance tidies up his daughter Charlie's belongings in his office, Captain Burnham approaches to check on the status of the inquiry into Captain Rayner. Vance was forced to ask Rayner to take an early retirement, though he hopes he has not ruined their 30-year friendship. The world has changed, but Rayner refuses to hear Vance out. Burnham momentarily ponders the admiral’s statement, deciding to…

…seek out Rayner elsewhere on the starbase. His collar open, Rayner allows Burnham to join him — it’s a free galaxy, well most of it anyway. Rayner marvels at Discovery through the viewport, and Burnham brings up his myriad of accomplishments — citations for distinguished service, the Grandkite Order of Tactics, and awards of valor. Rayner considers them all trinkets, pointing out that what you do in the chair is what really matters. Rayner is well-aware of what he stands for and believes in — he's not going to apologize for that. Burnham questions whether Rayner feels he deserved early retirement, but Rayner shares that he should have seen this coming. He preaches the need to think like your enemies, but what Moll and L'ak did tangled it all up. Rayner would have been mortified if civilian lives had been lost on Q’Mau.

Rayner accepts that he had dug his own grave, yet Burnham declares that it doesn’t mean he has to get in it — she wants Rayner to be her new Number One. The proclamation perplexes Rayner, but Burnham elaborates — Starfleet and the Federation matter to Rayner, and the way he looks at the stars clearly shows that he’s not ready to hang up his career in space. Rayner considers it impossible; Vance wouldn’t let him aboard anything more than a garbage scow. Burnham emphasizes the second chance she received, and Vance has already backed her request.

Burnham sets Discovery 's upcoming departure to Trill as a deadline for Rayner to make a decision, but he only contemplates the offer for another moment. Rayner asserts that he is not a "yes man," and Burnham answers that she's counting on that. Rayner straightens himself, zipping up his command uniform with renewed confidence. Captain Burnham acknowledges Rayner with a smile, certain that Discovery has just gained a valuable crew member.

* " Booby Trap " — Promellians, an extinct warp-capable, technologically-advanced humanoid species, were first mentioned in this The Next Generation third-season adventure when the Enterprise is caught in a booby trap that captures the ship and converts its energy into lethal levels of radiation. Investigating a long-abandoned Promellian battlecruiser, the Enterprise crew discovered the space-faring race destroyed themselves along with the Menthar during the battle of Orelious IX when they unknowingly supplied the power for their own destruction while trying to escape the later's booby trap for them.

** " Equilibrium " — After Jadzia Dax experiences unusual mood swings and fightening hallucinations, the Defiant crew in this Deep Space Nine third-season episode travel to Trill to help Jadzia unearth suppressed memories from Dax's previous host.

*** " Species Ten-C " — Book's guiding north star has always been to live up to his "mentor" and namesake, Cleveland Booker IV. In this fourth-season Discovery installment, Book explains his relationship with the original Booker, who believed the measure of someone was in how they honored their promises. In adopting his mentor's name, he also adopted generations of Booker's reputation of trust.

• Written by Alan McElroy
• Directed by Doug Aarniokoski

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Jay Stobie (he/him) is a freelance writer, author, and consultant who has contributed articles to StarTrek.com, Star Trek Explorer, and Star Trek Magazine, as well as to Star Wars Insider and StarWars.com. Learn more about Jay by visiting JayStobie.com or finding him on Twitter, Instagram, and other social media platforms at @StobiesGalaxy.

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.