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Sharky's favorite Enterprises
8 years ago
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I'm Mister Meeseeks! Look at me!
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So, it’s been a while since I did something a bit more positive, and I needed something to take my mind off of today; how about a ranking of how I feel the various Star Trek enterprises stack up?
How am I evaluating these?
1: Personal taste – Yeah that’s basically inevitable; that’s how opinion lists go
2: How well they fit – That means how well they fit into what Star Trek is: that being exploring space, occasionally engaging in epic battle, but mostly exploring space
3: How well they fit the “hero ship” role – Let’s face it: that’s a quality you absolutely NEED in an enterprise: it has to feel like the hero ship of the series
Honorable mentions:
SS Enterprise NX-01 – Columbia class
Captain: Johnathan Archer (presumably)
https://trekazoid.files.wordpress.c.....on-d70fw6k.png
Otherwise known as the “NX-refit”; the SS Enterprise is the refitted version of the NX-01 Enterprise seen in the TV show of the same name. Basically; this is the bridge from that design to the old Constitution class from the original series… and honeslty; it’s a marked improvement if you ask me. And the design goes a long way to moving things from the pre-TOS era into the TOS era proper. The reason it’s an honorable mention? Because it was never actually shown: it was designed to be used later into Star Trek Enterprise’s run, but given the show got canned, well; we never got to see it.
USS Enterprise NCC-1701-F – Quantum class
Captain: Unknown
http://img01.deviantart.net/7639/i/.....nd-d57gw57.jpg
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.co.....f2ed266ebd.jpg
http://img12.deviantart.net/00b3/i/.....nd-d4grnxq.jpg
For those who are a bit confused: the Enterprise F, currently has never been seen on screen, but was instead designed as part of a promo contest for the game Star Trek Online. Several different designs were submitted and voted on, and a winner was picked, which we will see in a bit. Personally though: this Quantum-class Enterprise was and is my personal favourite. She looks like the Sovereign-class E and Interprid-class Voyager had a baby, and I think she’s beautiful. She fits what we know the Federation’s design aesthetic is going towards, and she fits the well “Enterprise cycle”. By that I mean: if one care sto notice, Enterprises go in waves: explorer-warship-explorer, so on. With the Sovereign being our “war enterprise” the next one ought to be another explorer, and this, based on its design and name; looks to be designed to use the new Quantum slipstream drive in place of warp drive, allowing it to explore the furthest reaches of the galaxy. Plus: she has something crucial to any Enterprise: visual personality; she looks like a hero ship, and unlike the enterprises to come before and after. If I were to pick a captain for her: hey, why not get Seven of Nine/Annika Hansen from Voyager? That would make for a pretty cool start to a series set in the STO-era.
Now that those are out of the way; onto the list proper.
The JJ-prise, otherwise known as the USS Enterprise NCC-1701 – Constitution (on forced evolutionary virus and Quaaludes) class
Captain: James “I’m made of wood, pine to be specific” Kirk
https://trekazoid.files.wordpress.c.....se_orthos1.jpg
First, and most definitely least comes this… abomination. I refuse to call it a proper enterprise; it’s a disgusting mutation, like it limped out of the drydock screaming “KILL ME!” The bridge looks like an over-lit apple store, complete with massive display window. It has a brewery for an engine room, and Mr. Toads wild ride for its water purification system. It’s horrifically deformed, its proportions are all wrong, as are its colors. It shifts wildly from movie to movie because JJ Abrams is a hack who cares nothing about getting things even consistent never mind right. And it’s about 5 times larger than it ought to be for the time it was built. It can travel UNDERWATER at one point in one movie, then can’t bear to enter atmosphere later in the SAME MOVIE. Thank goodness that Star Trek Beyond blew up its ugly ass… hopefully with ticket sales down and two main character’s actors dead, we’ve seen the last of it… before its somehow even uglier sibling could be on screen for more than a few seconds. *pukes into a bag*
http://trekcore.com/blog/wp-content.....6/08/ent-a.jpg
USS Enterprise NCC-1701-C – Ambassador class
Captain: Rachel Garrett
http://img08.deviantart.net/2491/i/....._schematic.jpg
It’s a bit sad that the only Enterprise thus far with a female CO is so far down my list, but there it is. Probably unsurprising to learn that the Enterprise C here was designed basically as a one-off as part of an episode of TNG. A quite good episode mind (Yesterday’s Enterprise), but her main design directive as basically “smash the Enterprise D and Constitution lass together”, and it rather shows if you ask me. She’s very derivative of the two ships that went into her design, but the elements don’t really gel together that well, and as a result; just doesn’t really have much of an identity of her own if you ask me. In the end, she just kind of exists “oh, and the enterprise C too”.
USS Enterprise NCC-1701-F – Odyssey class
Captain: Va’Kel Shon
https://vignette4.wikia.nocookie.ne.....20150315165516
As stated in my honorable mentions; I’m not crazy about the design they decided to go with for this one. Not that I actively dislike the Odyssey class, unlike the two above, but well; she has a lot of the same problems as the C/Ambassador class. That being: that she lacks personality of her own and is very derivative of another design, that being the Enterprise E/Sovereign class. She basically just feels to me like “the Sovereign class, but a bit bigger”. She still looks good mind; benefit of being derivative of a single rather than two designs, the elements still hold together well. And she does have the first non-human captain of the Enterprise, which is cool.
Enterprise NX-01 – NX class
Captain: Johnathan Archer
http://orig03.deviantart.net/3ad1/f.....ex-d6ukbiy.jpg
As much as I make fun of Enterprise for having by far the worst ratio of bad to good episodes of any of the trek series, and that’s including the animated one; I don’t actually dislike the NX-01 herself. She’s less a “starship”, and more a “submarine in space” which makes perfect sense for when she was built. She is a natural progression from the design explosion we see following Humans discovering warp flight to the more refined “standard federation” look, especially in the light of the refit “Columbia class” which was in the honorable mentions. Main quibble being that they should have covered over the glowing coils in the engines to keep continuity between the Phoenix and the TOS enterprise. Overall; solid ship design for what she is, though it’s a bit telling that I like her better in Imperial colors:
http://orig13.deviantart.net/9cbf/f.....ex-d6un4y7.jpg
USS Enterprise XCV-330 – Declaration class
Captain: Unknown
http://vignette3.wikia.nocookie.net.....20100805095943
The first interstellar starship enterprise. And thus also begins the entry of the two “weird enterprises”. It is only seen in depictions across a couple different series/movies, but it is a awesome blend of real-world potential starship design, and “trek-style” designs. It makes sense that one of the first things human designers would do is mimic the Vulcan-style of design. Plus, well: I am a total sucker for those Alcubierre-style warp ring engines.
USS Enterprise NCC-1701-J – Universe Class
Captain: Unknown
https://vignette1.wikia.nocookie.ne.....20071017180705
From the far future of the 26th century, we have the Enterprise J, another of the “one off” enterprises like the C and B, this one was only glimpsed in a brief flash-forward during the events of Enterprise. She might well be the largest enterprise ever built; as we know later by the 29th century the Federation started building much smaller, more powerful ships as their technology exponentially advanced (Hey, CBS: want some free hype? Reveal the “time ship enterprise S”). We basically know almost nothing about her, besides that she might have some organic tech based on the lines and sweep of the hull, she’s incredibly powerful, even by her time’s standards… and SHE’S FUCKING HUGE!
http://www.coldnorth.com/owen/game/.....terprise-j.gif
USS Enterprise NCC-1701 – Constitution class
Captain: James T. Kirk
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.co.....8e75543535.jpg
Yes; surprisingly, the original, the classic, the one that started it all… is NOT my favorite. The original Connie is a terrific ship don’t get me wrong: her design is simple and elegant, and as the Enterprise episode “In a mirror darkly” showed, she still looks great using modern effects. She does show her age just a little bit though; this was the “1.0” version afterall, made on a TV-show budget from a time when well; they basically could only afford a new model every 3 or 4 episodes or so, and the transporter came about because the model for the shuttle was late and wouldn’t be ready for filming. Nothing can replace her though *stares over at the impaled remains of the JJprise*
USS Enterprise NCC-1701-B – Excelsior class refit
Captain: John Herriman (later Demora Sulu, how cool is that?)
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.co.....7ba9b302e9.jpg
Some are going to be surprised this one is this high, as she’s yet another “one-off” enterprise: see only I believe in model form during TNG, and then in the introduction to Star Trek: Generations. The Excelsior-class gets a lot of hate from TOS-purists for being over-designed compared to the original enterprise, and this refit even more so. But personally: I love her; I’ve always loved the design of the Excelsior-class as the “battleship” to the Constitution’s “cruiser” as it were, and the B I can’t help feel like she’s the ugly duckling people like to make fun of for showing up in a merely okay movie and then never again.
USS Enterprise NCC-1701-D – Galaxy class
Captain: Jean-Luc Picard
http://orig10.deviantart.net/bb2a/f.....ex-d6rws0s.jpg
Now if I had to pick any Enterprise to live on, man would it be this one. The Enterprise D is a bloody city in space; with all the comforts of home while out and about, and makes sense as it was built during an incredibly peaceful era of the Federation. She’s probably also one of the most iconic of the Star Trek hero ships; with by far the longest run on screen of any of them. This is the ship which above all others wound up feeling like a real place: even more so soon when we get to see the culmination of the fan project to make a fully 3D walk-around version based on the blueprints that were actually produced. In-universe though: the galaxy class proved itself to be a bit of a microcosm of the weaknesses of the Federation, and would eventually be replaced.
USS Enterprise NCC-1701-E – Sovereign class
Captain: Jean-Luc Picard
http://orig06.deviantart.net/ae23/f.....ex-d6sah71.jpg
Replaced with this! Now if the D was made for pleasure, then the E made to kick ass. She’s everything the D isn’t; swift, sleek, and made for battle; embodying all the hard-learned lessons the Federation had to endure through the Borg invasion, and then the Dominion war. She also came along right at the right time; with probably the single most extravagant practical model ever produced, which was where the design was refined BEFORE going into the CGI shop. The design has that unique quality of looking like it’s going fast, even when it’s sitting still. Even though she only showed up in one good movie to two absolutely god-awful ones, I still love the Enterprise E. I mean geez; look at that monster
https://68.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_.....2xzo1_1280.jpg
USS Enterprise NCC-1701-A – Constitution class
Captain: James T. Kirk
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.co.....c8ffbc3c6b.jpg
And here’s where I hopefully win back some of my old-school-trek-fan cred after having dared put the TOS Connie down at number 5; my all-time-favorite of all the Enterprises is in fact the Constitution refit/Enterprise A. Otherwise known as the “Motion picture enterprise” because she was used with minor tweaks across all 6 movies using the original show cast. She’s a perfect refinement of the original TOS constitution class ship with a much bigger budget and thus; a much more “real” feeling ship. And just like the TOS ship; still feels and looks great on screen today, though without the same slightly dated feel. There’s a reason fan and side-canon stuff has built an entire era of ship designs based upon this one; because it looks fantastic from almost any angle. It’s such a shame that the studios never wanted to use this design ever again even for background ships; because apparently we’d all be confused as to whether it was the Enterprise or not… so apparently the design was so good it had to be reserved for special occasions.
http://purefandom-prod.objects-us-w.....terprise-A.jpg
So that’s my personal list from least to most fond. How does your favorite compare? Agree? Disagree? Vehemently disagree?
How am I evaluating these?
1: Personal taste – Yeah that’s basically inevitable; that’s how opinion lists go
2: How well they fit – That means how well they fit into what Star Trek is: that being exploring space, occasionally engaging in epic battle, but mostly exploring space
3: How well they fit the “hero ship” role – Let’s face it: that’s a quality you absolutely NEED in an enterprise: it has to feel like the hero ship of the series
Honorable mentions:
SS Enterprise NX-01 – Columbia class
Captain: Johnathan Archer (presumably)
https://trekazoid.files.wordpress.c.....on-d70fw6k.png
Otherwise known as the “NX-refit”; the SS Enterprise is the refitted version of the NX-01 Enterprise seen in the TV show of the same name. Basically; this is the bridge from that design to the old Constitution class from the original series… and honeslty; it’s a marked improvement if you ask me. And the design goes a long way to moving things from the pre-TOS era into the TOS era proper. The reason it’s an honorable mention? Because it was never actually shown: it was designed to be used later into Star Trek Enterprise’s run, but given the show got canned, well; we never got to see it.
USS Enterprise NCC-1701-F – Quantum class
Captain: Unknown
http://img01.deviantart.net/7639/i/.....nd-d57gw57.jpg
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.co.....f2ed266ebd.jpg
http://img12.deviantart.net/00b3/i/.....nd-d4grnxq.jpg
For those who are a bit confused: the Enterprise F, currently has never been seen on screen, but was instead designed as part of a promo contest for the game Star Trek Online. Several different designs were submitted and voted on, and a winner was picked, which we will see in a bit. Personally though: this Quantum-class Enterprise was and is my personal favourite. She looks like the Sovereign-class E and Interprid-class Voyager had a baby, and I think she’s beautiful. She fits what we know the Federation’s design aesthetic is going towards, and she fits the well “Enterprise cycle”. By that I mean: if one care sto notice, Enterprises go in waves: explorer-warship-explorer, so on. With the Sovereign being our “war enterprise” the next one ought to be another explorer, and this, based on its design and name; looks to be designed to use the new Quantum slipstream drive in place of warp drive, allowing it to explore the furthest reaches of the galaxy. Plus: she has something crucial to any Enterprise: visual personality; she looks like a hero ship, and unlike the enterprises to come before and after. If I were to pick a captain for her: hey, why not get Seven of Nine/Annika Hansen from Voyager? That would make for a pretty cool start to a series set in the STO-era.
Now that those are out of the way; onto the list proper.
The JJ-prise, otherwise known as the USS Enterprise NCC-1701 – Constitution (on forced evolutionary virus and Quaaludes) class
Captain: James “I’m made of wood, pine to be specific” Kirk
https://trekazoid.files.wordpress.c.....se_orthos1.jpg
First, and most definitely least comes this… abomination. I refuse to call it a proper enterprise; it’s a disgusting mutation, like it limped out of the drydock screaming “KILL ME!” The bridge looks like an over-lit apple store, complete with massive display window. It has a brewery for an engine room, and Mr. Toads wild ride for its water purification system. It’s horrifically deformed, its proportions are all wrong, as are its colors. It shifts wildly from movie to movie because JJ Abrams is a hack who cares nothing about getting things even consistent never mind right. And it’s about 5 times larger than it ought to be for the time it was built. It can travel UNDERWATER at one point in one movie, then can’t bear to enter atmosphere later in the SAME MOVIE. Thank goodness that Star Trek Beyond blew up its ugly ass… hopefully with ticket sales down and two main character’s actors dead, we’ve seen the last of it… before its somehow even uglier sibling could be on screen for more than a few seconds. *pukes into a bag*
http://trekcore.com/blog/wp-content.....6/08/ent-a.jpg
USS Enterprise NCC-1701-C – Ambassador class
Captain: Rachel Garrett
http://img08.deviantart.net/2491/i/....._schematic.jpg
It’s a bit sad that the only Enterprise thus far with a female CO is so far down my list, but there it is. Probably unsurprising to learn that the Enterprise C here was designed basically as a one-off as part of an episode of TNG. A quite good episode mind (Yesterday’s Enterprise), but her main design directive as basically “smash the Enterprise D and Constitution lass together”, and it rather shows if you ask me. She’s very derivative of the two ships that went into her design, but the elements don’t really gel together that well, and as a result; just doesn’t really have much of an identity of her own if you ask me. In the end, she just kind of exists “oh, and the enterprise C too”.
USS Enterprise NCC-1701-F – Odyssey class
Captain: Va’Kel Shon
https://vignette4.wikia.nocookie.ne.....20150315165516
As stated in my honorable mentions; I’m not crazy about the design they decided to go with for this one. Not that I actively dislike the Odyssey class, unlike the two above, but well; she has a lot of the same problems as the C/Ambassador class. That being: that she lacks personality of her own and is very derivative of another design, that being the Enterprise E/Sovereign class. She basically just feels to me like “the Sovereign class, but a bit bigger”. She still looks good mind; benefit of being derivative of a single rather than two designs, the elements still hold together well. And she does have the first non-human captain of the Enterprise, which is cool.
Enterprise NX-01 – NX class
Captain: Johnathan Archer
http://orig03.deviantart.net/3ad1/f.....ex-d6ukbiy.jpg
As much as I make fun of Enterprise for having by far the worst ratio of bad to good episodes of any of the trek series, and that’s including the animated one; I don’t actually dislike the NX-01 herself. She’s less a “starship”, and more a “submarine in space” which makes perfect sense for when she was built. She is a natural progression from the design explosion we see following Humans discovering warp flight to the more refined “standard federation” look, especially in the light of the refit “Columbia class” which was in the honorable mentions. Main quibble being that they should have covered over the glowing coils in the engines to keep continuity between the Phoenix and the TOS enterprise. Overall; solid ship design for what she is, though it’s a bit telling that I like her better in Imperial colors:
http://orig13.deviantart.net/9cbf/f.....ex-d6un4y7.jpg
USS Enterprise XCV-330 – Declaration class
Captain: Unknown
http://vignette3.wikia.nocookie.net.....20100805095943
The first interstellar starship enterprise. And thus also begins the entry of the two “weird enterprises”. It is only seen in depictions across a couple different series/movies, but it is a awesome blend of real-world potential starship design, and “trek-style” designs. It makes sense that one of the first things human designers would do is mimic the Vulcan-style of design. Plus, well: I am a total sucker for those Alcubierre-style warp ring engines.
USS Enterprise NCC-1701-J – Universe Class
Captain: Unknown
https://vignette1.wikia.nocookie.ne.....20071017180705
From the far future of the 26th century, we have the Enterprise J, another of the “one off” enterprises like the C and B, this one was only glimpsed in a brief flash-forward during the events of Enterprise. She might well be the largest enterprise ever built; as we know later by the 29th century the Federation started building much smaller, more powerful ships as their technology exponentially advanced (Hey, CBS: want some free hype? Reveal the “time ship enterprise S”). We basically know almost nothing about her, besides that she might have some organic tech based on the lines and sweep of the hull, she’s incredibly powerful, even by her time’s standards… and SHE’S FUCKING HUGE!
http://www.coldnorth.com/owen/game/.....terprise-j.gif
USS Enterprise NCC-1701 – Constitution class
Captain: James T. Kirk
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.co.....8e75543535.jpg
Yes; surprisingly, the original, the classic, the one that started it all… is NOT my favorite. The original Connie is a terrific ship don’t get me wrong: her design is simple and elegant, and as the Enterprise episode “In a mirror darkly” showed, she still looks great using modern effects. She does show her age just a little bit though; this was the “1.0” version afterall, made on a TV-show budget from a time when well; they basically could only afford a new model every 3 or 4 episodes or so, and the transporter came about because the model for the shuttle was late and wouldn’t be ready for filming. Nothing can replace her though *stares over at the impaled remains of the JJprise*
USS Enterprise NCC-1701-B – Excelsior class refit
Captain: John Herriman (later Demora Sulu, how cool is that?)
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.co.....7ba9b302e9.jpg
Some are going to be surprised this one is this high, as she’s yet another “one-off” enterprise: see only I believe in model form during TNG, and then in the introduction to Star Trek: Generations. The Excelsior-class gets a lot of hate from TOS-purists for being over-designed compared to the original enterprise, and this refit even more so. But personally: I love her; I’ve always loved the design of the Excelsior-class as the “battleship” to the Constitution’s “cruiser” as it were, and the B I can’t help feel like she’s the ugly duckling people like to make fun of for showing up in a merely okay movie and then never again.
USS Enterprise NCC-1701-D – Galaxy class
Captain: Jean-Luc Picard
http://orig10.deviantart.net/bb2a/f.....ex-d6rws0s.jpg
Now if I had to pick any Enterprise to live on, man would it be this one. The Enterprise D is a bloody city in space; with all the comforts of home while out and about, and makes sense as it was built during an incredibly peaceful era of the Federation. She’s probably also one of the most iconic of the Star Trek hero ships; with by far the longest run on screen of any of them. This is the ship which above all others wound up feeling like a real place: even more so soon when we get to see the culmination of the fan project to make a fully 3D walk-around version based on the blueprints that were actually produced. In-universe though: the galaxy class proved itself to be a bit of a microcosm of the weaknesses of the Federation, and would eventually be replaced.
USS Enterprise NCC-1701-E – Sovereign class
Captain: Jean-Luc Picard
http://orig06.deviantart.net/ae23/f.....ex-d6sah71.jpg
Replaced with this! Now if the D was made for pleasure, then the E made to kick ass. She’s everything the D isn’t; swift, sleek, and made for battle; embodying all the hard-learned lessons the Federation had to endure through the Borg invasion, and then the Dominion war. She also came along right at the right time; with probably the single most extravagant practical model ever produced, which was where the design was refined BEFORE going into the CGI shop. The design has that unique quality of looking like it’s going fast, even when it’s sitting still. Even though she only showed up in one good movie to two absolutely god-awful ones, I still love the Enterprise E. I mean geez; look at that monster
https://68.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_.....2xzo1_1280.jpg
USS Enterprise NCC-1701-A – Constitution class
Captain: James T. Kirk
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.co.....c8ffbc3c6b.jpg
And here’s where I hopefully win back some of my old-school-trek-fan cred after having dared put the TOS Connie down at number 5; my all-time-favorite of all the Enterprises is in fact the Constitution refit/Enterprise A. Otherwise known as the “Motion picture enterprise” because she was used with minor tweaks across all 6 movies using the original show cast. She’s a perfect refinement of the original TOS constitution class ship with a much bigger budget and thus; a much more “real” feeling ship. And just like the TOS ship; still feels and looks great on screen today, though without the same slightly dated feel. There’s a reason fan and side-canon stuff has built an entire era of ship designs based upon this one; because it looks fantastic from almost any angle. It’s such a shame that the studios never wanted to use this design ever again even for background ships; because apparently we’d all be confused as to whether it was the Enterprise or not… so apparently the design was so good it had to be reserved for special occasions.
http://purefandom-prod.objects-us-w.....terprise-A.jpg
So that’s my personal list from least to most fond. How does your favorite compare? Agree? Disagree? Vehemently disagree?
JJtheOtter
~immolated
For external appearance, I think I'd put the NX-01 a little higher, maybe above the J, but otherwise wholeheartedly agree! I have a hard time choosing between the E and the A (they're both just fantastic) but I think I'd agree that the A comes out on top. It's stood the test of time better than I think all the others have or will, and it's a real shame that it was only there for the movies. It's hard for all the others to compare to the original and the D as far as feeling like a living, real ship. Throughout the original series and TNG you just get a feel for the layout of them without having to look beyond the show itself, whereas with the E and the one-offs that mental picture isn't really there. As beautiful as the E and A are on the outside, the D and the original just feel like home.
chinook_orca
~chinookorca
OP
Yeah; it isn't quite a fair match-up when it comes to ships that have only had a few appearances and those that get to be shown off on screen across an entire series. Probably why if I'd done this with just "hero ships" instead of all enterprises Voyager/the Intrepid class would be quite high on the list.
JJtheOtter
~immolated
I feel that. Defiant, too!
