Andorian

Last updated

Andorians
Star Trek race
ProvingGround1.jpg
Commander Shran and crew from the 2004 Star Trek: Enterprise episode "Proving Ground".
First appearance
Created by D.C. Fontana
In-universe information
Quadrant Beta, Alpha
Home worldAndoria
Sub-races Aenar
LanguageAndorian language
Affiliation United Federation of Planets, Andorian Empire

Andorians are a fictional race of humanoid extraterrestrials in the American science fiction franchise Star Trek . They were created by writer D. C. Fontana. Within the Star Trek narrative, they are native to the blue icy Class M moon, Andoria (sometimes referred to as Andor [1] ). Distinctive traits of Andorians include their blue/green skin, a pair of cranial antennae, and white hair. [2]

Contents

Andorians first appeared in the 1968 Star Trek: The Original Series episode "Journey to Babel", and have been seen or mentioned in episodes of subsequent series in the Star Trek franchise. They were indicated to be a vital, important member of the United Federation of Planets in the 1997 Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode "In the Cards", but did not gain considerable exposure until the 2001–2005 series Star Trek: Enterprise , on which they were used as recurring characters, most notably in the person of Thy'lek Shran, a starship commander who maintained a sometimes adversarial and begrudging friendship with Enterprise Captain Jonathan Archer. The series revealed more about Andorian ships, the home world Andoria, and the culture and history of Andorians and their subspecies, the Aenar. The 2004 episode "Zero Hour" established that Andorians were one of the four founding members of the United Federation of Planets. [3]

Development

Thelev, an Orion assassin disguised as an Andorian, from the 1967 original series episode "Journey to Babel". JourneyBabel.jpg
Thelev, an Orion assassin disguised as an Andorian, from the 1967 original series episode "Journey to Babel".

Andorians appeared in four episodes of The Original Series, and were background elements in Star Trek: The Motion Picture and Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home , but remained largely undeveloped until Enterprise. [4] Showrunner Brannon Braga originally wanted to limit the number of original series elements on Enterprise, but came to see the challenge of "tak(ing) the goofiest aliens from The Original Series and make them a real culture that’s cool and believable." [5]

Appearance

Ensign Jennifer Sh'reyan as seen in Lower Decks. Ensign Jennifer Sh'reyan from "Star Trek, Lower Decks".jpeg
Ensign Jennifer Sh'reyan as seen in Lower Decks.

Andorians have blue blood, blue skin, white hair, and antennae on the crown of the skull. By the time of the 2001 – 2005 TV series Star Trek: Enterprise , the antennae were depicted as protruding from the forehead, and capable of movement, used for gesturing and balancing. The design of Andorians has changed with every new production; including the placement of their antennae, additional makeup appliances, and the blue shade of their skin. [4]

Homeworld

Andoria (sometimes referred to as Andor), [1] is an icy moon orbiting a ringed gas giant. In a DVD bonus feature for the 4th season of Enterprise, episode writers Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stevens stated that Andor was the gas giant, Andoria the moon, and that this was a conscious effort to address the discrepancy, but continued varying usage across canon, reference, and licensed sources have not fully resolved the discrepancy.

Most of Andoria's cities are built underground to take advantage of geothermal warmth. Temperatures have been known to reach −28 °C in the summer. Andoria has at least one moon or neighboring planet. Andorians share their homeworld with an obscure telepathic subspecies, Aenar, which have either light blue or white skin. [4]

The non-canonical Star Trek Star Charts (2002) cites Andoria as the seventh planet in orbit around the star Procyon (Alpha Canis Minoris) in the Beta quadrant, [6] but previous material has Andoria as the eighth planet of the orange dwarf Epsilon Indi in the Alpha quadrant. [7] [8] Andoria is near Betazed, Earth, Tellar, and Vulcan.

Reception

In 2017, Den of Geek ranked the Andorians the 9th best aliens of the Star Trek franchise, behind the Ferengi. [9]

Related Research Articles

Kes (<i>Star Trek</i>) Star Trek character

Kes is a fictional character on the American science fiction television show Star Trek: Voyager. She is portrayed by actress Jennifer Lien. Set in the 24th century of the Star Trek universe, the series follows the crew of the starship USS Voyager, stranded far from home and struggling to get back to Earth. Kes is a member of the Ocampa who joins the crew in the series' premiere episode along with her Talaxian boyfriend, Neelix. She subsequently works as the Doctor's medical assistant and develops her mental abilities with Tuvok's assistance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tom Paris</span> Fictional character from Star Trek

Lieutenant Thomas Eugene "Tom" Paris is a fictional character in the American science fiction television series Star Trek: Voyager and is portrayed by Robert Duncan McNeill. Paris is the chief helmsman, as well as a temporary auxiliary medic, of the USS Voyager, a Starfleet ship that was stranded in the Delta Quadrant by an alien entity known as the Caretaker.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Romulan</span> Extraterrestrial humanoid species in the Star Trek franchise

The Romulans are an extraterrestrial race in the American science fiction franchise Star Trek. They first appeared in the series Star Trek (1966–1969). They have appeared in most subsequent Star Trek releases, including The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, Enterprise, Discovery, Picard, Strange New Worlds, and Lower Decks. They appear in the Star Trek feature films Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (1989), Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991), Star Trek: Nemesis (2002) and Star Trek (2009). They also appear in various other spin-off media, including books, comics, toys and games.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jonathan Archer</span> Fictional character from Star Trek: Enterprise

Jonathan Archer is a fictional character in the Star Trek franchise. He is one of the protagonists of the television series Star Trek: Enterprise, where he was portrayed by Scott Bakula.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Journey to Babel</span> 10th episode of the 2nd season of Star Trek: The Original Series

"Journey to Babel" is the tenth episode of the second season of the American science fiction television series Star Trek. Written by D. C. Fontana and directed by Joseph Pevney, it was first broadcast on November 17, 1967.

Proving Ground (<i>Star Trek: Enterprise</i>) 13th episode of the 3rd season of Star Trek: Enterprise

"Proving Ground" is the thirteenth episode from the third season of the television series Star Trek: Enterprise. It's the sixty-fifth episode of the series, first airing on January 21, 2004. This is a science fiction episode about a spaceship dealing with an attack on Earth by aliens in the 22nd century. The episode continues the Xindi story arc, opening with a montage of scenes from previous shows. Archer and a recurring character, the Andorian Captain Shran, take on the Xindi in an uncertain alliance.

<i>Enterprise</i> (NX-01) Fictional spacecraft from Star Trek: Enterprise

Enterprise (NX-01) is the fictional spaceship that serves as the primary setting of the American science fiction television series Star Trek: Enterprise. The ship predates the other Starfleet ships named Enterprise and was first seen in the pilot episode "Broken Bow". Its missions included an initial period of deep space exploration and a mission into the Delphic Expanse following the Xindi attack on Earth; it was also instrumental in the formation of the United Federation of Planets with the Vulcans, Andorians and Tellarites.

"Zero Hour" is the twenty-fourth and final episode of the third season of the American science fiction television series Star Trek: Enterprise; the seventy-seventh episode overall. It first aired on May 26, 2004, on the UPN network within the United States. Set in the 22nd century, the series follows the adventures of the first Starfleet starship, Enterprise, registration NX-01. Season three of Enterprise features an ongoing story following an attack on Earth by previously unknown aliens called the Xindi.

United (<i>Star Trek: Enterprise</i>) 13th episode of the 4th season of Star Trek: Enterprise

"United" is the 13th episode of the fourth season of the American science fiction television series Star Trek: Enterprise and the 89th episode overall. It was first broadcast on the UPN network on February 4, 2005. It is the second of a three-part story which included the previous episode "Babel One", and the following episode, "The Aenar". "United" was written by Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stevens from a story idea by show runner Manny Coto. It was directed by David Livingston, his third of the season.

"Fight or Flight" is the third episode of the television series Star Trek: Enterprise. "Fight or Flight" was written by Brannon Braga and Rick Berman. Allan Kroeker served as director for the episode; he had previously directed "Endgame," the finale of Star Trek: Voyager.

"The Andorian Incident" is the seventh episode of the television series Star Trek: Enterprise, and was written by Brannon Braga, Fred Dekker and Rick Berman. Roxann Dawson served as director for the episode. As one of the most significant of the first-season episodes, the events of "The Andorian Incident" would continue to resonate into the third and fourth seasons. This would, in particular, affect T'Pol and her family.

"These Are the Voyages..." is the series finale of the American science fiction television series Star Trek: Enterprise. The 22nd episode of the fourth season and the 98th of the series overall, it first aired on the UPN network in the United States on May 13, 2005. It is a frame story where the 22nd-century events of Star Trek: Enterprise are recounted in a 24th-century holodeck re-creation that is folded into the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "The Pegasus", which aired eleven years earlier. It features guest stars Jonathan Frakes, Marina Sirtis and Jeffrey Combs, as well as a voice cameo from Brent Spiner. Series creators Rick Berman and Brannon Braga, who co-wrote the episode, conceived "These Are the Voyages..." as a valentine to Star Trek fans.

"The Aenar" is the fourteenth episode of the fourth season of the American science fiction television series Star Trek: Enterprise, and originally aired on February 11, 2005. It was written by André Bormanis from a story by Manny Coto, and was directed by Mike Vejar. "The Aenar" was the third installment of a three-part story which concluded the events of episodes "Babel One" and "United".

"The 37's" is the first episode of the second season, and seventeenth episode overall, of the American science fiction television series Star Trek: Voyager. Due to differing release schedules, it was also released as the final episode of the first season in other countries. The episode aired August 28, 1995, on the UPN network. Directed by James L. Conway, it was written by producers Jeri Taylor and Brannon Braga. It was originally intended to be a two-part episode to bridge between the first and second seasons, and was subsequently re-written to be a single part. Due to late changes to the final act of the episode, special effects shots of the settlers' cities could not be completed, with which Braga and series creator Michael Piller were unhappy.

Threshold (<i>Star Trek: Voyager</i>) 15th episode of the 2nd season of Star Trek: Voyager

"Threshold" is the 31st episode of American science fiction television series Star Trek: Voyager and the 15th episode in its second season. It first aired on UPN on January 29, 1996.

"Vox Sola" is the twenty-second episode of the television series Star Trek: Enterprise. It was developed into a teleplay by Fred Dekker from a story by Rick Berman, Brannon Braga, and Dekker. Roxann Dawson was the director.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stars and planetary systems in fiction</span>

The planetary systems of stars other than the Sun and the Solar System are a staple element in many works of the science fiction genre.

Harry Kim (<i>Star Trek</i>) Character from Star Trek: Voyager

Ensign Harry S. L. Kim is a fictional character who appeared in each of the seven seasons of the American television series Star Trek: Voyager. Portrayed by Garrett Wang, he is the Operations Officer aboard the Starfleet starship USS Voyager.

References

  1. 1 2 . The moon orbits a gas giant in the Andorian system. The home planet was first referred to as "Andoria" in Act 1 of "Prophet Motive", and as "Andoria" in Act 3 of "In the Cards".
  2. "Andoria". Star Trek Database. StarTrek.com. Retrieved April 23, 2012.
  3. "Zero Hour". Star Trek: Enterprise . Season 3. Episode 24. May 26, 2004. UPN.
  4. 1 2 3 Zabiegalski, Robin (March 26, 2021). "DETAILS: Why the Appearance of the Andorians Changed from 'TOS' to 'Enterprise'". heavy.com. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
  5. Saunders, Matt (August 2002). "The Year in Review with BRANNON BRAGA". Star Trek Communicator. Decipher Inc. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
  6. Geoffrey Mandel, Star Trek Star Charts: The Complete Atlas of Star Trek (NY: Pocket Books, 2002), 52.
  7. Eileen Palestine, ed., Star Fleet Medical Reference Manual (NY: Ballantine Books, 1977), 58.
  8. Shane Johnson, The Worlds of the Federation (NY: Pocket Books, 1989), 22.
  9. "Star Trek: The 50 Best Alien Races". Den of Geek. October 12, 2017. Retrieved March 1, 2021.