7 Biggest Changes to Picard’s Enterprise in Star Trek: TNG’s Time Travel Classic

Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 3, Episode 15, “Yesterday’s Enterprise” introduced an alternate universe version of the USS Enterprise-D, which has some distinct differences from its Prime Universe counterpart. “Yesterday’s Enterprise” remains one of Tng S Finest Hour, and is often remembered as the episode that brought back Dennis Crosby’s Tasha Year only to kill her off again. in one of Tng S best cold opens, The battle-damaged Enterprise-C emerges from a tear in spacetime, Causing everything on the Enterprise-D to shift. Suddenly, the Federation is at war with the Klingons and the Enterprise-D is the first Galaxy-class warship.

Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) remains in command of the Enterprise, but he is exhausted and unusually tired about the Enterprise-C. An away team finds injured Captain Rachel Garrett (Tricia O’Neill) on the bridge of the Enterprise-C, and she quickly realizes that something is wrong. Picard reveals that Garrett and her ship traveled twenty-two years into the future, And the Enterprise-C captain eventually agrees to travel back in time to restore the proper timeline. With a fascinating story and compelling guest characters, almost everything about “Yesterday’s Enterprise” works, and all the changes to the Enterprise-D really enrich the story.

7

Battle Enterprise-D has darker lighting and a ridged bridge

The Enterprise-D looks more battle-ready than ever

When the bridge of the Enterprise-D first shifts, the most obvious difference is the change in lighting. The original bridge is well-lit, with bright white lights and an almost cozy feel. The new bridge, however, is much darker, with less ambient light and blue overhead lighting rather than white. Everything on the bridge feels more intense with this lighting, Successfully conveying the idea that the Enterprise-D is always on high alert. The lighting has also been darkened throughout the ship, and everything has a more austere and functional look.

The configuration of the ship’s bridge has also been changed. Captain Picard now sits higher, with no other chairs around him on the command deck. Commander William Ricker (Jonathan Frakes) remains first officer but now stands at the tactical station Rather than sitting next to Picard. There are also more consoles on the bridge, suggesting that the Enterprise-D has more weapons systems and tactical abilities than the original. Even Picard’s ready room is different – not only is it darker, but all of Picard’s mementos and trinkets have been removed.

6

Battle Enterprise TNG crew wear different uniforms

Each officer wears weapons belts equipped with phasers at all times

Captain Picard and the rest of the Enterprise-D crew wear different uniforms that look more military. With a thick band collar and cuffed sleeves, The uniforms also incorporate weapons belts. The belts hold a Type 2 phaser that displays much more prominently than the usual phaser belts worn by Enterprise-D crew members on off missions. The phaser belts are the most obvious and jarring change in the uniforms and help illustrate just how brutal the war with the Klingons has become.

The phaser belts worn by every officer on the Enterprise-D look very similar to those worn by the crew of the ISS Enterprise. Star Trek: The Original Series Season 2, Episode 10, “Mirror, Mirror.” It makes sense that the alternate universe Enterprise-D in “Yesterday’s Enterprise” would resemble the Mirror Universe Enterprise, as both ships were built for battle during times of war. luckily, The crew members of the alternate Enterprise-D are not unnecessarily cruel (or sex-crazed) like the officers in the mirror universe.

5

Battle Enterprise uses different style red alerts

Red and yellow alerts have been replaced by battle alerts

Rather than the traditional red and yellow alerts, The warship Enterprise uses battle alerts, in either condition yellow or red. Captain Picard and his crew are likely on high alert at all times, and the only reason they would declare a ship-wide alert is if the ship is about to head into battle. Shortly after the Enterprise-D first highlights the Enterprise-C, Ensign Wesley Crusher (Wil Wheaton) informs Picard that Klingon battlecruisers have been spotted heading towards them.

Captain Picard then orders a battle alert, condition yellow, presumably to alert the crew to prepare for a battle with the Klingons soon. Picard never orders a battle alert, condition red on screen. He is transported from the Enterprise-C just as the first attack happens, meaning Commander Riker would have been the one to explain the alert status. It is likely that the Enterprise-D remained on battle alert throughout the rest of the episode, as they covered the retreat of the Enterprise-C.

4

The crew of the battleship Enterprise eat rations

The food replicators use too much power

The crew of the warship Enterprise even eats differently than the original crew. Although the Enterprise is still equipped with food replicators, they are on minimum power so every extra ounce of power can be diverted to the weapons and shields. When Saten Tashe Yar visits Ten Forward, she asks Guinian (Whoopi Goldberg) out “A couple of TCL, Saying that she and Lt. Richard Castillo (Christopher McDonald) of the Enterprise-C are “In a hurry.”

When Castillo asks what a TKL is, Yar tells him that they are normal rations As she explained about the food replicators. Even in a society as advanced as the 24th century Federation, wartime still exhausts every resource and soldiers still have to sacrifice creature comforts. “Yesterday’s Enterprise” never reveals what the letters TCL stand for, and it may be that they mean nothing.

3

Battle Enterprise has security officers everywhere

Security officers stand at almost every door, battle ready

Although no one calls them special attention throughout “Tomorrow’s Enterprise”, There are security officers in the background of many scenes set aboard the Enterprise-D. Equipped with the standard weapons belt with phasers, they stand at almost every entrance and door on the ship, even in illness. There are clearly more officers on the warship Enterprise than the original, as the whole ship feels overcrowded and constantly busy.

The scenes in Ten Forward, and even the shots in the halls, are full of people—officers walking back and forth to their stations, officers taking downtime and trying to forget about the war, and everywhere, silent security officers stand at attention. . Everything sounds louder, with more people talking, louder engines and louder background noise. It is constantly jarring to see the Enterprise not as a home for families and civilizations, but as a busy battleship prepared for war at all times.

2

Picard records an army log rather than a captain’s log

The alternate Enterprise-D is a warship in every way

Picard records ​​a captain’s log in many episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation, But “Yesterday’s Enterprise” changes that too. Immediately after Enterprise-C emerges from the wormhole, Picard records ​​a military log and refers to the Enterprise-D as a battleship. He also refers to the date as a combat date rather than a stardate. In the second military log, Picard states that Tasha Yar has been transferred to the Enterprise-C and reports that multiple Klingon battlecruisers are headed for the two Enterprises.

Changing captain’s logs to military logs and stardates to combat dates may seem like small alterations, but they help the war-ravaged alternate universe feel more authentic and lived-in. in a similar way, Picard refers to Riker as commander rather than number onesuggesting the two are on less friendly terms than they are in the Prime Universe. These little changes really elevate the episode, making the stakes of everything feel higher and showing how much effort the writers put into establishing this alternate universe.

1

Battle Enterprise has Tasha Year but no toss

Denise Crosby returns as Tasha Yar, taking over Worf’s position

The biggest change in the Warship Enterprise is, of course, the appearance of Tasha Yar back in Tactical and the absence of Lute Worf (Michael Dorn). Part of The idea for “Yesterday’s Enterprise” originated as a way to bring Yar back After you missing dead in Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 1. With the Federation at war with the Klingons, Worf would never have lived on Earth or joined Starfleet, leaving the perfect hole for Yar to fill.

Tasha Yar gets a more heroic death in “Yesterday’s Enterprise” (which is unfortunately undercut by the later appearance of her half-Romulan daughter, Sle). Yar also gets to star in her own doomed romance, As sparks immediately fly between her and Lt. Castillo. After Guinan tells Yar about her “Empty Death” In the Prime Universe, Tasha gets to choose to face her death head-on. “Tomorrow’s Enterprise” will always be one of Star Trek: The Next Generation Most celebrated episodes. The entire story is elevated by the amount of care and detail in the alternate universe Warship Enterprise-D.