REVIEW: Some Super Star Trek Stocking Stuffer Suggestions
Here are some holiday gift ideas. Image: T. Rick Jones.
DECEMBER 15, 2022 - Christmas is in 10 days, and it’s probably time for those who celebrate to start thinking about what to get that special Trekkie in their life. Fortunately, Entertainment Earth is here to help out with that. I ordered four items that I thought would make good stocking stuffers. One of them is on backorder, so if it arrives before Christmas I’ll add it to this review. In the meantime, let’s open Santa’s pack and see what pops out!
Playmobil 71155 Star Trek Kirk, Spock, McCoy and Uhura 3-Inch Action Figures
I reviewed Playmates’ new line of action figures back in October and have wanted to get my hands on the Playmobil ones for a while now. They released an entire USS Enterprise set a while ago and are set to release a Star Trek III: The Search For Spock set in 2023, but they now offer a box set of Star Trek: The Original Series action figures without the bulky starships, perfect for slipping into a stocking (if you remove them from the packaging.)
Standoff! Uhura tries to communicate with the Ghost of Christmas Yet To Come, while Spock prepares to use the Vulcan neck pinch Kirk defends Ebenezer Scrooge's right to be mean. Image: T. Rick Jones.
The figures are stylized versions of Captain Kirk, Mr. Spock, Doctor McCoy, and Lieutenant Uhura. Kirk, Spock, and McCoy each come with an accessory (a phaser, tricorder, and hypospray, respectively), while Uhura simply sports an oversized earpiece for picking up communications signals from other races. It’s a nice idea, but when I went to gently adjust the tricorder’s position, the elastic with which it was slung over Spock’s shoulder immediately snapped. In addition, McCoy had trouble hanging onto his hypospray. The only accessory that really seemed to work the way it was meant to.
Otherwise, the figures are pretty neat. It’s said that they are meant for children 10+ years, but I’d actually suggest them for slightly younger kids. Entertainment Earth also sells the Playmates figures, which I was really a fan of (my niece and nephew will be receiving some from me this Christmas), and I would recommend those over the Playmobil ones. Still, at $19.99 for the foursome, it’s a deal and they’ll fit better in the toe of a stocking than the others.
T. Rick Jones models the STAR TREK: DISCOVERY black badge. Image: T. Rick Jones.
Is there anybody who likes to cosplay on your list? No? How about someone who likes to clandestinely uphold the ideals of the Federation using deceit and murder? Either demographic would be an optimal recipient of this badge and pin set.
The illicit organization known as Section 31 was first introduced in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, but we have since learned that their origins go all the way back to before the inception of United Federation of Planets and in Star Trek: Discovery, they were identified by the black badges they wore.
Entertainment Earth carries the entire line of screen-accurate Star Trek badge replicas, made by Quantum Mechanix, and this one is really cool. The badge itself comes with short-field magnets on the back and in a backplate, and boy are they strong. I’ve had experience with magnetic badges in the past, and have found them to allow the badge to slip around the fabric of my clothing. These hold the acrylic badge in place with a firm grip, allowing me to develop a virus to wipe out an entire alien race without worrying about whether my insignia is on straight.
It comes packaged in a blister pack with a small enamel pin of the same design, with a snap enclosure. Like the Playmobil figures, this will only set you back $19.99, and the cosplayer you gift it to is sure to be delighted.
Star Trek Lirpa Scaled Prop Replica
If you’ve ever been involved in a love triangle, you know the only logical way to solve the problem is by taking part in a ritual fight to the death, and what better way to say “I’ll love you until your rival kills you” than by giving that special someone in your life the traditional Vulcan weapon known as a “lirpa”?
Factory Entertainment has a whole line of scaled prop weapon replicas, including a TOS phaser rifle (only seen in the pilot episode, “Where No Man Has Gone Before”,) a TNG Type-3 phaser rifle, and a Klingon Bat’Leth. Entertainment Earth carries them all, and I thought the lirpa seemed like a good place to start.
Spock (Ethan Peck) in a dream battle with himself in STAR TREK: STRANGE NEW WORLDS' "Spock Amok," with a replica lirpa in the foreground. Image: T. Rick Jones.
The weapon was first introduced in the TOS episode “Amok Time” and was recently seen again in the Star Terk: Strange New Worlds episode “Spock Amok.” I was impressed as soon as I removed it from its packaging. Molded out of solid metal, the replica was heavier than I’d anticipated. As in the Star Trek series, it consists of a long brown handle terminating with a club on one end and a fan-shaped blade on the other.
The replica measures 8” end to end and is packaged with a little display stand made of acrylic. Like the DISCO badge, it is screen-accurate, and any fan of those logical Vulcans and their wacky traditions will be proud to display it. It tempted me to pick up the whole set of weapon replicas, and at $34.99, it’s a real bargain.
Because we’re in the season, I’ve focused on these products as Christmas gifts, but if you don’t celebrate, they’d make good gifts for other occasions, or even for yourself. Head over to Entertainment Earth to browse their vast collection of Star Trek loot. There’s something there for everyone, and, as a special treat, if you use any of the links in this article, you’ll get 10% off your order plus free shipping for orders over $39.