Star Trek: Discovery took to Twitter today to show off a close look at some of their updated tech, including a communicator badge, phaser and communicator. The upcoming series will bring Star Trek back to the small screen this fall, and is going to blend together a whole new cast with some elements of the Original Series. Set 10 years before the adventures of Captain Kirk and Spock, the prequel show has already released a trailer, and is sure to reveal more hints at what’s to come at SDCC this weekend.
The series has already made it clear that they aren’t afraid to mix things up, with the announcement that they would not be following a long-held rule of the franchise, and some very unusual-looking Klingons. Despite these changes, however, the show will be hanging on to a lot of what makes Star Trek so iconic - including some of the classic tech. They have updated some of the most iconic items, however, and showed off the new designs on social media.
The designs appeared in three separate tweets on the show’s official Twitter account this week. The first shows the new communication badge, with the caption, “Starfleet officer reporting for duty.” The second reveals the hand-held communicator with the caption, “Two to transport,” and the third is the phaser, with the caption, “Set phasers to stun.”
Starfleet officer reporting for duty. #StarTrekDiscovery premieres September 24 on #CBSAllAccess: https://t.co/LYe40AG2RY pic.twitter.com/DLCOrjXb7v— Star Trek: Discovery (@startrekcbs) July 17, 2017
Two to transport. #StarTrekDiscovery premieres September 24 on #CBSAllAccess: https://t.co/NIkRLo5Grq pic.twitter.com/P0Eyq0WsT1— Star Trek: Discovery (@startrekcbs) July 17, 2017
Set phasers to stun. #StarTrekDiscovery premieres September 24 on #CBSAllAccess: https://t.co/7YqXHeyC7N pic.twitter.com/k3NLKkSVpf— Star Trek: Discovery (@startrekcbs) July 18, 2017
Obviously, the design of the badge has already been seen, as it is a central part of the logo for the new show. The other two pieces of tech are a very similar style, with the emphasis on a bronze color rather than the more silver originals. They also appear sleeker and more sturdy (not surprising, given the difference in budget for the Original Series compared to Discovery), but the overall shape and style of these iconic pieces hasn’t been changed too much.
This is good news for fans of the Original Series, especially if it speaks to what Star Trek: Discovery is going to be doing with many of the other elements. These items are clearly updated, and the handheld communicator in particular looks like it will be a little more detailed than the originals, but they keep the spirit of the originals very well. The color change is an interesting one, as it gives the tech an almost Steampunk vibe, but it also suits the new color palette that has been revealed, and which is primarily blue and bronze. Of course, these are only a tiny part of what makes Star Trek so popular; the story and characters are far more important than the look of a phaser. Still, the details make a difference, and it’s exciting for long-time fans to see some of the classic tech get this style upgrade.
Next: How Star Trek: Discovery is Maintaining Franchise Continuity
Star Trek: Discovery premieres September 24th on CBS.
Source: Twitter
