Summary
This month, fans ofStar Trekhave a chance to buy the USS Excelsior, commanded by Captain Hikaru Sulu (George Takei), provided that they have big pockets. The USS Excelsior debuted inStar Trek III: The Search for Spock, hailed as the “great experiment”, but proved to be no match for the USS Enterprise. Years later, Sulu transferred from the Enterprise to the Excelsior, commanding the iconic starship inStar Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country.Star Trek’s Excelsior-class starshipsbecame the gold standard for Starfleet in the late 23rd century, carrying over intoStar Trek: The Next Generation’s 24th century.
Now,Heritage Auctionsare putting Captain Sulu’s USS Excelsior up for sale as part of their July Entertainment Auction, running between the 25th and 26th of this month.Listed with a starting bid of $40,000, the USS Excelsior, built by Greg Jeinfor use inStar Trek: Voyager, season 3, episode 2, “Flashback” is one of almost 600 items up for sale fromStar Trek,Star Wars, and more. OtherStar Trekitems on sale in the July Entertainment Auction include Bob Peak’s final movie artwork forStar Trek IV: The Voyage Home, andCaptain Kirk’s green uniform. ReadHeritage Auctions' statement below, and peruse the collectionhere.
“The July 25-26 event, now open for bidding, is a blast into hyperspace featuring beloved starships, iconic costumes and important artwork from the worlds ofStar TrekandStar Wars, as well as the films that influenced those franchises and the entertainment inspired by them.
Among the auction’s nearly 600 offerings, collectors will find a Y-wing starfighter that helped take down the Death Star in 1977’sStar Wars, theUSS Excelsiorthat crashedStar Trek: Voyager’s “Flashback,” Stanley Kubrick and Arthur C. Clarke’s early production script for their trip into2001: A Space Odysseyand John Alvin’s original concept art for theBlade Runnerposter. Here, too, is the costume with which Carrie Fisher had a love-hate relationship: the skimpy metal bikini Princess Leia wore as Jabba the Hutt’s slave inReturn of the Jedi.”
Star Trek’s Mr. Sulu History In TOS, Movies & Beyond Explained
Since his introduction in Star Trek: The Original Series, Hikaru Sulu has had a long and varied career in the franchise, appearing in many projects.
Why Captain Sulu’s Excelsior Returned In Star Trek: Voyager
The USS Excelsior that’s up for sale atHeritage Auctionswas built by Greg Jein for use inStar Trek: Voyager’s contribution to the franchise’s 30th anniversary celebrations. InVoyagerseason 3, episode 2, “Flashback”, Captain Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) participated in a mind meld with Lt. Tuvok (Tim Russ), who took her back in time to the USS Excelsior. As Janeway and Tuvok try to get to the bottom of Tuvok’s deteriorating mental state, they are thrown into the climactic events ofStar Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country.
WithStar Trek’s 60th anniversaryonly a few years away, it feels apt that this piece of franchise history is now up for sale. 30 years after the Excelsior was rebuilt to celebrateStar Trek’s first three decades, the franchise is in rude health. Like Sulu before her, Janeway is still a belovedcharacter, thanks to her resurgence inStar Trek: Prodigy. By acquiring the USS Excelsior prop, a lucky fan - in more ways than one, given the price - could own a starship that bridges two classicStar Trekeras.
Source:Heritage Auctions
Star Trek: The Original Series
Star Trek follows the U.S.S. Enterprise on its five-year mission to explore the galaxy, led by Captain James T. Kirk and First Officer Mr. Spock. The crew confronts a variety of challenges, including Klingons, Romulans, and genetic supermen, as they search for new life and civilizations.
Star Trek: Voyager
The fifth entry in the Star Trek franchise, Star Trek: Voyager, is a sci-fi series that sees the crew of the USS Voyager on a long journey back to their home after finding themselves stranded at the far ends of the Milky Way Galaxy. Led by Captain Kathryn Janeway, the series follows the crew as they embark through truly uncharted areas of space, with new species, friends, foes, and mysteries to solve as they wrestle with the politics of a crew in a situation they’ve never faced before.
