Star Trek: The Next Generationseason 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 ofTNG’sfinest hours, and is often remembered as the episode that brought back Denise Crosby’s Tasha Yar only to kill her off again. In one ofTNG’sbest 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 andthe Enterprise-Dis the first Galaxy-Class warship.
Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) remains in command of the Enterprise, but he appears exhausted and unusually weary about the Enterprise-C. An away team finds the injuredCaptain Rachel Garrett (Tricia O’Neil)on the bridge of the Enterprise-C, and she quickly realizes that something is amiss. Picard reveals thatGarrett and her ship have 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 in the Enterprise-D truly enrich the story.
7Battle Enterprise-D Has Darker Lighting & A Redressed 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 homey 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 this Enterprise-D is always on high alert. The lighting has been darkened throughout the ship, as well, and everything has a more austere and functional look.
Star Trek: Every Version Of The Starship Enterprise
The Federation flagship, the USS Enterprise, has a long, fabled history, and each version of the classic Star Trek spacecraft has its own unique look.
The ship’s bridge configuration has also been altered. Captain Picard now sits higher, with no other chairs around him on the command deck.Commander William Riker (Jonathan Frakes) remains First Officer but now stands at the tactical stationrather than sitting next to Picard. There are more consoles on the bridge, as well, suggesting this Enterprise-D has more weapons systems and tactical abilities than the original one. Even Picard’s ready room is different — not only is it darker, but all of Picard’s mementos and trinkets have been removed.
6Battle Enterprise TNG Crew Wears Different Uniforms
Every 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 militaristic. With a thicker band collar and cuffed sleeves,these uniforms also incorporate weapons belts.These belts hold a type 2 phaser which shows much more prominently than the usual phaser belts worn by Enterprise-D crew members on away 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 crew members of the Enterprise-C wear the same Starfleet uniforms seen in theStar Trek: The Original Seriesfilms.
The phaser belts worn by every officer aboard the Enterprise-D look very similar to the ones worn by the crew of the ISS Enterprise seen inStar Trek: The Original Seriesseason 2, episode 10, “Mirror, Mirror.” It makes sense that the alternate universe Enterprise-D in “Yesterday’s Enterprise” would resemblethe Mirror Universe Enterprise, as both ships were built for battle during times of war. Thankfully,the crewmembers of the alternate Enterprise-D are not unnecessarily cruel(or sex-crazed) like the officers in the Mirror Universe.
5Battle Enterprise Uses Different Style Red Alerts
Red & 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.This 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 was about to head into battle. Soon after the Enterprise-D first hails the Enterprise-C,Ensign Wesley Crusher (Wil Wheaton)informs Picard that Klingon battlecruisers have been spotted heading toward 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 transporting over from the Enterprise-C just as the first attack happens, meaning Commander Riker would have been the one to declare the alert status. It’s likely the Enterprise-D remained at Battle Alert throughout the rest of the episode, as they covered the retreat of the Enterprise-C.
4The Crew Of The Battle Enterprise Eat Rations
The Food Replicators Use Too Much Power
The crew of the Warship Enterprise even eats differently than the original crew. Although this 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 Lt. Tasha Yar visits Ten Forward, she asksGuinan (Whoopi Goldberg)for"a couple of TKLs,“saying that she and Lt. Richard Castillo (Christopher McDonald) of the Enterprise-C are"in a hurry.”
When Castillo questions what a TKL is,Yar informs him that they are standard rationsas she explains about the food replicators. Even in a society as advanced as the 24th century Federation, wartimes still stretch every resource thin and soldiers still have to sacrifice creature comforts. “Yesterday’s Enterprise” never reveals what the letters TKL actually stand for, and it’s possible they don’t mean anything at all.
3Battle Enterprise Has Security Officers Everywhere
Security Officers Stand At Nearly Every Door, Battle Ready
Although no one calls particular attention to them throughout “Yesterday’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 nearly every entrance and door on the ship, even in sickbay. There are clearly more officers aboard the Warship Enterprise than the original, as the whole ship feels overcrowded and constantly busy.
7 Star Trek: TNG “Yesterday’s Enterprise” Details You Missed
Star Trek: TNG’s “Yesterday’s Enterprise” is an all-time classic enhanced by the fascinating decisions made to bring the time travel story to life.
The scenes in Ten Forward, and even the shots in hallways, are full of people — officers hurrying back and forth to their stations, officers taking downtime trying to forget about the war, and everywhere, silent security officers standing at attention. Everything sounds louder, too, with more people talking, louder engines, and louder background noise. It’s 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.
2Picard Records A Military Log Rather Than A Captain’s Log
The Alternate Enterprise-D Is A Warship In Every Way
Picard records a Captain’s Log in numerous episodes ofStar Trek: The Next Generation,but “Yesterday’s Enterprise” alters that, too. Right after the 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 transferred to the Enterprise-C and reports that multiple Klingon battlecruisers are headed toward 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 vein,Picard refers to Riker as Commander rather than Number One, suggesting the two are on less friendly terms than they are in the Prime Universe. These little changes truly elevate the episode, making the stakes of everything feel higher and showing how much effort the writers put into establishing this alternate universe.
1Battle Enterprise Has Tasha Yar But No Worf
Denise Crosby Returns As Tasha Yar, Taking Over Worf’s Position
The biggest change in the Warship Enterprise, is, of course, theappearance of Tasha Yarback at tactical and the absence of Lt. Worf (Michael Dorn). Part ofthe idea for “Yesterday’s Enterprise” originated as a way to bring Yar backafter her lackluster death inStar Trek: The Next Generationseason 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.
Worf only appears briefly at the beginning and end of “Yesterday’s Enterprise.” In the episode’s opening scene, Guinan introduces the Klingon to Prune juice for the first time.“A warrior’s drink,“indeed.
Tasha Yar gets to have a more heroic death in “Yesterday’s Enterprise” (which is unfortunately undercut by the later appearance of her half-Romulan daughter, Sela).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. “Yesterday’s Enterprise” will always be one ofStar Trek: The Next Generation’smost celebrated episodes. The whole story is elevated by the amount of care and detail put into the alternate universe Warship Enterprise-D.
