Temporal anomalies seem to be a go-to plot device 
in Star Trek. One of my favorite episodes that utilizes this “old stand-by” has to be the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode, “Yesterday’s Enterprise.” In that episode, the Enterprise NCC-1701 D encounters a disturbance in space and detects a ship coming through. When the other ship emerges, we find that it is a Federation starship, the Enterprise C. Once the ship emerges from the anomaly the crew finds that the reality on board Enterprise D has been altered.
The reality that the Enterprise C created has the Federation at war with the Klingon Empire. The war has been raging for 20 years and it is going badly for the Federation. Prior to Enterprise C emerging through the anomaly it had been battling Romulans at a Klingon outpost called Narendra III. During the episode Picard surmises that if the Enterprise C had been destroyed defending the outpost the war with the Klingon Empire might never have happened. Eventually Enterprise C does return and the timeline is restored.
This great episode didn’t just give us an engaging story, it also gave us yet another design for the Enterprise. Fans were familiar with the Constitution Class and the Excelsior Class but this episode introduced fans to the Ambassador Class. I have always thought the Ambassador Class had a ton of character. This class bridged (no pun intended) the gap between the movie Enterprises and the Enterprise from Star Trek: The Next Generation.
The U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701 C was first released by Hallmark in 2015 but not as a limited edition nor did it sport a “battle-damaged” paint scheme. This summer’s convention exclusive Enterprise C is a limited piece with only 3325 in existence world-wide. Collectors and fans won’t be disappointed if they manage to lay their hands on one. The Enterprise C Keepsake Ornament from Hallmark was sculpted by Lynn Norton and measures approximately 3″ W x 1.375″ H x 4.625″ D. This Keepsake Ornament is a “magic” ornament and requires the included 3 LR-41AG batteries to use the “magic” which basically means it lights up.
Let me reiterate that this is very cool looking ship. One of my favorite features on this ornament is that you do not need a string of lights to illuminate the ship. Not needing to plug in the ornament means it can be displayed year round and since it is small it can be displayed anywhere. The ship has a ring at the top of the saucer section that you can use to hang the ornament for display. The ring is meticulously attached to keep the ship balanced and flying straight.
Since the Hallmark Keepsake U.S.S. Enterprise C is only going to be available at major conventions (i.e. San Diego, New York City) this may be a hard one to find. If you are among the select few able to pick one of these up it will be well worth the stress. The Hallmark Keepsake U.S.S. Enterprise C is perfect for the Trek collector or science fiction lover in general. This cannot be emphasized enough, Hallmark produces some beautiful ornaments and many of these can look at home with or without a Christmas tree.
I have friends who love Christmas so much they start the next countdown on December 26. Well kids, Christmas is approximately 160 days away. I guess it is never too early to start your Christmas shopping. If you find that you need the Enterprise C ornament for either yourself or for a loved one there is still time. Once San Diego ends this weekend your next big con is the New York City Comic Con in October.
Keep an eye out for our upcoming reviews of other great Hallmark ornaments. Live long and prosper.
